Status: Coming along. (:
Kiss, Don't Tell
Prologue
Eleven Years Ago
I took a deep breath. This was it: the moment I had been waiting patiently for since I first stepped foot on this playground. I glanced over my shoulder, for I could feel the eyes burning into the back of my head. Behind me stood a boy about my age, and he gave me a small smile. His bright blue eyes sparkled encouragingly and he gave a tiny wave. I blushed and quickly turned back towards the monkey bars.
‘I can do this,’ I thought to myself. I had to. Anyone who was going to be anyone in kindergarten had to be able to make The Jump. It was tradition for every incoming five year old. Those who couldn’t make The Jump were pretty much destined to be picked on for the rest of their elementary school years, and I sure didn’t want to be one of those kids.
I glanced over nervously at my brother standing on the sidelines. Dakota was in second grade this year, and although I had told him I didn’t want him here, I was glad he came anyway. He was the best big brother I could ever ask for, and I was glad I had someone to support me while I was here. My hands were practically shaking with nervousness. Everyone was watching.
I began to climb the rungs. I was utterly terrified. Every limb was trembling, and my breath quickened. What if I couldn’t make it and made myself look like an idiot in front of everyone, even the sixth graders? What if they all laughed and made fun of me? Pure fear radiated off of me in waves, and my legs wobbled on the top rung of the ladder.
“Come on, Savannah, you can make it!” Dakota shouted from my right. “Just like we practiced!” Tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t do this, I couldn’t do this, I couldn’t do this. The words bounced around in my head, taunting. A muffled sob tore from my throat, and I gave a little jump, sending me off of the bar and into the empty air.
I had jumped too high and not far enough out. My head hit the rung above me, and down I fell. Panic consumed me and I flailed my arms in terror, but it was of no use: there was nothing for my tiny hands to make purchase with. All I found was air. It was over quickly, however. I slammed into the ground, and the air was abruptly stolen from my lungs. Pain shot through my back and head, and every nerve in my body screamed.
I squeezed my eyes shut as the agony swept through me. I didn’t dare move. Distantly, I heard Dakota shout my name, but I didn’t answer. I couldn’t, really, but that didn’t stop the tears that flooded my already watery eyes. It hurt so badly. I couldn’t breathe; couldn’t think... Couldn’t move. I was absolutely frozen, trapped in my world of deafening agony.
I’m not really sure what happened next. Briefly, I wondered if I was dead, but quickly dismissed that thought. If I were dead, it wouldn’t hurt nearly this much. Someone apparently must have stepped in front of me, for a shadow fell across my face, blocking the surrounding haze of sunlight that was beating down from high in the noonday sky. I blinked rapidly, trying to swallow the pain and humiliation of what had just happened.
When I cleared my vision, I noticed the boy who had been standing behind me at the monkey bars holding his hand out. I smiled slightly through my pain and grasped it, beginning to pull myself up. That was when he let go, letting me fall harshly to the ground. I threw my arms back behind me to brace my second fall of that day, and as I landed, I realized that something was horribly, horribly wrong.
I screamed out in anguish as my wrist refused to support my weight. The last thing I remember seeing was blood and bone and I burst into tears, ones that wracked my body. I shivered as trails of water made their way from my eyes down my face. I was so cold. Why was I cold?
I heard shouting and Dakota picked me up carefully, one arm supporting my back and the other under my legs. I sobbed into his chest quietly before I eventually passed out from the pain. That day, I became enemies with Tyler Davis Matthews. Eleven years later, and not a thing has changed.
Until now.
I took a deep breath. This was it: the moment I had been waiting patiently for since I first stepped foot on this playground. I glanced over my shoulder, for I could feel the eyes burning into the back of my head. Behind me stood a boy about my age, and he gave me a small smile. His bright blue eyes sparkled encouragingly and he gave a tiny wave. I blushed and quickly turned back towards the monkey bars.
‘I can do this,’ I thought to myself. I had to. Anyone who was going to be anyone in kindergarten had to be able to make The Jump. It was tradition for every incoming five year old. Those who couldn’t make The Jump were pretty much destined to be picked on for the rest of their elementary school years, and I sure didn’t want to be one of those kids.
I glanced over nervously at my brother standing on the sidelines. Dakota was in second grade this year, and although I had told him I didn’t want him here, I was glad he came anyway. He was the best big brother I could ever ask for, and I was glad I had someone to support me while I was here. My hands were practically shaking with nervousness. Everyone was watching.
I began to climb the rungs. I was utterly terrified. Every limb was trembling, and my breath quickened. What if I couldn’t make it and made myself look like an idiot in front of everyone, even the sixth graders? What if they all laughed and made fun of me? Pure fear radiated off of me in waves, and my legs wobbled on the top rung of the ladder.
“Come on, Savannah, you can make it!” Dakota shouted from my right. “Just like we practiced!” Tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t do this, I couldn’t do this, I couldn’t do this. The words bounced around in my head, taunting. A muffled sob tore from my throat, and I gave a little jump, sending me off of the bar and into the empty air.
I had jumped too high and not far enough out. My head hit the rung above me, and down I fell. Panic consumed me and I flailed my arms in terror, but it was of no use: there was nothing for my tiny hands to make purchase with. All I found was air. It was over quickly, however. I slammed into the ground, and the air was abruptly stolen from my lungs. Pain shot through my back and head, and every nerve in my body screamed.
I squeezed my eyes shut as the agony swept through me. I didn’t dare move. Distantly, I heard Dakota shout my name, but I didn’t answer. I couldn’t, really, but that didn’t stop the tears that flooded my already watery eyes. It hurt so badly. I couldn’t breathe; couldn’t think... Couldn’t move. I was absolutely frozen, trapped in my world of deafening agony.
I’m not really sure what happened next. Briefly, I wondered if I was dead, but quickly dismissed that thought. If I were dead, it wouldn’t hurt nearly this much. Someone apparently must have stepped in front of me, for a shadow fell across my face, blocking the surrounding haze of sunlight that was beating down from high in the noonday sky. I blinked rapidly, trying to swallow the pain and humiliation of what had just happened.
When I cleared my vision, I noticed the boy who had been standing behind me at the monkey bars holding his hand out. I smiled slightly through my pain and grasped it, beginning to pull myself up. That was when he let go, letting me fall harshly to the ground. I threw my arms back behind me to brace my second fall of that day, and as I landed, I realized that something was horribly, horribly wrong.
I screamed out in anguish as my wrist refused to support my weight. The last thing I remember seeing was blood and bone and I burst into tears, ones that wracked my body. I shivered as trails of water made their way from my eyes down my face. I was so cold. Why was I cold?
I heard shouting and Dakota picked me up carefully, one arm supporting my back and the other under my legs. I sobbed into his chest quietly before I eventually passed out from the pain. That day, I became enemies with Tyler Davis Matthews. Eleven years later, and not a thing has changed.
Until now.
♠ ♠ ♠
Whoo! Okay, the prologue is out of the way. So anyhoo, this is going to be a story co-written between me and one of my best friends, Alyssa. (: I'll be writing Savannah's POV (odd chapters, plus this prologue) and Lyss will be writing the even numbered chapters. Make sense? Basically, it'll alternate between Savannah's POV and Tyler's. Alrighty then! Bye!