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Almost
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Of all the nights to deal with a full moon.
Lewis parked in front of Emma's house. He knew her parents would be worried. Even though the car was off, he was still sitting there. He had no idea what he would do, what he would say. He looked at Emma beside him. She was sleeping softly. That hissy fit she threw obviously made her tired.
"Emma. I wish I knew what to do. This isn't like me you know. I always know what to do. And I do it. Or I fail miserably trying." Lewis said. Of course, he was really talking to himself.
It was only about five thirty. The moon rose in an hour and a half.
God knows why Lewis did this. But he found himself turning the key and starting the car. Next thing he knew he was breaking the speed limit and driving to find Cleo.
He might have been delusional under stress. Maybe he wanted her help. He wouldn't ever fully understand why he knocked on her door that night.
xXx
Cleo sat up swiftly, after she felt something very cold on her forehead. She opened her eyes to a startled Lewis and a girl that looked exactly like her.
That's when she screamed.
"Would you be quiet, you'll scare your parents." Rikki said. This caused Lewis to look at her questionably.
"What? Her parents?" Lewis raised his eyebrows.
Cleo breathed in sighed heavily, slowly. She needed to process this. She was sitting in her bed. But the image in front of her defied reason.
Then she remembered what happened. Like a flash, it all came back. Getting wet at the salon. Collapsing after trying to escape. That awful dream. Crying in front of Lewis. Falling asleep in the car.
They were like pieces to a story. Her story, and what a pitiful one it was. She knew what she needed to do. Lewis didn't deserve the secrecy anymore. She had been so stupid.
"Can you give us a minute?" She looked at the perfect stranger in front of her that used to be herself.
Rikki went to wait on the staircase.
Earlier…xXx
"Sucks that we drove all that way for nothing." Rikki said.
"Yeah." Emma said. Zane was silent. She started walking away, but she felt him grab her wrist.
"Wait. You guys still need to tell me what's going on." He looked at Emma, ignoring Rikki. This drove her crazy of course. She would have told him the truth right then, right there if she was feeling weak enough.
"Uh." Emma looked dumbfounded. Rikki, despite the fact of being neglected, was kind of enjoying it. Rikki had never seen Emma so frazzled as she had been this past week.
"Zane, let's take a walk." Emma said, looking at Rikki. She was asking if it would bother Rikki with her eyes. Rikki nodded as if saying it was okay with her.
"And, don't put your arm around me." She shrugged him off gently. "Sorry. You'll understand soon enough." Emma said.
Zane had a feeling he didn't know what he was getting into.
xXx
One last chance to
reverse this curse,
You stole my heart but I had it first.
And
now I see you've got something to prove,
And nothing to lose, so
let me tell you the truth.
Normal time xXx
Cleo was sitting up in her bed, sipping some water that seemed to instantly make her feel better. She didn't have a straw, so she was extra careful about being still.
She set the cup down on her nightstand. "Lewis. I really should be clear with you about something." Cleo was feeling nervous. Her heart started pounding. She needed to breath heavily just to calm herself.
Earlier…xXx
Emma was walking with her head high, as usual. Always so serious and confident. Her silence was testing Zane's patience. Emma was walking in front of him, and didn't seem to have any intention of talking. She had a thinking look. Of course, he still thought she was Rikki, so he wasn't used to the silence. At least, not this kind.
"Rikki." Zane said when he could stand it no longer. "What's going on?" He stopped.
Emma stopped walking too. She hadn't been walking fast, but she was keeping her distance, almost enough that it was noticeable. She turned ever so slowly, breathing deeply and feeling the ocean mist. The clarity and blue hue of the water. The frothy waves dancing along the sand. She took it all in, and tried to be at peace.
"The truth is, Zane- I don't owe you the explanation. I'm not the one who'd lean in to you while I confided in you so you could hug me. Truthfully, I'm not even sure we're friends. And I know everything I'm saying is confusing you beyond belief, so what I do owe you is a trip to the Sertori's house, where everything can get straightened out." Emma said finally, turning back around and heading to Cleo's house.
