I am Here

Strange Things

I woke up the next morning, reaching out to wrap my arms around Eric. Until realizing he wasn't there. I chuckled to myself, he was always up early. Of course I'd be dating someone like that, when I'm literally one of the laziest people on the planet. Grumbling, I moved to grab a sweater. I was in a good mood, I hummed getting ready for the day. The humming eventually turned into singing. I had written a few songs when I was about thirteen, I still have them stuck in my head once in awhile.

This world is so lonely

Leaves fall around slowly

These arms around hold me

But still they don't fool me

Think I need a vacation

These people around me

Seem to fall in contagion

At my feet

Oh I'm just

Counting off the days in my calendar

There isn't a certain date

Just thinking of the day I'll meet you sir

And how it will be great

Just waiting for that date..

How long will I stay here

Until I see you dear

The future is not near

Still I don't shed a tear

Think I need you now

Wish I could go on a journey

Just wondering how

As I wait

Oh I'm just

Counting off the days in my calendar

There isn't a certain date

Just thinking of the day I'll meet you sir

And how it will be great

Just waiting for that date..

Just waiting

For

That

Date

As I finished the song, I heard clapping from behind me. I blushed.

"I, didn't think you'd hear that"

I say, tucking my hair behind my ear. He chuckled.

"But I'm glad I did"

He moved to wrap his arms around me snugly. And then suddenly, I remembered. I have to go see my mom today. My shoulders drop.

"What's wrong?"

Eric said, lifting my face up to meet his.

"I just forgot I had to go home today"

He nodded in realization, and hugged me closer to him. It was moments like these where I wondered why. Why did he care so much about me. Why did he let me into his home. Why did he do all this for me. I sighed.

"If we're going to go, we should probably leave soon. Just so we won't get back too late"

He acknowledged the fact that I said I'd be going back.

"Ok, I'm just gonna do a couple things first. You can wait outside"

I nodded as he left the room. Moving outside, I suddenly felt light headed. I gripped the back of a chair. My eyes were aching. My knees shaking like jello. I didn't know what was happening. I sank to the floor on my knees. I was shaking uncontrollably, my head pounding. I tried to figure out what was going on, but nothing made sense. I sat on the floor and waited. After what felt like hours, but was most likely minutes, I stopped shaking. Slowly, the feeling came back into my limbs and they were sturdy enough for me to stand up on. I was confused on what had happened, but had no explanation. Scared, I heard out the door. Hoping the fresh air would clear my mind. Turning the knob, I noticed my hands were still shaking. I walked out the door, and and breathed in. My head almost instantly cleared, and I sighed in relief. I had been getting a lot of headaches the past few weeks. But I didn't really think much of it. Considering I had panic and anxiety attacks often. It wasn't like it was a really unusual thing. But being outside, especially in these woods, always helped me clear it up. I don't know what it was, maybe the smell of the trees. Or something like that. But whatever it was, I was certainly grateful for it. Looking down at my hands, I gasped and did a double take. It looked as if my hand was, disappearing? I was in shock. Looking at more closely, it looked almost see through. Shaking my head in disbelief, I stood up and walked away from the spot. This was not happening, my mind was just playing tricks on me. I took a deep breath and looked down at my hand again, and almost screamed. It wasn't there anymore, or at least, I couldn't see it. I was shaking again, my breaths coming out in large bursts of air. This was not normal, this was not ok. It was terrifying. I tried to calm down. Taking deep breaths, it didn't help. My heart was racing. Then, I decide to look at my reflection in the lake. I was probably just imagining the whole thing. Being the weird person I am. I walked on shaking legs towards the lakes edge. My whole body begging for it not to be true. I took a deep breath, and looked over the edge. I immediately choked and fell backwards onto my rear end. There was nothing there, it was just a smooth lake surface and a reflection of the sky. This is not real, I pinched myself.

"Ouch"

Ok, so I wasn't dreaming. I panicked, breathing fast. And then, I made the same decision I had before. Run away. I took off towards the woods, before I heard Eric yell.

"Ada, wait, come back!"

I ignored him, moving faster. I needed to get away from it all. From him, from myself. I ran faster, leaping over fallen trees with agility I didn't know I had. Breathing hard, I kept going. Even though it felt like my lungs were about to burst. I panted, my legs getting weaker every second. And then, I couldn't run any more. I collapsed on the forest floor, my legs giving out underneath me. I didn't think Eric was still behind me, then all the sudden, he was kneeling in front of me.

"Oh no, it happened"

I looked up at him in shock.

"What? What happened?"

He looked down at the ground on shame.

"You're invisible now, aren't you?"

My head hurt, this was too much to process.

"What?"

I said again, praying he would make sense with his answer this time.

"You can't see yourself anymore, you're invisible"

Then, something clicked in my brain.

"You, you knew this was going to happen. Didn't you?"

He looked up at me, his eyes full of guilt.

"Well, I yeah, I mean, but-"

I gasped in shock, interrupting his rambling.

"Eric, just give me a simple answer. Did you or did you not know about this, that it was going to happen?"

"Yes, I did."

You slapped across the face almost immediately.

"You idiot, I don't even know what's going on. First, I find out you live in some pretty Cottage on a lake in the middle of nowhere. Second, you force me to go back and talk to my abuse don't father. And third, apparently I magically turn invisible and you knew the whole time, and didn't tell me."

He sighed and put his head in his hands.

"Yes, all those things are true. But I couldn't tell you why then, I can now"

I looked at home angrily.

"Please do so"

He sighed again

"First of all, I'm not a normal guy. I'm a guide to the invisible world, I was assigned to guide you about a year ago. Yes, I knew you were going to turn invisible. But I couldn't bring myself to tell you. Normally, the guide doesn't fall in love with his charge. I didn't know what to do, so I just acted as if everything was normal. Another thing you should know about me, I'm kind of "immortal" I guess you could say. I can't grow old. Until I find my "soulmate". Which I used to think was ridiculous, but now, with you. I'm starting to feeling like I'm growing older. And now I don't know what to do, because you're invisible now. And I didn't warn you, I didn't help you at all. And now you're either supposed to stay invisible forever and stay with your guide until you can be on your own, or go back to your family"

I just sat there in shock, not knowing what to say.

"I-I, what on earth"

We both just sat there for a while, him fiddling with his hands, and me just sitting there, open mouthed. Life had just gotten even stranger.

"So, you're supposed to help me with being invisible?"

I said, looking at him

"Yes, that's correct"

I nodded, and looked back at the ground. I didn't know what was going to happen now. But whatever it was, it wasn't going to be easy.