Wish

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Jacielle

           I wound up in a park. Don’t ask me how cause happiness and family outings were far from what I wanted. I found a place where no one was and sat at the bottom of a big oak tree. Why? Was the question repeating in my head. Why my dad? I couldn’t lose Matt and him. Without him I wouldn’t be able to stand mom’s crazy antics. “Uh! God damn it!” I shot up and hit the tree. Tears were pouring down my face. Why my family? I punched the tree again. Each time a new question popped up I punched the tree. I was so preoccupied with my own thoughts I didn’t see the girl watching me. She was short and had auburn hair like me, but hers had a redder tint to it. Her brown eyes were warily pointed in my direction.

            “You have got to stop hitting that tree.” She walked over to me and grabbed my wrist. “Look at your hands!” I looked down at them. They were cracked and bleeding. “What are you thinking?” she asked leading me over to a bench. Once we sat down she started rummaging through her purse. Confused, I tried to get a better look at her face, but I didn’t recognize her.

            “Um…Do I know you?” she looked up at me pausing for a brief second.

            “No, but you’re about to.” She smiled and lifted one of her newly manicured hands out of her purse and held it out. “I’m Autumn Henslie.” She looked down remembering the condition of my hands before dropping hers.

            “I’m Jacielle Fields, but you can call me Jace.” She smiled and pulled out bandages. She reached over and started taping up my hands. “Thanks.” I mumbled after she was finished.

            “You’re welcome.” She put her long hair up in a tight bun. “You want to go get something to eat? Maybe you can tell me why you were hitting that there tree in the first place.” I smiled and nodded.

*

            We went to a little café by the park. Once we ordered food I told her about my dad. Might as well be blunt since she saw me punching a tree like a psycho. She listened intently and was completely silent when I finished. I sighed. “You probably think I should be locked up in a mental institution don’t you?” she laughed and shook her head.

            “I watched you punch a tree. Now that I know your reason, I say you’re just trying to get answers that no one can give you.” She looked at me sadly. “Two years ago my dad died.” I was speechless. I felt so childish. At least my dad was still alive. She just shook her head. “Cancer.” She started crying. I leaned across the tabled and held her hands to the best of my ability considering my hands were mauled.

            “I’m so sorry.” She gave me a weak smile.

            “I don’t know why I’m so emotional. My make up is going to run clean off if I don’t stop this baby nonsense.” I laughed.

            “You’re crazy.” She stuck her tongue out.

            “I know.” After spending two hours catching each other up on our life stories we paid for our food and started to walk back to Zayn’s house.

            “Would you like to hang out for the rest of the day?” I asked jokingly already knowing the answer.

            “Why yes! That would be splendid! My parents always wanted me to befriend strangers.” I laughed. It seemed to take longer to walk there stable than walk away pissed. Once we got to the house I went straight to my room.

            “I’m sorry if there’s a mess. I just moved in.” she wrinkled her face in confusion.

            “With who?” I laughed.