You're probably wondering why I was so freaked out about it. Yeah its crazy when your crush sits next to you but what's crazy is the fact that I was going to do something really stupid before I leave.
Every time I'm any where around Tyler I tend to do something stupid that gets him into trouble. I mean it. I wonder how he doesn't even recognize me as a must - stay - away - from - that - unfortunate - accident - bringing - girl.
'This is bad' I thought to myself as I stared at my sundae. I had to leave immediately before something stupid happens again.
"Wow I just love the air in here" Max said and Joe raised his brow
"The last time I checked we're all breathing the same air"
"That's where you're wrong Joe. This air is magical".
This guy thinks like Erica' I thought as I saw Joe Shook his head.
"You guys just don't get it"
"That's expected, only one with a squashed up brain like you can get it" Joe said
I actually second that.
"That's not true"
"It is"
"Do you think so too Alex?"
"Huh?" I was taken aback cause I wasn't expecting to be included in the conversation.
"What do you think about it?"
I didn't know if I should tell him I hated it or lie that it was awesome. I didn't think I had the spirit to give it a fake complement and I didn't want to ruin his love for it. While staring at him, I took another spoon of sundae and then gave a shrug.
It was all I could think of.
"Whatever".
Erica sure was taking her lovely time. I couldn't stay there any longer, I was beginning to feel restless and thanks to that I had ended up with an empty glass of sundae. Tyler's cologne was killing my heart. I thought I wouldn't last because it was too much heaven in a day.
Tyler's favorite is strawberry. How I know that is a secret...I'm not a stalker. sometimes I just try to find out this and that about him, that's all.
No really. I'm not a stalker. I just know his birthday, his practice time, his school study table, his favorite color and things, his type of cologne and hobbies. His likes and dislikes.
That's all.
Tyler's phone rang out.
"I'll be back. Its my mom" he said and with that he stood up and made his way out. I couldn't help but to stare. When he was out of sight, I let out a low relieved but disappointed sigh. The sweet smell was gone.
"So you and Erica are best friends" Max said and I looked at him "That's nice. but you two don't seem to have anything in common". Max said.
Thanks for stating the obvious.
"You know" he continued " I and Tyler have been best buds since we were kids but we also don't have much in common" he said with a smile. Then I realized I had been offended for nothing.
"When Tyler was little and I found out he liked strawberries, I would tease him about it and he would start crying. He was such a cry baby. He cried for almost anything"
I wondered where all this was coming from all of a sudden, I always avoided making conversation with other people, but he was talking about Tyler... I mean hello, I'm all ears.
"There was a time we went to the pool and I pretended to drown. He jumped in without thinking and ended up drowning himself"
"Why?" I found myself ask.
Its Tyler we're talking about, of course I'm curious.
"He couldn't swim" Max said with a serious face then he burst into laughter.
"Oh. T- that's pretty heroic" I said and found myself trying not to grin about it. Okay, that is pretty funny, but I couldn't help but to like him even more.
I wanted to hear more about Tyler when he was a kid but at the same time I wondered if Max should be saying the stuffs he was saying. From Joe's expression he was thinking the same but Max went on.
"Tyler is so easy to prank. There was this one time when he was eight, I had told him that if he would put a dollar every week in his top drawer for a year, at the end of the year he would get his biggest wish"
"That's an obvious lie" I said and Joe chip in.
"Yeah. Who would fall for that?"
"Tyler did. I told you he was so easy to trick. Every week I would take the money he left in there" Max continued to talk but then as I was loosing the strength of forcing myself not to laugh, the urge flew away immediately i realized who was standing behind Max.
Max didn't seem to have realized, I tried using my eyes or my expression. it was useless. He was in a world of his own. I looked at Joe and gave him the behind-you look. He looked back and his mouth fell open.
Max was still In a world of his own as he kept on talking.
"Max" Joe nudged him and said through his gritted teeth "I think you should stop talking now"
"What? Oh don't worry, Tyler doesn't know till now that I was the one who took all his money"
'How dense is this guy' I thought.
