A Sort of Commune

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Picking up speed across the lawn, I jumped and pulled my knees to my chest. Glistening powder puffed over me like a cloud as my butt hit the icy driveway. I giggled hysterically, exhilerated by the rush of cold air filling my lungs, and biting my cheeks. Stretching my legs out to keep from sliding into the street, I skidded to a halt.

I waddled across the street to the park, feeling like the Sta-Puff Marshmellow Man in my snowsuit. The park, newly carpeted from the night's snowfall, dazzled with possibilities. I shuffled to the nearest drift, fell backwards and started to make snow angels.

"Well, well, if it isn't Smelody playing all by herself in the snow. What's wrong . . . don't you have any friends?" Aaron Barber's unmistakable drawl hung over me. Long blond curls spiraled down toward me as I looked up and saw three of Aaron's friends standing behind her. "I heard that your mom and daddy are divorced, and you live with a bunch of hippies." Aaron's blue eyes narrowed like daggers. "Did they get divorced because of you, or because your mom is a slut and likes living with a lot of people?"

Aaron turned, giggling to the other girls, and they giggled nervously in return. My face burned as I tried to run away, but I slipped and fell on my face. Tears stung my frozen face, and I could hear the girls laughing behind me.

Aaron's words echoed in my head as I soaked in a hot bubble bath. I didn't know what a slut was, but I doubted if it was complimentary. I draped a cool washcloth over my eyes, hoping it would stop the burning and the pounding in my head.

I heard a soft knock on the door, and my aunt, Kim, came in with a mug of hot chocolate. "I heard sniffling and figured you'd either caught cold or you're crying. In both cases, hot chocolate is the best cure."

Trying to hold my lip from trembling, I sipped from the mug and told Kim the things Aaron said. Talking was hard because my breath dept catching and my throat hurt. Kim sighed and sat on the toulet seat.

"Melody, you live in an unusual atmosphere because most of the other kids live with both parents, whereas you live with one parent, a crazy aunt and three of her best friends. We are all hippies, but that's not necessarily an insult considering what our generation has achieved so far. My generation believes in peace, love and understanding, which is what the people that live here want to teach you. Aaron hasn't learned those values yet, but hopefully some day she will. She said some really cruel and untrue things about you and your mom, but if you just remember peace, love and understanding, hateful words won't hurt as much. Besides, I doubt if Aaron's life is all that perfect."

While falling asleep that night, I wondered if anyone's life was ever perfect.