Love is a Crime

The Butterfly Effect

I woke up with the feeling. You know, that feeling. Asthmatics out there know exactly what I'm talking about.

That feeling you get when you wake up, you feel a cold starting up and you have a little chest tightness.

For those who don't know about asthma, when you have an asthma flare, your chest closes up and it's hard to breathe and then you have to take medicines and do breathing treatments and all that good stuff.

Well, that's what I woke up with, the feeling that something was starting.

I filled my face mask with the albuterol medicine and put the mask on my face. I turned the machine on and relaxed in bed as the vapor rose through the mask so I could breathe it in.

I felt some relief from doing this and after about ten minutes or so, it was done and I shut off the machine.

I pulled myself out of bed and staggered towards my closet to pick out something to wear. I settled on some black jeggings and a light green tank top with a cute white cardigan over it.

I went through the routine of brushing my hair, brushing my teeth, applying my make up, little things like that.

I went downstairs to discover an empty kitchen, which was strange. On the few occasions that my dad was actually home, he was always awake before me. I noticed a note on the counter with the unmistakable handwriting belonging to my dad.

Zoe,

I'm sorry but I had an emergency call for work and had to leave early this morning. I wish I could've stayed longer. I never fully gave you your punishment. No parties this weekend.

Sorry sweetie.

Love,

Dad

Great. Just absolutely, fantabulously, amazingly great!

No parties this weekend? What kind of a punishment is that? Why not, grounded for a month, or extra chores for two weeks. Something!

Does he really just not care?

Deciding to skip breakfast, I raced out the door and absentmindedly walked to school. I didn't like driving much because this town is full of too many idiots for it to be safe. The bus was full of freshmen and sophomores, the ones who couldn't drive, and they were just annoying.

So I walked.

I entered through the junior entrance and turned left to get to my locker. I saw a very familiar person leaning up against the lockers near mine as his eyes wandered through the crowd of high schoolers.

He didn't seem to notice as I walked up behind him and tazed him in the sides. He jumped forward with an alarmed look on his face and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh, that was too funny!" I said, wiping off a pretend tear.

"Ha, ha, you're hilarious," he said sarcastically. I smiled and started doing the combination to my lock.

"So, I have a proposal for you," Ryan says quietly, as if worried someone might hear. Deciding to be that person I said,

"But Ryan, we haven't even known each other long! How could you expect me to marry you!" He smiled a little but quickly turned serious, with my curiosity involuntarily increasing.