33 Days To Live (Under Revision)

6

I remember my first radio show like it was yesterday.

I was so nervous no one would like the way I executed my show I hide under my bed with every intention of backing out. Luke though dragged me out of bed that morning and made me do it.

That first show I only got ten listeners.

Next show I had fifteen.

Third show I had thirty.

By the end of my second week I had over two hundred.

Once I had reach the one month marker I had a thousand listeners.

I don't think I knew what a big deal the show was becoming though until I walked into school one day and way over ten people said something about my show.

Suddenly Luke and I had gone from the kids who played pokemon in the corner of the lunch room, to the kids who got to go to a party before college. The only the thing I could compare that amazing feeling to was walking down a hallway in slow motion and having every head turn your way.

My life had been pretty boring and dull before my show and now it was exciting and colorful. If it hadn't been for my show I would've never had a girlfriend, got to get the football team obsessed with pokemon, and danced on a roof.

I don't recommend that, I fell off and broke my arm.

Over time I had become used to my new, better life and I wasn't sure if I could emotionally handle not having it. So as you can imagine I was emotionally distressed when I left the studio knowing I might lose my show. I know he said I'd get another one, or continue work for him on something else but that wasn't the same.

Nothing would be the same.

Heavy hearted and slumped, I decided to go home instead of going to school. Hopefully Rachael was still home and I could talk to her about this, she always had the right thing to say and maybe some ideas up her sleeve. So instead of going to school, I walked back home.

I still hadn't replaced my bike even though my parents offered to get me a new cheap one. I told them not to worry about it, for I didn't see the point if I wasn't going to school.

When I got home my parents cars were already gone because they had left for work, which was good because I didn't want to get bombarded with questions.

"Rachael?" I called out upon walking inside and I made my way to the kitchen to get a drink.

"Ben? I thought you went to school?" She called out from her room after a moment.

"Yeah, I was going to but something came up," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. I felt bad burdening Rachael with my problems, so I always tried to pretend they weren't as bad as they were.

"What happened?" She asked as she walked into the kitchen and I shrugged.

"Something with the radio show." I mumbled, leaning against the counter and she looked at me curiously.

"Good news?" She asked hopefully and I shook my head.

"Bad news." I sighed heavily, leaning against the counter as I chewed the rim of my water bottle. At that her facial expression hardened.

"What happened?" She inquired worriedly and I looked down at the ground, to ashamed to look her in the eye. I hated looking people in the eye when I felt like a failure.

"Luke's dad said if I can't the ratings up on the radio show by the end of next month, he's going to have to cancel it." I whispered and it wasn't until I said the words myself I realized how painful they were. They really hurt.