Chapter 6 - Dreams
Alex always had the same dream every night. It would replay over and over about when they first told him his parents had died. How is a five year old supposed to comprehend that? In his dream after being told that images would flash of all the homes he had gone through. All of the people who had taken care of him. Then the last home. The one that forced him to leave stayed frozen in his mind. "You can't stay here anymore." they would say. "But I thought you loved me" he would plead. They simply answered "We did."
Alex woke up in the same spot every night. His eyes jolted open. As he composed himself he pulled his legs to his chest and propped his head on his knees and stared into the blackness. He could make the room visible if he wanted but he liked the world better this way; dark. He looked over at the LCD lit screen of the clock. It read 4:37 pm. He was supposed to wake up in another hour and 53 minutes. He sat there enjoying the silence. Then he heard something coming from Naima's room. It sounded like… crying? Alex debated for a moment whether or not to see if she was ok. He decided to at least see if she was alright.
He got up and headed out the door. As he walked through the hallway the silence was interrupted by quiet sobs. He stopped in front of her door and wondered if he should knock. He decided too. He heard her choke back tears, sniffle, and wipe her face. Then she opened the door.
Her eyes were bloodshot and swollen as she looked into his completely perfect shining eyes.
"Are you ok?" he asked quietly.
"Yea." she said plainly as she wiped her face. "I'm not used to someone else being down here. I didn't realize I was being loud."
"No, you weren't being loud. It's just I have good hearing." he laughed quietly. He looked at her thoughtfully.
"So I didn't wake you?"
"No. I was already awake."
Naima turned and looked at her clock. "It's 4:40 Am." she said. "Why were you awake?"
Alex attempted to come up with a quick lie. "I… Uh." he looked back at his room wishing he never came out.
"Did you have a nightmare?" she joked at him.
Alex didn't laugh. "Well I'm going back to my room if you're ok."
"Yea I'll be fine." she said.
"Ok, see you in an hour and forty minutes." he laughed.
She giggled slightly still confused about why he was even awake, and returned to her room. He had a nightmare? Then why didn't he just say that? Was it that bad? Those questions filled her head as she tried to fall back asleep.
Alex, however, went back to his room and sat with his legs to his chest and his head propped on his knees. The dog had obviously followed him back and was lying in front of him staring up at his face.
"So midnight what do you want to do for an hour and a half?" He asked. She sat up and he began petting her on the head. "We could play cards or monopoly." He laughed.
He decided to get ready for school. He went to his closet and opened the doors. It was filled with clothes. He had expected a few things but they went all out. He picked a pair of jeans that were faded out. He picked a black button up long sleeve shirt and found a black tie hidden in the back. Sweet. He thought as he put it on after his shower. It fit perfectly which surprised him.
It was 6:30 now he could hear Naima start to get ready. He got up and went into the kitchen. Angela was already there with her cup of coffee.
"Well." she said surprised. "What time did you get up?"
"4:30" he said "I couldn't go back to sleep."
"Oh well, you look great. You're a little morning person aren't you?"
He smiled slightly as he sat down at the table. "Yea I guess."
"What do you want to eat this morning?" she asked.
Vegemite he thought. "Well… what do you have?"
"There's toast, cereal, waffles, and really anything."
Except Vegemite. He thought hatefully. "I'll just take cereal."
"Fruit loops or Captain Crunch?"
"Uh…Fruit loops… I guess." He said not really wanting either.
"Alright sit tight Ill pour you a bowl."
Alex watched her walk to the cupboard and pull out the colorful box. Angela had already changed from her pajamas and was now wearing her gray sweats and a pink T-shirt. Her hair was back in yet another ponytail. When she finished pouring the cereal and milk and handed Alex the bowl with a spoon.
"Thanks heaps." He said taking the bowl and digging in.
Naima came into the kitchen a while later with her backpack slung onto one shoulder and her purse in the other hand. She poured her cereal and milk and sat across from Alex.
He glanced up from his bowl. At that moment so did Naima. Her eyes were still bloodshot. She quickly averted her glare back to the fruit loops.
"Ok guys we need to be going." said Angela as she picked up her car keys from the counter.
The all headed through the storage room to Angela's car. Alex stopped and stared for a moment. Angela wasn't getting in on the driver's side of the car. Naima was.
Shit. We're all going to die.
He got into the back seat anyways and buckled up. She backed up and began driving. She's not bad. He thought. He began to relax then.
Angela began explaining what he would need to do when he got to school.
"All you have to do is go to the front office, which Naim will show you, and you ask for your schedule." she explained.
"I think I can handle that." replied Alex.
It became quiet again the only sound being the car's engine revving.
They finally pulled up to the school. Like Naima had said earlier it was nothing special. There was the main school building which had a courtyard in the middle. Then there was a gym and band room which was only connected to the school by a sidewalk and awnings. They pulled into a parking spot in front of the band room and headed towards the gap between the school and the band room. Then they turned right, towards the school.
