Teen Ink

Amelia

“Amy! There you are, where’d you go?” Raven called, trying to catch up to me.
“Oh, sorry, I forgot about our study hall,” I reply as she begins walking beside me.
Her chipper mood doesn’t allow for her to be quiet for longer than a few minutes, which causes her to begin humming a tune. As if that wasn’t enough movement, she begins skipping in circles around me and singing her song out loud. I immediately recognize the lyrics to Butterfly Kisses and smile as she sings it at the top of her lungs.
“Sweet 16 today
She's lookin' like her mama a little more every day
One part woman the other part girl
To perfume and make up from ribbons and curls
Trying her wings out in a great big world
But I remember

Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair
You know how much I love you daddy
But if you don't mind
I'm only gonna kiss you on the cheek this time…”
Laughing, I respond, “How on earth do you still remember that song?”
She smiles and shrugs, spinning in circles, “I remember the most random things… But I don’t remember who sang it originally… I only remember the song itself.”
I grin and continue walking, remembering all the beautiful music from back then, before the nuclear plants exploded. Shaking my head I look up at the sky, and my heart skips a beat. I know that I am about twenty minutes away from my house, yet the sun is sitting on the horizon. I check my watch and gasp at the 5:30 that shines brightly.
“Baiser! I need to get home, sorry Raven, maybe tomorrow!” I yell over my shoulder as I begin sprinting for my house.
I manage to hurdle into bed wearing my day clothes as the clock hits 5:58 and I fall asleep a few minutes after.