Emma was right. Zane was so confused, he had to stand there for a second with an upturned brow while he was thinking things through.
"Well? You coming?" Emma said expectantly.
"Yeah…" Zane had half a mind to stop Rikki and demand answers. But his curiosity got the best of him, and he followed her to the Sertori's.
Lucky for them, they just missed the full moon, which rose in about ten minutes.
Normal time xXx
"The truth is I'm not really Em-" Cleo started saying. But just as she started to say it, Zane burst into her room, followed by Rikki. Well, actually Cleo knew it was Emma.
Picture this. You are about to finally do the thing you've always wanted. Maybe it's sing and win your school's talent show. Maybe it's to finally ask your crush to a dance. Whatever the case, picture a curtain accidentally falling over your face on your opening note. Or someone suddenly sweeping the person of your dreams off their feet and out of your midst.
Now you know how Cleo felt. She had this adrenaline bubbling up inside, and suddenly, just before it was about to spill over like Niagara Falls, someone built a dam.
"Zane, what are you doing?" Cleo said.
"Oh hey Emma." Zane said. "Where's Cleo? Rikki's looking for her."
Cleo shot a death glare at Emma. She wanted to scream, I am Cleo! And I was going to tell a very important someone before you just crushed my moment, thank you very much!
"But, we see she's not in here, so we'll just get out of your hair!" In no way did Emma not see the look Cleo was giving her. She was out of there very very fast to say the least.
"Um. I-" Emma didn't know what to do. Where was Rikki?
"What are you guys doing here?" As if she had read her mind, Rikki appeared from the kitchen, relieving Emma drastically. "I would have thought you'd be walking."
"Uh, yeah," Emma walked up to Rikki and started speaking quietly. "Well I really needed to see you. I can't do this. You have to. I mean, no offense, but Zane…" Emma trailed off.
"Drives you nuts? I get it. Well, he doesn't do it to me but everybody else seems to kind of be repulsed…" Rikki said.
Emma patted Rikki on the back and walked away.
xXx
"So. You're saying that, because of the full moon…" Lewis was thinking ten miles a minute.
"Hello. My name is Cleo Sertori. Those girls down there, who look like me and Rikki? They're really Emma and, well Rikki. But we're all basically not ourselves." Cleo said. It felt tremendously good to let this all out.
While (apparently)Cleo had been telling him this, there was one event that was repeatedly flashing through his mind.
"So. Between the last full moon and now, you… you've been someone else." Lewis said. His eyes were still a bit blank.
"Yes." She looked at him and slipped her hand in his.
"Cleo, you know, I still have a girlfriend." Lewis said.
"Oh, yeah, right, sorry." She quickly pulled her hand back, embarrassed. "I just really need a friend right now. One who doesn't have my face or my power."
"Get out. You guys switched powers too?" Lewis looked at her this time, instead of the floor.
She smiled. "Yeah." When she rested her head on his shoulder, he didn't resist.
xXx
"Cleo's upstairs? And Rikki is…" Zane was more confused now than ever.
"Right here. That girl you've been staring at all this time? Not really me. But that's okay." She leaned into him while she let him hug her.
"It just feels so weird." Zane said, whispering in her ear.
"Don't worry. No one cares. I'm your girlfriend, remember?" She said.
"Yes, but my girlfriend looks exactly like Cleo Sertori." Zane added.
Rikki giggled while stroking his hand with hers. For once, she could laugh about this situation. So much pressure had escaped from her.
All this happened while Emma watched in the dark kitchen. Yes, she was spying. But it wouldn't be the first time. Remembering that day in the JuiceNet, she smiled. Everything was almost right. Almost.
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Hope you enjoyed,
Maddie.
PS: this isn't the end, lol!
