Reality

Chapter 6

I stare across the street.

Lily stands there, smiling at me and waving me to go with her.

I begin to cross to her side when I bump into something.

I'm in a glass box.

I look to Lily for help, but she's screaming my name as something takes her.

I hit the glass and call her name.

"Lily!!!! What's going on?!?"

Then something weird happens.

Lily falls to floor, her body bent at weird angles, unconscious.

I kick on the glass and yell her name.

I watch as shadows cover Lily's body, blocking her from my view.

When the shadows leave, there is nothing there.

The glass box I'm in is on fire. The bottom opens, and I fall.

I wake up screaming her name, my face sweaty and I'm gasping for breath.

"It's okay," I tell myself. "You're okay."

My mother walks into the room with a frying pan in her hand, and she's frantically trying to find the light switch in my room.

"What's wrong," She asks me.

"I'm okay... Just a nightmare." I mumble.

She looks at me and sighs. Then she comes and gives me a hug.

I don't care if I'm 17. My mom's hug after a nightmare will always make me feel safer.

She leaves the room, and I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and knowing I won't be able to sleep anymore.
***

"Okay, so did it cry at all last night?" Asks Ethan.

Yup. This is exactly how I'd like to spend my lunch period. Writing down my observations for the creepy doll thing we have to watch.

"Nope." I respond, popping the "p".

He scribbled on his paper.

"Kay thanks."

I nod and pick at my beef burrito.

At least I hope it's beef.

"So about my mom," Ethan begins.

"Ethan, it's okay if you-" I say.

"No. You told me about your parents and your sister. It's only fair I trust you too. After all, we are raising a child together."

I roll my eyes.

"That thing is as far from a child as you can get. Its eye goes side ways when you pick it up, and it's crying sounds like a walrus singing opera." I reply.

Ethan laughs for a second, but then his expression is dead serious.

He looks out the cafeteria window, avoiding my gaze.

"My mom, she's an alcoholic." He begins. "Ever since my dad died in the war. He was in the army. My mom obviously didn't take it well. She didn't care about me and Melanie and I doubt she even remembers who she is. I told Melanie she's sick, and that she's in pain, that way Melanie doesn't have to see her that way. So I keep Melanie away from her. It's better that way. I want to send my mom to a rehab clinic or something but I can't do it alone. The thing is, if I tell someone, they'll take me and Melanie from her, and who knows if I would even get to see Melanie if that ever happens."

I stare at him, shocked.

Ethan Chase. The guy who I though had it all. I guess I shouldn't judge people before knowing them first.

This is a lot to take in. What do I say? Is there something I can say?

Luckily the bell rings, and I don't have to say anything, because Ethan walks off without a word to his next class.

***
"That's how you're going?" Carly asks me.

"What's wrong with jeans and a t-shirt? It's just a soccer game, Carls, not senior prom." I point out.

"Yeah, but it's a soccer game Ethan Chase invited you to attend."

"Ughhhh..." I groan. "I'm not changing."

I cross my arms over my chest and sit firmly on the foot of my bed.

That when Carly attacks me with her mascara and straightening iron.

"Ahhhh!!!" I scream.

"One step and I burn your face off." Carly warns me.

I pout and sit still.

"I got news." she tells me.

I don't say anything, but I really want to know what she has to say.

"I know you wanna know Catherine," she sings.

I bite my lip, trying to maintain my angry face.

"It involves a guy." she says.

That's all it took for me to stop being angry at her.

"Spill!" I demand.

"Zack Parker, the one I got as my partner for that fugly doll thingy? He asked me out on a date!!!" She says excitedly.

"Ooooooooooooo," I tease.

"I really like him too. With his mighty height and majestic dark hair and dark eyes. He looks like a teen model." Carly laughs.

"Well good for you Carls," I say, meaning it.

"Yup, but for now, let's try to find you a boyfriend so I won't have to hang out with you all the time," she jokes.

"You love me," I point out.

We both laugh.
***

I watch as Ethan ran back and forth, chasing the ball. It's actually quite exciting, after all I've been watching soccer with my mom since I can remember.

Ethan gets the ball, passes it to some guy on the team, Chris, maybe? I don't know. Then the ball comes back to Ethan, and he maneuvers it past the opponents defense and scores.

"GOAL!!!!!" I scream, jumping up and down.

"I'm so embarrassed to be with you right now, Cathy. Sit the fudge down." says Carly.

I make a face at her and make eye contact with Ethan. He gives me that heart melting smile I saw on him when I first met him. I flash him a thumbs up and then he has to keep playing.

After he scores another goal, the game is over, and we won.

I run to the field to congratulate him, but I slow down when I get there, realizing I'm not his girlfriend, and I'm most certainly not going to hug him.

Awkward.

He comes up to me and must have realized the same thing I did.

I just high five him instead.

"That was awesome," I tell him.

"Thanks," he says.

Awkward silence again.

"Well I need to go find Carly," I say.

"She looks busy," he chuckles, pointing at Carly.

She is currently kissing Zack Parker.

Okay then.

"Come on, Zack's my ride so I can't leave and it looks like you can't either," he slings his arm around my shoulder and leads me to the bleachers.

A load of butterflies lets loose in my stomach.

We talk while we wait for Zack and Carly. I ask him about Melanie, and he asks about Lily.

I thought it would be hard to talk about her, but it feels easy, talking to Ethan.

I don't feel comfortable trusting him this much, after I just met him.

But I go with it, because maybe, just maybe, I can dare to hope this will lead somewhere.