Chapter 6
"All That I'm Asking For"
~Alisha~
Alisha woke up to find herself alone, as usual. What was out of the ordinary is where she was alone. She was in Simon's flat, but there was no Simon next to her. She sat up. She could see the clothes rack from where she was laying-the suit was gone. A wave of fear overcame her and threatened to suffocate her. What if he got hurt? What if he left her there and never came back? Tears burned her eyes as they threatened to pour down her face. She kicked off the bed sheets. She wanted to go look for him but didn't know where to start.
~Superhoodie~
I held Seth's gaze firmly. "I take it that your plan didn't work out?" he asked. "It is but that takes time," I replied. "Then why are you here? Do you need another power?" I didn't know exactly why I was there. Seth and I never get a chance to become close so why should I ask for anything from him? I shrugged and shook my head. "I need your help," I admitted. I shifted uncomfortably, forcing away the scared boy that was still buried inside me somewhere as he raised an eyebrow at me. "Why should I help you?" Seth asked. There was suspicion in his voice so I knew if I broke down and told my story he wouldn't believe me. When he saw I had no excuse for my outlandish request he sighed. "Right," he said, "When you have money and need a power come back. That's what I'm here for." Without a further word he shut the door in my face. I felt like kicking the door down. 35:43:29, 35:43:28, 35:43:27-I'm running out of time.
~Alisha~
Alisha's eyes fluttered open at the sound of the lift descending. "He's back!" she thought as she bolted upright. The bed sheets were still tossed on the floor as Simon opened the lift door. She had never been so happy to see anyone in her entire life. He smirked at her expression-whatever that might be. "Are you alright?" he asked. He walked over to the bed and sat next to her. She nodded but she could see in his eyes that he didn't believe her. She honestly had almost forgotten what 'alright' felt like.
She expected the usual look-over and Simon to ask if she was alright again like Curtis would. She was totally unprepared when he pulled her into a hug. His warm body pressed against hers. Her instincts told her to recoil so her power wouldn't take advantage of them both, but when she pulled her head back so she could see his face. She didn't see Curtis's dark eyes staring hungrily at her, neck veins extended, ready to pounce on her. It was Simon, the loving baby-blue eyes of Simon.
...
Alisha stared distastefully at the new boy in front of them. He wore the same orange community payback jumpsuit they did but other than that he looked at if he had been dropped off from another planet. His hair looked normal-ish in the front but held a long braid in the back, he kept giving all of them this odd big toothy grin, and the only thing he wanted to talk about was animal rights and environmental stuff. "So are you saying he's like a new member of the gang?" Nathan asked. The probation worker shrugged,
"Whatever. Look now, piss off and pick up some litter," he said and shouldered past Nathan to leave the locker room. "You've got to be kidding me," Kelly said.
"So what are we doing today for community service?" the boy asked cheerfully. Curtis rolled his eyes and walked away from him without a word. Nathan just smirked and did the same. Simon was buttoning his jumpsuit in the mirror. Alisha glanced over at him, hoping he would say something, but it was Kelly who had to speak up. "We don't know yet. The probation worker gives us our assignment once we all get out there." "Oh," the boy nodded.
Alisha walked out of the locker room with Kelly, leaving Simon alone with the new kid. "What's his name?" she heard Nathan ask Curtis. He shrugged. "It's Ollie," Kelly called over. Alisha smirked, "Doesn't matter really. Nathan still can't remember Simon-I mean Barry's name." The girls began to laugh.
~Superhoodie~
When I need to think I always do parkor. I tucked into a ball as I launched myself from one building and landed on the other. I have been out since Alisha left an hour ago. When I had returned from my latest engagement with the past gang we had talked. Surprisingly, she didn't ask why I came back in time again. She wanted to know what made me care about her so much. I told her it was because she is the most beautiful girl I ever met. She had smiled and ended it there.
I took off my mask and looked out across the lake. What she doesn't know yet is Ollie will be starting community service today and I am supposed to die tomorrow. Alisha always told me I was the smart one of the group. Well, where are my brains now? Where are all my brilliant ideas? Seth won't help me, at least not without a good reason and I had none that he would believe.
~Nathan~
Nathan stared down in horror at Ollie on the ground. He was dead. A minute before some nutter had drove up and shot him in the head. Now the guy glared at them. He raised his gun again. Nathan's eyes stretched wide. "Run!" he screamed and the group darted off in different directions.
Eventually they all made it to a roof of a building. Nathan peeked over the edge of the roof and could see the crazy guy walking away in the opposite direction of them. They were safe, for now.
