SHORT STORY
made me a target for the other students since they all knew I was poor. I got in a lot of fights and often came back home with a black eye. My mom tried to make me think that life was perfect and that everything was going to be okay. But I was forced to face reality when I was 17. My mom died of cancer and the only thing she left me with was my old broken Gameboy. I was forced to work minimum wage to pay rent for my apartment. My manager hates me and constantly shouts at me, “GET BACK TO WORK!!!” although it’s my break. I’m never able to catch my breath especially at school where I’m meant to maintain my perfect 4.0 GPA. Ever since I was young the only way I could think of not living a terrible life was through school. I need to get a good job to get money. When my mom died I was crushed and swore an oath that one day I’ll defeat Cancer so nobody has to suffer through what I did. Luckily, I’ll be graduating high school in 2 weeks and I’ll have some of the load I’ve been carrying taken off my back. ----------------------------------------The only thing that pushes me through all of this is the love of his life, Sandra Larson. In our crummy apartment, I sometimes forget how bad I live since all I can think of is Sandra. Sandra’s a skinny black lady who dropped out of school to work at the local furniture store. 68
