Tuesday.
Day 21.
Issa.
"If you two are going to kiss, I can just like, go-?" At the very awkward sound of Lectras voice, George and I pull apart like one of us had just seen a giant spider, then we turn to Lectra, who I had completely forgotten was still here, watching us getting maybe a bit too close.
She didn't look as disgusted or uncomfortable as she sounded though. Lectra was in fact watching us with a huge, amazed grin stamped on her face, arms crossed in front of her chest. She takes one last look at the two of us now scrambling away from each other, then begins grabbing for the large plate of pancakes.
"I say we sit down and eat these pancakes then we can talk about you two weirdos some more."
"Sounds good to me." George gives Lectra a shy smile then steps forward into the kitchen and goes straight for the pancakes to help Lectra carry the rest, looking significantly more happy than earlier. I follow him short after, as we all grab our food, then head to the dining room to eat.
•••
"Ope-Issa I think I grabbed one of the pancakes you made." The three of us had been stuffing our faces when Lectra takes one bite out of a flimsy looking pancake and gives me a disappointed glance. I knew all too well that this was indeed my pancake I had made earlier.
"Oh c'mon. You told me I was doing good. Or better, at least." We had pretty much barely scratched the surface of talking through what was happening with me and George, and I was getting more antsy as more time passed, especially since we were all acting as if nothing happened at all currently.
"You were. But girl-you used too much butter in the pan. It's like I'm eating a salt brick right now." I roll my eyes at her and go back to my eating, although I truthfully had little to no appetite after finding out about George. And from the looks of it, he felt the same. He was poking his pancakes like they were an alien food, picking away small pieces off it.
I couldn't keep my eyes off of him as we all sat there eating, acting like we didn't just discover something huge at all. It isn't like George was a different person now that I figured out he also knew about the school this whole time, he was still the same George. But now knowing it, I can't help but see him a little differently.
I was absolutely beaming at the thought of being able to finally talk to someone properly about what was happening, not just Lectra. That was when I found myself blurting out words before I even noticed I was even speaking;
"So are we going to talk about the elephant at all?" Both George and Lectra bring their eyes up from the food and stare back at me. George is the first to speak;
"Well yeah. It's just-I'm still in shock about it. I can't believe you know about the school and remember everything from it that's happened." I think back to the last time we had talked was when we had a fight. I told him I wish we never met at all, but of course I didn't mean it. But he didn't know that.
Before I get the chance to respond, he was butting in again.
"So Lectra. Do you also remember everything like me and Issa?"
"Ugh, I wish. But sadly I'm not as cool as you two." I wanted to shake my head and explain to her that she shouldn't wish for this to happen to her. It was a curse more than anything, but all I did was stay quiet.
"That's too bad. It's so weird how it's just the two of us. Right?"
"Right." Now thinking about it, I hadn't really checked any other person from the dreams to see if they knew, other than Lectra and Wes, but not a single other person yet. For all we knew, it could just be a huge misunderstanding like George was, and maybe someone else knew too. Like maybe Lizzy, or even Cam.
Cam, ugh.
"But-what if others know about it too and are just too afraid to come out like we did. Like-maybe Cam knows?" As soon as I mention Cam to George, his face shrinks into jealousy almost immediately. Ugh again.
"I don't really think he knows Issa." I can't help the attitude that comes out of me next as he talks, knowing George was simply acting jealous of the fact that Cam and I had slept together.
"And why is that George?" I say his name like it was nasty virus, which makes Lectra flinch across the table and quickly stop eating to pay closer attention to us now. George doesn't falter away from his obvious jealousy when he answers me;
"Just think about it for a second. Way too many things don't add up for Cam to know. If you don't believe me just go ask him then." I had thought about it before with George and was way wrong, so I didn't want to ignore it with Cam and be wrong again. But I also didn't want Cam thinking I was a lunatic for asking.
I was thinking about all the pros and cons of confronting Cam when suddenly George is speaking up again, just as cold sounding as before;
"You're judgement is clouded from your feelings for him Issa. Just admit that at least." Lectra suddenly clears her throat next to us loudly, destroying my chance to yell a nasty remark at George. Thinking about it now, it was probably for the best that she interrupted me.
