Chapter 19: One of Them

...

...

October and I entered into the building. The main floor was a huge room, like the multi purpose room, only bigger and cleaner. On the right and left were classrooms. Each door had a number written on the front and what the class room's subject was.

The whole building was dark and didn't let in a lot of sunlight, which wasn't a problem for me or October. I took off my sunglasses and looked around the room. It felt nice being able to look around without the need to wear sunglasses. The contacts were still a pain, but I guess it was better then nothing. October shape shifted into a little yellow finch and flew ahead and through the open doors to a corridor of more classrooms.

"Over here," he said, flying up to the second story. I started towards the stairs then stopped. What was I doing? I had wings! I adjusted my arms from the loops and shrugged the backpack off. The pack slowly slid off as my wings rose up above my head. I gave them and few stretches and flaps. It felt so wonderful letting them be free from the small space of the backpack.

My wings lifted me off the ground and to where October was waiting for me. The bird shape shifted back into October and walked down the hallway of doors to the end. The door at the end was number 1142.

I felt my legs weaken a little. That was one of the numbers The Mothman talked about. There was something behind this door. I looked around before taking a deep breath-

"Bat! Wait!" October said, causing me to jump in surprise and cry out a little. The wall around the door moved a little, causing cracks to appear. "Are you sure you want John to know you were snooping around?" He asked. I exhaled and thought for a moment.

"Knowing John. I'm sure he already knows I'm in the school. We need to know what's behind this door, October," I pointed out. October nodded. "Yes but what if this is what Future you was warning you about."

I rolled my eyes. "You should've stopped me sooner, Toby, now stand back, I'm gonna see if I can break this lock." October placed a hand on my shoulder. "This doesn't feel like a good idea." I straightened up. "What do you mean? I want to help. I don't want to wait for something bad to happen. The Mothman gave us hints of the future. One of them with these numbers:1142. There's something behind this door-"

"But what if you've done this before and made it worse?" October asked. I hesitated for a moment, thinking back on Future Me and her telling me not to intervene. I shook my head.

"Why are you now worried? Don't you want to stop John?"

"Yes but I don't feel this is a safe way to go. We are in his territory."

I sighed in irritation. "Why don't you wait outside then?"

"I'm not leaving you in here," October argued. His eyes flickered different colors. "Last time I let you do this, you got hurt. I don't want you getting hurt again.

I was starting to regret bringing October with me.

"Yes but we didn't get this far last time...do you sense anything different? Do you think it's a trap?" I asked. October was quiet for a moment. I decided to take it as a no and turned back to the door. I took a deep breath. October stopped me again. I was so close to throwing that alien over the second story balcony.

"Wait! Someone's coming," October said as he turned into a bird and flew up.

Suddenly I heard a sound from behind me. Gasping, I quickly spun around and pressed my wings to my back as best as I could. If my face could blanch even more it would. Coming up the stairs was Kennith.

"Hey," Kennith said. I felt my face burn. Oh no. Why does bad luck always happen to me? My eyes kept flickering to my backpack. "Wh...what are you doing here?" I asked. Kennith pointed at me. "What are you doing here?" I shifted from one foot to the next. "I-I asked you first," I said, stalling for time. The tall boy gave me a look with his blue eyes.

"I needed to use the restroom too... When I came back I saw you sneak in here, and I decided to go in as well," he said. I was confused at first at why he said "use the bathroom too," then remembered that I pretended that I needed to go. The guy stared at me. Was he suspicious? Could he see my wings? My hands started to sweat at the thought of him seeing my wings. Kennith ran his fingers through his shoulder length black hair.

"Hey...has anyone ask you to the dance yet?" he asked. I stopped shaking and hesitated, thinking of Hunter. "Um...well...yeah. Hunter did," I said. "Ah," Kennith said, nodding. "Darn...I was hoping you'd be available to ask you," he said. My face burned. He was gonna ask me?

I had the urge to turn away from him but that would risk revealing my wings. I was rooted to the spot. My wings were shaking from being pressed tightly against my back and being held there for so long. I tried to act cool. I placed my hands behind my back to help them. "Y-You haven't asked anyo-one yet?" I stuttered. Kennith shook his head. "No. Wanted to ask you." My heart skipped several beats.

"W-why?"

"Cuz...you're pretty."

I was frozen to the spot. I didn't know what to do. One of the cool kids asked me out. I jumped when I heard footsteps. "Hey! You kids aren't allowed in here!" I turned just my head and found a guy walking up to us in his weird blue and black uniform. I saw the dark skin and dark brown curly hair and immediately recognized October. Kennith placed his hands up.

"I'm sorry, sir. We will be leaving," Kennith said. October came up to me and grabbed my backpack. He gave me a look and flickered his eyes to the male teen. I hesitated, trying to come up with something.

"Um...you go ahead, Kennith. I need to ask this guy a few questions," I lied. Kennith gave me a confused look before shrugging and walking back to the stairs. Once the doors closed down below, my wings dropped from exhaustion.

