The sky is tainted with a dark and dull shade of gray. Thunder rolls through the sky, making the tile floor rumble. I look out the window, coated in little raindrops, that my desk is seated next to. The teacher is currently discussing the ways World War II affected us for a long run. He points at pictures of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with his laser pointer. He tells us how many people died, and how many people survived only for a short while after.
It is kind of coincidental that the day we cover the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed over 200,000 people, the sky appears to be a dark gray while it drizzles. Around the horizon line, the sky looks suspiciously green. I really hope there isn't a tornado or anything. If there was a tornado, I don't know if we'd survive. Sure, we're in a huge school, but with all the glass windows, it is likely that more people would be killed or seriously injured due to shrapnel.
Oh my god, I need to stop. I'm safe. There's not going to a freak accident right now. I'll be okay. I listen to the sound of the rain starting to pour down onto the roof and runs down the windows, challenging the instructor's vocal volume. Pitter, patter. Pitter, patter.
Dallas is sitting at his drum set, lightly tapping the drums to a beat that sounds familiar, but I am unable to place a finger on it. Dante is sitting on top one of the amps on the opposite side of Dallas' garage from me. Zelda sits on the old, blue couch with me. "So there's this girl that I've been talking to lately and she.." Her voice slowly seems further and further away.
It's almost as though I'm in a tunnel and she is on the other side, yelling something that I can't understand because of the echo from her own voice. Everything goes dark, but I don't recall closing my eyes. Why is this happening now? I look around, there's nothing and no one else here. Something cold touches my heart, and I look down. It's my own hand, which feels like ice over the skin where my heart is encased.
Someone begins shaking me, and I look up to see Dante's dark brown eyes. "Hey, you okay, Jo?" He looks sincerely concerned, but not even I know the answer to his question.
I motion with my head that I am and ask, "Where are you guys going?"
Dallas pops out from behind Dante, who has backed up, "I'm staying here."
I smirk at him, "I was referring to Zelda."
After Dallas nods, Dante laughs and turns back to me, "She's warming up my car. We were gonna go get some food. I was trying to figure out if you wanted us to grab you anything?" I thank him but decline, and soon enough he's off, leaving me with Dallas.
"Jodie, I think we need to talk," He sits next to me on the couch. I furrow my brow, what would he wanna talk about?
"What's up, Frodo?" This notion doesn't seem to relax the conversation any.
Dallas sighs, "When will you tell me what's going on?"
Oh no, we can't do this now, "Dal, can we not talk about it?" My eyes seem to look everywhere but where they need to. Dallas scoots himself closer to me, and pulls his legs on to the couch. Our knees rest against each other. I prop my arm up on the back of the couch, and lean my head onto my fist. Dallas reaches out his arm, brushing his hand against my propped-up forearm.
"Please, Jo. It kills me to see something go on with you, especially when you won't even tell me what it is." I glance towards him and lock eyes. His face seems longer with sorrow. My eyes begin to sting and my vision starts to cloud. Oh no, not now. Why am I crying? There's no reason to be. Stop. Stop!
I snap at him, "How do you expect me to explain something going on inside my head to you, when I don't even know what that something is?" That wasn't me, I don't know who that came from. I know that was my voice, but I don't even remember contemplating those words. Dallas looks taken aback. Something wet is running down my face, but I barely feel it. He takes his hand and brushes away the tears.
I open my mouth and start to choke on my words before they even come out, "I-I'm so sorry." Dallas hushes me and pulls me into a warm and tight hug. One side of my face is being squashed by his chest, but I don't care right now. I need this, I have needed this for a long time. I let all of my emotions out until I'm hiccuping and he is rubbing my back.
"You're not okay, and that's okay. We aren't meant to be okay all the time," He laughs to himself, "Otherwise we'd just be robots." I let out a small laugh, even when I'm sad he makes me laugh. I am so lucky that I, Jodie Marie Sizemore, am best friends with Dallas Anthony Dolan. We hold onto each other for a while longer and just breathe. No one says anything for a long time, all we do is listen to the quiet sound of the sprinkling rain that falls against the garage door. The only person to break the silence is Zelda when they return.
She swings open the door that leads from the house and into the garage, "We got burgers and so many fries, y'all better be ready to feast!" Dante sees us quickly separate and points to
Dallas' slightly damp shirt. It's not too noticeable, there's just a slightly darker gray patch on his gray shirt.
He mouths something to Dallas, but Dallas cuts him off, "It's nothing."
YOU ARE READING
The Beginning, Middle, but not the End
Teen FictionJodie Sizemore is a normal teenager--she lives in a nice house, goes to a good school, and has a group of loyal friends. However, there are a few inevitable obstacles that seem to prevent her from enjoying her life, also known as Generalized Anxiety...
