Alex stood up and walked out her room, her mom had called the school that she was going to be late. So Alex got ready, and surprisingly Andrew was outside.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were at school.” She said, he looked at Alex from the driver's side. He looked at her and chuckled softly.
“I couldn’t let you go alone now could I.” He said unlocking the car.
“Get in. Hurry.” He said moving his backpack from the seat. Alex opened the door and popped in closing the door. Once she fastened her seatbelt they drove off. She was looking out the window, all that was heard was the soft hum of the car’s engine. Something caught her eye, as she saw Ms. Romanova outside her house, once she looked up she looked scared.
They made slight eye contact before they turned the corner.
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“You OK?” Andrew as Alex, but her mind seemed elsewhere.
“Yeah… Yes I’m OK” She said her leg bouncing up and down hitting the glove box. She wiped her hand on her jeans rolling the window down for fresh air. The wind tangled in her hair but it felt nice, feeling the last warm breezes of summer. School had started less than a week ago, they had gone stargazing on the last day of summer to Lake Michigan along with Isabel Torres, Jeremy Tai, and Lucas Brown. They got drunk except for Andrew, he said he had to be sober if he wanted to drive back home alive with five juniors, well except for Jeremy, but well Jeremy always acted like a damn five year old.
They got to school, Isabel came running from her car with Katie.
“Hey guys, Oh My God. Guess what, me, and Katie got on A team for volleyball isn’t that awesome!” She said bouncing around.
“Yeah that’s great guys.” She said looking at Katie who was quiet, Alex nudged her arm with her elbow and whispered.
“What’s wrong? You’re never this quiet.” She said, noting the slight blush on Katie’s face darting her eyes to her left. Alex followed her gaze leading her to Lucas. Alex laughed and waved at Lucas who was standing with Jeremy by the door. They walked over to them, smiling.
“Hey what’s up dude.” Jeremy said ruffling Alex’s hair, Alex hit him slightly on the arm she laughed pushing him away slightly. Jeremy laughed bumping into Isabel, she frowned.
“Jeremy! You’re so annoying.” She said Katie stood there glancing at Lucas from time to time. Alex noticed Katie’s gaze on Lucas. And an idea popped into her head.
“Yo, Lucas. How ‘bout you and Katie go to the er… to the bleachers and we’ll meet up there.” Alex said, giving them a nod in the direction of the bleachers and they walked off. Alex grinned as she turned around to face Jeremy, and Andrew. “Come on guys. Let’s go to class. Those two are gonna have some fun.” She started walking and then she stopped mid-way to class. Ms. Romanova stood there on the opposite side of the hall, papers in her arms. Ms. Romanova smiled awkwardly and went to her classroom. Alex followed her, since she was in her fifth period and the lesson began. Alex sat in the far right corner next to the window. Ms. Romanova started her lesson, government and economics. But Alex dozed off, time slowed as it tried to keep up with her thoughts. Ms. Romanova’s voice slowed down too. Her accent, becoming more and more foreign. The muffled chatter coming from the hall, the laughing freshmans outside, her own heartbeat slowed down as well. She blinked slowly, Alex was trying to stay concentrated but she just couldn’t stay focused no matter how much she tried she just couldn’t until she heard her name bringing her back to reality.
“Ms. Thomas. Alexandra. Are you alright?” Ms. Romanova said from the front of the classroom.
“Uh. Yes sorry, what was the question?” She said, looking at the board. Ms. Romanova sighed and started talking again. “I asked. Who wrote the constitution of the United States.” But Alex had zoned out again, her thoughts winning over her concentration. Before she knew it class had ended. As she was about to step outside the door her name was called.
“Alexandra. A word please.” Said Ms. Romanova as she leaned against her desk. She crossed her arms as Alex walked over to her.
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“Yes, Ms. Romanova.” She said, sweat started to tickle her palms. She looked up and Ms. Romanova got off the desk and stood straight. “What happened today you’re never so spaced out. Did something happen yesterday? You were late today. Well maybe not late because you arrived during lunch time. But still is everything OK?” She asked, Alex stood there for a moment before answering. “Yes, everything’s alright. Just a bit tired, that's all. And sorry for not paying attention today.” And with that she turned around and walked out, Katie was waiting by their usual spot but this time she was with Lucas.
