Tightrope

Chapter 8

"Don't do this, Neon." My Mother said.

It was finally another break from those tightrope dreams. My Mother, Father, and I were sitting on grass as we all looked up at a cloudless blue sky.

Well, Dad and I were. I could tell Mom was staring at me.

"I have to, Mom."

"But you're not a burden to Himeko or even your friends."

Sighing out of frustration, I finally looked at Mom, who also wore a look of frustration.

Wow. She's determined to get me out of my plan that I already know I'm going to carry through with.

I'm sorry, Mom, but even you won't get me to change my mind, and neither will Dad.

"I know I am, Mom. They're just refusing to tell me and I don't want them to have to live like this anymore; to pretend to like someone like me."

My Dad grabbed my shoulders and whipped me around to face him, an angry look on his face.

"That is not true, Neon, and you know that."

Beginning to avoid eye contact now, my eyes started to dart from my Dad's eyes to the scenery around us.

"But what if it is, Dad?" I said as I finally looked at him.

His grip tightened. Now my shoulders began to hurt, and he squeezed them harder now.

What are you trying to do to my shoulders, Dad? Break them?

"Dad, you're hurting me!" I said.

But he didn't stop. He didn't even look remorseful. I began to wince, and I realized I was beginning to wake up.

When I woke up, my shoulders had been aching. It must not have been because of Dad-it was a dream, after all-but maybe it was a sign that I needed to wake up.

I've heard that depression can give you unexpected body aches, but I never expected anything like this.

Then again, they're called unexpected aches. Still, I thought it would be a dull ache, not anything like this.

"Ow..." I muttered as I began to rub my shoulders.

I looked over at Kira, hoping I didn't wake her up, but she was asleep in her bed. Still rubbing my shoulders, I laid back down in my own bed and looked up at the ceiling.

"I just want this to end."

I was asleep again before I knew it.
*************
It was daylight by the time I woke up, but something was off. It didn't seem like morning.

When I reached over to grab my phone, held it towards my face, and turned it on, my phone told me it was 1:15.

I turned off my phone, placed it next to me on my bed, and sat up, rubbing my palm over my forehead as I stared down at the carpet below me.

"Man.....I've got to stop waking up so late....I just keep waking up later and later throughout the weeks...."

"But I don't think I can."

I sighed and looked at Kira's bed, but it was empty.

"She must have gone to Yuki's house. She said she'd do that yesterday, but I don't remember her telling me the time she'd leave." I thought as I walked out of our room to use the bathroom.

Or maybe she told me and I just forgot. I've heard that people with depression are forgetful.

We all are, but some moreso than others.