Bright Angel
Chapter 19
Melissa: My hands moved up and down the door as I searched for the knob as I stood in darkness. The Moon cast a shadow across the floor in the hall and onto my bare feet as I slipped through the doorway and quickly & quietly shut the door behind me. I tip toed down the dark stairway and into the main room, not wanting to wake him up first, but to merely see if he was still up. Hillary was out cold and I was being plagued with another sleepless night in need of someone to talk to. I crept into the little room occupied by my boyfriend. “Taylor,” I whispered quietly in the darkness, not expecting to get any kind of response. “Yea,” he responded. “You’re still up,” I said sitting on the corner of the bed and starting at the shadow of his face against the bright light of the crystal blue pool outside. “Yea, I couldn’t get any sleep.” “Me neither, “ I muttered. “Everyone else?” “Out cold,” I told him about Hillary’s snoring. “I don’t know why I can’t get to sleep. It’s like I was tired, but I’m not anymore.” “Same problem,” I sympathized. “Maybe its too hot in here.” “We can go outside if you want,” I offered. “Are you sure you won’t be too cold?” “Don’t worry about me. I’m used to the Georgia nights.” He laughed as we tried to find each other in the dark. Then, finally linking hands, I lead him out off the stuffy room, into the poolroom and out the French doors on the porch. “Its not that cold out here actually,” I commented on the weather. “Nope,” he said as I saw his face clearly for the first time sense I stepped into my room earlier tonight. I saw the outline of his built body and the “wife beater” tank top that fit him so well, in the light of the moon and reflection of the pool. We both took a seat on the same lawn chair and tilted in back the full length. “So, tell me all about you. I feel like you know so much about me from…well, you know. I want to know everything,” he said slipping his arms around my waist and kissing my bare shoulder, a patch of skin that remained untouched by the strap of my light blue tank top. “Everything? Are you sure, I’m not that interesting,” I pleaded thinking that he would see my outpour of all past misery as a pity party. “You’re very interesting,” he said, “and you won’t put me to sleep.” “Well, I just don’t want you to think I’m trying to get any kind of sympathy.” He shot me a look. “Ok, what do you wanna start with?” “How about from the beginning,” he said sarcastically. It was my turn to give that warning glance this time. He laughed and with a “sorry, angel”, he kissed my shoulder once again. I felt my heart melt into a puddle on the ground. “Ok, I was born on October 7 and I was very blessed to have such a great family. Unfortunately, I’ve lost a lot of it in the past few years.” I felt his full attention on me. “When I was 3, my brother was born and from the start, we didn’t get along. When we were little, there would be days where we’d behave, but for the most part, we fought. At 4, I started going to school at the same place I go now. I started taking dance, which I’m still into today. I was also forced into piano, but I quit after a few years. I joined the school chorus at 4 and I’m still in it today.” I yawned, “I got a cat in kindergarten, but had to get rid of it after 3 years because of my mom’s allergies, I’ve had a hamster and dog since then and had to give them up too.” Taylor pulled me in closer and I leaned on him as I actually started getting tired. I continued, “I went through elementary school having a tough time staying out of trouble with my grades. None of the kids liked me and I got teased. It was not the greatest years of my life. I lost my great-grandfather during those years too. It was awful cause I was so close to him and loved him so much. I was too young to understand death though. I had a hard time with a music teacher who saw no talent in me. It shot down my self esteem and took a long time to build it up again.” I curled up in Taylor’s warm arms. “Middle School was a blessing. I got good grades and had a great time with friends. All that happiness faded in high school though. My good grades didn’t last as tragedy struck. A classmate threatened to kill me and I was overcome by fear. I didn’t want to go to school in the mornings and feared for my life.” I yawned again. “Another bump in the road came with the death of my great grandmother. I’ve never been closer to anyone except my parents. It hit me hard and so did the guilt of not visiting her in the nursing home out of fear. I didn’t want to remember her like that and she needed me. I was one of the hardest times in my life. I lost my grandfather shortly after. The death hit me hard again and it was so unexpected and tragic. I didn’t know how long I could take it all. If I didn’t have my friends and strength, I don’t know if I would have made it this far. This year, I pushed myself to do better and redeem myself for the mistakes I made with my grades over the past 2 years. I’d never want to go back and would never wish any pain anything near that on anyone. It was just so hard.” I yawned. “I’m sorry,” Taylor said, “I can’t imagine how it would be to have all that happen at the same time. I wish I could have been there for you.” “I wish you could have too.” A single tear fell from my eye as I lay down on the cushioned lawn chair beside Taylor, who held me tightly. “I’m tired,” I whispered feeling sleep overcome me. As we lay in silence listening to each others breathing and the soft sound of falling water from the pool, I closed my eyes and let sleep take over my tiny body.
Chapter 20