Moments Between Sleep - Chapter 1

May 21st

As I shut and locked my locker for the final time, I wanted to forget every memory I had ever made during the four years I was at this hell hole. Every friendship, every relationship, every party and hung-over morning- I wanted them to disappear into the infinite. There was nothing keeping me tied down to Charleston High anymore, and that made me smile.

Everything was going to become a clean slate.

As I made my way through the exit of the school, I gave a look up and studied the building for a moment. It was a new building: no paint, just bricks, some of the windows were slightly ajar, and bad rap music flowed down to the parking lot from somewhere on the third floor. It looked big and ominous, and I could remember that same overwhelming feeling I had had freshman year when I had just walked in. And now, in my last fleeting moments as a senior, that feeling had returned.

I mentally said goodbye to the school and began to walk towards my car.

“Sophie!” someone shouted behind me.

I turned around to a girl named Sarah running towards my side. Sarah and I hadn’t ever really been friends, more like acquaintances. I had gone to a few of her volleyball games simply to cheer her on with a few of my own close friends who knew her, but I never got to know who she really was. But in Sarah’s world, we were friends. Anyway; her eyes were bloodshot, I assumed from crying, and she was shaking quite a bit.

“Sarah! God, are you alright?”

“Yes! Well, no. It’s just, this is our last day, our last few minutes, seconds even of being seniors! I feel like I have so much to say and yet, I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again, and I just wanted to tell you I think you’re sweet and no one ever gave you enough credit for being so creative and! Wow! I’m so sorry about what happened last week at Thomas’s, I mean shit Soph you were so drun-“

I cut her off- drunk nights I couldn’t remember was not something I wanted to discuss with someone I hardly knew. “Can we not talk about that please?”

“Oh, yeah, sure, but, what are your plans now Sophie? What are you going to do?”

To be quite honest with all of you, I hadn’t really thought about it yet. The future was something I assumed would just happen. I wouldn’t have to plan it or do anything to start it. It would find its way to me. But in this moment I began to think.

“You know, Sarah, I’ve always wanted to go on tour, you know, with a band or something. I’m going to try my hardest to find my way onto a bus and just crash for a bit, you know? Nothing too special.”

Sarah had a perplexed look on her face. I could tell that was something she would never do, and she wanted to say something but didn’t know how I would react. I don’t think she realized just how well I could read her expression because she began to smile. “What a lovely idea, I hope you do it. I think I’m gunna head west to New York. Spend some time there, see the city! See life! It’s gunna be great Sophie! So great! But, I have to go! I hope everything goes well for you! Maybe we can catch up sometime later in life. It was so nice knowing you.” And with those final words, she jogged to her car, started it up, and left the parking lot.

I felt awkward standing there alone. Everything became so real. This was it.

June 24th

A whole month had passed since my departure of high school and I felt as if I hadn’t done anything. I was constantly sitting in my living room watching videos and pretending like I was going to do something that day. But, occasionally, Parker, one of my best friends, would show up at my door with two show tickets and we would go out on the town for a night. We’d listen to music, meet a band or two, share some laughs, and come home. It seemed as though adult life had hit us hard and we were now in this state of constant auto-pilot. That is until Parker came to my door with Warped Tour tickets.

“Soph, c’mon, you’ll love it. You need to get out and do something instead of wallowing away in pre-college misery.” Parker waved a ticket in front of my face.

“But look at how bad the weather is! It’s gunna rain!”

“When has the weather ever stopped you before?” He took my hand and tugged gently on it, “Please?”

I looked up at him and cocked my head sideways; Parker’s green eyes could win any argument if you looked deep enough into them. A crooked smiled appeared on his face when he realized that he had won.

“I’ll go start the car!” He half jumped in the air. “If you’re not out in less than five minutes, I’m slicing the cord to your hair straightener in two.”

He ran out the door and I soon heard his car motor start. I grabbed my backpack, threw my camera and keys in, and walked out the door.

It wasn’t long before we were deep inside the festival wasting away in gorgeous music and loving the haze of the alcohol that we had managed to get. We made friends with some of the vendors throughout the day and found ourselves at the after party once the festival had concluded for the night. As much as I’d loved to say I knew who I was hanging out with, I didn’t. Everyone was a new face. However Parker, on the other hand, seemed to be star struck by those that were surrounding us.

 A man to the left of me told me his name was Dan but people called him “Soupy.” He was from a band called ‘The Wonder Years’ and he was quite odd but his politeness made up for it. Parker and Dan seemed to get along and they talked for what seemed like hours. I zoned out for a while until Parker waved his hand in front of me.

“ You okay?” He asked, now sitting in front of me with a concerned look washed across his face.

“Uh, yeah, I’m g-goooood.” I was slurring. But why was I slurring?”

“Oh no.” I heard Dan say from a distance.

“How much did you have to drink?” Parker asked.

“N-n-not-t that m-mh-much.”

“Can you stand up?”

I could stand, however I wobbled back and forth.

“Shit man. Can we get her to lay down somewhere?”

“N-no! I’m so fine, Packy. I’m just gunna go to the bathroom. I’ll be r-r-ight back! I s-wear-r-r.” I don’t know how, or why, but they let me go off against anyone’s better judgment. I was happy they did though- being alone was what I wanted. It’s what I always wanted.

But being alone seemed to be a bad idea after a while- I started to get lost. Eventually I found myself hunched over, puking next to a large purple tour bus.

It only took minutes before someone came out.

“Woah! Hun! Are you okay? Holy shit. Dan! Come help! C’mon man. Quickly!” I wasn’t sure who this man was, but I knew he looked concerned and helped me stand upright before I passed out on the ground.