BESIDE YOU

Chapter 16

DEMI

As soon as school gets over, I quickly get out of the place. I avoid the teachers because I am not in a mood to answer any of their questions.

Demi, are you okay?

How are you coping with everything?

We are all here for you.

ALL BULLSHIT

I see Sam waving at me as I walk out of the school. His girlfriend smiles at me.

I nod at them.

As I drive out of there, I can see people around me walking in groups, with their friends. Some are walking with their partner.

I sigh and shake my head.

Can't wait to get away from this place.

I don't even know why I do it, but my hands creep to the radio and switch it on. It starts working immediately, and soon enough my car is filled with cheerful voices.

I function like a robot, mechanically operating the car. I barely pay any attention to the voices.

And then a song starts to play. I know the song. I love the song.

Or well, I loved the song.

It is 'Be Around Me' by Will Joseph Cook.

I've listened to this song a hundred times with Sam. There was this part which we liked the best.

We used to smile at each other in glee when it was time for that part to play. We would then act the part out.

Oh my God, did you call me baby? I would mouth.

Maybe, is that okay?, He'd act a little tensed

Yeah, it's cool, I liked it, I'd smile

Cool, he'd smile too.

We would then burst into laughter and tease each other for being so stupid.

Hell, this song was way too cute.

It seems like such a long time ago. To think that I had such a good life not so long ago seems unreal now.

No wonder he dumped me.

I find the nearest trash can and stop my car. I take all the music CDs I have and throw them in the trash can. I also manage to pull out my stereo but I'm not stupid enough to throw it in the trash can.

I will probably sell it on eBay. Earning some money won't be so bad. Antidepressants aren't so cheap.

Seeing that it's already 4:05 pm, I drive as fast as I can to Starbucks. I wasn't a huge fan of waiting so it was not fair to make somebody else wait for me.

I quickly park the car and enter the shop. I scan the shop, trying to find Haydon but he's nowhere to be found.

Maybe he decided not to come.

I am about to leave when I see him. He is sitting there sipping some drink with a girl.

Wait that's an understatement. A very pretty girl.

They looked very happy. They were laughing at each other's jokes and it seemed like they were bonding. The girl is ardently listening to him.

I quickly turn away. I walk back to the car and drive back to my house.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I got jealous. I barely know the boy to get jealous.

The thing is that I am allergic to happiness. Everything they were doing reminded me of everything I couldn't have. Seeing the people around me happy makes me feel like I'm sinking deep into the black, cold water.