Life's Flashing Before My Eyes by Emma Widmer (red white royal blue TXT) 📕

Elle was shaking. Bryan was holding her tight. “What’s wrong?” Elle didn’t know what to say. “Elle, you know everything is going to be okay, right?”
The two were at Bryan’s house, in his bedroom, where they watch movies on their date nights. His room is dark, with navy blue walls and hard wood floors. The bedspread was a deep ocean blue and the pillows were as white as the freshest beach sand. To most, it smelled of over sprayed Axe and Old Spice, but Elle was okay with it.
“Yeah,” she said, “I love you so much, but I am only sixteen. I am just way too young.”

“I know, but you are going too be fine. We were careful. I think you are going to be okay. Don’t worry.”
“It’s okay, can you just take me home, it’s getting late, and my mom is probably waiting for me.”
“Sure.”
As Bryan grabbed her coat off the rack by the front door, he looked at her. She looked scared, terrified. Her long, brown hair was covering her beautiful blue eyes. She didn’t want Bryan to see her tear up. She held the tears back, but it was too much to handle. One lonely tear streamed down her face, and Bryan wiped it off with his soft hand.
She looked up and smiled at him. She loved how he was such a comforting boyfriend. He tended to act like the perfect boyfriend, the kind that you only see in movies. He slipped the coat on her shoulders and put his coat on after. The cold Buffalo air slammed into him as he opened the door for Elle. They walked out into the night’s darkness.
Elle really loved him, but she knew she wasn’t ready yet. Bryan and Elle have been together for a while, actually ten months. She wanted to wait though, and that day wasn’t long enough. She wasn’t ready.
They walked down Montrose Avenue in the dark, the moon lighting the way. Leaves coated the cracked sidewalk. Bryan grabbed her hand tight. She was shivering in the cold, so he took off his jacket, and placed it on her shoulders. She smiled at him again, but didn’t say a word. They looked straight ahead. The quiet was deafening. Elle hoped for a car to drive by, anything to break the awkward silence because neither could find the courage to say anything.
“Thanks for walking me home.”
“Anything for you; let me walk you to the porch.”
When they got to the porch, she looked into his dark brown eyes, trying to figure out what he was thinking. She whispered, “I’m sorry, you’re right. Everything is going to be okay.”
She went up on her tippy toes, and lightly kissed him on the cheek.
“I love you,” he said, and walked away.

His flippy brown hair swayed as he walked home alone in the dark. He teared up too. I don’t know why I did that, I respect her privacy, and I knew she wasn’t ready. I love her, but she let it happen too. It can’t be blamed all on me. I know it will be okay. I guess I am worried for no reason.
He zipped his jacked all the way to the top, and stuffed his cold hands into the pockets of his brand new North Face jacket. There was something metal rubbing against his hands, but he didn’t know what it was, so he pulled it out. It was a stunning necklace he planned to give Elle for their one year anniversary. That silver necklace was breath-taking. The diamonds lined up in a perfect heart shape. I wonder if we are going to make it that much longer now. I don’t think she will ever look at me the same now. It’s not like I made her get high, or drink. I still feel terrible. I invaded her privacy. Even though she didn’t stop me, I should have stopped myself. I just don’t know if we are going to make it that much longer. I really hope so. I hope she forgives me…
As he tucked it back into his pocket, he let out one more tear. If they broke up, he would blame it all on himself, and he didn’t want that to happen. Men can’t cry. Come on Bryan, be a man. Hold it in. she won’t break up with me. She loves me, I hope. She does, she tells me she does all the time. I wish I could say sorry again. I don’t even know what I would do without her. Bryan thought about everything. His math test, his ex-girlfriend Beckka, his mother, Elle. Mostly about Elle. He couldn’t even imagine what will happen next.
As he walked into the door of his house, he could smell his favorite oatmeal cookies. The lights were all off, with only one shining over Bryan’s dad. His dad was sitting in the dark green recliner in front of the TV, watching Fox News and reading the paper.
“What’s the matter Bee, your face is all red.”
“It’s just cold outside, that’s all.” The way he said that made him sound so depressed. His father could tell by Bryan’s eyes that something was wrong. He must have ignored it though, because Bryan walked to his room and didn’t talk for the rest of the night.

