BROKEN, RENAE NAIK [best books for 8th graders .TXT] 📗

Nadine Montiere was just twelve when her mother, Janet, passed away. At that tender age she was forced to take care of her smaller brother Evan, who was eight at the time. Her father, Daniel, was a drunkard who was accused by many people in the neighborhood for killing his own wife. Janet was a simple woman who took care of anyone and everyone as her own. They were not very wealthy; they lived in a small two bedroom face brick house that was attached to another house, leaving them very little yard space. The two front windows were broken, which Janet didn't bother to fix because Daniel would just get drunk and break it again. There were a few plants just near the pavement that Janet would tend to daily. If she was outside, everyone who passed by was greeted with a friendly hello whether they responded or not. The aroma of her cooking could be smelt from a distance.

One night after a drinking session with his friends, Daniel came home in the early hours of the morning, banging on the door for her to let him in. Janet hurried to the door as she didn't want the noise to disturb her sleeping children. She opened the door and the burglar gate and wasn't amused with how pathetic he looked. His clothes were torn, he had dirt all over him and the stench of vomit on him made her nauseous. He rushed into the house as if he was being chased, it was clear that he was in a brawl. Once in, he locked the gate and slammed the door behind him. She wasn't pleased with this and began questioning him about the state he was in. He wasted no time and pushed her onto the sofa. He began angrily tearing of her pajamas and it was clear that he was in the mood. He tried forcing himself on her! And Janet lay there confused and surprised as this was the first time he behaved this way towards her. She couldn't understand what could have triggered this sudden urge as in the last two years he barely touched her. She was annoyed and couldn't stand his stinking breath so she pushed him off her and asked him to stop. She got up and walked towards the bedroom and at that moment he hit her on her back causing her to fall face first onto the wooden table just outside her bedroom door. After a few brief seconds had passed, he noticed that she didn't wake up so he knelt down beside her and turned her over. To his horror, she was bleeding badly through a large gash on her head, he watched her breathe in a few last breaths as she felt her soul leave her body. He sobered up in an instant. The sound of their argument must have woken up Nadine and Evan because when Daniel attempted to lift himself up off the ground, they were standing above him and staring at the lifeless body of their dear mother on the floor. Daniel asked Nadine to pass him the phone and he called an Ambulance. He then ordered Nadine to take Evan and get back into bed. After the children were in their beds he quickly put on another set of pajamas for Janet and left her where she was. It wasn't long after that, that the ambulance arrived. He told them that he had just come home from a party and found his wife lying on the floor; it seemed she must have slipped and fallen. They didn't bother to investigate further and Janet was pronounced dead. No post mortem was done and Daniel was left to roam free. The neighbors knew Janet well and they also knew the habits of her husband Daniel and so, many rumors about her death were spread.

Daniel wasn't very clued up on cooking or household chores so he would just make Nadine clean up what she could and prepare noodles or sandwiches for them. Nadine would get up at 5am every morning shower and then begin the chores. She would iron their uniforms and her dad's overall for work, make breakfast and lunches and get Evan ready for school. They had to walk quite a distance to get to school but they didn't feel afraid as there were other kids that used the same route as them. She would leave Evan at his class first and then go to hers. She often worried what would happen to him the following year when she had to go to high school and he would remain behind. They were very close and she made damn sure that no one bullied her baby brother. Her classmates all looked a lot older than her. Nadine was a bit short and chubby, had a few freckles, wore glasses and her hair was always dry and had split ends. She was often made fun off and therefore kept a low profile. She didn't always have new clothes or new stationary like the other kids but made use of what she had. She silently envied the fact that the other girls came nicely dressed and their hair was always tied in ribbons just like how her mum did hers. They would bring new gadgets an cellphones to school often, a luxury that she was deprived off. She didn’t dare ask Daniel for anything as she knew that money was tight and didn’t want her father to feel useless so she kept it to herself. No one understood that Ever since her mother died she had to become a mother to her younger brother. While she could do things for him and her father, no one took care of her.

One day during lunch at school, Nadine got up from the brown oak Bench she sat on every break and was terrified to see that her uniform was messed with blood. She hurried to the sick room and in a panicky voice told the nurse what she experienced. The nurse then laughed at Nadine and told her that it was just a period and explained to her what was happening. She gave Nadine a packet of sanitary towels and helped her clean her uniform. Nadine went back to her class feeling as awkward as ever. That day when she got home she hid the pads from her father as she was shy. She didn't have a mother to confide in. She was just a girl who was going through many things she couldn't understand. That evening when Daniel got home from work Evan told him that he thinks Nadine is hurt and he saw her hiding some bandages. Daniel asked Evan to bring the bandages so he could ask Nadine what happened. To his surprise, Evan came running with a packet of sanitary pads and gave it to his father. Daniel laughed and called for Nadine. When she came she saw her dad holding the packet of sanitary pads in his and before she could say anything, he asked if it was hers. A bit shy and annoyed with her father, she eventually responded and told him what had occurred at school. Daniel laughed again and then took out his last note and some coins and gave it to her to buy another packet if needed. Nadine felt like the ice was broken and she smiled and walked away. Evan stood there confused but dragged himself to the living room and switched on the TV.

A few months passed and they got used to doing things for themselves. Nadine was now going to start high school and her fear of leaving Evan was about to become a reality. At least she could still give him a walk to school every day as both schools weren't that far apart. On her first day of high school she was amazed by how much bigger the school building was, how many students were there and how big school bags they had. She was also curious as to how she was going to make a new friend, that’s if anyone wanted to be her friend. She liked her new teachers and was ever so eager to learn. During lunch she was sitting alone under a tree and having her lunch when, a group of girls confronted her. They asked her many questions and wanted to know if she would join their group. She jumped at the opportunity as anything was better than being alone in a foreign environment. Her new friends gave her a reason to look forward to school as she had other females to talk to. That day after school she picked up Evan and they began their stroll home. It was a hot day so they each pulled out a book from their bags and held it over their head to protect their faces from the blazing Sun. When they arrived at home she quickly washed out their uniforms and socks, helped Evan with homework and began preparing for dinner.  After dinner was ready she had a quick shower and began her written tasks.

The death of Janet had left Daniel very distraught and he soon started becoming disturbed. He roamed the streets till late being very careless. It was as if the the guilt he was carrying with him, was slowly consuming him. Some nights he never came home at all. Leaving two youngsters to fend for themselves. Months went by and they kids soon became independent. Considering themselves to be orphans. Whilst Daniel was still working, he began contributing less into the household and more into the liquor store. The family was barely managing. Afraid that Evan would be affected by this, Nadine spoke to her father to ask his sister, their aunt to take care of Evan for a while and she would try to get a part time job at a local Store. Daniel felt that it would both be, a burden lifted of his shoulders and also what was best for Evan. That night he called his sister violet and asked to fetch Evan. Violet was a big size lady, she had big feet and her legs were so fat that it looked as if she didn't have any ankles. She wore thick