Where Stars Collide (REVAMPED)

"Who are you?"

Who are you?

A simple question really. One that if asked a mere month ago I would have confidently replied.

"I'm Alexia Robert's, an honor roll student at Chestnut High." The person would then reply.

"What are your hobbies, what do you like to do?"

"I love reading." I'd reply. The smile on my face being almost blinding. Then I'd talk for hours. Going on and on about my favorite hobbies, foods, movies. I'd tell them about the vacation I had with my parents in Italy. I'd mention my friends Alice and Jake and carefully leave out Alice's history. Only bothering to mention the quiet little boy I knew in middle school.

But this isn't a month ago.

This isn't a stranger in the familiar town I've grown up in.

The city buildings and natural greenery I am used to being replaced with intoxicating white walls made exactly to drive me insane. The smell of car exhaust and the loud noises of the people replaced with an overly clean office and the smell of the potted violets in the room. The court ordered counselor being nothing like the lively people I saw on the streets.

She was infuriating.

The smile never left her face as she waited for my response to her question. "Who are you?"

The question in my opinion was idiotic. There was no way she didn't know who I was. There's no doubt that she didn't have a paper with all my information on it. She had access to things that only my parents ever remembered.

She was doing this to butter you up.

I thought quietly. The voice in my head that never shut up. The one that got me here in the first place.

Of course she is. That's something I know without a doubt. That's their whole job, get on your good side so they can pay all your darkest secrets out of you. So they can out the pieces together on why you're so broken. Give the people looking a reason. A reason why I did what I did and how I turned out like this.

Honestly people would look at me and say that I'm the crazy but if you put me next to a normal hunky doory citizen looking for the reason to something you wouldn't be able to tell which is which. When humans desire something they do everything in their means to get it and this is exactly what this meeting with my "friend" and not government ordered counselor as she puts it is.

A means to an end. An attempt to figure out why.

The counselor then broke the long winded silence.

"Well, if you're not ready to talk then I can introduce myself first. How does that sound?" She said the smile never leaving her face and the blank stare never leaving mine. Ignoring the silence I left in the conversation she continued.

"My name is Mrs. Williams, I've been working in this field for 10 years and I'm a proud mother to two children!" Shd paused to gage my reaction before continuing.

"I've worked with many kids like you before Alexia and I know that you might think I don't understand but I do."

"It's Alex." I said robotically.

"Pardon?"

"My name, it's Alex. I never go by Alexia."

Mrs. Williams let out a small laugh before replying.

"Well, Alex I know that you may think I don't understand but I promise you I do. I've met many kids like you and I know that the complicated emotions you feel can be confusing but I promise we will work this out together."

"Why do you go by Mrs if you've gotten a college degree in your field?" I asked, my attention aimed at the framed degree hanging on her wall. She turned her head to see what I was looking at. Her customer service smile never leaving her face. It only got bigger when she turned back to look at me.

"The same reason you want to be called Alex and not Alexia." She replied a light tone in her voice. My face however remain blank. She then took a quick glance at my folder on her desk before starting conversation again.

"Well Alex do you know why were here?"

"I'm inclined to believe it's because of the same reason I was in court."

"Well thats one way to put it." She responded not at all being affected by the sarcasm lacing my voice. She continued.

"Let's start off with the easiest question. Tell me about your friendship with Alice Cambridge."

Alice.

The first of our little trio that I became friends with. I approached him first on the playground because I thought he'd looked lonely. He was shy but he was the nicest person ever. I always protected him from the bullies lurking our elementary school. It's hard to think that such a quiet and calm boy became so violent and...horrifying.

I couldn't hide the silence expression I made as I thought of my old friend and what had become of him.

Noticing the change in my face at the mention of him Mrs. Williams continued her questioning. Knowing that if there was a way to get to me this was it.

"As you know, Alice is sadly no longer with us and as you're one of his closest friends I would like to offer my condolences."

"Are you going to ask me about his death?" I replied bluntly. I never was the type of person to beat around the bush.

"No Dear, just tell me about who he was."

"If you wanted to know about him you could have looked at one of the many articles online."

"But I want to hear about him from you." She said. I don't know why she was going through all this trouble. Reading about him on the internet was the easiest way to find out about him. What did it matter what I thought about him? It's pretty obvious after everything that I didn't know him as well as I thought. Mrs. Williams began talking again promptly breaking me out of my thoughts.

"What yall did together, what he was like, what his interest were, who Alice Cambridge was to you before evrything. Thats not something I can find in a quick Google search." She let out a little chuckle at her own joke.

Who Alice was to me?

Before everything?

A lie. That's what he was. The Alice I knew. The Alice I loved. Never existed. But Mrs. Williams wouldn't accept that as an answer. I didn't feel like fighting her anymore so I answered.