-Welcome to Reality-

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Still here

Dingggggggggggggggggggg dongggggggggggggggggggg.....Dinnnngggggg donnnnngggggg.....

I snap open my eyes open and throw the covers off of me. It's a strange feeling when you wake up from a dream only to enter another one. I no longer see the faces of my beautiful family, instead I am surrounded by my furniture and grey walls. My arms are clasped around something, despite how soft it is, I know it isn't Sadie. It's merely a pillow. I throw it across the room.  Imposter.

So it turns out I'm still here. In Reality.  Honestly, I expected to wake up in the real world.  Funny thing is I never hoped I would, I just sort of predicted.  It just seemed inevitable right? I guess I was wrong---

Just then I hear knocking at the door.  For a moment there I forgot someone was even there.  Sliding out of bed, I rub my eyes and make my way down the hall. Then the door bell rings again. And again. And again. "Coming!"

Out of habit, I place my eye up to the peep-hole, even though I already know who it is.    I mean, I know one person here, so that pretty much narrows it down.  Well technically, I know two people, but I highly doubt Riberta would come to visit me.

Instead of swinging the door open, I just watch her for a moment, my face pressed against the door.  Until now, I haven't noticed how beautiful she is.... The way her dark hair lays on her face, how it compliments her light skin.  And those deep brown eyes..... there's a sadness in them.  I can't help wondering if who she is around me is just an act.  There is more to this girl then just a vivid personality and a great sense of humor.   She has a past.  A whole life that I have no clue about.  And right now, it looks like it's literally weighing on her shoulders.  I have never seen her alone like this before.  Stripped of her energy, and the disguise she so naturally assumes.  Right now, she's just.......herself.   I want to know that girl.  The one that is standing right beyond this door.  The one who has no idea that I am watching her right now---

BANG. BANG. BANG.

I whip my face away, taken back by the sudden boom that has just deafened my right hear.  I curse under my breath. Shaking my head a few times to stop the ringing, I unlock the door and yank it open, coming face to face with Phoenix.  She stands there looking up at me, arms behind her back, now wearing a broad, fresh smile.  I guess it's showtime...

"I hope you're not making this a habit." I mumble, leaning on the door.  But truthfully, I'm very relieved to have her here.  I guess you could call me a "people-person."  I literally need company to survive, and if I don't have some, I get very lonely.  And when I'm lonely, I go crazy.  And then it just goes down hill from there.... Maybe it's because I have a big family to begin with, I'm used to always being around someone.  But here, I have no family...or friends for that matter.  Only Phoenix.  Suddenly I realize how much I am depending on her.   I need her.....

"Well I hope you're not making that a habit." She says crossing her arms, lowering her eyes onto my body. "Don't you ever get dressed?"

"I just woke up! And how could I when you were practically knocking the door down?  And don't act like you mind."

"You just woke up? Hasn't your mother ever taught you to wake up before its lunch time?"  She says, completely ignoring my last comment.

"Well hasn't you mother ever taught you to call before you decide to show up on my doorstep?"

She rolls her eyes. "So are you going to make me stay out here all day?"

"Don't tempt me."

She huffs, and steps her way into my house as if she's the one who lives here and I'm just her door man.  A dozen thoughts about her flood my mind and I just I just stand here, staring, my hand still clasping the door knob.