Paper Airplane

2

Chapter Two

 

 

                I fell onto my bed, the tired sigh I let escape me sounding deafening in the silence of my bedroom.  My eyes fluttered closed; I couldn’t wait to finally just sleep.  Today had been far too long.

                My mother was ecstatic for Brady to take us out to eat, excited to finally experience a high quality meal in a high quality restaurant.  But Brady doesn’t need fancy to be happy.  Brady just needs greasy, fattening, and completely delicious, which is what we all got tonight, much to mother’s disappointment.  He’d taken us out to Mahala’s Bar and Grill, a place we probably could have found replicated back at home.  “Less chance of being spotted and disturbed here,” Brady had said upon seeing Mom’s face when we arrived.

                The fact that we had to worry about that at all was one of the largest reasons I could never live like Brady.  If he didn’t want to be photographed during a meal, he had to go to an inconspicuous, mediocre at best bar and grill where no celebrity is thought to ever go.  I, of course, was glad Brady made the choice he did because of my aversion to attention.  Not to mention if anyone caught me with Brady and recognized me, my pink hair would no longer be of use to me when it came to hiding my identity.

                I got to hear a couple of Brady’s stories over the meal, though they were directed at Mom and Dad.  I made an effort of coming off as tired, a bit cranky, and annoyed so that the three of them wouldn’t expect many responses from me.  Mom and Dad would have expected such behavior; they both knew I hadn’t wanted to come spend my summer here.  But I hope Brady doesn’t take offence to it.  Because I really am happy to see him again.  And I decided that as long as I get to spend some time with him, at least not all of this summer will be terrible.

                Now, back in Brady’s condo, I missed home badly.  I had made some plans with a few friends that I wished I could carry out, and I won’t get the chance to now.  This is my last summer before I start college, and I’m not sure what that means for summers to come in future years.  I wish I could make the most of this one, but that doesn’t seem probable right now.

                Just as I began to ease into unconsciousness, I heard the door in the main room open, and the voices of my parents and brother penetrated the silence I was growing to appreciate.  I rolled over so that my back faced the door in case any of them came to check on me, wrapped my arms around part of my comforter, and willed myself to fall asleep.  Eventually I did.

                I like you.  I really, really do, and I was just wonderin’ if you’re feeling me too.  If you are, we’ll go far.  You and me, babe.  You’re my star, the way you are.  And now our world is getting bigger, put your finger on the trigger and let’s blow this place away.  Oh, how could anything get better?  You and me, we are together.  Our clock slows to a stop.

                Abruptly, I’m sitting, squinting at the brightly lit room.  Where on earth am I?  This was not my bedroom, and this was not my bed.  And I never listen to my brother’s music through the night.  I like it, but I don’t like it that much.

                With forever on our hands, we don’t have to land.  Let’s fly until we don’t know where we are.  Don’t look down, don’t look back.  We don’t have to go far.  But together, baby, we can.

                I rubbed at my eyes and opened them again.  Finally, I could make sense of my surroundings.  This was my room.  In my brother’s condo.  And he was currently standing next to my bed, guitar in hand, strumming away as he woke me with a song.  He cracked a smile at me.