"Guys, stop fighting please. It won't get us anywhere with figuring this mess out." I knew George was probably finally taking out his rage from me sleeping with Cam at the party, which I kind of deserved thinking more on it now. I didn't expect anything else besides George going hard at me, giving me hell for what I did to him.
"Yeah, you're right Lectra. We just need to figure out why this is happening to us." I'm surprised that he was sounding significantly less angry now as he spoke to Lectra, but avoiding looking at me, telling me he was still hurt.
"Wow, you're all having breakfast in here and didn't invite me? How rude." Everyone was quickly whipping their heads to the entryway of the room to see Brooks walking in with a big grin. Nobody really moved or said anything so he spoke up once more with a big sniff to the air;
"I knew I smelled pancakes. Mind if I join?"
"Yes, we do mind." Lectra gives her typical sass at Brooks, making him give back a usual 'oh you love me' smirk. I almost felt bad, knowing now that she actually really missed her brother at the school. I decide to keep my mouth shut about it for now.
Acting like Lectra didn't just say anything, Brooks begins walking inside further to the table. Feeling the awkwardness forming, I decide to give in;
"Yeah, there's plenty left. Dig in." His eyes dart up to find me, then he was giving me a flashy smile. I hated how annoyingly gorgeous this man was. I also hated that he was Lectras brother and I still hadn't said anything about me and him kissing, if I ever would at this point.
"Why thank you, Issa." I have to try my hardest to ignore Lectra beside me whispering 'yeah, thanks.' obviously sarcastically as I smile back at Brooks. He pulls up a chair and sits directly beside me then he reaches for the pancakes. He doesn't have a plate so he simply eats it with his hands. How charming.
"So what's the meeting for?"
"Who says it's a meeting?" Brooks looks at George as he speaks almost like he didn't even see him there to begin with, then his smile fades as they studied eachother. Please don't tell me Brooks was jealous of George, that was all I needed right now to add to my problems.
"I'm only trying to start up a conversation. So-what were you three talking about then? Sounded important." George is the first to speak up again, not wasting any time;
"Oh you know, just that Issa kinda sucks at cooking literally anything." It was evident George was trying to keep our discovery a secret, but I still caught some sass from him as he spoke. Also knowing it wasn't a full lie, and that we had actually been talking about it briefly before, I have no problem adding onto it;
"Hey, I do not suck that bad. I'm getting better-ish." Brooks sucks in a breath and out comes a silky laugh, then he was paying full attention to me again as he said;
"Is that so? Maybe I can give you some cooking lessons then. I'm not one to brag, but I grew up cooking all the time for Leah since our parents-" Brooks quickly sucked in a breath as he hesitated to finish what he was saying, leaving the air around him full of tension now. I knew what he was meaning to say, but he clearly didn't want to say it, couldn't say it.
It was weird seeing Brooks not look completely confident and proud, because right now it was as if he was in his own little world going through his parents death all over again. I wondered whether or not he and Lectra ever really talked about it much.
"I know what you mean. I-uh, I'll take up some lessons. Because clearly I need them." I hadn't really meant to say it, but my guilt for seeing him so obviously in pain was overcoming every other emotion, and it just kind of slipped out. In an instant he was puffing up all over again and back to his normal tough guy act as he watched me again.
"Terrific. I'll take a look at my schedule and I'll let you know when I'm free." That would explain why he was rarely ever around the house to bother me as much anymore, he was always working. I had totally forgetten he was the chancellor of the college I was going to, and currently dropping out of. It didn't take long for me to feel my face go red at the thought.
I had yet to tell him and was definitely going to avoid it for as long as I could.
"Well-this was fun but I'm going to head back upstairs and take a shower. See you later Issa." Lectra stands from her seat like she was ready to storm out of the room from the embarrassment of me and Brooks interaction. When I throw an 'okay' her way and she leaves, it was just me, Brooks and George left. Just my luck.
