01

I don't remember anything. My mind keeps blank. My thoughts run dry. My memories cease to exist.

Why am I leaving? Why am I running away? How did I end up in this situation? And…… Why am I flying?!

I found myself flying wingless over seas. Yes, over the sea with just a messenger bag on hand and my usual clothing.

I'm very confused. Very. I try to remember why I'm doing this and how is it possible but amnesia keeps striking. I don't give up and keep trying, yet, before I know it, I begin to fall. I fall down. I can't stop. I don't know how to land. I fall a good twenty feet before something stops me. A line of nets catch my fall.

What?

How can there be nets in the middle of the ocean? I look around but there seems to be a never-ending line to these nets. I stand up and try to fly again and I successfully accomplish. I look around once more and soon realize an island is close by. Something tells me I must head there. Something.

Although I don't remember anything, I keep having this seemingly feeling that I know what I'm doing. I let my senses guide me as my mind keeps confused.

I approach the island. It becomes clearer as the clouds move aside. I see it. I fly to my destination but something else happens. This time, it's not real. I hear it in my mind. It yells and yells. It gets louder. I stop flying and begin to fall. This noise is disturbing me. This voice, so irritating.

I try to fly again but I can't. I see the blue ocean coming to a near stop at my face when I suddenly hear once again that voice, "Aracely!"

My eyes pop open and there, right at my face, my mother.

She grabbed my bed sheets and threw them to the floor. "Aracely! How many times do I have to call you?!" She seemed furious. "Get up! You're going to be later for class!"

I sit up. "What?" I glance at my digital clock and to her statement, she was right. I only had half an hour till class. "Shit!" I ran to the bathroom to get ready.

Very fortunate to my part, I barely made it on time to my Senior English class with five minutes to spare before the first bell. My best friend, Vita, waited for me in our usual seats.

I walked up to her practically dragging my legs towards my seat.

"Wow, where have you been?" Vita asked as she noted my time of arrival.

I sighed and threw my bag to the table. "Woke up late."

She took a good look at me. "Yeah, you can see it."

Apparently, with only that half and hour, I didn't get a chance for a good shower so poor hygiene was pretty much revealed through my hair and not to mention that long run I just did which pretty much threw out the whole cleanliness of a shower.

As I was placing out my notebooks and book, I suddenly remembered about something. That dream I had last night. It was strange. So real.

I turned to Vita and decided to share this topic. "Hey, listen, I had--" Suddenly a loud crash was heard from outside the window.

The few students in the classroom including our teacher rushed over to the window. When Vita and I rushed after them, our teacher ran to her school telephone.

Outside there was a crowd of students running towards a group of two boys and a thrown down trash can which was probably what caused the noise.

A fight was what ran through my mind. Ugh, not another one. I was about to turn around when I got a better view on one of the two teenage boys. Is he new? I thought.

The boy was strong built but with a thin frame. His hair was wild black as it reached his shoulders. He wore slim fit black pants with a sleeveless black shirt which showed off his collection of a few sleeve tattoos on both his arms.

He stood there motionless.

No way he is a high school student? I thought.

The crowd of people began to chant, "Fight."

The two boys kept staring at each when finally, the other boy, Dave, who I knew from my third period, grabbed the new kid by his shirt collar. "What the fuck is your problem?!"

The new kid didn't flinch nor reply. He just kept staring at Dave.

Isn't he gonna at least defend himself? I wondered, shocked.

Before any physical action happened, which was what was predicted from the look on Dave's eyes, the security from our campus took over and broke Dave's grip from the other boy's shirt and both were then taken to the office. Dave resisted but the other boy just walked away along with the security as though nothing had happened.

Everyone began to walk away as the entertainment ended and the first bell rang. We all headed back to our seats and began class.

After school, Vita and I walked home together.

"So, who do you think that new kid is?" Vita asked out of the blue but I was too lost in my thoughts to listen.

I turned to her. "What?"

She repeated herself and added, "He was interesting looking. Nothing like a normal high school boy."

I nodded. "Yeah…"

Vita stared.

I smiled at her. "What?"

"Are you okay? You've been off lately." She pointed to my head.

I shrugged and though back to my dream. "I'm just tired today."

She raised and eyebrow and shrugged it off.

I would have told her the reason I was out of it but for some strange reason, a wave of privacy washed over me. I decided to keep this whole strange dream to myself but still.. This dream kept me very confused. Something about it was making me think too hard! But why?

The next morning I had that same dream again. At that moment I began thinking about it, I felt a sharp pain on my back.

