Get Your House In Order
Join us as we take an adventure with this new serial narrative series written by published author and FVSU freshman Randall Barnes. Each edition, Barnes will bring another issue of his short story.
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ISSUE 1
What Happens When You Get Everything You Ever Wanted and Neglect It?
Carolyn Freeman
Monday, November 3, 2014
I hate seeing people cry. I don’t even know why. I guess it’s because I’ve been through so much in my life that I can’t help it! Who knew helping out people in need would get frowned upon? I guess that’s just how high school goes, especially at Howard-Jones. I’ve been in that dark place a lot of folks don’t come back from. I did though! Why can’t I help other people?
For example, one of my friends-well, I should really call her more of an “associate”-named Marsha is really going through it. She has incredibly low self-esteem and seems to hop from guy-to-guy and girl-to-girl. I’m not one to judge people but I’m just being honest. Since she hangs around me, we’ve became semi-close. She sees me as her “HD” now. She tells me everything about her bisexual love life.
To be honest, Marsha is out of control. She’s slept with a ton of people around the school and even has two twin boys, Ki’yan and Keyonte, that she had when she was fifteen. Oh yeah, let me not forget to mention that she’s sixteen.
Hey, I try to keep an open mind!
She was just telling me on Monday in the library during 6th period about how she felt like she was so ugly and that no boy or girl wants her. She came to this conclusion after her lover played her and broke her heart.
“I just…don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she said with tears streaming from her face, “I just can’t seem to keep anyone interested in me. I loved that girl and this is how she does me?”
I put my arm around her. “Love is a strong word.”
“I know it is! And I mean it! It seemed like she got me. She understood where I was coming from. And for her to leave me after what we did that night…I just don’t even want to be here anymore!”
I sighed, “What are you trying to say?”
“Honestly, I’ve been thinking about killing myself for the longest time. It’ll be a service to the world. I mean, look at me! I’m a walking tub of fat. Guys just run through me and leave and even girls are starting to do the same thing. There’s no reason for me to be alive anymore.”
I honestly was holding back tears. I was in almost the exact situation a year ago. Really less than that!
I grabbed her hand. “Listen, don’t talk like that. I feel where you’re coming from because I felt the same way before.”
She looked up at me with her bloodshot red eyes. “Really?”
“Yes! And one thing I know is that this pain ain’t going to last forever. Trust me on that.”
She gave me a huge hug. When she released me, I smiled and asked,
“Are you alright now?”
“Yeah, I guess. Thank you for being here for me. At least I know one person is in my corner and understands what I go through.”
“Make sure you remember that too. Don’t talk about killing yourself anymore. You’re going to get through this. I promise you!”
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About the Author
Randall Barnes is an FVSU freshman education major from Macon, Georgia. He also is a published author with two fiction novels under his belt. The young adult series is entitled "The Diary of Aaliyah Anderson." Be sure to buy your copies via Amazon here.
About the Author
Randall Barnes is an FVSU freshman education major from Macon, Georgia. He also is a published author with two fiction novels under his belt. The young adult series is entitled "The Diary of Aaliyah Anderson." Be sure to buy your copies via Amazon here.
