The Second Chance

Chapter 6

The car ride home wasn't pleasant at all. Cars honked at me many times along the way and sometimes I stuck up the finger at them and pushed the pedal to the limit. I was furious. I gripped the steering wheel tightly and banged my head on the car horn. At that point, I knew I had to get off somewhere to clear my head. There was a rest stop ahead so I took the next exit and arrived at the rest stop. I parked the car and laid my head down to rest. My eyes started getting heavy and I was getting more and more tired. Soon enough, I fell asleep. I dreamt a lot about what would've happened if she would've said yes. She'd be here right now with me, hand in hand, hugging each other tightly saying "I love you" to one another, but now we're here, alone without each other. I got so used to being with her that I forgot what it was like being alone. How did people do it? How did they survive alone with no one at their side? No one there to push them to be better than they were previously. How? I just didn't understand it. She was still there, in the ground, crying her eyes out. Then, she removed her hands from her eyes and turned her hair away from her face. What was a frown was now an evil smile. Her teeth glowed as she flashed an evil smile and laughed, laughed into the sky. I screamed as loud as I could, and then, I woke up.

I woke up with a jerk. It was practically midnight already. The rain had stopped but I still felt water cruising down my neck. I was drowning in my sweat. I wiped off the sweat from my face and looked up. I was still far from my house, I needed to hurry. I checked my phone and I was right, it was twelve minutes till midnight. I also had at least 6 missed calls from my Mom. I knew that wasn't good but I was too tired to worry about that. I put the car in drive and made my way onto the highway. There was hardly any traffic, not that I was complaining. It took a while but I finally saw the exit to my city. I turned right and drove into the city. I noticed in the corner of my eye a couple on the top floor of an apartment. The windows were opened and they were on the balcony, hugging each other tightly. They looked about a year or so older than me but they seemed younger somehow as if it was their first time being together. "Must be nice," I said to myself. I sped to my house and soon enough, I was home. Not a single light illuminated the house. They must all be asleep, I said to myself. I got out of the car and headed towards the front door. I turned the key and opened the door as slowly and quietly as I could. If anyone woke up I'd be in big trouble so I stepped in quietly and shut the door as slowly and quietly as I could. I let out a sigh of relief. "You're late," said a voice from behind me.

I turned around in shock. The lights were off and the only lumination came from my phone. I thought no one was here. I turned around but I couldn't see anything. Suddenly, a lamp from beside the couch in the living room turned on. The light revealed a figure sitting in the distance. It was my Mom. I quickly pulled my hoodie over my head to conceal the bruises I got from the fight. I clearly wasn't quick enough. She got up faster than The Flash and within seconds, she was picking her hand through the purple smudges on my face. "Oh my god. What happened to you? We need to get you to a hospital." she said quickly. I was really tired so I ignored all the hospital talk and her worries and shoved it off. "I'll be fine. Stop worrying," I said calmly. I was angry about what happened earlier but I didn't need to tell my Mom that. At least not now. I thought of the leftover painkillers the doctor prescribed me when I had a severe head concussion. It always helped ease me to peace and I would fall asleep rather quickly taking a pill. "I'll just take a painkiller," I said to her. She still didn't seem convinced but she nodded and went back to bed. As I was putting the pill in my mouth, she turned around and looked directly at me. "You know you can tell me anything, Bryan. Know that." I looked at her with huge eyes like an anime character. I nodded and turned back to the pills. I couldn't tell her or anyone for that matter. Everyone expected us to be the power couple, the high school sweethearts that would have a pair of perfect kids and settle down and love each other forever. The moment she set me aside, was when it shattered. The thought, the feeling, the moment, my heart was shattered into pieces like glass that was thrown against a wall.