Meaningless | WAC Prompt 3

You’re born without emotions, and started a donation box for people to donate unwanted emotions. After being burdened with fear, sadness, guilt, and regret, someone donates happiness.

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People think you wake up sad, brush your teeth guilty, and go to school depressed. Unfortunately, that's not how life works.

For some reason, I was 'blessed' with the ability to have no emotions. After this, I was hospitalized for fear I'd be considered a freak or worse, an experiment. From what my mum has told me, I am a bit of an experiment.

She offered herself as guinea pig to assist in bettering the knowledge of babies to build a smarter generation. Sadly, this resulted in the hormones that produce emotions to be killed off.

As memories from a couple of years ago flooded my memory, I eyed the blue walls of my slightly normal 8 year old bedroom. No posters of pop stars and TV shows crowded it; no toy box in the corner or barbie house standing tall. Besides a dresser and bed, I had nothing an average 8 year old might possess.

However, besides my bed sat a tank with an oxygen mask type gadget. My legs swung over the side of the bed and dangled over the edge. As routine, I pressed the mask to my nose and mouth, carefully breathing in and out. The door swung open, and in stepped my mother just incase I were to out while taking my treatment. A frown sagged on her young face, and I could only look at her with guilt.

It took five minutes, just as always. I picked out a loose black t shirt with dark blue skinny jeans and a matching pair of black high top converse. There was nothing special about my hair with it's low hanging, loose ponytail. The brown strands didn't even curl at the tips.

Empathy was scribbled across my mum's expression as she saw me. She always looked at me like this, or it was guilt. I wish I could do more than return the negative emotion, but this was my life.

I was trapped beneath everyone's unwanted emotions, but doctors say that's what's best for me.

My mum watched as I walked towards the bus stop where middle school students crowded around the only bench. I stood a couple yards away and watched the bus drive up the slightly wet street. The middle schoolers hurried to gather their belongings and lined up behind me.

At times like this, anxiety tried to creep up on me, but I've learned to control the power of it ever since this treatment started.

The yellow doors opened, and the middle schoolers behind me gave me no choice but to move forward. I sat in the last seat where no one dared to sit. I sighed and closed my eyes, breathing in the familiar scent of the bus.

A gentle finger tapped my stretched out hand on the seat. I snapped my head to the left in fear. "Hey there. I'm new to the district. What's your name?" A boy, dressed in a red hoodie and light blue jeans. I gulped and looked into his deep green eyes. "I'm.. I'm Addison..." I stuttered, afraid of what he would say next. He smiled wide and held out his hand to shake. Hesitantly, I clasped my hand around his and shook. His smile never faltered, and all I could do was frown.

His hand let go of mine, and he tilted his head to the side a little. "I'm Aiden, but are you okay? You look sad." As always, I couldn't respond, but Aiden didn't seem to mind. He jumped over into my seat, which pressed me against him and the window.

"Um..." I stuttered. Anxiety crept up on me, and I've never been in this situation. Aiden chuckled and moved closer to the edge of the seat. "Sorry I didn't mean to frighten you there." He assured with a warm smile.

What was it with this kid and smiling?

All I could do is look at him with fearful eyes. Aiden made a funny expression as if he was thinking, and he snapped his fingers in delight.

"How old are you? I'm 15, and you don't look to be older than me." He wondered. I played with my fingers and nodded to confirm I was younger. "I'm 8..." I whispered just loud enough so only we could hear.

Aiden's shocked expression hit me harder than expected. "Woah! Are you like, super smart or something?!" He exclaimed, curiosity filling his eyes. My eyes found a dirt spot on my black converse to stare at while I waited for his response.

A warm, gentle hand was placed on my shoulder, and I froze from the . "Hey, I think it's awesome that you're so smart. Does your intelligence have anything to do with your negative emotions?" Aidem pressed.

I was so confused as to why this handsome kid was interested in me. It was especially odd because I'm so much younger than he, but it didn't seem to bother the ecstatic teenager.

Once again, I nodded. "Well, i was supposed to be a really smart baby. The people at my mum's work were coming up with a serum to create a generation of super humans pretty much. But, ah, the serum killed off the hormones and chemicals that made me feel anything. Instead of forcing me to live a life with a constant stoic outlook, they set up a program for people to donate the hormones that caused them any feelings. They said what they wanted to donate, and the doctors took the hormones out of their system and into this machine. The very machine sits at my bedside when I wake up to take something similar to a breathing treatment. I guess no one wants to donate happiness because, from what I've heard, it's an amazing feeling."

