The Sixteenth Summer

Chapter 5

Sara?

Yeah Belle?

I'm going out of my dang mind.

What? What are you talking about??

I sighed, running my hand through my hair.

Can you come over, like now?

Annabelle, what's this about?

Can you come over?

Yeah, Ok, I'm grabbin' my keys right now.

I got to my house, put on a sane face for mom, and stalked into my room.

I paced the floor, and drummed my fingers on the wall until Sara got here.

"Anna, what's goin' on, ya got me worried sick."

I explained the events of the last couple days while she looked at me disbelievingly.

"And just know, I heard somethin that sounded like 'I'm real' But I can't really be sure, 'cause it also sounded a whole lot like the wind."

"Annabelle, are you stressed about somethin? Are you sure you didn't dream this darlin?"

"Sara, no. I'm not. It was really, real. That's why I'm worried." I said, getting irritated.

"Ok, Ok. It's probably just that over active noggin of yours." She said, all smiles, tapping me on the forehead.

I sighed.

"Alright. You're probably right. Sorry I made you drive out here." I said, staring down at my hands, clasped in my lap.

"That's alright. You take care now." She said smiling, the sun seeming to radiate from her tanned skin and blonde hair. She was a southern belle if I ever saw one, from her tightly curled hair, down to her rhinestoned boots she wore everywhere.

I couldn't decide if it was cute, or if the overwhelming dose of stereotype made me want to vomit. But she was my friend, either way.

Sara got up, and went home, and I sat in my room alone for awhile, considering therapy, and whether or not I'd make as sexy a Schizophrenic as Donnie Darko did.

I examined my fingers, and rotated my jar of ladybugs on my nightstand, following one little orange ladybug on his escapades across the jar.

Eventually I was called in for dinner. I said little, spoke only when I was spoken to, did the dishes like a good little cookie, and then crawled in bed at 8:00.

I didn't even read.

I pulled my knees up to my chest, wishing it would rain again so I could sleep easy, with the steady percussioned beat of the rain to lull me into sleep.

I knew it wouldn't.

It didn’t look like rain.

It didn't smell like rain.

There aint gonna be any rain.

But after awhile of wishing for it, it came.

A light little rain, that drummed against our roof, but wasn't threatening at all.

The good warm kinda rain, that made you feel safe.

Great. That really clears things up. Not only am I out of my freaking mind, I'm also a wizard.

Just Great.