"Your welcome" I muttered, not knowing if he heard me or not.
I walked down the street and looked up, I sighed. It was an apartment building, a familiar place, in fact it was a place I've known since I was an eight … my home, hell I like to call it. I sighed and tried to think of why god thinks I deserve this.
I mean I don't cuss, steal, or hurt people. In fact I pretty much just explained Trace, but I sighed and tried to put on a fake smile walking in the doors of hell.
(Traces side) "So" I begin trying to make small talk. "What's your favorite song?" It was probably a stupid question to ask, but it was important to me, music consumed a very large portion of my life. He looked to the sky. " 'dunno, to many to choose from, but I like My Immortal, Kryptonite, In the end, and stuff like that" I nodded thinking of those songs I think I have heard them all. I have My immortal, and In the end, on my Ipod thingy. "Cool, I like those songs too." I replied, I liked his tastes in music.
He kept looking at the sky, so I looked up too, the sun was setting. I gasped I think it was the most beautiful think I saw. "Beautiful isn't it?" He said smiling, looking at me.
"Yes, its so…" I tried to think of another word besides beautiful. "Brilliant" was the first word that popped out of my mouth.
He nodded "cool word" he said.
"Hey, you want to take the subway" he asked me. I shrugged, it didn't really matter. "Sure. Students ride free." He laughed we started crossing the street, to get the bus stop.
(Ray's side) we started waiting for the bus. "Man, when is the bus
'gonna be here?" Trace almost growled. I shrugged "I don't know" I lied; I knew when exactly it was coming, in three minutes and thirty-four seconds. She sighed. "Do you know what time it is?" I looked at my watch; I already knew the time was
7:07, I had heard it I'm peoples thoughts, but I needed to make myself look like a human. I glanced at her, "7:07, the bus should be hear in three minuets, that's what the schedule said."
She just nodded. I sighed a human was coming that I really didn't want to have to deal with. "Shayna." Trace hissed. Shayna was about ten feet away from us. She was acting like she didn't see us; she was humming an out of tune song.
"Hi guys!" she said while waving like an idiot. Both I and Trace rolled our eyes. "Are you taking the bus to?" She sounded like an idiot; it was New York it wasn't a big coincidence to run in to someone at a bus stop. "Where are you guys going? I'm going to the library you should join me!" Man Ray
Is so hot! I can't wait till he ditches trace for me! I shuddered at her thought, actually I shuddered at the thought it self. I noticed she kept her smile on her face the whole time.
Why was every girl this way? I didn't want any girl but who ever Ember is. I thought about that for a second, I didn't know what she looked liked any more, her voice, her eyes, her smile, or anything else.
It was so frustrating not knowing where she was. Was she safe? Does she remember me, Moonlen, anything about us?
I hated not being able to hold her in my arms. I and the guys had traveled the world looking for the others, but finding nothing! We finally found out from Eve that they would be located in the New York, New York area.
I want trace to be Ember, and if Trace is Ember all I have to do is get her to get her memory back.
I sighed. I wish I could just make this girl leave existence, be gone forever… I have tons of reasons why.
"Sorry… Uh what's your name again?" I asked trying to sound like I had really forgotten it. She turned red, she was mad... Very, very mad. She started to shake a little bit
. "Shayna!" she almost yelled. "Oh Shayna right" I muttered trying to keep it real. "Well, sorry Shayna, Trace and I are going to her house."
She screamed inside all the cuss words in the book, and Trace had no idea at all. I scanned her thoughts I hated what she was just about to say. "Well, maybe I could join you?" it was sad she thought she could "win" me back, but she has never had me.
Sorry, Shayna but your not really invited" I said I was tired of her weak attempts to get close to me. In fact they were worthless. Her thoughts were rude. Mean, and shallow.
She took a deep breath "Okay maybe some other time then?" she said with an edge to her voice I just shook my head neither girls noticed.
Just then the bus pulled up. The doors opened for us and other passengers. The bus driver was weird looking. Actually creepy a little bit. He had eye and nose rings, bald, and looked like he was missing a front tooth, great Ember has to, (who ever she is now) put up with this.
"Ladies first" I said waiting buy the side of the door "Thanks"
Trace he whispered as she walked past me onto the steps of the bus. Shayna rolled her eyes, thinking I didn't see, but she smiled as she walked past me.
Chap. 2
Trace and Shayna walked towards the back Traci sat next to the window, Shayna sat about four seats away from her. Shayna obviously thought I was sitting next to her though. I rolled my eyes, she didn't see. I sat next to Trace staring out the window. I didn't notice this before but her thoughts mostly circulated about everything. From her future, to her past, she didn't think much of the present.
She wanted to be famous, known is a better word. She wanted to raise money for kids in foster homes, how nice of her. She wanted to go to collage to master in English literature, but sadly she knew she would never get to try.
She stared at the window, she didn't like her life, and she didn't like how her parents pretty much "threw her away" were her choice of thoughts. There was a big possibility she was Ember. I felt like a kid, wanting a toy, but usually kids have parents and Santa to beg for toys, I had no one.
No one could "buy" this for me. Only Ember could, I knew I would find her but what if its too late. I tried to remember all the places we have been Germany, Japan, Africa, Indiana, all failures nobody located there.
