Next Life (COMPLETED)

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Photography was going to be a fun class. The professor was young and clearly passionate about what she does. I admire that. Luna and I were walking back to our dorm after class talking about our excitement for the class.

"I really like Ms. Bernard, I feel like my dad would too." My eyes widen at her words, but I try to remain as nonchalant as possible.

"Oh yeah she seems cool," I cringe at the fake sound of my voice. I hope Luna doesn't notice.

"She's pretty too. I really want my dad to get back out there. I understand he misses my mom, I do too even though I never met her. But he is so lonely and I just want to see him happy," she sighs.

She really is quite an amazing daughter. She always puts Alexander first, constantly worrying about him and trying her best to make him happy. It warms my heart, but the selfish part of me doesn't want Alex seeing anyone. I'm not entirely sure what I came here to the University of Washington for. I knew I wanted to meet my daughter and I wanted to see Alex again, but I never planned further than this. I feel like I'm in too deep now, like I'm getting too close. I wanted to talk to Alexander again, see him again, hear him again, but I never really expected the emotions I feel now to come back full force. I love him just as much as I did as Alexis, if not more seeing him with our daughter. I feel selfish wanting him all to myself when I'm stuck in an eighteen year old body and he only sees me as his daughter's friend.

"You're a good daughter Luna," I simply reply and she smiles at me. She thankfully changes the subject and I internally scold myself for feeling this way.

When we get back to the dorm I call my mom to check in. I end up going outside and we talk for a while. She tells me how she is thinking of moving in with her sister, my aunt because it's getting to be too hard being in our house all alone. My heart ached for my mom, when I came here I was worried about her being alone and was the one to suggest living with my aunt while I'm away. She's thinking of just moving in all together and selling our old house. She says it holds too many memories and it hurts that dad isn't there with her. I encouraged her decision, having lived multiple times it's almost like you get used to things like this as horrible as that sounds. Living the way I do you kind of have to though, I mean be ready for things like death and moving on. I've had to deal with one too many deaths in each life and it's hard every time no matter how many times I dealt with it, but I'm getting better at dealing with it and moving on. I'm more affected by how death affects the other people I love that are still alive. People like my mom and Alex and Luna, I hate seeing their pain.

After I hang up with my mom I lean on the building of my dorm and sigh. One thing you'd think I'd be used to by now is dealing with the fact that I have lived multiple lives. But it's hard to get used to something you don't understand. I tried to figure it out, why this is happening to me for a long time. I thought maybe this life would be easier because of the technology we have now, but nothing but myths and legends come up when you look it up. I've seen a few stories of people with similar experiences as me, but not exactly. Their memories aren't as clear as mine, they don't remember everything and if they do they don't remember more than one life. I even read one story of someone in a similar situation as me telling people about it and now she's being constantly studied and monitored by scientists. That's why I'd never tell anyone I didn't trust. I don't want to be an experiment. I'm a human who's lived multiple lives not a lab rat.

I'm lost in thought when a hand begins waving in front of my face. I flinch from being startled and I hear Luna's giggles. "You really do zone out too much Charlie," she laughs more.

I smile and roll my eyes, "I warned you."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways I'm headed to dinner with Wayne, I'd invite you but—"