I'm Sorry (Not Really)

Chapter Fourteen

At the tip of the tongue,

At the edge of the brain,

Tap, Tap,

Going insane.

~A. F.

          After two or three days the headache did go, but the feeling that I'm forgetting something only increased. It's a feeling I've tried to block out as much as possible because dwelling on it always brings back a killer headache.

          Vanessa and I had become official the day after our study date, which meant that I was stuck with her constantly. My mother loves her, which must be why she annoys me so much.

          "Thomas, are you listening to me?" Vanessa pestered, poking my arm. I smiled and nodded, gesturing for her to go on rambling about whatever it is. Someone walking down the hall caught my eye though, it doesn't make sense for him to have but something about him seems so familiar and so off. He was fairly short and had dark black hair, his laugh was loud and obnoxious, I must have been staring because Vanessa started waving her hand in front of my face.

          "Huh..." I mumbled, still too entranced by the guy to fully pay attention to her.

          "Thomas! Stop staring! It's rude." Vanessa huffed, bringing me out of my distant state.

          "Sorry V," I pecked her cheek, "Do you know that kids name? I feel like I know him." Vanessa looked at him for a few seconds before nodding.

          "That's Mason Acromic. I only know of him because his mom donates a lot of stuff at one of the places I volunteer."

          Mason, Mason... The name feels so familiar but I can't place it...

          "I'll be right back, V." Vanessa shrugged and gave me a hug before letting me go. Mentally, I cringed from the contact but I have to ignore it for now. Mason is in a group of three or four other people, all of them laughing and blocking like half of the hallway. I don't like big groups -this is a big group for me- but I'll just have to suck it up if I want to talk to Mason.

          "Mason!" I called out his name, standing off to the side of his little group. His head whipped over to where I stood and I saw the flash of nervousness in his eyes before it was gone. He said something to his friends and they all walked away in a chorus of 'goodbye' and 'see ya later'.

          He strolled over to where I stood with his hands behind his back, "What's up?" I studied him again and still could not place why he seemed so familiar.

          "Well, you're three years ahead of my sister, Taylor and I heard you were really good at robotics. She's having some problems and I never took the class so I can't help her, I was wondering if you would?" All of that was a complete lie. Well, not all of it. I didn't take robotics and Taylor is taking the class, I have no idea if she's struggling in it or not though.

          Mason looked confused, his eyebrows knitted together just like his mom's did. Wait, how do I know that? I've never met his mom, I've never talked to him before today. Unless... I have? But I wouldn't have forgotten...

          I almost jumped out of my skin when Mason laughed suddenly, "I don't know who's spouting bull about me, but I failed robotics." He grinned at me but that hint of nervousness, almost fear was back in his eyes.

          "Oh, well no worries." I trailed off slightly, "Hey, have we met before?" I watched as Mason's eyes widened and he paled considerably, rolling the hem of his shirt between his middle finger and thumb. Something about that question has him sweating, almost literally I'd say by the looks of things.

          "Er, I- I don't think so!" His voice went up an octave, "I'm sure you've just seen me in the halls and such..." He wasn't looking at me anymore, instead, he was looking off to the right. I don't remember where, but I read that looking to the left indicates the truth, and looking to the right indicates lying. Along with his body language and voice cracks, I'm inclined to believe the latter.

          "Are you su-" I groaned as I felt a splintering pain in my head, as if someone had just taken a hammer to my skull twenty times. The light was much too bright now, and everything too loud.

          "Shit... uh, fuck... Damnit.." Mason continued with his colorful curses and I heard someone screech, though it was probably nothing more than a yell, it sounded blood curdling from the way my head was hurting. Vanessa, I vaguely thought. Voices slowly merged into nothing more than loud chirps and faces into colorful blurs that felt like they were burning my eyes. 

          I leaned back against the hall wall, my legs too weak to hold me up and felt myself slide down the wall. For the billionth time, I found myself thinking about how familiar this feeling was before my head, at last, stopped hurting.

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          The first thing I noticed was the unfamiliar smell of something being burned, the smoke was present but almost completely overpowered by a scent if I had to guess it'd be a burning incense. The smell was strong, but my headache was gone, so I didn't mind too much. What I did mind, however, was that the voices I could hear did not sound familiar.

          "When do you think he'll wake up?" I child whined quietly.

          "Shush you, it doesn't matter to you anyway, now shoo." Someone, most likely the mother from the sound of it, replied. Not soon after, light footsteps walked farther and farther from where I laid on something thin and soft. A sofa if I had to guess.

          "I know you're awake, there's no use pretending." The woman spoke from surprisingly close. I opened my eyes and was met with the rosy face of a kind looking woman leaning over me, "I'm sure you have questions, Thomas. But first, have a drink." I scooted myself up into a sitting position on what was indeed a couch and eyed the cup she offered me. She sighed slightly and shook her head before setting it aside.

          "Where am I?" The woman glanced at a wall lined with china cabinets filled with old looking dishes. The room was quite cozy, it had a homely, warm feel to it, not the place you'd expect to get taken if you were kidnapped.

          "You're at my home, I'm Maria Acromic."