A Can of Coke

The Forbidden Zone part 1

Crickett

After the craze that was yesterday and ditching Abuela, I finally had to come home and receive retribution. 

However, that's the great thing about being your doting grandmother's only grandchild--punishments are very lacking. 

All I had to do was go on a grocery run for her and our neighbor and volunteer to help clean the dock from all the Hurricane Katrina disaster. 

I was so happy that John B and I were gonna be okay. Hearing him say we could be friends again sent me to the moon. 

I had been able to get closer to all the Pogues and I no longer felt like ending things was a mistake. 

I just felt so free. 

Walking to the supermarket, I skipped a bit and kicked stray stones with my bright red converse. 

These were old shoes my mom had hidden away in her childhood closet. When I wore them, it made me feel like she was closer to me and that I could be as confident as she was.

I really missed my mom and dad. I couldn't wait for them to come up and visit. 

As I entered the store and grabbed a shopping cart, I began grabbing things left and right off the shelves. 

Tomato paste, refried beans, milk, etc. 

Just as I went to grab some vegetables, my eyes caught a glance of a terrifying nightmare. 

No! No! No!

I immediately ducked down under the zucchinis and held my breath as I peeked back towards the monster.

Branden Richard. 

It's him! It's really him! What was he doing here!?

My heart began to beat out of my chest as every muscle in my body tensed. I could hardly breathe, it felt like my chest was collapsing in on itself. 

I had to get myself out of here. I couldn't let him see me. 

Keeping my eyes locked on his terrifying silhouette, I urged my feet to move. 

My anxiety weighing me down like wet cement, I kept trying to get myself to leave, but I remained frozen. 

Branden, with who I assumed was his family, began to step closer and closer to the produce section. 

Knowing that this would be my only chance to escape, I took a deep breath and finally managed to push myself off the ground and frantically run out of the store--leaving my full grocery cart behind.

I made it back into the muggy hot air and run like hell to the dock. 

I was still hyper ventilating and I could feel my muscles trying to shut down again, but I kept pushing through until I saw the wooden deck of the dock. 

Why the hell is this happening! I began crying and hid my face behind my hands. 

I never thought I was going to see any of my bullies again--especially Branden. 

I wanted to call John B, and have him calm me down, but that was the old Crickett. I was trying to break that habit. I needed to get through this myself, like my mom would. (And cell service was down, so there was no point in trying anyways.)

I started controlling my breathing as I fervently shook my hands (trying to wiggle my anxiety away.)

"Crick?" A warm voice called out, catching me off-guard.