~Superhoodie~
I find it highly ironic really that I know Alisha so well, maybe even better than she knows herself, but when we first got together it was the total opposite. This is why it didn't surprise me when she came back right after her community service. She looked a right state.
"Are you alright?" I asked knowingly. "The new guy, Ollie, some guy shot him right in front of us. He's dead," she muttered. I walked toward her and put my arms around her. I knew eventually she would find out that I knew Ollie would die all along, but that didn't matter now. I pulled away just enough so I could see her face and smiled down at her. "How about we go out for some take-away; it'll take your mind off it," I suggested. "But what if we're seen?" "We'll lay-low I know all my favorite shops so we'll just go somewhere you choose." She gave him a mischievous smile, "Well," she said, "there is one place where we could go."
~Alisha~
Strawberry Field Café was built in Wertham in the early 80's, a year after John Lennon's death. It quickly became one of the most popular restaurants in Wertham history. As time past and Beatle-fanatics grew up and moved away the shop slowly began to look deserted, but that didn't stop Alisha from going there every once in a while.
Simon opened the door for Alisha as they walked in the restaurant. Alisha could see Simon's eyes stretch wide in surprise as he looked around. The black and white striped walls were covered with pictures, vintage records, and there was even an autographed guitar hanging on a far wall. "What's wrong?" she asked. He shook his head, "Nothing I just didn't know you were interested in the Beatles," he chuckled. She rolled her eyes, "Well my dad was when I was little so I kind of just picked up on it," she said with a half smile. She didn't really want to bring up her parents so she led him to a table in the back, away from the windows.
Simon saw a mini jukebox on the table and began looking through the list of songs. "So how did you find this place?" he asked. "My dad brought me here a couple of times when I was little," she answered as a waiter dropped off a couple of menus. "I wish my parents had taken my sister and me to a place like this," he said. Simon pushed a button on the jukebox and 'All My Loving' began to play. His song choice made her smile. That was always the first song she chose when she was little.
"What's your sister's name?" she asked. "Sophia," he answered and picked up a menu. "That's a pretty name," she commented. "It was our Nan's name," he answered. As he flipped through the menu Alisha struggled to find something to say. She had never been the conversation starter and when she was it was usually to make a comment about herself. When she couldn't think of anything she decided to continue the conversation about Sophia. "So how old is she?" she asked. Simon paused and looked up. "Your sister, how old is she?" "Oh she'll be 13 this December," he replied. Alisha smiled softly, "do you miss her?" She bit her lip as Simon's eyes suddenly clouded. "Why did I say that?" she thought and silently cursed herself.
The ring of her cell phone saved her from continuing the awkward conversation. She took it out of her purse and answered it. "Hey." The sound of Curtis's voice startled her. She hadn't expected him to call her, not after she had purposely ignored him all day. She had to hand it to him: he was very persistent and right now, annoying.
~Superhoodie~
"Is it alright if I spend the night?" Alisha asked just as she was about to enter the lift. I had already settled down on my bed with a book. I was actually hoping she would stay in the first place so I quickly nodded. She smiled and shut the lift door. She climbed onto the bed and laid down on her side to face me. "What are you reading?" she asked. I could feel my cheeks begin to turn red as I closed the book so she could see the cover. "'My Sister's Keeper'; never heard of it. Is it good?" she asked. I nodded.
Although Alisha didn't look it she was quite a reader. It surprised me when we first started dating. I don't know what I expected her hobby to be but it wasn't reading. Like I said she just didn't look like a big reader.
"What's it about?" she asked. I marked my place with my bookmark. "It's about a little girl named Anna who sues her parents for the rights to her own body," I answered. She raised an eyebrow, "why would she do that?" "Because when her parents found out that her older sister had cancer they had Anna created in a lab so they could take things from her to save her sister." "That's awful," Alisha responded. I placed the book on the floor next to the bed. "It's surprising what people will do when they love someone," I said, turning to her. She furrowed her eyebrows, similar to how I always do. "Is that why you came back, because you love me?" she asked. An awkward smile formed on my face. "Yes," I replied. She smiled back at me. I pulled her close, allowing her to cuddle into me. She placed her head on my chest and her arm around my torso. "Why?" she suddenly asked. She looked up at me, question in her eyes. I knew my answer immediately, "Because I will do anything for you. I won't ever leave you."
A.N- This chapter is titled 'All That I'm Asking For' after the song by Lifehouse. 'My Sister's Keeper' is a novel by Jodi Picoult. Alisha never mentions in the series about liking the Beatles but she is often shown reading.
This entire chapter was actually written in one class period after I finished an exam which is why half of it probably sounds a bit cheesy. Sorry Nathan's entry is so short he'll have longer parts in future chapters when I get past episode 4 of series 2
