Hey guys! So this is a story I had to do for school and I decided to put it up here. Theres also another version that I first started with and it isnt finished cuz I changed course to this. I was gonna put that up too but for some reason it isnt working so ill try later. :)
Can You Hear?
I never understood why I am the way I am. I try not to think about it to much. Of course, thinking for myself sometimes is really hard when I'm around a lot of people. You see, I was born with what some might say is a gift. I would call it a curse. From the moment I was born, I could read peoples minds. Sounds kind of cool at first doesn't it? But when your a little baby and this happens to you, people don't want you. People think that there is something wrong with you.
You grow up in a hospital and by the time you are old enough to make it seem like you are under control they ship you off to a foster home because your parents have abandoned you. I mean, who could blame them. I would have been scared too. But it's okay. I don't remember a lot of things from my childhood because of all the different medicine they put me on. Everything is kind of fuzzy.
So here I am. 17 years old as of today, climbing out the window of my tiny bedroom with my little back-pack filled with clothes. I was finally getting out of this place. The foster home I was put in was definitely not a good choice for me at all. There was so many foster kids here. Coming and going constantly. I basically lived in my room. Only coming out for food and to use the bathroom. And even then, only when absolutely necessary. I couldn't go to school because I had "psychotic" breakdowns. They tried getting me a tutor, but they all left because I, and I quote, "scared them." So I was home schooled. And when I say home schooled I mean I basically taught myself. I liked it better that way though so it was okay.
I regretted leaving as soon I hit the busy streets of New York City. The rush of everybody's thoughts hit me full force. I had to get out of here and out of here fast! I spotted an alley leading away from all the madness. I practically ran towards it like it would save my life, but of course it wouldn't. Even after a couple steps in the voices were still driving me crazy. I was starting to get one of those pounding headaches. You know, the ones that feel like you will never recover from. As I kept walking, the voices started to dull, which was weird because I usually had to be very far away from people before that happened. As my headache started to ease, I noticed for the first time how creepy and abandoned the alleyway was.
Everything was really dark. I wouldn't be able to see anything if it wasn't for the blue light they had at the back of a restaurant. I could make out a dumpster next to the door. I slowed down, finally realizing just how creepy the alley really was. A person stepped out from the restaurant with a trash bag to through in the dumpster and the voices got even duller, barely whispers. Was it this person that was doing this.
I started walking faster down the alley, trying to get a better look at this person. As soon as I got close enough to see that the person was a guy, the worst pain I've ever felt shot through my head.
Everybody's thoughts that were there felt like they were being ripped out, one by one. I fell to the ground, clutching my head, a small scream escaping my mouth. Of course the guy must have heard because the next thing I know there's someone kneeling in front of me, grabbing my shoulders. I opened my eyes but couldn't see him through the tears and the little light coming from the restaurant made my head hurt even more. If that's possible.
"Hey," he said, shaking me, "What's the matter? Are you okay?"
Tears started pouring down my face. Almost all the thoughts were gone, they were getting ripped out faster and faster.
Then, all of a sudden, it stopped! Just like that. For the first time in my life I heard silence. For the first time ever, I had my mind to myself.
"Shit," the guy said, interrupting my silence, "Your nose is starting to bleed. I'm gonna go inside and tell them I have an emergency and have to leave. Okay? I'll be right back."
I barely heard anything he said. I was still in shock. I felt his hands disappear from my shoulders and I reached up to wipe the tears from my eyes just in time to see the guy stepping through the door of the restaurant. As soon as the door shut, it all came back to me. All the thoughts started rushing back in. It felt like someone was blowing up a balloon in my head but there wasn't enough room. The fresh wave of pain hit me full force. Causing me to fall all the way to the ground, in fetal position.
The silence was gone. Absolutely gone. It was worse than never hearing the silence at all.
After a couple minutes of laying there the door to the restaurant opened, he stepped out, and it all started again. I didn't even have it in me to scream anymore. I could feel myself starting to slip away, just like the thoughts. I could barely keep my eyes open.
"Damn," he cried as he walked over to me.
He helped me into a sitting position and started to pick me up. I heard him mumble something about a hospital.
"No," I murmured, "I can't go to the hospital. I just ran away. I can't go back."
And that's the last thing I remember.
I woke up, opened my eyes, and got an immediate headache because the room was so bright. When my eyes finally adjusted, I realized why the room was so bright. It wasn't because there was sun shining through the window (there wasn't even a window). It was because the whole room was white. The carpet, the walls, even the couch I was on.
I rolled over so I was laying on my back and saw that the wall the couch was against was blood red. The same color as the blanket I had. In front of the couch was a glass coffee table with nothing but my bag on it. On the wall opposite of me, there was a T.V. in the left corner and a door on the right.
The events of last night hit me and I couldn't decide if I should be happy or upset and scared. The silence was still there, so that had to mean he was still here, right? I sat up on the couch, the blanket sliding to the floor. The silence making my head whoosh with emptiness. It was a glorious feeling. Somehow the room looked even more clean and perfect upright. I didn't see a speck of dust or dirt anywhere.
