Without Direction

Chapter 6

The night air fills my lungs, it is so fresh and clean. I follow Manson through the twisting streets, luckily I haven't fallen off my hover board yet. Yet. I am glad to go shopping, I mean who doesn't love shopping? I have to admit I am so sick of this baggy sweatshirt and sweatpants.
Manson slows down, he is gently leaning back towards me. I do the same, I now have come to a complete stop. I jump off the hover board onto the sidewalk. Manson pulls his towards him, it falls, but Manson catches it and brings it to his side. "There is no way I can do." I say. There is a chuckle and a smirk, but Manson walks over and pulls my hover board off the magnetic field. He turns around and begins to walk to a small store on the end of the block. He waits for me, considering he is 6'2 and I am a lot shorter there is a large difference in speed. He pulls the door open for me, I smile and walk into the store. There are racks of clothes, beautiful fancy clothes. My mouth must be practically touching the floor. The dresses here are amazingly beautiful. Manson chuckles, when I turn to look at him there is a smirk on his face. I must look like a toddler, I have the largest grin on my face and I am jumping for joy. Manson laughs "Go ahead look around. I might purchase a suit, maybe a tux." I smile, nod and run to the nearest rack of dresses. The colors were limited, it was white or gray. I know what I am looking for, sorta. I wanted a strapless mermaid like dress. I need to find this dress, because before I died that was the dress I always wanted. Memories come in bits and pieces, not anything important or helpful. But that is really beside the point. I search and search, The last dress in the store is the one I wanted. I almost scream, but restrain myself. I hear footsteps, I turn around and my eyes meet his. So gray and bright. "Very pretty, and it will look even better on you." Manson pauses. "Do you know you have beautiful evergreen eyes?" He smirks then walks away saying "Try it on, I already bought my suit." I walk towards the back of the store, a few large rooms are all open. I choose the middle one. I hang the dress one of the multiple hooks. There is a mirror, I haven't really seen myself in this lifetime. Manson was right, my eyes are evergreen, and have copper highlights. My eyebrows aren't thick but not thin, I guess somewhere in the middle. My hair is a chocolate color, with caramel highlights. I have a long nose, that has a bump in the middle. I wonder how that got there. My jaw indents upward ever so slightly. I stop trying to memorize my face, and take the dress off the hanger. I have to unzip the back to be able to get into it. I step into it and attempt to zip it up, a really impossible task. I manage with my long arms. I smile, it fits me perfectly.Manson knocks on the door "We are going to be late for dinner. Also just keep the dress on I have it covered." I am so glad I don't have to attempt to get out of it just yet. I look down and realize I have converse on. "Manson?" I ask hesitantly I hope he is still there. "Yes? Is there an issue?" I smirk, not that he can see me. "I happen to be wearing converse sneakers." Manson laughs. "Hold on I'll grab some white heels, are heels okay?" I can't walk in heels, and being dead for 990 years isn't going to give me the magical power to walk in heels. "Yes heels are great. Thank you Manson." I say. My head is screaming at me. Why did I say yes? I know I'm going to fall and break every bone that can be broken! Oh this is going to be a really long night. Well I now have a reason to hold onto Manson if we walk anywhere. Impossibly high heels slide under the door. My mouth falls to the floor. "Thanks." I manage. I'm going to die, I swear if I don't somehow break every bone in my body, I am going to miss step in heels and fall into a sewer system. I know I am over exaggerating, but I haven't used my leg muscles in 990 years. I try to not think about all the ways I am going to fail walking tonight. I pick them up, I stare at them. I can so do this. I slip the shoes on. Nope not happening, my feet already hurt. I stand up and a burning pain shoots through my legs. I ignore it and stumble to the door. I open it and smile. Manson is leaning against the far wall. He laughs, my face twists into confusion. I don't understand why he is laughing, do I look awful? "I can't believe you actually are going to wear those. Although the look badass, I bet you are going to fall." Manson stares at my feet. I grin, I love how he didn't actually want me to wear these. It is something I will love about a guy, he doesn't mind that you aren't 5'8. "You could have just asked for flats." He holds out a pair of white canvas flats. "The dress looks better when you are shorter." He smiles and places the shoes down. "Meet me outside." He begins to walk away, taking the lightly cologne scented air with him. I want to be beside him and have the sweet air surround me. I take the heels off, wincing in pain. Yes I know they are just heels, but just attempting to walk hurt more then you could imagine. That is now beside the point because I can now wear