Ten O'Clock, Texting, and Tears | Teen Ink

Ten O'Clock, Texting, and Tears

July 24, 2008
By Anonymous

He texts me at 10:10. The message is simple: Sorry—can’t call—tomorrow?
My response at 10:11 is simple, too: Sure. No problem. Can you text?
There is no answer, and by 10:21, I’m in tears.
It’s funny how I always end up crying. I never expect to, but the minute I feel an ounce of heart-wrenching, gut-stabbing pain, it’s like I automatically search for a release. After a few moments of no response, and the firm establishment in my mind that there will be no other response tonight, I’m on the Internet, music playing in the background.
From my computer’s small speakers come the haunting lyrics of a Susan Enan song, “Bring on the wonder, bring on this song, I pushed you down deep in my soul for too long…” It’s the only song I can sing nowadays while sounding half decent, since I dropped the voice lessons and all.
I suppose that was a result of my sadness, as well. When I realized he didn’t love me, I didn’t want to sing. Who am I kidding—I didn’t want to move, to breathe, to do anything. I sat in my room with the shades drawn, and watched as the fuzzy light of 4:30 AM languidly shone into my room through the cracks in the shades. I prayed, shaking as I saw heaven, and it felt good, even when I lay back on my pillows and felt like my ribs were going to collapse. It was a good pain, like the pain after exercising.
The bad pain was the hopeless nights of wondering where he was, and how he was doing. The nights when we weren’t friends. The nights when we were, and I was the only one privy to the more intimate details of his relationship. The bad pain was the self-doubt, the self-pity, and the self-loathing. The bad pain was the confusion.
It’s the bad pain that makes me cry. The good pain is more of a reward, like God is telling me he’s there, and letting me feel his love for me expand beneath my ribs and through my tear-wracked body. The bad pain is the pain that puts me in tears at 10:21, only stopping when I turn on the fan and let the dry air sap the moisture from my eyes.
The music in the background continues, and in my Internet search, I’ve found a Facebook Group dedicated to the memory of Elliot Smith, musician. I click on one of his videos, muting iTunes.
His song begins, slow, sweet, sad, and the video, I realize, is a memorial to him. There’s this board, a black and white and red board with beautiful, modern designs, and written all over it are messages from fans, supporters, those whose lives this artist has affected.
When my eye is caught by the chunky, all capital message in black sharpie, the tears start again. It reads, “WE ALL WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD,” and a few seconds later, “WE WON’T BACK DOWN.” Another message says, “You’ve created more beauty than anyone else had or will.”
There are more, all with the same general theme: We will miss you. You’ve done great things, and we will miss you dearly.
I bitterly wonder, tears forming clumps at the edges of my eyes and constellations down my cheeks, if I would be missed. If I’ve done anything worth being missed for.
I feel myself sinking into self-pity, and I pull back for a moment, caught in a torturous state of trying to be strong. What is strength, anyway? Is smothering my emotions, refusing to acknowledge my feelings, and plowing on ahead, regardless of all else, strength? Or is strength acknowledging these things, and having the bravery and strength to face them, to feel them, to revel in them? Do I deny the emotions, ignore the emotions, shut myself off from the emotions, or feel the emotions? Each option feels just as wrong and weak, so I take a recess from that court, knowing the jury has yet to return with the verdict. I allow myself a moment, and feel my head sinking into the tar pit that is self-pity. I switch the music again.
Have I done anything worth being missed for? Made anyone’s life beautiful, done anything great? I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s my place to say, but even if I thought it was, I still wouldn’t know.
I can’t help but think of him again, and of all the little things I’ve done for him. All the times I was there when no one else was, all the things I gave up for him. Personal moments, personal time, sanity, and the slot of ‘first love’…so many nights, so many days, so many ups and downs, and I was there. Whether I was in fashion or out of it, I was there, watching when it wasn’t my place to help, and even then, stepping over lines when I deemed it necessary. I was there. I was always there.
And as the music in the background switches once more, I am painfully struck with how obviously selfish my thoughts are. How ridiculous, and egotistical, and self-centered. I don’t hate, loathe, despise, or dislike myself—I’m not even upset with myself—but it still hurts to feel my flaws constricting my chest like ropes.
Is it so selfish, though, to wish for a bit more? To be so grateful to be his friend, one of his best friends, but to still wish for more after almost a year of suffering? Is that selfish, or just stupid? I’m struck again by how confused I really am, as it dawns on me that maybe I do want more, but not now. Not until it can mean something.
Yet every time I see him, I crave to touch him, to reach out to him and just put my palm against his face or my head against his chest, to just listen to his heart beating.
Am I selfish, stupid, or strong? A fool in love, a brave iron maiden, or just another ridiculously-full-of-herself teenager? I think of what I want to be, in contrast to what I am, or, rather, in contrast to what I might be. The women I admire in literature are strong, brave, emotionless ice-queens. Women who have undergone blow after blow, dealt with horror after horror, yet do not cry, do not back down, yet simply stand up straighter and push their forces onward. They do not cry, like I do. They work harder because of their pain, and push the negative or painful emotions aside.
The women I admire in real life, however, can be both. I admire some of my friends, who have faced awful things, yet allow it to motivate them to get straight A’s and 10.8’s. I admire some of my other friends, who open their hearts and arms and let things happen. They don’t resist love, or flings, or silly crushes or kisses; instead, they open their arms to the world and let it beat them black and blue, trusting that one of these days they’ll get what they deserve.
I, of course, am neither of these extremes. Pain does not motivate me as a general rule. While on rare occasions, or when in great enough pain, it has, generally my motivation comes from a need to prove myself to the world and from an inner drive. Pain, on the other hand, usually makes me want to curl up in a ball, cry, and eat ice cream while watching a sad movie. But I do not open my arms to the world, either. I fight teenage crushes; refuse to have a first kiss, cling to my prudish-ness and virginity. I spend more time with God than people, which I’m okay with, happy about, even, but which I can also acknowledge as not quite average.
My thoughts are interrupted as, at 10:57, I receive two messages.
He says he’s decided he feels lonely.
I reply immediately, with a simple: Well, I’m here. What’s up?

