Half Alive

Chapter Two

My alarm clock blared, screaming for my to get up. I stretched and opened my eyes to the brightness of the already risen sun. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, the events of last night aroused in my mind. 

The man.

I ran towards my window and peered out, through the white curtains. The place where the man was supposed to be, a place where it should have been burned, wasn't there. It was as if it never happened. It probably didn't. But I looked down on the floor and there laid my phone, where I had dropped it last night, in a rush to get to the dying man. 

"Cara!" My mom yelled from the kitchen, her voice carried to my room strong, demanding and loud. I stared outside for a moment more, grabbing my phone, I hurried out towards the kitchen. 

"Mom, did you hear anything odd last night?" I found myself asking. She stopped what she was doing and hastily turned towards me, her eyes filled with worry and anger. 

"No, why? Was there something  I should have heard?" She raised an eyebrow, attempting to appear calm.

"No… I was just asking." I lied, taking a seat at the stool. 

"Cara, what is this about?" She asked as she placed a plateful of eggs and toast in front of me.

I hesitated. If I lie, she'll see through me like glass. If I tell her the truth, we'd move. Again. "I just had a very vivid dream, that's all. I thought for a second it was real." I shrugged, taking a piece of toast and shoving it in my mouth. She stared at me, wondering if I was lying or not. I don't even know myself what happened. It must have been a dream. Right?

"Well, hurry up with your breakfast." She said, taking off her apron and ambling towards her room. I sighed of relief. At least she didn't ask too much questions that would have given me away. I hurried up with my breakfast and got ready for school.

~

A half hour later, I was ambling down the sidewalk of my street. The gentle morning breeze blew towards my face, ruffling my  dark auburn, almost red hair. For a moment, I closed my eyes and felt the wind run through me, so gentle and sweet that it was almost as if the wind itself was caressing my face. I smiled lightly and continued walking. Ahead of me, little pixies danced across the sidewalk in joy and laughter. I envied them. They lived a life of carefree and nothing but joy, yet here I am concealing myself from their world, but not quite blending in with the world of normal human beings. The little pixie girl wore a bright pink dress, with grass green flats. Her hair was held together with vines that grew pink flowers. Her skin was pale, but she was beautiful. Her rosy cheeks and red green lips brought out her jade green eyes. She danced and laughed with three other little pixie girls. They were all about five inches tall. I walked through them and they squealed in irritation and frustration. I continued walking until someone called my name.

"Cara!" A voice I'd know anywhere called me. I turned around and as soon as my eyes landed on his chocolate brown eyes, a smile surfaced against my lips.

"Hey," I breathed as he caught up with me. Kyle stood at five-eleven, almost a whole foot taller than me. His not too long black hair was gently swaying atop his head due to the breeze. As he draped an arm around me, he caught his foot on a faery's tail. The small creature snarled and attempted to bite Kyle, but Kyle was already moving, dragging me along with him, before the faery got a piece of his skin. 

"Earth to Cara," Kyle's voice echoed through my ears. I blinked a couple times and focused on him.

"I'm sorry?" I asked, confused. I hadn't noticed that he spoke.

"I asked how your sleep was, you dork!" He chuckled, a low rumble vibrating from his chest and against the temple of my head.

"Oh," I smiled. "It was bizarre." I simply said.

"That's it? Bizarre?"

"Well, yeah.. I mean I don't know how else to put it," I shrugged as we crossed the street.

"Well, elaborate on how your sleep was bizarre… I mean you didn't dream of a guy having sex with you, right?" He asked, lightly.

"No, Ky, I so did not have a wet dream." I chuckled.

"Then elaborate." He went on as he pulled his arm away from my shoulder. As we continued our way to school, I explained to him about the man I saw out my window. I explained how the "dream" felt real and how the man wasn't there in the morning. 

Silence.

"Well, say something." I almost begged.

"Well, what am I supposed to say? Oh, hey, Car, I think you're going insane and having bizarre dreams!" He laughed. My fist connected to his biceps with a thud.

"It's not funny." I muttered.

"You're right, you're right. I am deeply sorry." He smiled, mockingly. I rolled my eyes and we kept walking towards the school. We got the usual stares we did whenever we emerged through the school's gates together. Kyle is a year older than me, so he's a senior.  Every girl falls for him, and despise me because I'm always with him. I get the whole treatment as if I'm a whore who sleeps around with a lot of guys. Kyle scooted closer to me as a blonde, Jessica, walked by us and gave me her infamous death stare. Kyle's friends found us walking towards the cafeteria and joined us.

"Hey Car, hey Kyle," Seth, a tall brunette, buff and copper eyes, greeted us as he approached. 

"Mornin'." Kris, another tall, buff and copper browned eyes greeted. Seth and Kris were twins, except Kris's hair was blonde, not brunette. Before I got to reply to them, one of Jessica's minions, Alyssa, hissed at me, and called me a whore.

"Yeah, well at least she can get guys!" Seth chuckled. 

"Seth, I think you just made it worse." Kris said, matter-of-factly.

"Don’t let her get to you." Kris murmured as he opened the cafeteria doors of us. The change of atmosphere was noticeable. A whip of wind blew through my hair as we entered. Without bothering to look around for empty tables, we walked towards the left side of the cafeteria and walked towards our empty table. As we all sat, I felt someone's eyes cut through me. I looked around the cafeteria as the guys talked amongst themselves. My eyes landed on a familiar pair of Caribbean blue eyes, full lips, and an almost too pale face. 

It's impossible. 

Yet he's there, sitting only about a hundred feet away from me.