Finding Tomorrow

3 - Blaire

“Seriously. If you don’t name your unborn child after me, I will murder you.” Blaire bobbed her head as Charlotte laughed. She dipped another slice of apple into a bowl of caramel, welcoming to sweet goodness onto her tongue. There was a new feel to the atmosphere since Tyler and Charlotte had realized they were soul mates. 

She still chuckled inwardly as she remembered Tyler crying out for her when Charlotte fainted. It was probably one of the most hysterical, yet embarrassing, moments to have ever occurred. She felt a pang of sympathy for Charlotte, though she still had to laugh about it. 

“Who said we are even going to be together? I mean, he’s leaving for NASA or whatever here soon. He has plans in his life already and I’m not going to be the one to ruin them.” Charlotte murmured, though Blaire chucked a piece of apple at her.

“So what if he’s going to work for NASA?” Blaire asked, a little annoyed that Charlotte would even say that. “He’s not going to prison. You guys can live together, you know.” 

“First off, let’s not even talk about living together. I have plans of my own, as well. I’m going to college in California, I’ve already been accepted.”

“So, you’re not going to try and make it work with the person you love?” Blaire inquired, tilting her head to the side. Charlotte closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. Tyler had been in his room since Blaire decided it with her turn with Charlotte. The sun had been set for a few hours now and the world outside was black. She was sure Tyler was observing it as they spoke. 

“Blaire. I don’t know. I don’t know what is going to happen; I can’t tell the future you know.” She sighed as she dipped - or rather, shoved - a slice of apple into the caramel. 

“Well it sounds to me that it is already mapped out. Tyler is going to wherever NASA is, and you are going to the west coast.” Blaire shrugged, though her eyes were steady on Charlotte’s face. She tried to hide the grimace, though it was clear for a moment. “Easy as that, eh?” 

“Shut up, Blaire.” Charlotte murmured as she tilted her head forward so that her brown hair acted as a shield around her pretty, little face. Blaire remained silent, however, as she observed. It was truly unfortunate. 

“I mean, is there nothing you can do? You can’t look for another college or something -” 

“Blaire!” Charlotte snapped up to meet Blaire’s gaze, “Stop.” She whispered this time, her brown eyes misting over. A pang of guilt struck Blaire, realizing the pain of the reality. She stared down at the demolished bowl of caramel, memorizing every groove possible from the swipes of apple slices. 

“Paradise is just over that hill,” a boy whispered in Blaire’s ear. She gazed upon the silhouette of the hill, her heart thumping wildly beneath her ribs. Without looking at him, her hand found its way to his, where their fingers locked with love and hope. 

“It’s so far away, though,” she whispered back, her throat tightening with the tears of pain and joy. It was an odd combination.

“It’s not far compared to what you have come from,” he kissed the side of her head. She could feel her soul burning, ready to burst free from the feeble vessel she was currently residing in. She was so tired. She was ready to lay down to rest. She was so tired.

So very tired. 

“Why are you not responding to me?” Charlotte’s face was very agitated now. Blaire focused upon her features, noticing how her eyebrows were furrowed together, her lips pressed together. She looked severely pissed off. 

“What?” Blaire blinked, which only made Charlotte roll her eyes and stand up. The caramel was harder than it had just been. How long had she been lost in a vision?

“Forget it. Hey, I’m going to go now. I’ll see you tomorrow though -” She stopped herself suddenly as she swallowed the last of her sentence, realizing what she had done. “I didn’t mean that.” She quickly added, her worried eyes resting upon Blaire, though she only shrugged.

“I don’t really care. It’s not like I don’t spend most of my high school career in his office, anyway.” She smiled weakly as she attempted to brush off the shame. It wasn’t something students exactly jumped for joy for. Charlotte smiled back and with a small wave, turned and left the room, leaving Blaire alone with her own thoughts and worries.

The room never seemed so lonely and dark than it did now. She tucked her knees up to her chest and rolled onto her side, staring straight forward as she attempted to organize her thoughts. 

She wasn’t crazy.

She didn’t know what she was going to do.

She didn’t know where she was going to go.

She didn’t know how she was going to live without Tyler.

She wasn’t crazy.

She isn’t crazy.

Blaire Thompson was a typical high school student, struggling to get through to the transition of adolescence to adulthood. She wasn’t crazy, her mind just operated differently. She’s not crazy.

“I’m not crazy,” she whispered to herself as she closed her eyes for the final time that dark, lonely night.