“Oh, hey Alex.” He said Alex smiled but soon her eyes flicked from his eyes to his hand holding Katie’s hand. They all walked to sixth period together, and then school ended. Alex met up with Andrew, Katie had stayed today since she had to attend art club. Andrew said goodbye to Jeremy and walked to the car, they drove off down St. Louis street to Alex’s house. “So how was school, or well the last three classes of the day?” Andrew asked once he stopped at the stop sign. “It went OK… Well I zoned out in Ms. Romanovas’ class. And uh I think Katie and Lucas are together now? But you ask her since you're her brother after all.” Alex said taking out her Ipod, and popping a headphone in and she started to listen to her favorite podcast, Andrew turned the radio up a bit, and he looked concerned.
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"We have been informed that something has happened in the mile radius between Westmore High School and West High St. Looks like two teenagers have been in a car accident. We don't know their names yet but the car is a 2010 black BMW 3 series. Plate number, HJI-234 if you know who these people are please report to West High St. the accident was just four minutes away from the school, so please help us.”
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Alex looked at Andrew taking her ear-phone out, Andrew looked terrified. “That’s Lucas’ car.. Wasn’t he giving Jeremy a ride?” Silence fell over them, and without warning Andrew turned around in the middle of the road and drove back to the school, that’s when they saw the police cars. He parked near the school and they got off.
“Woah there you can’t just step into the scene.” Said an officer, eyeing Andrew from the corner of his eye and looking at Alex. “We’re sorry but those are our friends please.” She said trying not to make the desperation in her voice seem noticeable, the officer sighed and let them pass. Jeremy was sitting on the sidewalk with a bandage on his arm. “Where’s Lucas?” She asked, Jeremy looked at Alex and then at Andrew, with fear in his eyes. And then Alex tried to not believe him.
“Jeremy. Where is Lucas?” She said the desperation in her voice now coming more noticeable. Jeremy just looked at her and he shook his head.
No no no no no no. She thought to herself. “No… Where’s Lucas? Where is he?No he can’t be.. No!” She felt like screaming, even if she wasn’t close to Lucas as much, she was shocked. What would Katie think? Would she be alright? Will she cry? Everything started to spin inside her head and around her. She ran to one of the paramedics.
“Hello, I’m one of Lucas’ friends. Lucas Brown. He’s a bit tall, brown silky hair, hazel eyes, light brown skin? He was wearing a uhm he was wearing shorts, and a black t-shirt.. Does it ring a bell?” Alex asked, and the lady looked at her. “Yes, yes I know he's at the hospital close to St. Bernard. Just ten minutes away from here.” She said taking off her purple gloves and placing them in her front pocket. Alex nodded. “We’re going to the hospital, let's go.” They drove off, to the hospital. Alex went up to the counter. “Lucas Brown… Is Lucas Brown here?” She said tapping her finger aggressively on the counter. The nurse looked at the papers in front of her. “Yes. Room 234 down the hall to the right.” He said giving her a wide smile, Alex sighed and nodded. She went to room 234 and knocked softly. She entered all that was heard was the quiet beeping of the monitor.
“A-Alex? What’re you doing here?” Lucas asked. His voice was weak and different, a voice Alex couldn’t recognize. He lifted his head a bit, a patch adorned the side of his head, along with what seemed like some type of serum. He winced in pain, and Alex placed her palm against his hand. “You have to rest, Lucas. Tell me what happened.” She asked, sitting on the chair closest to the bed. Lucas sighed, “actually I don’t know. I just know that we started spinning and we hit something, and everything went black. After that I don’t know.” He said, fear in his eyes.
Alex nodded in response. Lucas leaned back looking at her.
“Where’s Katie?” He said, Alex shook her head.
“She hasn’t answered our calls. Must be busy with practice or something.” She said fidgeting with her bracelet. She looked at Lucas, he wasn’t responding. His eyes were closed, and his breathing had become more subtle.
