Chapter 3: How Life Is
Cheyenne and I popped into her vintage '65 mustang and drove to Lesley University. O man was I a nervous wreck. Cheyenne must of noticed this because right before we entered the wild party, she stopped the car in the parking lot and looked at me. After a moment of silence, she opened her mouth and began her speech.
"Listen Haley, I know you, maybe not that well, but I do know at least a little bit. And that part of you is an audacious lil bitch, so pucker up and stop that sulk," she stated humorously. When she saw that I was not listening to her, she stopped her joking rampage.
"Ok Haley, listen to me," she cupped my face in her hands and directed my face to her. She had a determined look in her eyes that I knew only so well. When I first met her in one of our classes, she was determined to be my friend, because I reminded her of home.
"Look at the mirror," she demanded. I did as I was told. "Now tell me what you see," she asked.
"I see me... nothing has exactly changed in the past 19 years," I replied sarcastically.
"Ok... I can see you aren't buying into my pep speeches this time, so lemme try a new approach." Cheyenne sat there thinking, and then looked at me with a sad gleam in her eyes.
"Remember when I first met you and you were lost. You couldn't find your first class, which we just so happened to be both in."
I nodded my head.
"Well I could tell you were nervous, because... because you remind me of my sister."
I looked at her amazed. She had never mentioned her family to me before. Of course, I had always wondered about them, but I was never nosey.
"Yeah, she was like my best friend. We were twins. We helped each other with everything.... I was good at math and science and she was good at English and history. So whenever we had tests, we would just swap. We were top in everything. Then there was the accident... I thought we were going to be here together, like sisters and marry twins, really, really hot twins. I know it was a childish dream, but we were best friends. She's in coma now. All because she couldn't face her fears. And the worst part is I let her to ignore them... to pretend that they weren't there.... We went mountain climbing once in the Rocky Mountains. I had leaped onto a ledge, but she said she couldn't. Her rope was going to break. She wanted me to leave her, but I refused. O God... she always had a fear of heights... When the rope snapped, I grabbed her only after she hit her head on a rock. She has been asleep since..."
I stood there listening intently. Cheyenne was on the verge of tears and I was too. I had always thought that I had gone through so much more unbearable trauma that anyone else. It was at this precise moment that I knew I was so very wrong.
"Haley, I know I should've told you this earlier, but this day reminded me of my prom so much. She was never good with dressing herself up..." She slowly smiled and I could see the memories flash through her eyes.
"What I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't let your fears conquer your life. If you do, then what'll happen to your life? You won't be able to live it the way you always pictured."
I looked at her and nodded my head. I hugged her as I saw her body tremble. She truly was a wonderful friend.
"Cheyenne, no one, not even Lucas, has been there for me like you are. You are the most amazing person I know. You help me with my problems and you still have yours... Listen, Cheyenne, I don't want to see you like this. Is there anything I can do?" I asked overwhelmed with emotion.
"No, it's all right, Haley."
"Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yeah, we'll talk about this tomorrow. I need to have fun and drown my miseries away."
"And I'll help you drown them away, but no drugs. There is no way, I'm coming home with a druggie," I told her jokingly, trying to cheer my friend up.
"Okay, but only if you insist... C'mon, my lil slutty creation, we have a party to rock."
We opened the doors and looked up at the sky. I had never felt so alive before. It was like the stars weren't gaseous balls of hydrogen, but that they were lively glistening sparkles watching us. I looked at the gently swishing trees. Then at the silver moon shining its radiance down upon us.
Everything seemed so peaceful, until I looked at the partying dorm. It was the opposite of the tranquility. It was chaos and turbulence. I felt like this was a metaphor for my life. Everything bad happened and covered up the goodness. That was just the way life will always be.
We walked into the dorm, both looking at each other. I don't know about Cheyenne, but I was prepared for the worst.
Cheyenne and I popped into her vintage '65 mustang and drove to Lesley University. O man was I a nervous wreck. Cheyenne must of noticed this because right before we entered the wild party, she stopped the car in the parking lot and looked at me. After a moment of silence, she opened her mouth and began her speech.
"Listen Haley, I know you, maybe not that well, but I do know at least a little bit. And that part of you is an audacious lil bitch, so pucker up and stop that sulk," she stated humorously. When she saw that I was not listening to her, she stopped her joking rampage.
"Ok Haley, listen to me," she cupped my face in her hands and directed my face to her. She had a determined look in her eyes that I knew only so well. When I first met her in one of our classes, she was determined to be my friend, because I reminded her of home.
"Look at the mirror," she demanded. I did as I was told. "Now tell me what you see," she asked.
"I see me... nothing has exactly changed in the past 19 years," I replied sarcastically.
"Ok... I can see you aren't buying into my pep speeches this time, so lemme try a new approach." Cheyenne sat there thinking, and then looked at me with a sad gleam in her eyes.
"Remember when I first met you and you were lost. You couldn't find your first class, which we just so happened to be both in."
I nodded my head.
"Well I could tell you were nervous, because... because you remind me of my sister."
I looked at her amazed. She had never mentioned her family to me before. Of course, I had always wondered about them, but I was never nosey.
"Yeah, she was like my best friend. We were twins. We helped each other with everything.... I was good at math and science and she was good at English and history. So whenever we had tests, we would just swap. We were top in everything. Then there was the accident... I thought we were going to be here together, like sisters and marry twins, really, really hot twins. I know it was a childish dream, but we were best friends. She's in coma now. All because she couldn't face her fears. And the worst part is I let her to ignore them... to pretend that they weren't there.... We went mountain climbing once in the Rocky Mountains. I had leaped onto a ledge, but she said she couldn't. Her rope was going to break. She wanted me to leave her, but I refused. O God... she always had a fear of heights... When the rope snapped, I grabbed her only after she hit her head on a rock. She has been asleep since..."
I stood there listening intently. Cheyenne was on the verge of tears and I was too. I had always thought that I had gone through so much more unbearable trauma that anyone else. It was at this precise moment that I knew I was so very wrong.
"Haley, I know I should've told you this earlier, but this day reminded me of my prom so much. She was never good with dressing herself up..." She slowly smiled and I could see the memories flash through her eyes.
"What I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't let your fears conquer your life. If you do, then what'll happen to your life? You won't be able to live it the way you always pictured."
I looked at her and nodded my head. I hugged her as I saw her body tremble. She truly was a wonderful friend.
"Cheyenne, no one, not even Lucas, has been there for me like you are. You are the most amazing person I know. You help me with my problems and you still have yours... Listen, Cheyenne, I don't want to see you like this. Is there anything I can do?" I asked overwhelmed with emotion.
"No, it's all right, Haley."
"Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yeah, we'll talk about this tomorrow. I need to have fun and drown my miseries away."
"And I'll help you drown them away, but no drugs. There is no way, I'm coming home with a druggie," I told her jokingly, trying to cheer my friend up.
"Okay, but only if you insist... C'mon, my lil slutty creation, we have a party to rock."
We opened the doors and looked up at the sky. I had never felt so alive before. It was like the stars weren't gaseous balls of hydrogen, but that they were lively glistening sparkles watching us. I looked at the gently swishing trees. Then at the silver moon shining its radiance down upon us.
Everything seemed so peaceful, until I looked at the partying dorm. It was the opposite of the tranquility. It was chaos and turbulence. I felt like this was a metaphor for my life. Everything bad happened and covered up the goodness. That was just the way life will always be.
We walked into the dorm, both looking at each other. I don't know about Cheyenne, but I was prepared for the worst.
