TA Renae Miller - Julia Adams - Prose Assignment (#4)

‘The Nightmare of Reality’

“Jamie, you need to go to sleep. Turn off your phone or I'll take it away”, mother said.

She doesn’t really get annoyed much, but recently with her and dad’s divorce, her new

shop and having to take care of three kids, I don’t blame her.

“Yeah yeah, it’s literally charging on my nightstand,” I said in confidence so she wouldn’t

suspect anything. I quickly sat up on my bed hoping she wouldn’t be able to see me slip my

phone underneath the pillow. She never usually caught those little movements and considering

she had so much on her mind, I knew I would get away with it. I heard her soft footsteps creep

across my room.

“Goodnight”, she murmured under her breath. Her voice sounded so tired. I ended up

watching forty more minutes of ‘Family Guy’ under my heavy duvet until my phone finally died.

It was 3 AM and I could barely keep my eyes open. Knowing tomorrow morning was going to

be a rough go, I inhaled the last warm scent of my freshly blown out candle and gently closed my

eyes, dozing off within seconds.

I woke up the next morning to the sound of my alarm going absolutely crazy. Considering

my phone died last night, I was left quite confused, but remembered iPhones nowadays have

more lives than cats.

“Time to get up, it's time for school,” yelled my mom across the hall. She never usually

wakes me up, unless she has time off work, although I know for a fact she’s been working double

overtime recently.

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Something was different when I woke up. I had a burst of energy like none before. My

hands felt a little tingly while my under eye bags - which would have definitely shown - were

nowhere to be seen. I’m not complaining though, I won’t have to wear loads of concealer and

maybe my brother will stop calling me raccoon eyes.

I let my body sink into my bed as I lay to have one more relaxed breath before entering

school mode. Ah, school. I hate school. Ever since kids could choose who to hang out with,

rather than hanging out because your parents planned a play date, I started to lose friends. I was

always more of the quieter girl, the typical movie one who’d rather stay in than go out - except I

didn’t have the choice to go out, I really just didn’t have many friends. I was okay with that

though as I’ve never felt like I really needed anyone else and people annoy me. I swiftly made

my way toward the kitchen where my entire family was eating. We never ate breakfast together,

ever, but today was a day for surprises.

“Eat this,” my mom blurted, offering me a vegetable omelette.

“Since when do you make this?” I asked.

My mom rarely cooked homemade meals for us, especially with how tired and busy she’s

been.

“I’ve been making these your whole life,” she argued.

I wasn’t about to argue with her this morning. It seemed like her morning was getting off to a

good start which was rare, as was mine, so I decided to go with the flow.

I rode my bike to school as usual. The same stupid bell kept going off, however while

they usually made heads turn, it seemed like the noise was invisible to others.

I walked into school with my head held down, like always. I strutted to my math class,

where I was greeted by a Nun - not my professor. She wore a long black veil with loads of chains

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and religious garments hanging from her outfit. I looked around and scanned everyone’s faces,

hoping they too would project a concerned and confused gaze, but they didn’t.

Class went on as usual, with the Nun as a substitute. I really didn’t understand, as our

school made sure never to bring religion into things, yet who was I to question anything.

I walked slowly to my socials class until I was stopped by the touch of warm long fingers

brace the back of my shoulder. I turned back sterly, sure someone was trying to pick on me.

“Let’s go clubbing tonight,” said a young girl with mesmerizing brown eyes. I had never

seen her in my life, yet she seemed familiar. I scanned around to look for a group of people that

could have dared her to do this, as it wouldn’t be the first time. I was going to ask her if she was

on drugs, but for some reason my mind and body felt as if it were falling out of sync.

“Of course,” I blurted. I felt my vocal cords project the sounds, yet I felt as if I had no

control over what I had just said. I stood there in confusion as she wrapped her long lanky arms

around me.

When I looked to my side in hopes to examine her face more clearly, I noticed her eyes

were green. I have horrible eyesight, but I was able to recall the exact brown shade her eyes were

moments earlier. A smile began widening on her face, almost as if she was enjoying the fear and

confusion I exhibited in my eyes.

“Are you scared?” She questioned, her mouth continuing to stretch.

“No.” I stuttered, as my whole body began to sweat out of nervousness. I had to lie or she would

find a way to use it against me.

“Follow me,” she mentioned, while her cold clammy hands pulled my body towards the

gymnasium. Once I got in, I turned back and watched her walk away. Strangely enough, I didn’t

feel out of place or nervous anymore.

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My hands were no longer piling up a sweat and my legs felt as strong as if I could run a

whole marathon. Everything kept shifting constantly, my day, seeming more and more off, until I

heard a familiar voice.

“Jamie,” I heard Jack call. He was my first grade crush who I hadn’t seen in years,

although I guess he just transferred to my school. I can’t believe he still remembers my name.

“Oh my gosh, Jack,” I blushed. His face began to widen, similar to the young girl I had

just spoken to. Suddenly, the rest of my classmates began to look my way.

“How does it feel to be seventeen and still a virgin?” He asked. My heart sank to the

lowest possible point as I felt the eyes as eyes on me double.

“Don’t you still have to give your mommy your phone at night?” He added, laughing

almost hysterically as the rest of my class joined along. As tears began to stroll down my face

one by one, I could barely fill my lungs with air. I positioned my leg to make a run for it, yet my

leg didn’t budge at all. Instead, I felt a warm liquid slowly make its way down my leg.

“She’s taking a piss, just like she used to do in grade school,” Jack laughed alongside my

teacher and classmates.

This was the epitome of complete humiliation. One you could almost take out of a movie

scene. Thinking things could not get any worse than they already were, I slipped in the puddle of

my own urine and everything went black.

I woke up to the feeling of damp pants touching my skin, bracing for whatever

embarrassment came next.

“Wake up, your alarm didn’t go off,” my mother said with her head hanging over mine.

I opened my eyes and sat up, noticing the softness of my warm blanket touch my skin. I looked

over to my grand mirror, admiring the striking purple colour that lay beneath my eyes.

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I laid in my bed for a few moments pondering at the ceiling, grateful it was all just a

dream.