The Horizons Series - Prologue

Pressure

August 28, 2019 - 9:00 PM
[BRIANNA COLE]

Of course, you would do something like this, Ashur.

For one night, couldn't you have put aside your differences with Lith?

You didn't care to know where he was. You just wanted another cheap shot at your best friend's little brother.

My name is Brianna Thompson, and I break under pressure.

When there's a bump in the road, an image appears in my mind.

It's the one I keep in my purse, on my dresser, and taped to my bathroom mirror. A photograph I snuck of Adrian celebrating after a race. He was pointing at me from the finish line.

Adrian, the only good part of my life; Adrian, who made me love myself; Adrian, who never shouted, judged, or scoffed.

Adrian, whose final words were about someone else...

I get angry at myself for thinking like that. Years of affection should leave no room for doubt.

'Hugs, kisses, letters, presents, and I'm hung up on the one time I wasn't in the spotlight.'

When that happens, my eyes sting, and a lump forms in my throat, suffocating me until I forget the taste of air. And I don't stop it.

Sure, I wanted to be like Shiloh, "Hit back when life hits you!" but life hits hard.

For the rest of my life, I'll wake up crying, and go to bed crying. And when I shrivel up and die from dehydration, maybe then I'll be forgiven.

I accept my weakness because if I wasn't strong enough when it mattered, I don't deserve strength now.

"I'm here," said my dead boyfriend's little brother.

Mercedes scoffed, "Took you long enough."

He stopped chewing on his apple and turned to her, then squinted. Only a foot away, he shouldn't have had trouble seeing her, though.

He pointed at Mercedes, looking to David for an answer. "This girl looks kind of familiar. Do I know her from somewhere?" 

David closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Ashur invited her."

And with a dissatisfied smile, Lith simply responded, "... I see," before sitting with Shiloh and David. It was clear he wanted to say more, but out of respect for David, I guess, he avoided the confrontation.

Lith brought a merciless gravity with him. Now that he was here, I felt as if the ground below me would shatter under my weight. Apparently, David hadn't taken the effect of Lith's presence into consideration.

Another game of break-the-silence ensued, and Ashur's jaw only clenched tighter with each second. Eventually, he loudly whispered to Mercedes, "See what happens when he's around?"

Lith remained silent.

In an excessively friendly voice, Ashur prodded Lith, "Aren't you going to say something, Lith?"

Mercedes brought out the worst in Ashur, and he allowed the worst in her. Shiloh convinced us to give him some time to come around, so this wasn't the first chance.

But Lith wasn't about giving chances. Even when he was shorter than Howin, weighed even less, and had to look up to Ashur.

Countless times, Adrian and Rashidi had to hold them back before Ashur got the chance to snap Lith in half because he never did seem to notice how small he was.