A/N:Yet another BB story. Personally, I've never seen a story like this before, so. . I'm thinking it's pretty original. lol. Anyway, lemme know what you guys think OK :)
Disclaimer: Don't own BB or any of the characters.
Hello, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Amanda, and if you're the kind of person who likes adventure, horror, comedy and/or lovesick romances... then you're reading the wrong story. However, if you happen to like a little romance, a little adventure, a dash of drama and comic situations, and normal, everyday themes with a few major twists; then there's a good chance you'll like this story. If not, you could always leave here and continue on without a second thought towards me or my past, present or future. For those select few however who are interested in my story, then I happily recount it exclusively for you. Sit back, relax and enjoy the fact that your life is nowhere near as complicated as mine.
"I'm home!"
Silence.
"Surprise, surprise. Home alone.... again."
I walked into my empty house for what had to be at least the hundredth time in the last few months and headed straight towards my bedroom. Dumping my book bag somewhere on the floor, I sat down at my laptop and flicked it on. Why was I not outside with friends you ask? Enjoying the beautiful, fresh air of the day, drinking in the fresh scent of freedom, loving every minute I'm alive? Well, I'll tell you why. I had no friends, the air there was far from fresh, I was far from free, my day sucked; along with the weather -- it was raining -- and it's hard to enjoy living when you live the crap-filled life I did.
No, I'm not emo and I'm not depressed -- surprisingly. My dad died when I was five and my mom hasn't been right since. She's a heavy smoker and a terrible alcoholic, but she's still a great mom and a hard worker; which is probably where she was then... if not at the bar. And last but not least, only about a month before we arrived in this 'new' town which is why I had no friends. I'd given up on making friends because as soon as I did, I was always uprooted from where we're living only to be moved somewhere else anyway. The good news was, I finally graduated from high school a few days before and that day was my last day. The bad news is, I was still stuck at home because I was afraid to leave my mom alone. Great huh?
Anyway, yea, I'm done ranting now and I'm pretty sure I've covered the basics, if not, well, you'll catch on eventually.
So, I was in my room, on the computer, when I decided to head down to the kitchen for a snack. When I got there, I opened the cupboards. Surprise, surprise, nothing there. I open the fridge, nothing there. I sighed to myself and walked over to the pantry. All I found were a few cans of canned foods and a box of probably stale cereal. I decided to grab a can of vegetable soup and pop it in the microwave. Grocery shopping could wait a while because at that point, I wasn't really in the mood.
I walked over to the microwave and took down a bowl from above it. While I waited for it to heat, I poured myself the last glass of milk left -- this being the only thing left way at the bottom of the fridge -- and walked over to the garbage can to throw away my soup can. It was then that I discovered something that made me wish my stomach hadn't growled in the first place.
Starring up at me from the trash and rubbish was a big brown envelope. Now, usually such trivial things didn't bother me, but then I got to thinking; 'hmm.... now what would a waitress be doing with a fancy, big, brown envelope?' I probably should have figured that if my mom threw it away, then it was no good right? Yea well, again, usually I would have. But this time, something in the pit of my stomach told me this tantalizing thing contained something I should see. So, hesitantly, I reached into the can and pulled out the envelope. There was no address or anything significant on the envelope, simply; Denise Reid which is my mother's name. The writing looked fancy and important but I tried to tell myself that this was my imagination and what I was about to see was nothing important. But my stomach and heart told me otherwise.
I took a deep breath and turned the envelope around, and with slightly shaky fingers, I reached inside the offending object and pulled out it's contents. There was simply one sheet of paper inside and only a few small sentences, but those small sentences froze my body and stopped my heart. This is what I read:
Dear Ms. Reid;
I regret to inform you that your cancer has spread through your body and due to your rejections to our treatments, I'm afraid it is far too late to stop it. My estimations suggest that you have no more then two months. I suggest you get your affairs in order before it is too late. My apologies and deepest sympathies to you Ms. Reid.
Sincerely;
Dr. Bradshaw.
I don't know how long I'd starred at the sheet of paper, or what it was exactly I'd felt. Looking back now, I'd have expected myself to scream, rant or cry. To yell at the top of my lungs, curse my mother out or go on a rampage. 'Rejection of our treatment'? What was she thinking? How long had this been going on? Why hadn't she told me about it? And why the hell hadn't I noticed anything?
Well, I didn't have answers to any of the other questions, but thinking back, I knew my mother hadn't been well, not for a few years. But other then some really harsh caughing, immense weakness and frequent trips to the bathroom, there didn't seem to be anything wrong.
God I'm such an idiot.
So, like I said, I probably should have had a fit right? Shown at least some kind of emotion? But I didn't. I didn't shed a tear, didn't say a word, didn't think a thought. Without really knowing what I was doing, I dropped the paper and envelope back into the trash, turned around and headed from the kitchen up to my room, forgetting all about my soup.
