Chapter 4:
The woman never took her eyes away from the six children sitting in front of her,
talking amongst themselves. Out of the six, the woman never took her eyes away from
the girl wrapped up in the arms of the King. As she watched them, she noticed how
comfortable they all felt with each other. You could see it in their eyes, their behavior. It
was as if nothing had been changed within their group. When she was on the home
planet, she was informed of everything about Alex's death. The woman knew that with
the information she was about to tell them, they all needed to be with each other.
The small child looked up at the woman. "Is it time?" he asked. He raised his
small hands to wipe away the sleep that was still in his eyes. Letting out a yawn, he
leaned his head against her chest.
"Almost, young child," she said, kissing his forehead.
Every eye was on Alex as they all waited for him to begin the statement they have
been waiting for since they found out the knowledge of his existence. Alex looked down
at his now clasped hands, his eyes glancing upwards then back to his hands. He wished
he could see inside of his friend's heart to see what they were thinking. If only he could
do that then maybe everything could be okay.
Max took Liz's hand into his own. He threaded her fingers through his. Giving
his hand a tight squeeze, she leaned over to whisper in his ear. "I love you," Liz
whispered. He smiled. He had never been more happy in his life to have her back in his
arms. Dreaming about it each night, to hold her in his arms, to dance with her under the
star-lit sky. Now those dreams was reality.
To have Alex back in her life as well as having Max by her side once more was so
overwhelming. Her body was over flooded with love and happiness. Nothing could
change it.
As she looked over at Alex, she noticed that he looked different. He looked older.
More mature than he was on that day he died. Something had taken place within his body
that changed him for eternity.
Alex darted his eyes upwards to face everyone. He looked at each person,
wanting to give the reassurance that everything was going to be okay. He wasn't leaving
them. He wanted to remember everyone faces, their eyes, smiles. He never wanted to
forget anything about the people that gave him life, love, a family. When he felt he was
ready to begin, he smiled to let them know that it was time.
"I'm very different than you guys. I am still Alex Whitman. But my body has
been changed. When I died, I was sent somewhere." That was as far as Alex could go
when he saw the confusion being placed upon each person's eyes. He knew that
questions would be asked, but he didn't want to answer each one right away. They didn't
know how hard it was for him to explain everything.
"Where did you go Alex?" Max asked. His arm was still wrapped protectively
around her, scared to let her go.
"I went to your home planet, actually. A man by the name of Clayton Banks took
me back to your home planet. It was after the funeral when he took me. I was still dead,
but my soul and heart were still alive," he explained, looking over at Isabel. He missed
her so much. His thoughts never left her as he watched her in those unbearable days he
couldn't be with her. After the Prom, he knew that he could never leave her. That night
they danced, was the best night of his life. He was so happy, so free.
"The people from up above, on your planet, have been watching you since you
hatched out of the pods. They know yourselves better than you do. They also know that
my death was caused by a person from their planet. On your planet, if a death is caused
by a member of the Royal Court, including the Royal Four, that person has a second
chance to live. They can choose to live on your planet, or to come back here on Earth,"
Alex paused to see if there were any questions. When he saw that there were none, he
proceeded in telling the story of what had happened.
"When I was there, they also told me that I have to obey everything they tell me
to. They won't make me do evil things or go against you guys. Up there, Max is like a
Saint. He is Mr. Perfect. Also, Michael is the brave one. You are the one who everyone
depends on. They want me to watch over you Isabel," Alex said.
"Why do they want you to do that?" Isabel asks. She couldn't deny the fact that
she felt uneasy about the sudden news. She was afraid that they wanted to watch over her
because of her strange past. She didn't want them to think that she hadn't changed her
ways, because she has. She has learned the mistake of betraying her family. And she just
hoped that they understood that.
"I will have to tell you about that later," Alex whispered in her ear. She nodded to
her request before turning her complete attention on Alex once more.
"Sometimes I will be called up there to talk to the lords and nobles. Clayton
might be coming down to Earth soon. He had to talk to Mr. Crates before the mission."
They all sat around the table, all aware of Alex's great presence. Not until now,
did they notice the greatness of what he does for them all. Awakens the group with
aliveness. Brings lively smiles upon their faces. Lifts the spirits when someone is down.
He was amazing. Why hadn't they realized how important he is? Alex Whitman is a
person who delivers greatness upon each individual.
As Alex got up from the table, he walked into the Parker's home. Once he looked
behind him, Isabel took that as her cue to follow his steps. Pushing open the doors, he
smiled as he saw her right behind him. Walking over to her, he wrapped his arms around
her waist. He leaned his head against her forehead. "Isabel, you don't know how much I
have missed you. I thought about you all the time," he said. Carefully, she leaned in to
his lips.
"You were real when you came to me. You were really real," Isabel said, thinking
back to just a couple of hours ago. Alex was really there. They had danced together.
"Why do they want you to watch over me?" Isabel asked once more. Did they not
trust her? Did they not have faith in her?
"They want me to watch over you because they know how much you need me. In
order to complete your destiny, you have to be with me," Alex explained carefully.
"I love you Alex."
"I think we both know that I love you too."
Looking down at their now locked hands, he began to walk into the restaurant.
Nothing was ever going to come between them. Once they sat down, they both saw the
concerned looks of the people surrounding them. Isabel looked at Max to see what had
happened. "What is it?" Alex asked.
"Valenti gave the tape to our parents," Max said.
The woman sat in the booth, still watching the group. "It's now or never," she
said, looking down at the small child. Stroking the hair away from his eyes, she kissed
his forehead. She brought him closer to her, never letting go.
"I'm ready," she said.
