Something to Laugh About

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Seventeen.

I didn’t tell my parents, Kane did. He called them and I was too afraid to take the phone and talk to them. I thought they were going to yell and scream about how stupid and unsafe I was, about how I scared them to death and how their lives are ruined.

But they didn’t. Kane said they were calm and collected, and they said they had kind of understood why I ran away.

He left out the part where I wanted to jump off a bridge though, and I owe him for that. He just told them that I wanted to see my grandmother and now was the perfect time, I thought. Apparently, they had accepted that idea and encouraged the fact that I see her. Yeah, they actually told me to miss as much school as I needed to and spend as much time with her as I can. I have never been so surprised in my life. Okay, well, maybe I have, I just don’t remember right now.

“Are we all set Brooklyn? Your parents have been notified and we’re free to do what we want until tomorrow.”

“Why tomorrow?”

“Because tomorrow I have to go back to California.”

“Oh, right.”

“So, what do you want to do? See your grandmother again?”

“I think I’d like to see New York. But, I have to make a phone call first, is that okay?”

“Of course.”

I put my coins in the payphone and dialed the numbers. It rang about three times, then-

“Hello?”

“Chris?”

“Brooklyn?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh my God, where have you been?! I’ve been worried sick about you! I haven’t been seeing you at school, and then your parents said you ran away and-”

“I’m okay Chris, I’m okay. I just needed some time to myself.”

“Your parents almost had the police called! We were going to open up a nationwide search for you! I thought Sophie had something to do with it because she seemed so glad you were gone but I had no idea you did this on your own!”

“Chris, Chris! I’m okay, calm down. I’m in New York, visiting my grandmother.”

“Brooklyn, did you try to jump off the bridge?”

“What? No!”

“Because I know you…”

“No, no! I didn’t! I just was feeling bad, and I went on a sort of, vacation I guess.”

“Okay, good. I’d miss you too much of you were gone for good.”

“I’m sorry to scare you like that.”

“It’s okay. Hey, Joey and I are going out to have some breakfast, can you call back later?”

“Yeah, I’ve got some things to do here too.”

“Okay, well, see you when you get home, I guess.”

“Bye.”

I hung up fast. That was easier than I thought it would be, but my palms were still sweaty and my breath was still short. It was just Chris, and I feel like I was talking to someone way more important. It’s crazy hard to explain that type of feeling.

“So,” Kane says, cutting off my delusion, “ready to go?”

“You bet I am!”

“What first? The Statue of Liberty, Wall Street. Anywhere you want to go.”

“How about we go to the garment district and check out the clothes. We could buy some, then try to sell them in California for higher.”

“Brooklyn, no. But, we can go shopping.”

“Kane, I think that’s your best idea yet.”

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Sixteen.

