Reality

Summer of All Summers

School has come to an end for the year and I couldn't be more happy. School just puts so much stress on my life. I'm glad to finally not have to worry about homework. And Michael and I have so many plans this summer.

The last day of school was actually so different than others. The kids were way more fake than before, wanting everyone to sign their yearbooks and wanting pictures with random people. I think I got like six pictures taken with me. I didn't even know the people. Maybe they will use them to blackmail me one day. I don't understand how everyone acts like they like everyone when the rest of the school year they were judging me or hating me because of Dylan.

I walk out the doors and smell the freedom. I don't understand what the big fuss over school is anyways. I will not need to know any of this stuff in the future, nor will I care to know. Okay, well maybe some of the stuff I will need to know.

Michael and I have plans tomorrow since it will be our one year anniversary, I have no clue where he is taking me, but wherever it is I know I will love it. Any time spent with him is time well worth it. I'm sure it'll be a movie and dinner since there isn't much to do here but I don't mind. 

I go home and see the twins. They are giddy from just getting home from the park. Ashley asks how my last day went and I told her it went great, just magnificent. She rolled her eyes and just figured not to ask anymore of it. 

How was school?

Really babe? What kind of question is that? You know it was lame and I'm glad to finally be out. 

I know, lol. Just wanted to see how your day was. I love you, beautiful.

I love you, handsome. 

He's such a sweetheart, I don't know how this guy ever walked into my life. I really can't even express that enough. I just really got lucky with him.

I start to watch some T.V. not really paying attention to my phone. I had gotten a text from Michael a few minutes ago, he told me that he was going to help a friend's coworker move. Of course, he was doing it just to help a buddy out. That's how he was, always helping people out without asking for any compensation. I didn't text him back very much because I was so enticed with my show that I had forgotten to look at my phone. Which I'm sure he was busy too, but when I did text him he replied instantly. 

***

It's been about two hours before I've heard from Michael now and I don't think much of it since he was probably unloading and loading things. His friend messaged me and asked for his number, it was random, but I gave it to him and then asked why he wanted it. I don't know how he didn't have it already but I knew the guy and I knew he was good friends with him. I'm sure he used to just use Messenger to message him. 

"There's been a wreck, I heard Michael was in it."

Panic mode set in. Everything started to spin. I begin to call Michael, blowing up his phone. I text him several times. No reply. I call his mom and his dad. No answer. At this point I had no idea what was going on, his friend didn't have much information. He had just told me that on the way back to their town they had gotten into a wreck on a dirt road. There were two vehicles involved, five people, and one reported dead already.

I sat on the back porch, my hands over my face with my head down in my lap begging for Michael to be okay. After all he's done for me and everyone, he had to be okay. He was too nice of a guy to not be. I looked at my phone frequently hoping for a text back. Nobody was letting me know anything at this point but I'm sure it was only because no one knew what was going on. I don't even think his parents know anything since they are at work. After checking my phone again, I angrily toss it into the yard. It lands in the only patch of grass there is and so it was safe from any breaks or scratches. 

***

I sit there for what seems like forever. I pick my phone back up, wiping my tears to go inside. I had planned to go to my room. It was getting too hot outside. I open the door and step into the kitchen, I feel sick to my stomach. No one is in there and no one had came to check on me. They didn't know what was going on though. I begin to walk to my room when I get a call from "Dad" I know right away that it is Michael's dad because I wouldn't have my father as dad in my phone. I just didn't put his name as dad at first because I wasn't sure. Maybe I should change it to dad and then make Michael dad something else. I answer my phone as I walk out the front door. I stand on my front porch and almost scream at him, "Is Michael okay?" I didn't mean to scream at him I was just so worried and anxious that it came out that way.

There was a long pause before he answered but when he finally did I could tell that he was crying. I could hear the sadness in his voice. It's almost like I could hear him choke back the tears. At that moment I just knew. I knew my whole world was about to fall apart.

"No, Michael is dead." Those words hit me like thousands of knifes to the heart. My heart broke into tiny, micro pieces. I fell to my knees, grabbed my stomach and began to cry. Wailing, "No!" as his dad was on the other side saying "I know, I know. Hannah." We were on the phone for about ten minutes just doing that, crying together. I couldn't stop crying, all I knew is that my whole world just came crashing down. What did he ever do to deserve this? Why him? Why my best friend? The one who saved me, why him? 

His dad told me he had to go, since he hadn't told his mom yet since she is at work. I couldn't even imagine what it would be like for her. 

I was still on my front porch bawling my eyes out. My arm gripping my stomach so tightly you would think it was trying to escape. My heart physically hurt. My whole body ached. I couldn't breathe. My lungs felt as if they had collapsed, each bone in my body felt as if it was broken, each muscle torn, each vein punctured, and my heart shattered. I felt paralyzed as I knelt on that cold concrete porch. I couldn't move from where I was. My eyes were so filled with tears that I couldn't see my hand in front of me.

Authors Note 2: I know there wasn't a first authors note, but whew, having to reread that was hard. This is something that happened to me. Michael is based off of a real boyfriend that I had that passed away. Every feeling that you read at the end was what I really felt that day. 

I do appreciate the reads. It means so much to me that someone would want to read my book. 

Much love,

Courtney