Ephemeral

Chapter 1

TW: prescribed drugs

George

You know how they say people are drawn to things? How certain things or elements draw people in, well for me it's water. I guess I like the way it flows, it can be an endless stream forever moving and changing, or completely still surface stretching infinitely, slicing the world. Currently, I'm standing in the middle of the school parking lot with my head thrown back letting cold raindrops spill down my face and body, dampening my baggy black hoodie and jeans. Not that I care, I enjoy the pinpricks of cold on my skin, makes me feel more alive and reminds me I'm awake.

"You look like a dork!"
I glance over to see my bestfriend Karl standing by my car with an umbrella and a smug look on his face. He dresses quite preppy really; button-up shirts with different coloured sweaters tucked into nice jeans and done even get me started on the shoes the kid takes far too much time picking a pair of shoes every morning. Karl has soft brown fluffy hair and light grey eyes that I can only compare to what I believe the colour of wind would be. He paints his nails which me along with half the girls in our school find adorable, adorable that's a good word that pretty much some up Karl.

"I don't care" is all I said running my hands through my now wet dark brown waves, climbing into the passenger seat of his car.
"You know I like the rain makes me feel-" "Awake, I know" Karl finished the sentence with an eye roll starting the engine.
A few quiet minutes pass, which I spend starting at the window not really focused on the surroundings but rather the way the water from the rain slowly plays along the glass.
"So how was your day?" Karl sounded like a parent checking on his frightened kindergartener, it honestly kinda pissed me off.
"Fine, same old bullshit" my tone was bleak and as fed up as always I hate school, Karl knows how much I HATE school; but then again home isn't much better.
"Mmm figured, well! wanna come over and play some games?" The excitement in his voice almost hurt. It's not that I don't want to hang out with Karl, it's just somedays...i can't.
"Nah probably not today sorry, I'm really tired I honestly can't remember if i even slept last night" I yawn at the end of my sentence which just emphasises my point, I honestly didn't remember things tend to blur together during the week and I often find myself losing time.
"Boo you whore!" He quotes mean girls in a sassy girl voice that has us both in a small fit of laughter.
"It's okay I get it Georgie just..be safe okay? Maybe actually try sleeping doe once?" He leans over poking me in the ribs at that last part.
"Hey! I'm not awake all night on purpose you know that" I defend avoiding his touch and poking a tongue out at him as he pulls up to my house.
"I know" his expression softens as he looks at me with clear worry in his cloudy eyes.
"I'm fine Karl" I reply. He leans over giving me a quick hug, "okay quick run inside before the rain gets too heavy again I don't want you catching a cold Mr no sleep!" He grabs my bag from the backseat shoving it onto my chest.
"Yea yea bye" I say with a smile and an eye roll. I get out of the car and begin to run to my veranda hearing a soft "byeee" from Karl out the window as he drives away.

A sigh escapes my lips as I relax my shoulders slightly unlocking the door and removing its shoes.
"HELLO?" My own voice echoes back at me through the walls of my empty house an all to a familiar sound. I sigh again at the lack of response this one more disappointment than anything else. Walking up the carpet and stairwell I enter my bathroom, my eyes catch my reflection and I pause for a moment. "God, you look like fucking shit" dark bags lay under my slightly red dark brown eyes, my skin looked paler than usual probably due to the lack of food I've been eating. My hair was a mess I brushed and half wet and my lips had turned blue from the cold*
"Heh"

After a warm shower of pondering with ever-growing depressive thoughts to warm up, I glance over at the clock. 7:25pm. It's still early.
I chew on the inside of my lip for a moment lost in thought before opening the bathroom cabinet. I grab a white box and pop out a small tablet labelled Melatonin. Although prescribed to me by a doctor I don't often like taking them as I find I have trouble waking up in the morning. There's also this unusual habit of sleepwalking, I suppose it body isn't used to actually entering rem sleep so it gets confused and thinks I'm still awake. I woke up in the bathtub once that was interesting.