Five Choices

XV

My Life Is Good 

My bed shakes as I jump up. Sweat drips down my brow and onto my cheeks. I reach up and wipe off the liquid and feel tears coming out of my eyes also. My body trembles as I sit in my dark room looking at my poster of Fall Out Boy. 

What a terrible dream.

It seems so real. So real. 

I inhale deeply and wipe off the remainder of tears and sweat and get out of my warm bed. I walk over to my dresser and change from my damp clothing to new clean and dry ones..

That nightmare. It seemed so real. And Carol? I never met anyone named Carol. Oh Kyle. I need to see him. 

I look at my phone quickly to see its around 12 am. I sigh and grab my converse then jog down the stairs. I grab the keys from the key holder and open the door when a voice stops me.

"Where are you going?" I turn around with my hand to my heart and see my mom standing in the kitchen with coffee. I swallow and walk over to her. 

"To see Kyle."

"Why?"

"Why are you awake mom?" I ask, trying to change the subject. I raise an eyebrow and see her coffee mug drooping and her eyes all swollen from loss of sleep. She sniffs and I hear mucous in her nose. She's been crying. Maybe thats why her eyes are swollen."Mom?"

"Im waiting for your father." 

I recoil in surprise, the keys making a loud noise.

"What? Why? Hes home."

"No. He didnt come back home after he left for work; after dinner." She says with a solemn look. I think of when my dad left unexpectedly. Oh, my God.

"Are you okay mom?" I ask, walking around the counter and rubbing her back.She lets a tear fall and inhales deeply.

"Im fine, honey. Now why are you going to Kyles?"

I let out a sigh, knowing she wont look down in front of me. Moms hate showing they are weak to their children. I cant remember the last time my mom or dad cried. Or fought. I guess thats why this is so unexpected. My parents either never fought or hid it from me.

"Because, somethings wrong." I answer. 

"Like what?"

"I had a dream."  

"Ok." She doesn't ask anymore, just turns and leaves. I watch her walk away until she reaches the steps and turns around.

"And honey?" I stop moving and turn to her. "Make sure this one is good in the heart." I watch her in question as she leaves me, walking up the stars slowly. I turn around, in a daze, thinking about what mom just said. 

The keys dangle in my hands, but a stomping on the stairs brings me to look back over to my mom.

"Hold on. Is seeing Kyle so important that you will drive in the middle of the night? Drive? You?"

A slow smile overcomes my face and I nod.

"Yeah. Its that important."

"Ok America. Here, have my coffee."

I smile at mom and take the coffee.

"Thanks for the coffee, and I'll be home soon."

"Nonsense. Stay there. We all know you like one of them." A blush rises to my cheeks and I look at her.

"I do not."

"Yes. Why do you think you are always with at least one. Even Blake," mom spits Blake's name with venom. She has always hated Blake, even though she knew he would do anything for me. All of them would actually. I take moms words and really think about what she said. Could I like one? West? Even though West is a bad boy, I could like him? Or, the other part of me decided not to date a bad boy again. Kyle? Kyle is the golden boy? And quite frankly, he's been in my dreams for awhile now. Dreams where Ive kissed him, and touched him. Oh my God. Could I like Kyle?