Surviving the Tornado

Who Do You Pick?

I wake up to a pair of chocolate-brown eyes staring down at me.

"Charlie where am I? What are you doing here? And what happened?" I grumble. I observe my surrondings, I am inside my room, but in the very corner there is a bear. I stifle a scream.

"It's okay! You're gonna be just fine." he soothes. "But it did do something to you first."

"What happened?" I demand.

He glances at my shirt and then looks away. Wait.... was that hurt in his eyes? I thought Charlie was too ignorant to have.... feelings. That's just too weird. The words Charlie and feelings, don't really go together in a sentence. I need to know what happened here.

I look down at my shirt, and see red stains. Red stains? As in....... blood?

"Look under it." Charlie mumbles.

I careful lift up my shirt, just an inch. But I immediately regret it. I can see the bottoms of four cuts, caked with my blood. It's like it's begging me to scream. I swallow and put the shirt down again.

"Don't you remember it?" asks Charlie, "You fought that bear." he points to the huge black bear in the corner. I fought that? Then in the blink of an eye, everything comes rushing back to me.

"I did." I breathe. I start leaning forward towards Charlie's face. Wait.....what? This is Charlie, Mr. no-it-all, Mr. Cocky, Mr. Jerk. What am I thinking?

"How long was I out?"

He fake coughs, trying to cover up the answer. "Two days."

"WHAT? Why didn't you wake me up? Two days? I want to help!" I yell.

"I have been ever since Tanner found you!" he yells back. Then the door opens in in steps Tanner.

"Sky! I'm so glad you woke up! I was really worried about you!" Tanner rushes over to the bed and sits at the edge. He puts his hand on my forehead. "Are you sick or-"

"She's fine." snaps Charlie and then he storms out of my room.

"What's with him?" Tanner asks.

"We got in a fight about not waking me up. I wanted to help you guys! Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, it's just we all tried to help but we just couldn't get you up." he hangs his head in shame.

"It's okay. I just......" I trail off.

"Hey Skyler it's fine. I get it." I start leaning forward to get up and my stomache bursts out in pain.

"Ow." I mumble.

"Sorry I-"

"Hey Tanner it's fine." I mimic him from before. He smiles and carefully lifts me into a sitting postion.

"Thanks." I grin. And in a few swift movements, he picks me up into his arms.

"Let's go outside." He walks us out the door and right behind it, Charlie is standing.

"I was just going to-" Charlie claims. But he doesn't get a chance to answer because Tanner pushes past him and heads to main cabin. And as we walk past I notice Charlie frowning and glaring at Tanner's back.

This is not going to be good.

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Charlie is STILL giving Tanner the stink-eye and a week has already pasted. I can not believe he is still mad! Wait.....why is he mad?

Because you broke his heart. Says the little voice inside my head.

I did not! But why is he mad at Tanner?

Because he is jealous.

That can't be true. Charlie isn't jealous of me. He does not care. He should be mad at me, of all people. Not Tanner.

Okay let's face the facts, Charlie and Tanner are fighting over me. I've always wanted a boyfriend, but this is WAY too much. They keep picking off of each other and helping me with everything.

"Hey Sky!" calls Charlie from around the campfire, "come have lunch with us!"

"I'll be right there!" I yell back. I start walking back but Charlie blocks my way. "How did-"

I've come to help!" he announces.

"Charlie, I'm more that capable of getting there by myself."

"I just need to talk to you." his smile immediatly disappears and gets relaced by....... nothing? This must be serious.

"I'm all ears."

"Ummm you know with Tanner and I and..." he stutters.

"Spit it out, Charlie."

"Who's it gonna be?" he blutters out. What does he mean?

"What do you mean?" I ask, clearly confused.

"Who do you pick?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I try to start walking back to the fire but he steps in my way again. "I'm hungry!" I whine.

"Very mature Skyler." he snorts. "Not until you answer my question."

"Ugh."

"Is it going to be me or Tanner?" Wait......WHAT? He wants me to pick who's going to be my boyfriend! He just doesn't have the guts to ask if I'm be his girlfriend. Typical Charlie. I need to get out of this mess.

To sit next to? Because I really don't care about that." I lie.

"Skyler! You know what I mean!" Charlie scolds.

"What?"

"Stop playing dumb with me."

"I'm not going to pick between you!" I yell. Everyone else looks in our direction.

"Skyler, stop I don't want you to get mad again." Charlie whispers.

"I don't care what they think! Just leave me alone!" I stomp away, leaving him frowning at my back.

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I just lay there. Staring off into space, wondering why my life is complicated. I think I'm staying up all night so I can see a shooting star. And to wish that nothing bad would ever mess with my life again. I've suffered too much already.

First it was my parents. They left us, 2-year-old and a 5-year-old at the orphange doorstep. I remember them telling us they would be back in a few days.

And those days turned into weeks.

And those weeks turned into months.

And those months turned into years.

And those years turned into a decade.

I eventually stopped waiting and started forgetting. I forgot all the happy moments and only remembered the sad. And I regret that. If I want to think back to my family, I'd want to be proud and thankful I had such great parents. But I don't.

I rub my face, and find that my eyes are wet. Oh my god, I'm crying.

I don't want to cry about this anymore, I already wasted too many tears on them. I wasted too many hours balling into my pillow.

I look up at the sky and gaze at the stars. I really wish there would be a shooting star. I really wish that my parents and never left us. I really wish that I never ran away in the first place.

I wish a lot if things.

I look around my at surroundings. I am sitting on a rock by the river. It's so beautiful here.

A little glowing thing flies up to my face. Fireflies!I bet fireflies don't have to go through all the drama I do. Those lightning bugs have it good.

Oh if only life was that simple.

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I am really sorry for all the short chapters before! And because I haven't updated in such a long time. I am trying my best people.

I know, I know, the song is perfect for this chapter. ;) Please vote and comment! :)