True or False.

Chapter 6

BEEEEEP! BEEEEEEP BEEEEEP!

The blaring of the angry alarm clock wakes me up. I lift my head groggily and bangs my alarm shut. Fortunately for me it is a clock, and not my cell phone. I groan and let my head fall to the soft pillow. But before sleep can overtake me, my mom calls me.

"Get up Alison. You'll be late otherwise. Your father is leaving in fifteen minutes."

Instantly I sit up. What? I rub my eyes. Why will I be late? Why is when my dad leaving mean something to me? Instantly as I reopen my eyes, I see, that I can barely see anything. And perched on the nightstand are my thick glasses, the ones that used to adorn my nose throughout my teenage years. What the hell? I had an operation. I remember. What is going on? Reluctantly I pick up that ugly monstrosity and focus on my hands. They look small and weird. Like almost... no that is not possible.

"Did you get up Alison? You'll be late for school. Come on." My mom says. School? No. There is no way. I am not back in high school. But this is unfortunately my childhood bedroom, and I have my glasses and my hands look different.

I run to my bathroom to check my face. And surely, I look like my teenage years with little freckles, hidden by the obnoxious spectacles, which covers about 70 percent of my face. At least that is how Cloe used to describe it. Cloe. Dammit! She died. I destroyed the Thing. And now I am a teenager again. What the actual hell?

No matter what, I get ready and walk downstairs. Greeting my mom and dad. My mom shakes her head at my tardiness while my dad gives me a soft smile. "Come on let's go. We don't want to be late." Dad says as we both go out. "I know you cannot wait to turn sixteen and get your license. I get it." Wait so I am fifteen. Meaning. Most probably I have not yet met Cloe. Am I getting the redo of my life? What is this?

We reach my school, and I hop out of my dad's car, waving him bye. He pulls away from the place smiling at me. When suddenly two arms hold my waist and lifts me up. Wait I used to get bullied before I met Cloe. Dammit! Am I going to be thrown now?

"Morning baby. I missed you." What? I turn my head swiftly, almost breaking my neck to look at none other than Rick. I almost jump out of his grip and take few steps back. Rick, on the other hand pouts at me. "Are you mad at me baby? Did I do something?" Baby? What the hell? He is not bullying me. "Baby. You okay?" I nod. He does not seem satisfied though as he comes towards me to hug me tightly. As he bends down to kiss me, I quickly move my head to give him my cheek. He laughs at that but seems satisfied. So, if he is calling me baby and kissing me. Does that mean we are together? This redo is starting to get really creepy, really fast.

"Baby did you hear about the new student?" I cock my head to a side to look at him. "I heard from my friends that she was expelled at her previous school and that's why her parents had to move. She sounds trouble."

"Oh okay." I reply. Having no idea what to say. Something tells me this new student is Cloe.

"Class, we have a new student among us, give her a warm welcome everyone. Come on introduce yourself." The teacher asks the new girl, in my first period. Weirdly not calling her by her name. Didn't take me long to see her. Time surely moves fast in this redo.

"Hi. My name is Cloe Gardens." I see her face. It is indeed Cloe. My Cloe. My once best friend Cloe, who saved me from my bully. The same one who died saving me but then miraculously was alive only to accuse me of killing her. The same Cloe who wrote her name weirdly as Cloe instead of the usual Chloe. I have no idea why. Never knew before, and definitely not now. But I do know and remember how she used to spell her name because she told me numerous times, on several different occasions. Because, well simply as I always wrote her name using the 'h' and she for some reason hated that. And now I am sure I have a small smile hanging at the side of my lips remembering our fights regarding the spelling of her name. Oh, the simpler times! How I miss ya!

But this cannot be my Cloe, can she? I mean yes, her name is same as that. No idea of the spelling yet unless she corrects the teacher in about five seconds. But she looks the same. Same eyes, same face, same haircut, same hair color. But she has to be a different person, I mean this is a redo of my life. Isn't it? So...well should I be questioning that considering I am literally having a redo of my life? Anything is possible. And I should learn to believe that. I keep staring at Cloe with the little smile. I notice her bending down a little talking to the teacher sitting at the desk, pretty sure asking to correct the spelling of her name. Then Cloe looks up and her eyes find me in this classroom, and she winks at me. What is going on? Wait she winked at me? Does she remember me? This is turning out to be so weird. So very weird.

Class goes on normally. Cloe sitting at the back. Although I felt eyes on my back throughout the class. And I am pretty sure it was her. Why is she eyeing me? Why is she watching me? What is going on? How can she remember when I can barely understand whatever this is myself?

I have no idea what class it was or what I learned. I did not pay any attention. Not that I need to. Because after all I did do all these things once before. I know them. Even if my best friend is not yet my friend here and my bully is my boyfriend. Now that is the most shocking thing though. But the question that is running in my mind is why is Rick still a part of my redo? Why is he here? Is he somewhat important?

As soon as I walk to my locker after school was over, Rick engulfs me in a hug. This time though I let him kiss me. That did not feel familiar to me at all. It felt strange, forced even. But I smiled through it. If he is part of this redo play and I am supposed to be his girlfriend, then so I will be. But our love affair got halted when a certain someone walked up to us, standing beside me. She has a charm, a very bad girl sort of vibe to her this time. Rick instantly straightens his back and pulls me to him. As if he is protecting me from her. Strange. If only I can believe that. Then again, shouldn't I be questioning that I need to be protected but from who exactly. Because in this redo Rick, is still the good guy and technically Cloe, and I haven't yet met.

"Hey Alison. Did you miss me?" Cloe says. My eyes widen to the point that they might just pop out of their socket.

"Do you know her babe?" Rick asks. I shake my head.

"No. Not really. But she was in my first hour today." I inform as vaguely as possible. Cloe just smirks at me.

"Sure, whatever floats your boat, Ali." The she-devil winks at me, before turning around, and strutting away. Did she just wink at me? Again?

A nervous laughter erupted from my throat as I look at Rick. He seems confused and a little hurt. But I have no idea how to console him. I don't mean to hurt him but then I remember how he used to bully me, even if that is not the case in this redo. It is for me when I remember a whole other lifetime. What the hell is going?

But before I could ponder on that, rough, chapped lips capture mine and pauses all thoughts I had. Somehow, Rick, made me forget all my questions, all my worries as I drift off to a wonderland of kissing. A lull soft reminder that I need oxygen. But apparently, I ignore it as I soon find myself giving into the darkness. Why do I keep on fainting?