Read Online The Silver Lining by Jennifer Raygoza - Free Book Online

thinking, and it would be a matter of time before one of them asked who I was.
    “Hey, you somebody famous or something?” a man in a bright orange coat asked me.
    “Nope,” I replied.
    “What’s with the cameras, then?” He looked around.
    “I don’t know. I was hoping you could tell me. Weird, right?”
    The man looked away. I wasn’t lying to him. I wasn’t famous. I didn’t do anything of importance in my life. I was just born into a name that represented a place that represented money. That’s all. I looked down to see the bus coming. Thank god. I’ve never wanted to jump on public transportation more in my life. I hopped on and immediately I noticed people looking out the window to see what all the commotion was about. I hurried to a seat and sat down. I looked over to see a bag next to me. Nobody was there, just a white bag. I asked the people around me if it belonged to them. Everybody shook their head. I opened the bag and looked inside. It was a brand new black, baseball hat. The tag was still attached. The receipt laid on the side of the bag next to a used iPod. I sat it on my lap and looked around. I guess I owned a new hat and iPod. Cool. It was sad that this was the only highlight of my day, but I’d take my blessings as they came. I pulled out the MP3 player, popped in the ear buds and pressed play. I chuckled when I heard a familiar rap song from back in the day. I quietly mouthed the lyrics to the song Today was a Good Day by Ice Cube. I was nodding my head to the beat for a few minutes when I looked up to notice a little girl smiling at me. She put her hand up to her mouth and started giggling. I waved back and she turned and buried her face into her mother’s arm. Every now and then she would sneak a peek at me. Kids loved me. I didn’t know why, but they just did.
    The bus screeched as it came to a halt. I looked out the window to notice this was my stop. I grabbed my new hat and headed for the exit. I had already snapped tags off, threw away trash and tossed on the new cap by the time I reached my destination. The sign above me read Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center. My insides cringed. I couldn’t believe I had to attend these classes. I walked in, and up to the counter. The middle aged woman with black hair and rimmed glasses looked at me and smiled.
    “I need to sign up for a class.”
    “Well, you’re in the right place, honey,” she said, while she adjusted her glasses.
    “What’s your name?”
    “James. James King.”
    “James King. You wouldn’t happen to be of relation to Victoria King, would you?”
    “Yes. That’s my mother.”
    “Well, she’s sitting in the back room with a counselor now.”
    She picked up the phone and called somebody.
    “James King is checking in.” She paused. “You’re welcome,” she said, and hung up the phone.
    I rolled my eyes. “You can’t be serious?” I said, under my breath.
    “Oh, I’m serious. Serious as a hooker with a meth addiction.”
    I squinted my eyes at her and shook my head.
    “Sign this paper and go sit down. The counselor will call you in soon.”
    I signed on the dotted line and gently shoved the clipboard at her.
    “James King. You may be something out there, but in here you’re just an addict, sweetheart.”
    “No. I don’t do drugs.”
    “Yup. First stage is denial. I’ve seen it a million times before.”
    “No. Really. I don’t do drugs.”
    She grabbed my hand. “It’s okay. This is a safe place here.”
    “I don’t fucking do drugs,” I yelled so loud, that everyone stopped in their tracks. The whole place was quiet. I looked around embarrassed.
    “James?” I heard a male say from behind me.
    “I’m Ronald, your counselor. Follow me, please.”
    I stared at the lady behind the counter and then over to Ronald the Counselor. He was stick skinny, with messy brown hair. His pants were a couple sizes too big for his body, and his shirt had a few stains on it from lunch. This guy is supposed to