A Crack Away from Destiny

Alexa

The chilling essence of the cement floors and dreary stone walls of the cell creeped up Alexa's spine, as she stared at Josh leaning his head back against the wall, who was gazing up absentmindedly at the ceiling.

"How do you think he's planning to get..." Joshua said, not looking away from the fixated spot and not finishing his inquiry. He didn't need to, Alexa knew precisely what he meant. Alexa shrugged.

"I don't know, nor do I care. I just wanna go home," she replied, the last statement sounding more of a plea than anything else. Joshua glanced at Alexa impassively, as if he wanted - no, needed to tell her something, but it wouldn't come out. Alexa put her head into her hands, feeling the familiar burning in her throat as she struggled to hold back the tears. And the familiar hopelessness of the betrayal from her father returned along with it. Once again, she was thrusted into a cell, despite for the fact that the first one was a mental prison and this one was physical. Don't act smart. Don't form your own opinions and always concur to the popular choice. Don't lack in appearance - it can always be enhanced with a dab of makeup.

"I care. I want to know why Scott Frenchmen has us locked up in here. What did I do?"

"I don't care, Joshua Peddlestone! I just want to go home, okay? SHUT UP," she snapped. Josh's eyes narrowed.

"Why are you like this, Alexa? So..."

"So what?"

"So bratty. I remembered back in third grade, you were so kind. You even gave the teacher a bouquet of daffodils from your mom's garden on a random day. The teacher asked why you brought them and you said, 'Life is delicate like a flower. If you stomp on a flower or tear it from its roots, it won't grow anymore. Like life. That's what my daddy said, and he told me to give a teacher I really liked flowers. And you always say you like them.'"

"Yeah, well, that was me seven years ago. This is me now," she hissed, gesturing to herself, trying to control the tears that were on the brink of escaping.

"You know, I don't really like the you now. I'm not sure anyone does." Alexa fumed.

"It's the only person I know how to be! And you're not such a goody, goody person, either, now are you?" Josh looked at her as if she had just slapped him.

"What are you talking about?" Alexa pursed her lips. Shouldn't he know, he's been doing it for almost seven years! Alexa waved away the question and gazed down at a fixated spot on the floor. Josh, however, looked intently at her, expectant. Silence replaced their persistent rebukes for that one moment, until Josh straightened his back up against the wall and said, "I think we should set aside our differences for the time we are here if we are going to get anywhere." Alexa glanced back at Josh. She had never genuinely noticed before, but Josh was actually quite handsome. He had admirable facial features and his green eyes were ones that one could easily get lost in. And now that he had a sort of begging expression plastered upon his face, Alexa couldn't help but stare. It seemed that all her loathing for this one boy had blinded her from really seeing anything else of him. But he was still one of the components of making her life miserable.

"Fine," she seethed. The tension in Josh's shoulders relaxed and he slumped against the wall he was leaning beside. Alexa crossed her arms, eyeing an ant that was crawling beside her. As it was about to sneak under a small hole from which it came from, she placed her thumb upon it, crushing it.

"You know, just because you can kill it, it doesn't mean you should." Alexa flicked off the remnants of the ant from her thumb.

"It was getting on my nerves," she replied plainly. Josh huffed and looked the other way, gazing into the cracks of the wall on the opposite side of the cell. Alexa wondered what he was thinking about. Was he thinking of his family? Or was he restraining himself from spitting curses at Alexa? After all, she did make his life miserable. Or was he looking for a way out? Alexa knew the latter was highly unlikely, considering that apparently, their... abilities were being sucked out of them like a vacuum cleaner. Well, Alexa didn't genuinely believe all of this just yet. She was never one for day-dreaming, of flying, her hair sprawled across her face and standing up at odd angles as she zipped past clouds. No, what she wanted most of all - needed most of all, was a normal life with a normal relationship between her parents. But in the end, she resorted to drastic measures, wearing a thick mask, shielding who she was by using makeup; makeup among other things, anyway. She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. It felt dry and course under her touch. It was probably due to the constant straightening of her hair, which had left her hair lifeless. Initially, the remote idea of burning her hair frightened her. Though after one of her "friends" talked her into doing it, she couldn't help but stare agape at the figure who sat in the mirror. Her usual blonde and curly hair was now perfectly straight, and the frizz which was most common in the spring was virtually gone. She was beautiful. Alexa was never quite fond of her tight curls, anyway. Her hair didn't cup her face, like most other hair that people had did, and it felt as though her hair was the feature that was most out of place. With her soft cheekbones and innocent green eyes, the blonde curly hair seemed to strike her out almost immediately as someone different. Subsequently, she dyed her hair brown, because not only did she hate her curls, she despised her blonde hair. Though most teachers liked to lecture the students that blonde hair did not particularly mean that person was dumb, it never got into their heads. And even though she was doing fairly well in all her subjects, people didn't praise her like they did other intelligent folk. Amelia Kenrie, for example, had brown hair, and she was certainly one of high intellect. Well, someone of equal intellect to Alexa, surprisingly enough. In science when Alexa would proudly announce the correct answers to the class, the class merely snickered and would whisper, "Wow, the blonde knows gravity exists. I wonder if it would work when my foot trips hers." However, when it was Amelia who spoke, everyone would hang on to her every word in awe as she breezily went over the answers.

