-Welcome to Reality-

Chapter 21

Within the half hour, I had stopped by my house to clean up, and we were already in the parking lot of the cafe where we were to meet Skylar and Trevor.  I resorted to black vans, black jeans, and a black button down shirt.  Lookin' pretty good...

As soon as we walked in, my eyes scanned the room for their faces, and almost instantly I spot them in the back right corner.

"Come on..."  I motion to Phoenix, rushing towards there table, nearly running into a waitress in the process.  As I approach them, Trevor doesn't bother to notice me, but Skylar's pleasant smile begins to fade into a expression of shock.

"Pierce, what happened?  You look....sick."  She says concerned, while Phoenix and I simultaneously take a seat across from them.

"He always looks like that..."  Trever remarks dryly, barely lifting his eyes.  I can hear Phoenix laughing quietly beside me.

"Nice to see you too, Trevor."  I say sarcastically, forcing a plastic smile before leaning onto the table to bury my head in my arms.  

"And you think this is bad, you should have seen him before I made him get dressed...Yikes."  Phoenix tells Skylar, and then I hear their laughter follow suit.

I peek one eye open at Phoenix and glare at her, but she ignores my gesture and slicks her tongue out at me.

"She called me an ex-convict..."  I pout, my words muffled beneath my arms.  "And then when--"

"So the plan worked."  Trevor says spontaneously, cutting my sentence short.  I shoot up my head to see him looking over at Skylar who is looking back at him.  She then turns her face towards me and nods in confirmation.

I feel myself exhale slowly, as a smile quickly forms on my face.  "Oh my god..."  My eyes shift to Phoenix who stares wide-eyed at Trevor, her mouth open in shock.  

"Start talking man!"  I say excitedly, scooting my chair closer to the table.  "So what do we do now?"

"Hang on there, it's not going to--"  Just then the waitress walks up to our table and Trevor instantly shuts his mouth.  She introduces herself as Candie before she starts going on some rant about their lunch specials and soup of the day.  Who wants soup on a 80 degree day anyway? Oh that's right...NO ONE.

As Skylar ans Trevor begin to order their drinks, I look over to Phoenix whose eyes are fixed on the table.  Ever since Trevor told us it actually worked, she hasn't said a word and the same delusional expression is still plastered on her face.  I can't imagine whats going on in her mind, she looks surprised, confused, and even some what worried.  She's probably just taken-back by this news...I know I am.

I lean in close to her to lightly nudge her arm. "Hey you okay?"  I ask in a low tone.

Slowly, Phoenix turns her face towards mine.  "Yeah..."  She says almost breathless, "I just can't believe it, that's all."

But the more I look in her eyes the more I sense that's she is upset about something, i just don't know what.  "You sure?"  I press.

She nods her head, trying her best to smile, but I can tell it's forced.

"And what about you guys?"  I hear a lively voice once again interrupt a conversation of mine.

"Uhh.." I turn my head to face the waitress, "I'll have a coke."

"Iced tea for me, please."  Phoenix says following suite.  

"Alrighty then.  I'll bring those right out for you."  With that, she slips her tablet into her apron and heads back towards the kitchen.