15-Minute Wait for the Results | Teen Ink

15-Minute Wait for the Results MAG

By Anonymous

Skinny bird legs lying next to mine.
The one rubbing my thigh is tapping
up and down and up and down
because you are nervous about something.
Your finger, the one with the big red plastic ring,
is tapping on the peeling dark veneer rhythmically.
Tap-a-tap-a-tap-tap-tap-tap-a-tap
Your other hand is so clammy.
Like a turtleneck on a hot day,
like a wet turtleneck on a humid day.
The salmon-colored plastic sticks to my upper arm
in the small space between us on this love seat,
peeling away from my skin when I shift
with a sticky sound. Ouch.
There’s a rip, all jagged with
school bus-colored foam poking out.
Your nails are digging in,
as short as they are.
You are so afraid.
My nails are digging into your hand as well –
I can see the red-lined moons standing out plain as sight.
What was that old saying?
Red sky at night, sailor’s delight?
Or was it take warning?
Does a moon make the night red?
I ask you out loud, you laugh,
this queer little laugh
that isn’t a laugh at all.
Not really.
And you say it’s the first.
So we should delight and dance together like
we were doing just last week under that
tacky disco ball.
The door opens with a creak that reminds me
of an old haunted house. It’s all meant to scare.
The doctor walks in – shuffles really – lab coat knocking against his knees.
He’s kind-looking and old. Like a grandfather. Or uncle. Or something.
He moves past us.
Sits at his desk.
Pulls on his glasses – his eyes look so big.
Pulls out a manila folder.
Opens it.
Turns the page. Again. Again.
Licks his lips.
Takes glasses off – his eyes are small once more.
His chin rests on his folded hands.
Pensive.
“The test was positive.”
Your grip tightens, my grip tightens.
Many red moons across our hands.



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This article has 205 comments.


on Sep. 21 2010 at 6:22 pm
DaydreamBeliever GOLD, Lockport, Other
15 articles 4 photos 140 comments

Favorite Quote:
If you live to be one hundred, I want to live to be one hundred minus one day, so that I'll never have to live without you. -Winnie the Pooh

that was supposed to be a reply to Sasha S.

on Sep. 21 2010 at 6:21 pm
DaydreamBeliever GOLD, Lockport, Other
15 articles 4 photos 140 comments

Favorite Quote:
If you live to be one hundred, I want to live to be one hundred minus one day, so that I'll never have to live without you. -Winnie the Pooh

on average, mine have taken about a month. 

on Sep. 21 2010 at 3:20 pm
deus-ex-machina14 BRONZE, Stewartsville, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 439 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There are two main tragedies in life. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." -Oscar Wilde

Yeah, I just started posting stuff and it can be like one to maybe....a week at the most, but not too bad.

on Sep. 21 2010 at 3:18 pm
deus-ex-machina14 BRONZE, Stewartsville, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 439 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There are two main tragedies in life. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." -Oscar Wilde

Very relatable topic to teenagers who've made this mistake, very well done.

on Sep. 21 2010 at 1:13 pm
Starbuck SILVER, San Tan Valley, Arizona
6 articles 0 photos 3 comments
Good Piece, but the title is a little bit long, and overly descriptive.

ellie315 GOLD said...
on Aug. 30 2010 at 9:44 pm
ellie315 GOLD, South Pasadena, California
10 articles 0 photos 86 comments

Favorite Quote:
"And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything." -- William Shakespeare

depends...sometimes a day, sometimes several. just be patient:) ive had experiences where something was posted the next day, and other times when it took about a week!

Thing1 said...
on Aug. 30 2010 at 5:28 pm
Thing1, Fayetteville, North Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 38 comments

Favorite Quote:
'If there is a book you really want to read that hasn't been written, then you must write it' ~ Toni Morrison
' Stupid is as stupid does' ~ Forrest Gump

that was really good :)

 


DoubleS BRONZE said...
on Aug. 30 2010 at 2:39 pm
DoubleS BRONZE, Mississauga, Other
2 articles 0 photos 15 comments
hey you wrote this really well can u or someone else who reads this tell me how long did it take for u to get a conformation email tht ur article was posted to the site?

