Fireworks

• Yilani Harrison, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2018

The stars shone brightly, my mood reflected in the shine and father finally agreed to come to see the fireworks with me for the new year. He’d been gone for a while and I wanted to see him.
The time slowly ticked past the time when he’d agreed to meet me. He didn’t arrive. I was alone in the crowd of people on the sidewalk. I fully understood the expression now, the feeling of being alone even though there are people surrounding you.
The skyline lit up with fireworks as I waited, he’d promised he’d come. I sat on the grass as the night carried on, fireworks exploding in bright happy colours but all I could feel was the disappointment. He hadn’t come and he wasn’t going to. He was never coming. He’d broken too many promises. I might as well give up all hope I’d ever kept. The people around me were smiling and laughing happily, they didn’t notice the silent tears roll down my cheek. I tilted my head back to look up at the starry sky. The stars dull now in my eyes, filled with sorrow.
Why did I think this time would be different? What is the point of trying? It’s always excuses, excuses, excuses. He doesn’t care about me, never has.
I stand and turn back, heading away from the bright lights and loud obnoxious laughter that's ringing around me, mocking me.
“Cassie?!” I hear a shout, it’s my name. Who is it?
I continue walking away from the celebration, my head down, my heart broken.
“C-Cassie? Is that you?” the guy who shouted my name earlier says from somewhere behind me. I don’t turn back. Instead, I start to run. I don’t want this all to be fixed in a second, I want him to suffer as I did. I hear his footsteps behind me. I run faster.
“Cassie! Wait!”
I trip, falling to the dirt. I curl myself into a ball and put my hands over my ears, I don’t want to hear his false justifications for leaving.
“Cassie, I’m sorry, I have no more excuses,” I try to shake him off me when he tries to hug me, “I’m trying to get better, I’m finally getting help,” his warmth is radiating through me, protecting me from the cold night.
“Come on, let's go watch the fireworks,” he says against my shoulder.
I nod, letting him convince me.
I untangle myself from his grasp and stand, my vision still blurred and my eyes probably red and puffy.
“Don't think this means I'm going to forgive you for leaving me,” I say trying to be snarky but it comes off more like a strangled jumble of words but he must understand as he nods in confirmation.
“I'll work to gain your trust, I swear I will,” he says sighing with relief.
“Don't swear you'll do it, just do it,” I say.
“Okay,” he readily agrees.
We walk toward the crowd, watching the fireworks.