Extreme Normality

1

 

                Drew Tabor. The boy I had known since I was eight. The boy who had always beat me in tag when we were little, whose math tests I had cheated off of, who smiled at me in the hallway. The boy I had always known, but never really knew. Our families had lived across the street from each other since before we were born. He was that smart, nice, sporty, friendly guy. That one that girls only started noticing freshman year when he began gaining muscle, grew like a foot, and got his braces off. Drew Tabor was just so normal.

                It was because of his extreme normality that I was so damn surprised when I saw him walk into first period on the first day of sophomore year with no hair. Beautiful chestnut hair that had always flopped over his eyes was replaced with that tan, glistening skin.

                The army? Was the first thing that had entered my mind. But, after about ten seconds of listening to Amy Wattermore and Cherish Wiemer whisper, an art form I had picked up over the years, I knew the truth - leukemia. Leukemia, which was about the least normal thing that could happen to a sixteen year old guy. And of course it happens to the plainest guy around.

                The room had gone quiet. He gave one of his famous quirky smiles. A few people muttered a “Hello” or “Hey Drew”. Then, from the far corner of the room came a loud, obnoxious “Drew! My man! What’s up bro? You ready to kick sophomore year’s a*s?” And that would be David Matthews. David ran over and gave his best friend a hug. We all kind of laughed at that, David’s voice was something we were all used to. The room relaxed and the boys talked until the bell rang. When Mr. Sandesky walked in as the announcements started,  Drew took the only empty seat directly in front of me.

                Mr. Sandesky talked about how he was not just our teacher, but our friend and we could genuinely look forward to Pre-AP Algebra II. He showed us a Power Point on what we would be doing and I heard a few words here and there about equations and expectations and typical math things.

 I couldn’t stop staring at the back of his head. It was so bald. What is he thinking about? Will he die? Is he thinking about dying? Oh god. The more my brain panicked, the harder I started breathing " a bad habit. Drew turned around halfway in his seat and looked at me with furrowed brows. I nervously smiled at him; he smiled back and turned around again. He f*****g smiled. As soon as the bell rang I jumped up and rushed to a corner in the hallway that I knew from last year that no one went. I started bawling, I didn’t know why. I wasn’t really even good friends with Drew. Why was I sobbing? I stood there for a minute until I heard footsteps approaching. A figure rounded the corner.

“You alright?” said a familiar voice.

My voice came out shaky, “Yeah, yeah.” I turned around as I wiped my eyes.

Drew looked at me with that same frown. “Hey, whats wrong?” he said with a quiet, honey-sweet voice.

I just stared at him. I stared at his head and then stared into his brown eyes. Then I just ran and hugged him.

He laughed a little and wrapped his arms around me too. We stood there until he squeezed me and then stepped back with his hands on my shoulders. He looked me in the eyes and said, “Algebra isn’t that bad you know?”

I laughed at that and he smiled again. “I just, I feel bad for you. And then I felt bad about feeling bad because I know you must hate the pity. Then I got a little overwhelmed.”

“Don’t worry about it. You really don’t have to cry for me you know?”

“I know. But, Drew, are you going to be okay?”

“I think so, the doctors say I am really responding to the chemo so…” He dropped his hands off my shoulders and I suddenly became very cold.

“So you’re gonna be alright?”

“Probably in a few years, yeah”

I let out a deep breath.

He put an arm around me and said “I’ll walk you to class.”

 

 

Author's Note

Be gentle. I know my writing needs work. I have no clue where this story is going.

Reviews

[Viki Rachel]

Aw this was sweet. I would like to see more imagery because I think it would really enhance this story (it has a lot of potential). I liked the simplicity of it at the same time, the plain dialogue that seems natural and realistic.
It's good so far!
And
I
Love
You
Too
:)