Just a Teenage Dream

Chapter 26

I decided to do myself the favour of taking the rest of the week easy by keeping to myself and only interreacting with Jessica when I really needed the company. She was very understanding when I told her that I needed some personal space and helped me to avoid getting involved with the others. I hadn't seen Trent since that Shakespeare play. He was at practise most of the time, and we didn't have much of a conversation during our lesson because of our visual literacy test.

It worked in my favour up until the last day and the last lesson of the day.

We all struggled to pay attention to that visual theory lesson but got through it. I didn't have much of a life going on for myself, but I was thrilled to be seconds away from the weekend. "It's the weekend baby!" yelled on of the guys in the class as soon as the bell rang.  Mrs Kooper handed us back our papers from the previous days test which made it the perfect start to the weekend because I scored one hundred percent. "I except to see more of this from you," she smiled. "Please let Trent know that I have his results," she added. "Will do." 

I was proud of myself for doing well in subject that I was passionate about. My parents always expected me to excel in all my academia and I did but I always make sure that I went the extra mile for my visual arts class. I made my way to homeroom; alone; and along the way I finally realised that the after class walks Mr Carter had given me should've been greatly appreciated.

My class was noisy as per usual, even more so since it was Friday. "Are you okay Kourt?" Jessica asked. "You've been very quiet lately."

 "Yeah, I'm... just a lot on my mind that's all," I answered mindlessly.

"Well, whatever it is, or whoever, I hope it stops bothering you."
"Thanks. Why don't you come over on Saturday,'' I asked to change the topic." It was also my way of looking for company since I couldn't go anywhere. ' Surely, I can have some visiting hours' I thought. "Sure, what time?"

"I will let you know."

 Our homeroom teacher returned to register then dismiss us. Everyone ran out ready for the weekend. Jessica insisted on walking me to the school gate since I 'I didn't seem okay to her'.  My mother waited outside her car for me on her phone which was a first.

"Your mom looks so young," Jessica said. " Anyone would assume that she's your sister."

I didn't want to admit it, but Jessica was not wrong. My mother did look young for her age but instead of agreeing with Jessica, I simply told her; " You take crazy to another level." Jessica ignored my light-hearted teasing. "Hey Mrs K. I love your coat!" she yelled from across the parking lot. My mother smiled then looked away from her phone. "Thank Jess. Mother's Day gifts!" she responded. "

"Enjoy your weekend," Jessica said with a friendly smile and walked away.

"So, where's Trent?" My mother asked. 

"I think he already left anyway," I said.

I realised that a huge wave of depression had hit me that day and I watched my emotions gradually plummet. I couldn't understand why I felt overwhelmed, and sad when I kept to myself for most of the week. The less people I am surrounded by should mean less problems, right?  

I was in a daze while we were on our way home. My mother didn't notice the change in my emotions but that's just Deniece for you. It made me miss my dad because he always picked up on things like this. He made sure that he asked if I was fine or if I wanted to talk about it. My dad's ultimate goal was to ensure that I was safe both physically and mentally.  It was hard to understand that sometimes because he went about it the wrong way at times. Having a little more freedom would have secured me a little more mentally. If I wasn't harmed by someone else, then I bound to be harmed by my own hands. 

***

When I got back home that afternoon, I decided to sit with my parents for dinner rather than sitting alone in my room. I thought that it would be best if sat with other people and engaged in a conversation to take my mind off of whatever was worrying me. 

I remember waiting for my dad to return home that afternoon and when he finally did, we greeted each other, then hugged each other tight. It was our way of forgiving each other. We sat at our family dinner table and enjoyed a hearty conversation over a hearty meal.

" I'm actually going to be working on Saturdays from now." explained Charlie.
"Oh. Promotion?" Deniece asked.
"Something like that, the company needs me to come in on Saturdays to train the interns then said that I would get Monday off, along with that I get an increase," he explained.

"Work today was so hectic, there are times when I regret becoming a chartered accountant..." She went on and on about some people and some journals and some server. It sounded very complicated and serious but out of all of that, I had no freaking idea that she was a chartered accountant. It was nice to do something out of the norm for a change. I helped to clean up the kitchen then took a shower.

I debated with myself on whether or not it was worth having a week to myself. A part of me felt different like I should have never avoided people whom I know I wanted to spend more time with but at the same time I told myself that I need that therapy and peace of mind. Dad walked past my bedroom and noticed something was troubling me and so he said, "Let's go have some ice-cream." 

It was a remedy for treating a sad daughter.

We both love ice-cream. Whenever we were upset over something we would help ourselves to a dessert bowl. There were times when mom tried to figure out how the tub was empty the next morning. "So, what's bothering you?" My dad asked. I couldn't think of a way to answer him because I didn't know how to answer that question when I tried to figure out the answer myself. "Is it that kid? Because we can go and look for him right now." 

My dad was always ready to bring a world of pain to whoever torment to mine.

"It has nothing to do with him," I said. I couldn't tell if he knew I was lying or if I was trying to fool myself. "I'm just so stressed, and I need to do something to take my mind off of everything or at least distract myself," I added. He carried on stuffing spoonfuls into his mouth. It's like he was deciding against something but after spending minutes of debating with himself he finally said: "If you want and if you feel comfortable about it, we will let you jog to the park or go for a walk on Saturdays just to clear your mind and destress from whatever was bothering you in the week."

At the time I could not believe the words that left his mouth, and I knew that something was not adding up. " By myself?" I asked bemused.  "The neighbourhood is safe and I'm sure you know the area well enough. How on Earth could I?  I swallowed the rest of the ice-cream that had melted straight out of the bowl then wiped my lips with my hand.

"What's the catch?" I asked.

"Don't stay out too long. You must be back home by midday." 

 'Midday? Thats when the sun is at its peak. Some ten-year-olds are told to be home before the streetlights turn on.' But beggars can't be choosers. So, I accepted the offer. 

"Thank you," I said as I hugged and wished him a goodnight.

"One more thing. I do not want to find out that you're hanging around the wrong people while you're out," he added.

And that obviously included Trent. Regardless of his commands, I was still grateful for the opportunity. 

The next morning, I was awake by six thirty. The sun tried its best to fight its way through the clouds, which was fairly normal because life under the California sky was always warm. However, the dark grim weather was irrelevant to each event that happened that day because clouds didn't flee fast enough, waves were treacherous and, in my world, catastrophic storms dominated the sky.

No evidence of sunshine.