Happy Thanksgiving

I can't feel my arm. I thought. What is wrong with my arm? Why can't I see out of my right eye?
I tried to lay down on the lazy boy to watch some tv, but as soon as my head hit the cushion, my stomach flopped.
"Oh no," I gasped, jumping up and sprinting to the bathroom.
The taste of bile and acid burned my mouth and made me gag again.
Happy Thanksgiving to me, I thought bitterly.

Work, Work, Work

The moment I took my shoes off, I flopped onto the new carpeted floor, stretching myself out. I was pooped, dead tired. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to drag myself up the stairs and into my bed for the night.
"How was work, sweetie?" my mom asked with a grin on her face. I threw my head to the side in order to look at her. Before I could speak, a yawn caught up in my throat.
"Long. So very long," was all I could muster out.
"Oh, how many hours did you work today?" I held up both of my pointer fingers.
"Only two? That seems to be a little skimpy if you ask me..." she muttered. I gasped.
"Not two. Eleven!" I cried out exhasperated. The eyes of my mom bugged out her head as she began to comprehend how long I was there.
"Oh my... Would you like me to get you anything?" she asked, suddenly very concerned.
"No, I'm going to bed," was all I said as I slowly made myself stand up and crawl up the stairs. I needed a weekend to recover from this weekend.

Snow

"I can't talk right now!" I screamed, throwing my phone on the seat. I didn't have time for this, not while I was driving.
I gripped the wheel with both hands and slowly started to come to a stop. I started to hydroplane, my car not slowing down. That red light up ahead was a disaster waiting to happen unless I got this beast of a car to stop before it came within a hundred feet of the intersection.
Bracing myself for the worst, I let the pedal go a little bit then quickly pushed down again, pumping the break. Finally, the car began to slow and eventually stop.
"Stupid snow," I grumbled, keeping my eyes on the road. "Good for nothing white stuff."

I'm Not Crazy

"Yeah you are."
"I am not! Don't you think I of all people would know?" I asked, looking at her as though she were stupid. Which, honestly she was. I used to do basically nothing with my time. Studying was never my strong point and so I had all this free time where I watched TV or played video games. But ever since I got this second job, I've actually been doing something with this pathetic thing I called my life.
"You work full time and you are going to school full time? You are totally crazy!" Kyra said, flabbergasted.
"That's not crazy, Kyra. That's being productive with my life."
"Productive? All right, sure, I'll give you that. But it's still crazy. And you have no social life," she pointed out. I couldn't help but laugh at that.
"That's a good one considering I didn't even have a social life before I got the second job. At least now I'm getting paid for doing something."
Kyra stared off for a moment in silence. Before too long, she looked back at me and nodded. "All right Camber. You win."

Picture Day

"Smile!" the stupid man in front of me said with a rubber chicken in his hand. He was waving it around as though it were alive with its head chopped off.
"Say, Chicken!" he told me, making the poor rubber blob shake. He looked so dumb. Did he think I was 3?
I did as he said and I smiled. I laughed inside when I got to see the look of disgust on his face as he saw the look at mine. "Smile" was a loose term for what I was doing. I knew it looked more like a grimace, but I was so done with this place.
The blinding light flashed again and I let my face fall. Hopping off the chair, I walked away quickly.
Picture day. I hated it.

Tabasco

I never understood the kids at school who didn't like Tabasco sauce. Personally, I thought it was one of the greatest tastes this world had. If I could put it on my food, I would almost every time.
Pulling out a cracker and slicing the cheese I smiled to myself. My mom prepared one of my favorite snacks for after school today. And I couldn't wait to get that peppery hotness on my tongue.
"Mmm, Tobasco sauce on cheese on cracker. Could life get any better? I submit that it cannot!" I put a few drops of that peppery goodness on the cheese and then shoved the whole thing in my mouth. The roof of my mouth and tongue burned as the Tobasco made its way all around.
I opened up the plastic wrapping on the crackers and grabbed another. This was the good life.

You Know Your Life Sucks When...

