Broken (Edited edition)

State Finals

I wake up on the couch, frost covering the windows due to the chill of an early winter.  Nearly November, and the school days are rushing by fast.  Almost time for the Thanksgiving holiday, to enjoy a turkey dinner with the new family.  California Thanksgivings are not as exciting as Boston ones.  No snow yet, and not even the leaves have changed color.  Still bright green as if the summer just began.  The wind just gets a bit colder, yet nothing else changes.  Only need maybe a jacket on when I go outside.  A wool blanket covers me up to my shoulder blades.  A couch pillow is underneath is under my head, keeping my face from sticking to the leather couch.    The TV has been set to the lowest volume level, and also the lowest brightness.  The sky has barely turned a pinkish tint, and I'm already up.  My phone says that it's six in the morning, and there's something scheduled."  Wake up for the State Finals?  Oh shit yeah, that's today."  I say to myself.

I grunt and groan as I raise myself off the couch, stretching my back out a bit to subside some pain I feel ache below the skin.  My head swims with thousands  of thoughts, creations for art that I never believed I would have.  Ideas of painting the galaxy up above, the delectable drawings of deserts and treats, drawings of Beauty and the Beast.  I stand next to the couch for a moment or so, beginning to feel a draft hits my visible skin.  I walk over to the steps, and slowly take the stairs one at a time.  I hear the soft snores of Mark and Jack, and the shifting of their bodies in the swishy noises of the bed sheets.  A few grumbles here and there, with the occasional grunt.  I walk slowly to my room, shutting the door behind me with a gentle push of my fingers.  It doesn't make a sound, except for a single click to tell me it's shut.  I yank off my jeans and smelly hoodie.  I pull on a fresh tank top, new skinny jeans we bought with Robbie, and also a pale blue zip up hoodie.

I brush the snarls and knots out of my hair, making it seem smooth and shiny.  The boys are still snoring away, wasting the morning away.  But I decide not to wake them, and to let them sleep.  They've had a few rough days, and we don't have to leave until eleven.  I leave my bedroom as quietly as I entered it, and walk into the bathroom.  I stand on my step stool, and grab my toothbrush.  I put a small lump of toothpaste on top of it, and spray some water onto it.  I brush my teeth the same way as I always do, in little circles.  That's the OCD, always circles.  Always.  Once I finish brushing my teeth, I rinse out my mouth and rinse my brush off.  Afterwards I walk out of the bathroom, and back downstairs.  I decide to tidy up a bit due to how bored I am, and sit down on the couch with a pillow behind my back.  My back is so sore, feels as if I slept on a rock all night.  But the weird thing is that I slept on my stomach.  So how does my back hurt?  Maybe from walking all over the mall yesterday.  Probable.

I remember that I have to text the Grumps, and decide to text Danny.  I tell him how the State Finals are at eleven, and that he should come pick us up at around nine-thirty.  He doesn't respond, duh, so I just sit there on the couch some more.  I turn on the TV, and take watch Rick and Morty.  It's really funny, kind of like Mark's humor.  Just some stupid stuff.  As I watch the show, my mood starts to lighten a bit.  My body gets a tad more warm, and I feel the pain in my back become a steady numbness.  My arms have become less and less painful, yet I still feel the pain of that day.  That crippling pain of being able to do nothing, to have that ache of wanting to help. I take in a deep breathe, let it out slowly.

The sunlight continues to fall in, and I hear the sound of the boys waking up."  Ugh, you smell like BO."  I hear Jack groan, then hard footsteps walking out of the room.  I feel another ache in my back, and lean against the couch a bit more."  It's not my fault!"  Mark says, then more footsteps."  I call the shower!"  Jack shouts, and I hear the bathroom door slam shut."  Ah!  You dick!"  Mark shouts, pounding on the bathroom door."  Would you two knock it off and hurry up!  We have to leave at nine-thirty!"  I shout up the stairs, and silence follows."  Nine-Thirty!"  The boys shout in unison, and the scrambling begins.  They're screaming at each other, pulling on clothes as they stumble to keep their balance."  Hey!  I said nine-thirty, it's seven o'four!"  I shout, and the scrambling stops."  Oh."  Jack says, and gets back in the bathroom."  Oh Jack you dick!"  Mark shouts, then walks downstairs to greet me."  Good morning sweetie, how are we this morning?"  He asks in his best British accent, and I give him a grin."  I'm doing great, thank you for asking.  How are you?  Is your arm feeling okay?"