Four Walls

By Sade Josephine

Mercury cannot talk, and unfortunately, its having an effect on her everyday life. When her best friend, Eden, is having an existential crisis, Mercury is unable to console her. Her rivaling co-captains hate each other for reasons only Mercury can fathom. Mercury finds herself in the middle of her friends secrets. Surprisingly, Mercurys inability to speak isnt affecting her love life. She finally confronts her sexuality and forgets everything else as she lives in the moment. These completely different girls have one thing in commontheyre all trapped.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546228134

Sade Josephine

Sade Corneille is a seventeen-year-old young adult fiction author who considers herself an introvert and part-time extrovert. She currently lives with her family in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.

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2018 Sade Josephine. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 02/09/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-2814-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-2813-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018901638

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Author’s Note

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-one

Twenty two

For everyone who had a random idea and didn’t know what to do with it.

Author’s Note

Among the many traits that make up a person, I can elaborate on six important ones: desire, regret, trepidation, capitulation, sense of amusement, and euphoria.

• Desire; Every human being has a desire for something. There’s always something that makes someone happy and doesn’t make them agitated when they have to do it over and over again.

• Regret; Once in awhile, someone, no matter what their age, lie awake thinking one of the most common questions why didn’t I do that when I had the chance?

• Trepidation; Trepidation is just another word for paranoia, fearing the possibility that something you want to happen won’t happen and that something you don’t want to happen will.

• Capitulation; The ability to cave under pressure comes with every person. It blocks out desire when desire is still there. Every leader is a follower.

• Sense of amusement; Humor is the only thing that can keep a person sane during serious circumstances.

• Euphoria; Happiness allows us to love the life that we are given.

This is a story about six different girls who needed each other more than they realized as they each find themselves. They are all the same because they are all different. Without their experiences within the confinements of their collided worlds, they would have been stuck in a life they weren’t familiar with because of how different it was from the lives they dreamed of having. Those lives showed what their interests were and what they wanted to be, which, whether they knew it or not, was the first step to finding out who they really are.

Many parents think that children finding out who they are is just something that happens in an instant. And it could happen. But sometimes denial clouds judgement. So even if a person knows they’re living a lie—a lie buried deep beneath the surface of their perception of reality so that no one can find it—they still don’t believe they are.

I think the beautiful thing about stories are that no matter how hard you try to muster or create something from the realm of your imagination, there are segments that could actually be happening at this very moment in a different part of the world. This could be a true story if you want it to be.

One

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

• Maya Angelou

What are you watching? Bleu skillfully removed her blonde curls out of her boyfriend’s oversized black and yellow varsity jacket with a single swoop of her hand after she put it on. Eden, sitting back against the olive green couch, didn’t take her eyes off of the large 60 inch flat screen. Her coily light ginger curls dangling in front of her face, didn’t waver from its stagnant glower at the TV screen.

Do the Right Thing.

I think I heard of it, Bleu said. What’s it about?

Eden sighed. "How frustrating stimuli can stimulate people into letting their biased perspectives affect their judgement and how white people are able to get away with everything. Something like that at least." The volume of the TV speakers augmented when Spike Lee sent a trash can hurling into the glass window of a pizzeria.

Bleu stood frozen in shock. Oh.

Eden looked over at Bleu while she was watching the TV screen and then back at the TV.

Where’s Mercury? Thats me. I’m Mercury.

Bathroom, Eden replied.

Ah. She fit her hands into her pocket and awkwardly tapped her foot. Oh wait. She headed into the kitchen. Eden sighed again. She delicately played with the end of her loose curl, stretching it down. She watched it bounce back up whenever she let go of it. Bleu returned with her notorious self assured stride holding a neatly rolled up piece of paper in her hand. Here. Happy Birthday.

Eden opened up the paper. I couldn’t get a good look at the picture from where I was hiding. Her eyes lit up like time-lapsed roses. Woah. Bleu, you drew this? It looks just like Maya Angelou.

I painted it, actually. Bleu smiled. She nervously clutched the elbow of her arm behind her back. Eden’s probably the only person Bleu would act like a complete sycophant around. It took me two days.

Sweet. Eden looked up with a polite grin and raised the paper up. Thank you.

You’re welcome. She cleared her throat and looked over by the hallway where I was standing. I quickly darted behind the wall before she caught sight of me. A car horn honked outside.

A draft of cold air blew in when Bleu opened the front door. I peeked behind the wall again. Where are you going? Eden asked.

To a party. I scoffed. When is she not typical?

Someone else’s birthday? Eden asked. She laughed but I knew she was hurt.

It’s just a celebratory thing. Bleu shrugged. For our school team winning the football game.

Oh yeah, Eden said her voice trailing off. I heard about that.

Bleu started swinging her keys around her index finger as she poked her cheek out with her tongue. Um you can come if you want. This girl is trying to take my friend away from me.

Eden narrowed her eyes at her sister. Uhh no thanks. I’m kind of tired. Maybe Mercury and I will order a pizza or something. She focused back on the TV.

Bleu, let’s go! I know that voice. It’s that other bitchy girl from my school, Cassidy. Every Monday she checks my homework to copy off of it before Math starts.

I’m coming! Bleu shouted back. She leaned against the couch so that she was the same height as Eden. Listen, Eden, she spoke condescendingly. It’s not healthy to have a friend who can’t say anything back.