Third time this week. How do you get pulled over three times in one week?
"Hey there buddy, why'd you run that red light?" the officer asked, peering at me through my window.
"Honestly, I have no idea." That was the truth too. I could have stopped really, but I assumed the yellow would have stayed longer than it did. They usually were on State Street.
"All right, well I'm going to need your license and registration and all the fun stuff." I yanked my wallet out and gave him my driver's license. As I leaned over to the glove compartment, he continued to talk.
"So," he paused for a moment, "Mitchell is it? Were you preoccupied with something or what was going on?"
I sat back in my seat and handed him the papers. "Actually, yeah I was. My girlfriend of almost two years just got back from Cuba and told me she cheated on me the entire time she was there and now is waiting for him to come back to the US next month when he's finished his internship. So yeah, my mind is definitely not on driving right now. I'm just trying to pay for a ticket I got last week so I can go home to sleep."
"That sucks man, sorry to add this ticket too, but that's life." And he walked off to his motorcycle. Flipping up the seat, he brought the cop computer out and started typing in my information.
"They have the computer in their seat? That is so cool," I muttered to myself before turning to look at the front to wait.
I heard his footsteps before his voice. "All right look. I have to give you a ticket; you blatantly ran a red light. I can't not ticket you for that. But I can't. I can't bring myself to doing it. You got a ticket for going 4 over on a hill? That's a stingy officer. I never have liked Officer Carlson, but keep that to yourself. And you got a ticket for your back lights being out. Your week has sucked. I can't write you up."
I stared at him in shock. He continued. "I hope you know how bad I feel for you, man. I've only ever not given a ticket to someone twice. Once because his wife was in labor and screaming and the other time was less than a mile away from the hospital and she had her son in the back with a broken arm jutting out of his skin. Count yourself lucky."
"Oh, I do Officer. Thanks, I guess."
"Kid, whatever you're doing wrong, fix it. Obviously you aren't doing something right if your week has been this bad. My suggestion to you is just to be good." He tapped the top of my car twice before walking back to his bike.
I sat there for a moment, still shocked. "That was the most bizzare thing..."
I pulled out onto the road again and laughed humorlessly. "You know your life sucks when after talking to a cop for a few minutes, he won't ticket you for blatantly running a red light."

I Know I Know You

"Sorry!" I said the the person I just ran into. I hadn't been watching where I was going at all.
There was nothing for me to do for the next half hour before my next class. Every time this happened I had a tendency to wander around campus for the sake of having nothing else to do. Generally, I kept my head down; I'm not a very sociable person on cold days like these. But after having already ran into someone, I decided to face the world and try smiling at all who passed.
A familiar person rounded the corner about to cross my path. Casey Manwill. I hadn't seen her since I was 12 years old and we played soccer together. I waited for her to look in my direction before saying anything, but I couldn't bring myself to speak once seeing her reaction.
You know the times where you see someone, and you know you know them but don't know where? Casey had that look on her face for a brief moment. Seeing that caught my comment short and instead I smiled as she did to me. The courtesy smile. The "I'll feel like  a total idiot if I don't acknowledge you at this point."
I continued to walk on and tried not to chuckle. I took a quick glance back, just to make sure I'd really seen her, and saw her staring right back at me.
Hmm. Awkward.

Sleeping in Class

"...you get so many stories of Greek heritage and culture in those depictions by Homer..."
I couldn't type fast enough for what he was saying. I never knew what we needed to know in this class since apparently what notes I had been taking all semester was never quite good enough once the tests came around.
"...was everything. Sundyata is so important in these areas..."
I squinted my eyes at my screen. My notes looked horrible. Something like this:
geek hertige y culure in those depiccctionss by hhomer.
I hadn't realized I was falling asleep. Not that that was very suprising; after all, I'd been up since 4 am this morning. I felt my eyes start to slip close again and I couldn't shake the feeling. 10 hours of sleep over the last 3 days was definitely catching up on me.

I just sat there, listening. What more can I do? She needed me. Even if I didnt want to be there for her tonight.
"I just feel so lost and confused. I don't even know who I am anymore Sandy."
I sat, leaning toward her as she spoke, nodding here and there. I wasn't really paying attention though. My mind was thousands of miles away on the other side of the world. I ears a crash and looked at the floor.
"What was that?" I asked.
Sandy stared at me blankly. "Kelly, that was you."
"Oh," was all I could say before I got up and walked away. I had too much on my mind to be there for anyone at this point.
"I'm sorry!" I called out as I turned the corner.

