Everything Changes

We Got Something They Don't

What You Want

I used the library to hide out, partially due to the fear of coming into class late, and also because I could lay my head down and sleep a few more minutes. My stowaway was in the back near the magazine rack, as there was an alcove that was just big enough—assuming one was limber—to squeeze in and not be seen unless someone was looking right at the area.

Right Here Waiting

I. Take This Heart

Stephen Reyes wrote a poem for me, saying I was all that really mattered in the world and that I was to believe in all I was ever to hear. I bought into this advice, which was good for me to do. Seeing all of this with 20/20 hindsight, it all makes sense now that I’m older.
Not much wiser, but older.

I. Sorry Seems to Be Hardest Word

No one wanted to say that one word.
We said a lot of words to each other.
There was a lot of four letter word conjugation—so much one would assume Samuel Jackson would knock on the door and tell us to calm down.

Two vases were thrown. One hit the wall and the other hit me in face.
The one that struck the wall was made of metal.
The one for my head was ceramic or some form of stone.

I. Lascia ch'io pianga

What Game Is This

Raising children was hard.
It still is.
Keeping my marriage was hard
And it still is.

I can remember exactly what I was doing one late night in late February: making life difficult for a lot people. I just didn’t know it at the time.

I wasn’t thinking about it seven minutes before.
Didn’t cross my mind an hour earlier
And it sure as nothing didn’t hit me at dinner.

The Reflex

Right Down the Line
Based on the short story “Julie”

Chapter One: “Baker Street”

Stage 11
Inside Sighs

I still adore Amber.
Even after everything that happened between us…and that being almost nothing. Yes,s he talked to me, a but more so after what had happened to Scott. I stood by as a shoulder to cry on. To be honest, I should have been the one crying on her shoulder due to the situations in my life and the fact that I couldn’t tell who liberated her from the hands of the person who I once counted as my friend.

I Shall Believe

I woke up to the sound of thunder. It was the coast: sometimes the days were sunny with blue skies and other times it was a low level storm. The light through my window was grey and moody.
Unlike how I felt. I got up from the bed, grabbed my robe and went into the bathroom to take a shower. I would try my best to look as good as I could with the limited summer wardrobe I brought with me. Since it was early, I could get a good shower before all the hot water was taken by my sisters.

Anything But Down

I didn’t mean to really say that but I guess I thought out loud and there it went. As soon as the words escaped my lips I felt that I should have apologized but a second later I had to wonder why I felt bad.
I mean, she was acting like one.
Maybe it wasn’t a very gentleman way to put it.
“He’s right. You are acting like one,” Skylar exclaimed as she pushed herself closer to me.
“Who the hell are you to talk to me like that?”
“He’s just calling it like he sees it.”
“Fine. I will too. Confused gay boy.”
“Take that back,” Skylar yelled.

Keep Holding On

Pastor Cox said he found me looking like I was silently screaming with my my hands shaking and a contorted facial expression before I collapsed to the floor.

Alone

The woman named Jolene brought out two bins on a cart that also had several clothes hanging form racks.

“There’s a complete bathroom down the hall,” she said. Let’s take this down.”
“Okay,” I replied with a little timidness to my voice. It was almost like my words were swallowed up by my throat. I didn’t know if they were still going to call my parents or a squad of cops. I mean, he obviously knew what happened at school—how I barricaded myself in one office. What was to stop me from doing that here?

Head Above Water

I had gone camping once before that day.
It was in the backyard in a medium-size pink tent with my sister. We made it through the night and then went inside for lucky charms and Saturday morning cartoons.

Having a tent was something I wished I had that night as I woke up with bugs of every shape and size crawling all over me—including a water bug that’s had no issues with sitting on my face.