Colour My World

• Alice Leeder, Grade 6, Cardross Primary School
• Short Story
• 2019

Excellence Award in the 'Just Keep Writing 2019' competition

So you know those days where your emotions are all over the place? How one minute your jumping with joy and the next you’re crying into your pillow... Well that was me and then... well… this happened.
I get ready for school and check my phone. My heart sinks. It was the news I’d been expecting for a while. “What a wimp,” I think to myself. “Can’t even say it to my face. Has to do it over text.”
The pain hits me. I start bawling. I cry so hard I can’t breathe. I look up and wipe the tears off my face, trying to look happy. When I come back to my senses, I realise then world has magically turned blue. Confused, I run to Mum.
“Why did the world turn blue?”
“You work it out. You’re old enough now to solve your own problems.”
“But... I didn’t to this... did I?”
Mum shrugs her shoulders in reply.
I run around frantically trying to figure out what to do.
“How’s school going to help me now?!” I say with attitude.
School doesn’t teach me much stuff about feeling good about yourself. So you’re telling me that knowing the periodic table is more important than having a happy life?
“Mum can I stay home today? I don’t feel well,” I say trying my best to sound sick.
“Ok..”
She had more important things on her mind. Her and Dad had been fighting for a while... then one day I wake up to Dad slamming the door with his stuff... and we haven’t heard from him since. I don’t usually tell Mum about bad stuff in life, because she has enough on her plate...
As the day came to an end, I realise that I wasted my whole day thinking about all the bad things and it made me feel even worse, when I have so many good things like family, friends and love. You see my life is a rollercoaster, but in the bad times, it’s like it never goes up, then when it finally does... it doesn’t stay there for long.
Who cares about a boy? I’m still young; I have plenty of time to find ‘the one’. I text my friends so I can apologise for ignoring them and invite them to come shopping. They disagree (their favourite thing to do) at first, but finally they agreed after some nagging. Next, Mum.
“Mum wanna come shopping with me and the girls? It might take your mind off things,” I say kind of already knowing the answer.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to...”
“Really?” I say surprised.
“Yeah...”
“Thanks,” I kiss her on the cheek and skip off.
That is when my life started to finally get better. My rollercoaster started to go up and actually stay there...
And if you’re wondering about Mum... she met a sweet man and has been hanging out with him. Anyway, we’re happy and that’s all that matters.