In fact we were in Tokyo walking past random stores when I stopped dead silence with a throbbing headache. I was being sent coordinates of New York, New York from Eve. She also left a
Mental message which hurt the worst telling me they were located somewhere around the coordinates. I had no idea how her powers had gotten that strong or why it gave me a headache.
I remember Tokyo; we had spent the most time there. Everything was hard to understand there, like why were electronics in vending machines, and pizza in weird shapes.
I remember the first time I saw Trace; I had known just about everything about her before she even looked at me. She was sitting on the school steps for lunch, no money for lunch. She was writing
a story about a little girl, who had gotten on the wrong plane without her family she ended up somewhere in Africa instead of Russia. I remember Trace staring at her story then all of a sudden ripping it to shreds. I had sighed, she thought it was a horrible story, but it was wonderful. I knew her favorite colors; black and red. The way she thought silk felt, everything, all the way to how she feels how about homework. And I had read all her thoughts, everyone around her thoughts. And yet I still had a million questions.
I shook my head trying to remember who and where I was. Sense came back to me when I saw trace staring at me. "Are you okay?" she whispered to me. "Uh, yeah just daydreaming" I told her. Her eyebrows burrowed, then she smoothed them out quickly "Just checking" she whispered. She turned her head to stare out the window again.
I really needed to stop spacing out like this, I glanced over at Shayna, and she was texting a girl about how she was riding a bus with me. How pathetic, I thought. I was interrupted in my thoughts again, by a vibration in my pocket. I rolled my eyes and stretched out my legs to grab out my cell phone. I looked on the front screen EJ was calling. I used my teeth to open my phone. "Hello Edge" I greeted EJ using his real name.
"Ok I'm sure dove is her. Ok she loves to write stories about a mythical land, where the moon is always out.
She sometimes repels me, but she never notices. Like, about ten minuets ago I was walking behind her, then, all of a sudden I run into an invisible wall, but it disappeared right after that. And she didn't seem to even notice." I was astonished Edge was able to find Justice with in two days. "Lucky" I muttered. "Sorry dude.
You'll find her I promise." I rolled my eyes at his pity. Finding Ember will be the hardest thing I'll ever have to do. It's not just like I could give up. "How does she get her memory back?" he asked me. I growled. "How in the world do you think I'm supposed to know?" I practically hissed in the phone. "Someone needs a chill pill" Edge sang into the phone. "Yeah I'll show you a chill pill" I muttered. "Oh well I have to go, wish me good luck with the memory thing" I rolled my eyes at him. "Yes, Edge, good luck" I told him sarcastically. "See 'ya later" I finished. I snapped my phone shut and stared at it for a minute. It was a pretty cool phone, all the features. Slim, full text board. It wasn't even on the market yet though. "Wow, cool phone" Trace muttered staring at it. I felt like saying, "Oh you want, here take it, I have twenty of 'em anyways." But I didn't "Yeah I guess its pretty cool" Was my answer instead. "Can I see it?" she said looking up to my face. I shrugged, handing it to her. "Wow" she muttered to her self. "How can you afford all this? The internet, the games, all these songs." I
shrugged again. "Very generous foster mom" was the answer that came out of my mouth. "Well, here" she said handing it back to me. I stretched out my legs again, and slid the phone in my pocket.
The subway came to a stop, and the doors slid slowly open. Trace was the second one to stand up, after me. She picked up her backpack and followed behind me. "Hey guys, I think you forgot me back there?" Shayna said grabbing her things, pushing through people to get to us.
"I thought you were going to the library." Trace's eyebrows burrowed in confusion. "Yeah, but I really should come with you guys" she suggested again
Wow she really never gives up. "Why?" I sighed asking her. "Well were all friend aren't we Trace?" I wanted to get rid of Shayna she meant none of the words that escaped her lips. "No" Trace muttered, but of course Shayna didn't hear. "'sorta, not really" I told her, staring at the floor. Trace fought with a smile. "Fine!" she yelled in Trace's face. Trace eyes widened in anger. She grabbed Shayna's wrist, and twisted it behind her back. "Don't…yell…at…me…" she twisted her wrist harder, almost like a threat to pop it out. "Do… you…understand…me…" she released her grip and pushed her lips out like a "what ever" look. Shayna rubbed her wrist. I like the way Trace deals with problems… violence. She glanced at Trace. She smiled smugly
"No" she said even ruder, she was smart though, because she took a run for it. "Stupid girl" I muttered to
Trace. She smiled "tell me about it." I laughed at her reply. "Are you really the violent type?" I asked her, stealing glances when I could. She took a deep breath.
"Actually…" she began "she turned down her lips, while thinking. "Yes, yes I am" I liked her reply. "Awesome" I told her, she looked up at me. One eyebrow came up with curiosity.
"Really?" she sounded like she was testing me. "Yeah, I like girls who can stand up for themselves. I mean do you like fighting?" she thought for a minute. "Yeah I really like to fight, I guess" she sounded like she was just finding this out.
We were walking out of the subway station now. She glanced up; you could see her apartment building from here. She put on a fake smile, it didn't touch her eyes. "Home sweet hell" she muttered. "What?" I asked her, pretending I didn't hear. "Nothing" she tries to answer like it was the truth. "So you're going to help me baby-sit?" I shrugged. "Hey, kids love me." She looked at me "Really?"
