II. Ashes
"I love this, what is it?" Danielle said through a full mouth. She was currently stabbing shell shaped noodles with a plastic fork and shoveling it into her mouth as we sat at our usual table in the middle of the cafeteria. Last year, when my brother was still attending high school, he used to tell me it was weird that I loved sitting in the center because I was so unknown. I used to tell him that was exactly why I did it.
"It's alfredo with shell noodles, dork." I shook my head, picking at my own container of pasta. We had made a deal at the beginning of our freshman year that we each would take turns making lunch for the both of us. Today had been my day and I always made something she loved. It was a gift.
"God, you are the pasta queen, Adriette." Danielle continued to speak even though she knew that talking with your mouth full was my biggest pet peeve.
I smacked her arm and gave her a dirty look, "Knock that off." I snapped. She shook her head and finished her food in silence as I gazed around the cafeteria. I didn't have much of an apetite at the moment so I closed the container and slipped it back into my lunch bag. We sat in silence for a little while before my best friend piped up again.
"Etta?" She mumbled, gazing down at her fingers. I recognized the habbit and turned my gaze towards her, giving her a kind look. She glanced up at me before dropping her gaze back to her hands. "Have you talked to Adam recently?"
I chewed on my lip, thinking back to the last time I had spoken to my brother. I could tell she was worried about him and his 'activities' in college. If I were her, I would be too.
"Yes." I finally spoke, carefully treading on thin ice might I add. At that moment, a soft breeze brushed against my skin as if someone had passed by quite closely, but I saw no one. Suspicious, I glanced around the cafeteria but nobody was within a ten foot radius. I felt my anxiety spike and sat up, ready to get up and leave.
"What's wrong?" Danielle's forehead creased and she gave me an odd look. I glanced around once more before giving her a sideways glance.
"Nothing. I'm going to head to my next class. I'll see you after school." I gave her a small wave and shot her a smile as I rushed to my english class at the other end of the building. I needed to get out of the area, I had a bad feeling deep in my gut and I never went against my intuition.
***
"Miss Jacques," My teacher narrowed his eyes at me, pursing his lips, "I know you know this. Please answer the question."
I ran my tongue across my lips, my brain running at high speed trying to find the answer but I kept drawing a blank. I know I know this. Why couldn't I answer the damn question?
"I don't know." I said for the third time. What the fuck was wrong with me? This was driving me insane. I had been sitting in class for at least forty-five minutes and I had been drawing a blank on every single question I was asked. Usually I could sit here and answer every question before Mr. Kutchnik could even finish speaking, but now I was fumbling with information as if my brain had been wiped clear.
All of a sudden, the bell rang and I let out a breath of relief. I nearly ran to my last class, praying for it to go by smoothly and end so I could just go home and take a nice long nap before my parents got home. I skidded into the room, dropping myself into my seat in the front corner and dropping my head on the desk. My entire head was throbbing at this point and I nearly screamed in frustration.
I heaved myself out of my seat and walked out, not wanting to even try to get through this class. Luckily for me, my sixth period was right next to the parking lot. The moment I exited the building, I was booking it to my car and driving away. I didn't even recall getting into my car. All I know is everything was spinning when I unlocked my front door and stumbled up the stairs and into my room. I barely managed to lock my door and throw myself on my bed before I was overtaken by darkness.
It was red. Why was it all red? The smoke seeped into my skin, making me sweat and tremble. I felt my body start to give out and began panicking when I realized I couldn't see nor feel the floor beneath me. My eyes widened and my mouth opened, ready to scream, but nothing came out. Everything around me was red and I couldn't see anything else.
I looked down at myself, but saw nothing. I had no body, no hands, I just had eyes and the feeling of a body. It wasn't visible. I felt tears stream down my face and began to sob, my body jerking from anxiety and fear. I wasn't alone, though. She was here somewhere. I could feel it. I could sense it.
"Adriette, get up." A deep male voice broke through my nightmare and my eyes flickered open. I winced at the brightness of my room, but otherwise relaxed when I came to the conclusion that it wasn't real. I looked up and came face-to-face with my older brother, Adam. I scrunched up my face in confusion and sat up. I was on the floor. Why was I on the floor?
"What time is it?" I asked, rubbing my eyes clean of crust.
"It's one in the morning. I heard you screaming from down the hall." Adam sat down beside me on the floor and pulled his knees to his chest. I sighed and leaned back against the wall, looking over at my brother. Unlike most siblings, my brother and I weren't constantly at each others throats nor have we ever been. Him and I had always gotten along a lot better than any other brother and sister I've encountered.
"So, why are you home tonight?" I raised an eye at him, trying and failing to stifle a yawn.
"I'll tell you about it tomorrow. Go back to sleep." He reached out and rubbed my shoulder, giving me a gentle smile then leaving the room. I stared at the floor for a couple minutes, trying to remember what I had been dreaming about that had caused me to scream, but nothing came to mind.
Eventually, I gave up and climbed into bed, laying on my stomach and slipping back into sleep, dreaming of nothing but darkness all through the night.
***
The sun beamed through my sheer curtains, drawing me out of a deep sleep and bringing me to my senses. I lay like that for a while, eyes closed, still curled up underneath my blankets. I wasn't quite ready to climb out of bed and face my family. Even though I had just woken up, I was already drained and ready to go back to sleep.
A knock sounded at my door and I sighed, realizing that my mother would have sent Nicholai to send me downstairs by now. There was no way it was any time before noon. I had slept way too long for that to be possible.
"Come in," I called, my voice scratching because I hadn't used it yet today.
"Where'd you disappear off to after fifth?" Danielle's voice made my eyes shoot open from surprise. I hadn't expected her to show up, but that was foolish of me. I had promised to see her after our last class and never showed up. It shouldn't shock me that she was worried.
"I didn't feel good." It was not a lie. I still felt like total crap, but decided against sharing that tiny bit of information. She nodded in understanding and sat on the bed next to me. I sat up against my headboard and gave her a small smile.
"There's a new girl at school everyone is raving about, but I haven't seen her." She stated, giving me a I-don't-even-know look. I furrowed my brows and gave her a curious look in response.
"Why is everyone raving?" I chewed on the inside of my cheek, fiddling with a loose string on my bedspread. I really needed to get my room redone soon. It was a disaster looking at the five year-old set up.
"I have no clue." She mumbled, laying back and closing her eyes, her hands resting on her stomach. I glanced at my alarm clock and found it to be merely ten o'clock. Jeez, I thought I had slept a lot longer than that.
"Adam's home." I looked at my best friend and she nodded, eyes still closed, a lazy look resting on her face. I tilted my head. "Did you guys talk?" She nodded again. I nodded back in response even though she couldn't see me.
"Want to spend the night this weekend? We can go to Vegas." I smiled at her and she opened her eyes, a mischevious glint appearing in the blue of her irises.
"Let's do it." She gave me a big grin and grinned back, already feeling so much better.
