PLEASE DON'T HATE ME
By SANDEFUR
Please don't hate me Jane.
That thought kept running through my head like a mantra as I walked along. I reached Euclid Avenue and had to step carefully. The light rain earlier in the evening had left a lot of puddles, and I was still wearing my dress shoes and new suit.
Two more blocks to Jane's house. For the tenth time I checked my pockets to make sure the glo-balls were okay. I don't know why I was so sure they were important, but some how I knew they would show Jane that I really cared about Judith.
Judith. It was still hard to believe that she was dead. Not that I originally liked her. None of the sub-defectives did, except Friedman, and he was in hormonal meltdown over her. But now, we had all come around and had begun to like and accept Judith.
Jane was right again. How did she do it? How did she always manage to see beyond that outer shell we show the world to that core being who was good and worth knowing—worth being friends with.
She had done it with Grace, and certainly she had done it with me. And now, after only a few weeks, Jane had begun to crack that very hard outer shell around her friend, revealing the true Judith Montgomery. The girl who was worth knowing.
But now she was dead. If only Jane had had more time, but time ran out and Judith's self-destructive nature had won. And I couldn't deal with that, especially not this week.
Please don't hate me Jane. I know you needed me. I know you wanted me to be your rock in that moment of crisis. How could you forget who we are?
Jane, you're the strong one, the brave one—the bringer of light. You can't lean on a bent reed.
I'm the damaged one. Remember how I was when you first met me? Remember, less than a year ago I was sliding towards suicide, and some how you knew and dragged me back from the darkness. Surely you remember yesterday? Before school, when we visited Mom's grave—the fourth anniversary of her death. I brought her one of my sculptures, you brought flowers, and when I cried, you were there to comfort me. Remember?
There you are on the front steps with Grace, Luke, and Friedman. You haven't spotted me yet, but I know what's coming. Through your anger and pain, try to remember how I am and how I got that way. Remember who you are. You are light.
Now you've spotted me. You're up and rushing towards me, arms extended. You're going to push me… Please don't hate me Jane.
THE END. PLEASE REVIEW.
And now a shameless plug for another one of my stories. I recently completed TRUTH AND JUSTICE, which can be found under the movie title, SKY HIGH. Check out Joan Girardi, superhero.