Chapter 5 – Are you with me?
Did I set an alarm before I went to bed? Oh, it’s time to get up for school! I’ve got to hurry up and get ready. I quickly grab a few snacks to eat along the way.
“Bye, stepmom! Bye, stepdad!”
That’s weird. They’re oddly silent today. What’s even weirder are the people on the street. Cars seem to be aiming for me and people are looking at me as if they hate me. It’s the same in school. The teachers don’t even call on me when I raise my hand. They even yell at me when I do the smallest thing. I guess everyone is just in a bad mood today. I can’t wait to see my friends and my girlfri-…I remember this dream. It’s happening again. Why did I forget Alexa’s name and call her Angel?
“You’re like an angel when the sun shines on you, Alexa,” a memory reminds me.
“How cheesy,” the other me comments.
Oh, that’s right. Angel was her nickname I sometimes called her. I know it’s cheesy, but she liked it, however, the Alexa that is coming my way isn’t an angel. She’s a demon.
“Alexa! How are you doing?”
“Fine, without you.”
“No, you aren’t Alexa! You aren’t my angel.”
“What are you going to do about it? You wouldn’t hurt your little angel, would you?”
“No, but you aren’t her.”
Something inside me says rip off her face and the face of the two who are pretending to be my friend, and that’s what I do. I tear the faces off these pretenders. More start coming after me with the faces of my family and other friends. How dare they have the faces of the people I love! I tear off all their faces then scream out loud only to wake up moments later with a feeling of relief. Hopefully, that’s the last I’ll see of that dream.
“I wonder what Alexa’s reaction to you doing that would be.”
Please, I don’t want to think about it.
“But you did that for her honor and the honor of the other people you love.”
It doesn’t matter anymore. Let’s just forget about it.
I get up from my bed and walk out of the room as Alexa comes to the door.
“Up already?”
“Yeah. All of that exercise yesterday must’ve given me a lot of energy.”
“That’s great! Does that mean you’re ready for another day of it then?”
“With you, I’m ready for anything.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
After eating a nice breakfast, we head out for sports and exercise.
While out, I ask Alexa, “So, how have you been? You didn’t tell me yesterday.”
“Sorry, I guess I was just having too much fun. It felt like all that time we spent apart didn’t happen.”
“It was the best day in a while for me.”
“Anyways, I’ve been doing okay. I’m doing good in school and sports like always even though I haven’t gotten any new awards. I’ve made some new friends here too though I’m not best friends with anybody and just talk to them in school and that’s it. It’s nothing like back at my other home.”
That’s good. It means she didn’t find a boyfriend here.
“What if she did? Would you be happy for her?” the other me asks.
Shut up.
“You want her all to yourself, don’t you?”
“How have you been, Michael?”
“Less than perfect let’s say.”
“Outside of what happened to you.”
“…I…was fine.”
“Are you sure? I remember the day I left. You wouldn’t stop chasing after me when I drove away. I remember crying as much as you.”
“You did? Because I never really got over it-uh! I mean…uh…”
Dang it. I didn’t mean to say that.
“Don’t worry about it. I didn’t really either even though it may seem like it.”
“You didn’t need to let it bother you.”
“I could say the same for you. Oh. You didn’t tell me how that lady, Serenity, found you.”
“She found me on through the internet while she was looking for another kid to kidnap.”
“That’s terrible that it had to be you, but then again, we’re together again because of what happened.”
“I guess you could call it an act of God if you wanted to.”
“Yeah. I’d like to think it is. It’s a shame that we’ll have to separate again when your parents come to get you.”
“I almost wish they don’t.”
“But you have to go back home, Michael. We can still talk across the phone and our webcam.”
“But it’s not the same.”
It’s why I never really picked up the phone or answered her calls. I thought it was over when she left me.
“I guess that’s why you never answered my calls. You know we can meet up again once we become adults.”
“But how long is that going to be? How do you know that something won’t happen between us that won’t separate us for good?”
“It depends how much you trust me, and judging by your attitude, it seems like you don’t trust me that much.”
We stop what we’re doing.
“That’s not it. I’m just not sure of the future.”
“Then how am I going to restore your faith in me?”
“You…tell me, we’re still together.”
“Huh? I thought we broke up.”
“I jumped the gun then because I thought I would never see you again. I acted impulsively without thinking and I’m sorry. My life without you is misery. Can you please forgive me?”
Please say yes, please say yes!
“…Maybe. You’ll have to prove that you still love me.”
“What do you want me to do? I’ll do anything.”
“You’re going to have to answer my calls and send me a letter like the one you wrote before once a month.”
“I’ll do it!”
“Then I accept your apology.”
I hug Alexa and she hugs me back. I want to give her a kiss, but she pushes my lips back with her finger.
“Uh, uh! I have to get a letter first before you get one.”
What a tease. Haha.
The other me says, “So, you got her back with no trouble. What were you worrying about all this time?”
I don’t know. I guess I was just that scared, but I should’ve known better. My angel wouldn’t abandon me.
Once we’re tired of our fun and games, we go back home and relax for a bit. We watch TV in the nice air-conditioned house. She’s already fallen asleep on me, which has to be one of the best parts of the day. I soon fall asleep as well and start to dream of me stopping by her house one day.
“Michael!” Alexa says in her beautiful velvety red dress, “It’s been years since we last saw each other.”
“I know, but we’ll never be separated again,” I get on one knee and say, “Will you marry me?”
“Ah! I do!”
“Are you ready to go? Do you need to take anything with you?”
“As long as I’m with you, I have everything I need.”
We get into my car and drive away, but as we’re driving away. People from the pavement start clawing at the car as if they’re trying to stop it and tear us out of it.
Get them away from us!
“I’m just a passenger in this ride,” the other me says, “Not the driver.”
The road keeps getting narrower and narrower because of the crowds of people until we hit a large pole in the center of the road. I wake up to see a car crash in the movie that we were watching. Alexa is still asleep-is she seriously drooling on me? I’m not sure whether to think this is gross or cute. Oh. Someone’s unlocking the door. It must be her parents. I wake her up so we can get up and greet them. They don’t appear to be very happy.
After saying hello, I ask, “Did something go wrong at work?”
Alexa’s mom shakes her head then looks at Alexa’s dad. He says, “No, nothing went wrong at work for either of us, but…the police couldn’t find your parents at your house. They searched the place and only found bloodstains and signs of a struggle. They’re suspecting the worst-case scenario given what I told them about the group that kidnapped you, but they are searching for them.”
Alexa’s mom and dad hold me then Alexa herself joins in to say sorry to me.
“You’re going to have to stay with us, not that we mind at all,” Alexa’s dad says, “You’ve already been part of the family ever since you and Alexa met. We’re glad to have you with us.”
“Thank you.”
Alexa, her dad, and I go to sit down as her mom makes dinner.
As we’re eating dinner, Alexa’s dad notices something, and says, “Are you okay, Michael?”
I don’t know why, but I don’t feel that bad about losing my family. Alexa’s dad must’ve noticed the smile that’s on my face.
“Yeah, I’m doing fine,” I say as I look at Alexa.
Her dad has always been perceptive. He looks back and forth at us, smiles then says, “Are you two back together?”
“We are,” I say with a little hesitation.
“That’s great!”
“When am I going to get grandchildren?” Alexa’s mom asks.
“Mom!”
We laugh a bit then tell her parents why we got back together. In bed, I rest more relaxed and at ease than any other night that I can think of. Even though my parents have disappeared, my life has taken a turn for the better.
The song used for this chapter is Check Yes Juliet by We The Kings.
