Fireflies

Chapter 7: Letting Go

ARYAH

May 31st

"Find light in the beautiful sea, I chose to be happy...

Pure seduction seeped through the airways of my IHome. ‘Twas the night before graduation, the night where people raged into the late hours and woke up to the next phase of their lives, and there I was with cotton balls wedged between my toes staring at the ceiling. It was also the night of Adam's graduation party. Once upon a time, I'd been invited to that party, heck I'd even helped him plan for it back when we were friends. Now all of that seemed miles away.

"Can you pass me 'Midnight Kiss?" I heard Hadi's  call, but I didn't respond immediately. My thoughts were all over the place. They drifted to the ticket in my desk drawer. The ticket to Glenwood where my grandmother lived. The ticket I would soon trade in as soon as I got to the bus station.

My father had consented to the idea all to easily. Two days ago. I'd approached him about it and he, sporting a scraggly beard, had nodded and said, "Anything you want, baby girl."

He'd been busy doing God knows what, but he was always on the phone talking to someone.

My mother on the other hand was, as usual, the more difficult one. "Why Mabel's?"

She called her mother by her first name.

"Because I haven't seen her in so long. She's only getting older. I just want to see her before I go off to school."

My mother did the first un-lady like thing I've ever seen her do. She grunted. "Hmmph, well I can't see why a young lady like yourself would want to spend the summer before your first year in college with an old lady on a withering farm in God's no where. Wouldn't you like to be with your friends? I could send you on a cruise or something."

 "Mom, if you did that, there would be the possibility of me being around people who were drinking and smoking. There would be a lot of strangers on that boat. And you remember what happened to that girl who went to Aruba. At least at Grams you know I'll be safe."

My mother rolled her eyes. I had the distinct feeling she'd rather me be a hot drunken mess on a boat then at her mother's home. Why did she hate her mother so much?

 I also noticed that she hadn't said, "Your father and I..." The announcement hadn't been given to me or Christopher yet - the news of their impending divorce. My mother looked me in the eye, her demeanor ever cool and unfettered, and acted like everything was okay.

"Fine." She said between tight lips. I gave her a wild smile and said brightly, "Thanks, Mom." I didn't dare hug her. She wasn't the affection type. Not anymore.

I turned on my heel to leave the room and I could hear the distinct drumming of her fingers on kitchen counter.

And so in bed I lay clad in a blue tank top and spiderman pajama bottoms, my toes Midnight Kissed while I mused about the d-OOF!

"HADI!" I whined and coughed. I rubbed my eyes where I'd just been molly-whopped with a pillow.

"Well, sor-ry! It was the only way I could get your attention. I said your name like five times!"

"Did you have to bash my head in like that though?" I turned over on my stomach to get a better view of my best friend, propping myself up on my elbows.

 "Yes, now what were you thinking about that had you in la la land for past five minutes?"

I averted my eyes. "Nothing."

Hadi placed a hand on her hip and stared at me. I smiled sheepishly. She looked adorable in her Hello, Kitty pajama set. Her long her fell carelessly over her shoulder in a long french braid.