The storm passed, leaving a mess behind, but our home and neighborhood remained untouched. Our power, though, went out, and we missed two days of school even after the weekend while the streets were being cleaned up. 

In the meantime, Mom took out all the leftovers from the dead fridge, and served them cold. It was disgusting.

But we were safe, and that was what mattered. 

“Did you hear about the tornado?”

“Yes! And so early in the year. It’s concerning!”

“My house was moved right off the ground! It moved some seven feet!”

“A tree fell on my house!”

“Did you hear? Seven people dead and nine missing!”

“The weather is turning berserk! Our fence disappeared!”

That was what it was like on Tuesday morning. Some told about fallen trees, others about their lost pets, and lots told about houses removed and gas stations disappearing. It was horrific. Rumor has it that one of our teachers’ mothers was one of the victims. 

“Sick! Aspen, did you hear about the tornado,” Trinity asked me. “I tried texting you but there is no connection whatsoever.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Daddy and I were driving home from the VG [Vivaldi’s Girls] practice. Mom made us eat all the ick leftovers.”

“Ew. Good thing the school’s power didn’t go out,” Trinity wrinkled her nose.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Although cafeteria food is bland and sticky. Mom said she’s not making me lunch for  a while until we get our power back. Ughhh!”

Then the first period bell rang and we all ducked into our homerooms.

As I mentioned earlier, our cafeteria food is so G-A-G-G-I-N-G bad. The mac-n’-cheese tastes like melted plastic and dishwater pasta. The red apples are grainy and flavorless. The corn is chewy and the milk tastes like paint. The carrots are mushy, and I’m pretty sure that I ingested dirt. The cheese sticks are hard and cold. And I’m not mentioning how healthy I felt after eating mud pie pudding.

I longed for my mom’s cucumber salad, jasmine rice, tomato soup (eh…), and homemade granola bar.

I threw up after P.E., which unfortunately falls, for my class, after lunch.

The good thing is that Mom promised not to make me eat cafeteria food any more.

The next day, I had a good veggie meat, tomato, cheese, and lettuce sandwich, a crunchy, crispy apple that tasted like honey, two pittless dates, and a baggie full of baby carrots.

And I think I am making too much of a big deal about food.

Sorry that I took so long uploading! Here’s part 2 of Chapter 7! Don’t forget to leave comments!