Book 2
Alexander Riley
Cruz
9. N E A R T H E L I M I T
After a few weeks, Mariah was recovered from the accident. I didn’t really expect she would come and get me. She just appeared in the racing tracks in the other night telling me to slow down. I was surprised, though. It’s like she was concerned. I didn’t know why I kissed her in the forehead. I’m pretty sure she expects that we’ll be touching lips by then. But, that didn’t bother me too much.
Mariah is a great person. She’s thoughtful, funny, well what else can I say, gorgeous? I guess that’s the right word to describe her.
We hung out more. We talked. We even shared stories. She shared a story about her being hit by a truck. My eyes grew big. I guess she’s born to receive accidents.
But she corrected herself that she nearly hit by a truck. If she were hit, she would not exist in front of me and I won’t meet a beautiful girl like her.
On the exact date of April 11, our family dog from the farm in the State named Maggie; a Golden Retriever gets to stay with us. That was good news.
In the living room, we were watching her favorite movie, “She’s the Man,” around nine-thirty in the night.
Mom was sleeping already and my two sisters went out.
The house was quiet except for the television running and the laughter of Mariah. I stared at her, joining her laugh.
Then she stopped laughing, we looked at each other. She’s so beautiful. Like an angel. She smiled and tossed her black silky hair behind then back to the flat-screen. “I guess we need some more popcorn,” she stared at the empty bowl between us then got up.
I followed her in the kitchen. She got placed the corn kettles inside the microwave and began to pop. She turned back and smiled. “Have you ever got into a relationship?” then she looked away afraid of hearing my answer.
“Well, yeah, that was before though” I responded. “Why?” I added.
She glanced at the kitchen. “Nothing, just asking,” I saw her blushed. Whoa.
I nodded. The popcorn’s ready. Mariah transferred the popcorn to an empty bowl. I planned to tease her. “Oh,” I began. “You’re in love with me, aren’t you huh?” She was totally blushing. I can see it. Her eyes grew big.
“No, no I’m not!” she laughed.
“I was never,” she added in disbelief. “No, I know you were about to ask whether I’d been in a relationship or not or my relationship status!” I teased even more.
She threw popcorn on me. I grabbed the bowl from her and threw more.
I chased her around the room, she was laughing, so did I.
“Shut up, I am not,” She said. We were having a throw-me-some-popcorn-and-I’ll-throw-you-some-too-whether-you-like-it-or-not-if-you-disagree-I’ll-try-to-catch-you game. The floor was filled with popcorns. We were having fun.
“Gotcha,” I shouted, wrapping my arms behind her. Then we landed on the floor, lying on our backs. We grunted together. “Ow, that hurt.” I said.
“God, I’m covered in popcorn,” she said laughing, looking at her body then to me.
My eyes were locked to hers. Mariah and I leaned our foreheads against each other.
Suddenly mom’s figure stood in front of us, clearing her throat. Her arms folded.
I thought she was already asleep. I guess she woke up from the noise me and Mariah made.
At that very second we stood up quickly from the floor. “What happened here?” Mom demanded. Mariah looked at me. “It’s past bedtime,” Mom exclaimed.
Summer vacation’s not supposed to include rules, because it’s a do-whatever-you-want-season. “Mom, its summer vacation, there’s no rules,” I said.
I saw Mariah’s embarrassed face. She went to the kitchen to grab a broom.
“And besides, I’m old enough.” I added. The room was silent, except the movie credits from the movie me and Mariah were watching earlier broke the silence.
“Okay,” mom said, her hands on her hips. “But be sure to sweep off the popcorns on the floor.” She headed upstairs and closed her bedroom door.
I glanced at the floor, it was already clean, no popcorns. Then to Mariah, she laughed. I laughed too. “Oh, the movie ended already,” she pointed at the flat-screen TV. “And I’m getting sleepy,” she glanced at the old grandfather’s clock.
I laughed. “Okay, me too,” I switch off the TV then we both headed upstairs.
“Goodnight,” we both chorused.
Alexander Riley
Cruz
9. N E A R T H E L I M I T
After a few weeks, Mariah was recovered from the accident. I didn’t really expect she would come and get me. She just appeared in the racing tracks in the other night telling me to slow down. I was surprised, though. It’s like she was concerned. I didn’t know why I kissed her in the forehead. I’m pretty sure she expects that we’ll be touching lips by then. But, that didn’t bother me too much.
Mariah is a great person. She’s thoughtful, funny, well what else can I say, gorgeous? I guess that’s the right word to describe her.
