Short Stories

I'm No Prince Charming

"I need you to put pressure on this" the medic pulls the clueless girl down to her knees.

Her shaky hands rest on the dressing and lightly press into the wound. She sees him since slightly and looks away to stay focused.

The medic sighs "harder, come on. He doesn't have time for hesitation"

She looks up to the sky, leaning forward to put her full weight on him. A tear slips from her eye as he cries out in pain. His hands fly to hers. They grip so tight it hurts.

The medic gets to work, unpacking the first aid kit they had managed to find. Scissors snip, packages ripped open, emptied, and tossed to the side. She focuses only on the sky, counting the stars to ignore the scene occurring around her. Only the lack of stars just reminds her she's far from home.

"Okay, you can move now." The medic pushed at her arm slightly. Scurrying away from the man she whines seeing the ambulance and police cars finally arriving and blocking her quick exit.

She was taken in for questioning. The whole ride downtown, she prayed. Let this be quick, please don't go to trial, please let me go.

They put her in a cold and sterile room vaguely smelling of cigarette smoke. She waited so long it felt like a punishment for being a witness. A man came in to interrogate her like a perpetrator. She was again left for too long, and finally after three hours they let her go. The few words they said as she left pricked her heart.

"We will be in touch" the nice lady escorted her to the front exit.

She wandered aimlessly through the city before collapsing at the bus stop. She sat and watched people going on with their lives oblivious to the things she had just seen. She waved bus after bus by, not daring to move from her spot and being too disoriented to know where she was. Dazed. She thought she'd heard that word to describe her "moments" before.

She pretended not to notice the sleek car pull up to the curb. She didn't look when the woman called her name. Didn't budge when the woman got out of the car and tried dragging her towards it. Eventually the man got out from the passenger side at the woman's demands, threw her over his shoulder, and carried her to the car.

She didn't respond to their endless questions, staring out the window of the Lamborghini. At a stop she noticed a little girl with two little pigtails skipping behind her little dog. She doesn't even know the cruelty of the big world around her.

"Honey, your parents were worried sick" the small phrase coming from the man riding passenger snapped her right out of the daze.

"You told them?!?" She sat forward.

The woman rolled her eyes mumbling "now she listens" Then raises her voice "of course we told them! What, did you expect us to stay quiet when you go missing for 3 days with no communication whatsoever!?!" The woman continues to scold "what were you thinking??? What have you been doing? Where...How...
Why would you..."

"I know I know, look Auntie Michelle, I'm sorry I should have-"

"That is Ma'am to you missy." She snapped

It took all her self control not to roll her eyes when she responded "yes ma'am"

"And you're right you should have. You are not to leave the house for 2 weeks. Conversation over."

She sighed, slumping back into the car "Mom's orders...I got it."

They rode in silence the rest of the way to the house. Which took forever since they lived 2 hours away and her auntie didn't like music. A few times she noticed her uncle looking back at her sheepishly through the rear view mirror, but she never gave him the satisfaction of looking back. You should feel guilty.

Finally, they pulled into the driveway of the 6 story house. Their butler's brisk walk to meet them made her snort. That earned a glare from Michelle, and to piss her off more, the girl pushed open her own door and ran to the house. She flew up the stairs ignoring the shouts filling the hallways after her.

When she made it to her room she threw herself onto the bed and snuggled under the covers, wanting to sleep away the past three days and the memories they brought. She felt herself quickly drifting towards that well needed nap.

She should've known it wouldn't happen. The shrill tone of her cellphone pulled out a groan. She rolled out of bed and rummaged through her backpack to find it. She whined at the name, answering with a "Yes mother?"

"Tess Kimball what on earth do you think you are doing?!?!?!?! I have to hear from Michelle that you have finally been found after your three day hiatus. You didn't think to call?? To think I always assumed you were stuck to your phone seems I was wrong since you decided to leave it behind while you explored downtown and got arrested."

"I wasn't arrest-"

"I did not give you permission to speak. Where have you been? And exactly with what and with whom do you think you were doing?" The lecture continues for about 10 minutes before a voice in the background calls for her mom, and the call is ended with a "I'm not finished"

"You never are" Tess tosses her phone on the bed, no longer sleepy. Instead, she sits at her desk and pulls out her laptop. Skyping her best friend, she's finally able to smile when the familiar round face stares back at her.

"Hiiiiiiiiooo" the girl moves to wave.

"Hey Sammy" Tess grins at the six year old. Yup, her best friend is six. It's not weird.

"When is Sissy come back?" The little girl pouts. Yup, her best friend is her sister. Again. Not weird.

"Oh...I don't know, silly goose. Do you miss me?" Tess leans closer to whisper "cause I sure do miss you"

Sammy presses her hand against the screen "Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!!" She squeals jumping with her phone.

"Ah, good. You got one of them boyfriends yet?" Tess teases

"Noooooo~" Sammy giggles "I only love you!"

"Now that's what I like to hear!!" Tess laughs, the sound unfamiliar to her throat. Suddenly Sammy gets really serious. She stares just off screen saying "Momma says she wants you to stay gone. She told daddy she's glad your in New-Yok and you don't belong here anyways."

Tears pricked at Tess's eyes. She'd always known her mom's real reasons for sending her away for school, but hearing it from Sammy stung. "Yeah....but mom just says things like that. She's only jealous cause she can't like in New York"

"Maybe..." Sammy looked down at her shoes, "but I don't want you to stay gone."

"I won't. I'll come back for my princess." Tess swallowed the lump rising in her throat. "I gotta go. Love you silly goose!"

"Okay!! I'll wait for you my Prince Charming!!!" She grins waving and blowing kisses.

Tess plays along like always, sitting y'all and replying in a deep voice "I will rescue you my princess!"

Sammy giggles, ending the Skype call with her lips pressed against the phone camera in a goodbye kiss.

Tess shut the laptop again, ignoring the tears falling from her eyes. She pulls out her notebook to write another note to her best friend.

Dear Sammy,
Sometimes in life, really bad things will happen. Things that will make you hate humanity and the world we live in. Keep fighting and look for the light, it's there somewhere. Today I saw a man get really hurt for doing something really good. I didn't like it. But I found my light. It's you. It's always you, I love you silly goose. I'm sorry I never rescued you my princess, and I'm even more sorry I promised I would.
-Please forgive me (because I can't)

Tess tipped the page out, folded it, and placed it with the others, where they would stay till she left for Japan. Sammy would be sixteen then, when Tess would mail the letters. She only hoped to be understood, but knew she'd never be forgiven for leaving. For breaking her promise. She pulled out the three crumpled letters from her sweatshirt and also added those to the pile. Then she closed the drawer that held 365 letters, one for everyday they'd been apart, and let the tears fall. Whispering to herself,

"I'm sorry my princess. You're gonna have to find another Prince Charming."