Everything Upside Down

T W E N T Y-F I V E: I Need Time

My eyes flutter open but I can't see anything. The last thing I remember was Keefe and me light leaping...
Wait.....
Keefe!
I remembered him. I remember it all. My parents. Havenfield. Silveny. They come back faster than they did in my time at the Neverseen. More like they were always there but someone just pulled away the cloth covering my memories.
I sit up quickly and immediately regret it as dizziness washed over me like a tidal wave. Clutching my head, I swing my upper body around trying to see something in the inky blackness. My mouth moves to speak, but words come out all slurred and muffled. I feel as if I've been hit with a dozen trucks and that's an understatement.
My ears pick up another noise, a voice I think, but it's not mine. Suddenly the darkness is cut with an orange light and I race towards it, trying to outrun the shadows.
The orange light glows and surrounds me, dimming as the room comes into view. It's my room at Havenfield. I blink my eyes and watch the light in front of my face change from orange to blue.
Elwin.
I sit up again, for real this time, and wrap my arms around the surprised dark haired man. He squeezes back before I pull away. Just the sight of his grey blue eyes gets me teared up.
Technically, I hadn't seen him in 14 years. But I could barely think and when I spoke my voice was all croaky. "Hi."
Elwin laughed and flashed a maroon light around my right leg, "Hi? That's all you have to say?"
"How are you?" I try again.
He shakes his head in disbelief and waves to a figure standing in the corner of the room. My eyes stretch over the man eagerly, Grady, Alden, Dex, Fitz, Keefe? I'm so excited to see them all again.
My heart drops and Elwin shifts as if he can feel my anger.
Mr. Forkle.
Elwin looks at my glare and picks up his duffel bag from beside my bed. "I'll go."
I reach for his hand and look up with desperate eyes. "Stay, please." I whisper, sounding like a small child trying to convince their parent to stay with them.
But Elwin looks back at blank faced Mr. Forkle and strides out of the room, ripping from my grasp. I cross my arms coldly and wish my legs didn't feel like a boulder had been laying on them for hours. What I wouldn't do to have the ability to run away right now.
Mr. Forkle walks to the edge of my bed and I turn myself slightly away from him, words dead on my lips. He kneels down and cracks his knuckles slowly before speaking.
"I know you're mad-"
I scoff.
"I know you're mad," he repeats, "But can I please explain myself? You have to understand-"
"I don't have to understand anything. You drugged to forget everyone I loved for what felt like 14 years! How can you even explain that!"
My voice is louder than I expected but I let it rise. I want someone to hear me so I don't have to endure anymore of this awful conversation.
Mr. Forkle sighs and I take a deep breath to keep myself from yelling again. "Miss Foster, I was wrong. I know I was wrong. I was only trying to do what was best for you."
I look away, "That's the problem. You always do what is best for me, but you never think how it effects my family and friends. And how it effects me."
A silence stretched between us that feels too long. "We are very happy to see the friendships you've made, but you come first Miss Foster."
"That doesn't work for me." I argue.
He doesn't even fight. "So what? Agree to disagree?"
I shake my head, "I need some time. I know the Neverseen won't disappear, but I can't even be around you. Please, just stay away."
He nods and stands up, his bones creaking. Mr. Forkle doesn't even look back until he's at the doorway and even then he doesn't say anything.
He just stares. I glare back, but once he leaves I crumple into my pillows exhausted. I don't want to hate him, but I'll need time. He can at least give me that. Suddenly I hear a jumble of voices talking outside my door.
Fitz.
Dex.
Keefe.
Biana.
Tam.
Linh.
Even Marella.
The doors open again.