Terrible Things ( Deeply being edited but hope you enjoy!)

Chapter 8

3 weeks later.....

It's weird how something in your life can change you. Like, for instance,

making friends.

I never thought it would be possible for someone like me to be able to make friends like that. Truly I didn't. I hated people and thought everyone was just stingy, ungrateful, idiots. There was no-one in your life that was ever going to change you, and sometimes, even you couldn't change you.

Michael sure proved me wrong.

We're sitting outside the ice cream store, licking our cones and just, well, talking. " I cannot believe you," he said.

I threw my head back. " Well, what can I say? I'm a natural at insults."

Laughter continued. Some people stared at us whether in amusement or maybe just annoyance. But, you know what? I didn't care. I was having FUN. Something I hadn't had the chance to experience in a long, long time. Let the whole world judge us for our giggles, our snickers, our rants, I didn't care. 

 Michael's nose crinkled at my cone. " Ew, why'd you get peanut butter chocolate?"

I threw my hands in the air, careful not to spill my precious dessert. " Oh what? And your birthday cake one is sooooo much better?"

He chuckled. " Touche, my dear friend. Touche." He sat back, then looked at me for a while. " Can I ask you something?" he blurted suddenly.

I jumped a little, startled, almost dropping my cone. " Yeah sure, go ahead."

" Promise you won't be mad?"

" It depends."

He stared at me, then sighed. " It's just.....what ever happened to your mom?"

 I felt like I had been slapped. My face immediately turned bright red. My blood boiled. " Why do you want to know?" I asked, a little too harshly.

 He sensed the rage coming from me and sort of, withered into himself. " I....I just wanted to know. I, I didn't mean to tick you off."

I stopped. I stared. I couldn't get worked up. It was a simple question. He meant no harm. I sighed. " I'm sorry, it's just, it's kind of hard for me to talk about it."

 He swallowed. " No, I should be sorry. I shouldn't have asked. It's your business." He looked down. " You don't have to tell me anything."

  I managed a small smile. " She was the best woman in the world," I began. Slowly, and steadily.

He stared back at me.  " What did she look like?" He asked.

I grinned. " She was the most beautiful lady in the universe. She had long, flowing chocolate colored hair that reached all the way down to her back. Her eyes were like little blue crystals. She never minded if you asked her anything. Never shouted. Her face was always so calm. She bore no wrinkles. And oh, could she laugh! Her laughter was as of an angel was singing. Her smile was brighter than the sun." I shook my head. " I loved her."

  Michael hesitated. " What.....What happened to her?"

  I swallowed. " She died."

  Tears blurred my vision. He grabbed my arm but I brushed it off. " It's fine," I said. " She......She uh, passed away when I was nine. We were in a fire. My father was at work. She had shoved me out the door, and......" I wiped my nose. " And the house came down on her. She couldn't make it. She told me to go......That she would be okay." I looked at him, my face tear stained. " She lied. She told me she would be okay. That she would make it. 

" And she didn't.

" I guess it's why I didn't hang out with people. I was just afraid they would do the same thing. That they would leave, and tell me that they would be okay, when they really wouldn't. I mean, my father barely talks to me." I stared at my hands. " I swear my dad blames me, and.....I can't argue with him on that. I should've stayed with her...."

" No."

I looked at Michael in surprise. " No?"

He shook his head. " Emery, there was nothing you could do. She would've died either way."

" But I could've been there for her."

" Yes, but then you would've died. You were what, nine? How could you do anything?" He pulled himself closer to me. " You, are a hero. You did everything you could." He hugged me.

I tensed, then put my arms around him. The sun was setting, and the sky was a brilliant mash of pink, orange, red and purple. In the middle of this, was a girl, who thought that everything in her life was crap and that she had nothing to live for, and a boy, who reminded her why life was worth living.