Vivid Dreams (1)

I was driving home one night with my best friend Kathi. We were late, it was raining, and I was speeding through the back roads of Alabama.

“I still can’t believe we’re in college, dude! We made it!” I screamed. “5 year ago I wouldn’t believe this.”  

“Yeah, it was pretty messed up back then.” She said.

She leaned over to change the radio station and asked, “If you could go back and change anything in your life, what would it be?"

I looked over at her and answered "Everything.” And in that instant I lost control of my car and blacked out.

When I woke up I had my head on a desk. I looked up and I realized I was in the Ag Shop of my High School. Impossible! It was torn down in 2007! I looked at the calendar on the wall. It read,“February 2006.” I was in 9^th grade back then.

I looked at what I was wearing; A striped pink and black shirt and blue jeans that I had drawn a pentagram on with a sharpie. I was a much different person in 9^th grade. I was a troublemaker and I hated just about everything and everyone. Just looking at my clothes brought back tons of bad memories.

My favorite teacher, Mr. Simmons, walked in and said "Hey sad face! You're going to be late for your next class! And don't tell me you don't care. Get a move on it!" he smiled.

When I saw him I was overcome with emotion. Mr. Simmons had died of cancer in 2008. I jumped up and hugged him hard. I had always wanted to, but I never did before his death.

He was confused but he knew something was wrong.

 “Can I ask you something?" I questioned backing away.

"Sure." he replied, sitting on the edge of his desk.  He propped his feet up on another and grinned "Hit me with your best shot."

"Ok. So. Hypothetically speaking... if you could go back and relive your life... would you?"

He thought about it for a minute and said "Nope. Because then I would have never made the mistakes that led me to where I am today."

I walked out and sat on the front stoop. This is where I always came to think back then.  My eyes watered up and everything became blurry.

I heard music playing.

“Wake up Maggie I think I got something to say to you, its late September and I really should be back at school…” Rod Steward sang on my clock radio.

I opened my eyes and I was lying in bed in my old room at my parents. The room was bright green and covered in posters. Glow and the dark stickers on the ceiling loomed over me.  

There was a loud bang on the door followed by my father cursing at me to get up and go to school. I drug myself out of bed and automatically put on a pair of cargo jeans and a shirt that didn’t match them. I wanted to change the shirt but my body would not do what my mind told it.

My mom stood in the kitchen. She handed me a glass of water and a pill. I took it as she smiled, “Only a few more weeks left of school, then you’ll be in 8^th grade.”

I ran my hand through my hair. It was very short. This verified to me what part of my life I was in. The awkward preteen years where I had struggled to fit in. Depression had eaten away at me. I had no friends and no one to talk to.

           I left the house and got on the bus. Before I knew it, I was at my old middle school. It was raining again as I stepped off the bus.  I rushed inside to stay dry. I had P.E. first so I walked to the gym with squeaky wet shoes.

           Once inside the coach made us line up for role call. Kathi was standing behind him shyly. He introduced her as a new student. After exercises, something possessed me to talk to her.

           She was sitting on the bleachers by herself and I walked over.

           “Hey, I’m Rose.”

           “I’m Kathi.” She said nervously.

           “Welcome to Blocton. It pretty much sucks. You won’t like it, I assure you, but maybe if you had one friend here it might be better.” I said.

           “Oh yeah? You gonna be my friend?” She smiled back.

           “Oh me? Nah. I can’t handle another friend. I got way too many. I’m like so popular, here. I mean look at me. Gawd.” I said in a preppy voice sitting down beside her.

           She giggled. “You’re funny.”

           “That’s what they say.” I grinned back.

           A girl walked by us and said “Nice clothes, Rose. Is that your new girlfriend?”

           I jumped up to fight her but suddenly the lights went out. The only thing I could hear was rain hitting the tin roof of the gymnasium.

Finally, a light appeared in front of me. It was dim and it became apparent I was no longer in the gym. I glanced down. I was wearing a shirt that had once read “Peace & Love” but was now covered by blood. The light had come from my headlights. My windshield was shattered, yet my wipers were still going full blast.

“Wake up Maggie I think I got something to say to you…” Rod sang sadly. The rain fell harder on the rood and pain shot through my body. I looked over at Kathi. She was bleeding profusely and clutching her waist.

 "Well I wouldn't change anything, because I would have never met you." She whispered.

Then we both closed our eyes and our souls slipped off into the storm.