Thanks for all the reviews! I desperately need them. :D
Anonymous Rex : This is Freddie's side of the story. I already finished writing the story a long time ago. The story is still evolving that's why I desperately needed your comments and suggestions. Just keep tuning in and I have a surprise for ya. I'm currently on chapter 6 of it right now. What it is? I won't tell XD
Julefor : Thanks for the invaluable review. Duly noted and taken. Awesome as always. :D
Here's Chapter 5 of iPayback. Read on.
Chapter 5
I got up and sighed again.
No turning back. If I do go back now, I'd suffer twice of what I was experiencing before I'm sure of it.
"Me and my excessive thinking." I murmured.
Sometimes I do believe that I am paranoid or just plainly think too much.
I ran my fingers through my hair and rubbed the back of my neck.
I got one more problem... Mom
Mom was an entirely different story. I had to be careful how I'd talk to her and I have to choose the right words.
One false move, and she will know.
How would you fare against an uberly obsessive and protective mother who would even go to the length of putting a tracking chip in your head!
Yes, my mom did that. She wanted to know where I am everytime. The thought still creeps me out.
If you're thinking about the chip, I already got it surgically removed by the help of Socko's cousin Doc. The chip was waterproof and was found embedded into my skull, not in my brain. Again, NOT in my brain.
As for how I knew there was a chip? Well we went to Tokyo for the iWeb awards. We were ditched in some unknown location by two devious japanese web show hosts with no money, no cellphones or anything. The only thing I had at that time was my portable camera. We were walking to nowhere and I heard a beeping sound which echoed in my head.
and out of nowhere my mom came to the rescue with Spencer.
Coincidence? Unlikely so.
After the trip, I asked Spencer how they managed to find us.(By the way, we won the iWeb awards. Yay!)
And since Spencer was a bad liar, he spilled the beans and begged me not to tell anyone I knew that I had a chip in my head.
No one knew this except for me and Spencer.
Whew, that was a mouthful.
As for the chip, I still keep the chip in my wallet so that my mom would be under the impression that I still have the chip in my head.
(cause I knew she'd freak out if she found out that the chip suddenly stopped working.)
Which also made me think about my trip.
How would I mask my location and still keep my mom sane?
More thinking...
My head is going to explode from all the things my mind is processing right at once.
I needed some air.
But going outside was not an option.
So I settled for the fire escape outside my room's window.
I did remember a similar fire escape like this one, but I just brushed the thought off.
I was too consumed by my problems. I'm not a procastinator. I work on my problems right away so that there wouldn't be anymore problems later.
I opened my window, got out and sat on one of the steel steps of the fire escape.
I took my Pearpod out and turned it on, popped on my earplug earphones and sat back and looked at the sky.
The moon was whole this night.
I leaned back and stared at the moon while I listened to some music.
I eased a little bit.
I stretched out my arms into the air and slumped back.
Rationalizing the situation, I made an excuse, since that would be a tech school there would be a lot of interference and I would be unreachable. But I had to let mom know where I'd be staying.
Okay, I took a deep breath.
Another question popped up. Things I needed to do.
Number One, money is needed to make things spin. I would be a Hacker-in-training.
Number two, self-improvement.
and lastly Number three, my studies.
I had to keep up with my studies so that transitioning back wouldn't be a hassle.
Number one and two were pretty much covered so I had to think more on number three.
Returning to the previous problem at hand, I had to make an excuse for mom, one so that her story and Carly's and sam's story would be the same.
I also had to establish some sort of compromise from the school to the studies I would be taking outside the school. But most likely Theodore already took care of that.
I got off the stairs and got inside my room.
I heard the main door open.
It must be mom. I went down the stairs casually and saw mom with grocery bags.
"Let me help you with those" I said as I offered mom a hand with the bags.
"Why thank you Fredward." mom replied.
I tried getting ready to tell the greatest lie I would ever make.
I gulped as I tried to form the words in my head. Then I blurted bluntly.
"Mom, we need to talk." I said trying to mask the nervousness from my voice.
She frowned and immediately looked at me. She already knew something was up.
She placed the remaining groceries on the table.
She faced me again and started freaking out.
"Don't tell me its the "talk" that you want." she said while putting on air quotes.
"Aw, mom! Not THAT talk!" I said almost shouting.
She sighed a sigh of relief.
"Okay Freddiebear, what is it?" She said as she calmed down.
"You see mom, I'm already sixteen. And I would like to make some decisions on my own."
"You're only sixteen! I still have 2 more years of being a full-fledged mom!" She quickly interrupted.
"Mom..." I stared right into her eyes.
She stopped freaking out and started fidgeting with her fingers.
"Okay, tell me what it is Freddie." she asked solemnly.
"I received an invitation from an exlcusive tech school in California. And they are willing to provide a full-scholarship program for me." I said without flinching or looking away.
She looked at me sternly. As if analyzing every move I made.
"That's great." she exclaimed in half-excitement and half-
I handed her the printout Theodore sent me.
"Location will not be disclosed?" She asked.
"It's a private school only a priviledged few are allowed in."
I quickly added.
"But it's a school! Not some kind of underground society!"
"It's a school dedicated to the protection of its students mom." I exclaimed.
With this phrase she stopped questioning.
"I'm staying with you." she said.
"I said I was staying at a friend mom."
"But I just can't leave you alone honey. What if something were to happen to you?"
"No need to worry, that is also covered. We have a secure shuttle service to and from the school escorted by security."
She was stumped.
I have already simulated every response possible in my mind.
Then she spoke.
"What would I do without you here by my side Freddie?"
Those words hit me like a rock and I quickly gave in.
"I'll be going home on weekends mom."
I couldn't resist her.
She was the only person who needed me for who I am.
She smiled instantly.
"I have one condition, you have to contact me everyday with any means of communication."
"Of course mom." I said, and quickly hugged her tight.
Then she asked almost a dozen questions. Which I carefully answered one by one.
It's like being interrogated by a police officer, grilling you for answers. (Like "What about Ridgeway? Have you already run the neccessary paper work for a transfer? How would I know you're doing fine? What about your grades? What kind of curriculm do they have?" stuff like that. Oh, and I also told her that It would be impossible to call or text me when I am at school due to interference.)
I felt bad for lying to my mom. It was never easy for me to lie to my mom.
Anyway, I yawned. It was already half past 11pm. I never noticed the time as I was debating with my mom.
"Goodnight mom." I said holding back a yawn. Then went upstairs to my room.
"Goodnight Freddiebear." mom replied.
Usually my mom would make sure I was clean and sanitized before tucking me into bed (which was installed with a surveillance system that watched me while I slept.)
But as I got older these things only happen seldomly.
I took a long warm shower... I cleaned up nicely but took extra time just drenching myself in warm water trying to dismiss the unlimited number of queries constantly running through my exhausted mind.
Tomorrow's Saturday, and the day after that would be my departure.
I had to make sure everything is seemless. No gaps, no room for doubt.
But tonight I will bask in my victory, and then took my well deserved rest.
A/N: Too much? Let me know your thoughts. The next chapter might be uploaded late on Saturday or early on Sunday due to the holidays.
HAPPY TURKEY DAY!
Thanks.
Mikradios
