Ripples in the River

2

"Nice to meet you Carson."

The words rung in my ears, like the fire alarms at school. I couldn't get the sound of Thomas' voice out of my head. I couldn't seem to forget the way he drew out my name, prolonging it. I kept picturing the way he smiled after he said it. The edges of his mouth looked like they were slowly being pulled upward, forcing his mouth into a smile. But, his smile, Thomas' smile, is breath-taking. His teeth were so perfectly white. His eyes crinkled in the outer corners make his blue eyes seem small. His jaw curved creating what can only be described as perfection. I was instantly drawn to him.

We continued talking through the night. We talked until the sun rose, red at first then turning into a bright white that you couldn't bare to look at. I hung on every word, drew a breath at every laugh and melted with every smile. I couldn't even tell you a single thing we talked about. It was a random jumble of words and phrases that got mixed up in my head every time I even dared to think about it.

I do remember, though, the way he tucked my hair behind my ear at one point. All talking had ceased and our eyes met for a split second. I put my head down, embarrassed. Then Thomas lifted his hand, moving it towards me. He stopped half-way, unsure if he should or not, then he put his hand to the side of my face and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. As I looked up at him, staring into his piercing blue eyes, I thought he was going to kiss me. But he pulled back, breaking the awkward silence and going into a conversation about who knows what.

When the sun rose around 5:30, we were still talking, but figured that we both should get some sleep. We didn't want the nurses coming in at one point and seeing that I got no sleep whatsoever. I pulled the blankets over my now shivering body and sank into the stiff hospital bed.

"Sleep tight Carson." Then the lights went out. But, me, I couldn't fall asleep. I couldn't stop thinking about Thomas, and how he almost kissed me and how I wished he had. But most of all, I couldn't stop thinking that there was something wrong with me for thinking about things like boys right after finding out that I was in a car crash with my parents and now they're dead and I am not..

Thinking so much made me more tired and eventually I had pushed my brain to it's limits. As I drifted off to sleep, I hoped to dream of my mom and dad. Oh how I wished I could see them again. But, I knew that one day, when it was the right time, I would see them again. One day I would join them wherever they are.

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"Time for breakfast, Carson." Mom was hollering for me from the kitchen. I pushed the covers back and rolled out of bed. Walking down the hall, I could smell the french toast and bacon. The smell of fresh strawberries wafted up to the second floor. I had a smile on my face as I walked in the kitchen. For some reason, everything seemed too good. Mom's hair and makeup were done, and she was wearing her apron over her suit. 

"Good morning sweetheart. How was your sleep." This wasn't my mom. In the mornings she was grumpy and tired and she never makes breakfast for everyone. Something was going on. I couldn't keep myself from thinking that they must have really bad news.

"Good morning my two beautiful girls." Today is going to be absolutely wonderful." Dad always dreaded week days. He really only ever liked weekends. There was something absolutely wrong with this picture. I shook my head a little to get those thoughts out of my head, and when I opened my eyes, what I saw wasn't what scared me most. It was what I didn't see.

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