Status: Awkwardly Active.
In Case of Emergency, Dial 411
Revealed
“Hey grams,” I got my grandmother attention as we sat at the table about to eat dinner
“Yes, dear?”
“What’s that song you hum all the time?” I finally ask. Earlier that day, I was humming it subconsciously in the morning in the library. Dontae had asked me about it when he was picking out more manga books. Grandma chuckles quietly and sips on her ice tea before clearing her throat and answering.
“It’s a long story,” she whispers quietly almost as if she wishes not to speak on the subject but I dig a little deeper.
“I’ve got time.” I say, leaning back in my seat.
“You really want to know, huh?” Grams looks up from her plate and studies my face. I nod “Well, a long time ago, I was probably your age or a little older, I met your grandfather” She start off the story in sort of an ominous tone “He was handsome alright,” she smiled to herself looking out the window of the dining room then flashes her glance back at me “All the ladies of the town we’re pretty lining up on his doorstep to marry him. He could have had anyone he wanted. Yet, he chased after the girl that hardly gave him the time of day.”
“That girl was you?” I asked feeling myself being sucked into my grandmother’s story. She nods “Why didn’t you like him? Was he mean or rude?”
Grandma shakes her head and looks out the window again “Not at all. He was quite a gentleman. I had a rough life growing up. I was sort of the middle child in house filled with nine children. My mom was busy being a housewife and my dad was always working so I was quite used to feeling lonesome or unattended to. School was tough as well, not many girl went to school or wanted too but I did which meant there were mostly boys that attended my school and they weren't nice at all. I was often taunted for being poor, ugly or having wore ratty hand me down clothes. So when a handsome devil like your grandfather came around showing his interest in me I just assumed it was just another way the boys thought to bully me”
“The years went on and I sort of became suicidal,” Grams continues grimly “My senior year of school I was about to throw in the towel. I wanted to give up on life and just as I was about to take my life away your grandfather came in my life and save me.”
I was intrigued by my gram’s story, I really was but I was sort of confused “And how does this tie in to your humming?” I questioned
“Right,” Grams says remembering “The hum, it’s what he’d hum to me at times. It’s so catchy even though his years are long gone I can never stop myself from his contagious tune”
“So it’s not a song?” I ask somewhat disappointed. This entire time I thought it was a song and I thought I had piece together most of it’s lyrics.
“Of course it’s a song. I forgot the words to it because I’ve hummed it for so long”
“Does it go something along the lines of ‘I could save you, if you ask me to. I could save their life?”
“No, not quite. But I think I remember now.” My grandmother clears her throat again and sings it “‘I can save you, If you ask me, just ask me to. I can save your life.
It was one of the most beautiful thing I had ever heard.
“Morning, Jare.” Wilko found me one morning stuffing textbooks in my locker.
“What’s up?” I acknowledge my cousin and his girlfriend.
“I told coach about you and put in a good word for you.” Wilko said with a wide grin. I felt my soul internally sink because I knew what he was going to say “You could come to practice this afternoon so we can see whatcha made off.”
“Oh” I say trying to hide my grief. I didn’t know how to tell him no, that I didn’t want to be apart of the football team.
“And maybe your girlfriend can join us in cheerleading practice.” Tasha said looking directly at Siane who was standing right next to me. It was then I realized that Siane body seemed rigid and more tense and Tasha was glaring down at her.
“I’d rather not, Tasha.” Siane answered squinting
“Fine, suit yourself.” Tasha stated ending on a high note. She flipped her long, platinum blonde hair and started to drag Wilko away.
“Aye, see you after school at practice!” Wilko added before being pulled around the corridor.
I sigh deeply
“I hate her” Siane growls, I turn my attention to the blonde girl that seemed rather flustered still as she stood next to me. “Remember when I told you why I got suspended?”
