The Story of Tikay-Marie

I Need You

When Tikay was a junior in high school, her parents decided to move to Chicago, Illinois because "it was time for a change of scenery." She hated Chicago. When she got there she was bullied and people began creating rumors like she was a country redneck and her clothes were made out of the material they put chicken and horse food in. To make matters worse they began saying her mother was a man because her name was Elijah. Tikay was so angry and alone that she didn't know what to do. One night she was sitting in her new bed in her new room and began to think.

I need someone. She thought.

"I told you." He was sitting on an unpacked box. His clothes were torn and he was sweaty. His skin had open soars and bubbling gashes with puss leaking from them. His hair, now silvery gray, was sticking to his forehead. His green eyes were no longer green but a solid black and his breathing pattern was irregular. He looked like he was going to drop dead at any second.

"Just because I said I needed someone doesn't mean I needed you." she spat.

"Oh but you do need me." he replied with a cough and a stumble off the box. He giggled and continued "I am officially your ONLY friend. You can't avoid me cause you know I will always be here for you. Like it or not" he said that last part with a shrug. There was a pregnant pause.

"I hate Chicago," Tikay finally replied. All Johnson could do was laugh. His teeth looked as if they were decaying.

"Me too, Ti-ma." he replied as he climbed onto the bed. Tikay just scooted closer to him and put her head on his shoulder.

"The people here are so mean. They call me a redneck and Texas garbage," she continued.

"Hey. I know what can make you feel better." Johnson wrapped his arm around her and gave her a squeeze.

"You are my sunshine

My only sunshine.

You make me happy

When skies are grey.

You'll never know dear,

How much I love you.

So please don't take my sunshine away."

Towards the end of the song, Tikay was singing along.

"You used to sing that to me when I was younger." she yawned.

"Yeah and it always made you feel better." he responded looking down at her.

They spent the rest of the night going down memory lane. Talking about the good and discussing the bad. As they spoke through out the night, Johnson literally lightened up. His skin was no longer gray and gashes and blemishes on his face disappeared. His hair was almost back to it's shining blonde and his eyes were almost that green she remembered. Soon fell asleep on Johnson's lap and he began stroking her beautiful dark curls and whispered "I'm not letting go this time." and he kissed her forehead.

After that night, Tikay slowly became a completely different person. She read and watched the darkest things. She hung out with the most negative people. She even changed her taste in music. She lost her interest in painting bright colors and painted more disconsolate colors and grief stricken pictures. She was a loner at school and got into plenty of fights with her classmates and with her family. She even stopped taking her medication.