Chapter 21: A Part of Me

Daphne was the only person I confided in when I was having problems or when situations made me sad. For example, when my Beagle, named after the famous cartoon dog Snoopy, died of old age.

When I was twelve years old…

I was still in elementary school at the time. Snoopy was one of my closest friends. He was always with me when I went for my morning jog in my neighborhood. He was extremely intelligent and quickly picked up new tricks. He comforted me by licking my feet when I was sad. I really missed him. I cried silently in my bed for days after he died. Daphne kissed and hugged me as I buried Snoopy in a pet cemetery, saying, "Don't be so sad for Snoopy. He's in heaven."

As corny as it may sound, it made me feel better.

"Do you truly believe that?” I asked Daphne.

"Of course!" She stated emphatically. "Every animal goes to heaven."

"I'm glad you said that," I said back. "You helped me feel a little better."

Daphne was dressed in white at the time. I pictured her as my bride. But then I realized we were at a funeral. It was inappropriate to fantasize about romance, especially a wedding, on a day like this. As a result, I turned away from her. I took a look up at the sky. It was gray and cloudy.

It was like the sky was sympathizing with us. If it could hug us, I was sure it would.

"My sadness is still in my heart," I told Daphne. Every night and day, Snoopy was with me. He was always with me when I slept, reviewed, or ate. He licked my face in the morning to wake me up.”

Daphne smiled at the last sentence. But it was a sad smile.

"When you lose a loved one, the sadness never goes away," she said. “That sadness will last forever. When you remember them, you can feel it. The only thing we can do is carry on with our lives. Be glad that the family members and friends we lost are no longer in pain."

"Thank you so much for saying that," I said as she gently touched my shoulder. "You are right. I should be happy for Snoopy. He's currently having fun with Puppy, Balto, Beauty, and Afra. And all their other canine companions."

My other dogs are named after well-known cartoon characters. Puppy and Afra are the exceptions. My mother gave them their names. My mother's naming style was completely random.

The rain had already begun to fall. To shield myself from the raindrops, I wore the hood of my hoodie over my head. I took out my umbrella. I invited Daphne to join me under my umbrella. She was holding my arm, and we were sheltering our heads inside my large, black umbrella.

"Let's go to 711,” suggested my dear Daphne. “Let's wait for the rain to stop for a while.”

"All right," I said.

We entered the convenience store 711 and ordered two Cornettos and two Slurpees. Those ice creams and cool drinks made me feel better.

Daphne and I talked at 711 while we were eating and drinking.

"What band have you been listening to recently?" she asked.

"Dresden Dolls," I said.

“Really? You know them? You're so cool!" she exclaimed.

"How can I not know them? Their songs were being played on a rock and roll radio station. " I explained to Daphne.

“Really? What station is that? " She asked.

I gave her the station's frequency.

She said with a nod. “Uh-huh. I'm familiar with that station. I occasionally listen to it."

"What do you mean ‘occasionally?’ Aren’t you a rock and roll girl? " I teased her.

"Of course, I am!" she exclaimed. "It's just that I've been extremely busy recently," she explained, sipping her Slurpee.

"How did you do on our Algebra exam?" I asked.

She sighed. “I did not do well. I only got 75 points!" She sobbed.

“75? That's sufficient. At least you passed," I said.

"What’s your score?" She asked.

"95," I said.

"You're so cocky!” She teased me.

"What was the most difficult part of the exam for you? Perhaps I can help you," I suggested.

"I don't want to study right now. The exam was only two days ago. My head still hurts," she admitted.

"Oh, it's okay if you don't want to," I replied, "I just want to be busy so I don't think about Snoopy too much."

"Oh," she said quickly. She appeared sad.

"Please don't be sad," I advised her, "because if you're sad, I might be even sadder."

“I wish I can bring Snoopy back.” She replied. “So that you won’t be so sad.”

"Don't worry about me," I reassured her. "After all, you stated that Snoopy is now in a happy place."

She gave a nod. "Yeah," she agreed. She then placed her hand on my shoulder to comfort me. She kept eating her ice cream. I continued to eat mine.

"By the way, aside from me, what bands do your rocker friends listen to these days?" She asked.

"Uh, just your typical mainstream pop-punk bands," I explained. Then I told her about those bands.

"Uh-huh," she admitted, "they sound a little too mainstream for our tastes."