J.Dawson GOLD said...
on Aug. 30 2010 at 1:55 pm
J.Dawson GOLD, Connersville, Indiana
11 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love you. You hurt me again and again, but I love you"-Reality Bites

Nice writing and description. Keep up the good work

on Aug. 30 2010 at 12:32 pm
foreveroctober GOLD, Pompton Plains, New Jersey
11 articles 0 photos 23 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life, he realized, was much like a song. In the beginning there is mystery, in the end there is confirmation, but it's the middle where all the emotion resides to make the whole thing worthwhile." - The Last Song, Nicholas Sparks

Great job!!!! It blew me away.... it was so mysterious. keep writing please.

on Aug. 8 2010 at 8:48 pm
Nora.Whatever BRONZE, Brooklyn, New York
2 articles 0 photos 5 comments
blew me away. keep on writing.

on Aug. 8 2010 at 5:39 pm
Collado92 PLATINUM, Ft.pierce, Florida
26 articles 0 photos 35 comments
I agree and I reallly like this peice REALLY good job, keep writting. =)

on Jun. 25 2010 at 8:30 pm
DannyKid33 PLATINUM, Pleasant Hill, California
34 articles 2 photos 81 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Don't ever let the media tell you what to look like. You're beautiful the way you are. Stay beautiful, keep it ugly." - Gerard Way.

this was so good!! please please write more i need to hear more!! btw anyone who sees this can you look at some of my work?? thnks! :)

on Jun. 3 2010 at 8:12 pm
AelitaReloaded PLATINUM, Scottsdale, Arizona
22 articles 0 photos 179 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The pen is mightier than the sword" author unknown (to me)

You are probably right...  I don't know, though.

on Jun. 3 2010 at 7:13 pm
VioletsandVoice, Spiritwood, North Dakota
0 articles 0 photos 170 comments
in my opinion this piece should not have a sequel. the best part of it is the almost tangible mood of excitement fear and anticipation. actually giving the fear a name might an almost anticlimactic effect, but if you think there should be a  sequel for it I'm sure it will be amazing

Yoyo96 said...
on Jun. 3 2010 at 11:51 am
Yoyo96, Lake Station, Indiana
0 articles 1 photo 30 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Don't frown. You never know who is falling in love with your smile."
"When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there"

Im pretty sure the test was a pregnancy test because the author said "its the first" and "we should dance again like we did last week"

its almost like they wanted to celebrate something even tho they were nervous about it. Pregnancies are the only thing i can think of that fits that profile- you wouldnt wanna celebrate HIV....


on Jun. 3 2010 at 11:10 am
vikesfan28 GOLD, Genoa, Nevada
14 articles 0 photos 28 comments

Favorite Quote:
I'm still a geek on the inside, that's the important thing.









-Wierd Al Yankovic

pretty please continue!!!  have the test be for something really unexpected to the readers, not like a pregnancy or cancer test. im not sure what but make it something else. the beginning is too good for you to let it turn cliche!  :)

on May. 12 2010 at 10:09 pm
AelitaReloaded PLATINUM, Scottsdale, Arizona
22 articles 0 photos 179 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The pen is mightier than the sword" author unknown (to me)

amazing detail- but.. WHAT WAS THETEST FOR?  You should write a sequel that explains that...  Keep it up you're really a good writer!  Your peice was almost more like a poem, you should look into writing some poetry!

on May. 12 2010 at 9:48 pm
princess69203 GOLD, Tangent, Oregon
15 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
1) Oi With the poodles already!- Gilmore Girls
2) Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.- George Santayana

yes, but it didn't say that he said it gravely....

on May. 12 2010 at 4:06 pm
AddisonElizabeth, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
0 articles 2 photos 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

this was really really good(: but i have to ask, was it a pregnancy test or something else?