ALL THE THINGS I'VE YET TO DO (2) : GO TO A JUNKYARD
Do you ever just feel immensely sad for no particular reason? It's like, a happy song plays while your phone is on shuffle, and you immediately change it to a more solemn tune. There is no specific thing that is making you feel down, but you can’t seem to snap yourself out of it.
This is my current situation.
Nothing is wrong with me, I just feel sad.
Songs that don’t usually make me feel anything suddenly have me bawling. Lyrics that I can’t even relate to, cause me to feel the exact pain that the singer feels. These moods can either last an hour or a few days.
I pop out my headphones, opting for silence that can hopefully lull me to sleep. After tossing and turning for more than a few minutes, my eyes fly open and land on my clock. The bright red numbers flash 1:32.
Knowing that it would likely be a sleepless night, I unlock my phone and press the green Facetime icon. After a few rings, Ariel answers her phone. She’s in bed, a silk scarf tied around her head.
“What’s wrong babe?” she asks, and I realize that my eyes are probably red and puffy.
“I’m bored,” I evade, “Can we do something?”
She nods, not buying my answer. Her eyes light up as she gets an idea. Instead of telling me what it is, she tells me to dress in something comfy and warm, and that she’ll be there to pick me up soon.
I pull on a tracksuit and throw my hair into a low bun, pulling the hood of my sweater up. To be honest, I look like a complete bum. Splashing some cold water on my face, I hope that I now look a bit more alive. When I get to the bottom of the stairs, I see the kitchen light on.
When I step into the room, I see my mother sitting at the table on her laptop with a mug of tea in her hand. She raises her glasses to the top of her head and looks at me with tired brown eyes.
How could we look so similar but behave so differently?
“I’m going out, I’ll be back later. If not, I’m over at Ariel’s so don’t wait up,” I say.
As I turn to leave she sighs. “Isn’t it a bit late to be leaving the house? What are you guys going to be doing?”
I do a 180 and look at her incredulously. “I literally spent the past seven months in a completely different city. You had no idea what I was doing and when I was doing it.”
“Yes, but you’re not back in Mayley right now, are you?” Knowing that it is rhetorical, I continue to stare at her. “Now, you’re under my roof. I have a right to know where you are. Are those boys going to be there?”
“I just said I’m going to be with Ariel,” I say in a low voice.
She places her glasses back on and returns her gaze to the screen before her. Just when I think the conversation is done, she says, “I’m only letting you go because I trust Ariel.”
I rush out of the room, mumbling, “I’d be going whether you let me or not.”
By the time I finally reach outside, Ariel is parked by the curb. “Did your mom give you shit?” she questions, noticing my annoyed expression.
“Of course she did. When does she not?” I grumble.
“Lucky for you,” she smiles gently, “I have the perfect outlet for all that anger.”
Although I’m confused, I don’t ask questions. I just enjoy the feeling of the late April wind flying through the window and cooling my cheeks as she drives.
YOU ARE READING
All The Things I've Yet to Do
Teen Fiction"Here," I say, passing the paper to my left. "We need to finish this by the end of summer." I pray that no one asks a certain question as my list continues to circulate. One by one, devilish grins form on the faces of my friends. "I'm in," they begi...
