37 Days

Day 9 - Elle

there's reasons to live. even in the small things.

we'll build a fort. like little kids again. my house, 8 pm.

by eight, the sky was slowly beginning to darken. i stood on his doorstep, in an oversized cranberry sweater, and leggings. clumsily pushing my glasses up, i knocked on the door.

ohmygod. ohmygod. ohmygod what did i agree to?

i pushed down the panic. tipped my head up and forced myself to be strong.

the emerging moon's rays reflected off his window panes, and i couldn't help but smile. i remembered building forts when i was little, with my dad.

we'll build a fort. like little kids again.

if only i could go back. forever.

jay opened the door. he smiled. "hey, come on in. you got my note?"

"yeah, i got your note," i said softly. i stepped in.

"well, let me show you." he led me up the stairs. "have you built a fort before?"

"like, once, when i was little," i mumbled.

"well let's do it!" he opened the door to the attic.

it was fairly large and brightly lit, the lightbulbs reflecting in the windows.

there's the window where i left my notes.

the thought made me smile.

tons of pillows and blankets were heaped on the floor. i saw two bowls filled with cheez-its sitting on a table.

"cheez-its!" i cried.

"i didn't think that would be the thing you were most excited about," jay laughed. "come on, lets go."

and we began. the fort had been coming along nicely until i accidentally tripped over a blanket and fell into the whole thing and it all crumpled. usually when i completely destroyed things, i felt bad, but now i just laughed. "oops. sorry."

"elle!" laughed jay. "you ruined it!" he grabbed a pillow and threw it at me.

"hey!" i cried. i threw another pillow at him.

suddenly, we were full on fighting with pillows.

i managed to throw a blanket on his head and then he stopped.

"ooh! i'm a ghost!" he said.

i burst into fits of laughter. "man, you're kinda goofy, y'know."

"me? goofy? nah, i'm dead serious all the time." jay took off the blanket and looked at me seriously. "elle, you need to loosen up."

i looked at his hair that had been messed up badly by static electricity and began to giggle again.

the first reason to float.