LAYLA
"Come play!"
My little sister, Clara
said while extending her arms
towards me.
I wanted to
sit with her
on the old vintage couch
and eat ice cream
while watching stupid drama shows
all day.
But I had to go
to school
just like
she had to go to her school.
"Clara, Mrs. Serris is
coming here in a few minutes."
I spoke with as much
enthusiasm as I could
despite the fact
that I hate Mrs. Serris
and her stupid dinosaur slippers.
"I don't want to go!" Clara screamed
right into my ear
as I picked her up
and carried her outside
and plopped her onto the porch swing
and ignored the raccoons digging through trash
and tried to not cry
because that wouldn't make sense
Who would start crying randomly?
Then Mrs. Serris came
in her rusted teal van
with seven other screaming toddlers
and I knew that it was time to go.
I held Clara's hand
helping her to keep her balance
as she wobbled toward the vehicle
on her chubby baby legs.
Mrs. Serris lowered her window
smiling her three-teethed smile
that always made me shudder.
"Is little Clara ready to go?" She
asked, and I wanted to yell, saying
that Clara was not ready to go to
their horrible old house.
But I kept my lips pressed together
in a fake smile
bobbing my head up and down
because I knew if I tried to speak
everything I didn't want to say
would come spilling out like
a verbal waterfall.
I let go of Clara's hand
ignoring her quiet cry of protest
quickly walking
back to the house
holding back tears
and wondering if I would see
her again.
Because
for all I knew
this day
could be the day
that we would all die.
My therapist calls this
"catastrophizing".
I call it
"my not-happy thoughts".
It sounds much better
to me
than some big word that
sounds so dark and
all-consuming.
But I don't
have to worry
about all of this today
because I get
to see
Claudia today.
And Claudia is
the most
wonderful
beautiful
intelligent
thoughtful
calm
logical
awesome
person that could exist.
YOU ARE READING
How Could This Be Love?
Storie d'amoreLayla is best friends with Claudia, the school genius. But when the relationship begins to become romantic Layla begins to wonder if this is genuine love. Because how could a friendship like theirs be love?