“You said ‘ I got in a fight with some stupid, ignorant cheerleader that had nothing better to do with her time than to bother me.’” I repeated verbatim
“You remembered?” She said slowly, I nodded “Those sound like my exact words” she stated the obvious. The bell rung and we began walking to Chemistry.
“Yeah, continue” I said wanting to hear the rest of the story. Siane shakes her head but finishes
“Well, Tasha’s that cheerleader.” she says. I’m slightly surprised, but I felt stuck at the sametime. Getting in the middle of a girl’s feud was the last thing I needed.
“I don’t think I want to be on the football team.” I say changing the subject.
“Why not?” Siane asks before sitting down in the respected seat in the classroom. There are few other students in the room but there was still a couple minutes of passing time left.
“Because, we had plans to hangout this afternoon. Practice get’s in the way”
Siane smiles, I smile for being able to make her happy unintentionally “I think you should go ahead and be on the team. From the stories you told me, you love playing sports. You have been thinking about calling sports quiets because of the people you had to deal with in your old town. I’m not saying these people are any better but at least it’s a fresh group. You should go for it. I’ll watch”
I was sort of taken back how well Siane read me. She nailed my thoughts and feelings right on the dot. The second bell rung and the class was almost full. It was time for the morning announcements on TV. I didn’t pay much attention to it until they started to announce the Homecoming court nominees. Then some girl made everyone quiet down as they riddled off names. They announced freshmen first in which all four names I did not recognize. Then for sophomores I heard the names that made me actually laugh out loud.
“For sophomore saige and maiden Dontae Harris and Karstin Hinckle... “
“Oh my goodness.” Siane gasped also in disbelief then chuckled.
“For juniors, the prince and princess Jeremy Shada and Siane Olson.”
My body felt like I’d been doused in ice cold water. I was dully aware of the applause from my classmates.
The announcements continued “And seniors, Homecoming King and Queen William Truman and Tasha Good.”
Us? Me and Siane part of the homecoming court? I remember a few of my friends joking around saying that they’d vote for me and Siane and Dontae jokingly campaigning for me but it was all a joke? Right, a joke?
“Yes, dear?”
“What’s that song you hum all the time?” I finally ask. Earlier that day, I was humming it subconsciously in the morning in the library. Dontae had asked me about it when he was picking out more manga books. Grandma chuckles quietly and sips on her ice tea before clearing her throat and answering.
“It’s a long story,” she whispers quietly almost as if she wishes not to speak on the subject but I dig a little deeper.
“I’ve got time.” I say, leaning back in my seat.
“You really want to know, huh?” Grams looks up from her plate and studies my face. I nod “Well, a long time ago, I was probably your age or a little older, I met your grandfather” She start off the story in sort of an ominous tone “He was handsome alright,” she smiled to herself looking out the window of the dining room then flashes her glance back at me “All the ladies of the town we’re pretty lining up on his doorstep to marry him. He could have had anyone he wanted. Yet, he chased after the girl that hardly gave him the time of day.”
“That girl was you?” I asked feeling myself being sucked into my grandmother’s story. She nods “Why didn’t you like him? Was he mean or rude?”
Grandma shakes her head and looks out the window again “Not at all. He was quite a gentleman. I had a rough life growing up. I was sort of the middle child in house filled with nine children. My mom was busy being a housewife and my dad was always working so I was quite used to feeling lonesome or unattended to. School was tough as well, not many girl went to school or wanted too but I did which meant there were mostly boys that attended my school and they weren't nice at all. I was often taunted for being poor, ugly or having wore ratty hand me down clothes. So when a handsome devil like your grandfather came around showing his interest in me I just assumed it was just another way the boys thought to bully me”
“The years went on and I sort of became suicidal,” Grams continues grimly “My senior year of school I was about to throw in the towel. I wanted to give up on life and just as I was about to take my life away your grandfather came in my life and save me.”
