Burning Bridges

Jessie's story.

Burning Bridges

Lyss gave me a big smile, then nudged my elbow with her own, “So, how’s Devin?” We were sitting across from each other in the small café that rested exactly in the middle of the distance between our houses. We came here often, enough that the store owner had learned our names. I learned hers quickly. Then again, no one forgets an obnoxious name like Polly.

“What do you mean?” I knew exactly what she meant, but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of what she wanted to hear. She wanted to think I was madly in love with him. I rolled my eyes at the thought.

“Come on, Jessie,” Whether this comment was at my eye roll or comment I never found out, “What’s going on?”

I took an annoyed sip of my black cherry smoothie, and glared at her over the cheap plastic rim, “He’s dating Sara. You know that.”

“And how does that make you feel?”

I took a deep breath, and silently refused to play along with her games, “Like he’s a stupid idiot.”

“For dating Sara?” No, for robbing a bank filled with elephants.

She needed to learn when to shut up. There was a really effective game that was used on preschoolers called the quiet game.  I needed to teach it to her, “Yes.”

She edged me on, “For dating Sara, instead of…”

“Anybody, anybody, else.”

“Anybody else?” She looked at me curiously, seemingly mulling my words over. She took a sip of her own drink, raspberry swirl, and gave me a bright blue smile. I predicted her question before she asked it, “Is my tongue blue?” She stuck said body part out of her mouth, and I granted her an eye roll.

“How old are we? Seriously, Lyss, grow up.” I was beyond joking with her. Lately, especially since she started dating James, she had been all giddy and love happy. This made her even more childish and annoying than usual, and it was really starting to piss me off.

“No, Jessie, you need to lighten up.” This wasn’t the first time I had heard her get mad, but something about this seemed more serious than usual, “You spend all your time moping around and being all depressed. I’m fed up with it. I’ve been by your side for years, hoping you’d get better and hoping you’d be happy again. There is no hope for you. I am so done with it! Have a great life! And stay out of mine! I don’t need your rain clouds anymore!”  She stood up from her chair, and stormed out. I followed after her. She was my ride home.

“Lyss!” I called out her name, and it burned like fire on my tongue.

She turned around, eyes blazing, “What?”

“You’re my ride.” I reminded her coldly. She gave an equally chilling laugh, and then stepped into her car. I heard her yell something, but didn’t pick up on it.

I stood on the sidewalk, watching as she drove away. She had just gotten her license, and that was apparent as she pulled away from her space. Somehow I found it amusing that she almost it two cars on her way out. Her anger made her reckless.

As I watched her, though, the bite of the late-November wind began to seep into me. Then realization. I had no way to get home. Besides walking.

My cell phone was in her car!

I’d be lucky if I ever got it back.

Damn her.

Damn James.

F**k the world.

I kicked a stone down the street and shoved my hands in my pockets as I began to walk. This wasn’t fair. Life wasn’t fair.

Damn her.

Whatever. I didn’t need to be friends with someone who acted half their own age anyway. It wasn’t safe. They had places for her, for people like her. Padded cells in a building in the middle of nowhere.

I took a bitter breath, and regretted getting a cold drink. The stone stayed ahead of me as I kicked it down the street, trying to ignore the long walk ahead of me. After a while, I resolved only to walk and feel sorry for myself.

What was I supposed to do?

Reviews

[Daydreamer54]

She kind of desedrved to be left alone. her negative attitude can effect others. but i'm rooting for her to perk up. not all things in life are bad.