Mic's Journal

Eighteen

So I'm bawling my eyes out right now. Can you guess why? No? Fine I'll explain why I've been listening to the same five sad songs on repeat. But let's tell it the best way I know how, with a story.

The sun might as well be nonexistent if it's an anticlimactic gray bulb. Seven people were sitting with me. Scratch that, seven people should've been sitting with me. But no, someone was missing. Her long blonde hair that was always knotted in a messy side braid was gone. Her cute square glasses were gone. And her weird bubbly personality was gone. Claire was gone. No one knew where and no one knew who to ask. Lunch is awfully dull with only six people with you.

"Where is she?" I asked, not aware that I had said anything out loud.

"Claire?"my friend, August asked. I had a habit of not being clear with my questions or answers.

"Yeah. It's been a week since she sat with us. Where is she?" I had asked the question everyone was thinking. I had no classes with Claire, she had left the group chat when she left us. Something was wrong but I knew not to pry. But I had asked the question.

Only August had heard me. The others were cheerfully playing a game I had made up. Oh don't judge me, 13 year olds can play too.

"I shouldn't be telling you this," she began,"but she left because of someone here". I nodded giving no reaction except for a furrow in my brow.

"Me" it wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"No. Someone else has been... well bothering her."

"Alice" that wasn't a question either. I didn't like Alice. She gossiped and tried to force information out of people that had already said no. So no, it wasn't a question.

"No" she sighed,"Sonya". I deepened my frown. I was 100% positive that I was more annoying than Sonya. I kept that frown for the rest of the day.

~~~
A Week Before

Claire
Guys. We went out and we knew this but our neighbors garage remote also opened our garage. Our cats were in there and they got out. I don't want your sympathy, I just need some time. Please don't ask questions and you will know if we find them. My change in mood will be enough. Don't add me back on the chat.

Sonya
Claire, I am so sorry about your cats

Jess
Claire I hope you find your cats

Claire has left conversation

Me
You guys she said she didn't want your sympathy. How hard is that to get?

August
Yeah

Alice
But she didn't have to tell us like that, you know?

Cassy
I guess...

Mila
I hope she does find her cats

Sonya
I'm sorry but I can't just say nothing

Jess
Yeah that's being rude

Mic has left conversation

I fought back the urge to scream. They, they, they don't get it. She told them. Fucking idiots.

~~~
Eight Days Later

"Mic, she's not going to the same high school as us next year," August whispered. The game was still going on but I had stopped to talk to August. My stomach dropped. She was trying to distance herself from us to keep us from being hurt. But she hurt herself in the process.

~~~
About a month later

"Happy birthday Claire!" I yelled in the hallway as I jumped on her, crushing her in my hug. Hallways were the only place I saw Claire and I was lucky to bump into her this early in the morning.

"Here's your present," I sheepishly said, pulling a stack of papers with a bow on them. Let me explain because I know a stack of papers isn't that great of a present.

For secret santa earlier in the year, one of the presents Claire had given me was a grumpy cat calendar. I used every day up until her birthday to write a letter on the back. I then scrambled them and kept the stack together with a ribbon. On the sheet of paper with her birthday on it, I gave up on the letters. There weren't enough days in the year to tell her how much she meant to me. I know I'm cheesy. And I slipped in a few inside jokes.

For the rest of the day, I was depressed. This entire day reminded me of something August had told me. 'Mic she's not going to the same high school as us next year'. I kept the tears in until I got home. I holed myself up in my room listening to five songs on repeat. If you must know them fine.

Amnesia- 5sos

When I see you again-Charlie Puth

Sad song-I don't know the singers hate me or not, look it up yourself

When the last tear drop falls-again don't know the singer, look it up yourself lazy ass

Goodbye song-I don't know the singer again sorry

The last song is only on this list for the irony of it. It's a cheerful song for little kids to learn how to say goodbye. It's only here because my dark humor is here.

If you haven't figured it out, Claire's birthday was today.

So there you go, that's why I'm bawling my eyes out. Not that anyone reads this. *sigh* also all the names in this chapter were fake. I don't know anyone named Sonya or August. Pft who do you think I am?