''Oh I don't know." I said. She let out a sigh laugh. "So" she said. I already knew the question she was about to ask me, and I knew the answer I was going to give her. "When are you going home?" I glanced at me watch… which was broken I just know noticed that. "When does your foster mom get back?" she thought for a minute. I couldn't get over the striking resemblance of her blue eyes. They reminded me of Ember's which was probably the only thing I remembered her by, and her crying. To watch her cry, was like, to watch someone kill a baby. So heart breaking, ear tingling, so dreadful, it's like death, so painful and sad, but at the same time lovely. I never told her, but I secretly used to listen to her when she was crying. It was like a song, it was always so nice to listen to, I knew if I had ever told her she would've thought I was weird and sick. I gasped, that was what I needed! To hear her cry, then I'd know who she is. The only problem is, how do I get Trace to cry? "Um, she'll get home about 11:30." Her voice snapped me out of my mad man trance.
"Ok I'll go home about 10:30 then" I told her. I thought of ways to get her to cry. Hit her, make fun of her, ask her out then stand her up?
She nodded. We were at her apartment doors know. She was sad; she had hoped I'd stay longer.
Trace wasn't like every other girl I'd met; she doesn't just like me for the way I look. She actually wants to get to know me. She doesn't have a crazy obsession over me.
For the first time I think I'm actually… jealous? I didn't like the feeling though.
We were walking towards the elevator now. It was weird, I'm used to girls having an obsession over me, but I think I might be the one with the obsession know… with Trace.
"Are you ok." she asked me while pushing the up button on the
Elevator. I shook me head "Yeah, just a little tired" I lied. "Oh."
She mouthed.
She lived on the second floor, third door down, it was a twelve story building, and I haven't even asked her. A woman was thinking something. I hadn't really noticed the doors had opened till Trace had gotten inside. Her fingers flew the buttons, searching for the second floor button. She pressed it with her ring finger. She took a step back and watched the doors close. I took a deep breath and smiled at her when I caught her stare. Even if Trace is Ember I wonder what she would think when I told her. Would she run away? Would she think I was crazy? I thought about what I would say. "Hello, trace, yeah you're actually fourteen… billion years old. You have magical powers. Oh and you use a scythe to kill demons and your enemies. And on top of all that you can read minds and you're the world's protector. Enjoy that!" Yes that's exactly what I would say. Then she would call the crazy house and tell them to come get me, but hopefully she'll get her memory back so she could handle the even more confusing parts. I thought about how crazy my life was. So she could handle the even more confusing parts. I thought about how crazy my life was.
I sighed again. "What's wrong?" she asked me again, hoping for a betted answer than I'm tired. "I miss home, that's all." I realized how true that was. Moonlen, the place I call home. It was crazy and different than this world in so many ways. I thought of the name Ember gave us "The Original's" she gave us that name because we were the original humans. We were there billions of years before humans ever existed.
Walking around on a giant planet a hundred times the size of the sun, we called Moonlen. We called it Moonlen because then, the only other things were the moon, and sun. And on Moonlen there was only darkness, which never bothered us though.
And there were only fourteen stars which represented us. Each of
us had a star next to our spouse's mine and Ember's, Wednesday's and Tyler's, Emily's and Mike's, Kristin and Ben's, Justice's and Edge's, Ever's and Jackson's, Bailey's and Mason's, and then Darien's. There was an extra star next to mine and Embers but we could never figure out why…
(Trace's side) Ray kept staring off into space; I wonder what he was thinking of. I didn't notice when he looked at me though. It felt like seconds or days I couldn't tell the difference, his beautiful eyes piercing into mine. His eyes the lightest shade of green. "Are you wearing contacts?" he asked me I could feel my eyes burrow in confusion. "No" I told him.
"Oh" he murmured.
"Why'd you ask?" I asked him. He stared at me for a second. "Your eyes," he began
"Your eyes." He repeated.
"Yeah" I said while motioning my hand for him to spit it out.
"The color it looks so bright, green and blue."
"They change colors sometimes "I told him
"Really?" he questioned
"Sometimes they get lighter or darker; they've been hazel and plain blue or green before." I answered him.
He kept looking away like he was hiding something. I wanted to ask him, but I didn't want to sound weird about.
We were stepping out of the elevator now. I started walked down the hallway while Ray followed quietly behind me.
I shrugged the backpack off and watched as it fell to the floor. I unzipped it shoving my hand in looking for my keys to get in.
"Here, let me help." Ray said getting on his knees beside me.
"Thanks." I mumbled, I kept rummaging my hand looking for the key which is now probably gone into the depths unknown.
"Got it." Ray said talking to himself while tugging on the keys; they jingled together while he dangled them in front of my face. I grabbed them and looked closely at the five keys to find the one
for the door. I shoved in the right key and twisted right and left till
I heard it unlock.
"What's with the extra keys?" Ray asked.
"Well, ones for my journal, ones for my locker, ones for my bed room, and ones a skeleton key I stole from my foster mom, then of course the door key." "Ah" was his response. He shook his dark brown hair from his eyes when he walked in. His spiked over his eyes hair fell back in places though. His green eyes beautifully peeked out from in between the spikes. His shirt was plain black, just like so many of mine.