After about six weeks, Elle started having rough mornings. Elle woke up feeling woozy, stomach sick, and moody. Whenever she talked to anyone, she a negative attitude, and she couldn’t hold it back. She was the new “Negative Nelly.”
Two hands on the railings, she slowly walked down the stairs. Oh, this stupid light is getting right in my eyes. “Mom! Can you come turn this light off; it is making me sick to my stomach. I might have to puke on your new floor.”
Her mom comes running over, confused. “What’s the matter with the lights, sweetie? We just got them changed out a week ago.” “I don’t know, maybe my eyes are just a little more sensitive today, does it matter? Can you just turn off the damn light, sometime today?” The rest of the house was calm. All the lights were dimmed. The house was painted a dark yellow-brown color that reminded her of fall. All the furniture matched, and there were only two televisions around the house. The family liked it that way. Quiet and peaceful.
Her mom immediately knew something was wrong. The only time Elle get’s sensitive eyes are when she is sick or something bad is happened.
Elle walked down the stairs, into the living room, and collapsed on the couch. She smelled the fresh pancakes in the kitchen and it made her feel like she was going to throw up. She ran to the bathroom and “tossed her cookies.”
“Elle, is everything okay with you? You are sick to your stomach, sensitive to light; you were dizzy walking down the stairs. What is going on?”
“I don’t really know mom, maybe I am just catching a cold, I am going to get some fresh air outside and walk to Rite Aid to get some medicine. I will be back in like a half hour.”
“Okay, here is twenty dollars. Feel free to get something to settle your stomach too. Be careful.”
“Yes, mother.”
Elle grabbed her jacket and walked outside. It was chilly, but the sun felt good as it beat down on her. The mornings are always cold in Buffalo, but the sun has a way of still shining its face. I don’t know what is going on with me. I feel terrible, I am moody, and I missed my period. What if I am pregnant? I don’t even know what I would do…
She walked into Rite Aid and got crackers, some Aspirin, and a pregnancy test. Right away she knew there was no way her mom could see it.
She paid for her items, and walked into the bathroom. She took the test, but had to wait for fifteen minutes for the results. She ate all the crackers as time slowly ticked by. This is terrible. I can’t stand waiting. I just want this to be over. This is like torture. After what felt like hours, she looked at her results.

Bryan was playing Xbox 360 with his two best friends, Nick and Sam. Their new favorite game was Modern Warfare 2. Bryan was so into the game that he didn’t hear his phone vibrate when Elle called three times.
“KILL IT BRYAN! WE ARE ALMOST PAST THE NEXT WAVE!” The game was intense.
The room was dark. They turned the lights were off to add effect to the new game. The couches were old, purchased from a garage sale last summer. . It was a basement, so the air was clammy. The walls were painted a dark green and the hard wood floors were very dusty. Aside from the couches and televisions, the rest of the room was filled with large, cardboard boxes. Christmas boxes, Halloween, Easter. The cabinets against the walls were filled with food, plates and picture frames. Three televisions were lined up. One for each of the boys. They all had their own Xboxes and games. You could call them intense gamers.
After gaming for three hours straight, they decided to scarf down some more food. They went into the kitchen. The kitchen was newly remodeled by Bryan’s dad. All the appliances were stainless steel with a bar style kitchen table right in the middle. You could tell only boys lived in that house because there was a television on to counter to watch hockey games on. The boys had a feast of junk food. There was chips, pizza, cheese sticks, nachos, cheese dip, salsa, crackers, popcorn, hot sauce, Coca Cola, Root Beer, cookies.
“Bryan! Where are the chips, there are no more!”
“I’m working on it, chill dude.”
“I think we need to get back to gaming, we are doing so good!”
“Whoa, Nick. Chill. We got to take a food break now. Get re-energized. Like that little bunny man.”
Bryan still didn’t check his phone. He was too busy eating, gaming, and having a great time with his best friends. All of that fun really got his mind off of worrying about Elle. He convinced himself that everything was okay because two weeks went by and he heard no bad news from Elle.
At about seven at night, Nick and Sam took out their favorite movie, Employee of the Month. They really only liked it because their favorite actress, Jessica Simpson, was in it.
Bryan finally checked his phone. Twenty phone calls from Elle, two voicemails, and eleven text messages. Hey love, call me when you get this. Hey babe, sorry if you’re busy with Nick and Sam. I hope you boys are having fun! Call me when you get this please. It’s sort of important… Love you! All the texts were about the same. Bryan! Call me. Need to talk to you. Love you, call me. Call me! Need to talk. Bryan, this is important. Please call. What is going on? What is so important that she called so many times? I have to call her tonight; I don’t want her mad at me. Bryan noticed the demeanor of the texts got colder and colder. He felt helpless. He