"There's only a few more weeks left," Cleo said, twisting her red hair up into a bun. "How ya'll doing?"
We sat quietly in our circle. It was exercise day, and we all were nervous to see what exercise Cleo was going to have us do today. The mirror was back in its corner, the telephone booth was nowhere to be seen, and we were art supplies free. What was the next exercise she had planned for us? And who would be the next one to go?
"Anyone going to talk?" Cleo said. "Or am I going to have to start calling names again?"
We all remained quiet, our gazes anywhere but on Cleo. It was silent wish she wouldn't call on us if we didn't look at her.
"Wiley, how are you doing?" she asked, clicking her pen.
"Good, you?" he replied inspecting his fingernails.
"A-okay."
Silence filled the room. Felix cleared his throat and I could hear Avery filing away at her nails.
It was me or Mason who were doing the next exercise. It was one of us who would be breaking down and telling our story. I wasn't ready. I don't think I would ever be ready.
"Okay, since you all aren't going to talk, I guess we can do the exercise. Pair up!" Cleo said. "And do it quick. I want to make it home in time for Ellen."
Felix and Bria paired up. Mason gave me a questioning look, but I looked away. I didn't want to be paired with anyone.
"Come on, asshat," Avery said, snapping her gum. "I'll tolerate you for this one exercise"
"Don't call me "asshat"," Mason growled.
"What a great way to start off the exercise!" Cleo beamed. "How did you know this is what we were doing today, Avery?"
"Huh?"
Cleo rolled her eyes playfully. "Okay, I guess I'll explain it to ya'll. I want you to insult each other. I want you to tell the other exactly what you think of them. I want you to shout it, whisper it, say it however you think it will best hurt them. Do it."
Everyone remained quiet and stared at Cleo with widened eyes.
"What are you waiting for? Go!"
Shouting filled the room. I could hear Avery and Mason yelling horrible things to each other. Felix and Bria whispered to each other quietly. Wiley, Cleo and I looked on. Cleo had her thoughtful look. Wiley looked uncomfortable, and I kept trying to block everything out.
"Okay! Stop!" she shouted.
The room was silent again.
"How did that make you feel?" she asked, giving everyone a look.
No one answered.
"It hurt, didn't it? Did it make you feel any better?" Cleo asked, squinting her eyes.
Everyone shook their heads.
"It didn't make you feel better to act on those horrible thoughts you were having?"
Everyone shook their heads, including Avery.
"Now say you're sorry. And mean it. Say it so sincerely that you want to cry."
YOU ARE READING
Falling Colors
Teen Fiction"The unfixable; the shattered; the torn; the broken. They all come here. It's my job to remake them, because once its broken there is no going back to the way it was. It must be remade." Six individuals. Six unique stories. Five exercises. One...
