3
BREATHTAKING
"Don't ever listen to everyone's
judgement. You're not a monster,
you're a breathtaking creature that
deserves everything the world has to offer."
The old road was slick after today's rainfall. It was a huge storm and many were struggling to get home due to fallen trees and flooded streets. Our small town didn't have enough storm drains to drain out the water and people were too impatient to wait it out.
"Do you think dad will be okay?" My brother had a glimmer of fear in his eyes as he watched the high waters in front of us.
"He'll be fine. He drives a truck, Bash, and he's probably at home waiting for us."
"Yeah, I highly doubt it." Sebastian tends to look on the bad side. He was the dark one in the family-the one who thought about the bad things that might happen. His bright green eyes were foggy today and his usually gelled-back hair was a mess, as if he had been running his fingers through it all day.
"What happened today?" He must've had a panic attack when we were told to go down to the safety shelter we had on campus.
"It was nothing. Just freaked out."
"Bash, a panic attack isn't 'nothing'. You have to tell your teachers to come find me whenever this happens."
"It's nothing, Sophia. My disorder is just a disorder that I can handle on my own. It's none of your business."
"It is my business, I'm your sister and until I move out, I am in charge of you."
"You're not my mom so quit acting like it."
"You're right I'm not your mom, and I'm glad she's not around to see how fucking terrible you came out. You think I asked to take care of you? Before she died, she begged me to take care of you. I promised her I would and I'm not going to break it. She was my mom too." Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him wiping tears from his cheeks and stayed quiet for the next hour and a half until we got home. As I predicted, dad's truck was in the driveway. Bash hurried out of the car and stormed into the house, not looking behind him, while I grabbed my bag from the back seat and gym bag from the trunk.
Dad was in the kitchen in his red dress shirt and khakis making dinner and only looked up when I shut the door.
"Que paso?" He asks when he sees the look on my face.
"Your son is a miscreant. Tiene una actitud terrible y cuando le pregunto por sus ataques de pánico, actúa como puto."
"You have to have patience with him, Sophia. He's still coping with your mom's death."
"And what about me? Do you even care about how I feel about her death? I was the one who talked to her last. She died in my fucking arms and all you can do is make up excuses for Sebastian's attitude." I storm upstairs to my room and slam the door shut. Locking it behind me, I go into my bathroom and start getting undressed.
Here's the thing: when I get angry, the best option is to just leave me alone for a few hours. You can't talk to me or I'll go off on you. Don't touch me or I'll punch you. Try feeding me and I'll give you the death glare. The safest thing right now is for me to go to the gym and take my anger out on a bag or spare with someone.
After changing into some spandex nike short and tying my hair up into a ponytail, I ran down to my car to get my Beats and headed down the street. I take the fastest route to the gym and slowed down when I pass by a group of guys who were loitered in front of a local shop with cigarettes in their mouths. There was one, though, who made me freeze. Something changed, something inside.
It's like gravity. Your whole center shifts. Suddenly it's not the earth holding you here. Nothing else matters. You would do anything, be anything they need. A friend, a lover, a protector.
I was snapped out of the trance when Adrian stepped forward and touched my face.
"You've matured, Sophia," he said as he raked his eyes over my body.
"And you haven't. Move before I move you Adrian." I didn't break eye contact and my patience was running thin today. His friends oohed and his russet face turned a shade of red.
By: Anonymous