Never Letting Go

Uh God? Can I Have Some Help?

I was woken by Lachie flicking me in the forehead. “Darci, we have church in half an hour, time to get up.”

I forgot it was Sunday, Everyone will be at church! I really don’t want to go.

Kyle covers my mouth with his mammoth hand (It’s not that big, it’s just huge compared to mine.)

“Toughen up, you’re coming. It will be good for you.” I frown. I know he’s right. Damn Kyle and his logic!

We walk into church; Kyle gives me a smile of support. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be, I guess no one knows yet, I really don’t want to be the one to tell them. I make it through the whole church service, everything seems to be like it would have been normally, like yesterday never happened.

Maia runs up to me and starts jumping around. “Darci! How was Wellington?”

I smile politely, trying to share her enthusiasm. “It was great, lots to see.”

“We should go to your place! Its close and your parents love having us around!”

“Uh Maia, my place wouldn’t be a good place to go, it’s a social wasteland at the moment.” I can’t think of an excuse to tell her without giving her the truth.

“What are you on about? Your place is always buzzing with social energy!” Cadie, Kara and Stephen all agree with Maia.

“We can’t! There is no house left to socialise in! It went up in flames yesterday!” I realise that I just spilled everything. I bolt to the girl’s bathroom, only able to hide from half of my friends group.

“Darci? Darci can you open the door please? I didn’t know about the fire, I wouldn’t have asked if I knew.” Maia pleads with me at the door, I really should open it but I don’t want to let the world in at the moment.

Maia starts singing; it’s a song that our friend Elijah wrote.

Take me home, Take me home

This old town, she’s tearing me apart

Every time I leave she breaks my heart, so I whispered to the wind, I’m broken now.

So I try and drag your name through the mud,

Oh how I dragged your name through that mud

My words are paper in the rain they are seen but never reached.

I know those words are meant as an apology, they were written for me a long ago for when Elijah broke my heart then spoke lies to everyone that knew me because he wanted me back and I wouldn’t take him.

But I’ll take Maia.

I open the door and run into her arms. Being the youngest is good when you’re looking for comfort.

I bite down on my lip, embarrassed at my earlier outburst of emotion but Maia knows, you can tell by the way she looks at you, you don’t need to say anything because she know your sorry.

I finally leave the bathroom with Maia close behind me; you can’t even tell I’m an emotional wreck on the inside. I wait for a herd of people coming to ask me if I’m ok or what happened but no one I there, I’m relieved, Kyle must have handled all the questions for me. I love that guy; he’s the best thing for me right now.