Welcome to the last installment to "Bandages". I've had a huge amount of fun writing this, expanding my writing mind. But, every story must come to an end. After this, I'm going back to working on Chapter Four of Welcome To Miami. It's about 68% done, so it should be out within the next week.
“Dustin.” I breathed. I was so happy that I finally get to tell him everything! But, at the same time I had so many mixed feelings that ‘happy’ would seem like a blur in my mind. Dustin, though, simple walked right past me. I turned to follow but then realized something: Dustin’s over me. Why would he listen to me when I ignored all his feelings last week? Why would he even want me when I rejected him? I felt my eyes water as he walked further and further out of my sight, and soon enough, out of my life. “DUSTIN!” I screamed. My piercing scream was like a gateway for all my tears because as soon as I screamed, every feeling in my body poured out my eyes. Dustin slowed to a halt, but didn’t turn around. I sprinted down the empty hallways of my school. Finally, I was standing right behind him, ready to reach out and touch him when,
“Hey! You two! What are you doing? What classes are you supposed to be in?” Dustin turned to look at the art teacher who was scolding us.
“My class just ended, I’m headed for my locker.” Dustin answered calmly.
“I, um, just ca-came out of the health room.” I looked at the ground, clearing my throat while I placed a piece of my hair behind my ear.
“Well, then get to class!” She shooed us. After a few seconds, neither of us moved, “Now!” She hollered at us. I pushed past Dustin and head to my next class, upset that I couldn’t reveal my feelings.
____________________________________________________________________________________
I woke up the next morning after many attempts to actually falling asleep to find black streaks stained into my cheeks, running from my eyes. I splashed my face with water, trying to hide my tears,
“Celia! Are you up?” I heard Greg call from outside my bedroom door.
“I am, now!” I lied, mostly because I knew that if I would have said ‘yes’, he’d walk in and then see my tear streaked face. I heard him walk down the hall, away from my door. I glanced out my window to see heavy rain drops making their way down, past my window. I sniffed and then walked to my dresser to get ready for the day. I slipped on a pair of flair bottom jeans, left on my polka spotted spaghetti strap from bed and placed a lacrosse sweatshirt over top. I put on a pair of flats and grabbed my bag, and then I was out the door.
“Go! Go, Celia, go! Get the damn ball!” My coach screamed from the side lines as Natalie and I scrimmaged against each other at lacrosse practice. I scooped the ball, brought my stick back as I leaped in the air and shot on goal. The net ricocheted from the ball hitting it.
“No makeup today?” Natalie asked as we jogged back to the end of the short scrimmage line.
“No, I woke up late. I’m doing it after we hit the showers.” I replied, turning my stick in my hand. The rain from earlier that morning had died down and now it was drizzling, but the field was still slippery so I had to be careful of my roll dodges. I heard that whistle blow, indicating for Natalie and me to go after the ball. We both sprinted for the groundball, getting ready to fight each other for it. I scooped the ball and glanced over my back to see Dustin sitting at the very top of the bleachers, watching me. I stopped in shock, slipping in mud, and sliding right down the field into our goalie. “Great.” I muttered as I pulled myself out of the mud. I looked down to see that my whole left leg, from thigh down, was wet and covered in mud along with my waist, a portion of my back, and my arm. Natalie was laughing along with the whole team and my coach was shaking her head, but Dustin just stood up and walked off the bleachers and out of the stadium. I got up, angry, and jogged into the locker room early to shower all the mud off.
The water sent shivers running down my cold body sent shivers through out my spine. I heard the locker room doors swing open and jumped. Practice didn’t end for another hour. I turned the water off and quickly got dressed while still in the shower room. I bent over to shake all the water out of all my stringy auburn hair with a towel. I came back up and screamed, not expecting anyone to be standing in front of me.
“What the hell?” Natalie chuckled, grabbing a towel of the rack. I threw my towel in the hamper,
“Sorry, you scared me. What are you doing, practice doesn’t end for another hour?” I asked as I started to clean up my area in the shower room.
“I fell and cut my arm.” She shrugged, showing off the long gash on her arm. I peered downward and saw that from waist down she was covered in mud.
“Holy shit! Dude, how did you fall?” I asked, grabbing her arm to get a better look at the cut.
“I slipped trying to jog on the side lines, fell, and a rock cut open my arm.” She laughed, then walked over to a shower head and turned on the hot water. “Man, its super cold out to be May. Like, for real, its 48 degrees out.” She stated as she removed her shirt and threw it a few feet away from her. I told her I was going to leave and walked out of the shower room to my locker in the locker room. I was just about to finish up getting all my books out when I looked out the window and saw Dustin walking to his car. I finished packing my backpack up quickly and then darted out of the locker room, down the stairs, past teachers, and out the entry doors into the parking lot. I was no letting him get away this time. I found his car and ran in front of it before he had time to drive away. He glared at me, waiting for an explanation. I walked to the passenger side of his black car and knocked on the window. I heard the click of the door unlocking and opened it. I sat down on the silver leather interior and wafted in a scent of strong cologne.
“I really need to talk to you… please listen.” I started, looking down at my hands that rested in my lap. I moved my eyes to Dustin and he just stared forward. “Dustin… please, make this easier. I mean, you’ve hit me and pushed me and yet I still have the nerve to come back and then you tell me you love me and… and… I’m just so lost right now!” I explained, trying not to get too frustrated with everything. After a few moments of silence, I knew he wouldn’t say anything. “When I got hit in that hallway and blacked out, I had a flashback from 8th grade. We were so little, but so hurt. And now, here we are four years later in the same situation. Then it jumped to when you said you were sorry. Dustin, I want you to know that I wanted to say ‘yes’ so bad… so, so bad. It was stuck right in my throat. But all that was going through my mind were all the times I cried myself to sleep over you. I seriously liked you and you just ignored me-”
“I know, and I said sorry for that!” He snapped, interrupting me.
“Yes, this is true. But at the time, I was so shocked at the sudden outburst of feelings, I wanted revenge almost. But now, I’ve realized… I love you, too.” I couldn’t look him straight in the face, so I looked out of the window. The radio was low, so music was out of the question to break the silence.
“I… I can’t do this. I tried, and now I’ve hurt you. I would be disgusted with myself if I were to be with you and know that I caused you pain.” He silently responded, slowly. I looked at him in disbelief,
“But I forgive you for that, Dustin! I have too many feelings for you to let a stupid mistake get in the way of what I feel for you!” I was getting more and more worried that soon he would just say no and my love would never be fulfilled.
“I can’t, Celia. I want you to know I love you, though. But days will come and go, and soon you’ll forget all about me.” He looked at me, but I couldn’t look at him.
“What about summer?” I smirked, hoping that just maybe I could get my chance.
“What about it?” He looked at the steering wheel.
“Could I have my chance to be with you, then?”
“Maybe. But for now, I wouldn’t be able to do this.” He gripped the steering wheel tight.
“Okay.” It took a lot of strength, but I said it. I was choking on my own feelings, so upset. “But I want you to know that no matter how many days come and go; my feelings will never change for you.” And with that I opened the door and got out, lightly closing it and walking away from him, my heart’s bandages reopening, my pain filling my lungs, and finally, a tear trickled down my face.
The End.
Well, I hope you liked it. I'm sorry for the enormously large paragraphs, haha.
