See You Soon

Chapter 12

  The only things in life that are guaranteed to have happy endings are Disney movies. Some people get annoyed that say, Prince Charming didn’t die in an epic battle. But when you’re in a really crappy mood, you need to know that the movie won’t end with you balling because your favorite character just died tragically.

  This was exactly why I kept a stack of them underneath my bed, right beside the chocolate of course. Today was one of those rainy days, where all you wanted was to crawl right back in to bed and only get back up when the sun does. But then you realize, only when it’s too late of course, that every second counts and you need to stop hiding from the rain.

   Brooklyn and Aaron just happened to barge in my bedroom when I was still contemplating whether or not to keep hiding from the rain- while watching The Jungle Book and stuffing my face with chocolate.

“Oh honey, nobody told me this was a PMS party,” Aaron said, but I could tell from his eyes he was worried.

“Aaron!” Brooklyn swatted his arm playfully, “Don’t mind him. We came here for a different reason than to comment on you watching...oh! Is that The Jungle Book! That was my favorite movie when I was a kid!” She sat down on my bed next to me and got lost by the screen of my teeny little old TV.

“Whoa whoa whoa... enough of reminiscing on childhood memories,” Aaron went and shut the TV off, which earned him a dirty look from Brooklyn. “Since it’s the 4th of July, were all going down to the pier for the celebration tonight. Everyone will be there, and there’ll be fireworks and rides! You have to come. Never mind that, you don’t have a choice. You’re coming.”

  It sounded like what a normal teenager would do on the fourth of July. And since I didn’t think I actually had a choice in the matter, I guess I was going. “I mean, it sounds like fun, so why not?”

“Awesome! Oh and you should invite James,” Brooklyn added before enclosing me in to a huge bear hug.

  “No, really if you guys don’t like him, you don’t have to hang out with him just to please me.” I told them.

“We were wrong about him. He seems like a nice guy, and we were too quick to judge... It’s just that my mom got layed off by his father when I was 6 years old, and ever since then she’s been telling me all these fake and horrible things about their family. I know it’s awful, so please don’t think I’m a monster.”     

  I really took the time to look at Brooklyn and noticed that besides a few little patches of hair missing here and there, she looked healthy. She looked happy, and I realized then that I wanted my friend to be those things so badly. To live a life with no regrets and fun. 

  “You’re a monster? I mean, if any of my friends were monsters, it would obviously be Aaron,” I said, trying not to laugh at the look on his face.

“Me? I’m innocent, I swear!” He exclaimed in a mock voice.

I called James’ house, but he must have been out, so I just left him a message to meet us there if he wants. His sister just got home the other day, so he could be busy with her. We spent the rest of the afternoon just hanging out, Brooklyn and I taking turns doing each other’s makeup and hair. More for the fun of it than to look good, because we both didn't care all that much.

  The phone interrupted us a bit later on, and I scrambled up to get it after turning down our music.

“Hello?” I took the cordless phone and started aimlessly walking around the house like I usually did whenever talking on the phone. Personally, I think everyone had at least a little bit of ADHD.

“Skylar.” It was my dad. “Just calling to say I’ll be working late tonight, a man had a heart attack and they need all of us here. Oh and you should call your mother to wish her a happy birthday.”