CHAPTER ONE: Listen to You Breathing
"God, everything they write is depressing!" I exclaimed to Lizzie as I threw myself onto the couch. I was describing the songwriting styles of Lifehouse, Lizzie's latest music choice and what she was listening to when I barged into her living room. She was lying on her back on the floor, staring at the ceiling and not replying. I went on. "Every song makes me want to cry. It's like a new brand of emo for the Top 40 crowd."
Lizzie sat up and stuck her tongue out at me. "I like my Top 40!" She exclaimed, smiling but shielding her eyes as the light streaming in from the windows blinded her sight. Her house was filled with the glorious picture of no one, with her dad at work and mother at the mall with Matt and Lanny. It was always nice to be able to have one-on-one time with Lizzie. But something didn't feel right.. I moved around uncomfortably a bit before I realized what had happened.
I was sitting on something.
I reached behind my back and pulled out a stuffed elephant. It's name was Faramir; I had named him after a character in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Normally, Lizzie would have yelled at me for crushing her beloved elephant, and I told her so. She breathed deeply. "No big deal." I tried to read her face, but her squinting made it hard to do. Oh well.
"So, what's the plan for today?" She asked. I shrugged. Lizzie had invited me over, but she never mentioned coming up with a schedule. She sighed and fell back to the floor.
Taking charge, I jumped up and strolled to the stereo. "First, we're going to turn this off. Or I really will cry." I stopped the music and Lizzie didn't protest. In fact, she didn't seem to be acting like herself at all in that moment. Again, I took charge.
"Okay, what's up?"
"What are you talking about?" She replied, tilting her face towards mine as the sun darted behind the clouds and she could see clearly.
I slumped onto the couch again. "You're acting out of character."
"This isn't a movie."
"Seriously. Is something wrong?"
"Nah. I'm just tired."
This was evident. She didn't appear to have much energy at all, and when she did it was in little spurts - like yelling at me about her music choices. I decided to drop the subject; if Lizzie wanted to talk to me about something, she would. "How about we just take a nap, then?"
"Good plan, Gordo." She gave a small smile and lifted herself onto the couch, curling into a ball at the opposite end. I sighed quietly and rested my head against the couch pillow. I closed my eyes but couldn't sleep. Lizzie was soon breathing slowly and heavily.
"God, everything they write is depressing!" I exclaimed to Lizzie as I threw myself onto the couch. I was describing the songwriting styles of Lifehouse, Lizzie's latest music choice and what she was listening to when I barged into her living room. She was lying on her back on the floor, staring at the ceiling and not replying. I went on. "Every song makes me want to cry. It's like a new brand of emo for the Top 40 crowd."
Lizzie sat up and stuck her tongue out at me. "I like my Top 40!" She exclaimed, smiling but shielding her eyes as the light streaming in from the windows blinded her sight. Her house was filled with the glorious picture of no one, with her dad at work and mother at the mall with Matt and Lanny. It was always nice to be able to have one-on-one time with Lizzie. But something didn't feel right.. I moved around uncomfortably a bit before I realized what had happened.
I was sitting on something.
I reached behind my back and pulled out a stuffed elephant. It's name was Faramir; I had named him after a character in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Normally, Lizzie would have yelled at me for crushing her beloved elephant, and I told her so. She breathed deeply. "No big deal." I tried to read her face, but her squinting made it hard to do. Oh well.
"So, what's the plan for today?" She asked. I shrugged. Lizzie had invited me over, but she never mentioned coming up with a schedule. She sighed and fell back to the floor.
Taking charge, I jumped up and strolled to the stereo. "First, we're going to turn this off. Or I really will cry." I stopped the music and Lizzie didn't protest. In fact, she didn't seem to be acting like herself at all in that moment. Again, I took charge.
"Okay, what's up?"
"What are you talking about?" She replied, tilting her face towards mine as the sun darted behind the clouds and she could see clearly.
I slumped onto the couch again. "You're acting out of character."
"This isn't a movie."
"Seriously. Is something wrong?"
"Nah. I'm just tired."
This was evident. She didn't appear to have much energy at all, and when she did it was in little spurts - like yelling at me about her music choices. I decided to drop the subject; if Lizzie wanted to talk to me about something, she would. "How about we just take a nap, then?"
"Good plan, Gordo." She gave a small smile and lifted herself onto the couch, curling into a ball at the opposite end. I sighed quietly and rested my head against the couch pillow. I closed my eyes but couldn't sleep. Lizzie was soon breathing slowly and heavily.