“I Can't Live Without You…”

After that experience, we walked together to my house, I wanted to give him an ice pack or something to cool down his eye. That punch from that stickup bastard was really starting to swell up. I have to admit though, Daniel with a black eye kinda looked hot.

"I felt like my eye swelled up like a giant balloon. The rest of the way to your home, I couldn't talk to you, I was too embarrassed", Daniel tells me blushing.

At my front porch I told him, "Wait right here, I'm going inside to get you one of my dad's ice packs." But he stopped me and said, "No it's ok Selma, really. It doesn't hurt that much." I could tell that was a lie.

I insisted, "No it's ok, just take it please. Your eye looks pretty banged up."

"Banged up? Don't I still look good though?", flirted Daniel, "Anyways, how would I return it to you, we go to different schools?"

"Return it", I pondered, "You can just bring it back to me when it's done and gone."

Daniel just looks at me with stars in his eyes, "Return it? Like I come back and see you again."

Sighing in relief, I tell him, "Yes. You can come see me again to return it." Daniel nods his head and I go inside my old home to quickly search though our freezer for an ice pack. My dad usually kept a lot of them because he always come back home from work with a sore back.

I go back outside and hand over an ice pack. Smiling, I say to him, "Bye."

"Thank you… Bye, Selma", Daniel says.

As I turn around and begin walking towards the door, Daniel shouts out at me, "Wait!" Turning towards him I ask, "What?"

"I would like to see you again!", he yells out again, "I mean I would like to take you out sometime!"

How long ago was that I wondered? It feels like a lifetime away, but I know it was only a couple of years ago. Even though I thought he was a rube, I couldn't help but to be attracted to him.

"You sound more charming when you tell the story", I tell him.

"You think?", he asks.

"Yes, When I try to remember, all I can think was how much an Idiot you were", I remind him. Daniel just laughs off my comment, but I know he's not really an idiot.

"Yeah, it was a pretty dumb thing to do but… it made you fall in love with me so I wouldn't want it any other way", he flirts. I try to laugh off his comment, but Daniel just looks at me with something I can only call, "The Stare of Love."

Daniel looks at his wristwatch and quickly stands up from the table, "Shit! I spent my whole breakfast telling the story. I have to go!"

"Oh ok, hold on, here's your lunch", I tell while rushing to our kitchen counter to grab his pail. "Thank you, sweetheart", he tells me while buttoning his collar, "Alright, off I go. I'll see you later."

"Ok bye… have a good day", I tell him and give a kiss on the lips. "I love you, bye", he says to me. Daniel closes the door before I can say bye to him. I just say goodbye to a door instead, hopefully my bye would reach him through the door. "Bye…"

I wonder, this is probably the first time I feel this empty feeling in my stomach. I usually don't feel this way when Daniel leaves, but I do this time. It's like I miss him, like this is the last time I will see him.

This feeling can't be good for the baby, I think I'm going to call up my someone and see what they are doing. Maybe they will take my mind off of this feeling. I go for our phone and call up that old phone number.

The phone rings once, twice and someone on the other line picks up, I smile and say "Hello." It's been a while since I called this number, "What are you doing today? Oh ok. I was going to ask if I can come over?", I stay quiet trying to hear what they say, "Ok great I'll be there in a bit then. Yeah. Ok. Bye."

Thank God it isn't raining yet, honestly, I still don't know how they can tell when it is going to rain or not. To me, there is no hint of rain, it's such a nice and bright day. Oh geese, it's been a while since I've been on the public transportation too. I get on and the man ask for the change required for the trip. I put in my money and the man stops me.

"Excuse me ma'am, the price for a ride has risen. It's no longer 35 cents. The price for a trip is now 2.75", the public transport man says.

"2.75?!", I say, " When I was a highschooler it was 35 cents."

"You know how it is ma'am. With inflation and all that stuff, it's no longer the 70's. Prices have spiked since then", he reminds me. Even though I want to complain, I know bitching at him won't bring the price down, so I pay my price and get on. But still goddamn it, I have the right to complain- I mean think about, it's only been a couple of years ago and the price went up by almost... almost... hmm. I actually don't know but I do know it's by a shit ton.

I walk down the row, trying to find a seat. It's usually around this time when the young adults retire from their daily studies of scripture. I sit down by a window, and we pass by a school that has just ended. I watch as I can see kids of all shapes and sizes pass through the gates. Some hand and hand with what I assume is their significant other while others walk in packs, laughing and smiling with their classmates.

Although it is nice to be reminded at some point that I was that young and filled with life, I can also see the dark aspects of that time period of life. Among the crowd, I see students somberly walking alone. Arms slumped on their sides and feet dragging against the pavement, like they know that they won't find a partner by the end of the term. Looking at them reminds me of Michael, especially by the end of his term- a complete loss of his virtue, dead in the eyes and angry at the world.

However, there is no point in thinking about that now. What's done is done, and we just have to continue with our lives. No matter how painful they might be. The best thing to do is just be happy that I found someone, I should just be happy that Daniel found me.

Further towards my destination, as my local transport stops at a corner, I see a teen working an afterschool job. He's dancing along to non-existing music and throwing a sign for "EYED."

"Everything You Ever Dreamed."

Jeremy's parents use to own one of those chain places before. Personally, I never really understood the need for romance counselors. I always wondered if people actually ever went to those places. I would imagine that if you if ever went to one of those places and wrote down your name, the NAC would keep an eye on you.

Hehe, eye. EYED.

Sometimes the NAC can have a sick since of humor like that.

I'm about two more stops away from my destination. On the last corner, I see a preacher doing a street sermon. Those kinds of priest are usually low leveled believers of the faith, the ones that score high enough to pass the level of being a civilian but not high enough to actually serve in an altar. The correct term for them apostates but street people nicknamed Eva, short for Ego Vacant Asshole. You know empty in the head.

"The creation of a perfect world is forbidden for man but with the guidance of The Voice, his children will be able to ascend from a world submerged in filth!", screams out the Eva through a microphone plugged into a cheap speaker, "He promises salvation to those that remain dedicated despite of the never-ending struggle that is the human experience!"

I can't help but to murmur, "Bullshit", to myself.

"Those who go against the nature of man and pollute the good morals of his children shall be cleansed of their wicked ways through separation of the heart and mind! The heart is pure but to hold the mind is our punishment! True freedom is to relief yourself of thought and live only for The Voice!", screeches the Eva as the public transport passes by. Taking one last glance at the Eva, I'm glad that Daniel didn't score that high on that damn test.

My stop finally comes, I stand up from my seat and for some reason my feet begin to hurt. I guess being pregnant and sitting down for a long time really hurts. But that can't be right, I'd imagine standing up for a long time would hurt more.

We've always been fortunate that the public transport, stops right in front. I remember when I would go to school, I would have to just stand in walk out and wait.

Before I even get a chance to knock open the door, she is already standing there and shouting in excitement, "Selma!"

I smile and say, "Hi mom."