Firecracker

-1- ✔️

—2 Years Later—18 Years Old—

SWEAT DRIPPED DOWN my forhead as I sat up, gasping for air. The dark blue eyes that I had seen in my sleep were fading away in my mind as the sleep left my body in a rush.

I ran a hand through my hair, tears leaking from my eyes as I cried into my pillow.

Nightmares like this always occured frequently, and they told the same story each time. I didn't know how to stop it.

I threw the covers off my body and got out of bed, walking down the hall and into my mother's room, where her bed lay empty and her sheets were untouched.

I lay down in the very middle of the bed, not having enough strength left to pull the covers over myself, and I grabbed one of her spare pillows.

I hugged it close, closing my eyes and taking in a deep breath of the mango scent that she always seemed to smell like.

"I miss you mom"

*

*

*
Walking down the halls the first week of school of my senior year was something I didn't want to do.

School was okay sometimes, but for the most part, I would rather just drop dead instead of go. But I had to, unfourtunately.

I was wearing mid-thigh length ripped jean shorts with a black t-shirt. My black backpack was over my one shoulder as I got to my locker and unlocked it, running a hand through my hair as I opened my locker door.

"Miley!" Turning my head to the side, I spotted a blonde head of hair heading in my direction.

"Julia!" I called, enveloping her in a large hug as she squeezed me to death.

"I missed you over the summer" she gushed, pulling out of our hug to open up her locker inwhich was right next to mine.

"We had countless sleepovers, hung out almost every other day and texted eachother non-stop. We basically never left eachother's side, how could you have possibly missed me?" I asked her, incredulously.

She shrugged her shoudlers innocently as we both simultaneously closed our locker doors and started walking down the hallway and to our homeroom class that we had together.

"I just missed you, okay? Don't get so defensive" she playfully nudged my shoulder with her's and I nudged her back.

"Oh! I've been meaning to tell you. Have you heard about Ashley? She and
Jason broke up acouple days ago"

"What? Why? They were dating for almost two years, what happened?" I asked her.

"She cheated on him"

"What? With who-" I was cut off just as I bumped into someone, and I staggered back a few steps.

My eyes met forest green eyes with a tint of blue in them, and they narrowed at my cowering figure.

"Watch it" he growled, his voice low and deameaning, sending a cold chill down my spine.

"S-sorry. I-I didn't see you" I stuttered, my breath catching in my throat.