"That's something you could say," I agreed.

"But it's not bad, is it? Their songs are catchy. What do you think? We will appreciate the bands that your friends like in a few years out of pure nostalgia."

"You might be right about that," I said.

"Of course, I am right!" She responded. "I'm always right! Except in math," she remarked.

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed.

"What?" I asked her. I became panicky.

"I just noticed that the rain hasn't stopped yet," she continued. “It's actually getting worse. Who will transport you home?”

"I'll text my father," I explained. “Join us. We'll also drive you to your house."

"Oh my! That isn't necessary! I can commute," she said.

"You're acting like you're not my friend," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Please come with us," I said. "There is a lot of rain."

"All right," she said.

We consumed our food and drinks.

"Hello, Daphne," my parents said as we got into the car. Mom was sitting next to Dad.

Daphne said to my parents, "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Pierce. Good afternoon," she said politely.

"How are your mother and father?" Mom asked.

"They're fine, Ma'am," Daphne replied.

"I'm happy they're doing well," Mom said.

"It's a good thing you called us, son," Dad said, "because it's pouring really hard. If you commute, it will be difficult for you. The road is slick," he expressed concern.

"You're right, Dad," I replied. "It's pouring heavily. There appears to be a typhoon."

"I'm sorry because we left Snoopy's funeral service right away. Your grandparents came to see us," my father explained. It was my grandparents on my father’s side, Dad told me. Dad was speaking while keeping his gaze fixed on the road.

"Did the rain get you wet?" my father asked.

"Not at all, sir," Daphne replied.

I said, "Yes, Dad. But it's only a light drizzle."

"Oh, okay," Dad said. "However, as soon as you get home, take a quick warm shower to avoid catching a cold."

"You can shower in a separate room, Daphne," Dad added.

"No, thank you, sir," Daphne politely declined. "I'll just shower at home," she added.

"All right," Dad said.

"We haven't been to your house," Mom admitted. "Can we go there?" She asked.

"My house is dirty and small, ma'am," Daphne chuckled shyly.

"Oh, it's all right," Mom said. "I'm not a clean freak."

“Mom! Her house, she claims, is filthy and small. Don't force her to let you in there," I grumbled. I could tell Daphne was embarrassed about her home. If she wasn't willing to show my parents her house, I respected her.

"OK," Mom said quickly.

"Is anyone here hungry?" Dad asked.

"Dad, Daphne, and I just had ice cream and Slurpees," I answered.

"All right," Dad said. "So, just Mom and I would order McDonald's?”

"Did you say McDonalds?" I asked. My parents were aware of my weakness. "I'd like to order chicken!" " I exclaimed.

"But you said you just ate," Dad pointed out. He pretended to be innocent.

"I can fit a lot more food in my stomach," I explained to Dad.

"All right, how about one piece of the chicken meal for you?" Dad asked.

“Yes!" I exclaimed joyfully.

“Okay. Daphne, how about you?" Dad proposed.

"No, sir, thank you." "I'm already full," Daphne explained.

"Daphne, don't be so shy," Mom advised. "It's fine with us. You can simply bring food for your family members."

"I suppose just one piece of chicken for my brother," Daphne explained.

"What about the rest of your family?"

"Mom asked. "We want to feed them as well. Is a bucket of fried chicken, two pieces of chicken, and ten cups of rice sufficient?”

"It's really okay, ma'am," Daphne said shyly. "There's no reason—"

"OK, a bucket of fried chicken, two fried pieces of chicken, and ten cups of rice," Mom said to Daphne, who received her bucket of fried chicken and cups of rice.

"Thank you very much, Mr. and Mrs. Pierce," Daphne said.

Dad and I ordered chicken meals, while Mom ordered spaghetti. We kept our soft drinks with all of the meals.

"Good-bye, Mr. and Mrs. Pierce, and thank you very much!" Daphne said as she got out of the car. We all said our goodbyes to Daphne. She entered her house.

My parents and I entered our home. My family and I talked about a wide range of topics with my grandparents. Mostly about siblings and cousins who received academic awards and aunts and uncles who received job promotions and marriage proposals. My parents were pleased with me and my siblings' academic performance. They were proud of us.

Daphne and I went to school the next day.

We walked into the classroom. My male friends came to see me.