"How was your first day of school?" I asked him
"Ok. Some of the girls are crazy though, I'm glad I met you, at least you aren't crazy. Are you?" I laughed.
"Only at the sight of cake." I joked with him.
"Then if you have a birthday party I'm not coming." He told me.
I shrugged I had never had a birthday party of been to one, so he had nothing to worry about.
"Its ok I'm not having one anyway." He stared at me for a minute
"Why? Too old?" I smiled; it was out of his pity though.
"Well yes, but I've never actually had one." I stared at him for a second.
"Or been to one" I threw in.
I had never been the party kind of girl. I usually hung out with my friends, stared at the sky on the roof, or read.
"Well, do you want one?" He asked.
His question threw me off guard. I didn't even know what they did at parties. I saw them on commercials and TV though. Spin the bottle, drink beer, some kid dances like a retard on top of a table; another poor kid ends up puking his guts up from drinking too much his first time, cops show up and bust us, and the kids who threw the party usually get grounded.
I thought more on the subject and knew my answer immediately
"Not really" I answered truthfully.
He looked down like he was trying to hide a smile.
"It doesn't have to be big, of course no drugs of anything bad."
It was weird how I just thought about the drugs and stuff and he said it wouldn't be there. Great maybe I have a crush on a mind reader. I rolled my eyes at my stupidity. He smiled at me and I melted when I noticed it was touching his eyes. I felt like slapping my self to make sure I wasn't going crazy.
"I don't know its weird I don't know what to expect" I told him trying to actually see what they did at parties.
He just shrugged, I felt like laughing at him.
"No, its mine!" I heard someone scream.
"Shut up, stupid you don't know what your talking about!" some one else screamed.
I rolled my eyes walking towards my room. "What's going on here!" I yelled when I saw the broken dolls lying across the floor, and three little kids sitting with fistfuls of each others hair and red marks covering their arms and faces. "She started it!" they all seemed to yell at the same time.
"Get up!" I yelled at them. At once they let go of each others hair and stood up, hands behind their backs, and faces pointing to the ground. "Wait! Who's that?" Ashley asked. I looked at her wondering if I should tell her or not. "I'm Ray" Ray answered before I could make up my mind. "Is that your boyfriend?" Ashley questioned again. I laughed "No." I told her.
Jana elbowed Crystal in the ribs. "Ten bucks, doesn't last" she muttered under her breath.
Crystal eyed me and Ray back and forth, till she finally stared at Ray, who was staring at me – which made me uncomfortable.
Ray immediately blinked and met Crystals gaze, taking his gaze off me. He breathed a laugh through his nose.
"Deal." She muttered back.
I hated that, when they made bets – especially since Jana usually won. They were only ten and twelve and they gamble like professionals.
"Why are you girls yelling?" calmly questioned them.
"Jana broke my CD so I popped her dolls head off. Then Ashley got mad because she found out Jana wrote a cuss about her on the playground. So we all started yelling and fighting." Crystal told him.
I was amazed. Just amazed. I can't get them to tell me anything; he just got the entire story from one girl without lies.
"Huh, I guess I am good with kids" Ray whispered.
"Guess you are." I whispered back.
"Now." He said calmly "Why don't we play nicely." He said.
Each girl nodded as the words fell from his lips. I almost found myself drooling.
"Wow, those girls hate me. Guess they love you." I told him. He had a quiet laugh. I rolled my eyes at him.
"Hey can I check my face book, if you don't mind." I asked him.
"It's your house, but can I check mine too?" I nodded yes for him.
I dropped my stuff off on the couch and walked towards the computer desk.
I love how my foster mom had money for a brand new computer, but no money clothes. I laid my hand on the mouse, while clicking the internet button. It took seconds to load; I hit the keys for face book. I noticed how Ray's hands were on both sides of the chair right next o my shoulders he was hunched over so he could see the screen. I typed in my screen name and password, seconds ticked while it loaded the homepage. I had two new messages I sat back in the chair and slid my hand forward on the mouse to see my messages. I watched at the screen showed my messages both from Drake. I always got messages from him, he was sort of a pen pal, and he lived in Boston, he visited New York every three months.
I started reading the note, which he sent me
Hey Trace, how's it going? Got a B+ on the test. I'm coming to New York tomorrow, so I guess I'll see you.
By the way I left my CD at your house I think. So if you have it can I have it back? Well talk to you later.
Ps. I'm typing on my new laptop, I'm on the plane right now.
I glanced at Ray who was reading over my shoulder, and clicked the next letter.
Hey I was wondering, I know this is awkward, but I was wondering if you like to go out. You know as a couple, or something.
To like the movies or out to eat or something. Well got to go battery is about to die.
I was in shock, eyes wide shock. I had no idea that he liked me; I had no reply for him.
"Wow" I whispered.
"What are you going to say?" Ray asked me, I almost jumped at his voice, and I had almost forgotten he was in my presence.
"I want to say no, but I have no idea how to say it nicely."
"Tell him you have a boyfriend already." He told me. Was he joking?
"Yeah but he'll want to meet him." I told Ray.
"If you want, just saying, I could pretend to be your boyfriend."