I was intrigued by my gram’s story, I really was but I was sort of confused “And how does this tie in to your humming?” I questioned
“Right,” Grams says remembering “The hum, it’s what he’d hum to me at times. It’s so catchy even though his years are long gone I can never stop myself from his contagious tune”
“So it’s not a song?” I ask somewhat disappointed. This entire time I thought it was a song and I thought I had piece together most of it’s lyrics.
“Of course it’s a song. I forgot the words to it because I’ve hummed it for so long”
“Does it go something along the lines of ‘I could save you, if you ask me to. I could save their life?”
“No, not quite. But I think I remember now.” My grandmother clears her throat again and sings it “‘I can save you, If you ask me, just ask me to. I can save your life.
It was one of the most beautiful thing I had ever heard.
xXx
“Morning, Jare.” Wilko found me one morning stuffing textbooks in my locker.
“What’s up?” I acknowledge my cousin and his girlfriend.
“I told coach about you and put in a good word for you.” Wilko said with a wide grin. I felt my soul internally sink because I knew what he was going to say “You could come to practice this afternoon so we can see whatcha made off.”
“Oh” I say trying to hide my grief. I didn’t know how to tell him no, that I didn’t want to be apart of the football team.
“And maybe your girlfriend can join us in cheerleading practice.” Tasha said looking directly at Siane who was standing right next to me. It was then I realized that Siane body seemed rigid and more tense and Tasha was glaring down at her.
“I’d rather not, Tasha.” Siane answered squinting
“Fine, suit yourself.” Tasha stated ending on a high note. She flipped her long, platinum blonde hair and started to drag Wilko away.
“Aye, see you after school at practice!” Wilko added before being pulled around the corridor.
I sigh deeply
“I hate her” Siane growls, I turn my attention to the blonde girl that seemed rather flustered still as she stood next to me. “Remember when I told you why I got suspended?”
“You said ‘ I got in a fight with some stupid, ignorant cheerleader that had nothing better to do with her time than to bother me.’” I repeated verbatim
“You remembered?” She said slowly, I nodded “Those sound like my exact words” she stated the obvious. The bell rung and we began walking to Chemistry.
“Yeah, continue” I said wanting to hear the rest of the story. Siane shakes her head but finishes
“Well, Tasha’s that cheerleader.” she says. I’m slightly surprised, but I felt stuck at the sametime. Getting in the middle of a girl’s feud was the last thing I needed.
“I don’t think I want to be on the football team.” I say changing the subject.
“Why not?” Siane asks before sitting down in the respected seat in the classroom. There are few other students in the room but there was still a couple minutes of passing time left.
“Because, we had plans to hangout this afternoon. Practice get’s in the way”
Siane smiles, I smile for being able to make her happy unintentionally “I think you should go ahead and be on the team. From the stories you told me, you love playing sports. You have been thinking about calling sports quiets because of the people you had to deal with in your old town. I’m not saying these people are any better but at least it’s a fresh group. You should go for it. I’ll watch”
I was sort of taken back how well Siane read me. She nailed my thoughts and feelings right on the dot. The second bell rung and the class was almost full. It was time for the morning announcements on TV. I didn’t pay much attention to it until they started to announce the Homecoming court nominees. Then some girl made everyone quiet down as they riddled off names. They announced freshmen first in which all four names I did not recognize. Then for sophomores I heard the names that made me actually laugh out loud.
“For sophomore saige and maiden Dontae Harris and Karstin Hinckle... “
“Oh my goodness.” Siane gasped also in disbelief then chuckled.
“For juniors, the prince and princess Jeremy Shada and Siane Olson.”
My body felt like I’d been doused in ice cold water. I was dully aware of the applause from my classmates.
The announcements continued “And seniors, Homecoming King and Queen William Truman and Tasha Good.”
Us? Me and Siane part of the homecoming court? I remember a few of my friends joking around saying that they’d vote for me and Siane and Dontae jokingly campaigning for me but it was all a joke? Right, a joke?