They say you never know a man until you walk a mile in his shoes. I say forget the shoes. You'll never know the depths of his dreams until you stride into his subconscious.
The deep portals of our mind seem to hold the entirety of our existence whether we see them or not. Our collection of memories, the faces we see, the smells we register, the depths of our subconscious, reality as we personally see it.
But what about the things we couldn't possibly see? What about someone else's reality?
Shoes or no shoes, in this reality, a new school year has begun. As a junior who's currently working towards graduating early, I'm left with almost no time for self reflection. Trying to figure out who you are while actively planning your future isn't easy, but at least the mundane nature of high school drama keeps the world going 'round.
"Did you see that!? Oh yeah, he totally did. He's giving you the eyes," Gabby declares with too much excitement for me on a Monday morning. "Yep, pupil hearts...here they come."
"Nope," I say firmly, not feeding into her hype as I reach for my Calculus book, preparing for class.
"He definitely just checked you out Dakota. I know he's going to ask you, I just know it!" she exclaims, practically squealing with joy.
I roll my eyes at the annoyed excitement of a friend who wishes things into existence.
"Um, no..he didn't. He just so happens to be thirsty and my locker just so happens to be by the water fountain. Zero correlation."
Gabby. The loud, exuberant, unapologetic, best friend you never wished for but love to have. We met in grade school and just so happened to be assigned desks next to one another, instantly clicking over our love of all things girly; lipstick, Barbies, dolls, you name it. She is far more outspoken than I am and has a way of always pushing me out of my comfort zone, or in this case, over-exaggerating fake scenarios in her head.
"Yep, he did. Colt Bryer is definitely going to ask you to the bonfire this weekend!" she squeaks out, doing a little happy dance next to my locker. "And it's about time too. Jesus, the guy's been oogeling your bad bod for like, seconds now."
"Gabs, I can't even think about that right now, I have way too many things going on with my AP classes, honors society, and not to mention my volunteer work at the hospital."
It's official, I'm pushing myself to the limit. If that wasn't enough, everyone always looks to me for help, whether it be volunteering to help with fundraisers or tutoring kids at the after school program. I'll admit, I may be more advanced, academically, than other people my age but I always attribute that simply to a good work ethic. That, and the fact that I have a hard time saying no to people. Character flaw.
At Washington High School, a tiny school in a small suburb hours outside of Chicago, graduating early in order to apply and be accepted into a prestigious college isn't the objective for most of my fellow peers. Finding a school that excelled in underaged drinking or a college that allowed you to ride your cow to school would suffice.
But I had a plan. I wanted out of this town. I wanted to attend the University of Chicago, or even Yale like my dad. My passion for people is real. Making some sort of difference in a world filled with hardships is everything I strive for. Making a difference in someone's life, is all I want. I'd decided to pursue the healthcare field like my father, but which avenue, I'm still not sure.
"Girl, you need to live a little," Gabby snaps, kicking my locker playfully into me while giving me her megawatt smile.
I'd always admired her natural beauty and was jealous of the fact that she was mixed when we were growing up. Her African American roots gave her a gorgeous bronze glow and her freckled nose and cheeks were so unique. She'd tan in the sun and turn into a goddess in the summertime, whereas my tawny skin burnt and peeled like old paint on a house that begged to be demolished.
"Trust me, I'm livin'," I respond with sarcasm, showing her my plethora of books and spiral notebooks loaded into my arms.
"No, this doesn't count. I mean live, like...flirt, kiss boys, skip class, the fun stuff. This weekend, you're coming with me, it's about time you let loose," Gabby comments.
She pushes off the locker next to me and heading down the hall backwards, a mischievous grin plastered on her face.
YOU ARE READING
A Sliver of Infinite
Teen Fiction"There's only one thing that's keeping me here, only one thing that's keeping me sane. The galaxy to my stars, the constellation that guides me home, the gravity that holds me down. It's her. It's always been her. But even she can't save me from my...
