Identity Crisis

Chapter 6: Identity Theft

It’s been a week since it happened. My father left us and we still don’t know where he is. My mom already filed a report.

I told Yuko about it and she just hugged me. For the first time in years, I let a tear out.

Dex gave the stuff I lent him back to me. He told me he was going to stop dealing and was going to look for a real job. I never saw him at school again.

                   

I wake up at the sound of a car leaving. Still half-asleep, I go to my window to check our driveway.

            “Oh,” I say as I see our neighbor’s car leaving.

            I take a quick shower and put on my uniform. I go downstairs to prepare myself something to eat. I take my stuff for school and leave.

            When I get outside, Yuko is already waiting for me at the front steps. We walk to the bus stop and wait there for a few minutes. All the while, Yuko would try to get me to talk about, anything really, mostly happy subjects and stuff like that.

            We get to school and we go to the Circle. Everybody asks “what’s up” or “how am I feeling”. Of course I tell them I’m fine.

            I’m actually hurting inside. But am I really the one who’s lying? They don’t really want to know how I’m doing. That costs time; that’s way too expensive.

            I tell them I have to do something, so I leave. Yuko and Alex try to convince me to stay. I tell them I really need to do something, so they let me go. The look on their faces wasn’t that of a completely convinced person.

            Sorry you guys.

I make my way to the roof of the main building. As I go up the stairs, I run into Melody.

            “Hey,” she says, “what’s up?”

            “I’m just going up for a bit of fresh air,” I reply.

            “Can I come with you?” she asks a bit worried.

            “Um... Nah, it’s alright. I think I want to be alone for a bit.”

            “Um... You sure?”

            “Yeah, don’t worry,” I say with a smile that, judged my Melody’s expression, was too forced.

            “Alright then,” she says. “But we’ll eat lunch together.”

            “Eh? Ah, sure.”

            I continue my way up the stairs and go out to the roof. I approach the edge of the roof and sit there to take in the view. I let out a big sigh as I lay my upper body down and look at the sky. I stare at the clouds passing by, sometimes blocking the sun and feel the breeze on my face.

            This can help me, I guess.

            “This is nice,” I say while closing my eyes. “If only I could stay like this forever.”

            “Wouldn’t that be a bit boring?” I hear a soft voice say above me.

            So she followed me.

            I open my eyes, expecting to see Yuko with a look of reproach. The sun blinds my eyes so I instinctively close them again.

            “Is that better?” the voice says as I feel a shadow cast down over my face.