My heart began beating really fast. She got me.

Eden turned to face her.Whatever, Bleu. Then she laughed and said in a lower voice, At least I have real friends."

Bleu scoffed. ‘Whatever’ is right. Lock the door behind me. She slammed it closed.

I slowly came out from behind the wall. Eden smiled at me sympathetically.

She’s an asshole, okay? She patted the empty space on the couch beside her.

It’s true. I can’t talk. I have selective mutism which is a speech disorder that doesn’t allow me to talk in situations where I don’t feel comfortable. My friend Eden’s been really supportive about it. She’s been calling me The Little Mermaid referencing the princess that couldn’t speak on land.

I don’t know.

Even though she’s my best friend, I know she’s getting sick and tired of me not being able to say anything to her. Like when she talks about her crush, Yusuf, and how she gets so hyped when she babbles on about him. If it’s not his hair, it’s his face, and if it’s not his face it’s his cute little freckles that resemble constellations. Her words not mine.

It’s easy to see that she wants me to say something of more substance than what I write out in the little black notebook I carry with me everywhere. Usually I say things like, He’s nice or He does have nice eyes, I guess. I never really understood what it was about him that she liked. There’s no hype. I mean, clearly I wouldn’t be able to figure it out, but in general the guy is just plain. When he speaks, it’s one word answers every time. I’m sure between the two of us, I’m the one that has a more embellished outlook on things. Meaning, I guarantee you that I say a lot more than he does in my head. Eden’s infatuation wasn’t going to be stopped by the likes of me. She’s too deep into this now.

The next day, we went out to eat at this diner she works at called Mary’s Diner. She was off work that day but they make the best pancakes in our town. It was quiet when we ate. Kind of like all the other times we’ve eaten there in the past two years, but this time was different. This time, it was awkward and it’s never awkward. I felt awful. I was seeing my best friend slowly start to realize she lost two years of her life that could’ve been spent with someone who would have the confidence to say something. It feels like that sometimes. Like I don’t have the confidence.

I’m sure she’s confused about why this happened to me so abruptly and how quickly her life changed because of such a small alteration in our lives. I watched her sip the decaf coffee she ordered while staring out the window at a woman tying her poodle to a tree. Eden felt my eyes on her and looked over in my direction with a frown. She set her drink down. What’s wrong?

I opened my mouth to speak but nothing could come out. My face felt hot with embarrassment and I felt like I was gonna cry. I looked at the napkin on my lap.

Uh…Hold that thought. She stood up quickly from the booth. I have to pee. I’ll be right back. She paced off behind me to the restroom.

I covered my face with my hands digging my nails into my skin.

Want a refill on your Sprite?

I looked up towards the deep soothing voice. It was Quincy. Her hair was in extensions, curly black to blonde curls which contrasted well with her coffee brown skin. She was wearing a bright yellow pineapple printed Hawaiian t-shirt and beige cargo shorts under her green apron. I shook my head with a polite smile. Quincy ruffled my thick pink hair softly.

Okay, girl.

Quincy’s on my soccer team at my high school, Emerald High. She’s a senior. She’s gay, like me, and nice so I like her. But I don’t like her like that even though she’s a massive flirt. She’s really cute, though. She’s the co-captain of the soccer team because the coach couldn’t figure out who was a better player between her and Bleu. Every time they played against each other there was a stalemate. Bleu, Eden’s half sister, hates Quincy. Bleu hates everyone that poses as a threat to her. Quincy hates her back and she doesn’t care about what Bleu or her snobby friends think which is another corny reason why I like her. The whole reason why Bleu hates Quincy was because back in 8th grade Quincy did an interpretive dance and won the talent show. She beat Bleu who timidly sung Toxic by Britney Spears.

Eden sat back down in front of me but I already wrote a note in my notebook. I have to go home. My dad just texted me.

Oh okay. Want me to drive you?

I shook my head and headed out. My dad never texted me but I couldn’t look at her without feeling sorry for myself anymore.

That night, I became aware that the breakfast incident affected her as much as it affected me. Eden climbed into my bedroom and crawled under my comforter. Her feet were freezing. We became best friends because of how close our houses were together. Our roofs were placed underneath our windows, overlapping one another. When we were little, we would jump onto each other’s balconies late at night if we had a bad dream. I shut my eyes, until all I could see was a deep shade of red, pretending to be fast asleep.

Mercury?

I kept my eyes closed. I even gave out a fake tiny snore.

She tucked a strand of my pink hair behind my ear. Her arm wrapped around my middle and tucked her chilled feet in between my legs as she dug her head into my back. I could smell the fruity scent of her shampoo. My eyes began to flutter. A part of me wanted to see her while the remainder of myself tried to calm down.

I wish you would talk to me, she whispered.

Two

In your life, you meet people. Some you never think about again. Some, you wonder what happened to them. There are some that you wonder if they ever think about you. And then there are some you wish you never had to think about again. But you do.

• C.S Lewis

Bleu’s mother died a maternal death when delivering her and her twin, Todd. Then Bleu’s father met Eden’s mother. Eden’s mother was black which is why Eden is obviously black. Eden’s mother practically became Bleu’s mother before Eden was born so they were equally upset when she passed away with leukemia when we