"Oh my gosh, you'd do that for me?" I asked I couldn't believe he would say that.
"Sure if you want." He told me.
I threw my arms around his neck without thinking, as soon as I did; I noticed how familiar it felt. Almost like fire ripped through my veins, like it was bursting through my skin. I pulled back immediately, trying to pretend nothing unusual just happened.
"Thanks." I muttered.
I heard a weird buzzing sound, and then I saw Ray reach for his cell phone.
"Oh hey Tyler," Ray said after he flipped the phone open with his teeth." There was a silence; Ray's eyes were blank, and filled with anger.
"Ok, I'll keep an eye out for it. Are you sure that's what you saw? Was it set for it, or a thing that can change?" Ray talked into his phone. He put one finger up at me then mouthed "Hold on."
He walked out of the room, leaving me here so I decided I'd type back now.
Hey Drake, yeah your CD is here, I think that is cool that you got a laptop. I'm really sorry, but I already have a boyfriend, sorry. Well see you tomorrow.
I clicked off the internet and put my hands on the desk and pushed so that my chair would roll out.
"I'm back." Ray said walking in.
"What was that about." I asked him, I could tell there was curiosity in my voice, but I didn't really mind. There was a long silence, I was wondering if I would have regretted asking that.
He looked at me before answering. He took a deep breath.
"Tyler saw something on the TV, looks like some criminal has been hitting up some stores around here. I just don't want my 'brothers' to get hurt. You know?" he told me, he was acting like it was no big deal though, just with the tone of his voice, either that or he was lying to me.
"Yeah, I understand" I lied. I didn't understand. I once did, but I couldn't remember that feeling. I remember feeling love from sister like people. They were the only people looking out for me, like I needed it though. Karma probably realized I didn't deserve them. I loved them; I was torn inside the day we were ripped apart. Even though we go to the same school, its like were different people now. Just friends, sometimes we didn't feel as close as we did. We didn't have the sister bond we used to share. All the pillow fights and getting lost in the city, bringing us close together was forgotten.
We were merely acquaintances now, it seemed like that. I tried to think of other people that had once had there arms opened wide for me, no there were only them. Dana, Isabella, Kate, Dove, my only true friends, sisters, inspirations. I remember when I was about twelve I wrote songs, we were close then. My songs were beautiful then. They had meaning; they were gone now, forever gone. I don't remember the lyrics to them now. The first tried to be a person, was the last for a long time.
All my songs were burnt, ripped apart, ruined by tear stains, or I dropped off the roof. I remember holding a song over the roof, I remember closing my eyes and praying I would wake up in a loving family, but it didn't happen, it never happened I prayed for that every night. I pray I could be a normal kid with a normal family. It never worked though. I knew I was being punished but for what? I tried to shy away from those memories, which will haunt me for the rest of my life. Never leave, always creep back on me
Never leave, always creep back on me when I close my eyes, when I try to sleep, when I try to be happy, there always be there… in the back of my head, like a little ninja.
It didn't matter, it was there, and it wouldn't go away. I didn't know what life is, or who it thought it was, I just know it hated me.
Life. Can't fight it, can't run away from it, it won't leave me alone, no matter how much I cry.
I sighed, just because of the thoughts. On the outside, the way people saw me, I was Trace, a person who was mean to people, who was extremely strong, most feared at school. That was me… on the outside at least. Inside everything was different. It was the side I denied to let anyone see of me.
I was different, fun to be with. I was calm, peaceful. I didn't wish harm or pain to people, but I was also dead.
You could see me, you could hear me, but everything was without meaning.
And strangely I wished to show my emotional side, to smile and not care who sees, to cry and want someone to wipe away my tears, to fall…and not care who catches me, but be thankful that someone wanted to catch me.
I sighed trying to burn, my thoughts, but I was only concealing them, for a matter of time, the bomb of tears would blow tonight… like they always do.
I pushed my thoughts out of my head, trying to break my head and throw them away and never let them back in.
I glanced over at Ray; he smiled at me, and blinked from it. I looked down and noticed I was fiddling with my fingers.
"I told you." A whisper sang.
I looked up it sounded far away, but close at the same time.
"Hmm." I mumbled, looking up to see if he said it.
He didn't answer, "What did you say?" I asked him.
He moved the corner of his mouth up for a second, "I didn't say anything." He told me with a tone that said "Trace is hearing voices in her head."
"You want to go somewhere?" I asked him out of boredom.
He shrugged, he took in a deep breath, "where?"
"Anywhere but here." I muttered.
"What?" he asked looking up at me.
I smiled, "nothing"
"Actually I want to go to China town." I told him.
"Yeah how about we save that for another time." He smiled.
"Ok we can stay here than. I don't feel like going out anyways." I told him I walked over to the black leather couch and sat on the arm rest and flopped over backwards throwing my arms over my face while having my legs dangle over the edges or the arm rest.
"I'm so tired." I moaned. This was true I was up all night staring at a blank ceiling.
"I like your apartment it's bigger than ours." Ray said out of nowhere.
"What ever." I replied.
I started stretching only to be interrupted by the home phone, I rolled over backwards the sliding onto the floor and walking over to the computer desk where the phone was.
"Hello" I answered into it.
