Excerpt: Joy In Unexpected Places

I knew it was taking every ounce of strength inside her to smile now, and I admired her for that. Nothing could ever change the fact that Mariah was a fighter.
I watched as we rounded the corner to Mariah’s place. I wanted to take back my thoughtless words, but it was too late. They had exited my mouth and done their damage.
I watched as Mariah opened the car door, her dress slinking off the car seat after her.
“Here, let me get the tiara,” I said looking for a reason - any reason to follow her to her door and apologize for being so insensitive.
I grabbed the bag and skipped after her. I could tell from her slumped posture that she was still feeling down, and it was probably due in great part to my big mouth.
“Here,” I said slipping the bag handle over her wrist. “I’m really sorry about what I said back there.”
She slowly raised her head revealing a tear-kissed cheek. “It’s okay. You didn’t mean any harm, I know. And I’m not upset because of what you said, it’s just everything is just so hard to take. I’m literally on an emotional rollercoaster, and please don’t think any of it has anything to do with you. It has nothing to do with you,” she said wiping at the tears with the back of her sleeve.
“You know I’m always here for you, right?” I said turning her toward me.
Her lip quivered and she bit down on it to steady it. “I know,” she nodded.
“Please don’t forget it, okay? Call me any time anywhere and I’ll be there for you. I don’t care if it’s the middle of the night on a school night. I’m just a phone call away,” I said hugging her tightly. I could feel her chest heaving with her silent sobs. My shoulder warm with her freshly fallen tears. I wished there were some way to take all of her pain inside myself. Anything just to have her happy again.
I cradled her face between my hands. “I mean every word. I’m here for you.”
She nodded silently fumbling in her purse for the house keys. I watched as she slipped inside without a glance back.
My heart cried for her. Her pain was my pain. I only hoped that the prom could take her mind off of things long enough to enjoy one of the last nights we would be together as a senior class. I dabbed at my eyes with a tissue and headed down the hill to the car where mom was waiting to take us home.
I slid into the backseat silently crying for Mariah. The click of my seatbelt being the only sound made. I rode in silence watching the world go by behind a wavy curtain of tears.
This was supposed to be one of the happiest times in my senior year. Instead my heart was breaking for a loved one’s losses.
Mom didn’t speak. She knew all too well what was going on and left me to release in silence. I prayed that tomorrow would still be fun for us all. That we could forget all our problems - if for only that one special night.
I slid down in my seat propping my knees against the back of the front passenger seat in an attempt to hide my sorrow. I knew we’d be home soon, and I didn’t need to have Jamie asking why I was crying. I was in no mood to be bothered with answering her.
I wiped my tears with my sleeve and once again with my hand to remove what the sleeve had failed to catch.