Reduced To Tears.
Hold My Hand, Make It Okay
Third period was science, and Caris had to get her book from her locker. At her locker, she could feel the tears springing into her eyes. But she wouldn’t let them fall. Not now ,not ever. She slammed the door with as much force as she could muster, then danced gracefully back into the classroom, trying not to draw attention to herself. Quite a shame her effort was put to waste.
“You’ve been crying!” James Jackson yelled out to the class, peoples heads snapping around to the thought of Caris crying.
“Shut up, James, that is so not true.” Caris shot back, her words laced with annoyance, trying to sound like the confident girl she would have usually been. Hayden watched her walk back to her bench, in silence. Caris didn’t notice Hayden's view, and continued to ignore Charity when she looked over with raised eyebrows. Caris slid on her reading glasses, and started to copy down her work, when Madison, came slamming in, the thing Caris really needed at that point. Not.
“Are you alright Caris? What’s wrong? You’re not smiling! What’s wroooong?” Madison chattered and wheedled, pulling a sad face and pouting at her. “Something is OBVIOUSLY wrong. You CANNOT be sad. You’re Caris Turner-Tyrin! YOU DON’T GET SAD!” Madison continued, her voice getting closer and closer to Caris’s face. Caris dropped her pen, and closed her eyes. Madison was the reason Caris felt like this. Madison was the reason Caris felt useless and empty all of a sudden. But, Madison wasn’t cruel. Just clueless. She didn’t know.
“Whoa, Mads, give Caris a bit of room to breathe...” Charity said, her voice soft. Caris looked up, and rubbed her eyes.
“No, I'm fine Maddy. Don’t worry.” Caris curved her lips into a sad excuse of what could have passed for a smile, then continued on with her work. Prior to finishing it, she tipped her head back, letting her hair fall into a golden waterfall down her back. Charity knew at a glance that Caris was acting oddly. She just didn’t say anything.
The recess bell rang out, and Caris swiftly and fluently got up from her seat, shoving everything into her bag as she walked down the aisle. Handing the text book to Mr. Ryerson, she frowned, her face crumpling. It was Tuesday. She had music practise with Mrs. Myrow. That was the upside. The downside, however, was Hayden also had music practise, and would be there. He played the drums, and was a great musician, everyone agreed. Usually this would be wonderful for Caris, but today, she didn’t want to be anywhere near him.
Caris began up the stairs, to where Mrs. Myrow was waiting at the door. Hayden fell into step with Caris, and glanced at her softly.
“Hey. Are you alright?” He asking softly, bumping her slightly with his shoulder in a sign of affection. Caris winced at the touch and shied away.
“Yeah. I’m fine – Thanks.” Caris spat back coldly.
Hayden’s expression went from soft, to confused, slowing him down, giving Caris time to speed ahead, and into her little sanctuary. She gracefully walked over to her violin, and picked it up ,mounting the bow. Hayden sat at the drum kit, starting a beat. Caris began, playing in rhythm to him, a beautiful melody, that sounded like the beat of her heart. It was wonderful. He started to play faster, and Caris kept her pace, keeping up with every note in the music. Her top lip was arched, her eyebrows raised in concentration. She looked at peace. Finally, Hayden’s pace began to slow, and Caris matched his tempo. At last, he stopped, and with one last wavering note, so did she.
“That was fantastic, kids! Really amazing!” Mrs. Myrow exclaimed, the pleasure exploding off her face. Caris smiled back at the teacher, but her face felt stiff. She could sense Hayden standing, and she was sure he’d be smiling his laidback, lopsided grin. Caris raised her bow and set off to play one of her favourite pieces. Once again, she felt.. Happy.
“You’ve been crying!” James Jackson yelled out to the class, peoples heads snapping around to the thought of Caris crying.
“Shut up, James, that is so not true.” Caris shot back, her words laced with annoyance, trying to sound like the confident girl she would have usually been. Hayden watched her walk back to her bench, in silence. Caris didn’t notice Hayden's view, and continued to ignore Charity when she looked over with raised eyebrows. Caris slid on her reading glasses, and started to copy down her work, when Madison, came slamming in, the thing Caris really needed at that point. Not.
“Are you alright Caris? What’s wrong? You’re not smiling! What’s wroooong?” Madison chattered and wheedled, pulling a sad face and pouting at her. “Something is OBVIOUSLY wrong. You CANNOT be sad. You’re Caris Turner-Tyrin! YOU DON’T GET SAD!” Madison continued, her voice getting closer and closer to Caris’s face. Caris dropped her pen, and closed her eyes. Madison was the reason Caris felt like this. Madison was the reason Caris felt useless and empty all of a sudden. But, Madison wasn’t cruel. Just clueless. She didn’t know.
“Whoa, Mads, give Caris a bit of room to breathe...” Charity said, her voice soft. Caris looked up, and rubbed her eyes.
“No, I'm fine Maddy. Don’t worry.” Caris curved her lips into a sad excuse of what could have passed for a smile, then continued on with her work. Prior to finishing it, she tipped her head back, letting her hair fall into a golden waterfall down her back. Charity knew at a glance that Caris was acting oddly. She just didn’t say anything.
The recess bell rang out, and Caris swiftly and fluently got up from her seat, shoving everything into her bag as she walked down the aisle. Handing the text book to Mr. Ryerson, she frowned, her face crumpling. It was Tuesday. She had music practise with Mrs. Myrow. That was the upside. The downside, however, was Hayden also had music practise, and would be there. He played the drums, and was a great musician, everyone agreed. Usually this would be wonderful for Caris, but today, she didn’t want to be anywhere near him.
Caris began up the stairs, to where Mrs. Myrow was waiting at the door. Hayden fell into step with Caris, and glanced at her softly.
“Hey. Are you alright?” He asking softly, bumping her slightly with his shoulder in a sign of affection. Caris winced at the touch and shied away.
“Yeah. I’m fine – Thanks.” Caris spat back coldly.
Hayden’s expression went from soft, to confused, slowing him down, giving Caris time to speed ahead, and into her little sanctuary. She gracefully walked over to her violin, and picked it up ,mounting the bow. Hayden sat at the drum kit, starting a beat. Caris began, playing in rhythm to him, a beautiful melody, that sounded like the beat of her heart. It was wonderful. He started to play faster, and Caris kept her pace, keeping up with every note in the music. Her top lip was arched, her eyebrows raised in concentration. She looked at peace. Finally, Hayden’s pace began to slow, and Caris matched his tempo. At last, he stopped, and with one last wavering note, so did she.
“That was fantastic, kids! Really amazing!” Mrs. Myrow exclaimed, the pleasure exploding off her face. Caris smiled back at the teacher, but her face felt stiff. She could sense Hayden standing, and she was sure he’d be smiling his laidback, lopsided grin. Caris raised her bow and set off to play one of her favourite pieces. Once again, she felt.. Happy.