"I'm about done too, actually. I'll just see you around Iss-" George suddenly gets up from the table, evidently ready to leave the awkwardness that was me and Brooks, when I stand with him just as hastily and state;
"I still wanted to talk some more-if that's okay?" George curls a cute smile my way then shrugs, acting unphased, but I could tell he felt otherwise.
"Sure, let's go upstairs then?" I find myself shaking my head no at him, not really feeling like going up into his room right now with our history of not being able to keep away from eachother, then I was blurting unexpectedly;
"Let's go use the hot tub. It sounds kinda nice right now." Brooks gets up from the table beside us then wipes his hands along his jeans subtly as he also begins walking over to the doorway, looking moderately peeved I was already leaving him.
"You two enjoy the hot tub then. I'll be in my study." Brooks gives me a small smile that was almost thankful looking, then he leaves me and George be, leaving the room just as quick as he has entered. George turns to me with arms crossed as he exits, then mumbles;
"You still want that hot tub, or was that to get him off your back?" Without hesitation I was answering him knowing damn well it was needed.
"Oh no, we both need it."
•••
After the awkward scene between everyone in the dining room, George and I went our separate ways to grab our swimsuits for the hot tub, which was desperately needed. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous for it.
I purposely grabbed a not too revealing suit and head over to the indoor hot tub room. If people weren't already aware that Brooks was absolutely loaded simply by the size of his house and how many cars he had parked outside, seeing this room would surely do it.
The room was basically just another pool like the one outside, but slightly smaller. And instead of a normal pool, it was just a giant hot tub with bubbles popping everywhere. There was even a remote to the thermostat to control the temperature of the room, letting me choose just how hot or cold I wanted it. It was nothing less than fancy.
I got to the room before George did, and I didn't waste any time jumping right in, already messing with the hundreds of settings it had. I turned on the bubbles then cooled the room ever so slightly, as it was almost too hot inside to handle.
I'm leaned back against the sides, swaying my hands back and forth in the water feeling the bubbles hitting me, almost tickling me with each pop. I'm playing around, suddenly getting the feeling that I was being stood up when the door opens and in comes George.
"Holy hot tub." I quickly reposition myself to find George standing in awe looking at the room, just as amazed as I had been and still was. I giggle at the bewildered gaze painted on his face and finally speak up;
"Exactly my thoughts." As I looked him over, I noticed George was also dressed in his swim trunks too, holding a towel in one hand while he studied the room. When he realized I had spoke, he wound his head around to watch me too.
George was taking in my appearance plainly, not saying a word, but he didn't have to. I knew he was trying to get a better look at my bathing suit through all the bubbles very conveniently hiding me. How subtle.
"Are you going to come in or-?" As I spoke he finally snapped out of it and dropped his towel nearby on a hook, next to mine.
"So why exactly the hot tub? Did you want to see me shirtless that bad?" Grinning, knowing he was at least halfway correct, I shrug at him, then begin babbling;
"Well, I just figured it would be nice for us. Plus, I'm kinda sore and-" I quickly realize how bad that must sound after my night with Cam and immediately shut myself up. George clearly caught it anyway, and was quickly looking annoyed all over again. Great.
"I'll just pretend I didn't hear that." I slap a wet hand to my forehead as George hesitantly hurdles into the hot tub, sitting a couple feet away from me. It was obvious he was still butt-hurt, but I was in no way about to bring up the big C-word again after that idiotic outburst.
"So, you know about the school too. That's-refreshing." George finally spoke, not meaning it like a question but I responded as it it were anyway;
"Yeah, it's crazy. And it was already pretty damn insane to begin with." George finally laughed at that, the tension already fading away.
"Well after going in and out of there after so many years, I definitely felt like I was losing my mind for sure." I knew he had told me before we knew everything now that he had been at the school for years, but I had totally forgotten. George was there for that long while I had only been for less than a month.
"Why did I only just recently start going to the school when you've been there for so long? It doesn't make sense." George softly scoffs my way quickly before simply stating;
"Does anything else happening really make sense either though?" George was swaying around in the water so nonchalantly, acting as if everything we were talking about was just a normal everyday thing. Like he really wasn't affected at all. To be fair, it was pretty normal to us at this point.
