Beth

The most that I remember was that long hallway, full of people next to their lockers, they all knew each other, and the groups were well-defined. Some of the popular girls were gossiping, a guy wearing a jersey was flirting with a cheerleader, when another girl saw him, a strange guy with a skateboard was saying "what's up?", and a strange group was walking very faster get to their class early. There were many stories connected with, and also I could see typical scenes that are shown in a hallway:  some books fell down when somebody opened a locker; somebody was asking for the homework; etc. Everything was a mess, a mess well organized, where somebody like me couldn’t enter.

My name is Elizabeth, in my last school I used to like that people called me Beth, but there I didn't know who I was. I knew that I was not too tall, well I've never been tall, but I was thin, and I looked taller, I had long brown, wavy hair.  I had black eyes, which , my grandma used to say, where like the never ending  night, hidden by a pair of glasses. I knew  was wearing an old fashioned  red dress with a coat and a pair of  brown  boots, I was different, and  i had just one question to answer,  what had I done to go to grant high school? And the answer was simple, because of my past. 

I used to go to St. Albans school, a private school, in Oregon, near the Columbia river, where I used to get the best grades and also was popular I lived in a big old house near my school, my friends went there every weekend to watch movies or play, my life was perfect... but from all of a sudden, I had to move away, my parents got divorced because of no reason, and my world became upside down. 

I walked through the hallway, wishing that somebody smiled at me, but I was a ghost for them, and I just move on, trying to get to the office. When I got there, the bell rang and I just asked for my schedule and I tried to get to my first class, when I got there,  I looked through the door’s window and I saw that the class had already started, and I noticed that it was math class,  there were like 25 students, but nobody was paying attention, everybody was sending text-messages, the teacher, who didn’t care, was explaining something about the general equation, the board was full of equations and I was outside wishing not to make any noise while I opened the door, but I did the exact opposite, I apologized and  just sat in the middle at the front, and the teacher continued his class; he was saying " The formula is  minus b plus the square root of b square minus four times a times c over two times a." I knew that topic, I saw it last semester, and there was no reason to pay attention. The class was over and I change from classroom, I was still a ghost for everybody there, and that was my story for every class, until my free hour...

In my free hour, I went outside the jail, the jail of the status; and as I was coming outside, it seemed like another world, the ones that were outside didn’t obey the status quo, the reason; it had the feeling of home, with  green grass, colorful flowers, many old and big trees, like oak trees,  crabapple trees, red maple trees and cherry trees. I took a deep breathe, and I started to walk around this place while I was eating an apple, and finally I decided to sit under  a   red maple tree; I took out my newest book, complete tales and poems, from Poe, and I started to read it, I stopped at page 39, where the poem named  introduction was, I read it slowly in a low and sweet voice: - romance, who loves to nod and sing, with drowsy head and folded wing, among the green leaves as they shake…- and from all of a sudden, a very hard wind came, and it started to shake  all the leaves.  I felt shivers down my spine, fear,  and how somebody was looking at me, but I didn’t know from where, I looked at every spot I could see, but I couldn’t see anybody.  I left my book on the floor and  started to walk; then a  mysterious voice started to spout the tell-tale heart,- now this is the point you fancy me mad- he said , and I just ran where  maple tree was located, he continued -madmen know nothing, but you should have seen me-. I almost got next to the tree when I felt down because of the book, that was opened in the tell-tale heart; my glasses flew away, I couldn't see anything, I thought, but the truth was completely the opposite. The voice continued – you should have seen how wisely I proceed-. I turned around and saw a guy in the top of the tree laughing at me; the only thing that I could say was, - fucking idiot!- and he laughed   like there was no tomorrow, he could see that I couldn’t move and he climbed down the tree, breaking my glasses, and said with a sweet voice while he was picking up the pieces- sorry, I never meant to do this to you, it was just the moment...- and I interrupted him,- the moment? What moment? My reading hour!?- I was shouting- Can’t  you see?,  I was ok,  but  I'm hurt,  I can't walk, I can barely feel my feet,   I don't know, I'm not ok!-  he replied in a very low voice- I know that you are not ok, not just outside, but inside- I  said in a lower voice - what?- he answered as he was taking out my shoe - let me check your ankle, it can  be broken. At that moment I felt dizzy, and I faint.

When I woke up, I was in a white and small room, well organized, with many shells full of books, and a big window that showed the backyard where I was, it showed the top of the trees of many colors, but the red maple tree, still kept my attention.- it is a  beautiful tree, isn't it?-  a woman dressed in white said, while she was entering to the room, I answered- yes, it is, but it. Is curious, it has something, a few minutes ago I was there, and I guy-. She put me a thermometer in the mouth and shut up me up, and she  explained - he was here a few minutes ago , but he left  evaluate he needed to do something, and he left this note; he is so handsome, is he your boyfriend? - and I answered- no, I've just met him, and I only remember  his voice, his melodious voice- and she said- ah, ok; now please give me the thermometer-  as she took out the thermometer and she continued- you don't have fever, but please stay here    For another hour, so I can check your vital signs- and finally  she left. I took a deep breath and I started to read the note; it said “hey! Well, sorry that I have left you here all by yourself, but I needed to do something else; I hope you forgive me, see you soon!” I looked through the window, the beautiful landscape, how everything matched the way it should, as I tried to remember how did he look; was he handsome? Was he somebody that I know? Is this what people call “love”? I’ve never thought of this, maybe this was just a dream, but how I could feel it? How it seemed too real? Anyway, I decided to sleep.

When I woke up, I wasn’t at my school, I was in hospital, with many tubes connected through me, and I couldn’t feel any pain, anyway I felt something, like if someone, something, was missing, and I looked for somebody, I don’t know who, nobody was there, I looked in my hands, they were only closed, and with nothing inside, -am I getting crazy?- I thought,- what was that? A dream? But it felt so real…- and from all of a sudden I started to cry, my heartbeat stayed clam, like if it knew something that could change everything.

My mom came inside the room, she was upset and calm, I didn’t know what to say, so I just dropped another tear, she said – I’m so sorry, I’ve never thought of this, but somehow I knew it, he is such a coward, and you deserve an explication of why we got a divorce. - And she hugged me, just as she knew and proceed- when you were born, it was not only you, you had a twin brother, but we didn’t have the enough money to take care of both, your dad was still studying, and I never knew this, because it was a secret between your dad and the doctor, and I knew it a few days ago, I felt ashamed, angry. And I know that this is hurting you I’m so sorry- and she started to cry.

 Days after, I left the hospital, and when I left the room, I found under the bed, my book, with a note, my glasses and a cherry flower inside, next to “valentine” with a little big modification

“For her this rhyme is penned, whose luminous eyes, brightly expressive as the twins of Leda, Shall find her own sweet name, that nestling lies Upon the page, enwrapped from every reader. Search narrowly the lines!-  they hold a treasure Divine- a talisman- an amulet, That must be worn at heart, you must never  forget  to smile, Beth I know  you are lonely, and I hope to be alright , but I  will  meet you somewhere else, and never forget that I love you so much.

Please give mom a hug, and take care of yourself.

Love,

Your brother.

Written  by 

SW.