Aiden simply stared, completely focused on the words coming out of my mouth. As if he was infatuated with every stop of knowledge, his mouth hung open. His finger made its way to his opened jaw and closed it slowly.

"That's amazing! I wish I was different and cool like you are." The boy shouted. I've never been called cool before. The bus slowed to a stop, and I looked out of the window. We've arrived at the middle school, and I had to wait to get to the high school. Aiden looked at me with complete surprise and interest.

It was just Aiden, a couple high school stragglers, and me left on the cool, empty bus. The driver motioned for us to move toward the front, and I dreaded this moment. I had to face the high schoolers who used my age and smallness to their advantage. Once the driver turned his focus to the road, the tallest of the high schools faced me.

"Well hello there babygirl~" Brock cooed. Disgust crept up on me, and my face crinkled to show it. "Awe come on honey buns don't you love us- oh? Who would this be?" The other member, Candon, sneered towards Aiden.

As if on cue, Aiden hugged me tight to keep the high schoolers from touching me. "Leave her alone Candon and Brock. She's only a little girl. A genius, yeah, but she's struggling through things you could never imagine." That made the two boys shut up for the rest of the ride to the high school.

••••••••

Despite me insisting I didn't need it, Aiden stayed on the bus and walked me home when I got off. I unlocked the door for us, and we stepped into the house.

As always, it smelled like freshly baked chocolate cookies. The smell gave me a sense of familiarity, and I loosened my tensed state. "Addison are you home?" My mum called from probably the kitchen. She's always in there baking or cooking something when I get home from school. Like respectful individuals, Aiden and I removed our shoes before stepping onto the clean carpet. I let the teenage boy into the kitchen, where indeed my mum was covered in flour.

"How do you always manage to get flour on your back, Mum?" I asked, wiping the white powder from her back. Aiden awkwardly sat down his black Nike backpack on the seat and watched us. I cleared my throat for my mum to turn around, and she smiled wide when she saw who I brought home.

"Addy you brought a boy home! I don't know whether to be frightened at the fact that he is a teenager or happy because you've finally made a friend." My mum said bluntly. I rolled my eyes because I knew she'd take it the wrong way. "Aiden, meet my mum. Mum, meet my new friend Aiden. He is interested in my condition." I explained.

Silence rested over top of us in the kitchen. My mum focused on getting the cookie dough laid out and in toe the oven. My figure was slumped over top of the brown, round wooden table that was our dining table. Aiden sat across from me in a spare chair, and my mum made her way to the seat beside me.

"So, you're interested in how to help?" My mum asked, folding her hands together and leaning forward. Aiden nodded slightly and smiled. "Yes Ma'am! It's strange, and I've never heard about it before. The fact that Addison is also super smart makes it so much more interesting to learn about."

My mum's expression changed into one of delight. "Addy, why don't you go upstairs and change into some comfortable clothes. I'm sure Aiden wants to stay for dinner." She insisted. I shrugged off the uneasy feeling I got from those two being alone.

What if he tried to fix my condition?

As instructed, I changed into a pair of grey sweatpants and a loose, off white t - shirt. Incase the two were talking about something, I chose to wait a couple more minutes. For once, I took the time to brush out my tangled ponytail.

Hesitantly, I tip toed into the kitchen. As expected, cookies were in the centre of the table to be eaten. My mum smiled, and Aiden turned to smile at me, too. "Despite the fact that he is 15, I think you found a pretty amazing friend Addy. I can see he is intelligent himself, and I'm thrilled he wants to be your friend."

I didn't expect the two to get along so well, but it seemed my thinking was incorrect.

••••••••••••••

Two weeks have ed since I've met Aiden. It was as if being around him brightened my whole world. I was no longer living for my treatments, but taking my treatments to live. Aiden's wide smile copied onto my face, and I felt so much better than I had been.

Why? Because Aiden, my best friend, had donated some of his happiness. The boy had so much to go around, so it didn't dent his optimistic attitude one bit.

My mum and he got along quite well. We'd walk home from school every day together, and my mum would always have something baked for us to munch on while we completed homework.

Even though Aiden's feelings towards me aren't that from a romantic fairy tail, we both still shared mutual love for each other. A kind of sibling love I never experienced, and it felt amazing to have someone always by my side.

My life is the definition of everything turns out in the end. Positive attitudes equal positive outcomes. I had no choice but to think of the negatives, but with Aiden by my side I developed emotionally.

The smiles I always envied now found themselves on my face, and life couldn't be better.

Keep your head up my fellow friends that are struggling.

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Oof where in the dark pits of my mind did I create this? I have no clue, but here it is! #WACEmotion

Welp, imma just let this be a thing that exists.

~ Andy ~

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