Short Stories

Skateboard Girl

Walking from the building I slide my shades on. Pulling my backpack up onto my shoulder and setting down my longboard. I kick off.

Flying down the sidewalk. I smelled the coffee from the café around the corner. Not paying very good attention, I almost hit a man. Swerving just in time to barely miss him skinning my left calf . I hiss in pain and get up. I look down to my newly shredded leggings. Glaring up at the man with black hair and icy blue eyes with my green ones from above my sunglasses. He looks at me with a look I can't distinguish. I reach up to my hair trying to determine if my I broke skin under my hair. Pulling gravel from my hair asin run my fingers through it.

It's been a few days since I almost hit him. I had cleaned up my leg when I got home then threw down my bag and crawled into bed to watch Youtube till my mom got home.

My mom had been a single mother as long as I could remember. My dad left my mom when I was about 2. I've only seen him once when we went to court. My mom had asked for full custody. He gave it up without a fight that was about 14 years ago. Now 17, I had just confirmed my dream. I was going to be a professional skateboarder.

I heard the door slam shut meaning my mom was home. I get up, careful of my leg and walk to the living room where my mom was sprawled on the couch. Her blonde hair was tied in a neat bun atop her head. Her arm was covering her emerald green eyes, identical to mine. I walk over to the kitchen and start dinner.

I finished making dinner and we sat at the medium sized mahogany table to eat. She's in her room finishing stuff from work, me at the kitchen table. I sit eating alone when a note slides under the door saying:

Dearest skateboard girl, I am the guy you almost ran over on you skateboard .I would love like to meet you soon. Meet me at the coffee shop on the corner by the school. Today at five o'clock. Can't wait to see you. -Houston

I look to the clock seeing its almost four thirty. I go back to my room after cleaning my dishes. I throw on a pair of acid washed ripped skinny jeans and a Panic at the Disco tee shirt. I grab my board, phone, note, and my army green over the shoulder bag. Throwing the note, and my phone in my bag, I skate down the street to the coffee shop.

I get a vision. The guy who sent the note turning from human to a wolf? I Shrug thinking nothing of it and walk in. Looking around I see the guy and walk over. He looks towards me and smiles a wide grin. I sit down at the seat across from him kind of sceptical.

He says, "Hello, what's your name?"

I open my mouth wanting to talk. Then close it. Probably looking like a fish.

I grab the note from my bag flip it over, then grab a pen from my bag. Scribbling my name down, Chloe.

"Chloe?" he reads aloud. I nod.

"Why won't you talk?" he asks me. I scribble down my answer, I'm mute. It goes on like this for about half an hour when my mom texts me. I close my eyes for a second. Houston gasps when I open them again. Then I get sucked into a vision.

I have just walked out the door. I go to cross the road. A truck comes speeding down the street. I can't move in time. I flash out of the vision right before the truck hits me.

Coming out of the vision I gasp.

Houston looks at me and asks, "Are you alright?"

I nod my head and gather my things.I put my bag over my shoulder, quickly writing, I have to go. I grab my board, walking from the shop. I cross the road. The same truck comes speeding down the street. I stand there like a deer in headlights. When Houston harshly shoves me out of the way of the truck, I hear a distant ringing in my ears and Houston calling my name. A thud sounds as I smack my head against the pavement and Houston almost crushes me with his weight. Houston stands, and I go to stand up, my head swirls in circles and I collapse. Houston catches me and pulls me to his chest. He's talking on the phone. I can see that. I can see the ambulance show up then it all goes black.

I awake to the constant beeping of the heart monitor. I open my eyes slightly and squinted to adjust to the light. When my eyes finally adjust I open my eyes and look around the room. I look to my left when I feel a slight stir. Houston is sat in a chair with his head on the small hospital bed I'm laying on. He looked like he hadn't eaten in days. I try to get up. He stirs and I stop moving. I try to get up again and speaks up asking

"What are you doing?"I sign 'Nothing'. Then almost facepalm. He nods and signs back 'Sure'.I raise an eyebrow in question. He shrugs. I give up on getting up. We sit in an awkward silence, I rack my brain for something to sign. He stands and walks out of the room. I swing my legs over the side of the bed, looking over my shoulder to make sure he doesn't come back into the room. I look for my clothes. Finding them in a bag at the end of the bed, I quietly change into them. I leave and hope not to get caught by houston leaving the hospital.

I slam my hand down onto my alarm clock, and throw my arm over my face not wanting to get up. as I wait for the annoying sound to stop. It's been 7 years since I last saw Houston, my Mom, or anyone from my home town.

I have been on the run ever since I left the hospital. I only went home right after to gather stuff. 7 years on the run. I can't believe I haven't seen my mom in that long. I need to go back. I finally decide to drag my butt out of bed. I grab my suitcase and start packing. Tossing all my stuff into the back of my newly rented car I drive home. For 4 hours I drive until I'm finally home. I step out of the dark blue almost black Range Rover.

Slamming the door shut I start to step towards my childhood home. I slowly raise my fist to knock on the door. 3 knocks I hear rustling. Someone yells out "Just a second." I step off the dark grey stairs as a man opens the mahogany door.

"Chloe?" he calls out in question. I nod and wave back at Houston.

"Who is it?" I hear a feminine voice call in an amused tone. I feel the vibration go threw the ground as a beautiful red haired blue eyed girl comes to the door. Turning her head towards Houston she rests her hand on his shoulder, whispering something into his ear. I step back and hoping he still remembers sign language I hang my head in shame and sign I have to go. Then quickly I run from my childhood home. Tears threatening to roll down my slightly rosy cheeks. Houston chases me out the door pushing off the red head.

How could be so stupid?, I asked myself. I open the door to my car and get in slamming and locking the door just before Houston can reach the door. Pulling onto a highway I look at myself in my rearview mirror. Wiping my eyes I look behind me to see a car following me. Quickly I pull off the highway almost to my street. Swerving into the open space I grab my bag running from my car. By the time I reach my door and get inside i'm just about to slam the door shut when a foot covered by a black tennis shoe blocks the door from closing completely. Silently screaming I fall onto my back. The door slams open to reveal...Houston?

I raise an eyebrow in question, as if silently asking what he was doing here. Standing and fixing my shirt I continue to raise and eyebrow. He shrugs, walking further into my slightly messy apartment. He starts to get closer to me I fidget with my shaky hands. Walking from where I was standing in front of the brown couch to the clean white and beige kitchen. Coffee or tea? I wonder to myself. Deciding on neither, I grab the hot chocolate mix. Flipping the switch on the kettle I point to the suddenly steaming plastic thing as if asking what if he wants some. He silently nods; and I hold up the tea box and tin full of chocolate powder. He points to the tea and we stand there awkwardly. After about two in a half minutes he walks off and out of my apartment shaking his head and mumbling incoherent words. Flipping the switch off I pack up what I got out back into the boxes I pulled them out of.

When I finally finish packing everything I leave behind my old life. Starting new. I'm never going back to find the life I'm leaving behind.