Look Up For Me | Teen Ink

Look Up For Me MAG

September 7, 2011
By JulieKate SILVER, Niceville, Florida
JulieKate SILVER, Niceville, Florida
6 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The brain is wider than the sky."--Emily Dickinson.


“Do you ever get that feeling?”
Luke glances up from his chemistry textbook.

“What? What feeling?”

“You know. That feeling.”

“Wh--oh.”

“No. Not that. Just … I don't know … never mind.”

Luke drops his book on the wooden table separating us. He's finally focused on me, which is all I have wanted since the moment we met a year ago. I feel a burning heat trickle down my neck, and I hate myself for that. I feel exposed; when your own skin reveals your true feelings, you can never hide.

“No. Go on. What feeling?”

“Well …” I decide to ask him, “Do you ever feel like you're sitting in a crowded room – I mean, not like claustrophobic crowded but like crowded enough to feel a little uncomfortable – and everyone is talking and you scream. You scream so loud you feel like the sound reverberations might cause your throat to explode. You just keep screaming, but no one even looks up. Do you ever feel like that?”

“Are you asking if I ever feel invisible?”

He isn't listening to me.

“No. Do you ever feel like that? Like what I just described.” Luke's eyes roll around in their sockets. He says “no” firmly, then picks up his chemistry textbook.

I say, “Oh, okay,” but before the second syllable can even escape my mouth, Luke cuts me off.

“You know, you're really weird. And you say ‘like' a lot.” He gives me a look that I interpret as: I knew you were weird, but don't be weird around me.

So I do something I've only dreamed about doing, something I wish I'd always had the courage to do.

“You know, I feel like that sometimes,” I say. “I feel like I'm screaming, and no one looks up. But I think everyone feels like that. Sometimes, you just gotta scream.”

He isn't listening to me. His eyes are glued to chemistry, and he ­doesn't even like chemistry. I'm tired of this bullsh*t.

So I scream. And he looks up.


The author's comments:
I wrote this for anyone that has ever felt ignored or invisible. So, basically, I wrote this for everyone.

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This article has 47 comments.


MADDO SILVER said...
on Oct. 30 2015 at 7:03 am
MADDO SILVER, MUMBAI, Other
7 articles 0 photos 37 comments
Its beautiful....I liked it :)

on Jun. 9 2014 at 2:15 pm
UponThePage BRONZE, Albertson, New York
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
The first duty of society is to give each of its members the possibility of fulfilling his destiny. When it becomes incapable of performing this duty it must be transformed. - Alexis Carrel

Beautiful. A simple exchange turned into a moment I'm sure all of us can relate to. Your ending is particularly powerful; great use of syntax. And it's true what you say here. People seldom notice those who stand before them until we scream. And then people can't help but look up. Keep up the great work :)

on May. 1 2014 at 9:44 am
TrishDestiny PLATINUM, Jerantut , Pahang, Other
45 articles 2 photos 91 comments

Favorite Quote:
“When it's over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it is over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.”

This is truly amazing, not only because its something most of us could really relate too, also your effortless writing styles are stunning!

on Dec. 5 2013 at 8:42 pm
bookmouse BRONZE, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
1 article 90 photos 251 comments
Your last sentence made my heart sto

on May. 23 2013 at 3:12 pm
JulieKate SILVER, Niceville, Florida
6 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The brain is wider than the sky."--Emily Dickinson.

Thanks for reading! :)

on May. 23 2013 at 3:12 pm
JulieKate SILVER, Niceville, Florida
6 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The brain is wider than the sky."--Emily Dickinson.

Thanks for reading :)

on May. 23 2013 at 3:11 pm
JulieKate SILVER, Niceville, Florida
6 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The brain is wider than the sky."--Emily Dickinson.

Wow thank you! Very kind of you to say. Thanks for reading :)

on May. 23 2013 at 3:10 pm
JulieKate SILVER, Niceville, Florida
6 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The brain is wider than the sky."--Emily Dickinson.

