For the Rest of Our Lives
Seventeen (2007)
Sally looks bright and happy, but the light in her eyes is dead and I know that she is more closed off to the world than ever. This doesn't stop her from suddenly dating the captain of the football team: Darren. He's two grades above us; I think it's really creepy and gross. Sally laughs and tells me it isn't.
They look happy. I know Darren is definitely not into it because of her personality. A part of me feels so restless, watching them together. I start dating Liam; it feels wrong, but I don't mind.
Sally is no longer sticking to wearing just jeans no matter the temperature. She wears whatever she wants, and this leaves the bruises on her legs visible to all. The teachers are questioning things again. Sally's aunt is fighting harder for custody of her.
"It's definitely happening," Sally tells me one night. She's spending the night at my house again, for the first time in a while. There is hope in her voice- light in her eyes. It's a small light, but it grows hope within my own chest. I look up at her. "I'm going to be living with my aunt soon."
"You really are?" I ask.
"Yeah," Sally says. The small smile on her face turns sad, the light in her eyes dimming. "I'll be moving away for a little while. But she says we'll be moving back to town within the month. She's working on buying a house for us here. Since she knows we're best friends."
"Yeah," I say. I nod my head as well, and take her hand in mine. Sally squeezes my hand, lightly at first and then steadily tighter.
"It's good." She pauses. "Because I don't want to be separated from you."
All thoughts of Darren and Liam fade from my heart, from my mind. Sally and I look at each other for a long while. Her blonde hair is darker; which usually happens to blonde hair as you get older. It's definitely still on the fair side. I look at all the freckles on her face. And then I drop my gaze to the bruises on her thighs.
I know now. I don't understand it fully, but I know the cause of them now. Sally pulls my blanket off my bed and over her thighs.
"Sorry," she says. I look back up at her. Her gaze is locked onto the floor. "I keep- forgetting. I just... Would rather not think about it."
"Why are you sorry?" I ask.
"I feel ashamed," she admits in a rush. Her eyes are really wide now. I pull her close.
"You shouldn't," I say. "You didn't choose for it to happen to you."
For the first time in a while, Sally reaches up and holds onto me. She doesn't pull away, doesn't tell me that she doesn't want to be touched. She cries quietly against my arm until we both fall asleep.
They look happy. I know Darren is definitely not into it because of her personality. A part of me feels so restless, watching them together. I start dating Liam; it feels wrong, but I don't mind.
Sally is no longer sticking to wearing just jeans no matter the temperature. She wears whatever she wants, and this leaves the bruises on her legs visible to all. The teachers are questioning things again. Sally's aunt is fighting harder for custody of her.
"It's definitely happening," Sally tells me one night. She's spending the night at my house again, for the first time in a while. There is hope in her voice- light in her eyes. It's a small light, but it grows hope within my own chest. I look up at her. "I'm going to be living with my aunt soon."
"You really are?" I ask.
"Yeah," Sally says. The small smile on her face turns sad, the light in her eyes dimming. "I'll be moving away for a little while. But she says we'll be moving back to town within the month. She's working on buying a house for us here. Since she knows we're best friends."
"Yeah," I say. I nod my head as well, and take her hand in mine. Sally squeezes my hand, lightly at first and then steadily tighter.
"It's good." She pauses. "Because I don't want to be separated from you."
All thoughts of Darren and Liam fade from my heart, from my mind. Sally and I look at each other for a long while. Her blonde hair is darker; which usually happens to blonde hair as you get older. It's definitely still on the fair side. I look at all the freckles on her face. And then I drop my gaze to the bruises on her thighs.
I know now. I don't understand it fully, but I know the cause of them now. Sally pulls my blanket off my bed and over her thighs.
"Sorry," she says. I look back up at her. Her gaze is locked onto the floor. "I keep- forgetting. I just... Would rather not think about it."
"Why are you sorry?" I ask.
"I feel ashamed," she admits in a rush. Her eyes are really wide now. I pull her close.
"You shouldn't," I say. "You didn't choose for it to happen to you."
For the first time in a while, Sally reaches up and holds onto me. She doesn't pull away, doesn't tell me that she doesn't want to be touched. She cries quietly against my arm until we both fall asleep.