Skies Do Fall

There I was, dreaming.

It wasn’t a fantasy, nor a nightmare, but just a solid black, soothingly vacant dream. No vivid or obnoxious images blocking out the tranquil darkness that bleed through my eyelids. Nothing but pure, sweet pitch black and me.

Then came the raucous tune of, if I was not mistaken, In Da Club by 50 Cent. And as if this song wasn’t the most irrevocably annoying rap hit of the century, it was also ear-splittingly loud!

The serene blackness that had previously collocated me vanished to be replaced by the dim cartoon of Snow White pecking Dopey the dwarf on the cheek. (A.K.A, my bed sheets)

Groaning, I lazily lifted my 300-pound head and blindly outstretched my left arm, moving my limb in swift “wax on, wax off” motions in search of the noise source. When my fingers detected nothing out of the norm, I groaned once more before finally swinging my legs sideways and sitting my hunched frame up.

With squinted eyes, I scanned my room until a faint blue glow caught my pupil’s attention. I clapped my hand onto my nightstand and hurriedly flipped the device open, cupping it to my cheek.

“Yes?” I croaked into my cellphone.

“Robin? Oh my God! Is this really you?” came Ram’s squeals.

Still hoarse with sleep, I replied groggily, “No, I’m actually Robin’s personal secretary. Can I take a message for Miss.I-Need-Eight-Hours-Of-Sleep?”

Ram laughed at my sarcasm. Like actually “LOL” and “ROTFLMAS” minus the rolling part. But I gotta say, this surprised me. Ram laughing at my grouchy humor? This was new.

Without letting me spit out a confrontation, Ram excitingly squealed, “Oh, my dear Robby! I love you, you know that right?”

“Um….sure?”

“Well anyways,” Ram changed topics, inhaling a deep breath. “I’ve got great news!”

“What? You found out the joys of cocaine?” I bluntly questioned, my head yearning to press back against the fluffy pillows instead of supporting itself.

Ram giggled again and exclaimed, “Robby! You are just so damn funny sometimes!”

“Thanks. So does this conversation ever have a purpose?” It was rude, but don’t mess with me when I’m fresh outta sleep or I’ll get ninja on your ass.

With another giggle, Ram exclaimed, “Yes! And a very good one too!”

“I’m hanging up now unless you’re ready to get to the point.”

“Okay, fine!” Ram sighed with annoyance weaved within the tone.

With a few deep intakes, she said it:

“Brendon is my boyfriend!”

Too sleepy to confirm those words, I let my eyelids droop over my bloodshot eyes before mumbling, “Yeah, that’s great, Ram. Can I go back to sleep now?”

Ram sighed once more. “Okay fine but call me back when-“

Without flipping my phone shut, I tumbled back onto my mattress’s surface, kicking the covers back over my frigid body. With that, I returned to the placid, welcoming blackness not even seconds after I hit the pillows. The dark was my only friend.

X………..X

There was a blank yet familiar image that was shot across my eyes before I blinked. Then, there was that damn whore of a Snow White again, making out with an innocent fairytale creature. I was fully awake now.

Feeling bright, I smiled as my lips parted in an increasingly intense yawn. I stretched all of my limbs before leaping from my covers and onto the flat ground of my bedroom.

I skipped to my bathroom and actually studied myself in the mirror. If you ignored the mass of hair that could have made up the Eighth World Wonder, I looked better than any other morning I’ve seen myself wake up upon.

Beaming satisfactorily, I continued on my morning pathway and turned on the shower. After my rinse and normal appearance preparations, I went downstairs to see that I had the whole house to myself, once more.

Fixing myself a bowl of Captain Crunch, I jogged back up the steps to my room, crunching it up the entire journey there. I sunk deep back into my snug covers and drew out my copy of Harry Potter 7-The Deathly Hallows from underneath my pillow.

I was just about to find my place while spooning in another peanut butter blasted bite when, yet again, came 50 Cent’s disturbing idea of music.

Flustered, I reached underneath me and pulled out my cellphone, already open.

“Hello?”

“Robs? Where are you? Why haven’t you returned my calls? We’ve been waiting for like two fucking hours for your sorry ass!” returned Tristan’s resentful scolds.

“I just woke up. Where am I supposed to be again?” I questioned, confused.

“Did Ram not tell you? She said she did this morning.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked once more, almost cross-eyed with befuddlement.

Tristan sighed from the other line.

“Well, you are supposed to meet us at this one dude named Ryan’s house,” Tristan explained with a voice illustrating the rising rage.

“Tris, calm down. Don’t explode on Ram for this. Just give me directions and I’ll come as soon as possible, okay?” I soothingly suggested.

Tristan agreed and I jotted down the directions on a stray sticky notepad.

“I better see you soon. I have no one to talk to without you,” Tristan said, his voice much more restrained.

“I will be there. A sailor’s promise.”

Tristan laughed and was about to hang up before I stopped him.

“Tristan?”

“Yes?”

“Do happen to know the answer to the mystery of how my ringtone changed from a normal telephone ring to In Da Club by 50 Cent?” I questioned, knowing that Tristan would probably be behind the evil scheme.

Tristan chuckled, proving my accusations correct.

