I quiver and shake grasping for my phone from my pocket. My lips tremble around the words I didn't have to explain what had just happened. Who could I call? Who could I tell? No one in their right mind was going to believe what had just happened to me. Not the police, what would happen to me if I told them? My stomach turns. Killed, you'd be killed. Maybe not. What happens to people like me? I try to calm my racing thoughts. Chelsea, call Chelsea. My fingers slips on the buttons, covered in sweat. She'll understand, she'll help me. I relax a bit, leaning against the edge of the stall in the public restroom. The phone rings once, twice. She picks up.
"Oh thank god you answered." I sigh with relief. I look down at the tacky ceramic tile covered in wet splotches. My nose twitches a bit with disgust.
"Yeah, Miles...what's up?" She says cautiously, sensing something off in my voice.
"Can I come over? I... I have to tell you something. You won't believe me. I..." I trail off in a haste.
"Uh, alright... I'll see you in a bit then. Where are you? Do you need a ride?" She arranges her words carefully. All my friends do. Maybe it was something to do with the fact that I'm a bit of a prankster. I smile a bit to myself, proud of my impression, however, this could make explaining my situation quite challenging.
Someone walks into the bathroom where I'm leaned against the stall sweating nervously.
"Hey! I'm busy here!" I yell at the stranger with a red face and gesture as if I own the place. I can't have anyone else in here if it happens again. He seems drunk and stumbles out the door, forgetting what he even came in here for. Serves him right.
"Miles?" Chelsea says over the phone. "What do you mean you're busy?"
"No, no. I wasn't talking to you." I bite my lip. I do not want to look in the mirror. I turn slowly towards the door making sure to keep my eyes focused on only the door. I am not crazy. I am not crazy! I swear it happened. I saw it! Or rather... didn't see it. My stomach ties itself into another knot. "I'll get a ride over." I reply to Chelsea. I scan the stretch of the city street and hang up on her. Not many people are out this late at night anyways. Carefully, I make my way towards the road. Every step feels unbalanced and uneasy, like my body is adjusting to something new and unknown, though as far as I could tell nothing had physically changed. What if I don't make it to her place in one piece? My throat clenches up. No, I will. I have to. I take in a deep breath and hold it.
"Taxi!" I call, looking both ways. The streets are nearly empty which, despite it being past midnight, is strange for New York. A yellow cab pulls up shortly after I wave it over. Just hold onto yourself, I think. Just hold yourself together. My fingers roll along the handle to the car door, I pull it open furiously and sit down on the leather seat. My dirty sweatshirt and old jeans make me feel uncomfortable, especially considering they're still damp.
"55 2nd Ave please." I fold my hands in my lap and shuffle my feet below in circular patterns. I concentrate on the hole in my tan converse that seems to have just appeared. I'd never noticed it before.
"That'll be 20.76." The cab driver looks back at me through the mirror. I can feel his eyes piercing me through the glass.
"Here." I hand him a wad of cash that had been mushed in my pocket, twenty some dollars. I move quickly away from his gaze. I stand outside and watch him drive away, a bit afraid to enter Chelsea's apartment. My eyes follow the gray color of the building up to her window. The light there is yellow and inviting. I step forward and climb the stairs, hesitating a second before buzzing the door. I hang my head near my feet. If I look up at her she might see me.
"Miles." She throws open the door. "What happened?" She looks me up and down checking out my ragged clothes.
My voice stalls and I look up at her. "Chelsea, I'm so afraid." My eyes mist a bit. I sniffle and pull back my shoulders trying to look tough in front of her.
"Come in." She ushers me inside and sits me down on the green couch with a blanket and a cup of coffee.
Her apartment was homey for a New Yorker's. She always had a vase of flowers sitting on her coffee table. It reminds me of a sweet old lady's house. Chelsea is such a kind girl. I had been meaning to ask her out... but she was just so... gorgeous. She wouldn't fall for a guy like me.
"What happened to you?" She repeats again.
"I was in the bathroom, just off the subway, coming home from work." My forehead sweats as I look at her pitifully. "This is when it starts to sound crazy... I promise you I saw it."
"What did you see?" She leans towards me and rubs my hand, her brow furrowed in concern.
"I fell back when I saw it. That's why my clothes are wet, it was just so sudden. I didn't know what to do, if it was even real. I just had looked into the mirror and my body... It disappeared. I..." I reach out for her. "I know it's crazy."
She pulls away. "Miles that's not funny. I thought something happened to you." Her eyes turn into little firelights that sting my soul.
"It's not a joke!" I cry. "Chelsea believe me!"
"Just like when you put hot sauce in my drink at the bar." Chelsea stands and rolls her eyes.
"Oh well, that was months ago and that was funny." I smile to myself, she still remembers that. "But I swear to you that I watched my skin disappear." I stand next to her and hold her hand.
"Prove it then." She raises her eyebrows. "Prove that you're the... invisible man." She tilts her head.
"Listen to me! It doesn't work like that!" I rub my palms together and shake out my fingers. I shiver. "And I don't want it to happen again. It was petrifying. What if someone sees me like that Chelsea? The government would kill me, or something I don't know. If I've learned anything from the movies it's that..."
"Calm down, Miles. We'll get you help." She rubs the back of my neck.
I look in her eyes. My face conveying utter disbelief. She looks at me like I'm... mentally unstable.
"Don't you give me that! I saw what I saw!" I yell angrily.
"Didn't see." She adds quietly with a smirk on her face.
"Oh yeah! I'm sure you think it's funny that I'm losing it don't you!" I continue.
"Miles..." her face turns pale.
"No! I don't want to hear it from you! I'm not crazy!" I shut her down in a blind rage.
"Miles... you're..." her eyes widen.
I hold my tongue for a second, taking in a breath. "What...?"
She looks at me like a ghost, her breath hot, heavy, and shallow. I turn around and look in the mirror, my skin once again fading into the nothingness of the air. I touch my cheek with my transparent finger.
"Chelsea... what's happening to me?" I whisper, mustering the little voice I have left.
