True Wonders

Chapter 5

Do you ever look at yourself in the mirror and not recognize the person staring back at you? That's how  I have been feeling ever since Genesis and I returned back to school after going home. It doesn't even really feel like home anymore. There were lots of fights after the funeral and so there was an uncomfortable tension in the air.

I punched the mirror in my bedroom, and my parents weren't too pleased.

"Shit." I hissed, as my knuckles came away cut.

"Let me help." 

I know it's Genesis even before I turn, it always was and she's always there.

"Thank you.

"I had to do this for myself a handful of times," she says softly, "and I don't recommend it."

I wave away the memory and pull on that old leather jacket. I was right, I did grow into it, and I began to like the person I saw looking back at me, someone who was immune to the crippling sting of loss. Genesis and I never talked about anything that happened while we went away, and that is probably a good thing. I am in and out of places these days, exploring this new world that I am now forced to live in, a world without my one true wonder.

I get in my car and drive, for how far exactly, I have no idea. I do know that I was slightly off the radar but I was okay. I liked solitude, well now I do at least. I stumbled across an old diner, which looked like it popped straight out of the fifties. It was lit up in the night with bright neon lights, and as I pulled into the parking lot I could hear the music which my grandmother would describe as "the classics".  I see a group of people hanging out against the side of the building as I step out of the car. I go inside and see a grizzly man behind the counter and a handful of waitresses in roller skates waiting on people at various booths and tables.

I take a seat in a booth by the entrance, by the jukebox, which shuffled through songs.

"What can I get you, darling?" a dark-haired woman with a southern accent asks.

"Burger and fries with a banana shake, please," I say politely.

"You bet," she smiles, "Shady, gimme a burger combo and banana shake!" she calls back to the man behind the counter and I got hit with the realization as to why the diner was called Shady Jay's.

After about fifteen minutes of waiting, Shady bellowed back, "Combo and cold bananas for the Thunderbird."

I laugh at the man's description of me and looked at my reflection in the shiny napkin holder. The man called Shady was right, I looked like one of those guys in that movie Grease who, I think, were called the T-Birds which seems to be short for Thunderbirds.

The same waitress from before set the plate of food in front of me, "Thank you," I check her nametag before continuing, "Vera."

"No problem, Honey." she smiles.

Before eating, I give an appreciative nod toward Shady and he winks.

I take my time to enjoy the meal and then I sit for some time and clear my head. This could be my safe space. I feel better here, like nothing else matters. After some time, I pay at the register and leave a tip under the napkin holder for Vera.

I passed that same group of people outside on the way to my car.

"Shady likes you." a boy calls, pointing to the open window above his head,

"Yeah, he gave you a nickname." chimes the girl beside him, in a pale pink leather jacket.

A taller boy leaned on the motorcycle next to my car, which I only assume is his, the name on the back of his jacket read Griff, so he must be the ring leader. "If you're interested,  you could hang with us, Thunderbird."

I think about it for a minute, reminding myself how it feels to be here, so far away from my life. "Okay, I'm in." I say getting into my car.