CHAPTER 24 - HOME AGAIN
My Mom had greeted me with a big hug, and her tofu loaf. She told me she'd been worried sick, that she loved me. That's what hit me the most. I guess I always knew she loved me, but to actually hear it from her, it was pretty amazing.
It had taken some time, but I told her the whole story - after she promised not to tell anyone, especually Dr. Cave - and I really don't think she believed me.
Carter came back to live with us, and that's actually how I convinced my Mom what I said was true. I had Carter write on a blank sheet of paper. It must have been weird seeing random letters appear on the paper, because my Mom fainted. When she finally came to, she seemed a bit more eager to believe. I think it's that'll be the best memory I ever have of my Mom: the moment she told me she believed me.
Zane had set out to find Arabella. Mason and Brian told him they wanted to come, but he begged to do it on his own. So, Mason moved in with Brian and Dinda, who recently bought a home just outside DC, I'm told.
Zane said he'd send news, but I doubt he'll remember. I hope he'll find where he needs to go on his own, because I doubt he'll stop and ask for directions. He would sit at the bottom of the Grand Canyon before asking someone else where he was. Stubborn.
Cilas began to invent again, though it was a bit hard with all the restrictions in the Senior Center. Not being aloud to use anything sharp really made it hard, but I have no doubt he'll come up with something none-the-less.
And me, well, I went back to school.
The next day, after almost two weeks off, I went back.
"Missed you, Loser," Jenny said as she walked by my locker. "Had nobody to torture while you were gone."
I knew it was meant to be nasty, but I was glad to see her. I even said, "I missed you to Jen," to her, which got me nothing but a big scowel. Still, it didn't dampen my spirits. I was just glad to be home.
I enjoyed Miss Peirske's lesson on The Scarlet Letter, though I didn't listen much. I'd been having trouble concentrating on everything. All I could think about was O'Bryan. No matter what, we'd let him get away, and it was our responsibility to catch him.
Before Zane left, he'd said, "Wait for me. When I get back, we're going on another adventure. We'll catch him, Pay. You and me."
I repeateed those words to myself a lot. They made me feel better.
Beth had given me the biggest, most extravagant hug ever. She'd almost tackled me to the floor.
"I missed you so much," she said. "Where were you?"
I tried to remember what my Mom had said to tell everyone. "I was -" But how do you not tell someone about the coolest thing that ever happened to you? Especually your friend.
"You were?"
I smiled. "I'll tell you later," I promised as I headed off to class.
She and I still sat alone at lunch. Sometimes, I'd walk into the lunch room and look for the strange guy dressed in black. Unfortunately, he was never there. Beth asked what I was looking for a lot, but it was my secret. My hope to see my best friend again.
Of course, Dr. Cave wanted to know everything. My Mom had actually offered to stop sending me to see him, but truth be told, I wasn't sure what I'd do without my therapy. I'd had sessions since I was six. It was a big part of my life.
I didn't tell him much, but it wouldn't have mattered anyways. He still thought I imagined the parts I did tell him. Oh well. What are you gonna do?
Zane had given me the picture of his family. I kept it in my night stand, but I looked at it so much that it was out of the drawer more than in. Somehow, it reminded me that it wasn't all just a dream. That it was real, and that it wasn't over.
It reminded me that O'Bryan was still out there. And it made me believe more than ever that it was up to me to stop him.
Sometimes, I'd wake up in the middle of the night and wonder if it was all just a dream, but it wasn't. It was real.
It was my adventure.
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