Shattered Glass

Silver

The world was upside down. My toes grasped at the hot summer air and my hair brushed the young bright green leaves.

"Silver, get down from there. You're gonna fall!" called my mother from the open car window as she backed out of the driveway.

"Sure, mum! Bye!" I screeched, waving at her. I returned to Grace, my best friend lying on the grass, her eyes staring at me and the fresh leaves of the tree looming above her.

"So, what are you going to do? You should tell him, you know," she informed me, resuming our conversation from before.

I giggled at the tickle of leaves on the bottom of my feet. I was lying upside down on a thick branch of the ancient tree in the garden of my house. I kicked at the empty air around my feet as I thought of a reply for my waiting best friend.

"Sure, I will. After he tells me that he likes me!" I chirped still atop my branch, "He likes you, you know. So I shouldn't even tell him." I watched her face. I guessed she was thinking of an answer that wouldn't make me fall out of the tree and thump my head on the hard ground.

"No he doesn't. I asked him. He likes...someone. He won't tell me who. But it's not me!" pressed Grace as a convincing look appeared on her face. She sat up to hand me the can of Coke I had sat down next to her on the ground. I gripped the sticky metal surface and brought it to my lips. Coke dribbled down my left cheek and onto my best friend's forehead.

I laughed at her disgusted expression as I sat upright on the branch, taking big gulps of the last of the Coke in the can. I positioned myself on the edge, readying myself for a jump. I answered first.

"Nah, I can't tell him."

I jumped without looking down. I felt the earth shudder and vibrate. I had landed just inches from my phone hidden amongst the thick blades of grass. I reached for the cool plastic of the phone as I laid down next to Grace.

"You've got to," she chanted as I squinted at the screen of my phone.

"I can't," I answered in the same singsong voice she had used as I brought the phone to my ear.

"Hey. Silver?"

My breath caught. I saw the smile on my smug best friend's face as she closed her eyes again to bask in the sunlight seeping through the tree's leaves.

"Hey, James."