I Lost My Fear of Falling

The steam from my shower still clinging to my skin, I resigned myself to another day at the hell hole known as Belleville High School.
Another day barely scraping by to meet the standards my parents have set for me.
I pulled on my ripped black jeans, a worn out Ramones t-shirt and my beat up Converse. Everything about me is kinda scruffy, and I don’t really mind.
A quick breakfast and I was out the door in my secondhand Honda to go pick up Wes and for school.
The familiar sight of Wes’s pink hair made me smile. She’d dyed it that vibrant pink to separate herself from the other girls at school. I would dye my hair too, if my parents wouldn’t kill me. As it was when I came home with my rook piercing they nearly blew a gasket.
I didn’t really care. I just let them yell, told them I was sorry and went to my room as usual.
We headed to school as usual and went to our separate first periods. Mine was Honors English, a class I could have slept in and been totally fine.
And I usually did sleep. I had permanent dark circles under my eyes, no matter how much sleep I got. I needed the extra hour and Mr. V didn’t care. He knew I had the highest grade in the class.
I flipped my hood up and made my way to my second period class, to the haven of Wes’s presence.
The jocks at our school (privately nicknamed the Meatheads) had decided I was their new target for teasing and humiliation. Wes was the only thing they were afraid of and for that I was eternally grateful for my friend.
“Are you okay Emmy?” Wes asked when I threw myself into the seat next to her.
“Life fucking sucks, you know that?” I muttered, tugging my binder out violently.
“I’m sorry doll.” She squeezed my hand.
I made it all the way to the end of fourth period before the Meatheads remembered that I was around.
One, whose name I think might have been Brandon, nearly tripped me as I walked past to the door. Another one shoved me into the door, my shoulder making jarring contact with the hard wood. I gritted my teeth and kept walking.
Don’t react and they won’t notice you.
Bullshit.
I walked to the corner of the cafeteria we usually sat in. Wes was already there, shooting glares at the freshmen.
“I swear I can’t wait until we’re seniors and we can get away from these fucktards.” She growled.
“Let it go Wes. I think if the principal sees you one more time for a fight you’ll be expelled and then I’ll be lonely without you.” I took a bite of my apple serenely.
“True. And I wouldn’t want to leave you.” We had a brief hug and spent the rest of lunch discussing piercings and tattoos.
I dropped Wes off at her house and went home. My mom was reading a book on the couch when I walked in.
“Hey.” I said on my way up the stairs. My dad’s door was closed, meaning he was either asleep or they had another fight.
Either way I’m grateful for the silence.
I curled up on my window seat and tried and failed to do my math homework. Not only do I hate the subject but I suck at it.
I threw the book on my bed in frustration and looked out my window. It looked out onto the side of the neighbors’ house.
We’ve lived in this house for eight years and I’ve never talked to anyone who lives there. I know there are two boys who live there, one my age and one my brother River’s age.
I can see one of them right now.
He had short brown hair peeking out from beneath a black beanie and black and white glasses.
He glanced right up at my window and spotted me watching him. He raised one hand, as if to say hello.
I returned the gesture awkwardly and he smiled slightly.
“Mikey, hurry the hell up! My ass is freezing over here!” A short guy with shaggy black hair yelled from the curb, where he was standing next to a car.
So that was his name.
Mikey.
He looked like a Mikey.
“Em, dinner!” Mom yelled up the stairs. I collected my bowl of food and went back to my room.
I’d been obsessively staring out the window, waiting for Mikey to come back.
To see if he’d wave at the invisible girl again.