Alara

Ch.38 Change in the tide

When we got back to Texas I quickly forgot about what had happened in Algeria.

We finished the school year pretty quickly after that and summer came.

Lorenzo respected my wishes in wanting to be friends so we stayed just that. Very close friends actually.

We went on a lot of crazy adventures that summer. The summer before our senior was probably the best I had ever had.

I let Lorenzo hear my voice for the first time then too. He was completely blown away.

I can still remember it.

We were sitting in the McDonald's parking lot in his car pigging out on food like we did almost every Friday night.

Everyone thought we were going on dates. Daddy included. But I just kept on insisting that we were strictly friends.

"My father says he's going to probably send me up to New Jersey to stay with my mother." He said inbetween bites of his burger.

I frowned, New Jersey? That was so far away. Who was going to annoy the crap out of me, and get junk food with me?

"After we graduate... or maybe right before." He sighed. He glanced over and groaned, "Don't give me that look Speedy. I can't say no to him."

I frowned, yes he can. He was going to be eighteen soon. He was an adult then.

"Yea you can." I whispered.

Lorenzo frowned deeply and leaned away from me. "Excuse me?"

I took a sip of my drink and looked out the window like I didn't just drop a bomb on him.

"You have been able to speak all this time?" He said still sounding surprised.

I nodded, "I just don't like to." I whispered. 

"I imagined your voice would be very quiet. And it is... but your voice sounds almost British. Like your accent can't make up its mind between Southern and British."

I rolled my eyes, of course he would say something like that.

"It's nothing but the truth Speedy." He chuckled.

"Look at me." He said after a few moments of us being silent.

I looked over even though I kind of didn't want to. I felt like I was going to cry a little.

"I'm not going to just disappear from your life you know. I'm going to keep in touch. Plus... you're going off to college anyways. We're going to be separated either way. But you're my bestfriend and I love you. I'll never stop talking to you or checking in on you."

"Gotta make sure you don't set yourself on fire when you get out into the real world." He teased me.

I wiped away a solitary tear and nodded. He was right, distance would not break our friendship.

.

I move through their senior year because that isn't so much my focus.

.

The months leading up to our graduation things started happening in the middle east.

Takir had done what my father had once thought to be impossible. He over threw the governments of Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Iraq, and Afghanistan were quick to fall. They were still in shambles from the wars from the early 2000's and had never recovered.

All they needed was someone with the means to rule with an iron grip. And that was Takir.