Two Sides of the Same Coin Lams College AU {Mature} {Completed}

Chapter 9

John's POV - Sunday, September 6, 2020, 10:42 am

I made that selfie of Alex and me my home screen.

Obviously.

I was drawing at the fountain, something that had become a sort of escape for me, when I felt someone's presence. Like I was being watched.

I looked up to see... no one. I didn't see a single person. Anywhere. Almost as if the campus was deserted. I stood up, closing my sketchbook, knowing something was wrong. It was late morning. I was across from a café, for crying out loud. The place should've had people milling about, sitting at tables, talking, laughing. Instead, the place was silent except for the crisp autumn wind and the gurgle of the fountain.

"What the fuck?" I said aloud, to no one in particular. Not that there was anyone to talk to. Suddenly, I heard a voice.

"John."

I whirled around to see a woman in a white dress. She was thin, with light brown skin, curly reddish-brown hair, green eyes, and freckles. I felt like I had been stabbed. Or maybe not. I'd have to ask Alex what that felt like. At any rate, it hurt. I took a step toward her.

"Mom?"

She smiled. I itched to run over to her and hug her and have her hold me like I was eight years old again. But I knew that this couldn't be real.

"But... you died."

She smiled sadly. "I did."

"So what're you doing here?"

"I..." she trailed off, then frowned. "John!"

That was not her voice. Unless her voice had suddenly turned into that of a man. I closed my eyes and rubbed them. When I opened my eyes, I was sitting on a bench near the fountain, and Alex was waving his hand across my line of vision. I blinked, then sat up a little straighter. "Hey, Alex. What's up?"

"John, are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You were just kind of staring off into space, and you look like you've been crying."

"Oh. Sorry. I guess I just sorta drifted off for a minute." I stood up, stretched, and smiled at him. How're you doing?"

He chuckled. "I'm good. And you?"

"Fine." I took his hand, interlocking our fingers, and began walking. He struggled to keep up.

"John, where are we going?"

"I dunno, where d'you wanna go?"

He thought for a moment. "The group invited us to Starbucks."

"What for?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure."

I grinned. Knowing Laf and Herc, they had something planned for Alex's return. "Starbucks it is, then."

We walked across the campus to the Starbucks. I opened the door for Alex, then took his hand again once we were both inside. The place seemed deserted, and I was almost afraid that I was seeing things again.