Nick J. #14

I went into a store, and bought some jeans and shoes. As I stepped out of the door to the sidewalk snow flakes began to fall on my head. I smiled, and walked on down the street. I stopped at a coffee shop, and sat down at a table. I ordered a hot chocolate. I let the heat from the cup warm my tender cold hands. I watched as moms and dads, little children, and teenager walk along with friends and family. I saw a little girl holding hands with her dad, as they walked. She was trying to catch a snowflake on her tongue. My dad was never that close to me. I’ve always been on my own. My parents worked constantly. I looked around, and saw most people talking and laughing with there boyfriends, girlfriends, or close friends. I sighed, and pulled out my phone. ‘I’m fourteen walking the streets alone, with a hurt shoulder. What else is next?’ I thought. I started to walk back to the way of the Jonas house. The snow was falling more and more even second. I didn’t mind. I got to the door, and walked in, setting down my bags and shaking off my jacket. I didn’t realize that I had been gone for three hours. I passed Nick and Joe sitting on the couch playing a video game. I walked up the stairs and to my room. I set the bags down next to a stack of boxes, and took off my jacket and shoes. I thought of what I could do next. I decided to unpack. I sat there for a few hours, and finally I dumped the remains of the last box on my bed. The door opened, but I didn’t really care. I tossed some little scraps away in the trash. “So this is what you’ve been up to.” Joe said from the doorway looking around. I just glanced at him, and back to what I was doing. I wanted to tell him so much, but I couldn’t find the nerve in me to do so. I put up the last of the items, Joe sat on the bed. I felt him watching my every move. The ring, my ring, was sitting on the side table, untouched. I looked at Joe; he had his head in his hands. I knelt down in front of him. I lifted his head, as a little smile played across my face. He just looked deep in my eyes. He was trying to figure me out. “Quit.” I smiled. “What?” He cocked and eyebrow. “I know what you want…” I said and he smiled. He pulled my face toward his, with our lips just centimeters away from each other. “But you’re not getting it.” I pulled away. A dumbfounded look went across his face. I stood up, and pulled my hair into a ponytail. Joe stood up, and grabbed my arm turning me to face him. “You can’t do this to me.” I looked up at him. “What are you talking about?” I thought he was getting angry at me. “Stop pushing me away. I’m on the edge and I can’t help but fall. I love you, Sky. I have from the first day I saw you.” He loosened his grip on my arm. “Joe, I’m not-“I think he enjoyed cutting me off mid-sentence. “I always get what I want, and I want you.” I ripped my arm from him. “I’m sorry, but I don’t love you, Joe. As much as I want to, it’s just too hard now.” He was scaring me at this point. “If you don’t love me… Then why did you take a bullet for me?” I was shocked. “I can’t believe you. You think my life revolves around you don’t you?” I shook my hand and crossed my arms. “You’re so fucking full of it Joe.” I began to walk out of the room. “Where are you going?” He said stomping toward me. I grabbed my jacket and shoes. “If you love me so much, then you will know exactly where I’ll be.” I turned and walk down the stairs. I walked through the kitchen passed Denise and Paul. “Where are you going honey?” Denise smiled. “Just for a walk.” “Okay, but be back soon. Dinner is almost ready.” I nodded and went out the door. I felt the cold winter wind brush my face. I walked listening to the snow crunch under my feet. Someone ran up behind me. It was Nick. “Mind if I tag along?” He said zipping up his coat. “Not at all.” I smiled. Snow lying on the ground covering it like a quilt. We walked, not saying a word for a while. “What happened back there?” Nick spoke as he watched his feet. “Nothing, I just don’t know what I’m doing.” We were walking though the woods, kicking piles of snow that had fallen from the trees above. “What do you mean?” “Honestly…I don’t know.” We stopped. “I’ve been fourteen for not even a week. I was shot, on my birthday, by some kid who wants me for his self. I find out I am to marry your brother. What’s next?” Nick was speechless. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring everything to you.” I said looking at him. “No, it’s fine. It’s just I know where you’re coming from, but for now lets just enjoy this snow.” He said making a snow ball and throwing at me. I laughed, and what turned into a one snow ball hit, turned into a war. Covered in snow we could hear Denise calling for us to come in side. I groaned. “I don’t want to go.” “Are you not starving?” “No, why?” “You haven’t eaten in like a week.” “I completely forgot about that.” I said with a straight face. “Sorry.” He frowned. “Awe, it’s alright. You just have to race me back.” I said before running away. I could hear Nick just feet behind me. Jumping over fallen trees and limbs, almost tripping we made it to the backyard, where Nick fell face first into the snow, making me laugh. I went back to help him, but he pulled me down with him. We started to wrestle rolling around in the snow. “You two stop messing around and come inside!” We heard Nick’s dad yell. We laughed and ran to the backdoor. We stumbled in laughing. Putting our coats and shoes aside, I went into the living room. Kevin and Joe were lying on the couches with a leg hanging off. I sat in-between their heads, and ran my fingers though Kevin’s curly hair. Joe wasn’t at the liking me sitting there, I guess, he moved down a bit. I shrugged him off, and got up to go eat when it was time. Dinner was quiet. I sat between Joe and Denise. He would elbow me for no reason. I got tired of it, and asked to be excused. I washed my dishes and went to my room. I had gotten the feeling that Joe hated me, or something. This made me want to leave; I didn’t want to live here in the first place. I sat on my bed, hands cupped together; wishing to go away for a while, even a day would help. I wanted to just get away from it all. Then again I would be just running away from my problems. I looked behind me to the window, and to the stacked up present boxes in the corner. I had the urge to just tear off the wrapping on all of them, but I fought it. There was one that caught my eye though. It was fairly large, long, and was about as tall as me. I wondered about it. It was just a big white box, with long strands of green ribbon tied around it, holding it closed. There was no tag on it, reading who it was from. I guessed it must have fallen off at one point. I picked it up, it was kind of heavy too, and I laid it on my bed, and tore the paper off. There lay a long white box, with nothing, not even a smug on it. I carefully pulled off the tape that was holding it closed on all sides, and slowly lifted the top. My mouth gaped open, and my eyes wide, I found a brand new guitar. It was solid sparkling black, and had silver writing on it that read, ‘Winter Sky.’ I was speechless, and my breath was caught in my throat. I ran my fingers over the strings, and picked it up. Under all the blue paper inside was a card. I set the box up back against the wall, and sat there with the guitar lying beside me, as I opened the card. It only had my name on the front. I flipped it open to reveal the inside. ‘I think the guitar says everything. Love, Mom and Dad.’ I sighed, as a tear rolled down my cheek, I closed the card and set it aside, as I just stared at the musical instrument that lay beside me. I thought I would try it out. I pulled it up to my amp and began to play a new tune. I’ve already had books full of songs, some that my friends haven’t even heard before. Someone walked up next to me.