"Trace is that you? Never mind, I'll be leaving for the weekend; I don't think I'll be back till Wednesday." She talked into the phone quickly and swiftly like there was something she would rather be doing.
"Where are you going?" I asked her.
"Las Vegas." She said it like it was no big deal. Which with her, I guess it wasn't.
"How'd you pull that one off?" I sighed, yes I was stuck in New York, and she's off betting and drinking in Las Vegas. How fun.
"I won airplane tickets, well I have to go my planes leaving in an hour, and I also get one thousand spending dollars. And the house better be clean when I get back." She hung up the phone quickly, because I was listening to random beats. Las Vegas, good for her. Maybe the plane will crash, karma would let everyone else live but her, I though snidely.
"lucky." I muttered after I dropped the phone on the floor.
"What's wrong?" he asked me.
I just stared at him for a minute thinking about everything "everything." I finally answered.
There was a cold silence. "What's everything?" he asked me, his eyed were light, but burning with beauty, his soft like tulip eyes, just the tulips were light green.
"Everything." I said again, but I took a breath ready to give him a real answer, I closed my eyes so tears wouldn't come out. "Everyone gets a turn to stop and breath, but I just have to keep running. When most people wake up in the morning, they wake up to a family, I don't. Everyone has someone who wants them to be around, I don't. Anymore" the last part came out a whisper, and I couldn't believe I was telling him. He would probably just burst out laughing.
I hadn't noticed I was sitting on the couch, with my arms wrapped around my knees, an attempt to keep me together, but I was unstable. I wanted to make it stop, to quit, but I can't.
I felt someone sit down next to me, Ray who else?
He put his hand under my chin and pulled my head up so our eyes met. Extremely uncomfortable.
"As long as I'm around, you'll always be wanted, by me at least." I started at him, at that moment all the pain, worries, uncertainness vanished. Like he erased them never to come back.
"But how long will you be here, foster kids get bounced all the time." I've been moved several times, the first four times though I was with my "sisters", I has always been in New York, but I had been told the first three months of my life I had been in somewhere In Illinois. But it didn't matter I was here.
"How ever long it takes." He whispered. He smiled at me, and I couldn't help but smiling back.
He moved his hand from under my chin and wrapped it around my shoulders. I laid my head on his shoulders.
"What time is it?" I asked him.
He moved his arm on my shoulders over my head, to in front of him, "almost eight." He yawned.
I leaned forward and grabbed the remote off the floor, no coffee table, and flipped the TV on. I started flipping through the channels. After I got through to the hundreds I gave up and went to On Demand. I started looking at the Fear Net movies; till I clicked on a movie I'd seen a hundred times, One Missed Call. I leaned back and dropped the remote between the couches and brought my knees up. I laid my head on his shoulders and my knees tilted toward him. I yawned I was so tired.
"I like this movie, have you seen it before?" I asked him, trying to hold back a big yawn.
"Yes, it's in my top five." He told me, I let out a quiet laugh through my nose.
My eyes kept drooping, but some how I managed to stay awake for about half an hour where I finally drifted away, into my world.
I knew I was sleeping, it was the dream I had all the time when I was younger, about ten. There was a little girl with brown layered hair like mine, she wore all black and stared at the star studded sky. She was a few inches short for her age, maybe only two of three inches behind. She was sitting in the grass, her eyes were opening and closing every once in a while.
There was a beautiful house behind her, a very big one with moss growing on the side, and big trees in the front yard. The house was red brick, with a white paneled patio. There was moss growing on all the windows sills. The house looked expensive to rich for my blood.
"E.T." The little girl called out.
"Yes?" a calm familiar voice called out.
"Help me." She whispered.
Before I knew it I was awake, gasping for air, I hadn't had that dream In years, and never had I heard her talk, and the voice who responded to her was familiar I couldn't put my finger on it.
Like always I couldn't remember the girls face unless I heard it. I couldn't even remember what she has said now. Something about E.T? I could only remember simple details, like, the house, the sky, and that's about it. I realized the movie was over.
I stretched and yawned till it dawned on me.
"Ray." I whispered. No response.
I noticed he was sleeping, by the low snoring.
"Ray, wake up." I said while gently shaking his arm to wake him up.
I heard him yawn and his pants and the couch rub together as he stretched out his legs.
"Did I fall asleep?" he sounded like he was heavily drugged.
"Yeah." I told him. "What time is it." I asked him. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket instead of looking at his watch.
"Holy crap, it's almost two in the freaking morning." He almost hissed.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Trace, well actually in the morning. Well you get what I'm saying. Bye." He said on the way out the
door. I noticed him start dialing numbers into the phone as he walked out.
I tried to swallow, but my mouth was dry.
I forced myself up and my tired legs carried me to my room. Where I climbed with my tired limbs to the top bunk. Where I flopped on the covers wrapping my arms around my legs, I didn't start the water works tonight for some strange reason, but even as tired as I was I couldn't fall I asleep and I knew exactly why. I stuck my hand in my pocket pulling out my Ipod. I stuck the head phones in my ear and pressed the on button. I waited a few second till music came on the first song to come on was "You Found Me" by The Fray, which was one of the best bands in the whole world.
