Friends II

“Let’s get married”, Tyson and Diane lay on the lawn in front of Tyson's house, Diane kept breaking the petals off dead sunflowers. “Why?”, Tyson asked her.

Diane sat up, “Because if we get married we can live in the same house and have so much fun together”

“Like what?”, Tyson also sat up

“Well we can stay up and watch movies together, we can eat candy and ice cream together, draw pictures together, and so much more”, Diane blabbed.

“But what if we fight or argue”, Tyson stated, “My mom and dad always fight and argue, I don’t wanna fight you”

Diane hugged Tyson, “I’d never fight or argue with you; if you want to watch Diego and I wanna watch Dora we’ll watch Diego, or if you want vanilla ice cream and I want chocolate we’ll get vanilla because I want you to be happy”

“Alright I’ll ask my mom”, Tyson hugged her back, “I want you to be happy too”

☺ ☺ ☺

When Diane came back the next day Tyson was pouting, “What’s wrong?”, she asked.

“My mom said… only…only adults get married”, he whined. Diane grabbed his hand and dragged him into the house, “C’mon I’ve got an idea”, she yelled. When they got inside Diane pulled out a black crayon and some red construction paper.

“Tyson how old will we be in… 15 years”, she said not looking up from the paper, Tyson held up his fingers and started counting, “You’ll be 20 and I’ll be 21”, he exclaimed proud of his math work. Diane scribbled a few more stuff on the paper and then held it up in Tyson's face.

In 15 yeers I promiss will mary Diane/Tyson

and I will make them super happy no mater wat

“Alright now we have to cut our hands and seal the paper with blood”, Diane exclaimed

Tyson held his hand to his chest, “Can we do something else I don’t want to cut my hand”

Diane tapped her chin, “Ooh I know we can spit on the paper instead”, she and Tyson both took turns spitting on the paper, “Now we swing pinkies and the promise is complete”, Diane held up her pinky.

Tyson connected his pinky to hers, “I promise, no matter what”.

☺ ☺ ☺

“Guess who?”, Diane smiled at the familiar voice, “Ya’know, this will never work because I can recognize your voice”.

The person made their voice deep, “Maybe”.

Diane shook her head, “Hi, Tyson”

“Couldn’t you spare me just once”, Tyson whined

“Nah, I can’t let you have the jubilation from triumphing above me”, Diane announced. Tyson looked at her obviously confused, “What does jubilation mean?”, he asked.

Diane smiled, “That’s for me to know and you to find out”, she laughed as she ran down the street.

Diane stopped running; she and Tyson stood in front of Einstein Middle School; the place seemed so ominous, Tyson could see Diane’s hands shaking. He thought maybe she was scared of starting middle school; he wanted to say something inspirational. He grabbed her hand and whispered, “It’s just school”, he muttered, “All schools are the same”.

Diane looked at Tyson and laughed, she was grateful he was comforting her but she wasn’t scared of Middle School she was afraid of the figure she saw staring at her from the window. The two children walked up the stairs until they split at the hall, “I’ll see you at lunchtime”, Tyson yelled as he ran down the hall. Diane’s heart could hardly move as she opened the door to her classroom. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the teacher, a pretty woman with straight black hair and dark skin.

☺ ☺ ☺

When lunchtime came around Diane searched for Tyson; she found him with a group of other kids, “Hi”, she mumbled. The other kids seemed to shoot glares at Diane but Tyson motioned for her to sit down, “You made a lot of new friends”, she whispered.

“Yeah, in my class we just have so much in common, it’s hard not to be friends”, he replied, Diane made an mhm sound and ate her food but she couldn’t help but feel awkward at the table.

As they walked home Diane tried to talk to Tyson but he didn’t seem interested, he’d give one-word answers or just shake his head. “Tyson are you okay?”, Diane finally asked

“Yeah”, he stopped, “Diane you like lollipops… right”

“Well yes, but that’s not what we’re -”, Tyson pulled out a blue lollipop, “Here, I know blue raspberry is your favorite flavor”, Tyson handed Diane a lollipop and then turned into his yard. This morning she had the entire day planned with a whole bunch of fun stuff she and Tyson were gonna do but now they vaporized. Diane looked one more time, “He didn’t even say bye”, she whispered as the lollipop dropped out of her hand.

“What are you doing back so early?”, Nana Garcia - Diane’s BFF at the orphanage – asked her.

“It's just… nothing”, Diane replied. Nana Garcia sighed and gave Diane a worried look then went back to folding clothes. Diane lay on her bed she couldn’t think and sleep took her over.

