September 2022 Theme: The Butterfly Effect
Author: Alice Lotufo (F1)
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
As I walk into my school, joy overcomes me. I couldn’t take vacation anymore. It truly felt like I had to enjoy myself, like it was mandatory. I never asked to be dragged into that mess of a vacation.
My mother told me that I had to “relieve stress”, so she took me to the beach. I tried to explain to her that it was fine, and that I was relaxing at home, but she insisted, so I couldn’t say no.
I had around half an hour until school started, so I went to the field to talk to my friends. It all was really going perfectly, until I looked over to the side and I felt like I was at vacation all over again.
Something bothered me about a little girl and boy. And I’m sure it wasn’t a normal conversation.
“You dance like a duck!” The girl taunted.
I saw the look of the little boy – scared, upset, angry – and it reminded me only of myself.
I came to the conclusion that the boy and girl were surely in the same dance class, as I saw them walking together in my school dance a few months back. They looked so friendly together – what on earth had happened?
Looking back, I wish I had stopped her. But I couldn’t. I was so shocked – it was the exact same taunt that people used to tell me when I was still learning. I know it is a common taunt, but it still made me feel like I was 10 all over again.
At the end of school, I was still thinking about that matter. But I wasn’t going to let that stop me from getting on with my day. I drove up to my dance school – a grand building with white walls and bright blue accents. I went up to the 10th floor – the highest one. The one for only the best of dancers. And as I tried to forget the time that I was in the 1st floor, failing and failing while my friends were up in the 7th floor, I just danced. I danced and danced for hours. It felt so relieving. I finally felt like I was having a vacation. But of course, it eventually came to an end.
Before I left, I went up to talk to a friend. She had acted weird the whole day. I looked into her eyes, and she immediately understood the query.
“H-have you ever felt like robbing a bank?” she stuttered.
The question scared me. What was going on? She normally is such a sweet person.
“Jesus, no,” I quickly answered. She looked at me with an angry expression. “What?”
“Nothing,” she told me. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I started driving back with a smile on my face. It felt so nice being alone for a while. But then all I remember is seeing a man in front of my car and everything going black.
I woke up with a blaring alarm bursting in my ear. What is happening? What is all this? My arms and legs are in pain. I have the worst headache. As soon as I open my eyes, my mind is overcome with fear.
I have blood splattered everywhere on me – and worst of all, there is money on my hands. And that’s when I realize that I’m in a bank.
The fright makes me instantly drop my bag. I run outside and I find that I’m near my house. I rush towards it hoping to find my mother. But before entering my house, I realize there are people trying to get me and tell me that I have to go to the hospital and that I need urgent care.
But one thing is blaring in my mind.
What really happened?
As I walk into my school, joy overcomes me. I couldn’t take vacation anymore. It truly felt like I had to enjoy myself, like it was mandatory. I never asked to be dragged into that mess of a vacation.
My mother told me that I had to “relieve stress”, so she took me to the beach. I tried to explain to her that it was fine, and that I was relaxing at home, but she insisted, so I couldn’t say no.
I had around half an hour until school started, so I went to the field to talk to my friends. It all was really going perfectly, until I looked over to the side and I felt like I was at vacation all over again.
Something bothered me about a little girl and boy. And I’m sure it wasn’t a normal conversation.
“You dance like a duck!” The girl taunted.
I saw the look of the little boy – scared, upset, angry – and it reminded me only of myself.
I came to the conclusion that the boy and girl were surely in the same dance class, as I saw them walking together in my school dance a few months back. They looked so friendly together – what on earth had happened?
Looking back, I wish I had stopped her. But I couldn’t. I was so shocked – it was the exact same taunt that people used to tell me when I was still learning. I know it is a common taunt, but it still made me feel like I was 10 all over again.
At the end of school, I was still thinking about that matter. But I wasn’t going to let that stop me from getting on with my day. I drove up to my dance school – a grand building with white walls and bright blue accents. I went up to the 10th floor – the highest one. The one for only the best of dancers. And as I tried to forget the time that I was in the 1st floor, failing and failing while my friends were up in the 7th floor, I just danced. I danced and danced for hours. It felt so relieving. I finally felt like I was having a vacation. But of course, it eventually came to an end.
Before I left, I went up to talk to a friend. She had acted weird the whole day. I looked into her eyes, and she immediately understood the query.
“H-have you ever felt like robbing a bank?” she stuttered.
The question scared me. What was going on? She normally is such a sweet person.
“Jesus, no,” I quickly answered. She looked at me with an angry expression. “What?”
“Nothing,” she told me. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I started driving back with a smile on my face. It felt so nice being alone for a while. But then all I remember is seeing a man in front of my car and everything going black.
I woke up with a blaring alarm bursting in my ear. What is happening? What is all this? My arms and legs are in pain. I have the worst headache. As soon as I open my eyes, my mind is overcome with fear.
I have blood splattered everywhere on me – and worst of all, there is money on my hands. And that’s when I realize that I’m in a bank.
The fright makes me instantly drop my bag. I run outside and I find that I’m near my house. I rush towards it hoping to find my mother. But before entering my house, I realize there are people trying to get me and tell me that I have to go to the hospital and that I need urgent care.
But one thing is blaring in my mind.
What really happened?