"No really I think you should stop talking now" Joe said and gave him the eyes too but Max was too much of a lost case.
Joe sighed and gave up.
"You should have seen his face after he didn't get what he wanted. He looked so angry" Max said as he laughed.
"You mean this kind of face" Joe pointed behind him.
Max turned to Tyler "yeah that kind of face. Man, it brings back a lot if memo...oh Tyler!" He flinched
'Took you long enough' I thought.
"Aren't you so chatty today?" Tyler said. Honestly, I had never seen him annoyed before. He looked so cute.
"Did you hear that?" Max said and gave an uneasy smile.
Tyler sighed and came back to seat next to me again. I saw Max give Joe a
Dude-why-didn't-you-tell-me look and Joe gave him the I-tried-to-stop-you look.
Wait, Tyler is back beside me!. I had totally forgotten about my nerves while Max was talking but now that Tyler was back...wait, what am I freaking out about. I haven't done anything stupid so far, everything was just fine.
For a second I thought I saw movement from the corner of my eyes but when I turned to look at Tyler, he was looking away. Maybe I made a mistake.
Just then I saw Erica heading back with two bags of cookies.
Thank you lord!
"Sorry I took so long".
"That's okay. Let's go" I jumped up with the thought of just getting out of there as fast as I could. I turned to leave and just then I heard a loud gasp followed by a crash.
'Huh?'
I turned back and saw Tyler covered in sundae from his head. I gasped as I realized I had hit the waiter passing.
Erica stared back at me in shock and I could read it in her eyes.
I totally messed up- again.
Now I knew I had a problem.
******
I got home feeling frustrated at myself. Paying for the damage was no problem, but I could never forgive myself for what I had done to Tyler. I couldn't stop apologizing, I felt really terrible for what I did. He got himself cleaned up in the restroom but he had to leave without getting the fortune he came for. He didn't seem to mind but I knew I had messed up.
Erica tried to cheer me up by telling me it wasn't my fault but I definitely knew it was.
I went into my room and sprawled on the bed. The house was silent. Well that's obvious cause I live alone, well not exactly. My parents had died in a car crash when I was six, so my aunts have been the one taking care of me. I used to stay with aunt Beatrice but when I had told her the high school I wanted to attend and she realized it was really far from where she lived, she let me stay with aunt Mille whose house is closer to the school. Although she was against letting me stay with aunt Mille.
Why, you ask?
Cause my aunt Mille is more of a party-and-work and less of a stay-in-the-house person. Always here or there for a party or the other, or one work or the other. But that doesn't stop her from giving me my allowance and getting me enough food stuff and ingredients to cook for myself. She is actually more responsible than she sounds.
But it was on the deal with aunt Beatrice that I come over to her place to spend holidays, and I would be leaving first thing in the morning to her place the next day.
My phone rang. I took it out to see who was calling and speak of the devil.
"Hi aunt Beatrice"
"Alex dear!. Aren't you ex-cited to see me tomorrow? I'm so anxious I can't wait. I'm going shopping right now, I'll cook you your favorite tomorrow, what do you think?. Or maybe I should I make the one I'm best good at? Or maybe the new type I came up with? Or perhaps i should make it all?. There's this new dish I learnt from one of my friends, it's really delicious and its got a lot of nutrient that is just perfect for the body, its called..."
She's gotten a little bit too chatty. I thought but I smiled as I listened to her over the phone.
I sighed "Aunt Beatrice you don't have to think that much over it. I'm fine with whatever you cook. Just don't get too excited and make too much to eat. Things didn't go well the last time" I pointed out seriously.
It really didn't.
"You're right. I'll just go with your favorite then" she said and laughed "Have you had lunch yet?"
"I had cookies?"
"That's no good Alex. Are you sure you're eating well. Don't tell me Mille's not there with you again?" She signed "I knew it was a terrible idea to let you stay with her"
"Like i said I'm doing just fine with her" I said
"I'll be the judge of that when I see you tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, I need you to come over to my workplace"
"Why? Is something wrong?"
"No. Did you forget? I told you I moved didn't I?"
