From there on out she'd protect me from every bully in school. Id actually suggest her being a little overprotective. She was not only my saviour but also my best friend, I mean, we'd hang out all the time and even have sleepovers during school days. Going to her place for the first time was very nerv racking, but as usual her presence brought me comfort and calmed me down. She lives alone with her father because her mother died when she was young. She'd apparently battled with cancer and didn't make it. I can respect a man who raised such a beautiful girl on his own after losing the love of his life. I can relate after all, with me having 2 parents who are basically dead to me and only a grandmother left to pick up the slack. Although despite that, I hated her father. He was an alcoholic who does nothing to tend to Rens needs or even his own for that matter. Ren had to pick up a part time job just to support him. She went grocery shopping, cooked for him, cleaned up after him. Only thing he really did himself was buy his damn liquor. What a dead beat, despite all that she still loved and cared for him deeply. He showed her so much love and care in the beginning right after her mother died but when Ren started her second term of 7th grade her dad came home drunk and broke down in the hallway. With the new year shift his work place decided to fire off a bunch of employees. To save it from bankruptcy they had to shrink the budget. Her dad was never the same since, so from there on out she toke care of him. That is dispicible, how can a father give up on life after losing his job? I understand his pain but not him letting go of everything because of it. Her father payed me no mind when visiting or even sleeping at their place. He just simply murmured "Have fun" carrying a glass of whiskey in hand.
A whole 6 months went by, we had just spent the whole summer break together and it was seemingly time for another chapter of our life to unfold. As usual I wake feeling groggy. In a hurry I get ready to meet Ren who always waits outside every morning without fail so we could walk together to school. Pressing my heels in my shoes, creasing them in the process, I unlock the door ready to see the face of my hero. I look to the left then right, she wasn't there. I ran further out the street and even embarrassingly yelled out loud.
Okay you can come out now!
Thinking she was pulling a prank on me.
I mean maybe she's sick, It's never happened before and she'd definitely call or text if she was. I pulled my phone out and immediately tried to call her but there was no answer after several attempts. I decide that I'll just go to her house just to make sure. I was now running 15 minutes late for school. I tried knocking on her front door but there was no answer. Beggining to get worried and slightly frustrated I start banging on the door, yelling towards her window for her to come out.
The door swinging wide open abruptly cut me off mid yell.
Goddamnit kid, can't you tell how early it is? Ren's already run off to that new school, she isn't home okay?
Her father said looking like a corpse in his underwear fresh out of bed.
It took me a couple seconds to process what he just said, I was dumbfounded.