The Best Things In Life
Everyone has his or her own interpretation of the phrase ‘the best things in life’. For me, the best things in life are my relationship with my father and the true friends I have found in my new school. Hi, I’m Bella Sullivan. Let me tell you about the best things in my life.
My father had killed three men in a fight that took place in Monty’s Bar, a popular local hangout. He had gone there to collect some money that the three men owed him. But they did not have it. My father lost his temper, and what should, otherwise, have been a small fight turned into a full-scale brawl when one of the men pulled out his gun and started firing it. My father grabbed the gun, but instead of stopping the fight there and then, he pulled the trigger and shot down the three men. He later gave the excuse that the adrenaline rush made him lose control.
My father was sentenced to life imprisonment. All this happened when I was just eight years old. I went through several foster homes, as my mother had died when I was five, and none of my relatives would take me in, fearing that I would prove to be as violent as my father.
I lived and attended school in New York during the period of my father’s incarceration. I did not have any friends as my schoolmates’ parents did not approve of their children forming any sort of alliance with the daughter of a convict.
After serving for only eight years in prison, my father was released on good conduct. By then, I was already sixteen. Despite having just got out of prison, and not having a job to support us, my father wanted us to be together as a family. He said that being away from me for so long made him realize how much he loved and missed me. At first, relations between us were strained, as we were not familiar with each other; I had been really young when he went away to prison. Although it was awkward in the beginning, we were both determined to make it work.
We moved to Topeka, Kansas for a fresh start. I was to attend the local high school, Topeka High. I was rather anxious to fit in and worried that I would not be welcomed by the other students. Would they accept me, a newcomer? I felt that I did not fulfill any of the criteria of the basic cliques, namely the popular, the nerds and the in-betweens. I was not pretty enough to be popular, or good enough in my studies to be a nerd. I could not even be considered normal because of whom my father was. We decided to keep my father’s time in prison a secret. I did not want to be known as an ex-con’s daughter.
As I entered the foyer of Topeka High, I could feel every eye in the vicinity on me. Or maybe I was just being paranoid. I managed to find my way to the school office to get the things I would need at Topeka High. The clerk handed me a rulebook, the key to my locker, my student pass, my class timetable and a map of the school, with a friendly smile.
At my locker, as I was arranging my belongings, a girl greeted me with a smile. Her name was Alice Simpson, and it turned out we lived in the same apartment block. We also had the same classes together. She asked me if I would like to sit with her. I accepted the offer gladly.
During lunch, Alice introduced me to her friends, Peter Roberts and Clark Klein and his sister, Cassie. Peter was dark, with brown eyes, wavy dark hair and was of average height. Clark was tall, blue-eyed and had chiseled features. Like her brother, Cassie too was tall and blue-eyed. However, she was a blonde while he had dark hair. Alice was an ethereal beauty. She had long, silky brown hair, dark doe eyes, an aquiline nose, a full mouth and a glowing complexion. They were all very nice.
Alice was the editor of the school paper, the ’Falcon’. One day, as she was searching through the old criminal records, she came across my father’s name. She decided to ask me about it because she did not want me to think she was checking up on me behind my back. I came clean with her about my father as it was a rather heavy burden to carry around by myself. I half-expected her to disown me as her friend, but she surprised me with her understanding. She urged me to tell Clark, Cassie and Peter about my secret. She vouched for their loyalty when I admitted I was afraid of their possible rejection. She turned out to be right. They, too, accepted my secret.
The four of them became my closest friends. We spent our lunch breaks together and visited each other frequently. I liked visiting Clark and Cassie the most. They lived on a farm near the woods. Sometimes, we would bring our homework and some food there. To me, their farm was a wonderful place because it had a cheerful atmosphere, with everyone bustling about their jobs. It helped me forget my troubles at home.
My father was having trouble finding a job because of his criminal record. He came home practically every evening looking dejected. He tried not to show it, but his gloom spread around the house until it became unbearable. He started coming home later and later, and as I did not like staying in an empty house, I, too started spending more time at my friends’ houses and the public library. To make matters worse, our savings were dwindling. If my father could not find a job soon, we would starve.
All this changed when SwettenCorp, a fertilizer plant opened up. My father was hired immediately when he applied for a job with them, although they knew he was an ex-convict. Apparently, the plant owners decided to give him a chance. My father worked hard and his employers were pleased with him. He was able to spend more evenings at home, and soon our home became a welcoming and peaceful place. As I learnt more about my father, our relationship gradually improved. We formed a bond of trust not easily broken. We could also talk more naturally and converse with each other without feeling awkward, unlike before.
Until today, I hold my father and my friends closest to my heart. I will never let them go, as they mean so much to me.
