I am Chris (bwwm)

Where are you? (1)

Chapter one: Where are you? :

[Please be warned there is some TERRIBLE poetry in here... sorry guys. Also, dedicated to Msbrhn for her comment on the prologue. She made me quite happy.]

"Can you pass me the chips?"

"Only if you pass me the dip."

"But then what's the purpose of me having the chips if I can't--"

"Exactly." He gave me his trademark smile and I shook my head, bemused. Chris could be so weird sometimes. I passed him the dip with eye roll. Out in the distance the waves lapped at the shore. The sun resembled an egg yolk as it dipped slightly below the waves.  The sun's glow gave Chris a halo. "You look like an angel." I muttered.

"Mmf?" He turned around, his cheeks protruding. He had dip staining the corner of his mouth. I couldn't help but laugh. He swallowed and I wiped at the dip at the edge of his lips. He grabbed my hand before I could pull back and kissed my fingers. His eyes lock on mine and I don't feel the way I used to, like I couldn't look directly into his eyes because of what he might see. But it didn't matter anymore, he knew everything about me and I knew everything about him. "I love you," He murmured.

"And I love you."

For a few moments we just sat there, staring out the sunset hand-in-hand. "Veronica?" He said, breaking the still silence that had settled around us.

"Yes?" I was so contented. I felt at ease, like all I needed at the moment was him.

"Oni." I turned to face him this time. To my surprise his eyes were filled with sadness. "You know I'm not real right?"

"What are you talking about?" He was about real as it gets. Did he mean it metaphorically?

He gave me a sad little smile. "I'm not real, I'm not with you right now." Opened my mouth to protest but he beat me to it. "I know this--" He squeezed my hand. "Feels like I am, but I'm not. You're going to wake up soon, and realize I'm right." Wake up? The phrase echoed hollowly in my head. I was dreaming.

"No. No." That was all I could manage. "Don't say that."

He smiled again. It was a goodbye sort of smile and I hated that, even if this was just a dream. He seemed to sense that and pulled me into his arms. "I don't want you to go..." I mumbled into his chest, gripping the fabric of his shirt. He stroked my hair in a comforting motion.

"Veronica..." The sound of his voice grew distant and his touch started to fade.

"Veronica..." His voice faded into a slight whisper then a dull echo. Then suddenly it was coming back, sharper and clearer than ever. Only it wasn't his voice.

"Veronica!" There was a loud crack of wood against wood. I bolt upright, straight and saw Ms. Farish glaring down at me. I blinked and tried to remember where I was. I heard the sound of laughter around me and immediately knew. "Can you do me a favor and try not to fall asleep in class?" She smacked the wooden ruler against her palm. As if that intimidated me.

"Yes ma'am." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Ms. Farish sashayed over to the board and continued explaining a section of text. I struggled to keep my eyes open. Partially from sleep deprivation and sheer boredom. As predicted by my mother, I was tired. It had been two days since the surgery and I was still ridiculously tired. They hadn't let us see him after  the surgery, said we could see him later, at some point. The suspense was horrible, and no matter what Lea and Francine told me I still felt guilty. If we han't fought...

No. I needed to stop thinking this way.

I absently fiddled with my braclet in an attempt to keep myself awake. The penguin charm still made me smile.