To Be Different; Part One

To Be Different; Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I try to blink but my eyes seem to be forced closed. All I see is darkness so I allow myself to fall asleep and let the memories take over, again.

~

"Yard Sale at Ari Simmons's house this Saturday," Ari stands there at the door, with flyers in his hands.

I pull my backpack and walk to him, wondering what he is doing. "Ari? What are you doing?"

He hands a flyer to a freshman girl and then slips the rest into his backpack, realizing that I'm there waiting. "I have too much stuff and I'm going to get rid of it. Just thought I could get some money while I'm at it."

"Oh, okay?" I look at him with a questioning look that he ignores. "Do you want help with it?"

"With what?" he seems so preoccupied.

"The yard sale," I say as we walk through the doors of the school.

 "Ummm sure", he tells me and without really seeing it coming, he walks into one of the seniors who play on the football team.

"Watch where you going, you queer", he sneers at Ari.

 "Why don't you?" Ari snaps back. He tries to walk away but the senior grabs him by collar.

"What'd you say, gay boy?" He looks at Ari and then pins him against the lockers. His hand around his neck. "Can't say much when you can't breathe, can you?"

I can see Ari's face going blue and I feel myself go cold. "Let go of him."

The senior looks at chuckles, "Why should I and don't see why a pretty girl like you hangs out with a weirdo like him."

"Let him go," I repeat as I see Ari struggling to breathe. "Get over yourself hot shot and let him go!"

"Make me", he scoffs. And that's when I lose it, I scream as I run at him and pull his arm back. When I was younger, I used to take karate, something my father had made me take. By surprise, the senior gives out a yelp and the hand on Ari's neck lets him go. I hear Ari try hard to breathe and I'm tempted to help him at the moment but I don't.

"Touch him again," I hiss. "And I'll make sure you can't have children." I let the boy that's at least three years older then me go, but not before I kick him where it hurts.

"Wow, did you see that?" I finally realize there's been a crowd watching us. I hurry to Ari's side and try to help him breathe.

"Jackson just got beat up by a girl!" I hear someone say but I ignore their comments as I help Ari stand and I bring him to the nurse.

"Thanks", he pants. "For stopping him." I can tell he can't really breathe so I stop in the middle of the hallway and yell out.

"Someone get the nurse!" I lay Ari down on the ground and check his pulse. It's almost like it's not even there, and I know inside he's trying so hard to breathe. "HELP!"

I hear people running and shouting as I sit there, beside my best friend and all I have to do is wait and hope that at this moment he doesn't die.

~

"Cassandra Rosen?" I look up from my hands and see the doctor by the door, a clipboard in hand.

"Yes?" I'm still in the state of shock.

"You can see him now", she walks away and heads towards one of the male nurses and whispers into his ear. I'm numb all over as I walk inside Ari's hospital room. He lays there, still but I see his chest moving, I see him breathe. His face is pale, almost like death. His body so still something in my mind triggers up a memory from back when we were younger.