Missing Pieces

Chapter 21

"ALRIGHT!!!"

The table shook as Barry pounded on it repeatedly. A big grin was plastered on his face. I lifted my lunch tray off of the table, to keep any of my soup from spilling or sandwich from falling. Serena, sitting next to me, did the same.

"Barry calm down," Dawn exclaimed, piking up her boxed lunch. She seemed to be smiling as she said it though and struggling not to laugh.

Barry quickly turned to Dawn before exclaiming "How can I calm down!? We're all gonna get to hang out later today! Finally!!!"

"Just like the old days," Kenny added before taking a bite of his PB&J.

May nodded excitedly, causing the hair hanging out of her bandana to fly up and down wildly. "It really has been a while since we've all been together! Outside of school I mean."

Mostly everyone at the table nodded or murmured in agreement.

"I believe the last time was last summer," Clemont stated very matter-of-factly. "We all went to the park, correct?"

"Yeah," Gary said simply.

I looked over at him to find him deep in thought, staring at the table. He didn't really seem sad. Maybe mildly upset, but mostly thoughtful. I was tempted to ask him what was up, but as soon as I opened my mouth to speak, Barry had gone back to shouting and flailing like an excited 4 year old.

I mutter under my breath "Geez how old is this kid?"

Apparently Serena heard me, or just found Barry's flailing funny, since I could hear her next to me, chuckling to herself.

I could hear Barry's shouting very clearly and distinctly even above the din of the lunch room. I wasn't sure if I was impressed or annoyed. I just attempted to tune out the noise and return my tray to the table to go back to eating.

Eventually the group was able to get Barry to calm down some what. Instead of shouting and flailing they had now managed to get him to sit down and just bounce up and down like a hyper child, grinning from ear to ear.

I return to my soup and start taking the time to think through all that has happened lately.

My best friend is injured in a Pokemon Center.

My closest friend from child hood is currently sitting next to me.

I've made her brother my enemy

And now I'm going to my first party...possibly.

The idea of going to a party where I barely new the people there felt really odd. And anxiety inducing. My brain automatically ran to all the ways that would and could go wrong causing me to forget I was even still in a large noisy crowded lunchroom. All I could feel was the cold of my mind as my heart beat faster and faster and faster and faster and-

A sharp toothed grin appeared before my eyes leaving me more confused than ever.

The sharp teeth glistened as they spoke. "We meet again"

The smile moved back so I could see the figure it belonged to. Though the figure seemed to be some black liquidy substance trying to stay together in the form of a person, looking almost as though they were melting before my very eyes.

The air around me felt cold and heavy and silent. Only muffled noises could be heard, but they were too muffled to make out what they were. Machines? People? Probably people. They sounded like people. What were they saying?

"You've learned to disassociate finally," the figure grinned but the grin quickly dissappeared. "Or maybe it was just another fluke. Knowing you it probably was."