flats. They aren't fancy, and it looks like I can walk easily in them. They feel great, soft and cushiony insides. Luckily it isn't cold yet, so my feet won't freeze. I now need to make sure I can walk with a full length dress. I begin my long walk to the door, with no trouble walking I pick up my pace. "Miss please stop walking." A very high pitched voice calls from far away. I turn around and I am staring at a very unattractive woman. "Is something wrong?" I ask hesitantly, I can't help but stare at a very large mole on this lady's face. Also with closer inspection there are a couple of hairs growing out of it. "This dress is too long, let me trim it." She says so loudly she started to yell. Her breath smelt of rotten eggs and everything else disgusting. I had to force myself not to run. "Im sorry, but we really must be going." Manson says from behind me. He takes my arm and leads me to the door. I hear footsteps rushing after us, but Manson Thad let go of my arm and turned to the door. He is trailing the lady inside. "Manson what are you doing!?!" I yell at him. Just as I begin to approach him, he pulls out a long metal rod. He jams it through the two handles, a button clicks and the rod bends and cuts into the glass doors. The lady tries to push the doors, but they don't even budge. "Manson how could you do that? She was going to help me!" I was ready to slap him. My cheeks began to flush red and I feel the sting of tears. "I know her, she wants to do hours and hours of testing on you. I wouldn't let her, she threatened to kidnap you. That's why I want you to be by my side." He turns to me, a sad smile on his face, eyebrows knitting together. I see his gray eyes begin to turn blue, the white parts of his eyes begin to turn red. I take a minute because I don't want to scream at him. "Is that the only reason I'm in this dress? Not for a date, to keep me from one of your mad scientist friends?" I pretty much scream. I apparently don't handle anger well. Oops. "No. I felt that I already knew you, maybe our ancestors were friends. But she isn't the only one after you. I just don't want to loose you. As creepy as it sounds I am the one who brought you back to life. And I spend years with you, not the talking living you, but I did spend time with you. And I know more about you then you do." Manson began to yell, his eyes reddening and his voice shaking. He stares me right in the eyes. "Manson why don't you want to loose me? Am I just an amazing science project? To valuable to loose?" I say somewhat more calmly. My voice catches, and the tears threaten to tumble out of my eyes. "How can you say that? I could have chosen a soldier who died in war, or a brilliant inventor! I chose you! You because when I first saw you being put on my morgue table, my heart broke. I needed to know you in person." A tear rolls down Manson's face, only then do I realize, that he isn't just beautiful on the outside, he is beautiful in the inside. I can't say anything, a knot in my throat stops all words. I just stare at him, unable to move. Shock has paralyzed me, I don't know what to do.A silence builds in the air, so thick that it gets hard to believe we were closer then this. If you told me we were going on a date, I would have laughed. But this hurt to much, realizing my mistake the minute Manson said he chose me. "I'll bring you home." Manson says after what feels like hours of silence. I want to say no, but I don't want to hurt him anymore, in my lifetime. "Manson." I find my voice almost pleading. Manson turns and faces me, eyes boring into mine. In that moment I see something change in Manson. His jaw muscles loosen and the tears begin to dry. He comes closer and hesitates. Then all at once hugs me tight. My ribs bend and every bone aches. One of his arms wraps around my waist, the other wraps over my shoulders. My chin just above his shoulder. He is warm and his suit is soft and smells like him. All I smell is his cologne. I can't help but smile, even with the words that were just said, they hang in the air. I'm sure we both feel them dancing around us, but I don't care right now. I just want Manson to hold me forever. He did choose me for a reason. With the light night's breeze, the pain flows away. I have let the things that were important stay forever burned into the pages of my mind. The others taken away with the gentle breeze and is being left all over town. Manson still hasn't let go, his arms still holding me tight. I don't want to say anything, I don't want to say the wrong thing and watch even more fall apart. I inhale, Manson sighs, neither of us know what to do. I can't help but think that I should just go home, and give Manson space. But even if I did, would I be able to stay away? Manson slowly begins to let go of my shoulders. I cry on the inside, I felt so safe and protected. Then his arm leaves my waist and I am forced to realize that I am no longer in his arms, but in the night air. " Straight down this street, last building on the left." Manson says. His eyes back to their natural gray state, his hair slightly out of place, and his suit perfectly unwrinkled. He turns his back to me