paradox

┇ a d j a c e n t ┇

When the news had gotten to Hensley that Arsen -her childhood love and boyfriend of one month - had died, she stared white faced into the distance; emotionless. She ran into the house, with her bookbag strewn over her shoulder and her converse unlaced, and slammed the door so hard that a seven year old photo of the pair fell to the ground and the thick glass shattered around the polished image.

Namely then did Hensley allow herself to cry, mounted on a blanket of shards. She didn't know how long she lied in the puddle of glass. She never counted. All she could handle was the salty tears leaking out of her eyes, staining her face and leaving mascara streaks.

Hensley cried until she felt the irritating sting of glass digging into her knees. She's never felt as dejected as she did then.

Finally, Hensley opened her eyes. Of course, the first thing that caught her attention was the tear stained photograph of her and Arsen smiling, holding blue Popsicles.

Arsen.

Her heart cried and her bones wept and her cells screamed. The very mention of his name severed her into pieces.

"How?" she whimpered. How could he leave like that? Without a single goodbye. I loved him. I loved him, and now he's gone.

Just then a loud slam came from the door. In walked Hensley's mom, a sigh escaping her lips. When her tired eyes caught sight of Hensley on the floor, face red and puffy and knees scraped beyond repair, she gasped and ran up to her, pushing her away from the shards.

"Hensley? Honey, what happened? What's wrong?"

A shudder arose from her. She licked her lips, tasting salt and blood from inbetween the cracks. "He's gone, mom. He's gone," she'd said, squeezing her eyes shut as if it were a dream.

"What do you mean, he's gone?" Her mom asked, wiping away tears. But then it clicked.

"Oh honey, no," She soothed, her own eyes glazing up. Her mom embraced her daughter even tighter, this time lifting her from the ground. "He was so special. I wish I were special," Hensley said. The two shuffled, sniffling, to Hensley's room. "Baby, of course you're special. Hush now."

A couple hours later, Marie walked away from Hensley's room, dry eyed. She finally got her daughter to stop crying and to sleep, after various attempts to go to Arsen's house and see if everything was right.

And she would of let her.

Marie too couldn't believe the little boy she had grown so attached to had a passed away from an undetected heart condition. But it was life and she had to stay strong for her little girl, she realized.

She also realized she would die trying.