Adolescence
Jackass
Months passed and Billie's and mine friendship grew stronger and I got less and less involved in school. I hardly if ever went to school and thank God it was summer, not like I passed. But it was a chance I did.
One day when I got home from Billie's, my parents were waiting for me.
"Hey," I said and headed for my door. They stood in front of my door. "Something wrong?"
My mom nodded. "Go downstairs I need to have a talk with you."
I went downstairs and sat on my bed against the wall, hugging a pillow and my mom came down and sat at my computer chair.
"I don't know what's gotten into you. When Ed was around, you were a -"
"Don't. Mention. Ed."
She processed that and continued. "You were a good kid. You were. I can understand you're depressed on losing...him...and that's okay. But you can't just skip school because of that."
"You did," I said in a small voice.
She nodded. "Yes, but I...I don't want you hanging out with Billie anymore."
I stared at her. "Why the hell not?"
"He's a bad influence."
"So is Dad."
"I want you to go to school and have an education."
"You didn't."
"I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE LIKE ME!"
I paused and thought, "You sure have an odd way of role modeling."
She paused and let her steam pass. "What do you want? What do you want to do with your life?" she asked.
I shrugged. "I used to think my life was going to be in a mansion, with Ed faithfully by my side everywhere I go, no job but supported by money anyways. Never saw any kids, but now that image is as blurry as your vision."
She laughed. "You thought it's going to be that easy?"
"You didn't know Ed, Mom. His house was practically made out of money. He bought my car out there."
"He bought you that Rolls Royce? Not his parents?"
"It has Ed written all over it. Can you see it for me, Mom? Please?"
She stared at me. "What do you want me to do with the money?"
"Open a bank account and put it in there for me."
She nodded and left the room.
****
I was watching TV, taking up the whole couch when my mom came home, the mail in her hands.
"Here, Jess. Mail for you."
I took the mail and my heart stopped. In the same handwriting as before, my name was inscripted above my address and I looked at the return address, but all it said was EKW. I ripped open the letter and scanned it desparately.
Dear Jessica,
I can't take it anymore. I can't live without you. I'm coming back to Sharon. I'll be on Flight 206, on Friday, June 16. I can't wait to see you.
Love, Ed
I jumped around happily and looked at the calendar. Today was the 16th. I screamed and turned back to the TV, where my dad had turned it to the news.
"Breaking news: Plane crash in Pennsylvania coming from Sacramento to Boston, Flight 206."
My heart stopped again. "ED!" I screamed to the top of my lungs. It was one thing for him to leave, but a totally different one to be dead.
"No survivors were found."
"Hey Dad can I take the car?"
"Sure. Be back before you're missed."
Okay, I should never come back. I drove to Boston to the newpaper office. I didn't have to go in, there was a fresh newspaper dropped from the truck that was driving away. I picked it up and found exactly what I was looking for: the names of people who had gotten on the plane. Ed wasn't one of them. I knew he wasn't dead. He'd tricked me, that ass. I threw down the newspaper and laughed quietly. He's out there somewhere. But he wanted me to move on, that was clear. He wanted me to grieve, then turn to Billie for comfort. I laughed again and drove back to Sharon.
One day when I got home from Billie's, my parents were waiting for me.
"Hey," I said and headed for my door. They stood in front of my door. "Something wrong?"
My mom nodded. "Go downstairs I need to have a talk with you."
I went downstairs and sat on my bed against the wall, hugging a pillow and my mom came down and sat at my computer chair.
"I don't know what's gotten into you. When Ed was around, you were a -"
"Don't. Mention. Ed."
She processed that and continued. "You were a good kid. You were. I can understand you're depressed on losing...him...and that's okay. But you can't just skip school because of that."
"You did," I said in a small voice.
She nodded. "Yes, but I...I don't want you hanging out with Billie anymore."
I stared at her. "Why the hell not?"
"He's a bad influence."
"So is Dad."
"I want you to go to school and have an education."
"You didn't."
"I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE LIKE ME!"
I paused and thought, "You sure have an odd way of role modeling."
She paused and let her steam pass. "What do you want? What do you want to do with your life?" she asked.
I shrugged. "I used to think my life was going to be in a mansion, with Ed faithfully by my side everywhere I go, no job but supported by money anyways. Never saw any kids, but now that image is as blurry as your vision."
She laughed. "You thought it's going to be that easy?"
"You didn't know Ed, Mom. His house was practically made out of money. He bought my car out there."
"He bought you that Rolls Royce? Not his parents?"
"It has Ed written all over it. Can you see it for me, Mom? Please?"
She stared at me. "What do you want me to do with the money?"
"Open a bank account and put it in there for me."
She nodded and left the room.
****
I was watching TV, taking up the whole couch when my mom came home, the mail in her hands.
"Here, Jess. Mail for you."
I took the mail and my heart stopped. In the same handwriting as before, my name was inscripted above my address and I looked at the return address, but all it said was EKW. I ripped open the letter and scanned it desparately.
Dear Jessica,
I can't take it anymore. I can't live without you. I'm coming back to Sharon. I'll be on Flight 206, on Friday, June 16. I can't wait to see you.
Love, Ed
I jumped around happily and looked at the calendar. Today was the 16th. I screamed and turned back to the TV, where my dad had turned it to the news.
"Breaking news: Plane crash in Pennsylvania coming from Sacramento to Boston, Flight 206."
My heart stopped again. "ED!" I screamed to the top of my lungs. It was one thing for him to leave, but a totally different one to be dead.
"No survivors were found."
"Hey Dad can I take the car?"
"Sure. Be back before you're missed."
Okay, I should never come back. I drove to Boston to the newpaper office. I didn't have to go in, there was a fresh newspaper dropped from the truck that was driving away. I picked it up and found exactly what I was looking for: the names of people who had gotten on the plane. Ed wasn't one of them. I knew he wasn't dead. He'd tricked me, that ass. I threw down the newspaper and laughed quietly. He's out there somewhere. But he wanted me to move on, that was clear. He wanted me to grieve, then turn to Billie for comfort. I laughed again and drove back to Sharon.