Headphones

Chapter 6

Well my life is a bunch of fluffy rainbows! Just kidding, it's nothing of the sort. I'm in finals week of my senior year, my brother hates me, my friends aren't talking to me, and the entire school keeps sending me glares. 'What did you do?' you might be asking. Well if I knew I'd tell you. Basically everyone has turned on me and I don't know why! I can't express how frustrated I am, and I have no one to discuss my frustration with. I'm completely on my own, I've never had to go through anything like this and honestly I'm scared.

Tears prick my eyes as everything rushes through my mind. My eye lids close right trying to fight them from falling, but to no such luck. They leak and drip down my cheeks, my breathing hitches, and before I know it I'm full out sobbing into my pillow. It feels like hyperventilating, it's painful and terrifying not breathing properly.

*ring* *ring* *ring* my phone buzzes. Beside me. I don't answer it and ignore the lit up screen as I try to calm myself from crying so hard.

*ring* *ring* *ring* my phone buzzes again. Still I ignore it, whoever wants to be so persistent can wait.

*ring* *ring* *ring* my phone buzzes for a third time. But I answer just to shut them up, I just want to be left alone right now. How ironic that being alone is what's killing me inside.

"W-What do you want?" I hiccup and mentally curse myself for revealing the fact that I was crying.

"Dawn, what's wrong? What's going on?" He asks, he being the one person I don't think has turned on me.

"N-Nothing Nathan, why were you calling me?" I question.

"Not important anymore, why are you crying?" He says softly, trying to help me calm down.

"I-I, I'm sorry. I can't, I cant. I just-" Sentences won't form, I'm just a stuttering mess.

"Sh, sh, sh, it's okay. Calm down, it's alright. What do you need me to do, Dawn? Let me help you, please." His voice is laced with concern and worry.

"Can you meet me somewhere?" I ask quietly. I know it sounds weird but I just need to get out of this house, I just need to leave and clear my head. And I don't want to be alone.

"Yeah of course, where do you want to meet?" Nathan answers, I can hear him shuffling around getting ready to leave.

"You know that park on the west side of town? Can you meet me there in twenty?" I ask while wiping tears off of my face.

"I'll see you there," he responds before we hang up. Dragging myself out of bed I straighten my clothes out and look in the mirror. The puffy-ness has gone down a lot and the red in my eyes is pretty minimal. Honestly I thought I'd look a lot worse, suppose I got lucky this time. Grabbing my phone I walk out of my room and out the door. Mom didn't hear me since her door was closed, she can watch Vince while I'm out. If anything she'd encourage me to get out of the house on a Saturday.

I grab my bike out of the shed to meet Nathan at the park. Putting my headphones on I select a playlist I typically use to fall asleep, it's mostly sad songs with quiet ballads but there's a mix of soft rock intwined with it. 'Iris' by Goo Goo Dolls, cover by Sleeping With Sirens plays through the speakers as I set out on my way.

Usually I would use my skateboard but the park I want to go to is just over two miles away, it takes me almost twenty minutes to get specifically where I want to go. Those twenty minutes pass by much quicker than I thought, though being distracted by lyrics helps a lot. I pause 'Homesick' by Mercy Me and prop my bike beside a tree.

My eyes set on the water in front of me, the calm river reflecting the sun rays. This is my favorite place, this trail isn't used as often so it's pretty secluded. A small deck goes over the water a few feet with a wooden bench for others who have taken time to rest. The entire area is lined with forest and willow trees hang off into the river. A family of ducks swim off in the distance, diving under the water and popping back up eating plants underneath the surface.

"Thought I'd find you here," Nathan's voice surprises me.

"How?" I ask while looking at him mystified.

"I came to this same place when I needed time away. Time to think, time alone. This park is only a mile from where I live, I used to, and still do, come here often. It's quiet and peaceful, I like that." I nod at his explanation and look back to the water. He props his bike next to mine and sits beside me, taking in the familiar surroundings.

"I'm sorry for making you come out here," I whisper without looking away from the water.

"You didn't make me do anything, Dawn. I volunteered to come, I wanted to come." He reassures, though I don't fully believe him. It's just his kind nature, no one else wants to talk with me, why should he?

"Thank you," I say still feeling off. We sit in silence for a bit before he breaks the quiet.

"So what happened?" Nathan questions.

I don't answer, not because I don't want to but because I can't. He can't see me cry, hearing me cry is already more than most people get out of me. If I talk about it I'll break, and if I break then I want have any protection, anyway of blocking it all out..

"Dawn, come on. You can trust me," he coos quietly. 'You can trust me' is one phrase I don't like hearing, but rolling off his lips I want to. I want to trust him, maybe not all the way but just a little bit. And this might be the best opportunity we'll ever get for me to allow myself this danger.

"It's gotten worse," I whisper. I risk peaking up at his face, daring to see his reaction. His expression is sadder and he opens his arms for me to hug, I accept and let myself fall into his embrace.

"What have they done?" Nathan asks, his voice slightly strained.

"They knock my shoulders in the halls harder now. Someone called me 'a waste of talent' while another said I was 'a talentless (fill in the blank)', someone else said 'I never liked you anyway, now you're letting everyone else down'. I just don't know how much more of this I can take." A rouge tear escapes my eye and lands on his shirt, Nathan's embrace tightens as I say this.

"Well you won't have to take it alone, not anymore. I'm sorry," his voice falters. He looks down and our eyes meet, apology clear in his expression.

"It's not your fault, please don't be sorry," I request, our eyes are still locked.

"Okay," Nathan responds.

We just sit there in quiet, comfortable silence. Every once in a while I would hug him and he wouldn't even question it, just let me hug him. As the sun began to set we agreed it was time to leave. He told me to text or call whenever I need, that alone made me feel better.

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Hey music notes! Soooo....... it's been basically 3 months.... I'm really really sorry! I lost inspiration, time, and motivation. I know these aren't reasons, they're excuses. I'm so sorry! But huge huge HUGE shout out to @that_crazy_weirdo and @lillian0664 because they have inspired and motivated me to start this story back up! THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH!!!