I heard the noise before I smelt the coffee coming from another room. The delicious smell was enough to get me up on my feet and following it. Despite the silence feeling completely great, my head still hurt a little from the night before. I got up from the couch and turned to walk down the hallway. I heard another noise come from the end of the hallway and suddenly I was really scared to turn the corner. I mean, obviously there was something strange about a guy who brought a person to their home instead of leaving them there or calling 911, then leaving. Who actually does this!
But the smell of coffee was finally enough to get me to turn the corner. I walked into the kitchen. And just like the other room with the couch, everything was spotless. Absolutely perfect. There was a small island with three stools in the center of the room. On the other side of the island, HE was there with his back to me, cooking something that looked like it was supposed to be pancakes.
When I saw him, he wasn't any bit as scary as I thought he would be. He was wearing black jeans and a white T-shirt. His hair was a very dark brown. Almost black. Just like his eyes, I realized when he turned around to face me.
"So," he said, resting his elbows on the island, "the only thing I'm guessing is that you can read minds. Am I right?"
I couldn't find my voice. I was dreading this conversation.
"Uh..."
"Okay. Maybe that wasn't the way to start things. My names Edward by the way. Here. Sit down."
"Bella," I said as I sat down in the stool across from him and he turned back to the stove.
"You'll have to excuse my lack of knowledge when it comes to cooking. Never had anyone to cook for before so... beware," he said smiling as he turned around to hand me the "pancake."
He turned around, switched off the stove, and handed me a fork. He sat down across from me.
"I'm sorry for you having to sleep on the couch. I thought you wouldn't freak out as much if you woke up there rather than in my bed," he said, sheepishly.
"It..uh..It's okay."
"So I spent the whole night going over this speech so I would know what to say today and somehow every word has vanished from my mind. So stick with me, okay? If I made the wrong assumption, feel free to run out of here and scream if you like. Alright?"
"Okay. Go for it," I said, already knowing his assumption was right and wondering how he knew just by what happened last night.
He walked around the island and sat next to me, turning the stool to face me. My pancake was forgotten.
"So," he started, taking a deep breath, "ever since I was born I've been able to read everybody's mind," he paused, looking uncertainly at me.
I made no movement what so ever. I couldn't believe what I was hearing right now.
"Fortunately my dad knew what was going on because it runs in the genetics. It just skips a generation. Lucky for my dad," he said, pausing again, his eyes had that far away look to them. And it occurred to me that at least one of my parents had to know what was wrong with me. And they still abandoned me. It hurt even more now. Knowing that they knew how hard it was going to be for me, but that didn't stop them from leaving.
"So when I was around four years old, my parents just couldn't take it anymore. As much as they tried, it was too much. So they decided to ship me off to live with my grandfather, who also had this gift or whatever you want to call it," he stopped speaking, looking at me.
"Uh oh. Why are you making that face? Do you want to start running and screaming now?" he asked.
I hadn't even realized I was making a face. "No, it's just...why would they do that? Wouldn't that just make the situation worse for everyone?"
"So you believe me? You can do it too, right? That's the only way any of this could make sense."
"Yeah, I do. And I can," I said, for the first time in my life I was finally able to admit it to someone. And I wasn't alone! I could feel my whole world changing in a matter of minutes.
"So I guessed right about why that happened," I heard him mumble to himself.
"Huh?"
"Sorry. Let me continue with my story. So they sent me to live with my grandfather because he had been living with it for a long time and he had learned how to turn it off," he said in a rush. "So when my dad took me there I remember stepping into that house and feeling the worst pain I had ever felt before, we never understood why that happens. We just guessed it was because our minds have the same ability, that when one of them is doing something unnatural then the other mind is going to do it too," he said, looking at me solemnly. "I'm so sorry about that by the way. I never knew there was someone else like me besides my grandfather."
"It's okay. I didn't know either. I thought I was the only one too," For the first time ever I didn't feel completely alone. I could feel my eyes starting to tear up but I forced myself not to cry.
He respectfully ignored my teary eyes and continued on, "So for the years that I lived there he taught me things you would never believe, how to turn it off, and so much more," he said, his grin growing every second. So much so that it was infectious. "I can teach you! And way faster then he taught me. He was a little crazy from all of the years dealing with the voices. You can stay here and everyday I get back from work we'll work on it. Think about it. We won't have to be alone anymore," he rambled, the biggest, lopsided grin in his face.
I couldn't help but smile back at him. When he saw me smile he jumped out of his chair, grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. Woah! Normally when this would happen to me I would push the person away. But I gave into the euphoria of the the situation and hugged him back. The tears finally escaping against my will. He pulled away, keeping his hands on my shoulders.
"Hey, none of that," he said, smiling slightly as I reached up to wipe the tears away.
"Sorry. Just... happy I guess."
"Well I would hope so."
He turned to look at the clock. "So this is as far as I got in my plan for the morning. 'Cuz I have to go to work now and as soon as I go all the thoughts will come back into your head," he said sadly.
