"Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye."
-H. Jackson Brown Jr.
I didn't have any more classes with Erik the rest of the day. Music Theory, which I had after lunch, had only a few people I barely remembered from choir but they pretty much ignored me. In French I greeted Marisa with a genuine smile, conveniently the teacher let us choose our desks and we sat next to each other. We exchanged phone numbers and she promised to call me that night.
In my last class, American Government, Rod sat only a few desks away as the teacher put us in alphabetical order. We didn't have time to talk, though, since the teacher made us go to work immediately.
After school I waited for the bus, feeling a bit foolish as I watched all the other teens my age get into cars. I recalled with a sad smile what Dad usually said when he picked me up after school safe and sound. "Looks like your guardian angel did a decent job today, so how was school?"
Not now... I thought, sighing as a flood of painful memories came back to haunt and torture me with what was and what never would be again... through a few tears I suddenly spied something out of the corner of my eye. I blinked and looked again, nothing. I shook my head ruefully. I could have sworn I just saw Erik sneaking into the theater next door... but why would he have any reason to do that? Christine, your imagination is way too active.
The bus finally came, my ride home. Home? I thought sadly. I don't have a home any more...
"So, how is your life as a 'wired-weirdo'?"
Marisa laughed. "You've heard that one already? They mean to insult me but I think it's funny. I don't care what they say, computers are awesome. Stressful at times but all in all cool. Have you ever been online?"
"Nope," I replied, twisting a strand of hair around my finger. Cradled in my shoulder, the old-fashioned phone poked my skin uncomfortably so I switched sides. "Never really had the chance."
"You should sometime, it's lots of fun. I like to read, as I've already told you, and there are tons of places where you can go and discuss books on every topic. Musicals too. I love Broadway but I couldn't sing to save my life, I have no talent on any musical instruments, and I have a heart condition which prevents me from being very active so there's no chance of me being a dancer either. The Internet gives me a place to go and talk about the stuff I like with people around the world with the same interests."
"Broadway?" My ears perked up. "I love to sing and... well, I've never told anyone this but I hope to be on Broadway someday. It's always been my dream..." We talked a little bit more about what we'd like to do with our lives and college, stuff like that. Then I finally worked up the nerve to ask her about her other nickname.
She was silent for a moment. Not really an embarrassed silence, just a contemplative one. "I have to admit, in the past I have been a bit pushy about my beliefs but I don't do that any more. Even though it hurts to see people reject what I believe in, I know they have the right to." She was quiet for another moment. "What Charlotte's friend said about me 'preaching in class' is not quite true. Last year, we did a huge section on Puritanism in English class to go with The Scarlet Letter, The Crucible, and some other stuff that we read. Naturally, the majority of what we dealt with was religious. When our teacher asked questions in class about what this or that reference to the Bible meant, I was usually the only one that had the answer."
Then we turned to other topics, both of us a little uneasy in such serious waters. I asked about her family. She lived with both her parents and her younger brother, her older brother was at Harvard studying law.
"I hope you never have to know how lucky you are," I whispered hoarsely. "My mom died when I was very young. I hardly even remember her." I chewed my lip a bit, feeling the familiar tightening of my lungs and throat. "My dad... died last February... in a car accident..." I drew in a deep shuddering breath. "I live with my grandma's sister and her husband. They were the nearest living relatives that I had."
"Oh, Christine... I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have asked, I can hear how this hurts you--" she broke off suddenly and I heard tense muffled conversation. Sounding a bit worried she came back on. "Sorry, Christine. I've got to go. My little brother is having an asthma attack. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye!" Click.
Feeling depressed and close to tears, I decided to take a walk and left a note for my great aunt before leaving through the front door. I didn't think much as I walked, mostly to steel myself against the flood of tears that surely follow if thought too much about the... accident.
Fate conspired against me, however, because upon turning around the corner of a street the things in my memories and nightmares became reality once more. There had been a wreck up ahead in the road. There was an ambulance and it looked like firefighters were using the Jaws of Life to pry open the crushed door of a small gray car.