• "So now I'm the bad guy because I asked for some privacy?!" my mother screamed. She was on the brink of tears, I could hear it in her voice. I lay there, my dark wavy brown hair sprawled out against the pillow my dark blue eyes filled with nothing. I haven't cried for years, this yelling was nothing new. Before they got divorced they were always yelling at each other when they thought I was asleep, though I could hear every vile word that came out of their mouths. I was little then so I would cuddle next to my little sister who was crying just as I was. But that was almost four years ago. Now all I could was just lay there listening to my little sister cry in the bed next to me and listen to my parents yell at the top of there lungs at each other. My sister's sobs got louder and the shouts paused. My dad walked into our room. He climbed int the bed beside my sister and tried to sooth her. He sang one of my favorite songs, Don't take the girl, a song he used to sing to me when I was much littler. The lyrics are forever pounded in my head, always calming me down, even in the hardest moments.

    Johnny's daddy was taking him fishin'
    when he was eight years old.
    A little girl came through the front gate,
    holdin' a fishin' pole.
    Johnny's dad looked down and smiled
    said, "Son we can't leve her behind.
    'I know you don't want her to go,
    but some day you'll change your mind."
    And Jhonny said, "Take Jimmy Johnson,
    take Tommy Tohmpson.
    Take my best friend Bo,
    you take any body that you want, as long she don't go.
    Take any boy in the world,
    but daddy please, don't take the girl.

    Same old boy, same sweet girl, ten years down the road,
    he held her tight and kissed her lips, in front of the picture show.
    Stranger came and pulled a gun, grabbed her by the arm,
    said, "If you do what I tell you to, there won't be any harm."
    And Johnny said, "Take my money, take my wallet, take my credit cards,
    here's the watch that my grandpa gave me, here's the key to my car.
    Mister give it a whirl,
    but please, don't take the girl."

    Same old boy, same sweet girl, five years down the road,
    there gonna be a little one and she says it's time to go.
    Doctor said, "The baby's fine, but you'll have to leave,
    cause his mamma's fading fast." and Johnny hit his knees.
    And then he prayed, Take the very breath you gave me, take the heart from my chest,
    I'll gladly take her place if you'll let me, make this my last request.
    Take me out of this world,
    but God please, don't take the girl.

    Johnny's daddy was taking him fishin'
    when he was eight years old.

    When he was done singing he kissed my sister on the forehead and told us goodnight. He walked out and I heard his voice trying to be deep and soothing to my mother, but it failed. I heard the jinggling of keys and fear and pain gripped my heart and squeezed with all of its might.
    "If I can't have privacy here the I'm going to leave!" my mother shouted. Water filled my eyes, which surprised me, I haven't cried for all these years and then one sentences causes them to chase each other down my face.
    "Please don't leave, I'll crawl on my knees all the way to your car, I'll cut off my arm if it gets you to stay. I'll do anything, but please don't go." my father begged.
    "Please don't let her leave, we just got her back." I whispered, tears brimming over my eyes. They started falling down my cheeks but they weren't loud sobs like my sister's, I was silent. They started to fall on my pillow making it wet but I didn't care. I kept my cheek pressed to the pillow that was getting soaked. My sister had stopped crying and I knew she had fallen asleep to the song. I heard the door open and close. Then there was silence, not even my father was inside the house, for he had followed my mother out.
    "I knew things would never change, after all these years moy mom and dad are just like fire and water, they just don't belong." I muttered into the dark bitter silence. I layed there imagining my mother and father living actual happy lives, instead of pretending to in front of me so I wouldn't be hurt. I pictured my mom sitting next to my dad, her face gently rest against his chest as he stroked her long straight brown hair. Her blue eyes were full of delight just as my dad's grayish green eyes were. His dark brown hair that most of the time looked black was all messy and handsome, just as it's always been. Then I began to hate myself, for not stepping in and stopping the ridicuolus argument between them. This is what I should've done:

    "If I can't have privacy here the I'm going to leave!" my mother shouted. I jumped out of bed and rushed into the hallway before my mother and father, who were astonished to find out that I was awake.
    "Mom, please don't go. We just got you here." I sobbed. My father and mother gathered me in their arms.
    "Shhh, shhh, it's alright, I won't go any where." she promised. I wasn't satisfied, I knew she would go back on that promise but there was nothing I could do. They walked me baack to my room and then sat in the living room. I could hear their voices, calm and understanding now. After what felt like an hour, they went to bed. All was at peace.

    That's what I should've done, but I didn't. Instead I'm lying here with dry eyes, the tears had finally stopped. I heard the door open and shut but I didn't hear any voices until my dad walked past my room muttering under his breath. I couldn't hear my mther and I suddenly knew she was gone, and I had done nothing to stop her.