“Grandpa we can see you! Don’t scare us again!”

Frank yelled across the river, quite frankly annoyed with ol’ pops. Last time grandpa did it—he and Mary both landed in the pond, shivering.

“Come’on we talked about this before,”

He yelled again, noticing that grandpa didn’t respond.

No answer again.

It was as if he was looking at him and Mary, but ignoring them?

Or maybe he didn’t recognize th...

Her eyes flicker open—only to be met with nothing else but darkness.

Her head is spinning, pulsing under her skin, as she squints her eyes a few times, trying to adjust her vision.

Trying to figure out where the hell she is.

Her mind races, but at the same time, is completely blank.

She reaches out, palms scanning the ground.

The floor feels hard, cold.

She crawls forward, fingers tracing blind...

“Want a piece of gum?”

He asked, holding out a mint one wrapped in silver paper.

I look at him with disbelief, wondering whether the airbag hit his head too hard, or if he’s simply just an idiot.

“Are you serious?”

I smack his hand away from my face, making the gum fly across the car.

“What?” He blinks, confused.

I stare at him again, my brows knitting together and my cheeks heating up with...

I take a step forward,

_Breath_.

My blood is pulsing hot under my skin,

_Breath_.

I look at her emerald green eyes, and remind myself to—

_Breath_.

Silence presses in.

My heart pounds like it’s trying to get out.

My breaths are sharp.

My hands sweaty.

_Breath_.

I hold the bouquet of flowers in one hand,

a tiny ring box in the other.

_Breath_.

It’s going to be ok.

Everything will be fine...

“Hey, look at my eyes. Listen to me,”

I pressed my palm on the tears running down my red cheeks, and looked up.

His face was blurry,

My hands were blurry.

Everything around me was a big blur, and the only thing I heard was his voice.

“It’s okay now—I know,”

He whispered,

a whisper gentle as a feather.

“It’s okay,”

Suddenly, I threw my hands around him and held him tight—like my whole world...

It’s not weird if I walk with him everyday, wherever he goes—right?

It’s not like I’m doing any harm—I’m just there before he knows it.

I follow him to work.

I follow him to the grocery store.

I follow him to the local cafe.

I follow him to his home.

I follow him to the bathroom.

It’s not weird if I love him. Right?

But it’s not my fault. It’s his.

The way his deep voice cracks a bit when ta...

You could Google it.

Really—you could.

Scroll down to definitions,

Find an explanation.

Get the scientific reason.

But that’s not the story.

~~~~

Thorns weren’t made to hurt you.

Not exactly.

They’re just tired of being picked on,

Ripped from the ground.

Played with petals—

Do you love me?

Do you not?

It’s not the prickly thorns that are the problem.

They’re just protecting

From too many b...

My dad left to buy a bottle of milk,

But never came back.

And now I’m looking at the empty glass right beside me, thinking:

**“Where the hell did you go?”**

I don’t remember drinking milk. But then again, I don’t quite remember anything at all.

I try to stand up—

But realize my hands are tied with a rope.

My legs, my body too.

I’m sitting on a chair.

Right beside me there is a table. On it la...

“Did you hear about Amanda?”

“No, what happened?”

“Girl—you’re so behind! C’mon how do you not know?”

I raise my brow and look at her face.

I never get informed about anything, how does _she _not_ _know that?

Amy tilts her head and scoots closer to me, looking around if anyones listening.

“Ok come on—I’ll tell you”

Almost in a whisper she begins, her eyes wide with excitement,

“So, Sophie ...

The chocolate cake was a little too gooey. A little bit too burned. Even a smidge too intense in color.

Yes—Mrs. Cooper wasn’t labeled as the ‘perfect mother in the world’ even if she looked like one from the distance. She messed up. Frequently. But she did try her best on this special occasion. Just to make young Susie happy.

——

Mrs. Cooper at first glance appears quite odd. Quite _different _...