Time Runs Out

pt. 5

Laurie drove me home after I passed out on her lawn. She helped me upstairs to my room, where I laid on my bed, head still spinning.

Dad was too drunk to notice if I stayed home or went to school anymore, so I stayed home.

I felt empty inside. So, I wandered around the house for what seemed the hundredth time, looking for something to take my mind off of what happened.

I avoided the kitchen, which still held the donut box open, though there were no donuts left.

I avoided my room, which held my physics homework I had no intention of working on.

I avoided the living room, where dad slept, sprawled out on the couch.

So, eventually I landed outside, the place I had been spending my time the most for the past few days.

I sit on my spot on the steps. Watching cars go by, the people inside watching me.

One car slows down, though it takes me a while to realize that it is Laurie's car.

She pulls into our driveway, and walks up to me.

I notice that she is holding a shoebox.

Without a word, she hands the box to me.

Nods at me to open it.

When I open it, I see an envelope with my name on it. I open it, to reveal a blue card made of construction paper.

On the front of it is two people. I can clearly see that it is me and Keaton. I smile, and open the card.

Inside the card, through a typed up piece of paper, Keaton tells me goodbye. He tells me that even though he knew he would die someday, he had a feeling it would be before me, and that he wanted to give me this, in case I never got to say goodbye.

He tells me that he told his mom that the day he died, she needed to give this to me.

I keep reading.

"I know you're sad. I'm sad too. I at least hope we got to graduate together, maybe see each other off to college or see each other get married, but I won't know until I'm gone. But Kelsea, you can't mourn me forever. You have so much going for you. You are clearly the smartest one in our physics class. You look pretty when you curl your hair (do it more often) and I don't know if you know it, but Ryan really likes you. I see him looking at you when I walk into physics. Move on with your life, just never forget me. I know I will never forget what all you have done for me.
Take care of mom for me, please.
With love,
Keaton"

I look up at Laurie.

I try to say thank you, but nothing comes out.

Instead, she sits down next to me, and puts an arm around my shoulder.

We sit like that for a while.

She being the only thing holding me together.

She pulls away, and looks at me.

"A few days before he died, he told me that he had a feeling, that something was going to happen, and happen soon. He was up in his room for a while, and at one point yelled at me to bring him his backpack. Said he needed something from it. I brought it up, he shooed me out, and a few minutes later, he handed me the box. Told me that when he went, this needed to go to Kelsea."

We sit, watching the road. Watching the cars, with people inside watching us.

After what seems like forever, she murmurs something about the grocery store, and gives me a hug.

I watch her car pull out of the driveway, and putter down the road.

I begin to head inside, the wind getting slightly nippier, as I realize I never opened the item inside of the box.

So I pull it out, a small item, wrapped in tissue paper.

I tear open the paper, and let the letter flutter to the ground as I reach for his present.

A sparkly, green pencil, oh so familiar from the daily grind of physics class.

As I hold it up, I see another note in the bottom of the box.

"No more superpowers left for me. It's your turn."

I clutch the pencil to my chest, and grab the box and the letter.

I slowly walk up the stairs, open the door to my room.

As a notification from snapchat wakes my phone, I see that today is Thursday.

I place the items I carry on my dresser, and look at myself in the mirror.

Keaton told me to move on.

Tomorrow, I go back to school.

With his pencil.

With my physics homework in hand.

So i sit down at my desk, roll his pencil in my hand, and get to work.