"Okay, but don't you at least want to try and find some answers?" He briskly stops playing with the bubbles then George's gaze finds me again, looking subtly irritated once more.
"Like we're really going to find any answers at all. It's happening and we just have to deal with it. I learned that the hard way." I was becoming increasingly frustrated with him. Of course I understood where he was coming from, but my experiences were definitely different than George's.
I needed to know why, and he wouldn't stop me from that.
"I bet you don't get visions like I do. Am I right?" It came into my mind and out of my mouth before I even got the chance to understand what I was saying. Truthfully, I had somehow forgotten all about the visions until just now. It didn't entirely seem like such a big deal right then compared to figuring out George and I remembering everything from the school together.
I also didn't see any harm in confessing it to him anymore, seeing as he already believed me about the school. But the look that was thrown my way told me I should have maybe kept it to myself.
"Of course I don't have any visions-" George stops, taking in what I had just told him at last, then his face was twisting and curving painfully, trying to understand exactly what the hell I really meant by it. I decided then to butt in, saving him from his brain exploding with thoughts;
"When I sleep at the school, I have these visions. Dreams. They kinda warn me about upcoming events." All George does is stare back at me, then he was wavering his fingers at me in a circular motion, signaling for me to go on.
"Like me meeting the Boss. I learned through one how to not get-hurt." George just narrowed his brown eyes at me, clearly not fully believing a single word I just said.
"So why don't I have these bizarre visions too then?" I narrowed my eyes right back at him, hating how much of a hypocrite he was being.
"Now who wants some answers too, hm?" He simply rolls his eyes at me, then adds;
"I'm just asking because I-" George doesn't finish what he was saying, but I connected the dots anyway, knowing exactly what he really wanted to say.
"You don't believe me." He only shrugs at me, unable to look at me now.
"Well, you should. I know Lectra does, and she doesn't even remember anything. Maybe I should just stick to talking to her about everything-" I wasn't sure why it was getting to me this badly. If George was coming to me with the same story, I probably would have been hesitant to believe him too.
But George was just dismissing it immediately, not even giving it a chance, that was the difference. In a second I was standing up from the water, already leaning over the tub, ready to leave George and his judgmental ego alone.
"Wait Issa! Don't go. I'm sorry. I'll try to understand." I barely move from my position leaning over the edges, side eyeing George heavily now as he began waterfalling words at me to keep me present.
"I guess-it isn't as farfetched as everything else happening. It's believable, I'm just being an idiot." Taking a deep breath in, I turn back around to face him, also standing with me.
"Just, please. Stay here. With me." That was when I finally gave in and was sitting myself slowly back down, unsure what it was that did me in. Was it George saying he would give me a chance on believing me, or was it just because for him, I would stay with him no matter what he did? I knew I gave this man too many second chances, but if the school wasn't the universes way of keeping us together, I didn't know what was.
I sat down and George followed shortly after, giving me a shy smile along the way.
"So, uh, do you just get the visions at the school, or here too?" I was surprised that he was actually showing some interest again and not just instantly changing the subject.
"No, not yet at least. Well-hold on." It wasn't until just then that I remembered I maybe had gone through something much like a vision once here too. Only I was wide awake, not sleeping, much like Blake's visions. It was the day when George and Cam first showed up at the house together.
At the time I was too preoccupied with tending to George in his room and getting away from Lectra with Brooks texting me to actually worry about what the hell was happening to me. But now looking back and remembering, it was definitely some weird vision of some sort. Some incredibly crude vision at that.
"I did see something once. But I was awake." I was trying to remember it completely, but it was all hazy. It was such a long time ago at this point. All I remember was seeing images of Cam and George together with me, kissing and feeling up eachother romantically. It was obvious we were all together.
"Okay. What happened then?" I can't make myself keep eye contact with George this time as I remembered exactly what had happened between us three.
"Um, well. I don't know if it was exactly a vision warning about something from the future like they usually do, but it sure was clear as day to see happening. It was more like someone was-showing it to me somehow." I finally force myself to look at George who was now giving me a curious look.
