TOO YOUNG TO BE SO SAD(ECCEDENTESIAST)

TEN

During the Thanksgiving break, while other prominent families were joyously gathered, chatting, and laughing over a table laden with roasted turkeys, mashed potatoes, and more,

My family was on vacation in Chicago, exploring places like Millennium Park, the Shedd Aquarium, and Chicago Park, among many others. We managed to tour at least seven places in a single day.

While it was a delightful experience for my sister Izzy, it felt uneasy for me. He was always urging me to smile, but I couldn't find the joy in it. Instead, I found myself constantly contemplating how someone could change so easily and forget. It was difficult to fathom how a person could erase the memories of hitting their own daughter or abandoning their children.

It felt like I was living in a Hollywood story, where reality and fiction blurred together.

We reached our vacation home and immediately began the process of packing, preparing for our early morning flight the following day. During our stay there, I remained in constant contact with George. He consistently updated me on Max's irritability regarding sales, and I shared my feelings of being lost without the pills. There was even a night when I resorted to taking three packs of pain relief just to find some relief, but it ended up keeping me awake throughout the night.

Through our frequent conversations, George and I grew closer, to the point where I could eventually consider him a friend. I used to believe that kids were naive and foolish when they claimed they could talk to someone all night without getting bored. Experiencing it firsthand with George, I had to eat my own words.

He was genuinely excited to hear that I would be back soon. It felt as though I had left behind a child at home who missed me terribly.

Our flight into Los Angeles International Airport was delayed, making it quite late by the time we landed. Navigating airports with Izzy was always a challenge. There was something about airports that piqued her curiosity, leading her to strike up conversations with every hostess she encountered. It wasn't her dream job, but she had an uncanny ability to get lost in conversation if you took your eyes off her for a moment.

To manage her airport wanderlust, I often resorted to tying our hands together and guiding her from place to place, with our dad following closely behind.

Once we arrived back in our hometown, I hastily dropped my bag in my room and couldn't wait to meet my newfound friend. He was already waiting for me on the school's rooftop, our designated meeting spot. It was also the only unlocked place in the school. Despite its eerie, abandoned feel, it had never been the site of any recorded suicides. This enigmatic aspect of the school fascinated me, and I had claimed the space as my own.

I sprinted up to him, and he greeted me with a warm hug, lifting me off my feet and spinning me around like a child. It was a hug I would later have mixed feelings about.

"Georgeeee!" I exclaimed with joy.

"Hey there, young lady!" he replied, setting me back down. "Missed me?" he teased.

"Hell no!" I retorted, though my reddening face betrayed my true feelings. He laughed heartily at my response.

"You look fat! You ate quite a lot," he commented.

"Fat?! What?!" I hurried over to the window to inspect myself before pausing. Since when did I care about such things? I sighed.

"I meant you've gained weight, even though you don't eat much," he clarified, "and you're beautiful too."

I turned and jokingly pushed him away. Then, I grabbed a chair and took a seat while he settled on the pavement, preparing two wraps of weed for us.

"Do you know that kids come to school after Thanksgiving to mess around?" he asked.