The Clever One

A Nightmare

[Seph]

I walk down the stairs after shaking hands with countless teachers and the principle of our school. I take a quick glance at my mother. She's smiling, showing all teeth, and wiping away happy tears. I smile back to her and then try to focus back on the stairs and also attempt not to fall on my face. I'd hate to be known as that girl. On the last step, I take in a deep breath, absorbing all the cheers and claps surrounding me. But before I know it, my foot somehow tangles around my left foot, and I'm face first into the ground. I hear gasps and a few people laughing, and some adults in the audience shouting, "Oh my god! Is she okay?" "Shake it off!" I feel my face hot with embarrassment and anger. Then I realize I'm still on the ground, until I see someone wrap their hands around mine and pull me up, asking me if I'm okay. I look up, and for a split second I don't know who this boy is, until I remember. This is the same boy who skipped a lot of school for some unknown reason and had to go on academic probation. This is the kid that everyone was spreading unrealistic rumors about. This was Adante Kiles. And he was helping me up....after I face planted. I nod at his question and he softly says, "You should probably sit down". I nod again, am I dizzy? I can't really tell, it feels like everything is happening so fast yet in slow motion. Once we find my seat, he stares at me. But not like I would want him to. He staring at me in a sort of horrified way. "What's wrong?" I ask. He tilts his head slightly, "Your nose...it's bleeding." I reflexively feel my nose and when I look at my hand, they're covered in hot blood. But my hands don't just have one drop from my nose. They're literally covered in blood. Like I dipped my whole two hands in the bucket of pigs blood from Carrie. It's dark, thick, warm blood. But it's everywhere now. On my hands, on my dress, I can even feel some spreaded across my face. I look up, and everyone is staring at me. With all their heads tilted slightly to the right. I look at my mother, she has tears in her eyes. But they aren't happy tears anymore. They're devastated. "It's your fault", she spits. "You did this." I begin to breathe heavily, "I didn't have a choice!" I scream. Now, everyone is whispering, "Your fault. You did this. It's your fault." The voices pile on each other, getting louder and louder until it turns into yelling and demanding for some explanation I don't know of. I start to scream back, trying to cover my ears as I feel blood slowly pour from my ear, then my eyes, and then I cough some blood up. 

Then I awaken.

I'm in my room. My face is wet. I run to the bathroom. The only thing that's on my face are tears. And sweat. I start to remind myself that the dream was just a dream and nothing more. Although I shouldn't have to remind myself. When I was a child and had nightmares, I would run to my mothers bedroom and ask her to tuck me in again. But now I'm 23. And my mother has been dead for two years. I miss her every waking moment. That dream haunts me. It took place the first time I met Adante. The dream was actually semi-realistic until the blood was on my hands. 

Anyway, I'm reuniting with Adante soon. He needs a place to lay low for a while so I offered him to stay at mine with me. We haven't seen each other in 5 months and ever since he turned 20 we don't have a lot to talk about. It's just been awkward and full of tension ever since the fight we had. But I think he tries to forget it ever happened and tries to focus on the good times. I am a different story. Adante gets himself in a crazy amount of trouble, and he can come off as an ass, but he's a good guy. Or at least he is to me. The problem is, he sees me as a little sister. When we were 19, I was crazy about him. I tried to drop little hints here and there. He never noticed, or tried not to notice. After that fight though, things weren't the same. But he's coming back. Sure, we may never be lovers but, as long as he's alive and ok, that's good enough for me. Adante is all I have left.

Author's note:

I dedicate this chapter to Amanda. Thanks for reminding me to update the story. :) Hope all is going well.