Summer Waves and Crashing Days

If you’ve ever lived through an Ohio winter, you know how brutal it can be. It completely sucks.

I hate the winter as it is, and to not have seen Matt in three months, again, is just icing on the cake.

It was already February and I couldn’t stand it any longer. I am pretty sure that three months away from his is just about my breaking point.

So as I sat in Calculus and looked out the window at the snow that was just pelting the ground viciously, I realized two things.

One being that I can’t stand this winter anymore and a tropical climate would be great right about now.

Two being that I couldn’t stand to be away from Matt any longer.

So, I made a snap decision and as I raised my hand, I couldn’t help but think that it was definitely the right one.

“Yes, Sophia?” our teacher said, calling on me.

“Can I go to the office? I have a very bad migraine.” I said, trying to look like I had one. She believed me because I had had issues with migraines all my life, and especially in this class, so she let me go.

I got my things and left the classroom, hurrying to the office.

When they finally let me leave, I got everything I needed out of my locker and put my winter jacket on along with the hood up.

I quickly ran out to my car and drove home.

My mom had to okay me to leave school, but I knew she wasn’t home. It was Friday, she worked late on Fridays, until about eight, and that’s why Amber and I always had sleepovers at my place on those nights.

I got home and quickly packed my bags. We didn’t have school Monday, so I could have a four day weekend, including today, with Matt.

I left a note for my mom on the dining room table.

Mom,

I am sorry to just leave you like this, but you know how I feel. I miss Matt way to much right now, and I need to go see him. I’m so sorry that I didn’t tell you in person, and I know that you will be so worried, but please, don’t worry. I will call you as soon as I land in Florida.

I love you,
Sophia.

I quickly locked the house up and drove myself to the airport, seeing that the next flight out was at four o’clock I had to wait.

I bought my ticket and gave my bags to baggage, waiting for my flight I sat at my gate listening to my iPod, I smiled when the song When I Look At You came on, and I touched my necklace.

I couldn’t wait to see him.

Finally, after what seemed like decades, they called my flight number for loading and we all got on the plane. IAs I sat down, I kept my messenger bag across my shoulder, figuring that I would need it soon anyway. I was sat next to an elderly lady on one side, and a woman who looked to be in her twenties on the other side.

They were both very nice. And before we had even departed I was telling them about Matt and I, and how I was going to see him now.

We had just pulled away from the gate and were high in the air, at the normal height, I suppose.

We were told we were over Columbus, when there was bad turbulence.

I just shrugged it off, thinking that it was normal.

It wasn’t.

The pilot’s voice came on, calm and collected as he said, “We are facing some bad turbulence right now, it shouldn’t be anything to worry about, but just to be safe, please put on your seat belts and the oxygen masks that come out of the overhead bin.

Just as he said it, yellow oxygen masks fell out of the top, worried; I quickly put my seat belt on, and the oxygen mask.

The turbulence only got worse, and then the worst possible thing happened.

The wind took off half of the left wing.

Tears started pouring down my face at that, because I knew I was dead. The plane was going down and there was nothing I could do about it.

So, I guess just to make my last seconds count, I grabbed a hold of one of the hands of both the women next to me, as we started to plummet down to Earth.

I leaned my head back, hard, against the seat, bracing myself. I closed my eyes but tears still fell, I drowned out the world. The pilot over the microphone, the cries of all the children on the plane, and zoned out the whistle of a plane takeing 31 innocent people down to their deaths.

And just before there was contact with the ground, one thought passed through my mind.

And I whispered softly.

“I’m sorry, Matt, for not keeping my promise.” I said referring to the promise I made to stay safe. “I love you.”

I said, sending my heart to wherever he was in Florida, thousands of miles away.

Everything happened in slow motion, then. But I kept my eyes closed.

I could feel the front end of the plane hit the ground, and knew the pilot didn’t make it. I could hear the cries abruptly stop as almost everyone died. And then I felt the pain, the pain of metal on metal crushing me, and I lost hold of the women’s’ hands. The pain of my body being twisted and crushed, and the heat of a fire that I felt coming closer and closer to me.

I love you, Matt, and I’m sorry.