Jenga

Chapter Seven- Uncanny Days

The days sure are long now.

I can't even remember the last time Arthur and I have had peace and quiet.

Today, the day has come. 

The day has come for Max to turn 18. 

Halloween mornings are crazy for me because I always seem to wake up later than I'm supposed to. And when I do wake up, Grandfather scares all the energy I once had out of me. I don't know, or want to know, how he did it.

This time, I hit my head on my bed frame and now I've got a splitting headache.

I focus my eyes on my alarm clock, and realize two things.

1. I had forgotten to set it last night.

2. I'm way past late for school.

By this, I mean that I woke up in the middle of third period.

"I won't even bother going to school," I think aloud. "I should prepare Max's party and get his present. Ah, I really should've done this earlier."

I get dressed, say goodbye to my grandparents, take a mini Snickers bar and head out.

While walking around, I don't believe it but I see Jesse and Macey at the hair salon. I'm so sure it's them, and I want to ask why they aren't in school. They can't possibly be in the same situation as me.

I ignore it, and decide to keep on walking until I see something interesting to buy for Max. I don't even know what he likes, so why am I even trying? Plus, we had a quarrel the other day.

If he's kept his grudge against me, I might just lose my mind and fly to Africa, only because I wouldn't understand why he'd still be mad. 

It's like he has his own language, and is so stingy that he won't share it with me.

I've always wanted to go to Africa.

No, that doesn't matter. I want to get him something, not as an apology, but because he's my brother. Just, what?

I wander into a supermarket and take a look at some things, when I spot a bicycle.

Then I look all around me, and there are all bicycles. I'm not in a supermarket, but in a bike shop.

A weird feeling grows inside me when I spot something else. Or rather, someone else. Make that two.

"Ahahaha! I won! Now you have to get me that helmet!" Julia's voice rang through my ears, as well as her smugly confident laugh.

"Are you serious? Are your eyes even real? Are you sure they're not glass?" Arthur's words sounded like a combination of stress and shock.

"Of course my eyes aren't glass, you stupid teacher."

"I should give you detention for saying that. Do you even have a bicycle?"

"Nope, but who cares? This helmet is too cute to be inside a wretched store like this. It belongs somewhere more clean and pretty; my head for example."

Having enough of their pointless conversation, I dash out of the store and land somehow in front of the movie theaters. What is this? Why am I landing everywhere and seeing people when I have an objective?

Oh, wait. I'm letting it happen. I could just leave and go back home, but it's uncanny; how is everyone out on a school day?

Suddenly, it hits me. "Movie tickets!" I shout, and rush inside. "There's this movie he wants to see. . . what was it--oh! It's this." In front of me hangs a theatrical poster for this fantasy film called "Flying."

I sort of wish I could fly.

Anyhow, I check the upcoming premiere listings and manage to catch two tickets for Sunday's showing at 2:10. I would've gotten tickets for Saturday if the lady hadn't given me a strange expression and bluntly said, "They're sold out."

I'm exiting the theaters when, in the corner if my eye, I see a girl looking up at the ceiling. She's just staring at it as if it's a hamburger.

I look up as well, and realize that what she's looking at isn't the ceiling, but are stars.

There're stars everywhere, and it's actually very pretty. I had'nt noticed what was around me the whole time. I probably don't notice things like this around me a lot. Now, I'm starting to.

I glance back at the girl to see if she's still focusing her eyes on the stars, and she is, but suddenly a tear trickles down her cheek.

I silently keep my eyes on her as I walk past and exit the theaters. What a weird girl, crying in the movies, but that doesn't make it any weirder than my day prior to this.

As I walk a couple of blocks down, almost at my house, two warm, muscular hands place themselves on my shoulders.

I jump up, scream and cower, because seriously, who would do such a thing? 

"Sorry, Noa darling. We didn't intend to frighten you. It was Charlie's idea. Truthfully, you look more adorable when you're scared out of your pants then when you're calm." Cyan's energetic voice helped me recognize immediately that it was him.

Of course, Charlie is with him. Of course, they're not in school.

"Don't sound like a pervert," I retort.

". . . Anyway, here let me help you up," Charlie says, as I take his helpful hand.

"Not so reserved now, are you?" I ask.

"Don't be full of it. I only feel that I should apologize for that fight we had the other day."

Almost a minute passes and Charlie says nothing. "So?" I ask. "I'm waiting."

"You want me to say it?"

"Isn't that how apologies work?"

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you. I'm alright now. But, I'd like to ask you both something, if that's OK."

"What is it?" Cyan and Charlie ask.

"Why aren't you in school?"

Charlie bursts into laughter and Cyan tries to hold it in.

"What?" I ask irritatedly.

"Noa, it's Saturday," Cyan says.

I blink once for confirmation and again for complete and utter shock.

I drop my bags. "Huh?!"