Nick
I sigh, looking at the time. It’s only 10 pm? Great. I start to pace in her room. I can’t believe what happened today. The fact I covered up for Jack. I lied, said he was the movies with me at the time of the robbery happened. Then what just happened. The blood that was around the little boy, he had so much to live for. Now, his life is gone forever, his parents have to plan his funeral, and break the news to everyone. He looked to be around 10. I finally lay down, about 10:30. I turn on my side and drift off to sleep.
“Demi! Demi!” I yell as I run to Demi. It was our first day of freshman year. I haven’t seen her in about a week, since she was in Hawaii at the time, and only got back last night. That also means she didn’t get her schedule until she got home.
She looks over her shoulder and smiles. “Hey, Nick! Long time, no see!” she giggles. She looks so good. She had a spaghetti strap tank top, jean shorts, and flip flops on. I just had a short sleeve shirt, board shorts, and converse on.
“Let me see your schedule,” I say when I finally get to her. “I want to know if we have any classes together.”
“Yeah, sure,” she hands me her schedule. “Same here.” She blushes a little as I look over our schedules.
“We have almost all the same classes,” I say bluntly. “We don’t have two classes together, though.” I laugh a little.
“Hey, at least it’s something, Jonas!” she laughs. Her laugh is just so cute.
I wake up an hour later and get a glass of water, and text Jack: Hey, I’m at Demi’s place for the night, I’ll be over in the morning. Something had happened tonight. I sigh and look over to Demi. She’s just so peaceful sleeping.
“Nick, please,” she’s almost in tears. “If you want me around, then you’ll change!” I just had committed my second crime. I felt so guilty. Guilty for hurting her and having my brother bail me out again. “Demi, please,” I choked. Why am I doing this to her? Why am I doing this to my family, myself? “Please, just try to understand!”
Why didn’t I listen to her? Why didn’t I try to stop getting into trouble? She probably hates me now, and I don’t blame her. I take one last glance at her before I go back to her room and try go back to sleep.
--
I finally wake up about 10:30. As I leave her apartment, she was still asleep. I turned around and left a note. Demi, thanks for letting me stay. I’m going to my friend’s house. I’ll see you soon. Nick. I sigh quietly and go out in the hall. I put my hand over my forehead and think for a minute. Why must I do this? Why? I need to stop. I need to. But I can’t.
I go down the stairs and walk to Jack’s house. I need to clear my head. How am I going to stop? Stop hurting the ones I love? Stop being the one my friends turn to when they run from trouble? How? I run in an alleyway and scream. I can’t take this. The pressure, everything. After a few minutes, I make my way to Jack’s house and knock. Please open, Jack, please.
Just as I turn away to leave, the door opens. “Nick,” Jack says. “Come in. Now.”
I walk in, upset. “I-I shot someone last night,” I blurt out. “I don’t know. It just happened. I can’t be faced with these charges!”
“Nick, calm down,” he starts to say. After a few minutes of silence, he finally says “just keep believing your lie. But just don’t get in anymore trouble.”
“It’s not that easy!” my hands clenched into a fist. “I can’t just stop committing crimes! No matter how hard I try!” I punch his wall, leaving a dent. I’m almost at the verge of tears.
Jack stays quiet. I get up and leave. Walking off my anger, and the tears.
--
I find myself at a busy intersection. I need a car. I feel the waist of my jeans, to feel that I have a gun. I find an empty car. As I break the window to unlock and jumpstart it, the owner comes over. I grab my gun and point it at him.
“Give me your keys,” I say firmly. “And I won’t shoot.” They put their keys on the pavement and slowly back away. As I bend down to get the keys, I still make eye contact, and still holding the gun.
I put my gun away, get in the car, and start it. I look in the rear view mirror looking at the owner of the car. Fear, all I can see is fear when I drive away. I drive until my mind is clear, when all the memories don’t try to push their way to the front of my mind. I don’t know where I am, but I will be back in the city by the morning. I can never get away; there are too many memories there. I sigh, and pull over to the side of the road, looking out to the sky. My mind is finally clear. I don’t have any guilt.
