The Only Exception

Lucas

 In my restless sleep, I have a dream. An odd dream, unlike anything I have ever experienced. I'm at school, but not my school. One I've never been to before. It's like I'm a ghost. I try to talk to people, ask them where I am. But no one answers me. People walk through the hallways, talking, laughing. 

Then I see her. Maya. Chatting it up with some boy, and I can feel the jealousy rage through me. She twists her hair around her finger, obviously flirting with him. Maya's older some how. Like I'm seeing the future. I watch as she rises up on her tip toes to kiss him, and hear her musical laugh as she bumps his nose. 

I get whisked away, and now I'm at a church. I see that same guy standing under the alter. I hear the music start to play, and when I turn around, I see a twenty year old Maya dressed all in white. She looks absolutely gorgeous, and I go to give her a hug like I normally would do. But she walks right through me,  and I really am a ghost.

Again I'm taken to a new setting, this time a hospital, and Maya's on the bed, holding something wrapped in a pink blanket. Walking closer, I see a little baby girl. The child turns it's head towards me, and I see Maya's eyes. The baby has Maya's eyes, with dark brown hair. Her father comes behind Maya, and I notice the girl has her father's hair. But that should be me. I should be the one laughing and smiling looking at Maya's daughter. What should be my daughter, not his.

The setting changes once more, and I'm in a house, tears are in Maya's eyes. I watch as she hugs a girl with dark brown hair. Her daughter. "Goodbye Taylee. Have so much fun at college." Taylee? I feel like I've heard that name before. Taylee... Taylee. I feel some one touch my shoulder, and I turn around, surprised that I'm not a ghost.

Before me stands a girl, dressed all in white. This girl looks absolutely gorgeous, I'd guess she's about 17 years old. She has pale skin, like Maya's. Ocean blue eyes like Maya's. Blonde hair like Maya's, but with dark blonde lowlights. The exact color of my hair. She has the same face shape I do. My same nose. She looks like me....but also like Maya. Somehow I feel like I know her. Then the beautiful girl speaks.

"That girl should have been me daddy. And that man should have been you." Then it hits me. Maylee. The one Maya was telling me about at the hospital. Our daughter.

"What do you mean?"

"I was showing you what would happen if you don't get mom back."

"So this..."

"This is what her life will be like. She will be happy. But something's missing."

"I don't think anything is missing... this is what her life is supposed to be like."

"No it's not. Can't you see that? She's supposed to be with you. She's not as happy as you can first see. Look at her. What's wrong with her?"

I take a good look before answering. "She's.....empty."

"Exactly. She loves him, but not like she loves you. You're the one she loves, not him. She moved on."

"What would happen if we got her back?"

"I can't show you that. But I can show you your life."

She takes my hand, whisking me away. We're at John Quincy Adams high school. Riley's still with Farkle, but I'm alone. Until someone walks up to me. It's Missy Bradford. I watch as I turn around, and kiss her. We go to a church again, and I'm under the alter, and Missy's the one walking down the aisle. We go to the hospital where we have a baby girl, she looks like Missy. The same ugly brown hair, and moss colored eyes. No sign of me anywhere. We stand on the front porch, and watch as she drives away in a pink convertible, and just the sight of her makes me sneer.

"Lets go to your past."

She shows me and Maya. Maya's more lifelike, less robotic than she was with the other guy.  I watch as we ice skate, as we sing together, and just spend time with each other. We complete each other. I know that now. I see what I did to Maya. I broke her. She became hard as stone because of the break up.

"Now do you see why you two belong together?"

"I do."

"Then I must say goodbye for now. I'll see you soon dad. I love you."

"I love you too."

And the whole thing fades to grey and I wake up with a start. I need to get Maya back.