Status: Restarting after many years forgotten
If You Fall
Centered
Leaving my dark house behind me, I check both ways and turn out of my driveway. The engine shifts gears as I accelerate, my hand finding the right knob to turn up the volume my stereo.
"Give a little bit, Give a little bit of your love to me.." I start to sing softly, smiling. I flick on the right directional and come to a stop sign. While I'm waiting for another car to turn, my hand slides backwards along the top of my chestnut hair, smoothing it out. I glance in my mirror and smile cheesily at myself as I check my teeth.
Over the drive, my mind quiets, seeming to leave my anxieties behind me as I approach the youth center. Its only one town over from my own, as South Salem is nestled snugly into the corner of New York, right on the stateline. Ridgefield, Connecticut, is how they spell it, but Rich-field is what comes off of everyone's tongues. And its hard to argue that its not appropriate.
"Hah!" I laugh as the next song comes on the radio. "I'm going out tonight, I'm feeling alright, gonna let it all hang ooooouuuttt" I sing loudly, swaying back and forth in my seat.
Before I know it, I'm pulling into the big parking lot in front of the center, the only place I'll ever pull up with my music still cranked up. I see Tony and Seth standing by the front door, and they begin to walk towards my car when they see me, smiles on their faces.
"Liza!" Seth squeals as I finally step out of the car, fixing my shirt again. He runs over and gives me a hug, his petite form sliding easily under my arms.
"Hey!" I exclaim back. "I'm so happy to see you! Hey Tony!" We let go and I move to Tony, letting the big guy pick me up effortlessly in a bear hug. Turning back to Seth, I ask "Where were you last week? We went down to the park and tried to do parkour. You would've laughed your ass off when I fell off the slide."
Seth laughs, and we begin to chat as we head back towards the doors of the youth center, otherwise known as the "Loft". As we walk in, my friend AJ springs out of his chair where he's been chatting to a few of the girls, and gives me a big hug, kissing my neck. I shove off his tall lanky form and greet him, used to his overly affectionate ways.
Once I've said hello to a few of the girls and Jessica who's manning the Loft that night, I go over and watch the games the other guys are playing on the TV. Its a typical Friday night there, making crude jokes, playing pool, and having air guitar challenges. Eventually, we head over to Planet Pizza and split a few slices between the change we have in our pockets.
Most people have left by the time we get back to the center, and Jessica is getting ready to turn the lights out and lock up.
"Are you coming to Kelly's birthday party next week?" Aj asks me, sliding an arm around my waist and snuggling in. I laugh, thinking that my friends are more like cats than humans. No one understands us.
"Yeah, I think so. I just have to make sure they gave me the night off." I answer, beginning to yawn. "I've got to get going, though. I'll see you soon!"
As soon as I give the crew a big hug, I turn and walk away from their figures, watching them pull up their black hoodies and begin to mess around with each other.
I smile and laugh slightly, the smile remaining on my face until I pull into my driveway. Right away, a familiar tension rises in my belly. Cutting my engine, I pause a moment in the silence and begin to hear crickets chirping. At least its soothing as my boots crunch up the gravel driveway.
"Give a little bit, Give a little bit of your love to me.." I start to sing softly, smiling. I flick on the right directional and come to a stop sign. While I'm waiting for another car to turn, my hand slides backwards along the top of my chestnut hair, smoothing it out. I glance in my mirror and smile cheesily at myself as I check my teeth.
Over the drive, my mind quiets, seeming to leave my anxieties behind me as I approach the youth center. Its only one town over from my own, as South Salem is nestled snugly into the corner of New York, right on the stateline. Ridgefield, Connecticut, is how they spell it, but Rich-field is what comes off of everyone's tongues. And its hard to argue that its not appropriate.
"Hah!" I laugh as the next song comes on the radio. "I'm going out tonight, I'm feeling alright, gonna let it all hang ooooouuuttt" I sing loudly, swaying back and forth in my seat.
Before I know it, I'm pulling into the big parking lot in front of the center, the only place I'll ever pull up with my music still cranked up. I see Tony and Seth standing by the front door, and they begin to walk towards my car when they see me, smiles on their faces.
"Liza!" Seth squeals as I finally step out of the car, fixing my shirt again. He runs over and gives me a hug, his petite form sliding easily under my arms.
"Hey!" I exclaim back. "I'm so happy to see you! Hey Tony!" We let go and I move to Tony, letting the big guy pick me up effortlessly in a bear hug. Turning back to Seth, I ask "Where were you last week? We went down to the park and tried to do parkour. You would've laughed your ass off when I fell off the slide."
Seth laughs, and we begin to chat as we head back towards the doors of the youth center, otherwise known as the "Loft". As we walk in, my friend AJ springs out of his chair where he's been chatting to a few of the girls, and gives me a big hug, kissing my neck. I shove off his tall lanky form and greet him, used to his overly affectionate ways.
Once I've said hello to a few of the girls and Jessica who's manning the Loft that night, I go over and watch the games the other guys are playing on the TV. Its a typical Friday night there, making crude jokes, playing pool, and having air guitar challenges. Eventually, we head over to Planet Pizza and split a few slices between the change we have in our pockets.
Most people have left by the time we get back to the center, and Jessica is getting ready to turn the lights out and lock up.
"Are you coming to Kelly's birthday party next week?" Aj asks me, sliding an arm around my waist and snuggling in. I laugh, thinking that my friends are more like cats than humans. No one understands us.
"Yeah, I think so. I just have to make sure they gave me the night off." I answer, beginning to yawn. "I've got to get going, though. I'll see you soon!"
As soon as I give the crew a big hug, I turn and walk away from their figures, watching them pull up their black hoodies and begin to mess around with each other.
I smile and laugh slightly, the smile remaining on my face until I pull into my driveway. Right away, a familiar tension rises in my belly. Cutting my engine, I pause a moment in the silence and begin to hear crickets chirping. At least its soothing as my boots crunch up the gravel driveway.
♠ ♠ ♠
The center will play a big part in the development between the two main characters! I wanted to introduce it to you so you could see how important it is to Liza, and also to get a sense of how lonely she is when she's on her own. She doesn't seem to have many girl friends either, which is also vital to the story.Thanks for reading! Comment if you can. :0)