First day, and Alyssa had already made some new friends. She even managed to crack a few smiles. Her new friends didn't know about her past and she had no intention of telling them, ever. Though Tarlos had asked her about her sudden shift to Mel's Town.
However, a day can only move on with so much smoothness.
Last period was free for Alyssa, since she did not have any extra-curriculars. So she was out in the ground, sitting under the shadow of a huge tree, as a group of girls and boys practiced for whatever upcoming matches they had.
Alyssa sat with her laptop, surfing through her twitter page, when she received a message from her old friend to open Skype.
Alyssa's heart skipped a beat. So they hadn't forgotten her, huh? Though it had taken them five whole days to contact her.
Five lonely days and four lonely nights full of nightmares. And not a person to talk to. Even Catherine had gone back to her old country again, where they did not have phone communications.
And now, her friends were Skyping her. Alyssa didn't know whether to feel happy or sad.
The faces of two of her friends, Jennifer and Brodey, popped up on the screen. They were her closest friends from kindergarten and they themselves were twins with strange violet hair and long, tanned faces.
"Hey," they said simultaneously, their green eyes shining with strange emotions Alyssa had rarely seen in them before. Alyssa couldn't understand whether whether they wanted to cry, scream or laugh.
And to say the truth, Alyssa felt the same. They were embers of her past but seeing them, Alyssa felt like remembering it again. The good times, not the bad ones.
Her lips trembled slightly as the overwhelming flood of emotions hit her like the high tide washing way past the boundaries of the shore.
Alyssa herself couldn't find words to express whether she wished to say. So she was thankful when. Brodey said, "Damn, Lisa. We left for four days and you had to take the opportunity to leave for ever, didn't you? Could've called or something, at least!"
Alyssa's eyes drank in her friends faces. Faces she'd thought she'd never see again. "I didn't know you'd left for four days. I thought you were close by somewhere when I came over to say goodbye. I told your housekeeper to inform you."
"We texted you, but I don't think you ever used that sim card again, did you?" Brodey asked, with a sad expression on his face.
Alyssa shook her head, clenching her fists.
"That was one stupid misunderstanding then... Gosh, I can't believe this. We had just gone to our Uncle Jack's five year death anniversary in New York. We came back and you were gone! We even drove to your house. You should've seen Jen crying her eyes out yesterday. How could you do this, Alyssa?"
All the while that Brodey was ranting, Jen had been quiet. Too quiet for Alyssa to feel any better.
"Guys, I'm sorry. But I had to do this. You know I did. I had no choice, and even Catherine knew that. I lost everything that day. Everything."
"But you had us, Lisa!" Jen finally spoke up, her voice low. She was shaking, whether with anger or sadness, Alyssa didn't know.
But she had the right to be angry. After all, Alyssa had ditched them all for her selfish needs. For the fact that she couldn't stay in Winchester, let alone in that house, without screaming.
She hadn't thought about anything out anyone else. She had just sent the admission form to Dilbert, packed a few clothes, said goodbye to Catherine and Brodey's housekeeper, Mrs. Xara, and just drove. Drove until she was far away with no option of going back.
"I'm sorry," was all Alyssa could say. Did her friends even understand her pain? No, they didn't.
Alyssa could see Jen slumping. "No, I should be saying sorry, Lisa. I lost control and shouted, even after knowing all that you've gone through."
"Lisa, whether you come back or not, you should be happy. You know you deserve it. Anyway, where are you now?" Brodey asked. Always the more mature one among them, analysing every detail and point.
"New school, Dilbert High," Alyssa replied, cracking a smile as Brodey and Jen both widened their eyes.
"Wow, that's one huge a school. Have you made any new friends?" Jen asked, her gloominess evaporating as quickly as water in a desert.
"Yeah, a few."
"That's good," Brodey said encouragingly. "Yours doing good. Now, I don't want a moping girl. I want the old carefree Alyssa back. Get it?"
Alyssa knew - she was old. The old Alyssa would never come back again. But still, she forced a smile and said, "Yes, Captain!"
"Good girl. You know what? It's just a six hour drive. How about we come to meet you today?" Brodey asked excitedly.
But Alyssa felt her smile fall at that. Was she ready to face them, knowing that she would start crying if she did? Knowing that like a coward, she had run away?
No. Despite everything, she couldn't. It was too soon to face them. She hadn't even moved on yet.
"I ... " she hesitated. "I don't think that would be the best thing to do. Sorry, but..."
"Don't." Jen put up her hand. "Don't continue. We know. You need one. And we understand. It hurts, Lisa, but I know you're hurting even more now. We need to remember the reason you left Winchester in the first place. But remember, we'll always be with you should you need someone."
Damn... and Alissa's eyes were already starting to water again. But she stifled those tears.
"Thanks, guys."
And at that moment, Alyssa felt that a huge gap in her heart was finally filled and warmed.