When China Breaks//Ed Sheeran #Wattys2016 #NewVoices

monday moods

I expected Ed to come by that night. He didn't. He didn't text me or call me, which was unusual. I felt very offended by his actions, mainly because I had been thinking this whole time that he would come and see me. He didn't come for two more nights after that, and since it was Saturday and Sunday, I wasn't sure what he was doing.

And Monday night, when he finally came around, I actually wasn't even happy to see him. He tapped on my window, but because I was sitting in my bed, I chose to ignore him. "Is it open?" Ed asked me through the window. His usual air whipped hair was flattened by rain. I still didn't want to let him in.

"I don't know," I called to him. He pushed on it and it opened and he squeezed himself in awkwardly, the way he did.

"Hi," he said, breathing heavily. "Are you mad? Is this a bad time?"

"It's twelve on a school night, Ed, it's always a bad time. Why didn't you call me or text me?"

"You never call or text me." He said with a laugh.

"But, I mean, you always come over and then you didn't and you didn't even tell me where you were or anything."

"I didn't think I had to tell you where I was."

"Then fine, get out since you want to be a fucking asshole about the whole thing!" I shouted at him, tossing a pillow in his direction.

"Christ, I have a life, Aaliyah, at at the moment it's a little complicated, so can't we just drop it? I mean, I know that you'll always have it worse than me--"

"I don't like your sarcasm!"

"I'm not being sarcastic! It's just that I always want to tell you these thugs but I'm scared that you'll do the exact same thing I did to you. Tell you that there are worse things to worry about ." He leaned against the wall and wrapped his arms around his knees. "I just didn't have a good excuse."

"Come here, Ed," I instruct him. He comes to sit on the bed and I inhale deeply, quietly, though. He smelled good, like rain and his familiar shampoo and shower gel. He never wore cologne, but he still smelled good. "You were right, Ed. There are worse things in the world. I mean, I was lucky enough to actually live. But you don't have to feel like your problems are inferior to mine just because I'm missing half my leg."

"How is that by the way?"

I looked down at my leg. I was wearing a sock over it though I'm sure I'm not supposed to be. "I don't have to wear bandages anymore," I tell him.

"Can I see it?" He asked.

"Um, no," I say awkwardly.

"Did I weird you out? I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that!"

"It's alright. I just don't like it." I shook my head.

"I'm sure it's cute."

"Cute? You really are creepy."

"No, it's because everything about you is so cute and perfect. I'm sure that your leg won't be any different. It will neat and tidy."

I was tempted to take off the sock and show him, but I didn't want to. "Thanks, Ed," I smiled.

"I've got something for you." He said. He jumped off the bed and went into his backpack. He pulled out a pink box and handed it to me. Inside was a Barbie, one of those special edition ones. She had pointed toes and was standing gracefully in her swan get up. To my surprise, she had skin like mine, and hair, wavy, also like mine.

"Where did you find this?" I asked him.

"Walmart, the greatest place on Earth. With the few questionable people, but you know. She looks just like you."