The woman never took her eyes away from the six children sitting in front of her,
talking amongst themselves. Out of the six, the woman never took her eyes away from
the girl wrapped up in the arms of the King. As she watched them, she noticed how
comfortable they all felt with each other. You could see it in their eyes, their behavior. It
was as if nothing had been changed within their group. When she was on the home
planet, she was informed of everything about Alex's death. The woman knew that with
the information she was about to tell them, they all needed to be with each other.
The small child looked up at the woman. "Is it time?" he asked. He raised his
small hands to wipe away the sleep that was still in his eyes. Letting out a yawn, he
leaned his head against her chest.
"Almost, young child," she said, kissing his forehead.
Every eye was on Alex as they all waited for him to begin the statement they have
been waiting for since they found out the knowledge of his existence. Alex looked down
at his now clasped hands, his eyes glancing upwards then back to his hands. He wished
he could see inside of his friend's heart to see what they were thinking. If only he could
do that then maybe everything could be okay.
Max took Liz's hand into his own. He threaded her fingers through his. Giving
his hand a tight squeeze, she leaned over to whisper in his ear. "I love you," Liz
whispered. He smiled. He had never been more happy in his life to have her back in his
arms. Dreaming about it each night, to hold her in his arms, to dance with her under the
star-lit sky. Now those dreams was reality.
To have Alex back in her life as well as having Max by her side once more was so
overwhelming. Her body was over flooded with love and happiness. Nothing could
change it.
As she looked over at Alex, she noticed that he looked different. He looked older.
More mature than he was on that day he died. Something had taken place within his body
that changed him for eternity.
Alex darted his eyes upwards to face everyone. He looked at each person,
wanting to give the reassurance that everything was going to be okay. He wasn't leaving
them. He wanted to remember everyone faces, their eyes, smiles. He never wanted to
forget anything about the people that gave him life, love, a family. When he felt he was
ready to begin, he smiled to let them know that it was time.
"I'm very different than you guys. I am still Alex Whitman. But my body has
been changed. When I died, I was sent somewhere." That was as far as Alex could go
when he saw the confusion being placed upon each person's eyes. He knew that
questions would be asked, but he didn't want to answer each one right away. They didn't
know how hard it was for him to explain everything.
"Where did you go Alex?" Max asked. His arm was still wrapped protectively
around her, scared to let her go.
"I went to your home planet, actually. A man by the name of Clayton Banks took
me back to your home planet. It was after the funeral when he took me. I was still dead,
but my soul and heart were still alive," he explained, looking over at Isabel. He missed
her so much. His thoughts never left her as he watched her in those unbearable days he
couldn't be with her. After the Prom, he knew that he could never leave her. That night
they danced, was the best night of his life. He was so happy, so free.
"The people from up above, on your planet, have been watching you since you
hatched out of the pods. They know yourselves better than you do. They also know that
my death was caused by a person from their planet. On your planet, if a death is caused
by a member of the Royal Court, including the Royal Four, that person has a second
chance to live. They can choose to live on your planet, or to come back here on Earth,"
Alex paused to see if there were any questions. When he saw that there were none, he
proceeded in telling the story of what had happened.
"When I was there, they also told me that I have to obey everything they tell me
to. They won't make me do evil things or go against you guys. Up there, Max is like a
Saint. He is Mr. Perfect. Also, Michael is the brave one. You are the one who everyone
depends on. They want me to watch over you Isabel," Alex said.
"Why do they want you to do that?" Isabel asks. She couldn't deny the fact that
she felt uneasy about the sudden news. She was afraid that they wanted to watch over her
because of her strange past. She didn't want them to think that she hadn't changed her
ways, because she has. She has learned the mistake of betraying her family. And she just
hoped that they understood that.
"I will have to tell you about that later," Alex whispered in her ear. She nodded to
her request before turning her complete attention on Alex once more.
"Sometimes I will be called up there to talk to the lords and nobles. Clayton
might be coming down to Earth soon. He had to talk to Mr. Crates before the mission."
They all sat around the table, all aware of Alex's great presence. Not until now,
did they notice the greatness of what he does for them all. Awakens the group with
aliveness. Brings lively smiles upon their faces. Lifts the spirits when someone is down.
He was amazing. Why hadn't they realized how important he is? Alex Whitman is a
person who delivers greatness upon each individual.
As Alex got up from the table, he walked into the Parker's home. Once he looked
behind him, Isabel took that as her cue to follow his steps. Pushing open the doors, he
smiled as he saw her right behind him. Walking over to her, he wrapped his arms around
her waist. He leaned his head against her forehead. "Isabel, you don't know how much I
have missed you. I thought about you all the time," he said. Carefully, she leaned in to
his lips.
"You were real when you came to me. You were really real," Isabel said, thinking
back to just a couple of hours ago. Alex was really there. They had danced together.
"Why do they want you to watch over me?" Isabel asked once more. Did they not
trust her? Did they not have faith in her?
"They want me to watch over you because they know how much you need me. In
order to complete your destiny, you have to be with me," Alex explained carefully.
"I love you Alex."
"I think we both know that I love you too."
Looking down at their now locked hands, he began to walk into the restaurant.
Nothing was ever going to come between them. Once they sat down, they both saw the
concerned looks of the people surrounding them. Isabel looked at Max to see what had
happened. "What is it?" Alex asked.
"Valenti gave the tape to our parents," Max said.
The woman sat in the booth, still watching the group. "It's now or never," she
said, looking down at the small child. Stroking the hair away from his eyes, she kissed
his forehead. She brought him closer to her, never letting go.
"I'm ready," she said.