The House Across the Street | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: The House Across the Street | Previous Challenge Entry
By Piper Harding
01/28/08
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“Let's go Annie!” Faith was running out of patience with her six year old sister.
“I'm coming. Hold your horses.” She said holding her doll in one hand and her suitcase in the other.
“I've been standing here keeping the door open for you forever now.” Faith knew that she needed to be more gentle with her sister but she wasn't feeling much like being kind to anyone. This was the fifth house her family had moved into in the last year and she was fed up with it. Not to mention that their house was a shack, especially compared to the mansion across the street. Standing outside starring at that beautiful house was putting her in a worse mood.
“What are you looking at with that scowl on your face?” Annie followed her sisters eyes across the street.
“The fact that the house right there is ten times bigger then ours. And look up there, in that top
story window. The girl that lives there has a beautiful canopy bed. I've always wanted a canopy bed.”
Annie looked at Faith. “But daddy worked very hard to find us this house. It's better then our last house.”
“Better then our last house but still junkie.”
“That would hurt daddy's feelings if he heard you say that.”
Faith was irritated enough without her little sister reprimanding her. “That's why I wouldn't tell daddy and you're not going to either.”
She pulled Annie inside and slammed the door shut.

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The doorbell rang the next morning and Annie went to answer it. A few minutes later she came back
upstairs followed by a girl that looked to be around Faith's age.
“This is Heather. She lives across the street in that beautiful mansion.” Annie said innocently. She turned to her sister and whispered like a six year old whispers, loudly. “I bet the canopy bed that you're jealous of is hers.”
Faith abruptly stood up to try to divert Heather from Annie's loud comment. “Hi, I'm Faith.”
“Hi. How old are you?” She asked twirling her blond hair subconsciously.
“Thirteen. How old are you?”
“I'll be thirteen tomorrow. Do you go to Whittier Jr. High?”
“I will on Monday. My mom will take me to register.”
“Maybe we'll have some classes together?”
“Maybe.” This girl was so different then Faith, she wasn't quite sure what to say to her.
Faith saw her mom and dad enter the living room and look at Heather. “Hello.” Her mom said putting her hand out to greet her. “I'm Mrs. Walters.”
Heather seemed surprised by this kind greeting. “I'm Heather. I live across the street.”
“It's nice to meet you Heather.”
Faith's dad also shook her hand. “I'm Mr. Walters. Thanks for coming over to greet us.”
She shrugged. “Sure. There's nothing else to do.”
“What do you mean?” Faith asked curiously.
“My dad is always out of town for work. My mom is never home either. She leaves at 6:00 in the morning and doesn't get home until 7:00 at night. I'm just tired of being alone all the time. I do have a nanny but she never plays with me.”
Faith was shocked at what Heather was saying. Did parents really leave their children all day long to do their own things? “How often does this happen?” She asked suddenly feeling sorry for her.
“Every day. But it's the most difficult for me on the weekends. I'm so glad that you moved in. Now I have someone to hang out with while my parents are gone all the time.” She sat down on the couch, making herself at home.
“You are more then welcome to be here in our home, Heather. We were just about to do our family devotion. Would you like to join us?” Mr. Walters said sitting down in the chair across from her.
“Sure.” She paused looking at everyone skeptically. “What's a devotion?”
“Well, we read the bible and then we discuss ways to live our lives in a way that would pleasing to God.”
Heather just nodded and waited for Mr. Walters to start the devotion. Half way through, Faith noticed the smile on Heather's face. Heather turned to her and whispered, “You are so lucky. You're mom and dad are the best.”
Faith agreed and silently thanked God for blessing her with such wonderful parents. She also asked for His forgiveness. Her home was filled with love and that was truly a blessing.

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