"Zac, do you want to come to the mall with me and Ike? You can bring Aura if you like?"

Zac continued to stare at the wall.

"Zac!" Taylor knocked on Zac's head.

"Screw off Tay," Zac snapped. He picked up an airwalk that was lying on the floor and threw it at the wall.

"Hey those are mine," Taylor said.

"And I'm supposed to care?" Zac inquired.

"Man, what's your problem?" Taylor picked up his thrown shoe and put it on.

"Tay, get lost," Zac scowled.

"What'd I do? I came to ask you if you and Aura wanted to go to the mall and you throw my shoe at the wall. Geez, next time throw your own shoe." Taylor walked out and slammed the door.

Zac opened up his wallet and looked at one of the pictures. It was of him and Aura in the mall photo booth. They were both smiling happily for the camera. The scowled and shut his wallet. "That was before I screwed everything up," he thought. "Stupid feelings. I wish I never liked her. Then we would still be like that."

I sat in my room and stared at a framed photo on the desk. It was of me and Zac at his birthday party. They were both covered in icing and I was wiping it down his face.

My parents shouts drifted into her room.

"Why don't you just leave? you're not wanted here anyways."

"Fine. I'm already packed. Let me get my things and I'll be out of your life forever."

Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out!" The front door slammed shut.

I ran to the window. My father threw his suitcase in the car and got in. I watched as the car backed out of the driveway and down the street. "Well, looks like I got my birthday present," I thought angstfully. I stared out the window as the rain poured down, blurring my vision. Or was that my tears? It was a mixture of both. I wiped at my eyes stubbornly, forcing myself not to cry. I never cried and I wasn't going to start now.

There was a soft knock on my door. "Aura?" My mom stuck her head in. Her eyes were red and puffy. It was obvious that she had been crying. "I'm so sorry honey."

"Is he gone for good?" I asked.

"I think he's gone for good this time hon," she said sadly.

I nodded and stared angrily out my window.

"I'm going to make this up to you sweetie. Everything's going to be alright. We still love you-"

"Just not each other right?" I cut in.

My mother avoided my eyes as they pierced her, searching for answers. Why did this had to happen? "I'm going for a walk," I mumbled.

"It's raining out," my mom said.

"I know." I pushed past her and out of the house. The rain poured down onto me and it seemed almost soothing. Like it would wash away all of this guilt that had been placed on my shoulders.

Zac pulled on a sweater and looked out the window.

"Coming down pretty hard, hey?" Diana said.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go for a walk."

"Zac, you'll catch a cold. You're not going out right now. If you wanted to go out, why didn't you go with your brothers? You can go out after it stops raining," she said.

"But I want to go out now," Zac whined.

"That's enough Zac. Now go play with Mackie. He's been wanting to play with you since you got home."

"I don't want to play with Mackie, it's boring." Zac kicked at a pile of clothes on the floor.

"Fine, then sit in here and mope. I don't know what's wrong with you Zachary, but I suggest that you get over it. Now." Diana gave him a stern look and left the room. "Screw this," Zac thought. He snuck down the stairs and out the back door. The rain poured down onto his head as he ran out of the backyard.

I ran down the road, splashing angrily through the puddles. "Maybe if I had been better then he wouldn't have left. If I had been thinner, smarter, prettier, more talented; a better kid this wouldn't have happened. He would still be here and we would be talking and laughing the way Zac and his family do. We would still be happy." A crack in the sidewalk seemed to appear in front of me magically. I tripped and fell onto the cement, scraping my elbows. I could feel them stinging and knew that they were bleeding. Still, I continued to run. "Maybe I can make up for it now," I thought. "Maybe if I'm a better kid now, life will get better. I'll be thinner. I'll be smarter and prettier and more popular." Determination set in and I knew that I would become the 'better' kid, no matter what the cost.

Next
Home

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page