My Long-Lost Best Friend

Chapter 6

"So if we need to find x, we have to isolate it from the equation, right?" Christian asked, pointing at his page, full of scribbles and eraser sheds.

He sure works hard when he puts his mind to it, I have to admit. "Yup, now can you figure out how to isolate the x without me telling you?" I asked, munching on twizzlers as I helped him with this week's work.

It was now the third Sunday in October, and fall was clearly here. The air was chilly and windy, and the trees were now tinted in various shades of reds and oranges.  

I had come pretty much every Tuesday, Thursdays, and most Saturdays to help Christian with his math. We hadn't really progressed in our social life friendship-related, but we weren't as awkward with each other as we were before. We at least talked to each other more.

"I'll try" he said uncertainly, bending down over his homework again.

I smiled, yawned, and leaned back in Chris' bed so that I was completely lying down. I closed my eyes; I had barely slept yesterday night. I mean, I wasn't going to try and sleep...

••••

"No! Joel! Don't let go!" I screamed, holding on to my brother for his dear life.

"I... Can't.." he breathed out, his fingers slipping slowly from between mine.

"Joel, don't let go!" I screamed, tears cascading down my cheeks.

"If you're looking for answers, remember our secret hiding spot" he whispered, his eyes slowly closing as he let go of my hand.

"Joel!" I yelled as I saw my brother's body fall down the cliff limply.

"No!!" I screamed as he crashed on the pointy rocks at the bottom.

••

"Madi! Madi!!"

I quickly sat up, knocking my head on the bunk on top of me.

"Ouch" I muttered, rubbing my forehead where there would certainly be a mark later today.

"Are you okay? You sounded like you had a bad dream" he chuckled, sitting down next to me.

I suddenly remembered my dream, and I instantly tensed up. Why on Earth was I holding Joel, who was about to fall off a cliff?

I know what was the hiding spot he talked about:

When we were younger, a few years after we moved in, we discovered a little hiding spot in the house.  

In the stairs that connect the basement and the first floor, we found a little gap between the landing and the first step on top. It was big enough to fit a notebook or something. We used it to hide notes, like secret spy missions we used to "organize" when we were younger. It came in handy a lot of times.

Now why he would tell me that our hiding spot is the place for answers, I don't know. I guess it was just another one of those pointless dreams that you forget about after a few hours.

"Have you been crying?"

Christian's voice pulled me out of my wondering.  

Confused, I brought my hand up to my face. My cheeks were soaked.

"What were you dreaming about that you were crying?" he asked caringly, scooting closer to me. "Was it a bad dream?" he asked, tilting my head up to look at him in the eyes.

I nodded weakly.  

"You were screaming in your sleep... It scared me" he said cautiously, putting his arm around my shoulders.