A dream came one that Diane had 6 years ago, there was a woman in various multi–colored clothes she had brown hair and black eyes. She leaned in close to Diane; six years ago, she said, “I can’t wait to meet you again… in six years”, but today she whispered, “Tomorrow we’ll meet”. Diane shot up in her bed breathing heavily it was dark now and all the other kids were sleeping. She didn’t get why this woman was in her dreams or why she was so scary but something about her was just unsettling.

☺ ☺ ☺

 “Diane can you go to the classroom next door and get some extra pencils”, Ms. Mason – Diane’s teacher – asked her. Diane smiled and nodded yes; when she got to the door she took a few deep breaths, this was Tyson’s class, and the unsettling feeling that the woman from her dreams was behind the door scared Diane. Diane pushed open the door all the kids were staring at the swirly blackboard with blank faces and didn’t even flinch when she walked in. “Can I help you”, Diane looked at the teacher she was exactly like her dreams, she even had the same sweet but threatening voice.

“I need some pencils”, Diane stammered

The woman grabbed a handful of pencils but before she gave them to Diane she leaned in real close, “It’s so nice to finally meet you in real life”, she whispered. Diane couldn’t stop her heart from beating; she ran back into her classroom as fast as she could. “Diane… where are the pencils”, her teacher asked, Diane didn’t answer her heart beating faster. “Diane are you okay?”, she still didn’t answer, her teacher bent down and looked into Diane’s eyes. “Michael take Diane to the nurse and Anna can you get some pencils”, Ms. Mason instructed the two kids.

“In…Out…In…Out… now tell me what happened”, the nurse told Diane. Diane wanted to tell her about the woman and the dreams but the words didn’t form.

“I’m tired”, she whispered

The nurse could tell she was lying but didn’t press more questions, “You can go home if you want to”, Diane nodded, “I’ll call your guardian”

☺ ☺ ☺

The next day Diane went to Tyson's house super early; she threw rocks at the window, no answer. She knocked on the door but no one answered, it wasn’t unusual for Diane to go into Tyson’s house without being invited in but right she felt like if she did she would be a burglar. Still, she opened the door and ran up the stairs: Diane knocked on Tyson's door. Tyson was already dressed in his school outfit, “Is it time to go to school already”, he said in a monotone voice.

Diane shook her head, “No… I just wanted to talk to you”

Diane sat on Tyson's bed he didn’t say anything, he didn’t look nervous, or seem awkward, his whole face was just meh. “So, how’s school been”, Diane slapped her head internally, she sounded like an adult.

“Good”

Diane nodded, “That’s good… What about your teacher? What do you think of her?”

“She’s nice”

The awkwardness was ripping through Diane, “What did she teach you?”

“Listen”, there was a tone in Tyson's voice - an irked tone but still a tone, “We’ve only been in school for 3 days I haven’t really learned anything yet”, Tyson looked at his watch, “I would like it if you left now… and not come to my house… again”

Diane nodded, “You mean at this time or in general?”, Tyson didn’t answer, instead her pushed her out of his room and slammed the door.

☺ ☺ ☺

Things didn’t look up for Diane after 3 weeks Tyson just disappeared from her life and just couldn’t understand why he was being so distant. Then an ang- sorry a devil appeared at the doors of Diane’s orphanage, “Hi, I’m Ms. Ainsley”.

Diane hid behind Nana Garcia, “Don’t be shy… this woman wants to adopt you”, she whispered to Diane. Diane pleaded for Nana Garcia to let her stay but Ms. Ainsley eventually dragged her out of the orphanage.

The car ride was long and quiet; after 3 hours Diane and Ms. Ainsley arrived at what seemed to be a ghost house. Diane sat in the back seat determined not to get out of the car, Ms. Ainsley grabbed her, “C’mon sweetie… I won’t hurt”, she whispered.

“What do you from me? Why’d you bring me here?”, Diane yelled half sobbing, she couldn’t understand why this woman was so scary.

“You’ll find out in due time”, Ms. Ainsley smiled, “As long as you learn to call me mom”

Diane pulled her arm away from Ms. Ainsley, “I will never call you that”, she sneered

☺ ☺ ☺

Three years later.

Diane was running she had no plan all she knew was she escaped, she didn’t know where she was or where she was going she just knew she was free. Then, she stopped Diane couldn’t remember the last time she stopped running. Diane had stopped in front of a store with large windows with eight TVs playing the news.

“I’m here at the Einstein Middle School”, a male reporter said, “Today was supposed to be a joyous occasion celebrating former 8^th graders going to high school but something unfortunate happened”.

The screen switched to a woman at a hospital, “15 kids all in class 8 have wound up in a strange coma”, she said. The screen went over the children then Tyson appeared and the screen seemed to freeze, Diane put her hand on the glass. Tears streamed down her face, “I should’ve tried harder… I’m sorry”, she fell down on her knees, “I’m so sorry”.