~Runaway~
I LOVE MUSIC. It could be an energy-filling melody or a calming tune. Music completes me. I especially like playing the drum kit. I could release all my anger through a bunch of hits that sound amazing. It helps me clear my head.
"Hey! You're improving so much!" My drum teacher looks at me and gives a small grin. "You'll be ready to graduate in no time." The music school I go to has multiple hard levels of music. We usually play covers though. I'm at the level where you're the highest level of "noob" and the next level is "yeah, you're good at your instrument". I really want to at least achieve something. Make my parents proud.
My drum teacher walks me back to the lobby because our time ended. We spot the manager of the place and my drum teacher explains to him my progress so far because they're trying really hard to help me graduate. "So Ace! It seems you're doing really well!" The manager looks at me in the eyes and smiles. His face seems so pure and genuine.
I start blushing because I'm not used to such praise. "Uhm yeah, thanks." I love being here just because they like me. The staff at least. I haven't exactly made friends after four months of attending.
My drum instructor holds out a fist to fist bump me. "Keep up the good work, I'll see you later."
I accept the fist bump and bump his knuckles. "Yep, bye." I turn around to face the window doors, but I don't see my parents. I really don't want to see them. Anger rises back up, like it was resting before the storm came. I'm so fed up with them not seeing how hard I try to please them. It's so unfair and confusing. One second, they're fine with me and think I'm doing great in school. But the next, I'm a failure and I don't try hard enough. The impulsive voice in my head apparently starts to have great ideas, Hey, why don't you run away? It's not like your parents care. It's just another burden off their hands. My crazy mind starts to think it's not such a bad idea. I'll return someday. It's just to clear my head even more. Right?
I hear the occasional, "If you don't see your ride, stay insideee," from the receptionist. But this time, she gives me a follow up question, "Do you see your parents, Ace?"
"Oh, yeah," I lie. I can't just be like Oh, no I don't actually. I'm running away because I don't want to go to my swim meet and I hate my parents. My parents could totally find out through her. I grip my drumsticks tighter and put in my earbuds to keep the music flowing. I live off of it at this point. "Burnout" by Green Day starts playing.
I declare I don't care no more
The thing is, I don't care anymore. I need to do this. To find myself. To know who I am without people demeaning me. Ok wait that sounded really cringy. I feel like that line would be in a Disney movie (by the way, major cringe warning). But I'm so done with being left out and disrespected. I know I totally seem too full of myself, but I just wanna be blind to it all. I know I'm wrong, but I'm sick of having to do the right thing all the time. Let me have this one thing to myself. I open up the doors, looking left and right to check to see if anyone's watching, and sprint.
I haven't sprinted faster than I am right now. I can feel the concrete of the sidewalk pushing me forward. Almost like it wants me to leave. I haven't felt this much energy before.
I have always felt confident in my Converse high tops. I absolutely love my shoes. It has a plant and flower design on it. The shoe fits so perfectly, it makes me feel secure. But right now, I have never felt more empowered. I feel like I could go anywhere. I feel I could go as far as Manhattan at this point.
Suddenly, I come to a halt. I was running so fast, I could barely stop myself. I pull out my phone from my pocket and turn off my location. How could I forget? My parents could track me. I wonder if they noticed I was gone yet. I turn off the location of my Apple Watch too, just in case.
Speaking of watches, I love watches. I don't think you understand. I even have a fancy ocean themed one! I cannot go a day without at least one of my watches though, otherwise I'd start screaming. This all started when my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Chin would yell at us if we looked at the clock, saying that we're being rude to her. So yeah, it all started with stupid trauma.
I'm burning up and out and growing bored
I pause everything I'm pondering about and forget, I have no idea where I am or where I'm going. I think about opening up Google maps on my phone, but I remember I turned my location off. If I try turning it on for a bit, I would risk my parents finding me. For some reason, my guts are telling me I shouldn't turn it on. Shoot! How could I be so stupid? Next time I wanna run away, remind me to plan it out first. I'm so screwed.
I'm out of ideas of where to go. My mind is a blank. I start worrying about how I'm gonna survive. All I have on my body are earbuds, drumsticks, and my phone, which has 30% left. But, worst of all, I'm gonna be bored! My mind has to be doing at least two things at once, otherwise I'll grow bored and insane, which is one of the reasons I started playing on the drum kit.
Dragging my feet to hit the street tonight
I've been running for so long, the sun has already set. I look out at the empty streets, surrounded by the abundance of tall trees. No one should be awake at this ungodly hour on a Wednesday night. Yet, I see rustling in the trees. It's hard to tell whether it's just the wind or someone's actually there because of how many trees are around me.
All of a sudden, I hear a rushing sound of footsteps, rushing towards me. I turn behind me to see what's coming at me, but I immediately freeze at the sight of it. It's a lion. I have never ever seen a wild lion before. Lions have always been scary for me, the look of their sharp teeth and claws seem enough to even kill me. Their mouths are probably wide enough to swallow me whole. My heart starts to beat faster than I was running before.
I'm not growing up
Before the lion could get to me, I leap out of the way, like a bullfighter. No way I could fight a 400 pound lion, so it comes down to flight or freeze. Obviously I'm gonna choose flight.
The second I start running, the lion follows, but even faster. Since I'm not as stupid as the people in horror movies, I don't look back. But I might as well be as stupid them at the same time because what was I thinking that I could outrun a lion?
I'm sprinting as hard as I can, until I feel myself being lift off of the ground. The lion grabs my shirt collar so it's hard to breathe too.
So I guess we all can takeaway something from this experience. If you think the people in horror movies are absolutely stupid, they are because of the pressure.