“Brooklyn stop!”
I opened my eyes, frozen.
“What in the world do you think you’re doing?! Get down from there!”
It was Kane, but I couldn’t face him. I couldn’t move.
“Brooklyn, don’t jump, please. I’m begging you! There’s different ways than doing this! Just turn around and come over to me.”
I just couldn’t do it. I stood there, my eyes wide open and my breath shortening. Something inside me is screaming at me to jump, but there’s another part of me keeping my feet glued to the railing. My body is tingling, unable to pick what’s better, turning around or falling off the edge. I’m so close to the edge, the slightest breeze could just push me off and it’ll all be over.
“Brooklyn! Don’t make this a bigger scene than it already is! Just come down!”
From the corners of my eyes I could see people stopping in their cars and gathering around him. They weren’t saying anything, they were just standing there.
“Please Brooklyn, please!”
I could hear the worry and tears in his voice. I closed my eyes and sighed, letting some tears out of my own. Slowly, I managed to turn myself around and jump off the railing. When my feet hit solid ground, I lost my balance and fell down.
“Jeez Brooklyn! What’s wrong with you!”
I couldn’t tell if Kane was majorly angry or glad that I got off the railing. He gripped my shoulders and shook me, hard. I couldn’t feel it, everything stated moving in slow motion. The world hummed in my ears. I glanced over at all the people and snapped back into reality. Kane’s voice was blaring in my ears, and the shaking turned into a hard jerking back and forth. It felt like I was experiencing whiplash numerous times in a row.
“Brooklyn! Listen to me! Say something!”
I looked into his eyes. He was searching for a sense of life in mine. His tears kept flowing out, and his cheeks were red. He looked freezing, but he didn’t have a jacket so obviously he’s cold.
“K-Kane.”
I reached up and touched his cheek. It was warmer than I thought.
“What Brooklyn? What?!”
I let out a sign and looked down. The words were stuck in my throat.
“Let’s go. I’m taking you somewhere to get help.”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me, the group of people just watched as Kane stormed off, dragging me along behind him. Everything was a blur as my thoughts raced. I had no idea where he was taking me, a hospital probably where they’d put me in a straight-jacket and a padded room. They’d leave me there alone. If anyone thinks I’m crazy now, they haven’t seen anything until that happens.
He ended up taking me back to the hotel. He pushed the elevator buttons and pulled me into the hotel room.
“Brooklyn! Do you understand the worry you put me through? I felt you kiss me then leave and I expected you back! When I saw my jacket missing I freaked and went looking for you! You have no clue the worry I was put through! Did you just string me along so you could commit suicide?! Was it all a lie?! Jeez Brooklyn! What’s wrong with you?!”
“Kane.”
“Don’t say anything unless you’re answering my questions!”
“Kane.”
“That’s not an answer, tell me why you really came here! Tell me what’s really going on!”
“Kane!”
“What Brooklyn? What do you have to say?!”
“You have no clue what I’m going through. You have no idea what led up to this. You have no idea why I want this so bad.”
“That’s just it! I don’t have to know anything! I know that it’s not the right choice and that you can handle this so much better! I don’t need to know how bad you want this! I could lose my job, my friends, everything! All because of you!”
“Kane!”
“What Brooklyn?!”
“Don’t make this all about you! You weren’t the one standing on the edge of the bridge ready to jump before someone came! You aren’t the one who was put through hell! Nobody wants to kill you! Nobody made you so afraid for your life that you wanted to end it yourself to save everyone the trouble! You haven’t put your whole family through anything so they want to get rid of you!”
“Brooklyn.”
“No, Kane! You don’t understand anything about me! You just met me two days ago! You know where I live and that my grandma lives here! You don’t know my story! You don’t know anything!”
“Brooklyn.”
“Kane! Why did you come looking for me?! Why did you have to find me?! Everything would have been just fine and worked out perfectly if you didn’t come! You ruined everything!”
“Brooklyn!”
He pushed me against the wall, his hands at each side, so I couldn’t escape. I felt trapped and angry and sad and confused.
“Brooklyn. Shh.” he whispered.
“N-No. I’m not done. Answer me.”
“Brooklyn.”
I gulped. “Answer me.” I repeated.
He leaned in quietly, crashing his lips against mine. He let out a sigh and pushed into me more. “Mm Brooklyn.” he moaned.
I pulled away the best I could and looked deep into his eyes. “Why?”
He lifted me up and set me down on the bed, kissing me more. I felt so confused but this set my mind at ease. Kane was so gentle, cradling my head in his palm. I lifted my arms, ran my fingers through his hair, and pulled. Hard. He moaned more and it felt great.
But it was wrong.
“Kane. Stop.”
He pulled away and looked deep into my eyes.
“We can’t.”
“Why not Brooklyn.”
“Because we were just yelling at each other. You’re older than me.”
“Not by much. You said you’re almost 16. I just turned 17. It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not. You’re only doing this as a way out.”
“Calm down.” he managed to say quickly before returning to my lips. I pushed him off of me with what little strength I had.
“Brooklyn, come on baby.” he ran his hand through his hair, giving it that messy look from the night before. I couldn’t help but stare.
“Don’t baby me! You didn’t answer my questions and you didn’t let me die!” my anger was building up again. “Then you just pushed and trapped me against the wall and kiss me expecting everything will be okay?! No Kane, it doesn’t work that way! Ever! Maybe in the movies or something, but not here! Not now!”
He took a step forward, but I pushed him away. He took another step forward, and I turned. I didn’t want to face him.
“Look Brooklyn, this whole time..” his sentence trailed off.
I threw off his jacket and Chris’ shirt, leaving me in just a black shirt and jeans. My body temperature cooled off fast, but I was still sweating.
“I’ve been..it’s just..”
“No Kane. I’m done.”
“Brooklyn, just listen. When I found out I would be escorting some person, I hated it. I didn’t want to go. But when I found out you and I are practically neighbors, I thought we would have a great friendship. The few hours we’ve spent together I’ve never felt so close to someone outside of my family like this before. Past girlfriends don’t even come close. Nothing measures up. I mean it Brooklyn.”
“Dang it Kane. Why do you have to go and do this? It’s not true. It’s not!”
I started crying, I couldn’t help it. Every thing’s all just happening at once, and I can’t handle it without tears. A while ago I could have jumped off the bridge and everything would have ended perfectly. Nothing would have confused me like this. Nothing would have made me cry. I would have been happy. Happy and dead.
“It’s okay Brooklyn. It’ll be okay. I promise.” he pulled me into a hug and held me close while I cried.
We stood there a minute, before I pushed him away again.
“Kane, I think it’s time to go home.”
“To your parents?”
“They probably have the police force after me.”
“You didn’t tell them?”
“What do you think?”
“Right. In this situation I probably wouldn’t either.”
“Then it’s settled.”
“What is?”
“You’re going to call them and tell them not to worry and that I’m safe and will be home soon.”
“What if they ask why you’re gone?”
“Tell them what I told you, duh. I went to see my grandma.”
“Oh, right. How could I forget? Lies are your forte.”
“Hey! Well..you’re right.”
“Now, before I call, why don’t we sit down and you tell me your whole story? Tell me why you’re here, what led you to this crazy idea. Tell me what I don’t understand.”
I hesitated. But heck, who’s he going to tell?
And so I told him.