I heard my covers ruffle, like, someone was moving them but I wasn't moving and I was too tired to do anything because dream world just welcomed me in.
(Ray's side.) As I closed the doors I started dialing the home phone. I waited for a few seconds while the phone rang then a tired yawn answered "hey Ray you were watching a scary movie how do you fall asleep? I mean seriously." At once I knew it was Tyler he must have seen me falling asleep.
"I was so tired." I told him, I was leaning against the wall feeling like I was getting ready to fall through.
"Yeah whatever, you want me to get mike?"
"That would be nice, and stop peering into my future its mine dude, but before that can you tell me if Trace is her?" I asked him.
There was a silence. He was concentrating looking through my future. I heard small laughs and sighs and of course some more yawns.
"You'll have to figure that one out on your own, my friend."
"Couldn't see it?" I asked smiling, except the smile was out of pity.
"Bingo, give the man a prize." Tyler joked.
"Just let me talk to Mike." I sighed.
There was another silence and a "Get up Mike, the idiot wants to talk."
"Is that seriously what you want dude?" Mike asked
"Yes, and tell Tyler I shot him the birdie."
"What does that mean." He asked, I expected him to know. I heard snoring in the background which annoyed me.
"I gave him the middle finger." I told him smiling at my spitefulness.
"Not nice. But I'll be there in a second, anyone around?" I glanced around to see if anyone was.
"All clear for take off." I told him
Seconds later he was standing in front of me.
He grabbed my wrist, and I watched as my clothes became translucent, then my body became less and less visible, until I was completely invisible.
"You're sure you won't get caught?" he asked me before grabbing my wrist again.
"Yes. Can you hurry up?"
"Yes. Can you shut up? He said in a little angelic voice. "Will you feel like a stalker?" he added. I thought for a second
"Probably. Now hurry up."
"Ok he grabbed my wrist again and before I knew it I was in Trace's house.
It was completely dark; I waved my hand in front of my face and barely saw the outline.
I stumbled a few times as I walked to her bedroom door.
I opened it slowly, thanking god it didn't creak. I walked slowly toward her bunk bed; I just barely heard the song "You Found Me. Which I learned was one of her favorite songs, from her thoughts of course.
"I climbed the bunk bed feeling too big for the small ladder that led to the top bunk. I crawled on my knees for a second where I slowly laid down by her side, I felt stupid, and because I found out she was awake, but barely.
The reasons I was doing this were maybe she talks in her sleep and I can get some answers, I can't go home and see my
"Brothers" since there all idiots, I need them to leave me alone, but the most important reason was I can't bear to be away from her.
I smiled, liking her is probably one of the worst things I have ever done.
Chap. 3
I woke up around six in the morning to laughs, little girl laughs.
"Wow, Trace is so in to him."
"I wonder if he likes her."
"Probably not, but I wish she'd shut up."
"I know, she usually never talks this much"
"I'm going to sleep on the couch"
"I'm going to sleep in mother dearest's room" someone said sarcastically.
"I'll just sleep in the fridge."
There was a silence.
"Really?"
"No not really, stupid I'm sleeping on the couch too"
"Hey ouch don't hit me." Someone cried.
"Then don't be an idiot."
"Whatever"
"I heard loud footsteps and a door opening, and then it was silent.
It took me a minute to remember were I was, in Trace's room.
Trace looked like she'd been in pain, her Ipod was still on. It was currently playing "Rinse" by Vanessa Carlton.
She let out soft murmurs; I could only tell when she said my name. The rest was a hazy.
"Hey dude time to go" I jumped at the voice, but quickly recovered knowing it was Mike.
"Ok" I said while sticking my hand through the support bars on the bed.
"Bye see you a little later." I whispered to Trace.
I heard her swallow, I gave her a quick smile and watched her face get blurry as I transported.
The next thing I know I'm standing outside on the sidewalk in front of her apartment.
"Why didn't we just go home." I asked Mike
"Because, I wanted to walk…" he said sheepishly
"What happened?" I sighed.
"Well Edge and Ben had a food fight, and there trying to clean the mess before you got back. Just don't tell them I told you." He had a smile that didn't touch his eyes the way it should've.
"Anyway, Tyler told me to tell you she would be awake in about five minuets, so I had to get you outta there. She should be all dressed and ready in twenty five minuets." I sighed at what he called her.
"She has a name." I told him
"Sorry dude." He muttered.
We were almost down the road, but I stopped and looked up to the sky. I pulled out my Ipod and stuck in the headphones and turned it on, I don't know what song came on first but it was one by Linkin Park and that's all I could tell. I leaned on a building, till I slid down and hit the floor, I closed my eyes and tried to breath, but it was getting harder.
I wrapped my arm around my waist, there was pain lots of it, heavily in my chest and all around my body, I tried to count my breaths but I couldn't stand it, I had a throbbing migraine.
"Hey dude, are you ok?" Mike asked bending down to my level.
"No" I moaned
"I'll take you home." He said while stretching his hand to grab my wrist. I pulled away, while I saw the confusion on his face.
"I'll go home after I see Trace." I told him. He glanced at his watch.
"But she only woke up two minuets ago." He told me trying to change my decision.
"Oh well." I moaned
I heard a vibration go off twice, when he started reaching for his pocket.
