Chapter Twenty

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CHAPTER TWENTY

School assemblies weren't my favorite thing to attend. Especially the ones about substance abuse. Having a past that dealt with that sort of thing didn't make it easy to hear people talk of it. We were having a guest speaker, Henry Fine.

Henry was a recovering drug addict, overdosing a total of seventeen times. I thought this man was pretty lucky to still have a life. He and his parents lived in a small town in North Carolina for most of his life. In 1998, he was already starting his career in football and was soon asked to try out for the NFL. Tragically, an injury occurred before his chance, so he lost one hell of an opportunity. That's when the drug use began.

Now, a thirty year old man, Henry Fine stood in an auditorium filled with teenagers, about to tell it all again. His face was blushing when the audience gave him a welcome applause, and he stood on the stage adjusting the microphone to his height. After a few attempts he finally realized that it would not stretch up any higher, and accepted that he was a tad bit too tall.

"Hello," Henry said casually. "Settled down." He waved his hands up and down, indicating that we should be quiet. The talking lowered to silence and Henry began. "When I was a kid, just like you ...I hated sitting through things like this. I always thought they were so stupid and pointless. I used to say I'd never be that kid. I didn't listen. I never did, not once, to any of the people that came to speak to us. But if I could go back ...I swear I'd trade anything to go back and listen."

That's how he began. His speech carried on, and it seemed as though each time another sentence came out of his mouth I would find myself more intrigued. Henry had a way with words if you will, and captivated almost everyone in the room.

"...and if anyone would like to talk to me personally, or ask me any more questions, you can come see me." Henry told the crowd after his presentation was finished. I contemplated whether or not I should go speak with him as all the kids around me stood and clapped.

I made my way over to Jen, who was standing next to Tom, just about ready to leave the auditorium. I grabbed her arm and pulled her aside. "Do you think I should talk to Henry?" I asked her.

She thought for a second. "That's really up to you, hun." she half smiled in a friendly way. "You have to decide if you're ready to come forth with what happened to you."

I nodded my head nervously and let her go back with Tom. I was going to do it. I was going to tell Henry Fine what happened two years ago. I made my way to the back of the line that many people stood in to meet him. I got nervous, of course I would. It's not every day that you reveal a huge secret of yours to a stranger. My hands were sweating and I wiped them on my jeans. You've got this, Mel. I mentally reassured myself.

The line ahead of me was getting shorter and the knot inside my stomach tied tighter. I was so close, only five people away from--...wait, what? To my surprise Jack was standing opposite Henry, talking a great deal of words, and not looking all too happy. I worried that he might over hear the conversation I was going to have with Henry, or maybe he would stay and wait for me. I felt compelled to leave.

The hallway had cleared a bit by the time I exited the auditorium. I felt like a coward, just walking away like that. Why did Jack have to be there? Okay, it wasn't his fault, I was probably going to chicken out anyways. He was just an excuse that made me seem like less of a wimp. I made my way up to the third floor, heading back to my math class.

. . .

As the school bus pulled up to my house, I was glad to finally be home. It was another one of those long days that happened every once in a while. The snow on our driveway had melted a little since I'd seen it that morning, and the air was actually quite warm.
Mark opened the door for me when I reached the porch. He was heading out, dressed in a nice green polo, so I asked where he was going.

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⏰ Last updated: Aug 10, 2015 ⏰

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