"Snap out of it." Vita had slapped my back.

I blinked twice. Oh yeah, I was in school. I had to get back to reality before I end up somewhere I really don't know.

We walked to our first period English and took our seats.

Our English teacher, Mrs. Johnson, was about to start class, but the sound of the door opening interrupted her. A boy walked in.

My eyebrows rose. It was that new kid from yesterday's fight.

He walked in at ease and handed Mrs. Johnson a paper. She eyed him carefully. She must recognize him from the fight.

Today he wore a long sleeve shirt. He must have been told to hide his tattoos.

Mrs. Johnson smiled and gave him back the paper. "Okay, we seem to have a new student. This is Ronald Radke." She briefly introduced him to the class then pointed to the last empty desk three seats down my isle. Two people sat in between us. "You can sit there."

"Ronnie is fine," he told her as he took his seat.

During the time we began to do our class work, I over heard my classmate, George, from behind trying to get Ronnie's attention.

"Psst... Hey, you… New kid."

I heard a sigh then, "My name's Ronnie."

"Well, hey, Ronnie, aren't you the one that was in that fight yesterday?" George's whisper began to sound eager.

It stayed silent for the first five seconds then a reply, "No."

"Aw, come one, it was you. I'm sure. Don't lie," George persuaded.

"Then if you're so sure it's me why the fuck did you decide to ask?" Ronnie spoke sounding a little frustrated and not to mention a little too loud.

Everyone looked up and over at the commotion.

"Is there something wrong?" Mrs. Johnson asked from her desk.

The boys both shook their heads and continued working.

I glanced one more time over at Ronnie. The boy had is head down hidden in his arms.

Something told me he wasn't enjoying his stay here.

After school, Vita and I walked home as usual.

"Hey, Ary.."

I turned to her. "What?"

"I don't know if it's me but I think that new weird kid, Ronnie, is following us." She beckoned her head back.

I slightly moved my neck and noticed a black figure walking just a few yards away from behind. Yeah, it was him.

"So you mean he has been behind us all this time?" I asked.

Vita nodded. "I noticed him since we left school. Been behind us since then."

I was about to say something when Vita suddenly shouted, "Hey! Are you stalking us or something?!"

My eyes were about to blow out of my sockets. I couldn't believe she just did that.

Ronnie looked up from the piece of paper he held in his hands and glowered. "What?!"

"Don't act dumb!" Vita shot back.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Anger had gotten to him.

"You've been walking behind us since we left school. You're clearly following us!"

"What?! No! I'm just following these directions!" He pointed to the paper in his hands.

Vita rose one eyebrow. "Uh-hu.. Sure." Of course she didn't believe him.

"It's not my fault you're heading the same way I am! Anyways, I don't have to answer to you! You crazy, bitch.." he mumbled under his breath and stormed off ahead of us.

Vita isn't one of the most normal people I know. She can have these random moments like right now. Sometimes I wonder why I'm still friends with a crazy person like her.

I tapped Vita's shoulder. "Uh.. Vita, I think you overreacted a little there."

She began to laugh.

I blew out a breath. Yeah, she's so random.

Suddenly I noticed something, tugged Vita's shirt, and pointed ahead. "Hey, look."

Straight ahead Ronnie walked literally in the same direction we head as well.

"Oh, he wasn't lying," Vita commented casually.

He then turned on the last corner and block which led right to my house.

We both walked quickly from behind and just as we turned the corner, Ronnie was already walking towards my house, towards my front porch -- much to my surprise -- and my mom was already outside as if like waiting for him with a man I didn't recognize right beside her.

I vaguely saw my mother smile at Ronnie as they all walked in the house.

A puzzled look struck my face. What?!

"Will you look at that. He was going to your house this whole time!" Vita spoke, shocked.

I ignored her and ran to my house. I pushed the front door open and saw all three of them sitting on the living room couch.

"You!" Ronnie quickly stood up and pointed at Vita. She stood behind me.

"Me? What are you doing here at my friend's house?!" she asked the same thing I wanted to ask.

"I'm still not answering to you." Ronnie sat back down and stared at the floor.

My mom laughed. "So I see you've already met."

Vita scoffed. "Unfortunately."

I turned to my mom. "So what's with the visit?"

"Oh, Aracely, I'm sorry. I haven't had the chance to explain anything to you. It all happened to fast." She glanced at the strange man, who nodded at her, then at Ronnie and placed her hand on his shoulder. He looked from her up to us. "You see, he's going to be living with us starting today."

"What?!" Vita and I exclaimed in unison.