I was nodding before he even finished his sentence. I could handle the pain a couple more times if I would eventually learn how to stop the thoughts by myself.
"It's okay. I can deal," I said smiling, trying to sound optimistic, "You have aspirin, right?"
"Yeah," he said, walking over to the cabinet and grabbing some and getting me a glass of water, "C'mon," he said, grabbing my hand and started walking towards the room with the couch.
He dropped my hand, sat the glass and aspirin on the coffee table, and immediately picked up the blanket, folded it, and sat it on the back of the couch.
"Sorry. I'm kind of a neat freak," he said, when he noticed me watching.
He walked towards the door and stopped when he was almost there.
"I feel so horrible for doing this," he said as he turned to face.
"Don't be. It's unavoidable"
"Okay," he whispered to himself as he ran out of the room.
As soon as the door shut the pain started. I clutched my head. A small whimper escaping.
"Sorry," I hear him scream.
Two weeks later we sat on the same couch. I sat cross-legged, the red blanket across my lap, facing him.
"Can we stop now," I sighed, defeated.
"No," he said, slightly irritated, "No more giving up just 'cuz you can't get it."
"Look. Can't I just get a job at the restaurant so that I can be around you all the time and it won't matter if I can do it or not," I said, frustrated.
"No. You're not going to be able to be around me 24/7. Your gonna want your own life," he said, his voice raising slightly.
"Sorry," he said when he saw me shrink back. "It's just I'm not used to all the thoughts anymore."
Must be nice, I thought. When he left for work all the thoughts would come back. I can tell you about every persons life in this building. And when he would give me lessons he would have to hear the thoughts in order for me to practice.
"It's okay," I smiled slightly.
"You learned about the strength in two hours. That means you can definitely learn to stop the thoughts."
It's true. Last week he told me that we were incredibly strong. You just had to tap into that part of brain. I could crush a penny into dust if I really wanted to.
"But that was so easy," I insisted.
"And so is this, just don't give up," he said, smiling.
That was it! Not even the smile could fix it this time. I got up and started walking to the door. I just had to get out of this apartment. I was embarrassed of myself for not being able to do this and it felt like I've been in here forever even if it was only two weeks. I'd just go for a walk or something.
"Where are you going," he asked. I turned around so I could face him.
"I'm just gonna go for a walk," I said, feeling bad that I caused that look on his face. I could understand though. I hadn't left the apartment since I got here. After my experience the first time I haven't wanted to go back.
"Okay," he said hesitantly, "Just remember what we talked about."
With that I walked out the door. I wasn't mad at him. I was mad at myself for not being able to do this. As I walked, the thoughts kept adding on, becoming more and more intense. I'd never been out on my own before in the middle of the city and already regretted leaving the apartment. There was so many thoughts they all became a big blur in my head.
Then all of sudden, one thought stood out. It was like all the other thoughts were silenced. It was so filled with anger that it was the only one I heard in my head.
"She'll regret this! I'll make her regret this."
It was close judging by how loud it was. I ran around the corner into an alleyway and saw a fight breaking out between a guy and a girl.
As soon as I saw the girl, I knew this was going to end badly.
Her name was Angela. And she was the closest thing I ever had to a friend. When I was in the hospital they tried to put me in group therapy, which only made the problem worse. She was the only one who talked to me. Ever. And to this day I still remember. Then I saw him pull out a knife.
"Hey," I shouted, filled with rage.
Everything from there is a blur. I remember suddenly opening my eyes and seeing the guy laying there. Blood everywhere. And Angela in hysterics.
As soon as I realized that I had done this I ran. So fast I was back at the apartment in ten minutes.
This is what he had warned me about. Not to use the mind-reading and strength for bad. Sure, he was a bad guy but I almost killed him. Might have.
I went to knock on the door and realized there was blood on my hands.
"Edward," I screamed, the hysteria obvious in my voice.
He opened the door right away. Looking shocked when he saw the state I was in. He pulled me inside right away, checking the hallway to make sure no one was there and shut the door.
"I...I," I just couldn't say it.
"It's okay. You can tell me what happened later," he said as he pulled me into the bathroom to clean my hands.
"I...I'm sorry," starting to cry. Sob, really.
"It's okay. Look. We'll move away and work on it, okay? It'll be alright."
When he first said that I thought he was just trying to soothe me. But he wasn't because that's exactly what we did. Moved I mean. And I also learned to flip the switch in my head. I have my own job now and everything. Even in my wildest dreams, I would've never thought this was possible for me.
When we moved here I followed the story of what happened in the alley that night. Even as much as Edward tried to convince me not to. I didn't kill Chris. The guy with the knife. But I did cause Angela to go into a mental hospital. My only friend growing up and I caused her to be put into a mental hospital. Edward tries to convince me that she was there because of the trauma of dealing with Chris, but I know better. I vowed to never ever do anything like that again.
But I had a good life now, here with Edward. And I'm 100% determined for it to stay that way.
So...whatcha think? Let me know if you like it and/or want me to make a story about this. Or tell me if its no good at all. And let me know if you want to see the other version. reviewwww plzzzz! :)