Be John Egbert Your name is John Egbert and you couldn’t be happier at the moment. Dave and Rose

When we arrived at the house, I stood there for about five seconds before knocking on the door. They didn’t answer at first, so I knocked again, harder, and then saw the handle start to move. My stomach filled with butterflies as I watched the door slowly open. The face that greeted was one of a two year old, and as I looked up I saw her father standing over her.

I’m currently sitting in my room thinking about how great these two weeks with you were. Thank you so much for all the memories and fun times. I will always hold them very close to me. My god, it has only been a couple hours since you left and I already miss you so much. You have made me immensely happy, I cannot express that enough. I only hope to make you as happy as you make me. I know we are both still young, but no matter what happens or where life takes us, I know for a fact that I will always love you. You have taught me so much and I will forever be grateful for that.

One day waking up thinking this was a normal day at my birth home, Jamaica, I walked to my grandparents’ house, stayed there for a couple of hours, then I saw this pretty, shiny, new Nissan Altima pulled up, and stopped. Moments later a tall dark-skinned guy stepped out the vehicle, fixed his hat, and walked to the door. When the doors open he burst into tears and said to me, “Hey son”, at first my siblings and I was in shock because we have not seen our father since 2004, I did not know what he looked like until I saw pictures of me and him together. Later that night we party and have fun together. The next morning, he drove in and we took pictures, then, we went to dunns-river falls, also we went and eat.

He left me..!” I heard my mom scream in horror, followed by sobbing. I walked into the office, where my dad usually had his work place. His computer was gone, along with all of his belongings he had in the cramped room. On my way out of the room, I saw a familiar chip in the floor from an earlier incident.

I had just gotten home from school and was standing before my front door starring at it in apprehension of what would most likely greet me on the other side. "Hopefully, today's different," I thought tiredly. Opening the front door I stepped silently inside and quietly closed the door then headed towards my room only to pause at the bottom of the stars as I realized there was no sound coming from upstairs like there usually was. I resumed walking up the stairs thinking to myself "wow, for once they've actually considered that they have a son living with them." At least that's what I thought until, right as I was about to enter my room, loud moans sounded from two different directions. "Or not," I thought in annoyance and slammed my door which did nothing to stop the moans.

I heard a feminine voice call out to me as I blazed out the front door. "Good morning Amber! Oh, where are you--" I cut her off with a sharp slam. I couldn't look back. With each step towards my car, I inhale painful sobs of air. I feel as if I don't know who I am, as if I was that 18 year old girl hearing the news of his death for the first time. I couldn't think of the name that belongs to me, or any one else but my father. Any face my subconscious offers had the resonance of a total stranger, then was replaced with the haunting image of

My parents are always talking about things they want to do and never actually do it, I assumed it was another one of those times. As time progressed and they continued to discuss the matter I got worried. Then one day they had me and my siblings pile into the car and go driving around. I had no clue what they were doing until they pulled up to a house with a “For Sale” sign mounted in the front yard. It hit me that they were actually planning on moving somewhere. Weeks passed with them discussing things and I sat worried in my room. My mom got all of our attention one day, “Children, we are going to go look at a house today everyone get ready!” I approached her and said, “Like on the inside?” She said, “Yes.” I quickly put on reasonable clothes and piled into the car trying not to argue with her. It felt like hours that we were in the car driving around. I had never really traveled much except when I went to my grandma’s house which was 50 minutes away, so leaving town for the first time felt like a whole new world. Trees surrounded us as we drove through gravel roads, up and down hills, and around loops, we finally arrived at a pale white house with brown accents. As we pulled onto the the rough driveway I observed the front door and the garage. It had a three car garage, one door separated from the other. We all made our way to the

In 2011, DeKalb, Illinois, First I was coming back from school when I was 6 years old, my bus dropped me of at my father’s house. Like always, he is in his room sleeping like a baby and sounded like a trumpet using a lawn mower. My father left a note on the table telling me where is the food he made for me, it was beans with tortias. My Mom works at a factory so I see her when I go to bed. One day my dad was mad at me for eating the

I ran across the street and almost got hit by a two bicyclist, I pick up the newspaper lying on the bench dated May 18, 2007. As I flip through the paper I see the obituary of my mother, I knew this wasn’t just a coincidence, this was my chance. I sat down on the same section of the sidewalk I sat before, although now it has many cracks. I repeated under my breath “May 16 2007” several times until finally I was placed on the same street corner again. I’m almost too positive it's the right date so I run down the street and take a left then I take two rights until I approach my driveway. As i’m just about to open the backdoor with the key that’s kept in the seat cushion near the door I realize my parents don’t know me, and I can't just walk in. I head behind the garage to strategize, I came up with the plan that i'll knock on the door and talk to them about a lost dog for a while, hoping to push back their schedule enough to prevent my mom from the

