Overlap

Chapter 48-E: Dark and Light

<05/23/2011 - 17:45 | Some Random Movie Theater, Austell, GA, USA>

As I promised before, I let myself be dragged straight into the place I've not gone to for a while. It hasn't been that long since I last arrived in the movie theater, but just being back here again gave me less pleasant memories. With the popcorn and drinks already in my hands, both my mother and Peterson were ready to take off and split.

"Okay son. Enjoy whatever you are going to watch by yourself." The faintest hint of curiosity left her lips, as she wondered why I wanted to come with when I was paying to see my own movie separate from the two of them.

I'm grateful that she finally trusts me to be on my own for a bit, enough to see any movie I want regardless of its content rating. I may be fourteen years in age, but none of those adult horror films faze me. What I'm watching anyway isn't even eighteen-plus.

But that's not really the dominating thought I'm having right now. It's kind of awkward the way she is addressing this. My mother thinks I'm actually here on my own, planning to watch a movie all by myself. For reasons I don't even have to get into, I can't actually share her the truth; that I'm here with a great friend. It was difficult enough hiding my own excitement to this silent party. "Alright."

"She makes it sound so weird."

By the time Lumina sounded off, my mother and Peterson went their own way. The theater was divided into two sections with no particular difference, and my movie happens to be towards the other direction at about the same time. Still, the moment I finally felt like I had real privacy, it was somehow more exciting to be out here by myself with Lumina. "Can you blame her? Nobody knows about your presence except for me. At least this way, I don't have to pay for two tickets." I'm literally sneaking a girl into the movie theater with me, except in this case, I'm sneaking in her consciousness? Her senses? I don't even know how to express the idea to myself, it's so strange.

"Yes Reed. I know that I'm invisible to everybody there."

"You make it sound so horrible." On one hand, having her hidden like this prevents me from proving her presence to others. But on the other hand, I'm skeptical my parents would approve of me spending time with someone who isn't the same species, likely out of fear.

"I feel like it is... And I wonder if I may have given you some bad advice about this. I want you to have at least one human friend. And if that's somehow not possible, I want you to at least trust your family a little more."

It's not the first time I've heard Lumina say that regarding my family. She's finally catching onto the fact that, while I love my mother and father very much, I certainly don't trust them for much in life. As the months go by, I find myself slipping further away from them, little by little. "I'm not sure what you are talking about. It's not as if anybody would believe me. And if my parents somehow found out about this, they would surely lock me in a mental institution. I'd rather kill myself cutting my own throat than ever step foot into one of those places. And also, I'm not crazy, so it wouldn't be a good fit for me."

"I know. I'm the one who told you not to tell all the other humans. I told you it was dangerous to even try... But I don't know if I was right to say that."

It hasn't been that long, but I think I know already why Lumina suddenly feels this way. Even though I don't express it to the same intensity, not having human friends burns a hole inside my heart, one deep enough to be shared to Lumina given our connection. However, I have yet to see this woman be wrong about a single thing so far. "You were protecting my feelings from being hurt worse given their probable reactions. At the time, I didn't know any better. But now, I understand how difficult it can be for a regular person to understand any of this, let alone believe it without any tangible evidence. But don't worry Lumina. I haven't given up on the idea entirely. I'll make one human friend, someday."