"Ok we have to go to the office which is kind of on the other side of the school." She laughed.
"That's ok." He said.
They went through freshman hall and finally made their way to the office.
"Ok here." she grumbled. "I have to go to my advisory. Will you be ok on your own?"
"Ill be fine." He replied
She looked at him carefully. "Ok well see ya." she said as she walked away.
Alex walked into the office and went to the counter.
There was only one lady at one of the several desks behind the counter. She had curly hair down to her shoulders. It was partly gray and it was apparent she dyed it. She wore glasses with a strap that prevented her from losing them and she was focusing extremely too hard on what she was typing.
"Yes?" she called to him as she continued to stare at her computer.
"Uh… I need my schedule." He said unsure.
She looked up at him from underneath her glasses. Then her expression changed from one of annoyance to the normal, unoriginal, shocked stare.
"…Your… name?" she asked.
"Alex."
"Alex? Alex what? I need your full name."
Does Angela know my last name? How did she find that out? Maybe she put me under her last name. She could've asked the guards back in Australia. Then again she's a mutant researcher. "Umm. It's Alex… Jada Kane" he replied.
"Ok hang on just a minute." She said as she typed on her outdated computer. "Okay, here we go. Let me print off your schedule. Your… guardian called yesterday, but you'll need to take these home and have her sign them." She stood up and handed him a packet of papers.
The old printer was having trouble with his schedule. It took it nearly three minutes to spit it out. The bell rang for the end of advisory and Alex could hear students flood the hall. The lady handed him the paper.
"Just go to your first block. I'll mark you as here so don't worry about it."
"Ok thank you. Um where is my first class?" He asked as he looked at the paper.
"Who is it with?"
"Coach McCollum; History?"
"Go out this door and go down the first hallway you come to. Then it's the second room on your left." She said as she headed back to her chair.
"Thanks." he said heading to the door.
As soon as Alex opened the door he came face to face with a short wide eyed girl. She came up to about his shoulder and her fiery red hair was up in a smooth pony tail. Her peppiness shocked him. She wasn't surprised by his eyes at all, and Alex sensed something odd about her.
"G'day mate." said Alex.
"Hi Alex." she said. Any doubts she had faded away.
Alex stared at her. "How do you know my name?"
"I have my ways." She said smiling at him.
As, if reading his thoughts she began walking towards his classroom. Does she have my same class? He wondered.
"My next class is with coach McCollum. Where is yours?" She said, answering his thoughts.
Alex stopped when they turned on the new hall. She's reading my fucking thoughts?!
"Mine's with… Mrs…" He glanced at his sheet. "Mrs. Mego." he lied
Cassandra stopped and looked back at him. "What?!"
Just one more. He thought. She's such a bloody whacker. I hope she…
"Hey!" she said angrily. "You barely know me."
"I knew it!!!" screamed Alex pointing at her.
"Come on we're going to be late."
"No we won't I'm a new student. You were showing me to my class." He said to her.
"Fine then."
Alex was next to her in a matter of seconds. "So, is that all you can do?"
"Yes." she stated. "So you're staying with Naima?"
"Yea."
"Pshht"
"What about her?"
She ignored him. "You have a thing for her?"
"That's rude to read my thoughts without my permission now isn't it?" He said getting his face as close as he could to hers.
""Don't play with me." She said looking dead on into his eyes. Unafraid.
Stupid. You should be afraid.
"Well. I refuse to let you mess with me like you do with everyone else."
"I don't do that to everyone." He said straightening up again.
"Yes. You do. It's the way you cope with people."
"Still. I don't do it to everyone."
"Ugh. Lets just go to class." She said turning on her heel towards the door.
Alex followed reluctantly. As she opened the door Coach McCollum looked at the two of them, doing a double take on Alex. Whispers erupted from the class. Alex chose to block them out.
"Who's this?" said Coach McCollum.
"This is Alex Kane. He's your new student." She said happily; Leaning forward on her toes then rocking back. Alex grimaced at his last name. He hated it.
"Oh…thank you for showing him to the class. Now take your seat."
Cassandra gave him a sideway glare and did as he said.
"Hi, Alex." said Coach McCollum. He was a pretty small guy with short dark brown hair. He was wearing Kaki pants with a button-up striped shirt.
"G'day." Replied Alex. The entire class let out a simultaneous laugh.
"You from Australia?"
"Yes sir." Said Alex as he looked around the room confused.
"Well isn't that neat." He said. "Well you can take a seat behind Cassie then." He said pointing over to the back corner. They were both separated from the rest of the class by a row of empty chairs. His eyes burned with hate. He took his seat, however, with no complaints. Discriminating bastard.