All the Bright Places

She strode up to my desk.
Angry.
Fuming.
Words burning on her tongue.
Fury in her eyes.

I was on a call.
She waited.
Not patiently.
Her eyes boring into me.

As I hung up the receiver, she said,
I am SO mad at you right now.
You knew.  You KNEW
and you didn't even warn me.

Eyes welling with tears now.
Finger-jabbing in my direction
Illustrating her intensity.

A moment to breathe.
Quiet now, she speaks again.
Almost whispering.
I am Violet.
I am Violet and I LOVED him.
And he LOVED me.

I keep telling myself it isn't real,
that it is just a book.
Tears flowing freely now,
I hand her a tissue.
My eyes now welling with tears, I say,
I know. I know.

And SHE SHOULD HAVE FIXED HIM.
She says.
HE SHOULD HAVE STAYED.

But we cannot fix anyone else,
I say.
The gift is to love one another as we are.

I know.
She says slowly.
But I am Violet. I AM Violet.
My job is to make everything okay.
It's what I do.

Breathe.
I tell her.
Breathe.

I don't cry.
Not in public, she says.
That's right, I say.
Your allergies are acting up.
Exactly, she says, taking another tissue.

She says,
I love this book.
It is everything.
I cried for hours last night.
Hours.

I cried and then I called my best friend.
I told her all about the book.
Everything.
And then I took it over to her because she has to read it.

And I need you to know I'm writing an alternative ending.
I KNOW it ended this way.  I know that.
But I'm writing my ending.
And I'm coming to book club today.
I'll be there.

(this was how my 1st period began today #truth)