I based Luke on a boy I knew in high school. I made him roll his eyes and answer her question because I wanted to show how dismissive Luke is of her. He doesn't even want to think about her point of view, and the "no" just cuts off any development of conversation. I wrote their conversation this way because I often experienced the same kind of dismissiveness from this boy. I hope that helps!

on May. 3 2013 at 11:35 am
Alex_Mac BRONZE, Osler, Other
3 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!”
― Audrey Hepburn

You have a clean writing style that I really enjoyed reading. It was a lovely piece that I'm sure everyone can relate to.

on Sep. 15 2012 at 7:43 pm
DifferentTeen PLATINUM, Seaford, Delaware
32 articles 2 photos 329 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There’s no such thing as true love, just spurts of insanity—falling over and over again, thinking that won’t happen to me"

“No. Do you ever feel like that? Like what I just described.” Luke's eyes roll around in their sockets. He says “no” firmly, then picks up his chemistry textbook. I don't really get this part. Why did he roll his eyes and say no? Did he answer the question for her cause he felt like she didn't understand? I got this vibe from Luke, he just seemed like a jerk.

 

on Sep. 15 2012 at 7:39 pm
DifferentTeen PLATINUM, Seaford, Delaware
32 articles 2 photos 329 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There’s no such thing as true love, just spurts of insanity—falling over and over again, thinking that won’t happen to me"

Guh. I hate being the only person that doesn't understand something. I may not know what was going on, but it was wonderfully written. And I loved the ending no matter what.

on Jun. 29 2012 at 4:35 pm
xWritingGeek13x SILVER, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
5 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I don't know how you'll do it, but you will change the world for the better."
-My Mother

Wow! This piece is great.

on Jun. 27 2012 at 2:18 pm
originalityisdeadd, Upton, Massachusetts
0 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A bird does not lay awake at night and wonder if it is a good bird; A bird just flies."

wow, this is awesome!

on Jun. 25 2012 at 5:57 pm
JulieKate SILVER, Niceville, Florida
6 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The brain is wider than the sky."--Emily Dickinson.

Thank you so much! :)

on Jun. 25 2012 at 2:36 pm
XpurplemacaroniX GOLD, Hagerstown, Maryland
10 articles 1 photo 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."

Wow, I love this so much. It's just such an awesome peice. And the thing is, I couldn't even tell you WHY I like it. Like normally there's one or a few particular reasons I have for liking a peice, but with this one I just can't find the right words for it, which is weird because I'm a writer too, so words are generally pretty easy for me =P You're writing's just really relatable and understandable, not all overly complicated. It just gives off a certain feeling, one that I can't describe. So bottom line: I dunno anything, but I still love it =P and the ending made me smile :) I'm so glad I got a chance to read this!

on Jun. 23 2012 at 8:35 pm
JulieKate SILVER, Niceville, Florida
6 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The brain is wider than the sky."--Emily Dickinson.

This is so nice and sweet! Thank you for your positive comment :)

livhappy1 GOLD said...
on Jun. 23 2012 at 8:06 pm
livhappy1 GOLD, East Moriches, New York
11 articles 13 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
I know God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much...

I REALLY like this! Partly because I actually do get that feeling, but mostly because your writing style is easy to follow, yet sophisticated. You are a talented writer- I can totally see myself reading a novel written by you.

on Jun. 20 2012 at 10:30 pm
__horizon133 PLATINUM, Portage, Michigan
26 articles 0 photos 231 comments

Favorite Quote:
"laugh, and the world laughs with you. laugh hysterically, and for no apparent reason, and they will leave you alone." anonymous

your ending is perfect. I've felt that way before. Keep writing.

on Jun. 20 2012 at 8:58 pm
yournamehere GOLD, Reston, Virginia
15 articles 2 photos 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
Maybe our favorite quotes say more about us then the quotes themeselves

I love it. This is the first poem were Iactually said aloud "Thats great!"

on Jun. 20 2012 at 6:36 pm
awesomeaugust GOLD, Boston, Massachusetts
10 articles 0 photos 176 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground"
~Theordore Roosevelt

I LOVE this! the protagonist is really strong and the dialogue is great too