Eh...
So, what's happened since I posted my last rambling blog...?
Let's start with the event that sums up the past three weeks.
Tuesday 14th October. I do Art as a twilight (extra, after school) class. We only have to stay 'til 4.10, but we normally stay until half-past at least. I took the long way home, through the park, so I got back home at about 4.50. Mum's still off work, and the Kid was home from school. I put my bag and stuff in my room, then went down to the kitchen to make coffee and stuff before we all went to watch Buffy. The Kid was in the front room watching the end of a Pokemon DVD, so me and Mum were alone. That's when I found out that at 11.30 that morning my godmother, Denise, had died. Five years ago, she'd been diagnosed with breast cancer, but she beat that. Then, a year or so later, they found a tumour that head spread to her ovaries (I think, I get the last two confused). Again, she beat it. And then this year she got bowel cancer. The Sunday before this happened, she went into hospital because the chemo wasn't working. She was meant to be sent home the afternoon of the 14th.
I'm incredibly close with her eldest son, Patrick. He's two years older then me, and my second cousin. He's the only person - aside from Dad - who gets away with teasing me, but as he's said himself "You let me get away with it because I'm boss and you love me". I felt awful after Mum told me - I was in shock, and didn't cry until three hours later when I broke down sobbing in my room. I spoke to Patrick not long after that, and started crying again simply because the first thing he said to me was 'Are you alright?". And it sums the four of them up completely - Denise, her husband Billy, Patrick and Tom - that the first thing he did was worry about me.
My friends were fantastic the next day - and all the days after - in school. Even the teachers were supportive, which is saying something. My current form teacher and my form teacher from KS3 - Tony and Louise - were fantastic, as were my English and Art teachers. My friends in school deserve huge thank-yous and I'll never be able to tell them how grateful I am - especially Charlotte, who sat with me in form for the whole of 4th lesson and got in trouble with her IT teacher; Tom L, Ryan, Mikey and Daz for the sheer amount of hugs; Neil, Rach, Alex, Sami, Loz and Mel (my Scoobies <3) just for letting me rant and cry. And of course, my non-RL friends were their usual supportive and amazing selves, so thank you too.
The funeral was on the Monday. It was at 2pm, but I took the day off for obvious reasons. I can't remember much of the service - the crying-induced headache was something to do with that. I didn't get a chance to talk to Billy, Tom or Patrick until we were all stood outside the Crem. There was a huge crowd of people around the three of them, but as soon as I walked out of the building Patrick walked over and hugged me. The three of them were so brave, and I know Denise will be so proud of them.
So after that, the last week of the half term was a bit of a blur. We did our last performance of our show on the Wednesday, then found out we were all gonna have to do a presentation about it on the 12th of this month! Billy, Patrick and Tom came round on the Thursday - Patrick was sent to meet me from school and walk me home, which was pretty great. He interrogated me on all things techie - I'm the school's lighting/sound tech, while he does the same for a theatre. It was Pink Day on the Friday - where everyone wears non-uniform and raises money for Breast Cancer awareness. Rather amusing to see the year 8 lads in pink tutus. The Wirral Paperback of the Year nominees for the '09 competition turned up - I've read Broken Soup and Ways To Live Forever and they're both pretty good.
And then we get to half-term week. As is oh-so-typical of me, I got sick the day after we broke up - and I'm talking sick as in that bitch of a virus that's been going around up here since September. But despite that I still managed to have a pretty good week. I've read so much, seriously. The two POTY books, the first and second books in the BtVS/A:ts crossover series Unseen, and A Spot of Bother - by the guy who wrote The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. And then, of course, I was in York for Halloween. I went on the Ghost Walk in my 'Vampyr' gear, which was fun. And yet, now I'm back in school, facing piles of coursework and two exams.
Oh well. Swings and roundabouts and all that, I suppose.