Jenny is beautiful. No other word to describe her. She's the kind of beautiful that I can't look away from 'cause I'm afraid if I blink she'll disappear.
"Why are you staring at me?" She asks lifting a golden eyebrow at me. I blink, looking back down at my book.
"Um, sorry..." I say my eyes skimming over the words but not reading a single one.
"Ugh, you and that stupid book." Jenny groans and snatches it from my hands.
"Hey!" I argue.
"Just shush I need you to focus for five minutes! Think you can do that?" she teases. I nod. Jenny looks at me like I'm her best friend which I'm pretty sure I am. I mean this past month we've been pretty close. She still hasn't heard about my incident last night though... "Okay so I'm thinking today instead of going to therapy we should skip and chill out in your room! Sound fun?" she asks.
I look at her a moment. Skip therapy? Well it sure wouldn't be hard. Group therapy is huge in this place but it's nothing like the 'therapy' in my book. We all sit and talk and play games. I guess they hope we make friends and talk through our problems with them. I don't know. "I mean... If you want to." I say with a small smile. It would be nice to finally have alone time with Jenny. We've been around people all the time for these past few weeks and I think Jenny wants a break. I admit, I do too.
"Great! Lets definitely do it then!" she say with a huge grin showing off her perfectly white teeth.
"Are you sure you're depressed?" I ask after a short pause.
Jenny rolls her eyes, "How many times are you going to ask me that?" she says. She sounds irritated but I can see glimpses of worry on her face. "If I'm not depressed then why am I still here..?" she mutters and I put a hand on her shoulder.
"Maybe it's because you light up this place so much they're afraid we'll run into walls in the dark when you're gone." I joke and she shakes her head.
"I think they just want to up my dose on my meds. They should... They should and then I'll be allowed to leave." she says and my eyebrows come together. I don't like the way she talks about her medicine. With a mental shrug I let it fall to the back of my thoughts. What's it matter anyway?
"So, what do you want to do when we hang out tonight?" I ask.
She grins, "Something awesome!" she says, all worry slipping from her face like the first frozen layer of a popsicle.
I grin back. Jenny always has a way of making me smile. She really does.
"Everyone please report to the main room for group therapy." the ward speakers announce later that night and I shiver with excitement as I head in the opposite direction of everyone else and duck into my room unnoticed. Jenny is already there laying on my bed and staring up at the mattress above.
"Hey." I say quietly. Don't know why my voice comes out so quiet. I guess it's 'cause when I went to church Mom told me to talk quiet so I didn't disturb the angels. I certainly don't want to disturb Jenny.
"Hello!" She says and pats the spot next to her. I lay down putting my arms up beneath my head.
"So what's the plan?" I ask.
"I want you to read to me." Jenny requests. Instantly I move to grab my book but she shakes her head almost in disgust, "Not that, this." She pulls out a large beat up book with a leather cover. Poetry.
"Oh. Sure." I say but I don't sound too sure. It's just 'cause, I've never been too good at reading poetry. It's like music, and well I'm basically rhythmically challenged.
I open the large book hesitantly and sit up. She sits up too and leans her head against my shoulder, nuzzling into me. She's so warm, as if God took her personality and transferred it to her body heat so she could warm me inside and out.
"My Melody" I read the title of the first random poem I see nervously and begin reading.
"Amazing and beautiful
not a flower or a tree
Much prettier than that
and only I can see
Loving and caring
right down to the core
Filling me with happiness
and so much more
Eyes are so stunning
cannot look away
Gorgeous and shining
all throughout the day
Here in your arms
is where I belong
The beating of your heart
is like a beautiful song"
(Source: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/loves-first-words#ixzz3Xb7iCfRN
Family Friend Poems )
The words of the poem slip into the air, my voice carrying them in the background but as I read the only word I see is Jenny.
"Hey Jenny?" I ask when I finish and she sorta up and looks at me.
"Yeah?"
And just like that I'm kissing her. Kissing her because I wanted to. Kissing her because I need to know that I can. Kissing her because I don't want to miss out on a chance like this ever again. Kissing her because I never kissed Jamie. Kissing her because I love her.
I love her. There, I said it. And now I know I'm crazy, because it's only been a month and I am in love with her. I'm in love with her like I once loved Jamie. No. Not even. I'm in love with her more than I ever loved Jamie or anyone in all of this worlds existence.
Jenny kisses me back and the moments following come in whimsical moments or bliss. I envelop Jenny like I do my book, hyper focusing on her and her alone. Her and the way she giggles, and the way her blond hair falls messily from her pony tail and fills the curves between my fingers like beautiful silk. Her and her bare chest so perfect, like the first breathtaking summer's sunset of the year. Her and her skin so smooth and flawless you'd have thought the was airbrushed. Her sweet scent, the precious taste of her lips, her angelic voice saying my name. My name? I can't hardly believe my ears. Just Jenny.
The therapy is well over by now and everyone is heading to dinner I'm sure, but I feel no reason to move. Jenny is wrapped in my arms beneath my sheets and her quiet breathing tells me she's likely asleep. I just close my eyes, but I'm filled with so much happiness I can't possibly sleep too.
"Ethan?" She asks after minutes of silence and breathing.
"Yes?" I ask.
"Ethan..." She says again but this time her voice is coated in pain and broken heartedness.
"Yes?" I ask once more in concern.
"I have a boyfriend."
And just like that my heart plummets like a sunken boat in the vast empty waters that make up my chest.
Author's note!!!!
WOAH! So much is happening!!!!! Tell me what you think!
-TEM
YOU ARE READING
One Flew INTO The Cuckoos Nest
Teen FictionEthan Cross has been crazy for quite a while, but his parents were in denial. After his most recent and devastating act out though, they really had no choice. Ethan Cross is 16 years old and is sent to a mental hospital called Brain's Band-Aid. Of...
