The Bucket List

Chapter 3

Carter laid on my bed scribbling on his notebook as I typed away on my laptop. The essay I was writing I found particularly monotonous and unimaginative. But little did I care. I would get a C which is a passing grade in my book. It's not like the topic of "How Modernized Religion Has Shaped Our Country," is one I find particularly interesting.

I opened the curtains as far as they would go to get as much natural light into my room as possible. I needed all the help I could get with my black walls. Sitting back, I admired my decor. My room truly was a window to my soul with the giant white sugar skull decal on the wall, shelves of night shades and horror movies, and the life sized metal knight complete with sword in the corner.

"Done," Carter said ripping a page out of his notebook.

"With?"

"My bucket list. You should make one too."

"I don't believe in making a bucket list."

"Here we go," he exasperated.

"People who chase thrills in life for some type of fulfillment in their lives often end up the loneliest and most boring people of all. If you truly want to live your life to the fullest you shouldn't chase unrealistic dreams that aren't going to give your life any meaning."

"Well, I think it's fun. And I'm going to cross off every one of these items on my list before I die and it will most definitely give my life the fulfillment I have been searching for," he said pointedly. "Number one: Get detention."

"As a perpetually moral upstanding citizen?" I mocked. Carter has never gotten into trouble in his whole twelve years of going to school. His popularity soon transcended our high school peers and had evolved toward our teachers as well. Even when he did act up, it was most often overlooked as a minor disruption. Not once had he been written up or given detention.

"Before this school year ends I will complete this list. Number two: Stand out for a day."

"You stand out everyday."

"No I don't. I'm mixed in with all the other popular kids on the swim team. Everyone sees me as just another guy. Nothing separates me from the rest of the jocks. Number three: get into a fight."

"What's that preppy boy?"

"Are you going to comment on each of these? Number four: go on a road trip to hanging lake. Number five: go backstage at a concert. Number six: kiss Angel Winter."

Angel winter was undeniably the hottest girl in school. Long wavy blonde hair, blue eyes, and a cute button nose. She hung out with the popular girls. She earned her nickname, Angel, with her good looks and singing like an Angel and playing the guitar at almost every pep rally. Carter had been vocal to me about his crush on her since elementary. Coincidentally, Angel had dated Devin Taylor all throughout middle school as the school power couple until an unseemly breakup.

"Number seven, go to a high school party."

"Are you trying to tell me your dying?" I asked.

"What? No!"

"Are you sure? Because bucket lists are supposed to be for people who feel like they don't have enough time to accomplish their dreams before they die."

"Okay so bucket list isn't the right word, I'll call it my high school fun time list," he said marking it at the top of the page. "I'll mark off each of these items before we start college next year. And most of these things we can cross off together."

"And why would I be a part of this?"

"This way we can properly send off our last year of high school. Otherwise, it wouldn't feel like it truly ended. Don't you have anything you want to do before high school ends?"

"Okay so let's say I would help you cross off some items, but all of those are meaningless things anyone can do."

"So what do you want to add?"

What did I want to add? If there was anything I wished to do before school ends, it would be for people to see me differently. I am painfully aware I am depressing and always the one who ruins a good time. I'm sarcastic and somber and generally not fun to be around. To be honest, I'm not even sure why Carter likes to hang out with me. We are so different.

"I want people to stop seeing me as the girl who can't have a good time. I want to be remembered for more than who people think I am."

"To be remembered..." Carter mumbled to himself as he wrote it down. "Number eight: to be remembered. Our list is officially complete."