"hell." But he was cut off, listening to Tyler talk to him.
"I'm trying" he finally said. "He won't just go and now there are too many people to transport."
I glanced up at him; he had turned around to talk on his phone.
Even though it hurt I got on my feet and started running.
"Ray! Come back!" he yelled.
"Lovesick boy" I heard him mutter.
I practically threw the door open, I glanced around the lobby trying to remember where she lived, I was about to take the elevator but it was taking forever to go. I opened the door for the stairs and took off… literally.
I could hear her thoughts debating on what to wear she was stuck on a long blue t-shirt with a metallic lighting bolt down the middle, or a grey t-shirt with a set of yellow cat eyes on them. She decided to with the blue one.
I sat in front of her door, with pain shredding me, waiting for her.
After around fifteen minuets she flopped on the couch and started flipping through channels. I decided to go in now.
I knocked twice on her door, waiting only for maybe ten seconds for her to open the door.
"Hey!" She said sounding excited, she gave me a warm smile with effort, which seemed to erase all the pain away in a instant. So there was my antidote, her.
"I was going to run to McDonalds for some hash browns, you want to come?" She asked me,
"Sounds good, when do I meet your friend?" I asked her.
She looked to the sky when she thought, I watched as her electric eyes looked toward the doorway.
"In about two hours." She told me taking her eyes off the doorway to meet my glare.
"Cool." I nodded
"Trace loves Ray!" Someone screamed in the house
She half closed the door so I couldn't see her face, my heart started to pound.
"Hey you can't flip me off!" someone screamed
"Do you want me to hit you?" She screamed back
You could practically hear the little girls widen "No!" she screamed.
"That's what I thought" Trace hissed at them
She closed the door and started walking and I followed her, she didn't walk slowly, in face she walked faster than most people.
"Were meeting Drake at the local park in a while, I thought we could go to McDonalds and then hang around the park for a while till he shows up."
"Ok." I said smiling at her.
She smiled the weirdest smile, she was putting so much effort in to it but I still love it.
I heard my phone vibrate.
"Excuse me for a second." I muttered, but she nodded.
"What." I practically hissed into the phone.
"I. am. going. to. kill. you." Tyler hissed back.
"Wrong number." I said into the phone snapping it shut.
"Who was that?" Trace asked me.
"Some idiot named Tyler." I told her, while shrugging.
She looked confused for a second "But…" she shook her head for and laughed for a second "never mind." She muttered smiling.
I smiled back at her, and then my smile fell right off when my phone vibrated again.
"Go away." I said slowly into the phone.
"Then don't run away." Tyler said back slowly.
"And watch out." He told me.
"What –." I started before I fell over a brick straight into the concrete.
My phone fell from my hand and smacked into the ground, it would've survived if a heavy biker hadn't run over it.
I picked it up from the top part, there was a small wire holding it together, which broke off after a few short seconds. The screen was beyond fixing.
"Oh your phone." Trace sighed behind me.
"It's ok… ok not really, I know I'm not when I get home." I joked with her.
"Oh well." I said tossing the phone behind me; it landed with a small splash right into a fountain.
"Come on." She told me pulling my hand. "McDonalds is up ahead."
(Trace's side) I grabbed his hand smiling, I was surprised when he didn't pull away, which I thought he would.
He kept staring at me smiling which of course made me smile back "What?" I said not taking my eyes off his.
He shrugged, of course still smiling "Nothing." He whispered nodding, like it was a joke I didn't understand. Which with me it probably was.
We were almost to McDonalds when, pain splattered my head… it felt like someone smashing a hammer on my head.
"Ow" I hissed, like someone had purposely done this to me. I took both my palms and put them on the sides of my head and starting putting pressure.
"Are you ok?" Ray said putting one hand up.
"My head it hurts so badly. OW!" The last two words were mashed together. I was trying my best not to cry; it was throbbing now which made it worse.
I looked over at Ray; he was biting his lip, like he was trying not to say something.
I blinked, and slowly started moving my hands outward, "its gone" I lied, just so he wouldn't worry. That's the last thing I wanted.
"Are you sure?" Damn it, I had always been a good liar. Can he see through me?
"I'm sure" I reassured him with a crappy smile… well my smiles were always crappy anyways.
"Ok." He muttered, I could tell he wasn't buying it.
"Honestly." I told him rolling my eyes. He must be hell of a lot stubborn… just like me though.
For the whole walk there it was a big fight between me and my head. My stupid head thinks it can just kill it self, well it's wrong.
"So what did you do last night." I asked him.
His eyes widened like I had just asked him if he had committed a murder or something.
His eyes bounced around a bit looking at different people.
He finally smiled, "I just watched T.V" he finally answered.
"Oh. Well I had the weirdest dream." I went on.
"Oh, which was." He said, he sounded really eager to know.
"It didn't really make sense. Ok so I went to sleep and you stayed behind, but made me think you left." I started laughing as I said it.
But he looked dumbstruck, "are you ok." I asked him.
He shook his hair and looked at me and smiled "yeah."
"Your eyes look like leafs." I said, I don't know how those words came out, but they did. And as soon as I said them I wanted to shove them back were they came from.
For a second he looked pissed, but it melted off.
"And your eyes look like electric zaps." He told me smilling