The Pilot Afraid to Fly

Daniel isn't the only one (Josh's pov)

      "You act like you are the only one that's lost somebody they love." I choke out. With that I turn around and start to walk towards the school. I try so hard to act like nothing bothers me and listen every day as he talks about his father. If only he could walk a mile in my shoes. In fact the only shoes that he has ever walked in are the latest, and not to mention most expensive shoes there are.Today he tried his best to ignore me and so did I. He looks at me with disgust as if I was the one who burned the shack to the ground. I have never seen so much hatred in his eyes. Its official I will never, ever talk to him ever again. I tried to give him the advice that helps me but in return I get treated as if I have done nothing but betray him. As they always say you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

     The day seemed to go by really fast. The complete opposite of what I wanted it to do. " Daniel Owens to the principals office please, I repeat Daniel Owens to the principals office." As soon as I hear them call his name I know what it is about. He gets up with his cheeks bright red and everyone starts to go ooooooooooohh. He says something about them being immature and walks out of the door. Shortly after the intercom buzzes back in and says. " Can we also have Josh Thorn to the office please." Oh what a surprise, for some reason I am always called in as a witness. Normally I would be all about defending my best friend but today I am not really that sure. It seems like he has been acting really different. The Daniel I know would have never challenged a teacher like that and he definitely wouldn't have screamed for me to leave when I was just there to help.

     " I'm going to give you one last chance to tell the truth. Did you or didn't you punch Mrs. Martez in the face." 

We have been sitting in the principals office for over an hour. I really don't have time for the principal to keep asking Daniel the same question over and over again expecting a different answer each time. So it turns out that Mrs. Martez came up with a devious plan to frame Daniel and accuse him of punching her in the face. If I weren't there myself I might have actually believed her. She has a black eye, clearly the works of makeup, and has it slightly closed for an added affect.

     " No! For the millionth time I did not punch my teacher in the face. What kind of student do I look like. My mother has taught me way better than that. As much as it seems like a lie, Mrs. Martez obviously used the same makeup skills it takes for her to cake her face every morning to make her eye look like that!"

     Why did I have to be drug into this. I bet my little sister is worried sick. She had to ride her bike home by herself.

" Mr. Thorn you do realize that your friend here is about to get expelled from this school. We cannot  have students thinking that they can just go around practically assaulting teachers and then lie their way out of things. You were there right? Can you answer us one tiny little question?"

" Suuuure why not."

" Did. Daniel. Punch. This. Woman. In. The. Face!?" The way she said it through gritted teeth made me cringe. She paused between each letter as if I were 2 years old. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something that really bothered me about it. Then all too quickly a memory awakened from the murkiest depths of my brain. My eyes began to water as a single tear threatened to fall. A single tear that would tell everyone. Tell everyone that I had a weakness. No, not a weakness......a story. As the tear finally broke through its restraints it rolled down my cheek and I scolded at its betrayal. 

     I could feel every ones eyes on me as they all gave me a questioning look. I couldn't bring myself to look into their eyes, so I closed mine and the horrid flashback replayed itself for the first time in a while. It all happened ten years ago when I was 4 years old but now I understand when people say that it feels like just yesterday. I had been having an extraordinarily amazing day at Pre-K. I was given the award best finger painter and squirmed in my seat until the day was over. When the longest day of my life was over I waited patiently on the sidewalk for my parents. I watched as the other kids skipped to their cars and stared at me questioningly. I just smiled and waved at them. "See ya tomorrow!"But you see, my four year old brain was overlooking an incomprehensible problem at the time. Their was a slight possibility, that I just might not get to see them tomorrow, that my whole world would be changed...forever. 

        Everyone had gone home and I was left staring at the painting in my hands. My teacher had just gotten off of the phone. I knew something was wrong by the way she sat next to me and seemed to be thinking very hard. " Where. Is. Your. Sister." I immediately started crying. My sister was the best thing in my life. We were so close, but who would have known that the following events would lead us to become even closer. I didn't even know what was going on, but I knew it wasn't good. 

        I pointed my shaky little finger to the building across the street. Her face fell. My sister was in the ICU at the hospital across the street. I could sense the worry on her face so I said, " It's fine she is ok she just has a little trouble breafing...the doctor said she was bornd suuperrr earwly."

Mrs. Iverson stood up and grabbed my hand. We walked across the street in silence and as soon as we walked in I was greeted by the nurses I knew so well. "Hello Joshua how are you doing?"

"Fine, I just want to give my parents dis painting I did it all by myself." I should have known. I should have known by the way the nurse quickly looked away and said, " I'll bring it to them" But you know the funny thing was it never occurred to me that she walked into a random room to give the picture to my parents. They wern't in there...where they?