"Hey, I noticed you're both gone for a few days, Daphne," John said. He was a thin young man with neatly cut hair and thick black-rimmed glasses. "Did you have a date?"

"No, we didn't," I said to John. "We attended the wake and funeral for my dog."

John frowned. "I'm so sorry, dude. I should not have asked such a dumb question. May your pet rest in peace." I nodded.

"John, you! You are constantly teasing everyone. "You're so insensitive," Gene remarked. He was a short, dark-skinned, unattractive boy.

"I apologized," John said in defense.

"Please accept my heartfelt condolences," Gene said.

"Please accept my deepest sympathies," John said. The mood became solemn all of a sudden.

"I understand," I said, "it's okay, guys."

Each of these guys hugged me. I hugged them back.

Mr. Carman, the teacher, entered the room. He was a big, dark-skinned, balding guy. He was wearing glasses. He served as both our World History teacher and our adviser.

"Good morning, class," he said.

"Good morning, Mr. Carman," we said.

"All right, let's do a roll call," he said. He called out our names, and we all said "here" or "present."

Mr. Carman addressed me as "Alexander Pierce."

"I'm here, sir," I said.

"Daphne Rose," he said.

“Present!" Daphne stated.

"Oh, I noticed you two were gone for four days," Mr. Carman explained. "What occurred?”

"My dog died, sir," I explained.

"We both went to his dog's wake and funeral," Daphne answered.

"Oh, my," Mr. Carman responded. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said, his voice sad.

"Speaking of dogs," our teacher continued, "Did you know that Hachiko, a Japanese Akita dog, was known for his loyalty to his owner because he waited for his owner's return to the train station for nine years until his death?"

“The Japanese erected a statue of that dog to honor its devotion and love for its owners. The Japanese value such characteristics, which is why they erected a statue of that dog.”

“You know, the kindness, loyalty, and friendship of a pet are admirable, and it reminds us that even if we aspire to pursue our dreams, such as one of you wanting to be a well-known singer or a great architect, the positive qualities of each of us are still important.”

“We must not lose sight of the importance of being kind to one another. Not because we hope that we will have our own statues someday, because we have no idea what will happen to us after we die.”

“We treat each other with kindness because it is the right thing to do and we want to leave a legacy or a wonderful memory for our loved ones.”

“It's fantastic if you want to be remembered as the greatest scientist or mathematician of all time. Or the most adored philanthropist.”

“But you know what else is fantastic? To be a true and wonderful friend. Being a caring son and daughter. To be a loving and caring pet parent."

Daphne and I ate lunch. We invited Kathryn, Julio, and Hannah to our table so that no one would think we were dating.

"How are you doing, Alex?" Hannah asked. She was munching on a tuna sandwich.

"I'm just fine," I replied. I had asked for dried fish and rice. I haven't even touched my food yet.

"I was saddened to learn that your pet had died," Hannah responded. "Has anyone else from our class attended the wake and funeral besides Daphne?"

Julio replied, "Kathryn and I were there." He kept munching on his beef-flavored cup noodles.

"And Alfred," Kathryn replied. She finished her cheeseburger and drank a glass of orange juice.

Hannah expressed her condolences, saying, "May your pet rest in peace."

I agreed by nodding. I had no idea what to say in response. However, based on Hannah's expression, it appeared that she understood me.

Hannah continued, “I used to have a dog. His name was Pumpkin. He was a Yorkshire terrier. He was a very handsome. I had him as a little girl. We were so close. One day, he was hit by a car. The stupid and reckless driver paid for the damages. But he could not bring back Pumpkin’s life. Pumpkin was so precious to me. He was so sweet.”

I nodded at that.

“I know what it's like to lose a pet," she added. “We considered them to be more than just pets. They had become a member of the family. It hurts right now, but it will go away." She touched my hand.

"Hannah is right," Daphne added. "It's okay to be depressed. It's a natural reaction. But don't let your sadness consume you. We must still get up and go on living."

At our table, I heard a commotion from other students about four tables away.

"What's up?" Kathryn asked. "Why are they making such a racket there?"

"I'm not sure," Julio replied, "but I'll look into it."

Julio approached the table. Some boys were making fun of a girl with a ponytail and glasses. The girl appeared embarrassed. The other girl next to her was just sitting there.

"Who are those, and why are they making such a racket?" Kathryn asked Julio.

