I Want to Forget

Chapter 18

Previously:
Toby left me.  He moved away.  At first I though he would come back, but I was in denial.  Now the whole 6th grade class is at science camp where I discovered "The Five Stages of Grief."  I already went through the first stage, denial, and the second stage, anger.  All that is left are the last three stages.  Camp is a little more interesting than I thought it was going to be.

Now:
You know that feeling you get when you are in anger?  When you rage at everyone and everything, and half of the time you don't even know what is going on?  Well that happened yesterday.  I did two horrible things while I was angry.  First, I got in a huge fight with Kailah and I still haven't apologized.  Second I might have thrown Bryce's bedding in a stream.  I was angry because of Bryce.  He was bullying Toby, and that is sort of the reason he left.  It is the next day, the third day of camp, and I'm think I should be doing some bargaining today.  Well maybe I should apologize to Kailah, but what would I say?  I don't know if she will forgive me. 

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"Don't hurt of kill any of the species, or you are going home,"Our hiking instructor warns us.  Today we were going to visit the tide pools and see the sea creatures living in those pools.  I was excited because I like looking at different types of species.  Jackie walks over to me.

"So how are you feeling?" She asks.

"I'm fine," I reply.

"Really?  You aren't angry anymore?"

"No, well I guess I am upset with Bryce, but I'm not angry anymore."

"Ok, so are you going to apologize to Kailah?"

"Eventually, I just need to find the right time."

"So do you now believe Rose?  So far you have shown two out of the three stages of grief."

"Yeah I believe it, but I am not excited for stage four, depression."

"Yeah that might be one of the hardest, but you will have your friends to help you through it."

"I know," I look down in one of the tide pools and see a sea anenome.  I touch the sticky tentacles.  The tentacles wrap around my finger and the mouth starts to close around my finger. I giggle," This tickles!  Come on try it Jackie!"

Jackie looks at me disgusted," I would rather not."  I look at a different tide pool and notice a pink sea star.  I picked it up.  The suction cups on the sea star stick to my hand.

"Make a wish," Jackie states.

I look at her confused," I think you got it wrong," I laugh," You make a wish on the first star of the night."

"I heard somewhere that you can make a wish on a sea star as well."

"I don't think that is right.."

"Might as well try."

"Ok," I sigh.  I look at the sea star.  I touch it's slimy exterior. I take a deep breath and think of a wish.  I close my eyes and recite my wish,"  I wish that-"

"Stop!" Jackie interrupts.

"What?" I ask irritated.

"I just remembered two important at things."

"What is it?"

"First you can't let anyone know the wish, and a second you have to give the sea star something in return."

"Umm like what?"

"Anything,  it doesn't have to be physical."

"All right here I go."  I close my eyes once more and think of what I will give the sea star.  I wish that all the bullying that Toby endured, would be put on me, and in return Toby comes back.  I open my eyes.  A weird tingly feeling rushed through my body. Whoa, what was that?  I place the sea star back into the pool.