A Watching Feeling

Page 10

 "So nice to see him again." Chloe says, dryly. I chuckle and she smiles. "Felix. You know, I think I remember him. He used to be fun, actually and he's not much older than us. Maybe a year."

"Really? He looks like he's in his twenties."

"Nope. He's only eighteen. Nineteen in April, I believe but don't quote me on that. I suck at remembering birthdays."

"So I remember. Only eighteen? That's a year older."

"That's what I said, loser." Chloe says. "I remember his cousin, too. He's right. We did go to school with him, back in middle school. You had a ridiculous crush on him."

"I did? That's funny. I don't remember. What was his name?" Chloe looks surprised.

"Really? You don't remember him or how you acted? You don't remember Adrikins?" I feel a sharp pain in my head but it's brief and goes away quickly.

"No. Why? How did I act around him?"

"You were always tripping and falling around him. You could never talk to him and you acted utterly ridiculous. You don't remember that?" I tried to think but it was just hazy.

"No. In fact, middle school has always been a complete blur to me." I shrug but can't shake the feeling something happened that I needed to remember. Chloe looks at me then shrugs and starts to back up.

"Well, I have to go. Daddy can only do so much but he won't like finding out I skipped school and he definitely won't believe I did it to visit you. But if that psycho cat guy comes back, tell him I think his outfit looks ridiculous." I smile and tell her I will. "One more thing." I look up as she stands on the top step to my room.

"Yeah?" Chloe smirks.

"Remind Felix of Mr. Shrimpy." With that, Chloe bids me goodbye and closes the door behind her. I smile quizzically, wondering who Mr. Shrimpy could possibly be. I laid down, feeling weak. My eyes start to droop heavily and the last thing I remember is thinking about Felix's mysterious cousin I was supposed to know.

Adrikins.

When I woke up again, the room around me was darker than before. My head hurt less but I knew I was far from feeling better. I felt around for my phone, which I thought I had left under my pillow but I couldn't find it.

Probably fell, I thought, letting my eyes close again. I felt sleep starting to lay back over me, like a blanket. When I woke up again the next day, I found an extra blanket covering me and my phone tied to the side of my bed with a white ribbon I remembered seeing in my sewing box.

"How are you feeling, Princess?"