Walk With Me (on Hold)

Chapter 4

"Stace! Get this off me!!"
"calm down lyss!", Steve was saying.

They were in Stacey's garage. They had run out of the museum and driven straight to Stacey's house.
Steve pulled out a huge plier from underneath a table.
"Hang on." he said placing the plier to one edge of the bracelet.
Stacey was biting her fingernails,
"This will ruin it don't ya think?"
Lyssa turned to her,
"Are you more concerned about the bracelet or me?"
Lyssa poked the red stone. "It's like...." she placed her forefinger on the stone. "like its glowing."
Lyssa rolled her eyes and turned to Stacey but Stacey was looking away.
"Stace!"
Stacey turned to her and Lyssa froze. Stacey wore braces and she had bangs. Lyssa wanted to speak but couldn't.
Lyssa looked around; Steve was nowhere in sight.
"oh... Hello. Again. " Stacey said coming towards Lyssa. "That's a very pretty hair color of yours. Is it dyed?"
Stacey reached out to touch Lyssa's hair and Lyssa backed away.
"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped. Stacey knew better than to touch her hair.
Stacey blinked rapidly with her hand inches away from Lyssa's face then she cleared her throat and withdrew her hand. She blushed and mumbled 'sorry' before turning back to what she was doing previously.
Lyssa looked around her, the garage looked half-empty.
"I'm sorry... It's not much fun i know."
Stacey said again. She looked twelve and spoke like a twelve year old.
"would you girls like some brownies?", Lyssa heard Mrs. Hansen's voice from the door to the garage.
"yes please mum."
It had been ages since Stacey replied her mother in her British accent.
"Stace.... What's going on?"
Stacey's eyes widened with excitement and she squealed. "Oh my gosh you called me Stace!! No one has ever given me a nickname before!! This is sooooo cool! i am totally gonna find one for you, see i knew we'd be fast friends because....."
Lyssa zoned out as she caught a reflection of herself in a glass window hanging at the back of the garage.
She was a little girl of eleven with pigtails. Lyssa looked at her hands and gave out a scream.

* * * * * *

"Lyssa....wake up baby girl!... "
Stacey's voice floated about in her head. Lyssa blinked and opening her eyes, she found herself staring at her best friend's face. Her normal face.
She squealed and scrambled away from her to the far end to the garage.
"What's wrong?", Stacey asked
Lyssa looked around the garage; everything looked normal as before. Steve stood over Stacey holding the plier. Stacey was looking her over.
"Uhmmm....", Lyssa shook her head, "Did your mom come down here couple of minutes ago?"
Stacey exchanged looks with Steve. "Err no... Mom hasn't come down here in ages."
Lyssa sat up and hugged her knees. The image was very clear in her head. The eleven year old girl with the pigtails. It was mostly a memory that she had... But now it was suddenly more vivid . Could it be...
"Lyssa."
Lyssa looked up at Steve. "You okay?"
She nodded.
He was still holding the plier in his hand. Then she remembered the bracelet. She looked down at it. The red ruby stone wasn't glowing anymore.

****

"I spy a turkey in my tea."
Tessa said stirring her beverage with a spoon. Tom peered into his cup and laughed.
"A floating feather round and short"
Lyssa looked at them over her plate of mashed potatoes and smiled. Kathy was occupied with Jon and Bryan was busy with his phone.
It was a quiet dinner with the exception of the twins who promptly invented their own games.
Tessa removed the spoon and looked into her cup.
"The colors that are black and white"
Tom looked around and snapped his fingers. "Which makes them all that fun and more!" he yelled startling Bryan.
The twins high fived each other.

"Can you please not do that at the table?", Bryan said placing his phone on the table. The twins exchanged looks and Tessa spoke up.
"Mom never complained."
Lyssa chortled and Bryan was quiet. Kathy cleared her throat and looked at Tessa. She was obviously about to say something but Lyssa spoke up before her
"Yes she did."
Lyssa looked at Bryan pointedly.
"She complained about how boring the table is when you don't talk to your family members. Because no one is supposed to keep quiet when you choke. Someone has to laugh. "
Bryan looked at Lyssa square in the face. "In my house we don't talk at the table."
"In my house we don't use our phones at the table." She retorted.
Kathy opened her mouth to speak but the twins laughter stopped her.
Bryan rubbed his temple and sighed. Were all teenagers like this? Or just his own.
Lyssa pushed her plate away and stood up.
"where are you going?" Tessa asked.
"I'll be back soon."
She gave Tessa and Tom each a knuckle punch and turned to leave the dining.
Bryan cleared his throat and called out to Lyssa.
"yes?" she turned around.
He opened his mouth to speak but words failed him.
"Be back before dinner." he finally said.
Lyssa smiled, " oh don't worry about that , I'm sure Stacey's mom won't mind feeding me."
Bryan stood up, fists clenched. "Listen here, I've had just about enough of your saucy attitude. I won't take anymore of it! You don't just get up and decide to walk out whenever you want. This is my house! My rules! And you will obey them!"
He was panting. The twins looked from him to Lyssa. Kathy and Jon were staring at him.
Lyssa smiled. "Great! If you need me, I'll be in the alley with the hobos."
She spun around and fled towards the living room.
"Lyssa!!!"
Bryan groaned and fell back in his seat. The twins exchanged glances and returned to their meals.
Only Jon giggled and his mother shushed him.