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“Lucas? Lucas, please answer.” She said her bottom lip quivered. She stood up, and cupped his cheek. “Tell Katie that… That I love her, and that I’m sorry to leave her. And you and Andrew, and Jeremy, and Isabel. I’m sorry it’s not my fault I just can’t keep going.” He paused. “Sorry.” And then the monitor went blank, only a straight line, and Lucas’ sad eyes slowly closed. Alex stared at him. Tears raced to her chin, and doctors came running in. They escorted her out the room and she walked to the waiting room. Andrew stood up almost immediately when he saw Alex come out. Her hands were on her mouth muffling her sobs. Time slowed again.
“Alex? Ar…E you…. O….K?” Andrew said but for her it just sounded like nothing, just a voice. She looked at Andrew and fell into his arms, “He’s dead Andrew… Dead.” She said, placing her forehead on his chest, crying. Andrew stroked her hair gently. He held his own tears burying his nose in her hair.
“What will Katie do..? What will she do?” She said looking up at Andrew. He wiped the tears on her cheek, and shook his head. “I dunno, but she’ll be devastated too-” He got cut off when Katie entered the building. “Where is he!” She said with tears in her eyes, she walked up to Alex, and Andrew. “Where the hell is Lucas!” She said looking at Alex then at Andrew then back at Alex.
“In a better place Katie. In a better place.” Alex tried to hold her tears again but it wasn’t working. Jeremy paced back and forth with his phone to his ear. He said Isabel a couple of times, and then Isabel arrived along with Mr and Mrs. Song and the Brown’s. His mom started crying and yelling at the doctors. That night Alex couldn’t sleep at all, she just replayed his last words over and over again in her mind.
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‘I’m sorry it’s not my fault I just can’t keep going… Sorry.’ Until they were foreign in her mind, what would the world be now without Lucas. One more person added to the list of people she might forget about if she doesn’t look at pictures of them. School won’t be the same, she won’t be able to hear his stupid laugh, or his dumb jokes. Katie will change, Alex feels it. The Brown’s lost their only child. Lucas’ dream is now gone. His dream of being a global impact to kids younger than us is now gone. And even though Alex’s room was dark since it was night her surroundings seemed darker now. More dule.
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She curled up in her bed, her knees were against her chest and she buried her face into her knees, wrapping her arms around her legs. She cried silently so her mom wouldn’t wake up, and Max wouldn’t hear her from down stairs. Her mind started replaying every memory with Lucas,from kindergarten to now. She cried until it felt as if all oxygen had escaped. Was this how it felt when you died not feeling oxygen, part of the world becoming darker?She didn’t even want to think of that…
Oh wait. It’s too late.
The next day no one attended school. They all stayed home. And as expected by Alex’s observations Katie changed, from night to day. She was distant now, she didn’t know how she had changed her whole entire personality in 24-hours just like that. So it was just the four of them. Isabel, Andrew, Jeremy, and Alex. They went to the woods. They hung out for a while, until it hit Alex, these were the same woods they found both Alice, and Elijah.
“I can’t believe he’s dead. Just can’t.” Alex said, while throwing leaves into the fire without a reason. Jeremy hummed in response. She didn’t know if they felt it too. But she did know Andrew felt it. It all replayed in her mind, the news that night police cars, news reporters, the sirens passing by her house. It was all too familiar. Soon she felt something hit her back.
“Ow! What was that?” She said standing up. She looked behind her, and something caught her eye, a poster stuck to the tree. She walked up to it, it was one of the missing posters for Alice.
“What the-”
BOOM…. BOOM….BOOM.
Alex turned around, fire in the distance.
She turned back at the poster, and snatched it and ran towards the campfire again. Andrew stood there, with the same expression. But Isabel, and Jeremy seemed to not notice anything.
Andrew. You heard that too right?” She asked, as he nodded. Isabel, and Jeremy stayed by the campfire. They looked at the sky, but the fires were just fireworks.
“Why the hell are there fireworks in September?” He asked, and Alex shrugged. A wave of relief washed over her. They weren’t in danger. At least that’s what she thought. She felt something in her pocket.