Dresses

"I hate this," I grumbled. Kara glared daggers in my direction. "Not this dress. Just the fact I'm even dress shopping at all!"
"Oh, stop being such a boy," my sister told me.
I smacked her shoulder. "Seriously Kara? You need to be such a jerk tonight, considering I'm doing this for you?" I gestured to the overpriced dress I was wearing. I hated dresses, skirts; anything like that. And for some reason, my sister decided to ask me if I would be her Maid of Honor in a couple months. Not her best friend, but the little sister she's never gotten along with.
"It's just a joke Rachel. Take a chill pill."
I just glared at her as I shut the dressing room door. The sooner I was out of this thing, the better.

Selfish

You know the kind of person
That you try so hard to be.
And deep inside you know it's there
But no one else can see.

And when you bake cookies
Just to be nice to a friend
It doesn't make them feel better
They just get sick in the end.

So just remember the next time you want
To be there for someone else,
Sometimes it really is better
To just think of yourself.

If I Could

If I could
I would take away all the
Pain.
The pain that has caused your
Doubt.
Doubt that has led you
Astray.

If I could
I would keep you
Safe.
Safe from all of that
Harm.
That harm which has come your
Way.

If I could
I would be there for
You.
Because it's you that is
Worth it.
Worth more than I can
Say.

If I could
I would show
You
Just what you mean to
Us.
Because you're amazing in your own
Way.

Love

The unbearable,
Illogical, confusing,
Complicated, love.

Take me home to you.
Where butterfly kisses soar.
Rain pours from the sky.

Cheater

I never understood those emo kids. You know the ones; black clothes, hair, make up, attitude. Their life is just so depressing, right? Ha. I used to look at those kids and just wonder. What in the world happened to them that made them feel so socially outcasted? Or to the point where they didn't even want to be near people?
I couldn't ever grasp the concept of cutting. It seemed like such a stupid thing to do; intentionally harm yourself just for the sake of what? Harming yourself to mask the harm others had done? It seemed to be the dumbest idea at the time. But now...
I understood them all too well. The thoughts of doing just that continually came to mind. I felt sick, thinking that way. But after what she did to me, I couldn't picture doing anything else.

They Said Brains, Not Trains...

They were always such jerks to me. I hated the basketball team and everything they stood for. Just because I wasn't their cup of tea apparently meant that they had every right to torture me at every their every whim and thought.
"Honestly Sarah, when was the last time I actually cared at all?"
"How should I know? You're the one who can just shut off your feelings." He always was one to ask stupid questions. I got tired of them so quickly these days. My brother, Kurt, was such an idiot at times. Even more so when his idiot basketball friends picked on me and he watched and laughed.
"That's my point though, really. I shut my feelings off all the time. Meaning, I don't care about your stupid probelms. Get the picture?" he said, walking away.
I screamed for a moment. "Can't you just please talk to them for me? You're my brother! You're supposed to look out for me!"
"Must have missed that in the job description," he said, nonchalantly, making his way through the front door. I flinched as the door slammed shut.
"Must have missed your brain too. Probably thought they said 'trains' instead as they were handing them out to everyone..." I muttered.

Magic

This writing just didn't make any sense. Not when it came out of my mouth anyway. I could read it fine; it was speaking it that I was struggling with. It was as if the words morphed into a whole nother lanugauge as I spoke, making the incantation useless. In fact, at that point it wasn't even an incantation anymore. This feather wasn't going to burst into flame any time soon. I grabbed my book and threw it to the ground.
"Kitara!" my mentor called out to me. "Pick that book up. It's not the books fault you are making all the wrong intonations."
I huffed. He never tried to understand me at all. It was so annoying, and the more he did it, the more frustrated I would get.
"I'm trying, Master."
"Well, try harder. It's obviously not enough."
"I don't know what to change though! I need your help. Couldn't you just say it for me one more time so I could-"
"No," he firmly stated. And that was all as he turned away from me.
My blood boiled beneath my skin. This was worthless. My mentor was worthless. They had always told me since I was a child that I had magic in my blood, that I would be a great mage one day. But I still couldn't even cast the smallest of spells! My anger finally got the better of me then, and something in me snapped.
"Ist ukara mith soule idiom!" I cried.
The feather began to float into the air and quickly disapperated into a flame. I felt the flow of something brilliant run through me and I never wanted to lose the feeling of it. But as soon as the ashes were in a pile my work table, the feeling left with it.
I didn't hear his footsteps behind me.
"That is the feeling of magic. That is what is required of you."