"Well, Sam, Denny, Ahmed, and Leroy were making fun of Nina," Julio explained.

"What were they doing to Nina?" Kathryn asked.

Julio responded. "Because Nina requested a photo with Kailee."

“Why?” Kathryn asked.

"Aside from being attractive," Julio responded, "Kailee has been telling everyone that she is Katelyn Andrews's younger sister. Nina is a fan of the actress and all she wants is a picture with the actress's sister. But Kailee turned down Nina's request, and now the boys were mocking Nina."

"What did the boys say?" Kathryn asked.

"They said to Kailee, 'Oh, you just hurt the poor fan,' and 'How does it feel to be rejected by a celebrity's sister?' to Nina. And they keep laughing."

Kathryn asked, "What did Kailee say?"

"Kailee said,' sorry, but I don't want a picture with a loser like you,’" Julio responded.

Kathryn muttered, "That narcissistic bitch."

This caught my attention, so I stood up. Daphne asked me, "Alex, where are you going?" But I ignored Daphne and I carried on walking. I went up to Kailee and the boys.

I approached Kailee and the boys.

"Hey, Kailee," I called out.

Her eyes glowed. It was like her best friend had just approached her.

"Hello, Alex. What's going on? " Kailee responded cheerfully.

"How come you lied to everyone?" I asked.

“Huh? What exactly do you mean?" Her smile faded.

"You've been telling everyone you're Katelyn Andrews' sister," I said, "and we both know that's a lie, right?"

"What makes you think I'm lying?" Kailee stood up for herself. "Of course, I am telling the truth. I am, in fact, her sister."

"That is not true," I insisted.

"It is true!” She screamed. "We both have the same surname. I also have a photo Katelyn to prove she's my sister." Kailee showed me her photo with Katelyn.

"That's a fan photograph," I explained.

“Liar! You're simply envious that you don't have a celebrity sibling. Everyone else thinks you're a big deal, but you're just another stud on this campus and nothing more." She flipped her hair confidently. However, she was clenching her fists in frustration. Because I was the only one who didn't fall for her deception.

"The Andrews are my next-door neighbors," I explained. Everyone was shocked. "Ooh!" exclaimed the boys.

"I met their family," I continued. “Katelyn has no sister named Kailee. Mateo, Christopher, and Arya are her siblings. Their parents are celebrity plastic surgeon Doctor Kenneth Andrews and former actress Genevieve Day."

"Ooh!" exclaimed the thin but attractive Leroy. “Kailee, you're such a poseur! You've been acting like someone you're not. I can't believe you'd do something like that. How pitiful of you!”

"Shut up!” yelled Kailee. "Well, everyone knows Kenneth has been sleeping around," she continued. “I'm actually my father's illegitimate daughter!” She persisted in lying. She was almost in tears. Her face was blushing because of embarrassment. She was aware that she was caught up in her lie.

"Do you want the two of us to go to their house later and I'll ask them if you're really the daughter of Doctor Andrews to confirm your statement?" I asked Kailee. It was a challenge for Kailee.

Kailee cried and walked away. I grinned. The boys burst out laughing. I fixed my gaze on the boys.

"Hey, you" I yelled, pointing at them. "Everyone!”

They looked at me and listened to what I had to say.

"If you thought you could get away with what you did to Nina, you were wrong! Please apologize to her right now!” I ordered the boys.

The boys apologized to Nina for bullying her earlier.

"I'm sorry, Nina," Sam apologized. He was short and had a curtain haircut. "We would not have bullied you if we had known Kailee was lying."

"Is that the way you apologize?” I asked Sam.

"What's the matter with you, man? I've already apologized," Sam complained.

"So you'd keep bullying Nina if Kailee was telling the truth? Are you tolerant of such behavior? " I asked.

"No, that's not what I said," Sam corrected himself.

"Why did you have to say anything, Sam?" Denny asked.

"You and your big mouth," Ahmed agreed.

"It’s exactly what you said," Leroy confessed.

"Shut up!” Leroy’s friends yelled.

"I want you all to kneel and apologize to Nina. You must be serious this time. I'm not interested in a half-hearted apology. Go!" I gave orders to the boys as if I were the commander of an army.

The boys knelt and apologized to Nina.

"Are you feeling better now?" I asked Nina.

"Yes," she replied.