And so, over the next few days it continued that way. My closest friends were with me through all of the pain and tears that were the start of recovery. As the days went by group trips to fun places increased, and the tears slowly, almost too slowly, decreased.
On not so special day, we decided to go to the pool on top of Andy's condo. Surprisingly it was quite crowded. I had always loved pools. Mostly because I loved water but pools were always good grounds for people watching. Parents teaching their children how to swim. Seeing those children struggle through their fears of drowning and death. Silly, teenage girls trying to get a tan, gabbing about shopping and television. And lastly, young, beautiful women in bikinis stretched out on towel draped, white, plastic lawn chairs. Before, Hayley I remember those were my favorite subjects to watch. Then, with her she was my subject, my one and only. If all of the beautiful women in my city were to show up in bikinis, she would still be the only thing I would watch. She was always the most beautiful woman in my eyes, my love-blinded eyes. Her hair cropped short and ginger colored. The blue eyes that sparkled just a little brighter every time you saw her. The freckles that were strewn here and there around her nose and under her eyes. She was short and slender. She always felt so fragile, so easily breakable to me. It was one of the things I loved most about her. And now, that was gone...
People watching was fun and enjoyable, but for a limited amount of time. Swimming, on the other hand could occupy me for all time. The poetic feeling of weightlessness. The cool temperature engulfs you. Feeling as if an element truly wants to help you. I was so lost in my admiration of water that I could not hear Andy ask me if I was alright. A slight nudge removed me, and I was back.
"W-What? I'm fine. Huh? Sorry Andy, did you ask me something?" I was too out of it to form more of an answer than that little mumble.
"I was just asking if you were gonna do more than just sit there and space out. I never thought anything would stop you from taking an opportunity to swim." After that, I saw a look I didn't see very often see on Andy's face. A very wise look of inner reflection. Like she was looking back on all of what we had gone through together down to the very first day we met. The day we met, was an interesting day...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Jesse! You don't wanna miss your first day of high school do you?" shouted my mother from down the stairs.
"I'm coming mom! Just hang on a second!" I replied in the annoyed tone I talked to my mother with most of the time then. I ran down the stairs of our old house off of 13th and Myer. Memories were the foundation of that house. My great, great grandfather had built that house and it had sheltered nothing but descendants of the Rae family since then. The greenish-gray outside, and the sky blue walls the colored the whole inside. My room had been sponge-painted with a dark purple, it was the only room that had changed in the house. My grandma told me when I was young that the walls were painted blue, because great, great, grandfather loved the sky, and aviation. He always wanted to fly since he was a little boy, and thats when he started the little aeroplane company that financed our family for the most part. I had never wanted to work there, but that like the walls of my room, was the only thing that hadn't kept with tradition. My mother and father, and brother had all worked there. I had wanted to study art instead. I was always the different one in my family.
"Finally, you're ready, I thought graduation would have already passed and you STILL wouldn't have been done getting ready. Well, head out to the bus stop or you won't even make it to graduation." my mom could never wait one moment for me to get ready in the morning. I hated it. The first day of high school is a big day and I needed to look just right. Of course, just right then and just right now are totally different universes.
I remember just barely getting on the bus, and standing in the doorway to first period as the bell rang. With all of the other students sitting expectantly in their seats, giggling the girl who was late. Andy had been in most of my classes all four years of high school. She had been in a side seat near the back of the classroom. The teacher, Mr. Nakev standing at 6'2'' in front of the class chuckling to himself along with the rest of the class. My hair had been totally messed up in my effort to make it to class on time, which was foiled.
"Take your seat miss," he said politely "so that I may take attendance." It was a little creepy how polite this guy was, it was like Stepford, but a man. For a good portion of that year I remember being a little scared of my english teacher which was a bit of a shame, I always loved english.
"Okay, sorry for being late by the way" I added with a slightly embarassed apologetic smile.
"It's quite alright, seeing as it's the first week of school late students will be safe, but try not to make a habit of it, please." he finished with another eerily happy smile.
I took a seat in one of the last two available seats. It was a row over and behind Andy's seat. Mr. Nakev started the "Welcome to High School" speech and that occupied the time for the rest of first period. I remember Andy kept looking back at me, and could hardly stop giggling. After class was dissmissed to second period I took her aside out in the hallway and asked her what was so funny.
"So whats the deal? Why were you laughing at me like, all of class?" I was a little annoyed with her for being laughed at for a reason beyond my knowledge, I'd like to be humilated within my own knowledge if at all.
"It was just that you were exactly what I expected from the person who would last arrive in class today, and I couldn't get over how funny that was. Its not like you had anything written on your forehead or whatever." She giggled yet again.
"Oh, well what do you mean? "Exactly what you expected"?" I was confused. We started towards second period, and she explained.
"Well, the messy hair, the unkept overall look of you, I thought the uncanny similarity between you and what I had pictured just hilarious." Again with a chuckle. That was beginning to get on my nerves.
"Hmmm, I see. Well not a lot, but I kind of get it. You like to use long words don't you?" I noted at the end. And to my surprise she exploded in a fit of cackling laughter. That then, set me off. We were late to second period, and arrived still howling with laughter.
"Is something so terribley funny to make you so late?" said Mrs. Steeply through bright red rhinestone encrested horn-rimmed glasses. Her facial expression that very clearly resembled a hawk made us go even further off the edge and we were on the floor in excruciating pain from a fit of laughter that wouldn't stop. We were friends from then on, and have been ever since then.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
After visting briefly with my memories yet again in the last few days I was ready to dive out of reality, and into the water. I jumped up, and as I did so startled Andy who was next to me. I ran and dove into the cool, refreshing water full-speed.