Disconnected 1 Being disconnected isn t something you get to choose. It is something that chooses you whenever it feels that you are ready. Only one person becomes disconnected at a time and that person is always in high school. Nobody understands how it only happens to one person at a time or how it chooses its next victim. When disconnection occurs, you are trapped in the center of your own thoughts and memories as they swirl around you and play one after another. The memories are often the ones you wish you could forget forever. Pain, hurt, embarrassment, confusion, defeat. But once you figure out your mind, you are able to pull yourself out of the disconnection, with greater clarity and a hope for the future. Disconnection can last from a few days up to two weeks and you never know when it will happen. Once you return to reality you continue life as usual. You go to school, hang out with your friends, and just be a teenager. The only rule is that you aren t allowed to talk about your disconnection outside of your family. Astrid Williams sister told her every detail about her disconnection and it scared her for a whole year after that. She was scared until she met Paxton Woodhyme when he moved to Destin, Florida. Soon after Astrid met Paxton he became her boyfriend. Two years later, they were juniors in high school and still going strong. The couple spent everyday together and they were inseparable. Paxton eased all of Astrid s worries about disconnection. He made a promise to stay by her side through her disconnection and to help her after as well. Even if it meant breaking the rules, Paxton was willing to do that for Astrid. Are we going to your house today? Astrid asked Paxton as she pulled open the door to Paxton s old car that they nicknamed Rusty. The car was a gross orange color and had rust forming around the door handles and bottom of the car.
Disconnected 2 My mom and sister are both home, so no, Paxton chuckled as he swung his body into the car. Rusty bobbed up and down under their weight as they slammed the car doors closed. Astrid giggled and pulled her backpack off of her tanned shoulder. She knew that if they ran into Paxton s sister and mom they would never escape to work on their piles of homework. Well, my dad and brother are the only ones that should be home, so we can go there, Astrid informed him. Paxton nodded and turned the key in the ignition, and Rusty roared to life. Paxton backed out of the parking spot and started driving to Astrid's house, which was only a few blocks down from their school, Destin High School. Astrid tugged her blonde hair up into a high ponytail and examined her makeup in the passenger side view mirror. She sighed as she tried to fan out her eyelash clumps. Paxton glanced over at her and removed one of his hands from the steering wheel. He reached over and grabbed Astrid s hand that was closest to him. You look perfect, nobody noticed your eyelash clump, He mumbled as he turned into Astrid's driveway. She nodded and slipped her hand out of his. She opened the door and stepped out of the car. She grabbed her backpack and slung it over her shoulder before she slammed the door of the car closed. Paxton met her at the front of the car and she grabbed his hand. He flicked his dark brown hair out of his face before pushing the front door of the house open. Paxton and I are here, Dad! Astrid yelled as she jogged up the stairs towards her room. Her dad called back and told her that there was food in the kitchen, but she wasn t very hungry. She opened the door to her room and went straight towards her bed. Are you not hungry? Paxton asked as he sat down next to her. She looked up into his dark green eyes and shrugged. Not really, She confessed.
Disconnected 3 Let me guess, the stress of having a test and trying to look pretty, He teased as he bumped her shoulder. How d you know? Astrid sarcastically commented. She went to grab for her backpack that she had laid on the floor and realized that there was nothing around her. The only thing left around her was Paxton. What s going on? Astrid inquired in a panic. Paxton looked around and his eyes widened. Don t freak out, he started, then paused to draw in a long and shaky breath. Why would I freak out? Astrid lied. She was already freaking out just by him saying that. I think we are disconnected, Paxton informed her. Disconnected? Together? That s impossible! She cried out. Her hands started shaking and Paxton grabbed them to calm her down. It is scientifically possible to become disconnected together, he said, but there is a one in a million chance that it would actually happen. So we re one in a million? Astrid gasped. She ripped her hands out of Paxton s grip and covered her mouth with them. Paxton stretched his hand out and rested his fingers under her chin. He pushed her chin up and looked into her soft brown eyes. Tears were welling up in the corners of them as he pulled her into a hug. The only way that we can get out of this is if we figure out each others minds as well as our own minds, Paxton whispered into her ear. She nodded against his chest and looked up. Memories had started to swirl around them. It was hard to tell which memories belonged to her and which ones belonged to Paxton.