Once at my room, I picked up my book bag, dumped it's contents out onto my bed and proceeded to throw a few random things inside. I was in a daze. I didn't know what to think or where I was going to go, but I needed to get out for a while. It was likely I'd only be gone a few hours, because I hated to leave her alone for more than that, but you never know, and I needed to get away.
The sun was just setting when I exited the house and walked down the road. I hadn't really gone out much since our move, what with finals and my 'graduation' at which I knew no one -- needless to say, I didn't go.
I did, however, remember what looked to be a nice spot I used to see everyday while I drove by on the way to school. It was some sort of biking trail on a cliff that over looked the ocean. It took me a while, but I didn't mind, and eventually I got there. The trail was lined with a guard rail which, I discovered when I leaned over it to look down, apparently protected people from going over and onto the sharp, jagged rocks below. I leaned back in over the guard rail and took a deep breath. OK so, there wasn't fresh, beautiful air like most places, including places I'd been to, but it sure beat the smoggy air from the city where I lived, and that was good enough for me.
I stayed on the bike trail until about suntset when I looked at my cellphone and decided it was probably time for me to head back. I turned around to head back the way I came, but unfortunately, I stepped right onto the trail just as a biker was riding by. He nearly ran me over as he sped past and turned back to glare at me as if it was my fault.
"Watch where you're going!" He shouted over his shoulder angrily.
I, who'd been thrown roughly back against the railing, sighed heavily as I straightened up and looked over my own shoulder at the sharp rocks below.
"That was close." I mumbled, looking back at the way the biker had gone. Jerk!"
I sat on the railing for a moment to catch my breath, but apparently, that wasn't one of my smartest ideas. It seemed that when I'd been thrown against the railing, it had knocked the terribly unstable and unsteady protection out of the ground, and so when I leaned against it, no longer being able to hold my weight, it gave way and I, of course, was sent pummeling to my death. That, was the last thing I remember as I awaited my oncoming death, wishing to hell I'd just stayed home.
I woke up to an obnoxiously bright sunbeam in the eye. Groaning a few times, I rolled over, realizing that I was sprawled awkwardly on my stomach, and sat up before blinking rapidly. Shielding my hand over my eyes, I squinted up at the sky, surprisingly blue and cloudless. How long had I been out? Wasn't it sunset when I'd been on the cliff?
Suddenly my eyes widened. The cliff! I'd fell! There was no way I should still be alive! It was impossible! It was then that I realized there was more wrong with my picture then the time of day. I looked around at the grass I was sitting on. Vivid, green, soft and lush grass. No water, no cliffs, no death-rocks anywhere in sight. Not even a building. I was, it seemed, in the middle of some sort of garden or field. Now, while all this may have shocked and bewildered anyone else, I, at the time, noticed none of it. What had me thinking I was dead was the state in which I was actually seeing everything.
"Is this what heaven looks like?" I muttered to myself. "...Or, is this hell, some cruel joke where everything will soon explode into flames which will swallow me whole and burn me for eternity...?"
OK, yea... I was a little hysterical. I thought I was dead! C'mon!
Looking around, I thought for sure I was either dead or dreaming. Why you ask? Well the trees looked fake, the grass looked fake, the flowers looked fake, and -- I know what you're going to say; "Pft, yea right! That's impossible!" -- but I swear on my life; it all looked like I was in an anime world.
"Surreal....." I said aloud in awe. "So... am I dead..?"
Yea, yea, I know! I thought I was crazy or something too... But, unfortunately; or is that fortunately? Before I could get the chance to determine where I was or if I was, a familiar voice rang in my ears.
"You know, talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity."
There was a playful tone to the voice but it was maddeningly familiar. I turned around, noticing that there was now a shadow over me, and looked up at the silhouette of the stranger who had spoken to me. I shielded my eyes from the sun again but still couldn't make out the person's face.
"Uh.... yea, so they say." I replied, attempting, in vain, to sound cheerful. Considering I was sure I should be, and probably was, dead, I thought it was pretty good.
The voice, which quite obviously belonged to a male, laughed cheerfully before a pale hand was extended to me. I smiled and accepted the hand, allowing myself to be pulled up onto wobbly feet. Steadying myself, I proceeded to brush myself off.
"Thanks." I said as kindly as I could.
"No problem. If you don't mind me asking though, who are you? And what are you doing out here?"
I laughed humorlessly and looked up at the boy... or man?
"That's a good question. See-"
My sentence was cut short as I starred dumbfounded into the face of someone I knew quite well. Someone I knew so thoroughly, perhaps better then he knew himself, that I could probably recite his entire life story. But he didn't know me.
