Beyond the Brick Wall

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

*Xavier Smith*

    “One, two, three,” I counted under my breath, listening to the snow crunch as my boots stepped on it. I was slowly counting my steps towards the Saunders residences, finally gathering the courage to check up on Zoey.

     It had been four days to be exact since the reunion, and with every passing day I couldn't quite get my head together. The thoughts, the memories were all jammed up in my head, and I knew that if I didn't get the feelings out soon I'd explode. My staying away from everyone made it hard to let out the feelings though, because I didn’t even want to talk. I didn't want to talk, to write, I didn’t want to show any feelings at all. But that day, I was feeling quite courageous; I decided to go pass by Zoey's place without a second thought.

     I stopped counting and walking right in front of the large oak house I used to visit every single day; the very same house that used to be so lively now seemed so dull. The fences, which were usually repainted a clean white twice a year now looked too dirty; the small bird bath next to the wooden mailbox had murky water the color of bark; what made me so depressed were the dead flowers in the small garden bed.

    I let out a breath as I pushed the fence door open, walking the pathway up to the white, wooden front door slowly. My finger reached up to press on the doorbell until I realized that the Saunder’s doorbell had been broken ever since eternity, so I knocked on the door instead.

     “Hello? Is there anybody home?” I called out, not sure who I was and who I wasn’t talking to.

    The door creaked open slowly, a familiar voice answering. “Xavier?”

    My heart beat sped up as I shook my head, horrified as I backed up from the door. I missed the step behind, my butt hitting the ground hardly as the little girl laughed. “I  missed you, Xavy! Zoey’s been acting weird, and mamma and dadda too – They think I’m dead. But you see me right? Right Xavier, you do?”

_______________________

       The cold air nipped at my cheeks once my eyes flew open, the laughs of Sarah still ringing through my ears. My eyes burned at the sunlight, but a shiver still run up through my body as I closed the curtains. Everything about that nightmare was bizarre, I myself couldn’t even believe I actually woke up from it.

       I shook my head slowly as I pulled on my pants, throwing a sweater over my head as I scanned through my phone's messages. I had fifteen new ones, and I didn't bother replying to any of them but a small text from Tom, asking if I were okay. I said I felt great because Christmas was nearing, but in all honesty the Christmas vibes weren't even coming to me.

       My mom greeted me a good afternoon as I walked down the stairs, and I mumbled a reply to her while heading out of the house, keys in my hands. I barely had time to talk to my parents nowadays; it wasn't anything serious, just the fact that I didn't like conversations with them because they would end up talking about school somehow.

       There were a lot of tasks I had decided to do while fixing my hair that morning anyway, finally replying to Juliet/Zoey after a few days being one of the tasks.

       I drove to the wall, grabbing a pen and a piece of paper as I got out of my car. The tiny piece of paper wedged between the cracks seemed more inviting than ever as I took it in between my index finger and my thumb, then I began reading it all over again.

Hey Romeo.

How's life doing?

Another crucial moment has come. I need you with me a whole lot again. Promise me you will. Even after I explain this stupid happening.

So last night I went to my new friend's reunion. You know... those really big family type ones... and do you still remember that boy who almost killed me? Well, they happened to be cousins and we had this unfortunate meeting...

It was so awkward.

We almost got away with my new friend not knowing about our past friendship... but boy-who-almost-killed-me's mom asked my-new-friend why his date was me. She must've remembered me being boy-who-almost-killed-me's best friend. And now I think my-new-friend's mad at me.

But I really, really love him. And I really, really hate boy-who-almost-killed-me.

Have any nice solutions? Oh, and I can help you with problems too if you need help in anything.

<3 from an extremely lost Juliet

       I shook my head, scribbling a note quickly since I had plans to really visit the Saunder's place.

Juliet,

I know you may feel a bit betrayed for I haven't written to you for a short while, me having a few little problems myself.

I am truly sorry that boy-who-almost-killed-you had to just waltz back in your life like that, just as soon as it started getting better. But it will get better, you see, days always become brighter. No matter what, with each passing time, you don't start to notice sometimes but things do get better. I am certain that things will work out just right for you. Maybe not now, but soon, it will.

This is really delayed advice but I guess you should talk to your-new-friend again instead of just avoiding the situation, I think he really genuinely likes you based on what I'd heard about him from you.

I missed you.

- Romeo

       The advice wasn't my best, but it was all I could handle before the anxiety started bubbling up inside me. I just made me look like more of a bad guy and Tom more of an angel to Zoey, but I came to think that I never even deserved her. Tom surely did deserve to be with a girl like her.

       I hopped back into my car, my hands - despite the cold, sweating as I gripped the steering wheel.

       Maybe there was a hidden agenda to everything I was doing, but it surely wasn't anything I planned. It was probably fate, showing me the ways on how to get things so wrong they started to seem right.

       All of that seemed correct because if I had just arrived at Zoey's house fifteen minutes later, I would have been talking to her and Tom instead of chatting with her mom about how her tin can where she kept her 'Romeo & Juliet' letters.

       If I had arrived twenty minutes later I would have walked in to a Saunder's family dinner with Tom.

       If I just didn't bother to go at all, I wouldn't even have been in that mess.

'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Delayed post after a millenia, loves :-(

Something had happened to Hayley (er, something I wouldn't want to talk about) but I got to write this short chapter! (it's so much shorter than we usually post, but it's just showing our comeback haha!)

I'll talk to Ella after this as soon as I can, so we'll be able to update sooner.

We're sooooooooooo sincerely sorry for leaving off at a cliff-hanger!!!!!!! 

I love you guys, and I hope you don't hate me but you'd have every reason and right to. </3

 Much love, Holly.

OH AND GUYS I FINALLY MET THE MA9ndkjweanfewasdfrnjewfnkjesrfdg I MET THE MAINE SAIDZSKFSDFJOKSDFMAWOESFKOWEMFDSKESFD

So yeah, this chapter's song is their new single "You'll Never Know." If you'd like a good 80's-sounding jam, you should definitely listen to it! <3