"You really need to be more careful concealing yourself, Bat," October said as he helped me thread my wings back through the backpack. I nodded. "I know...I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Just be careful," October said, shifting back to his teenager self. "You want to keep looking?" He asked. The bell rang before I could answer. October seemed relieved. I sighed and shook my head. "No. We don't have to look anymore." October seemed happy to hear me say that. He shape shifted back into his human teenager self. "I just don't want you to get hurt, Bat." he said. I nodded. "I know. Thank you," I gave him a hug. He stiffened, then gradually relaxed and hugged me back. We both walked out of the building and into the sunlight. October and I parted ways. Kennith found me and walked me to my class.

I could feel my face burning through the skin colored make up I wore. I kept my eyes away from Kennith. I saw a few of the popular girls pass by us, they gave me shocked looks. I smirked, finally feeling super cool, even with my sunglasses on. Yeah, the cool kid was walking me to class.

...

After school, everyone was buzzing about the school dance. I didn't realize it, but it was tomorrow. The days passed by so quickly. I guess I was so distracted with all the crazy stuff that was happening: Future Me, John, alien invasions, alien socks, Kennith.

I felt my stomach churn at the thought of being in a dress while wearing a backpack. I was gonna be made fun of for wearing a backpack at the dance. Hunter stopped me on the way out of the school and asked if I was still ok with going with him to the dance. Inside I wanted to say no, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings and said yes. He said he was going to buy the tickets at the student store. Then he nervously asked for my address. I hesitated, then said I'd have Patrick pick him up from his house at 7; since Patrick had already been to Hunter's house before that one time. Hunter beamed happily. Then he ran off down the hallway to buy the tickets.

Patrick picked me up from school at the same spot he always picked me up at. He smiled. "Well now, not in detention this time I see." I gave him a small laugh and sat in the backseat. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard a different voice speak. "What are you doing to have so many detentions?" asked the voice.

I looked to the passenger seat of the car and saw a dark skinned girl with black hair tied into tiny black braids all over with amber beads at the ends. They clacked together when she turned her head to me. She wore a little bit of make up around her hazel eyes. She wore blue jeans and a red tank top. Patrick threw her a look.

"Amanda," he warned. She looked over to Patrick. "What? I'm just asking a question." Patrick pulled away from the curb and drove away. "Bat, this is my daughter, Amanda. Amanda, this is Bat, the girl I also take to school," Patrick introduced. I blinked. I recalled Patrick talking about his teenage daughter once or twice. I never thought I'd actually get to meet her. I was curious as to why she was suddenly in the car.

"Did you not have school today?" I asked her.

"Today I got to leave class early. Sudden teacher meeting," Amanda explained. She turned her head to me. "So you're one of them right?" she asked. I blinked my eyes from behind my sunglasses. "Um..." I started. One of them. Patrick gave Amanda another look. I didn't really like the way she referred to me as them, but at this point, I just didn't care, and I knew Amanda didn't mean for it to sound rude. She was just a young teenager. She looked to be about thirteen in middle school. Patrick was about to say something, but Amanda continued.

"My dad told me about what he does at work, at the base," she said. I didn't say anything, but I was surprised to hear that Patrick was also a scientist, and not just a driver. Apparently both him and his wife, Roberta, work at the base. I had never seen them around before, but they both worked where I now lived. Roberta takes Amanda to school, and Patrick picks Amanda up from school; and it was just convenient that my school was close to Amanda's, so Patrick was asked to take me to school as well.

"So, you're the one with the bat wings right? I saw you on T.V. You looked older, and taller..." she said. I shook my head. "Actually that's my future self...It's a long story," I said. Amanda looked at me like I grew three heads. Patrick quickly changed the subject by asking Amanda how her day was. Amanda turned away from me and began talking to her dad about her classes and friends.

Apparently Amanda was a straight A student. She had good grades and had what sounded like a lot of friends. She loved talking about her math and science class, something I was never happy talking about. Funny enough, she didn't like the class project she had to do in English where everyone had to draw a scene from one of their reading books. I would've been excited for that assignment. I listened to Amanda and her normal day. It was nice listening to something normal. It made my heart ache a little. I would've given anything to trade places with Amanda.

Patrick turned down a street and slowed down at a blue colored two story house with a white fence and beautiful roses. Amanda got out of the car without saying goodbye. Her mom, Roberta, stood up from the flowers and held her arms open for a hug. Her pale arms were caked in dirt from gardening; her hair was blonde and pulled up under her wide brimmed sun hat. She wore overalls over a pale yellow shirt. Amanda came up and hugged her mom. Then they both turned to the car and waved to Patrick. Patrick smiled and waved back to his family before taking off down the road back to the base.

"You have a wonderful family," I said to Patrick. Patrick smiled. "Thank you. I love my family so much. I just wish I could spend more time with them." I felt a stab of guilt hit my chest. I wondered if I took that time away from him, having to be driven to school all the time.

'I'm sorry about Amanda. She is very fascinated with you guys." I gave a small smile. "It's ok," I said. Patrick changed the subject started talking about "the new game" on TV. I just nodded my head as I stared out the window and watched the world pass by.

...