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Sep 26
nonfiction
Forever young

Ordinary Thursday

I stood at the bus stop, like every Thursday. An umbrella unfurled above my head. Raindrops rolled down it, like tears tracing magenta cheeks. Frigid air bit me through my jacket, but I resisted. I had to stay. 

Like every Thursday, I see you come to stand beside me out of the corner of my eye, a silhouette of warm shadow. As I turned to smile, I froze when you stared back at me, face unreadable. Your eyes were angry, bright hot against the downpour. Yet I could see flashes of silvery sadness, disappointment. I spoke, but words meant nothing. Just sounds travelling across the growing gap between us. 

“What?”

Your lips tightened, eyes still glaring. I felt a sinking, tugging feeling in my chest. Like a hand reaching up, and twisting my heart with an iron grip. Finally, painfully, you opened your mouth to speak.

“I don’t think we can be friends anymore.”

You were soaked from the rain, but refused to step under my umbrella, letting rain cling to your eyelashes. I blinked, panic rising in my throat, tying my tongue in a knot.

“What did I do?”

You shake your head, let out a disbelieving laugh. It sounds wrong. I don’t know what it means, but it hurts to hear it. Knives that shoot straight for my heart. I open my mouth to speak, but I can feel the darkness rising up, threatening to spill out. It swamps me, sitting on my chest and weighing me down. The rain lets up, yet the clouds still cover the sun.
You wait for the bus to come, and watch me board. You see I’m confused, but don’t care. Some part of you likes seeing me hurt. I lock eyes again with you when I take a seat, and you smile one last time. I know it's not for me.
That's the last time I saw you. You unfollowed me on social media, blocked my number. I had always hoped, still do, that you would come around. You would apologize, and we would wait for the bus hand in hand. 
My wishes were futile. 
  • Forever young's blog
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Posted: 09.26.21
About the Author: Forever young
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Discussion

Comments

  1. The Lone Cat
    Sep 26, 2021

    Wow. There's a lot of emotion in this piece that's really straight from the heart. Your words are no longer black serif letters on a screen, they've become feelings and situations and memories and something poignantly real to the reader.
    As you've labeled this scene as nonfiction, I'm sorry if you have experienced it in reality. The desolation it must have brought is hard to imagine.

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  1. Forever young
    Sep 26, 2021

    Thank you so much for your comment! I just wanted to clarify that this hasn't actually happened to me. I labeled it as nonfiction because it is in a nonfiction setting, but it is inspired by a constant fear I have. Thank you <3

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  1. The Lone Cat
    Sep 26, 2021

    Oh, I see. Thank you for clarifying! Your descriptions were wonderful, I really thought this happened!

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  1. activist_fieldhockey
    Sep 26, 2021

    I agree with you @Thelonecat! this is a truly breathtaking piece of poeie. And to the author, I'm so sorry that this happened to you machie :/

    hazel green

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  1. Stargirl
    Sep 28, 2021

    This is amazing! Its so full of emotion and really connects to you as soon as you start reading it. It made me want to cry, but I held it in because I was in the middle of class :p
    Absolutely beautiful

    ( I think I made you up inside my head )

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  1. Forever young
    Sep 28, 2021

    ahhh tysm!!! <3

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YWP is a creative, online community of teen writers and visual artists. We're based in Burlington, VT, and we welcome young creators from anywhere!
Young Writers Project | 47 Maple St., Suite 216 | Burlington, VT 05401
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Contact: Susan Reid, Executive Director: [email protected]; (802) 324-9538