Disconnected 4 Pax, does this mean that we have to tell each other all of our secrets? She asked him. He nodded and pointed to the memories that were surrounding them. As they each stop we have to watch them and yes, that means we will possibly see each others secrets, he explained. The memories one by one started to slow down and some even disappeared. In the end there were four in total, spinning in a slow circle. Astrid noticed that two belonged to her, which meant two belonged to Paxton. The first one slowed to a stop and it was Astrid, she was sitting on the floor of the school bathroom crying. The memory resurfaced in Astrid's head with vivid details as it played in front of them. You are worthless! the girl shouted at Astrid before she, along with her minions strutted out of the bathroom. Astrid looked up at them and had tears pouring down her face. She stood up slowly and looked at herself in the mirror. She was a wreck in every way possible. She started to point out all of the flaws in herself. She didn t know why, but something took over her and didn t stop until she had told herself everything that was wrong about her. She then wiped her tears and walked to the office. She told the lady at the front desk that she threw up and wanted to go home. She couldn t face that school for another minute that day. You really thought that about yourself? Paxton asked as a concerned look flooded his eyes. Astrid couldn t make eye contact with him out of fear. That memory was from two years ago, right before she met Paxton. With him, she was finally starting to love herself for who she was. Yes, but I m getting better about it, I promise she whispered sneaking a quick glance at his face. It wasn t full of disgust and pity, it was full of worry. Paxton nodded and the memory started to fade away, into the darkness of Astrid s mind. The next memory slowed to a stop a few
Disconnected 5 minutes later, at least that is what it felt like. It was one of Paxton s memories this time. There was a girl that was standing outside as he looked out at her from his bedroom window. Come on Paxton! We ve been planning this for a month now! The girl called up to him. Paxton looked at her reluctantly as he moved away from the window to put down his backpack. I don t want to do it anymore Claire, I don t think you should either! Paxton replied as he poked his head out the window a tiny bit. I m still doing it! It s your loss that you will be stuck at home forever now! she sighed. Claire adjusted the straps of her backpack before waving to Paxton and taking off into the woods that were behind his old house. The scene faded away, but a new one appeared. Paxton was crying in front of a grave with a lot of people surrounding him. All he could keep mumbling was, Why couldn t I have stopped her. That was my best friend Claire, choked Paxton. We made plans to run away when we were both eleven. I got scared and chickened out. I tried to convince her to do the same, but she left too quick. Then, the next morning my parents got a phone call saying that Claire had been hit by a car and had died of head trauma. Pax, I m so sorry. Believe it or not, the same thing happened to my sisters best friend, Astrid comforted him. Losing someone close to you is devastating and I hated seeing my sister go through it, and now you, too. The one thing that helped me get through it was knowing other people were going through the same thing, Paxton confessed as he grabbed Astrid s hand. She laid her head on his
Disconnected 6 shoulder and braced herself for her next memory. She noticed what it was and immediately tensed up. Why? her father demanded of his brother. Astrid s whole family and her uncle were standing outside their house as the red and blue lights of cop cars lit up their yard. The cops patted down her uncle and put him in handcuffs. I was broke, her uncle confessed as the cops sorted through the stuff in his pockets. Her dad shook his head and held onto her, her sister, and her brother. Being broke is no excuse for selling drugs, especially when you are hiding them in my house, her dad scolded him. That was the last time she had seen her uncle before he got dragged away by the cops and placed in one of their cars. My uncle was a drug dealer, Astrid explained quietly. It was still an embarrassing subject for her to talk about. She had spent so much time with him as a kid. But she hasn t seen him since she was twelve. Having a relative go to jail is something that will never stop hurting, Paxton said quietly. I guess this being disconnected together is pretty good. We are getting these things that we were too afraid to tell each other off of our chests. Now we are almost like open books, she noted. Paxton nodded before pointing to the last memory. I already know what it is, so I might as well just tell you what happened, Paxton sighed, After Claire died, my whole world fell to pieces. I started to never concentrate in school and my grades dropped drastically. My parents took me to see a doctor and I was diagnosed with depression. I had to see a therapist and it eventually got better. Luckily, it wasn t long term and I didn t have to take any medicine for it.
Disconnected 7 But why didn t you tell me this? Astrid asked as she turned to face Paxton fully. Because of my depression and my grades dropping so much, I had to redo the sixth grade. I should be a senior this year. I just told you that my parents held me back because I was scared of what you would think of me, he stated truthfully. Pax, I would never judge you because you got held back, in fact I think it just shows how dedicated you are to school, she smiled. A smile spread across Paxton s face and a small chuckle came out of his mouth. Right because I am so dedicated to school, Paxton remarked sarcastically. Astrid also let out a small giggle to his response. Now, we are both fully open books to one another, Astrid commented. Yes we are! Paxton agreed. He pulled Astrid into a hug, and as he did that the darkness started to shift and changed back into Astrid s small bedroom. They both pulled away and look around to see their family members waiting for them. You re awake! Paxton s mom cried as she gave him a hug. Astrid s family also tackled her in hugs and they all seemed so happy to see the two kids back from their disconnection. How did you end up getting disconnected together? Astrid s younger brother asked. We don t know, but I m just glad that I got disconnected with somebody like Paxton, Astrid confessed as she reached to grab Paxton s hand. I can only say the same and more about Astrid too, Paxton smiled as he tightened his grip on her hand.