This will certify that the above work is completely original. Samantha Pellegrino.


The author's comments:
Just the musings of a crazy teenager in love, I suppose.
Something to make you think :).
Peace. :).

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This article has 9 comments.


on Apr. 11 2011 at 6:28 pm
sweet_silent_surenity GOLD, Puyallup, Washington
16 articles 0 photos 52 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved- loved for ourselves or rather, loved in spite of ourselves." -Victor Hugo-

I do not know you, but you inspire me... I know that things are tough for you... you sound the same as i was last year, like, down to the last feeling and fleeting thought that influences said feelings. Just know, that God can heal. He loves us all. He loves this person you are in love with too. For me, it came down to choosing god or him... and in choosing, I said to God, "I will choose you, but I ask you, that YOU will choose him.",and he did. I thank God for that every day.

on Mar. 7 2011 at 5:55 pm
marissalynn. BRONZE, Pendelton, Indiana
1 article 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;So it&#039;s not gonna be easy. It&#039;s going to be really hard; we&#039;re gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, everyday. You and me... everyday.&quot;<br /> -The Notebook

i am absolutly speachless , that was amazing. i mean , wow. You explained it so well. This is a truley amazing story. I can relate to it so well. I am in the exact stage right now, i spend more time with God than most, and this is happening to me. Just truly amazing.

JLET309 said...
on Oct. 28 2010 at 11:04 am
JLET309, Plaquemine, Louisiana
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments
I am speechless after I read this article. Every single detail was true. My favorite lines were,"They don’t resist love, or flings, or silly crushes or kisses; instead, they open their arms to the world and let it beat them black and blue, trusting that one of these days they’ll get what they deserve," and,"I never expect to, but the minute I feel an ounce of heart-wrenching, gut-stabbing pain, it`s like I automatically search for a release." These sentence touched me, and I can not get over how true they are. Every teenager has a first crush they are in love with, and go through the same emotions that are shown in this story. I needed to hear this to know there is hope. I am flabbergasted at how well this story describes real life. For this, I commend you.

on Jun. 6 2010 at 12:04 am
ghazal196 BRONZE, Fort Smith, Arkansas
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
Never give up on something you can&#039;t go a day without thinking about

This is amazing

i<3steven! said...
on Feb. 24 2010 at 4:18 pm
yeah, it is very true and i think that if there weren't that stuff going on in real life, i wouldn't have the friends i do now

staceynyc28 said...
on Feb. 15 2010 at 12:36 pm
staceynyc28, New York, New York
0 articles 0 photos 6 comments
I absoutely LOVE ur writing. it relates to wat teens are goin thru now in their life

mikey123 said...
on Jan. 7 2010 at 9:52 am
i apsolutley love this story

on Nov. 30 2009 at 7:59 pm
MusicIsMyLife2013 GOLD, Westminster, Maryland
10 articles 6 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Live life likes its your last day.&quot;

i love this story!! i feel like im going through the same thing too. your story brought me to tears of joy at the end that he texted u:)

on Nov. 14 2009 at 8:19 pm
SerenityMine BRONZE, Not Saying, California
2 articles 0 photos 156 comments
Hey, that's really cool! I like your story a lot. Are you a Christian too?