"I'm sorry." Alexa snapped her attention to Josh.

"What?"

"I'm sorry about what I did. I'm not sure precisely what it is. But I hate this tension that's stuffing up the air. I want to breathe in with content, knowing that at least someone is enduring this along side me. I mean, I don't want anyone to endure this, but at least I can find some solace in that I'm not going through this queer adventure alone. And if it's Alexa Johnson, so be it!" he exclaimed, Alexa hearing echoes of his voice bounce off the walls. Alexa desired with all her heart to spit back a hostile reply, but instead, a squeak came out. She detested the fact that he was trying to be nice to her whereas Alexa filed him under the category of Z - belongs in a Zoo. And yet, instead of regaining her confidence and resuming her reply, a burning returned in her throat, and this time she could not stop the tears. They came all at once, the tears streaming past the thick dirt coating her cheeks. Her shoulders shuddered as she fought them, yet they came against her will, all the same. Joshua was her enemy! And here she was, blatantly sobbing before him, trying to hide her red face with her hair. This was weakness! Instead of chuckling as Alexa had expected him to do, however, he sat beside her, his face impassive. Or it could've been thoughtful, she couldn't tell with the constant stream of tears blinding her vision.

"Er, it's okay...," Joshua said, holding out his hand, seeming out of place.

"IT'S NOT!" Alexa yelled back. "I'm supposed to bloody hate you, and here you are telling me that you're sorry. I don't know what to do! I mean, all the time, you act like getting hundreds on your tests is a leisure for you while I'm struggling in every subject except for history. And I don't even have history this year!" Josh's hand recoiled as if it had come in contact with acid.

"Wait. You're telling me that this entire time of persistent bullying... is because I do well in school?" he asked incredulous.

"Well, not precisely. I don't know how to put it. Perhaps you're kind of my punching bag when I'm stressed," she sniffed, her tears beginning to clear.

"What do you mean by 'punching bag'? Why would the most popular girl in school get stressed?" Alexa wiped away a tear with her wrist. Keep composure, Alexa.

"Well, it was fourth grade when it happened. See, my father, he liked to gamble. A lot. So, when he ran out of money, he started stealing from my college fund. And it still hurts so bad!" she yelled, hearing her own echo sound throughout the tunnel and cell. "Because-because my father was the only one whom I could trust, and when something - anything was wrong, he'd be the first person I'd go to. Sure, my mum divorced him some time ago, but I still loved Dad. But anyway, when we found out what he was doing, he was arrested. He was to spend two years in prison. And then..." Alexa bursted into tears once more, holding no resistance this time. "And then when he was released, he committed suicide!" Alexa finished, staring at Joshua's sympathetic expression. Alexa had never told anyone about what happened and now that she finally told someone, it felt like a million gram anvil had been lifted from her shoulders. Even if it had to be Joshua Peddlestone.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I don't exactly live in a realm of happiness. I have a bratty sister named Sarah, who kind of spares me no regard for anything. Mum is always working at home. It's like she doesn't know any of us are even there. Dad's attention is focused only on Sarah and my mum. Hypothetically-speaking, I could steal my dad's wallet and move into a luxury apartment. I bet they won't even notice I'm gone until the week has passed and it will only be because if anybody actually notices the wallet missing," Joshua replied, trying at a smile, but it looked more like a grimace. Alexa sniffed and looked up at him. Was Joshua actually confessing his innermost thoughts upon the concept of a "miserable life"? For most of Alexa's life, she had assumed that Joshua lived a life of luxury - caring parents, a nice house, and perhaps an entire room just for video games and the like. Hearing this new information was like telling a two year-old that Santa Claus wasn't real. It was unsettling. Well, I guess I really shouldn't have assumed anything, Alexa thought. Suddenly a wave of shame collapsed upon Alexa. Every morning of every day she would taunt this boy, and yet, his life was already an unhappy one. How horrid.

"I'm sorry, Joshua. I never realised how terrible it must be, and I kind of..." She trailed off, uncertain of what she wanted to say precisely. Joshua nodded as a sort of way to express that it was okay. But it wasn't. How could Alexa make up for that? And living behind makeup hasn't genuinely been the best for her. Perhaps, if she does somehow make it out of this dismal cell, she would change herself once more because getting thirty-twos on science tests are most unacceptable. And because it does no one any good to live behind a secret - a false reputation. And that was only if they got out.