"You didn't answer me. What happened in the vision Issa?" I can feel my face heating up from his gaze, and finally all at once I cave in and blurt;
"It was some sort of relationship going on between you, me and Cam, okay? We were like kissing and touching and-and you get the point." I watch as George's eyes grow wide from my explanation of the three of us possibly having a relationship together, like he had always wanted. It should have been a dream come true to him, but as his face falters into shock instead of happiness instead, I grow concerned.
"What is it?" George lets out a dry, humorless chuckle as he asks;
"W-When did this happen exactly?" His voice sounds soft yet so harsh as he speaks and all I can do is wonder what has gotten him so jittery.
"It was the day we 'first met' at the house in Lectras room. Why?" I can finally maintain eye contact long enough as I speak to catch a flicker of something that looked like pure realization in Georges face, along with a hint of embarrassment. He stops talking then, leaving my mind to wonder. I was quick to repeat myself, slightly more intrigued now;
"Why George?"
"I uh-after I went back to my room after being downstairs that day, I was kinda-imagining exactly that happening between the three of us too. It was also very vivid." All I can do is blink back at George who was now awkwardly swirling his fingers in the water around us as he admitted himself to me.
"Okay-so you're saying you also saw it too, or-?"
"No-that's not what I'm saying Issa." George interrupts me so suddenly I have to hold my breath to keep my composure. He hastily returns to finish his sentence once more after I was silenced again;
"It wasn't a 'vision' like yours was. I was just-thinking it up. Right then and there in my bed. I don't know why or how you were also seeing it with me but-" Throwing my hand up and wavering it in the space between us, I halt George from saying anything further, trying to pick up on whatever he was trying to get at.
"So-what you're trying to tell me, is that you, somehow-showed me what you were thinking?" George simply nods, still showing nothing but embarrassment written all over his red face.
"I'm sorry George but that's kind of ridiculous. I know what I just said about listening to eachother about all of this, but telepathy? C'mon." As soon as those words leave my throat George's face falls flat.
"What? So when I don't believe you it's wrong but if it's the other way around, it's totally fine?" He is completely calm as he spewed his words, but it's incredibly obvious that he is hurt.
"Okay, then show me what you're thinking right now George. If you think you can. Prove me wrong." The hurt stays in his face only a moment longer then in its place was fury.
"Fine." In an instant, George was rotating himself to a more comfortable position and leaning back, eyes closed and breathing deeply, clearly trying to get some kind of zen going.
"I'm waiting." He doesn't bother opening his eyes at my interruption, instead he tosses a handful of water at my face then immediately gets back to work. Seconds pass, then soon it was a minute, and still I saw nothing different than the brown haired man in front of me floating rhythmically to the waves the bubbles created, with occasional twitches from his concentrated face, trying his hardest to prove his point, but only failing.
I take one more look at his tucked out expression and decided I couldn't stand another second of watching him.
"George just stop! It's not going to happen. It was probably just a weird coincidence, that's all. We don't have some crazy psychological connection, okay?" George's eyes whip to life once again and find me, now rising to my feet and walking out of the hot tub, reaching for my towel to dry off.
I wasn't sure what set me off exactly. I couldn't tell if it was just from all the craziness today has had to offer, or even from the heat rising into my face and causing me to lose it that way. But I was sure that I didn't know how long I had in the real world before I was ultimately sent back to the school again.
Because what I did know for one hundred percent certainty, was that I would be going back. And I wasn't about to waste it here watching George try and show me his stupid thoughts.
"Hey. Woah, where are you going? What's wrong?" I'm already heading out the door before George even gets the chance to step out of the tub to try and stop me. I don't even glance his way as I open the door and step out, shouting behind my shoulder as I announce;
"I'll see you later. I just need some air. Sorry." I close the door behind me a little harder than necessary. I then make my way through the house and find my way back to my room that I had anticipated actually waking up inside of earlier, only to lay down in bed to pass out instantly.
What George and I discovered today was huge, I knew that. And eventually we would have to talk about everything more in full. Just not right now. Right now all I wanted was today to just be done with, and it wasn't even afternoon yet.
Ugh.