2 Never Stands Alone

1 More Than 1 & 1 Less Than 3

The sound of the waves crashing on shore fills my ears. Why haven't I done this sooner? I need a break from this world, but why did I wait for someone to tell me to?  "Helloo? Is Ella in there anymore or did your inner crab come out?"

"I'm still here Cyrus. Thanks for this."

"Please, I know when my friend needs something. I also wanted to get out of the house so what's better than a road trip. My dad will probably kill me but whatever, it's better than hearing yelling."

"You too?"

"Angry parents is something we both have in common, sadly."

Cyrus always asks me if I'm ok since she knows my house is crazy, but we both have to deal with yelling parents most of the time. I sit up from the striped blanket and look at the oven below the rock we're sitting on. I'd like to believe our situations are the same but she knows I have it a bit rougher since I'm an only child with no one else to take the blame on shit, even if I really didn't do it. "Cyrus, how do you deal with it?"

"Well El, I can't avoid it sometimes, and it is rough listening to music drowns out the sound, and watching or reading something funny gets my mind off it but when it comes to the mental breakdowns and crying," sigh, "I haven't come up with anything."

"And do you talk to anyone? As much as my parents yell, I do have a therapist but I don't feel comfortable talking to her. I also don't want to be put on anti-depressants, we also have financial struggles."

"I talk to you, I think you know me better than my family does. I am grateful for having you as a friend and I talk to you when I need someone and you know that. I rely on you and hope you can talk to me when you need to, that's what friends are for after all."

I smile and lean on her shoulder, and she leans on my head as we stare off into the distance. Cyrus is always bombarded with people around her at school so doing this is nice. She is one of the more popular girls and yet she still hangs out with me, ever since elementary school we've been there for each other. She leans up and her long black hair flows in the wind and her dark brown eyes continue to stare off. I lay down on the blanket and close my eyes again. "From today on Cyrus, I will live in the moment. No future talk no past talk."

"Sounds good," she lays down next to me, "I think I'll join you."

We both giggle and I smile, I think she is too. No more waving through a window, no more waiting.