We hung out more. We talked. We even shared stories. She shared a story about her being hit by a truck. My eyes grew big. I guess she’s born to receive accidents.
But she corrected herself that she nearly hit by a truck. If she were hit, she would not exist in front of me and I won’t meet a beautiful girl like her.
On the exact date of April 11, our family dog from the farm in the State named Maggie; a Golden Retriever gets to stay with us. That was good news.
In the living room, we were watching her favorite movie, “She’s the Man,” around nine-thirty in the night.
Mom was sleeping already and my two sisters went out.
The house was quiet except for the television running and the laughter of Mariah. I stared at her, joining her laugh.
Then she stopped laughing, we looked at each other. She’s so beautiful. Like an angel. She smiled and tossed her black silky hair behind then back to the flat-screen. “I guess we need some more popcorn,” she stared at the empty bowl between us then got up.
I followed her in the kitchen. She got placed the corn kettles inside the microwave and began to pop. She turned back and smiled. “Have you ever got into a relationship?” then she looked away afraid of hearing my answer.
“Well, yeah, that was before though” I responded. “Why?” I added.
She glanced at the kitchen. “Nothing, just asking,” I saw her blushed. Whoa.
I nodded. The popcorn’s ready. Mariah transferred the popcorn to an empty bowl. I planned to tease her. “Oh,” I began. “You’re in love with me, aren’t you huh?” She was totally blushing. I can see it. Her eyes grew big.
“No, no I’m not!” she laughed.
“I was never,” she added in disbelief. “No, I know you were about to ask whether I’d been in a relationship or not or my relationship status!” I teased even more.
She threw popcorn on me. I grabbed the bowl from her and threw more.
I chased her around the room, she was laughing, so did I.
“Shut up, I am not,” She said. We were having a throw-me-some-popcorn-and-I’ll-throw-you-some-too-whether-you-like-it-or-not-if-you-disagree-I’ll-try-to-catch-you game. The floor was filled with popcorns. We were having fun.
“Gotcha,” I shouted, wrapping my arms behind her. Then we landed on the floor, lying on our backs. We grunted together. “Ow, that hurt.” I said.
“God, I’m covered in popcorn,” she said laughing, looking at her body then to me.
My eyes were locked to hers. Mariah and I leaned our foreheads against each other.
Suddenly mom’s figure stood in front of us, clearing her throat. Her arms folded.
I thought she was already asleep. I guess she woke up from the noise me and Mariah made.
At that very second we stood up quickly from the floor. “What happened here?” Mom demanded. Mariah looked at me. “It’s past bedtime,” Mom exclaimed.
Summer vacation’s not supposed to include rules, because it’s a do-whatever-you-want-season. “Mom, its summer vacation, there’s no rules,” I said.
I saw Mariah’s embarrassed face. She went to the kitchen to grab a broom.
“And besides, I’m old enough.” I added. The room was silent, except the movie credits from the movie me and Mariah were watching earlier broke the silence.
“Okay,” mom said, her hands on her hips. “But be sure to sweep off the popcorns on the floor.” She headed upstairs and closed her bedroom door.
I glanced at the floor, it was already clean, no popcorns. Then to Mariah, she laughed. I laughed too. “Oh, the movie ended already,” she pointed at the flat-screen TV. “And I’m getting sleepy,” she glanced at the old grandfather’s clock.
I laughed. “Okay, me too,” I switch off the TV then we both headed upstairs.
“Goodnight,” we both chorused.
I know the way it eats your mind
The way your brain, eaten up
The one that leaves you silent, blind
Long after you've had enough
I know the way it devours your thoughts
The way you feel confused
It feels like a million knots
It leaves you feeling used
I know the way it stabs your heart
The way it leaves you here to bleed
It makes quite sure to tear you apart
The time you really need
I know the way it hurts your feelings
The way it leaves you blue
You say you see, when not really seeing
You say you know, but that's not true
I know the way you try and hide it
But then you know you'll always find it
In the trees and in the gravel
This lie you call friendship, I can't unravel.
The way your brain, eaten up
The one that leaves you silent, blind
Long after you've had enough
I know the way it devours your thoughts
The way you feel confused
It feels like a million knots
It leaves you feeling used
I know the way it stabs your heart
The way it leaves you here to bleed
It makes quite sure to tear you apart
The time you really need
I know the way it hurts your feelings
The way it leaves you blue
You say you see, when not really seeing
You say you know, but that's not true
I know the way you try and hide it
But then you know you'll always find it
In the trees and in the gravel
This lie you call friendship, I can't unravel.