Bent (Merome)

Chapter 21

My heart sank.

“You didn't... Do anything bad, did you?”

He gave me a confused look.

“Bad?”

I shook my head.

“What's the last thing you remember?”

He thought for a second.

“I was talking to Cat, then I went upstairs, because I was having some bad thoughts. I just kinda paced around my room for a while, then I heard Cat calling for Adam, and you ran downstairs. Then I think I just blacked out.”

Me and Cat both let out a sigh of relief.

“Good,” I breathed.

“So... What is this place? Where are we?” He asked.

“Umm... I don't really know.”

“I do,” I voice echoed around me. I recognized that voice.

“Rose?” I called. Jerome and Cat turned to me, a look of bewilderment on their features.

“Who's Rose?” Jerome asked. I blinked at him.

“Didn't you hear that?”

He shook his head, confused. My eyebrows raised.

“Hmm. So, I guess you're the only one who can hear me,” Rose noted.

“Why?” I asked aloud. Cat and Jerome just stared at me, completely confused. I waved them off.

“I don't know,” she replied. “I'm guessing we're in your subconscious... Close your eyes. Imagine that we're somewhere, with extreme detail.”

I nodded, closing my eyes. I pictured the forest I'd met Rose in. The chilly breeze running through the dark thicket of trees, the moon shining down on the damp grass, the cold marble benches. I imagined it until it was like I could feel it. I opened my eyes.

“Mitch! What did you do?!” Jerome asked, freaking out. I rubbed my eyes, making sure I was seeing what I thought I was. We were in the forest, standing in the clearing I'd imagined.

“This is your subconscious!” Rose said excitedly. “You can do whatever you want! It's like a lucid dream. Just imagine it and it's there! Oh, I bet that's why Jerome is here!”

I closed my eyes again, picturing Rose sitting on the bench across from me. When I opened them, there she was, looking fairly surprised.

Jerome stared at her, eyes wide.

“HOW DID SHE GET HERE?”

I giggled.

“I think that was me. That's Rose, the one I was talking to.”

She waved politely.

“Hi,” she smiled. “What's up, Jerome?”

He didn't answer her. Turning to me, he asked

“Umm... Can she talk?”

“What?” Rose and I asked simultaneously. “You can't hear her?”

He shook his head. In the corner of my vision, I saw Cat walk over to Rose, Cat's head tilted.

“No. Can you?”

I nodded.

“Well... She said 'What's up, Jerome?'” I translated. He turned back to her.

“Not much. But how do you know me?”

“Mitch tells me all about how he's completely in love with you,” she said, smirking and leaning on her elbow.

“She said-um-she helps us,” I stuttered.

“That didn't match up with her lips,” Jerome noticed, raising an eyebrow at me. I cleared my throat.

“Don't worry about it. Anyway, Rose, why are th-”

“AHH!” Cat screamed, jumping back. “WHO ARE YOU?”

I whipped my head around to her.

“June?! What are you doing here?” I demanded, seeing the brunette standing in the shade of the forest, arms crossed.

“Hey, Mitch, Jerome, Cat,” she greeted us calmly. “I'm June, if you didn't get it from Mitch. I'm Rose's friend.”

I pressed my hands to my head. What was going on? I could barely keep track of it anymore.

“JUNE. What are you doing here?” I ordered again. She shrugged.

“I don't know. You're the one who imagined me here. I just showed up.”

I sighed, running my hands through my hair.

“Fine. Whatever.” I turned back to the other two. “Jerome, I need you to wake up.” I walked over to him purposefully. I raised my arms but stopped, unsure of how to wake him.

“D- Can you wake yourself up?” I asked. He nodded determinedly. Squeezing his eyes shut, he stood for a second, then disappeared. I ran my hands through where he was a second ago.

“...Okay,” I breathed. “Cat. You can't really leave, huh...” She swallowed.

“Umm... Sorry. I'll just- like- go wander for a while. I'll be back when you are,” she offered. I shook my head.

“No. You don't have to do that,” I stopped her. She just stared at me for a second. It was unsettling talking to someone who looked so similar to me. I rubbed my eyes again, still having a hard time understanding what I was seeing. When I opened them, Cat was gone.

“Wait, Cat? What the- Where did she go?” I asked, turning to Rose and June. Rose shrugged.

“She disappeared, just like Jerome. I don't know where she went.” I fell to my knees, burying my head in my arms.

“I don't- I'm so sick of this. I just want to go back to my own life.”

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see June kneeling down next to me.

“Umm, Mitch, I'm... Uhh, I'm sorry,” she said awkwardly. I smiled, acknowledging her attempt.

“It- Well, it's not really okay. But you didn't do it and it isn't your fault, so.”

June chuckled nervously.

“Yeah. About that,” Rose said, sitting on the ground next to me. “I've...Uhh, I've got a lot of stuff to talk to you about.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

Remember, the last chapter was just an April Fools joke, so just start from the end of Chapter 20, if you were confused. 

Hm. Hopefully, this next chapter or two will clear some things up. 

*Clears throat* I kinda want to do a Skylox after I finish this story. It'll be even less realistic than this one, probably, and it might have some smut in it. I'm not doing smut in this fic, if you were wondering. But is that okay with you guys? I don't know. This is my first story I've actually gotten some feedback on, so I'm still new to this. Help me?

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I love you guys so SO much

-The Moon's Shadow