The poster. She took it out, and flattened it out. She read over it, the picture of Alice catching her eye. The smile almost faded in her mind too. Andrew scooted closer to her, looking over her shoulder at the poster.
“Where’d you get that from?” He asked leaning closer to see who it was, Alex passed it to him. Their fingers brushed against each other slightly, a weird spark flooded both Andrew, and Alex. But she shook it off. He nodded at the poster. But something was on the back, you could see it from the dim glow of the fire. She squinted and took the paper from Andrew’s hands.
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‘Be careful… Or you might end up like them… Each passing second you will get closer to the truth.. But the truth is something you don’t want to know Alexandra.’
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Time slowed once again, the laughing turning into heartbeats in her ears.
“Who… What do they mean, by ending up like them?’ She asked. Her grip tightening on both sides of the paper. Andrew scooted impossibly closer to Alex, his knee brushing against her thigh, his hand creeping under her leg a bit without intention.
“Let me see.” He said, grabbing it from her grasp with his free hand. He frowned.
“How do they know your name?” He said, “and what do they mean by not wanting to find the truth… Truth about what- Wait.” His head turned to Alex, searching for an answer to his thought. And it was there in her eyes.
“No.. But how would they know?” She said, her leg jumping up and down. He placed his hand on her knee to ease it a bit.
“I don’t know. But I told you it can be dangerous.” He said, trying his best not to snap right there on the spot.
She sighed. “I know, I know. But-”
He shook his head. “No buts. Just don’t get hurt. I can’t lose you, and if I lose you, who knows if I’ll be able to save you. Just promise you won’t get hurt doing this.” He said, pleading in his voice. Alex smiled and nodded. She knew Andrew was right. Who knew if she got hurt, if he could save her.
The next day at school, Alex’s world had become darker and Lucas’ funeral was coming up, which meant that would be the final time she gets to ever say goodbye to him. But all she needed now was to focus on school.
She entered history class, and Ms. Do greeted her. Alex smiled, not really. It was more of a half smile. She sat at her desk, in the middle of the class where it was colder. Class went on as usual. A knock on the door was heard. Ms. Do opened it, Ms. Romanova stood there with a smile, but Alex felt something off in her presence, something that had never happened before. The air in the class got heavier. And she knew she wasn’t just being weird, because Isabel seemed uncomfortable too. They exchanged a look. A look that meant the same thing for the both of them.
Katie had her head down, Alex whispered to her.
“Katie.. Katie.” She said, poking her arm. Katie looked up at Alex and rolled her eyes.
“What do you want Alexandra.” Katie said Alex was caught off guard when Katie called her Alexandra.
“I- You seem different..” She said, trying to maintain her voice steady. Katie rolled her eyes.
“I’m fine. Just leave me alone.” And she turned around to talk to one of the popular kids. Which was new to Alex, since Katie had always said she hated them to their gut. But maybe things always change. Alex looked back at her hands, Katie glanced at Alex a few times and snickered everytime she looked at her which made Alex furious.
“What’s your problem Katie?” She said, trying to maintain her cool. Katie scoffed. “Nothing. Just that, I can’t believe we were ever friends. That you dared to call me your best friend.” Katie said with a disgusted look on her face. Alex looked at her dumbfounded. “Wait.. What?” Alex’s eyes flickered between both of Katie’s eyes.
“What are you saying Katie?” She said, and Katie rolled her eyes. “You know what I’m saying. You think my brother is guilty, that he killed Alice, don't you?” She said Alex's jaw dropped. “Wha- No I don’t why do you think I’m doing my end of the year project about what happened. Elijah is innocent, and I don’t know where in your right mind you heard me say he was guilty.” She said standing up, Katie stood up too. She crossed her arms, and Katie laughed.
“Dumbass. We both know you’re lying. All you want is attention. Everybody is trying to forget that night. Grow up, it’s been five years. Anything people come up about it people will believe. So shut it. And grow up!” Katie said, raising her voice. Alex smiled.
