The Unexpected Visit

Chapter 8

Not much is happening around here, as far as I know. I'm not allowed out of my room yet except for pre-approved things. Although visitors are more frequent, I've officially met my dad's secretary, Ava. She's nice but I didn't get much of a chance to talk to her. Anna comes so often that I have learned what her footsteps sound like. She is always telling me stories about when I was a child and all the things I don't remember, like what my first word was and when I first started walking. Apparently, my first word was "Annnaa"--our parents were not happy with that one. Anna, on the other hand, says she felt like she was on top of the world. Jackson was walking before me and would visit people when no one was awake. Our Mother would apparently wake up to the sound of someone knocking, only to find Jackson. I think that's hilarious. Dad was there when the story was told and he...well...he thought that it wasn't that funny.

"Rebeca, your physical therapy starts soon, wake up," Anna says quietly. I know it's her because her voice is so often being used around me that I have memorized it. Why oh why must I leave dreamland?

"Ugh, mmm, what..?" I ask groggily.

"Physical therapy, Rebecca, did you forget already? If you forget something so simple this easily, how can you remember the time you went to get ice cream with friends and ended up at some party? Honestly, how do you remember something like that?"

"Because I was drunk. It was the first time I had alcohol; someone put it in my soda. Apparently, I remember things better when I'm drunk. That's weird." I say, slowly getting up.

"While you are gone, your room will be moved--well, your stuff, anyway. You will move into the room Dad had made for you. It's in between mine as well as Brooke's future room. Just in case you were wondering, the boys will not be anywhere near us; they are on the other side of the compound in the boy's dormitory. I should probably go and get your room ready, have fun at physical therapy!" She says cheerfully.

Well, that was fun, now my leg hurts. I just want to go and sit on the couch for the rest of the day, doing absolutely nothing. No, I need to get back in shape for soccer before we leave the island. I need to be good enough to join a team that is national. luckily Anna has apparently grown to love soccer and could probably kick my butt at it any day of the week. Fun.

"Becca, Where are you?" Anna shouts. I hear her voice from what sounds like my room. What is she doing in my room?

"Ugh, duty calls," I whisper to myself as I walk towards the fields, slowly building up speed until I'm running. My therapist said I shouldn't run but I can't help but crave the feeling. Why is my room near the soccer fields?

"You really shouldn't be running. Just because we are doesn't mean you should be," Jackson shouts as I run onto the field and join them.

"What he said!" Owen joins in.

"Be quiet! Keep running before I beat you!" Anna shouts far ahead of all of us. How on Earth was she just in my room and now she's here?

Anna thought that it would be a great idea for all of them to try and place somewhere in the upper ranks of coaching the Warriors I will be on and she did a lot of research, apparently you have to know a lot about soccer, be in good shape, and have a sense of humor...that last part kind of scares me though. What does it mean have a good sense of humor? Somehow I feel like I'm not going to like what it means.

"Alright, everybody, time for dribble drills!" Anna shouts, grabbing the soccer balls from the nearby shed.

"Why on earth do we have to practice? Isn't Rebecca the only one playing?" Jackson asks, sprinting to the shed to get the best ball. Oh, right I forgot Anna told me late last night about the coaching.

"I've already explained this once; we have to make it on the top of the coaching team so that Rebecca and the Warriors travel to where we need to search. Plus, it makes you boys have more muscles, and therefore, attract more girl's attention," Anna says with a glimmer in her eye.

****"I don't care about attracting any girls. I already have Beca, and sometimes, she acts like a lost puppy." Owen says, looking at me with sparkling eyes.

"I am not a lost puppy." I say marching up to Owen my anger building

"Man, I think you said the wrong thing..." Jackson says suddenly sounding slightly scared

"I di-didn't mean it as a bad thing...I, I meant it as a good thing its something I love about you. Re-Really, I mean it." Owen stammers

"Oh, really; or are you just saying that to save your own skin?" I say seething having no idea why I'm angry

"I-I'm not I promise! Now that you mention it though maybe I should've just saved my own skin back at your mother's palace or maybe at your dad's compound when we were attacked." Owen says no longer stammering but angry

"And how on earth were you planning on doing that!? Huh?! Honestly the only reason I took your hand the day we met was because I felt like I already knew you and that I could trust you; maybe I was wrong..." I shout lowering my voice towards the end

"This is something I feel like I should stop but don't want to because Owen stammering is really funny. Although if someone doesn't stop them it could ruin their relationship and our trip to the mainland and this is starting to look bad." Jackson says, looking at Anna "You stop them, after all you made all those rules it probably put stress on their relationship and I might be a little scared of her right now."

"Fine." turning to us "Stop it; I will get rid of all the rules except for the one about sex, but in order for that to happen, you have to make up." Anna says as I start to walk away

"Beca, come back! Please..." Owen shouts starting to sound remorseful

I ignore him and continue to walk, did I ever really like him or was he just a passing phase? Now Anna and Jackson are calling after me, I start to run away from them and everything, into the forest. ****

"That's not good," Anna mutters, trying to catch up, but I'm running too fast and am too far ahead.

"Why's that not good? Please don't tell me we are anywhere near mom's compound...it was hard enough getting her out of there the first time," Jackson says just before I can no longer hear them. I rip out the earpiece and threw it on the ground.

Maybe Mom can help me. After all, that's what moms are supposed to do: comfort their daughter after breaking up with their boyfriend. Running as hard as I can, I realize how cold it is in a forest with no sunlight and no jacket--I hope Mom is really close by. I look up after a while of running. I wonder how long it's been? I feel like I've been running for hours, and a wave of numbness rushes up my arms. I see a clearing approaching and feel I should look around first before I go in. It seems my Mom's guards have other plans.

"There she is! She has returned! Look everyone, it's the princess!" A guard in a tower shouts, alerting everyone of my presence.

I suddenly realize that it has been hours that I've been running in the forest--it's practically dark, maybe a half hour left of light. How did I not notice that? I start to feel a burning sensation everywhere and I pass out. Why is this always happening to me? Always with the passing out, honestly. And always waking up in a different place, it's like some weird and possibly sick game.