Archer Diaries

Insight

There were moments I was genuinely happy like when mum took me to a carnival for my ninth birthday. She helped me get over my fear of roller coasters making it the most fun I had had in years. Soon enough, those moments were replaced with gloomy ones like when she left home for two days when I turned 13. I remember being scared to death. However, the feeling of being this elated is honestly new to me. It's different, so different it scares me. What's even scarier is the fact that I feel this way because of that one woman. She evokes strange desires in me, it's becoming hard to think straight around her. I know what love is because I loved Dawn but this is stronger and crazier. I thought my problems would drive me insane but she does. Her face, her smile, her body, her scent are the epitome of my cravings. My dreams are filled with her, my yearnings are for her, my madness is her. Am I obsessed with her? I need to know.

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The whisperings and mumblings of the students got louder as the school authorities walked onto the podium to take their seats. Mr. Ealy, the principal walked to the pulpit to commmence the graduation ceremony of the Class of 2011. Mason sat on the first row and just like the other students hardly paid attention to what he was saying. He had made up his mind not to come but had allowed Robyn talk him into coming. She said he could use his speech to make everyone aware of how they made him feel throughout his high school years. Sighing for the umpteenth time he looked behind to see if his mother was around but couldn't find her. He looked back ahead trying not to think much of it. Just then his name was called to give his speech as the valedictorian. His walk to the podium was accompanied with applause mostly from the parents. Looking again through the crowd, he still couldn't find his mum.

"Um... It's..."he begun but stopped when he heard a few snickers thrown his way by some of his mates. Being fed up, he was about to walk off the podium when he saw Robyn walk in at back. She smiled heartily and mouthed 'you can do it.'

Suddenly a new wave of confidence gushed over him and his focus completely on her, he begun the rehearsed speech he didn't mean at all. Whatever these people did with their lives, he couldn't give a hoot about it. He was only pretending to care because she made him do it. At this stage, he was certain he would do anything for her and if one of them was feeding the egos of his so called mates, then so be it. He was given a standing ovation after his fifteen minute speech and though he hated to admit it, it was fufilling.

Mr. Ealy walked to him and congratulated him. He went over to his seat smiling when he saw Robyn's thumbs up. Mr. Ealy said something brief afterwards and begun calling them out for their certificates. Before the ceremony was actually over, Mason had slipped away to the back tossing his robe on his chair to where Robyn was but she wasn't around anymore. Walking further away, he heard her voice and followed the sound until he saw her talking on the phone and it didn't sound pleasant at all. She groaned in frustration when she hung up and as she put her phone back in her bag wincing as if she was in pain. He got infuriated and walked over to her grabbing her arm.

"Mason! What're you..." she begun but stopped when he rolled up her sleeve to reveal the purple bruise. He had suspected for awhile she was being abused but seeing this didn't make him any less mad.

"What happened?" he calmly asked

"It's nothing, I got hurt during a workout. Anyway that was a great speech."

He scoffed, "Do I look stupid?"

"It's just a little bruise."

"The hell it is!" he yelled losing control of his anger. She cringed and stepped back a little. "You try to help people get over their problems when yours is piled mountain high. Are you crazy?"

"I don't think..."

"Of course you don't. That's why you allow yourself be the punching bag of that jerk you call a husband. Why are you still with him? Huh, tell me"