Dark Alley

Chapter 12

     I planned to go look for Maricriss in the kitchen - but before I could see her. I found Calvin with her. They were whispering something. I hide myself through the wall as I hear their conversation.

     "What did you tell him," I hear Calvin's voice. I realized I wasn't yet late to hear everything. I closed my eyes; I can clearly hear when I do it.

     "Nothing!" I can hear Maricriss sharp wisp. "I just told him thing that convinces him to do the experiment."

     Convince? Was everything she told me a lie?

     "So tell me," Calvin says. "What did you tell him?"

     "I told him about your past," she says. I was certain now that what she told me was real. "I told him how important your job it is for you-"

     "Wait you told him about my past?" I can hear from Calvin's tone that he wasn't fond of spreading his past life. I wrapped my arms around me as I listen to them.

     "Just a little."

     "Why?"

     "Because it's unfair," she says. "You're being unfair to him - you exactly know more about him more than himself. Look Calvin he doesn't even know who he is."

     There was silent pause but I can hear Calvin's breaths.

     "Is he flirting on you?" Calvin continued. I hear Maricriss's gasp - he's accusing her of something. "Does this have something to do with you attraction for h-"

     I hear a loud slap. Calvin stopped.

     "How dare you," she says. "All my life I was there for you, isn't that enough proof that I love you? I only pity that kid; I pity Foster because he became a part of you and your dad's life. He should have a peacefull life right now, the life we once had. He is supposed to have a family, you took it away from him - you are no different from your father."

     I heard a lot, they kept on talking; it was more of a confrontation and acceptance already so I decided to stop. I was about to leave until someone covered my mouth with its hand.

     "Gottcha! Eve's dropper." It was Tracy, from the voice itself I can entirely recognize already. "Let's leave before they see us listening to them. I promise you they don't like it when their privacy is intervened." Still covering my mouth with her hand while her other arm wraps around my neck like I was some kind of criminal, Tracy dragged me upstairs as I she hassles me in walking backwards.

     Tracy took me in my room. I should tell her about what her dad just told me about her - but from what I can see she is already enjoying my room. Tracy jumps into my room, giggling.

     "I like your bed," she says. "Let's switch rooms."

     "No thanks," I tell her. "Just leave ok Calvin doesn't want me to talk to you."

     "With me?" She said pointing her finger to her chest. "Why not?"

     "He said you can manipulate me," I told her. I look at her. I hear her laugh.

     "Ahahahahahahaha."

     "Stop it."

     "I can't - I just can't," she says wiping the tears off her face. "Would you actually think I'm some kind of psychic?"

     "What? No."

     "Oh," she stopped laughing.

     "I just think Calvin is already more than enough to do that to me," I said. My head facing on the ground. There was silence for five. Four. Three. Two. One.

     "But I'm still not manipulative," she said as she reaches for a pillow and throws it on me.

     "Ow."

     She laughs. I don't know if this is already the effect of her ability - manipulating me to not think that she's manipulating me.

     I sat one foot away from her head. We exchanged of looks for a while until she started speaking, "did dad also asked you to not go in my room?" I nodded. "That's okay for you," she says. "But I think dad is overestimating you."

     "Overestimating?"

     "I mean," she paused and breathed hardly. "Nothing - dad's right, you're too innocent to hang out with me." She stands up. She plans to leave.

     "Tracy," I say. Don't go. "Tracy wait." I reached for her arms. "Tracy I want you to help me - help me adapt things."

     "I am afraid you might adapt the wrong things with me Foster," she says. "You know I get it, I get what my dad wants to tell you I am the worst example of a human being Foster, he didn't tell you why and I really don't want you to know more about it." I let go of her hand then she leaves my room. What is she not telling me? Why does she feel uncomfortable as much as I am very comfortable to her even though I just met her yesterday?

     I breathed in.

     Inhale.

     Exhale.

     For a minute I heard a knock on the door.

     Calvin didn't mind getting my permission - he must've forgotten the rules of proper etiquette, but I forgive him even though he didn't ask for it.

     "What's with the long face boy?" He asked.

     "Why do you have to know?"

     "It's my job to know," he said. I was pretty convinced in his answer so I told him about Tracy, why she is always moody, do all girls tend to be moody? I also mentioned  about what Tracy told me, that he was overestimating me, and about Tracy staying away from me.

     "I am sorry if you feel that I am overestimating you Foster," he says. "In fact I think I will be expecting a lot from you this time."

     "What?" I asked. My lips pursed.

     "I have a proposal to make with you," he says. "I want you to attend school."

     "Seriously?" I asked. "I already got a diploma in high school - I don't need to go to school." I scared. Chill run down my spine.

     No.

     No.

     No.

     "I knew you'd say that," he says. He held his fingers with his two fingers. "Don't worry Tracy will be on the sane school with you, if there's something you are confused about I am afraid you can ask her about it." What's in my head right now is on how I can talk to Tracy and also how Calvin will doom my life by this experiment of his. "Foster is it a deal?" He asked. I blinked my eyes - whether I like it or not he is now controlling my life.

     "Fine."

     "And also," he says. "You're starting tomorrow."