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“I think you’re the one that should grow up Katie. Not me. I don’t care if Westmore is trying to forget about it, I’m not giving up on Elijah I don’t care what you think. It’s my choice not yours. And if I was you. I would stay away.” She said, stepping closer. Katie laughed, her breath hitting Alex’s face. “Well, give up on him. It’s not that hard, and I won't stay away until you stop your little stupid thing you got going on here.” She said looking at Alex up and down in judgment. Taking a step closer to Alex until there was no space between them.
“So we can go the hard way or the easy way. It’s your choice.” At this point Alex knew she had lost Katie forever, her best friend now turned into her enemy. Katie sighed and slapped Alex.
Alex’s hand went to her cheek within seconds.
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“What the hell?” Alex pushed Katie, Ms. Do, and Ms. Romanova stopped talking. They turned towards Katie, and Alex. Katie was against the wall, as she tried to break free. Alex was holding onto Katie’s arms, her eyes watery from frustration.
“Please Katie, I don’t want to do something that might hurt you.” She said, her grip tightening more. Katie kicked Alex, and she fell to the ground. Ms. Do pulled Alex before Katie could even hit her. Ms. Romanova had Katie in her arms, Katie tried kicking free but she couldn’t.
“Fuck you Alexandra Thomas! You’ll pay for this!” And that was the last thing she heard from Katie the rest of the day.
“Hey sweetie.” Her mom said, as soon as she entered the kitchen, Alex threw her backpack on the floor, and she didn’t even bother taking off her shoes. Her mom set the knife down on the counter, washing her hands and cleaning them on her blouse.
“Everything alright?” Her mom said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Alex shook her head with a frown.
“I got into a mini fight today with Katie.” She paused. “Told me I was a liar, and all I wanted was attention, and that I should give up on Elijah. Well if I were Katie I wouldn't give up on my own brother. On Max.” Soon Max popped in. “What about me?” He said opening the fridge door to grab an apple. “Your sister got into a fight today.” Her mom said, and Max choked mid swallow.
“What, with who?” He said leaning against the counter, his reddish-brown hair falling over his eyes. Alex groaned.
“With Katie. OK? I don’t want to talk about it, I have a project to finish.” She said grabbing her backpack and skipping up the stairs, almost falling when she skipped the fifth step.
“But dinner sweetie.” Her mom said, “not hungry.” Alex called out from upstairs. As she slammed her door. Her backpack landed on the floor with a loud thud.
A few minutes later a knock appeared on her door, long then short.
“Go away.” She said, crossing her arms.
“I don’t think I will, Harper.” Andrew said from the other side.
“Not until you let me in, and I get to comfort you.” He said, placing his hand on the door-knob. Alex sighed.
“Fine, but if Harper is your go-to nickname now.. No thank you, you know I hate when you call me that.” She said, opening her door. He smiled.
“Awe but calling you by your middle name is adorable.” He said, patting her head, she rolled her eyes and gestured for him to come in. Once Andrew had walked in she closed the door behind them.
“So tell me what happened.” He sat on the edge of her bed, looking at her, taking in every feature. His eyes lingered on her more than what he had expected so he looked away quickly.
“Well your sister.. Katie thinks that I’m a liar, that I think Elijah is guilty, and that I just want attention. What am I to her.. A roach?” Alex said, and Andrew burst out laughing.
“Wait.. Wait.. Wait. Ok that’s funny, but then you’d be a cute roach.” He said, Alex frowned.
“Shut up.” And that was the biggest mistake of her entire life.
Andrew smirked. “Make me.” He stood up walking over to her.
“Andrew, you said you would comfort me.” Her heart was thumping in her ears, too loud to where she thought he could hear it.
“I know but I never said what type of comfort. Now did I?” He stepped closer to her, “So you gonna make me shut up or what?” He asked, his face nothing but inches from hers, his gaze went to her lips.
“Andrew.” She said, pushing him to the bed. She started tickling his side, Andrew laughed trying to break free. “OK, OK you got me!” He said, switching the position. He looked down at her, “Now we’re talking.” He teased.
“Shut up…”
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