The Starbucks Queen

[18] They Could Care Less As Long As Someone'll Bleed

I woke up on Thursday morning feeling like a bowling ball had dropped on my head. Headaches were honestly the most annoying thing that a person could suffer through. Well, that and Starbucks deprivation. I dragged myself slowly out of bed, feeling like it was more of a struggle than even calculus was. With that in mind, I ran back over to my bed, and texted my mother, asking her to call the school for me. There was no way that I was going to suffer through school today, and besides, I didn't want to see Jack. I needed - and deserved - this day all to myself. I sent out a quick text to my friends and then drifted back into a dream.

Tulips covered the green grass to the horizon line where the blue sky seemed to meld into the ground. A blazing hot sun glowed brightly in the sky, shining down everywhere. My curiosity melded into me, and I began to walk around the open field, looking for something. I wasn't quite sure what I was looking for, but I just needed to find something - anything. The whole scene far too perfect for it to be perfect. It had to be one of those utopian places, where everything was perfect, but nothing was perfect. Kind of like in The Giver. I traveled across the field and felt in the front pocket of my denim shorts for my phone. Surely enough, it was there. I pulled it out and began to text Kale. No signal. I knew there was something imperfect about this place.

I stuffed my phone back in my pocket and began to wander about in search of anything. I wonder how people entertain and educate themselves without an internet signal. I knew that this area needed some charity work. Maybe that's why I was there - in search of helping these sad and clueless people. I passed through the green tallness that surrounded me. I felt like a little ant in Central Park - lost and out of place. A streak of blue seemed to background the path of this seemingly never ending path. My white Doc Martens began to get stained with the gravel that kissed my feet. I audibly groaned at the sight of them - it would be only a million bucks to treat them. I mind as well buy another pair!

I kept on walking with the scenery not changing by even the slightest. It felt like hours had passed by, but the sky resembled no change in time. My lips curled downward at the observation. Where on Earth even was I? I pushed myself down onto the gravel and tried to look in between the grass for an escape route. It felt like I was stuck in a maze, except this one didn't have any crazy turns or an end. My stomach squealed from hunger, and my hand patted it in an attempt to calm it. This did not cease the pain, so I began to run. I needed to get out of here and fast. My body ached as I was not used to this sort of exercise. I fell onto the ground and for the first time I ever, my mind blamed Starbucks. If only I had stayed away from its sugary pleasures and I would have been fine to continue running.

A moment later and I found myself laughing. Like I was about to stay away from Starbucks! As if. I forced myself back up and tried to pace myself. I needed food, but with every turn I took, I found myself becoming further and further away from where I needed to be. I felt the wetness blur from my eyes to my cheeks with little effort. I tried my phone again, but this time it wouldn't even turn on. I would die. There was no one here to save me, and no way for me to get ahold of anyone. I just wanted to talk to Kale. I really needed to just speak with him once more before I fell upon my death bed.

"When I was a young boy, my father took me into the city to see the marching band." My phone began to sing, awaking me from my dream. I bolted upright in my bed feeling completely distraught. I checked my phone and found Kale calling me. I answered it in a hurried voice.

"Kale?"

"Hey Eryn, are you feeling okay?"

I shook my head and pondered the question in my head. "I think that's a matter of opinion. Where are you?"

"Leaving school," he answered nonchalantly.

"Wait, what time is it?"

Kale let out a tiny laugh on the other line. "Don't tell me you've been sleeping all day!"