A new day without any sleep

I couldn't sleep. I was laying in bed but my mind was going on and on about what happened this evening. It was just too much to handle for one evening I guess. The moment the gun went off is just burned into my mind. Why would he even have a gun, to begin with? This is just nothing. I can remember my heart pounding outside of my ribcage when the gun went off. I thought that was it. I turned around again and tried to fall asleep once more. But after 15 minutes I gave in. It was already 3 in the morning and sleep hadn't come yet. Maybe I will just fall asleep when I am too tired and have to. That was my plan now. I started turning around in my bed again when I heard some noises from my mum's room.

She was talking to dad and they were awake too. That was the last thing I heard before I finally drifted off to sleep.

The alarm on my phone went off way too early. It was only 7 in the morning but it felt like it was 2. Even though I knew that it couldn't be 2 in the morning since I was still up there. My sleep wasn't peaceful either. I kept dreaming about Dan and the gun and what could have happened. I woke up and checked first if nobody was in my room. I slowly got dressed while putting some music on. My mind wasn't fully awake yet but my body went into survival mode. Everything that made a sound made me jump. Even when I heard a door open, I listened carefully to what was happening. I for some reason didn't feel safe anymore. This was something unknown to me. I went downstairs to see dad sitting at the dining table drinking coffee.

He turned around and offered me a coffee to and said "How are you, Mel?"

"I am alright, I guess. Just don't know how to handle myself yet at the moment. And to be honest I didn't have had a lot of sleep tonight. Just couldn't fall asleep."

Dad looked at me with worried eyes. while replying " well that's understandable. to be honest me and your mum didn't even sleep I think at all. We just kind of drifted off once in a while. Your not the only one that is freaked out about this. But we did discuss a lot tonight and we decided to get some security cameras and an alarm installed in the house. So we may have some of the safety back.

"That sounds like a good idea dad" I got the coffee and begin sipping it. After the coffee, I made some toast for both of us. Mum was still sleeping and probably wouldn't wake up unless we woke her up. When the clock almost ticked at 8 o'clock dad decided to wake mum up and later give me a ride to high school.

The school wasn't better either, to be honest. I couldn't concentrate. Liam kept answering what was wrong around lunchtime but I couldn't answer him honestly. Just told him that I didn't sleep that well. He looked suspicion at me not really believing my answer. It was cute though that he was concerned but I just needed to survive this school day before I could deal with the stuff that happened last night. Lunch was over and that meant we were off to English class. I sat in my seat and Tash was sitting next to me. Hailey started to begin the lesson but since I didn't have a lot of sleep last night I started to drove off. Hailey was telling something but I just couldn't register it. Tash saw me nodding off and tried to keep me awake. It worked the first time but when Hailey started to talk about Ernst Hemmingway or someone else I started to drove off. I wasn't asleep but just started the behind Hailey. Then suddenly I heard my name being called. "Melissa, are you with us?" Hailey said

"Sorry, wat zij je?" I said to her. unknown to me I spoke dutch to Hailey.

Everyone was looking weirdly at me and even Hailey asked again.

"Are you alright Mellissa?"

"Uhh yeah, I am fine sorry for drifting off."

Of course, my little slip-up didn't go unnoticed by the classroom. I just hoped that basketball training would be better than the lessons.

Hailey started to continue class again. I couldn't concentrate anyway. I was just very glad when the bell rang and I could go to European history.

I got up and Tash immediately asked what was that about in class.

I replied " Ohh, I think I was just drifting off since I didn't sleep a lot tonight. Just a lot of stuff happened."

"Well, what happened mell, that you the person that mostly has her attention to classes hasnot?"

"Well, I just don't wanna talk about it right now okay? I am just trying to survive school at the moment so I can catch some more sleep tonight."

"Alright fine, but just so you know you can always come to me when something is troubling you. Alright?"

"Okay alright, that'ss good to know,w and thank you."

Tash walked off but Hailey stopped me before I left the classroom.

"mell can you just have a little chat for 2 minutes?"

"Uhh, I kind of need to go to history, miss Scott."

"That's alright, I will write you a slip so you can explain that you are late. I just wanna have a quick talk about what happened in class today."

"Okay, that's fine. So what do you wanna talk about it miss Scott?"

"Okay Mell, this conversation is just between us okay. This is not an official school conversation. I just wanna ask if you are alright? I heard what happened from Nathan last night and we are all worried about the recent events."

"I am fine Hailey, just really tired since I couldn't really sleep tonight. Plus English isn't my favorite subject anyway. It's very different from the Netherlands. And even there I wasn't really good at the dutch lesson there."

"Ohh well, the sleep thing I can get that is totally normal don't worry about that. And the English thing well, you can always ask me to help you with anything after school you know? Is there something else that is still on your mind or that you wanna share?"

"Not really, I kind of wanna go to history now if that's alright?"

"That's fine, just know that If you wanna sleep a bit in a free period if you have any today just pop by my office okay? then we can arrange something."

"Thanks, Hailey. I will go now if that's alright"

Hailey gave me the note that said why I was late to history class.

I walked through the hallways towards the history class when someone tapped my shoulder. It was from Brett. "So what makes a girl join the basketball team?" He asked

"Well, nothing special Brett, just wanting to play the game just like everybody else on the team."

Brett came closer in my face and said " Well I will find out the real reason why you can join the team and what the hell is going on?! Just know one thing if you mess with my score there will be consequences."

"Whatever Brett, do you really think that will scare me and will make you feel better?"

"haha just be careful Mell, something can happen anywhere."

"HAHA funny guy you are brett" I replied

I saw brett getting red. while he said "Just be real careful" he whispered in my ear and after that, he pushed me again.

"Dick," I said to him while walking off. I didn't want to spend more time and energy on this guy. he has his own problems and needs to deal with that. That he is acting out towards me that is his problem.

I got to the classroom and knocked on the door. Mister wood was not happy to see me late but I gave him to note and he kind of agreed with it.

I sat down and that was it. Nothing more happened luckily in history class. Only that Liam was starring at me all the time. He knew something was going on, but I didn't want to talk about it yet. Maybe a bit later this week. History class ended and the day was almost over. Just basketball practice. Liam and I walked towards the gym where we were going to get ready for basketball practice. We started chatting like it was a normal day. And at the end when Liam was going to go into the boy's dressing room he gave me a quick kiss. I went into the girl's dressing room and started to sit down for a little while. I was so tired. I really needed to have the energy drink I brought with me today. I started drinking it and felt my energy coming back little by little. I know this stuff isn't really good for your health but at this moment I need a certain boost. I got out of the dressing room and started shooting some hoops with the team. Dad and skills were already watching the team shoot some hoops. Dad and I exchanged some glances. Now i felt the energy drink working. I felt my heart beating faster.

Training began and we started doing some heavier training to see how long we could last running around the gym. Everything went well the first 15 minutes running around but when we shifted to doing as many sprints we could in 30 seconds. I lacked behind. My heartfelt like it was beating out of my chest again. I had had this happened to me before when I was still playing basketball in the Netherlands but never this heavy. Could it be stress? I thought while doing another round.

I just could keep up with the team. Luckily it was the end of this training exercise. We started playing a game of basketball and that was it nothing else happened during the training. I was glad I could go back to the dressing room and start heading towards home. Not knowing that my Skills were having a serious talk with my dad while I was getting ready to go home.