Five minutes left of my safe haven. Which means ten minutes until I come back to reality. Ten minutes until I see my father. RING! Sounded the bell, breaking me from my nightmare. I gathered my books and put on my sunglasses. I walked out of the school feeling nauseous. I walked the short distance to my house. My hand shook against the door knob. I turned it, checking to see if it was locked. It was open, so I walked straight in. It was quiet. Too quiet. I walked around looking for my father. I checked the couch, not there. I checked him and my "mothers" room, not there. I let a smile break out on my face. I took a shower, which was very rare. Showers for me are about as common as breakfast in the morning, and breakfast is not common. I got out the shower and dried off. I put on a pair of boxers and shorts and got in my bed. I lied there and thought about the times before my step father. My mom an I were so close. I began to fall asleep as all these thought flooded my mind, and before I know it, I was out cold. I slept for what felt like mere minutes before a cold, hateful voice awoke

I yell out why are you showing me this; he does not answer, as if he was not there to begin with. After the cryptic walk through my life, my uncle brings me to my room in the hospital and says, “everything happens for a reason.” I suddenly feel myself being pulled by this gargantuan force. I wake up in my bed screaming and yelling for help, as if it was the day of the accident. My dad was sitting there by my side comforting me. He explained to me that I was in a coma for three months and the doctors had no justification to if or when I would come out. I told my dad I love him and that I have a lot to

Mom would be home soon and I was getting kind of bored. I broke through the gaggle of girls barking at Krista, said a quick goodbye and started home. Luckily for me, Krista’s house was only 5 or 10 minutes away from mine. Unluckily for me, I didn’t bring a coat, so I had to trek into the frigid, biting wind that nipped at my body the entire time home. As soon as I reached my house my body was wrapped in a blanket of warmth, the familiar smell of waffles and syrup greeting my nose. Since my mom wouldn’t be home for another hour or so, I didn’t try to sneak back in. Yet to my surprise, as I stomped upstairs I heard a voice coming from her room. It’s probably just Ally on the phone or something, I reassured myself. When I passed by my mom’s room, it wasn’t Ally standing there, it was my mom pacing the room with a worried expression on her face. Something I’ve never seen

But i also know that i will thrive because i have had you in my life. I am going to graduate this year and i am going to college. I have my permit and i have a job interview. These are things i never thought i would even be able to think about much less achieve. So while our parting has blindsided me and is very hard i know we will both thrive in whatever journey we choose to go on. I know this not only because you are one of the most genuine caring nurturing people i have ever had the pleasure of knowing but because i was given the opportunity to learn from you, to thrive under your watchful eye, and to come out the other side with the utmost confidence that i will succeed. I know how hard this is on you also, you tell us we can be selfish and we can cry because you are leaving. But i also understand that this is a huge change for you also and i just want to tell you again that i know you can do this because i know you and you are wonderful. While i may never see you again i will always carry a part of you with me because people who have impacted my life in such a way as you have impacted mine never

I’m waiting for the Matthews to get home, Riley’s out with Lucas…. Seriously those two are grossly in love. I guess I’m happy for them but being single is never fun…I mean it’s just me and Zay who are single in a group of people dating... Smackle and Farkle are still together who would have guessed? Auggies in bed asleep he surprisingly didn’t put up a fight… It’s a least a lot quitter here. My dad(Shawn) and my mom and new sister (she’s 2 her name is Hope, I picked the name) I hear the intercom and its Josh ...? I mean it shouldn’t surprise me he’s always here for the weekend he loves his family. I buzz him up and wait for the door to unlock.(the boy has his own keys he might be cute but I getting the door… ) as I predicted he opens the door

It’s been a long summer. The weather is nice and dad has come to his senses. After our little “argument” at Danny's Bar-Mitzvah, He has been more reasonable when it comes to our families dreams. He’s letting Heather go to Colombia. He let’s mom drive the mustang (which was probably a mistake after she crashed it), But the most importantly, he is letting go into any field I enjoy. Although, he does want to consider Running the family business. Other than that, Summer has been calm. Occasionally I will play baseball with Danny or call up Merle lee (who still can be a pain). I’m pretty excited to go back to school, since I had learned that Mrs. baker would be moving up to teach eighth grade and that she would be teaching me. She had sent a letter to all of her students that she was excited to met them and that she was looking forward to the school year two. She also mentioned August 26 was open house and everyone was expected to be there. I know i would definitely be there.