Run

7

"She needs to excersize more. She isn't as weak as you think."

"But she's always sick-"

"This will help her." The man voice I remember from earlier. Alex. He reassures her.

I felt myself becoming more awake, but I still wanted to listen in. So I kept in the groan I wanted to let out.

"She's awake." The man voice doesn't change back to the old lady voice. Is he/she done playing with me?

Knowing I couldn't pretend to be unconcious anymore, I opened my eyes slowly. I was in my room with the curtains closed, making the room seem quite dim. The man had indeed stayed as a man. I blinked, hard. He still remained a man. I mentally slapped myself. Never would I have thought that I would have to wonder if the person standing in front of me was a young able-bodied male, or a old lady. There usually tends to be a difference, you know.

Is this really happening? I stare into his eyes that looked back at me, amused.

Yes, it is. His voice returns in my head. My heart flips, not in a good way though. At that, he seems to be even more smug.

"Why do you look so smug." I said out loud. Everything is so confusing and he is definitely not helping me by looking like he took a long stinky fart and no one knows he did it.

"Andrea." My mom scolds me quickly. "This poor lady has made sure you were alright this whole time."

"Mom! Can't you see? This is not a poor old lady! It's all pretend!" I pleaded with her to understand my situation. He must be playing tricks with mom's mind. He's a man, a mysterious, probably not trustable, man!

"Andrea!" My mom says, very shocked by my behaviour. She then looks at me sternly as if she was going to ground me for a whole year. "Apologize to the lovely lady right now."

The man raises his hand, stopping me from saying something, which was definitely no apology. "Beatrice, let me speak to Andrea, alone. I think she just blames me for everything that happened in her life."

He puts a hand on my own and I jerk mine away.

"Andrea, what is wrong with you." My mom is fully embarrased now. She gives me a look I've never seen before. Disgust and shame. "She is the lady that raised you before I adopted you."

I remember the story. I glared at the man, hard.  "You mean the one that SOLD me?!"

My mom breathes out. "You need to undertand, over there at Jjeníx at the time, many-"

"Beatrice," The guy spoke very calmly, stopping her. "Let me explain to her everything over a walk."

Mom shuts her mouth and nods. She looks at me with a heavy warning. I sigh. Alex puts a big hand out for me. I take it, giving up. I get out of bed and dust myself down with my other hand.  I tamed my hair. Who knows. This might lead to my possible death. Who cares. My mom definitely doesn't.

Don't be overly dramatic, young one. I felt a hand squeeze gently. I resist the urge to pull away and follow as he brought me out of my room.

As we pass by the living room, I noticed Alice in the kitchen. She turns around and her worried face immediately turns into a bright one as she sees me. "Andrea, you're awake!"

"That I am, yes." I smile.

"Oh hey, Alex!" Alice waves. She whispers in my ear as we passed her by. "Cute old lady, you must really like her."

She must be referring to the soft spot I have for old people. I looked to the man who must've heard what Alice whispered because of the weird look he gave. I blushed deeply.

"She didn't mean it that way," I quickly rushed out. He smiles with his perfect teeth. I huffed when I realised I didn't owe him any explanation.

"Wait! Adrea, where are you going?" Alice calls out.

"I don't know, I am following this lovely lady around, no questions asked." I answer, with the timiest hint of sarcasm.

"Can I come." Alice chirps.

"I don't know either," I shrug, squeezing the man's hand a little harder than I should have. He squeezes back just as hard. I squeak out. "Can she?"

"Sorry, we have very personal things to talk about." He dismisses quickly.

"Andrea won't mind, i'm her best friend." Alice pushes back quickly too. I smiled widely at that.

"Yeah, I really-"

So you don't want me to tell you how i'm talking in your head? The man speaks... in my head. No duh.

"-really need to to talk to him- uh I mean her- alone. Sorry Alice."

Her edges of her lips tilts down.

"I'll be back soon. We can have a sleepover tonight?"

She nods excitedly. "That would be great."

"Bye."

"Byebye!"

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Short chapter. Just like my attention span.