Learning How to Swim
Every Flaw in the World
It had been forty-two days since she’d been admitted to the psych ward of Beckham Memorial Hospital. I only saw her once every three weeks, if that much. But this time my parents said I certainly couldn’t go. When I had asked why, my father had thrown on a grin and told me that the information was classified.
So I did the sensible thing and called up Steven. He told me he’d be over right away. And when he said right away, he certainly meant right away.
“Do you sprint here or what?” I asked him, closing the door as he walked in.
He kicked off his shoes and shrugged off his hoodie to reveal a green long-sleeve shirt. “You people like to keep it cold, huh?” he commented, checking the thermostat.
“It’s not that cold. Maybe you’re just cold-blooded,” I mumbled, pulling him into the house.
He grinned. “So I’m like a snake?” He stuck his tongue out and tried to hiss, but failed miserably. “So I’m not.” He headed for the staircase.
“Where are you going? To shave again?”
“Nah, I did that last night. I shaved my goatee, too. I’m hair-free. Want to feel?” he asked, rubbing his chin as he stood at the bottom of the stairs.
“No, I’m okay. But what are you up to?”
“Just doing some sleuthing,” he told me, going up the stairs two at a time. I hurried up after him.
“What are you doing?” I asked as he walked down the hall.
“Your room?” he asked, jerking a thumb to the first door. “I’m just a good guesser, I suppose. That, and the sign sort of gave it away.” He pushed the door open, walking into my room and jumping onto the bed.
“Steven, I’m not sure we should be up here. If my parents come home you can’t just dash out the door.”
“So shove me out the window,” he teased, glancing around my room. “Wow, someone’s been busy.”
I grinned, looking at my walls. They were covered with random pages out of magazines as well as a few pieces of artwork I had been forced to make during my freshman year. Underneath all of the pictures the walls were a soft green, though the walls weren’t very visible at all. Even my mirror was bordered with random tags and papers.
I walked up to my dresser, picking up a photo of Kara and I when I was eight. It was Halloween. I had been a fairy princess and she had been a witch for the fourth consecutive time.
“Cute,” Steven said quietly, looking over my shoulder. I smiled.
“I suppose the signs were always there, but I refused to think anything was wrong,” I told him, setting the picture down and turning to face him.
“It’s in human nature. If we don’t like something we ignore it.” He smiled apologetically. “We all do it. Flaws make us interesting, though, don’t they?”
“Perfectly imperfect, you mean?” I whispered, smiling gently.
“Yeah,” he breathed, suddenly so close. He cleared his throat, but I heard the front door slam shut.
“Oh, shit!” I cursed. “Quick, can you get in the closet?” I hissed, shoving him into the closet and closing the door.
“I don’t think you need my permission,” he called. “So I suppose I have to shut up now? It’s going to be hard, but I’ll try. Okay?”
“Okay,” I whispered, hearing someone come up the steps. Who was it?
“Alyssa!”
I was knocked to the floor by my bony sister, her eyes radiant again.
She was home...
So I did the sensible thing and called up Steven. He told me he’d be over right away. And when he said right away, he certainly meant right away.
“Do you sprint here or what?” I asked him, closing the door as he walked in.
He kicked off his shoes and shrugged off his hoodie to reveal a green long-sleeve shirt. “You people like to keep it cold, huh?” he commented, checking the thermostat.
“It’s not that cold. Maybe you’re just cold-blooded,” I mumbled, pulling him into the house.
He grinned. “So I’m like a snake?” He stuck his tongue out and tried to hiss, but failed miserably. “So I’m not.” He headed for the staircase.
“Where are you going? To shave again?”
“Nah, I did that last night. I shaved my goatee, too. I’m hair-free. Want to feel?” he asked, rubbing his chin as he stood at the bottom of the stairs.
“No, I’m okay. But what are you up to?”
“Just doing some sleuthing,” he told me, going up the stairs two at a time. I hurried up after him.
“What are you doing?” I asked as he walked down the hall.
“Your room?” he asked, jerking a thumb to the first door. “I’m just a good guesser, I suppose. That, and the sign sort of gave it away.” He pushed the door open, walking into my room and jumping onto the bed.
“Steven, I’m not sure we should be up here. If my parents come home you can’t just dash out the door.”
“So shove me out the window,” he teased, glancing around my room. “Wow, someone’s been busy.”
I grinned, looking at my walls. They were covered with random pages out of magazines as well as a few pieces of artwork I had been forced to make during my freshman year. Underneath all of the pictures the walls were a soft green, though the walls weren’t very visible at all. Even my mirror was bordered with random tags and papers.
I walked up to my dresser, picking up a photo of Kara and I when I was eight. It was Halloween. I had been a fairy princess and she had been a witch for the fourth consecutive time.
“Cute,” Steven said quietly, looking over my shoulder. I smiled.
“I suppose the signs were always there, but I refused to think anything was wrong,” I told him, setting the picture down and turning to face him.
“It’s in human nature. If we don’t like something we ignore it.” He smiled apologetically. “We all do it. Flaws make us interesting, though, don’t they?”
“Perfectly imperfect, you mean?” I whispered, smiling gently.
“Yeah,” he breathed, suddenly so close. He cleared his throat, but I heard the front door slam shut.
“Oh, shit!” I cursed. “Quick, can you get in the closet?” I hissed, shoving him into the closet and closing the door.
“I don’t think you need my permission,” he called. “So I suppose I have to shut up now? It’s going to be hard, but I’ll try. Okay?”
“Okay,” I whispered, hearing someone come up the steps. Who was it?
“Alyssa!”
I was knocked to the floor by my bony sister, her eyes radiant again.
She was home...