and he walks to the little store. I don't want to know why he is going back, but I turn my back and begin the long journey to the end of the street. My eyes stare at every building, taking in every curve, shape and design. Not colors because everything looks very very dark. I hear nothing, silence encases me. It is a sickening feeling. No one is outside, no animals are lurking under bushes, no birds perch in trees. I check the distance left to make it home, it seems that I have finished the long stretch. I walk to the building to my left, I think it is the one Manson was talking about. The big and silver doors stand tall, look to have no handles. My mind trying to think of the many new and exciting ways to get into this building. Without even thinking I mutter "Who makes a door without handles?" I hear my voice echo, I imagine the words bouncing off buildings, flowing through the air and finally leaving to a place where nobody can hear. "Well it could be helpful if you know that there is a card reader." A voice says behind me. I jump a good foot into the air, I turn to meet black gelled hair and gray eyes. "Did you follow me?" I ask, hoping it isn't going to start a fight, I bite my lip. "Yes I did. And I knew you wouldn't be able to get in. Bought myself a little bit of time." Manson smirks. A click and the doors open. I am greeted by the glossy white walls and floors. I glance at Manson who is already staring at me. I smile just because it feels like we are okay again. "I'm sorry. It has been eating me up inside and out because I feel awful for yelling at you." My eyes look into his. "Jade it's okay. I knew you were going to snap at one point. I wasn't expecting it on our first date, but that's okay. Also since we never made it to the restaurant, we are making dinner." Manson smirks and holds up a brown paper bag. I smile, I grab the bag and look inside. Pizza. I love pizza, well since I had it the last time. A small ding signals the elevator is here. I step inside and Manson leans over me to press the 45 button. I don't even care that I am living on the 45th floor, the elevator's air begins to mix with his cologne. I breath it in, a sweet and amazingly indescribable scent. The ding breaks my moment of happiness because Manson strides out taking all the pleasant warmth with him. I follow because I don't want to be alone anymore.
We stand in my kitchen, pizza box on the counter. I'm leaning over the box attempting to follow the directions. I must look confused because Manson stands behind me and reads over my shoulder with ease. I guess I am very short. I frown with confusion and slight anger. Manson laughs and takes the pizza out of the box and places it on a pizza tray. He opens the oven and pops it in, presses a few buttons and a click starts the cooking. "You were reading it in French." Manson begins to laugh uncontrollably. His eyes begin to water and he looks at me. I begin to laugh because I love his laugh. We both laugh for so long. "Wow how can I be that dumb?" I ask in a weak voice. Manson nods, just begging to breath again. I love how was can be so happy in each other's company. "The pizza is done." He says holding the pan with a cooking mitt. I smile and grab a knife from the drawer. The pizza smells amazing, the cheese aroma drifting through the room. I cut the pizza into eighths. I place two slices on a plate, Manson adds four more to his plate and walks over to the dinning room table. I grin and sit down next to him. "This won't do, we must move to the couch." Manson says standing up and taking my arm and escorting me to the couch. He sits me down on one side. He sits across from me, and smiles. "Much better." I shake my head and begin to eat the pizza. Once I have finished I look up at Manson who haven't even started to eat yet. "May I help you?" I ask, waiting for a sarcastic answer, but I never get one. "I can't help but stare, you aren't like anyone I have ever seen. Now a days we are made with visible defects, so no one is self conscious about their looks. Certain people have set roles chosen at birth. But I can't find a single thing wrong about you." Manson frowns almost a thinking face. I laugh and say "Maybe because I'm from 990 years ago Manson. And thank you for the compliment, but I don't see anything wrong with you either." I try to memorize his face, something I have been trying to do since I met him. "I am a scientist I just changed them." He says, so proud with himself. I smile and am so happy that everything is out in the open. The fight opened my eyes to who Manson really was. The sweet charming and determined guy I already knew, but now I know how he thinks. "It's getting late Jade. I will let you get your rest." Manson brings the dishes to the sink, rinses them and then places them gently in the dishwasher. I walk slowly towards him. I wrap my arms around him. "I will see you tomorrow. Right?" I ask hoping I know the answer. "First thing you will see." Manson says softly. He kisses me lightly on the head, the two clicks of the doors and the missing warmth of him means he left tonight. I sigh and flop onto the couch. Tonight has been a very long night.