How the Flower Bloomed

Chapter 7: Guidance Counselor

My head felt like it was hanging by a thread from my neck. It was wobbly and was swaying in any direction the wind pushes it to. I suppose I hear Sasha and Reina scold each other every time I am freed of their grip because of my anemic arms that are hanging everywhere. I feel light headed and I'm losing my balance as I figure out that I'm being dragged to the school Nurse's office.

I was expecting to be met by the Nurse's fake plastered smile, but to my surprise, I woke up to a concerned Skylar with Reina and Sasha looking over his shoulder.

Unfortunately, I was in my CIA room with an IV in my arm, which was acquired illegally I'm sure. My head felt like a piñata that was hanging and waiting for its ultimate fate to hail on it. As Skylar's hand approached my face I winced, remembering the aggressive attitude he has been using with me but to my surprise, he only caressed my cheek before he withdrew his hand. Consequently, my coherent sense was returning back to me.

" I want to show you something," he whispered in my ear.

"No thanks," I answered in the coldest tone I could possibly make out while staring at him blankly hoping my eyes would convey the message. Doesn't he know I'm not the hearts and flowers type of girl yet?

"Alison, I want to explain myself and I'm not very good with words so I'll show you something to make this easier for me," and pain was evident on his face.

"Start explaining now while we head to wherever mystery place we're going," I coughed out a sardonic laugh.

His face suppressed anger and that unmasked my humor.

"Let's just go," he stated and I turned around to find that Sasha and Reina left.

"Wait," I stared with deep concentration into his face, " I don't understand anything."

I can't keep going on like this. My mind is heavily clouded by confusing images and words and sounds and occurrences that I feel like beating Skylar to a pulp because I feel that everything is his fault. There is a huge mass of wires and cables in my head that are taking over my thinking space, and none of them are connected. I feel like when I first started learning my ABC's, and I knew them all but couldn't sort them into coherent words.

"I'll answer all your questions in the car."

I postpone my fighting potential till we reach the car. He gracefully opens the door trying to show me his perfect royal side, but there is only one way I'll look at him. I want to start screaming at him and throw a tantrum but I contain myself, at least when he pulls and hands me my seatbelt, then takes my bag from my lap and places it next to my feet.

"Skylar?"

"Yes?"

"Just get in the damn car!"

"Yes my lady," he took long strides as if he was gliding on the clouds and sat in the driver's seat. I couldn't help it; I tried to stop it but my facial muscles put on a serious, furious face.

"I take it you didn't appreciate the joke," Skylar whispered almost to himself, and we drove off.

"I was thinking I'll take you somewhere to clear your mind, because I feel this is too much for you to take in," he sounded genuinely sincere but it still bothered me.

I cannot believe I could be insulted like that. I am Alison Salt. The same Alison that survived her parents' death, the raging curiosity of neighbors and authorities, school, Harry's uncontainable temper, and the jaw-slacking news about her father's job. It is very unusual to have someone care for me, let alone if that person was Skylar.

"Then drive me back to the CIA dorms," I demanded with utmost determination. I will not demean myself because of my uncontrollable emotions that keep popping out the more I try to hide them. I promised myself once at my parents' funeral that I will bury all the depression and anxiety emotions very deep in my heart until they shrink into the size of a speck, then disappear, and this promise lives on. If Skylar isn't willing to respect my personal space then whatever relationship we have developing here should be eradicated.