“Brendon changed it days ago. I’m surprised it took you this long to ask me about it.”

The brief mention of Brendon was enough to make me flinch as the memory of last night replayed like a film reel in my brain.

“I thought you would know. Thanks,” I replied, forcing my voice to come out normal instead of shaky and torn.

“You’re very welcome. So, I’ve got to go but I’ll see you later-“

“Oh, wait! Tristan?” I interrupted once more, smiling sheepishly despite myself.

Tristan sighed. “Yes?”

“Do you know how I got in my bed this morning?” It had just dawned on me that I had fell asleep in Tristan’s room and woken up in my own.

“I don’t know,” Tristan answered in haste. “I think Brendon carried you to your own bed, but I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Oh, thanks.”

“No problem. I gotta go. Gin needs help with the snacks,” Tristan hurriedly stated.

Before I could ask who this “Gin” was, there was a monotonous dial tone announcing that the conversation was over. Closing my cell phone, I knew I would have to get up now or never.

I abandoned my cereal and cozy covers to get ready.

After twenty minutes, I was successfully able to locate this dude named Ryan’s place and was knocking on the door of some cozy yellow house.

In return of my knocking came some bangs and grumbles and then something expensive breaking before the wooden door finally lurched open.

There stood Tristan and a young girl maybe my age or a year younger than me.

“There you are!” Tristan exclaimed, yanking me forcefully into the house.

“Here I am,” I replied sarcastically as Tristan continued to tow me along the darkened hallways.

“Hi, I’m Ginny,” the younger girl by my side warmly greeted me, waving.

“I’m Robin, but I’m sure you already knew that from all the fussing this one,” I pointed to Tristan. “Has been muttering about me all morning, am I wrong?” I smiled, daring for her to deny my accusations.

Ginny laughed and nodded. “Nope, you’re absolutely right.”

Tristan rolled his eyes at our conversation and then pulled me into a lit doorway.

There, after my eyes adjusted to the blinding brightness, stood our group plus some.

There was Brendon, Ram, Grey, and three other guys that were unknown to my knowledge. There were many instruments and wires scattered all over the place and there were also many stools set up. Studying with more analyzing eyes, I came to the conclusion that this was a garage.

“Robin!” cried Ram, rushing over to me with a 100-wat smile lit upon her glowing face. She wrapped me in what could possibly have been the tightest hug ever known to man.

After her strangle, I choked out, “Hi…Ram!”

Ram beamed before pulling me out of Tristan’s grip and towards the other three unknown guys.

She pointed to a long haired guy with a bass guitar, “This is Brent, try not to stare,” then she pointed to a blue-eyed man with drumsticks, “and this is our dear old Spencer who will confiscate any snacks you have brought along, and finally,” she pointed to a slender yet strikingly handsome guy who was holding a guitar, “last but not least, Ryan. Don’t mind him, he likes to stare.”

I gave each of them a meek wave and a shy smile before allowing Ram to shove me to the next destination.

“And don’t forget this one over here!” Ram exclaimed, whirling me around to face Brendon, who was sitting next to a piano.

He looked exceptionally happy, not in the least bit disturbed at my presence or even hurt to see me standing there, gazing at him. His brown eyes absorbed my face with no pain lurking within the deep chocolate. Brendon looked like the same old Brendon.

Ram’s face contorted with puzzlement as she pointed from me to Brendon. “Don’t you two know each other from somewhere?”

Brendon grinned at me. “Yeah, I think I met her at a strip club last week. I gave you a good tip, huh?”

“And I gave you a good time, no?” I wiggled my eyebrows at him, happy that we could still easily joke around with no hard feelings getting in the way.

Before Brendon could respond or even laugh, Ram interrupted. Turning to Brendon, she shook her head disapprovingly. “You better not have been at a strip club. What kind of girlfriend would that make me?”

Brendon smiled. “A really cool one.”

Ram broke into a smile and Brendon’s grin increased in size, his arms opening wide. Ram slipped into his embrace not even a second later, and then they were cuddling and giggling like every other cute highschool couple would be doing.

I was trying with all my might to not let my jaw fall open at this sickening sight set before me.

What the hell was going on?

Behind me I could hear Tristan starting a conversation with this Ginny girl and I could hear a group of bellowing laughter sounding from the three guys I’d just met, but I could also hear my heart shattering.

I couldn’t tear my eyes off them. Partly because of the shock and anger, and partly because it just…….fit. It was like Ram belonged in Brendon’s arms and Brendon belonged to Ram’s heart. I could see now that this was meant to be.

Brendon gave Ram an Eskimo kiss, rubbing his nose against Ram’s in a loving yet teasing way, while Ram squealed with a smile blooming upon her full lips. Then Ram whispered something in Brendon’s ear and he wiggled his eyebrows before she broke out in a fit of laughter. It was the perfect puppy love scene. It was all just so perfect.

Before I knew what I was doing, I was darting out of the room, down the hallway, out of the front door, to my car. Tears were overwhelming me and gasps for air pleaded from my lungs. I could hear my name being called several times but I ignored them. I just had to get out of here.

My heart was not going to be able to heal this cut. And the worst part was that the same sentence kept replaying itself over and over in my head…

It should have been me.