I totally forgot. She had told me two months ago but I guess I wasn't really paying attention.
"Since you haven't been there, its hard to describe and I have to be at work as early as possible. If its too much stress for you I could send someone over to pick you up at the bus stop and drop you off at the house?" She suggested.
"No its okay. I'll come over"
"okay then"
"Yeah of course" I said. I've never been there but I do remember getting a sight of it a couple of times while going over to her old place.
"Make sure you eat your dinner and get a good night sleep okay?"
"Yes aunt Beatrice" I said with a smile "Bye"
"I can't wait to see you tomorrow. Now I'm going to give Mille a call"
"You really don't have to" I said and hung up the call immediately before she had the chance to begin another page. "Guess I have to start packing up"
I sat up and looked out the window. I'll have to apologize to Tyler after summer. If I don't chicken out either way, i thought.
+++++.
I was done packing up my things for the trip. When I checked the time, it was already late. I prepared dinner for myself which was quick considering I was the only one. Aunt Mille had told me.
Alex sweetie, I won't be home tonight. My dear friend invited me to a party and I couldn't possible say no. That would make her sad. So that wouldn't happen I have to go with her. Make sure you have dinner, I left a little change for you on the table in case you want to get something. So go to sleep without me tonight okay and call me if you need me to get something else for you okay. Love you.
See? she's pretty responsible.
After that I took a nice night bath. Having to be without the contacts felt so nice.
Yes. I wear contacts. Not 'cause I have an issue with my eyes or anything like that but, without knowing the reason my parents made it a habit for me to wear contacts. I wasn't allowed to take it off until I was about to sleep and when I woke up the next morning, it's back on. Whenever I asked why? I was simply told it was a family tradition. That was totally the worst excuse they could come up with, but with that said it had become a routine for me. Aunt Beatrice had taken up the duty in their absence. Only Erica knew about this besides my two Aunt's.
I still wear the contacts but I take them off at night when I want to take my bath and put them on before I leave to school.
I changed into my pajamas and went to brush my teeth.
So,
I took my brush,
Put on the usual quantity of paste and then I started to brush my teeth as I stared at the mirror.
Brush brush brush.
Brush brush brush.
Brush brush brush.
I turned on the tap but then I paused. I stared at the flowing water, and then realized.
I couldn't hear it.
I had stopped brushing. Then I turned off the water and looked around not sure for what exactly. Everywhere was silent, too silent.
I looked back at the tap and then slowly raised my hand to turn it back on. When I did, the water gushed out and then I could hear it again. I didn't realize I had been holding my breath until I let out a sigh.
To be honest I was scared to turn the tap on because if i did and I didn't hear the sound of the water again, I knew I would freak out.
I'm not so good with scary things.
I went back to brushing and switched off the tap. When I was done, I kept my brush back and turned to leave. Just as I opened the door out I heard the sound of water. I turned back to see the tap on.
I paused.
"Didn't I turn that off?" I muttered to myself as I went back and turned it off making sure the water had completely stopped before I turned to leave then I heard it again. I looked back to see the water flowing out.
Okay this is getting too serious for a prank on someone who's alone in a house, I thought.
I turned it off again and gave it a suspicious look without turning back. I waited for a while but it didn't come back on. I turned to leave when I heard the tap run again. Now I was frustrated. I turned again and screamed at the sight I wasn't expecting.
There was something swirling down the drain but it wasn't water.
Blood?
I stepped back a little as I tried to make sense of what was happening. It took the little ounce of courage I had in me to turn off the tap. The blood had stopped and when I blinked. The blood stain was gone.
"What the-?"
I could now hear the sound of breeze, it sounded so near and clear like it was coming from...the mirror.
I realized there was something weird about the mirror.
It was...Foggy?. I thought I was mistaken so I looked a little closer. I could see my reflection but then slowly I could make out a fog moving slowly in circles. My eyes widened.
A foggy face?
I watched as the whole mirror got covered in fog and then I saw and heard it. It was a faint old croaked voice from the mirror.
The face spoke.
'Alex'
"Ahhhh!" I screamed and ran out of the house.