Beyond What I Dreamed

Deise

Vacation is officially over! I hear my alarm go off, but all I want to do is stay in bed.

Mom opens my bedroom door and says:

- Time to wake up, Deise! It's your first day of school - you don't want to be late.

- Good morning, Mom, just five more minutes!

- Deise, you're supposed to be at school in thirty minutes!

I jump right out of bed:

- Mom, I set my alarm for five-thirty!

- You fell back asleep again!

I get ready and practically fly down the stairs.

Mom calls out:

- Come have breakfast!

- No time, Mom! I'll eat at school!

And I run out the door.

As I'm crossing the avenue, a car comes speeding by! I hear tires screeching on the pavement.

Then I hear some stuck-up rich guy yelling:

- You stupid girl! I could've killed you!

I look at the traffic light - it's red - and say:

- You're the one who's out of control! I was in the crosswalk! Pay attention to the road! And I forgot my phone!

- You have some nerve! You're lucky I'm running late, or I'd teach you a lesson!

The light changes and he speeds off! I stand there watching him drive away - what a crazy guy, he almost ran me over!

I keep running, I'm already late! When I reach the school gate, Dona Marlene, the supervisor, gives me a look and says:

- First day of school and you're already late, young lady!

I apologize and rush inside! When I reach the classroom door, I hear Teacher Carol's voice.

Oh no, I can't believe it! She hates me - how am I supposed to get through this whole year with her? I snap out of my thoughts and knock on the door.

- May I come in, Teacher?

She gives me a cold look and replies:

- You should've arrived sooner. Now you'll have to wait until the next period!

- All right, I'm sorry to have interrupted your class!

I head to the courtyard and wait. When I finally walk in, she's still there - wait, does she have two classes in a row? That's so unfair, she could've just let me in. But I stay quiet and listen to everything she says without saying a word.

Class ends and Teacher Andreia walks in - the art teacher! Thank goodness, she's wonderful and she's teaching our class again!

We head out for recess and I tell my friends:

- This is our last year of high school and we're all in the same class!

Nic, Carlos, Lucas, Pedro, Paulo, Débora, Larissa, and Bárbara - we've been together since fifth grade, inseparable.

Recess ends and we go back for our last two classes - math with Teacher Regina, my favorite subject.

I always get great grades and I get along so well with her! School ends and I head straight home.

I'm thinking about everything we're going through. My name is Deise Alencar, I'm seventeen, and I'm in my senior year. I'm the only daughter of Eliana Munhoz and Arthur Alencar.

Mom is a nutritionist, but she stopped working when I was born. Dad owned an accounting firm with his business partner, Tiago Souza.

Sadly, Dad had a heart attack when I was thirteen. That's when everything changed - Mom had to go back to work.

She couldn't find work in nutrition, so she started cleaning houses once a week and seeing patients online. It's how we get by, though it's been hard.

After Dad passed away, his partner changed completely. He said Dad had no money and the business was bankrupt. I was so young then, and Mom didn't understand anything about finances - things got really difficult.

Dad was always traditional - he believed a wife shouldn't have to work, that the man should provide for the family. Mom tried to ask questions, but Dad always insisted everything was fine and she didn't need to worry.

Dad handled everything. She never needed to know passwords or anything about the business.