Oh, My Son

Oh my son, my son.
Be aware of what your needs are.
While finding and recording the stories of Barbie Dolls and dress-up parties.
Kiss your worries goodbye.

Be aware of what your needs are.
Find a place to fit your needs.
Kiss your worries goodbye.
The choices are plentiful.

Find a place to fit your needs.
Cooking individuals sized meals is fast and easy.
The choices are plentiful.
We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.

Cooking individual sized meals is fast and easy.
Repeat process until desired size is reached.
We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.
Our bedrooms are bigger than yours.

Repeat process until desired size is reached.
Just a hop, skip and a jump away.
Our bedrooms are bigger than yours.
I am your son.

Just a hop skip and a jump away.
While finding and recording the stories of Barbie dolls and dress-up parties.
I am your son.
Oh, my son, my son.

Lies

You don't have to tell me
I can see it in your eyes.
You've never meant a word you've said;
All of it's just been lies.
I've never meant a thing to you.
I know I never will.
The reason you still deal with me
Is 'cause I'm like your daily pill.
You'll take me only because you have to
And I'm the only one who cares.
And you know that,
But you can't stand the things I wear.
In a way, we're still one,
But we are completely two.
We're both music freaks and crazy
But you can't handle some things I do.
I'm hyper beyond belief
But you've never seen me that way.
I'm too worried what you'd think of me,
Too scared of what you'd say.
But I guess you've never really cared
So I ask myself, "Why should I?
Why waste my time on you,
Why waste more of these tears to cry?"
But then I look at what you've done.
Oh, how you've helped me so.
But I won't be fooled by you again
So before I get burned, I'm gonna go.
What we're going through now
May be just a stupid phase.
If it is, I hope it will beo gone soon,
Because it's gone on for days.
Which makes me wonder,
What was I reading in your eyes?
Was I reading them wrong,
Or have you been telling me white lies?
Your hazel eyes,
They say so many things.
Lies or truths, no one can tell.
No one can tell what they truly mean.

No Feeling

Mrs. Harbold handed back my paper with a grim look on her face. I raised my eyebrow as I took it from her. Looking at the grade I was given, my eyes popped wide.
8 out of 15? How do you get 8 out of 15 on a free verse poetry assignment?! I thought, outraged.
"I'm sorry, Macayle, but it just didn't flow. Nothing you said had any feeling. I couldn't bring myself to enjoy it, no matter how hard I tried."
My eyes just continued to blink. There was nothing else I could do, was there? Attack her, maybe, but what good would that do? Sitting there in disbelief was probably my best bet. She's just crazy. I mean, it's one thing to mention it didn't flow; that is an important factor in all poetry. But to say it had no feeling; who does she think she is? It had feeling for me, and isn't that the point of poetry? It's the author's view of the world, or aspect of it, and how he or she feels.
Where does she get off saying I have no feeling?

You Were...

My fingers run thorugh the pages of my book of memories.
Worn paper turns, one after another.
Words, stories, pictures, memories.
My life.
I glance at the image before me and I stop.
Your bright eyes sparle at me.
Your lips grinning in delight.
Your arm slung arond my shoulder.
Then a drop splatters on the page and the image is distorted.
Just like our friendship.
Your eyes never sparkle anymore.
Your face somber and sad.
Your arms tucked near your body,
Keeping a safe distance.
Tears cascading down my cheeks
And I can't stop the flow.
The friendship we had has been lost and set free
And all I have left are our memories...