Mad About You

Ten-Icky Nicky

Needless to say, I was called Mrs. Icky Nicky after that, but luckily, we moved a few months later. It was the only time I ever felt glad that my mom was a move-a-holic.

My phone suddenly went off as I tried to figure out the last answer to the derivative equation.

It was Alex. I picked it up on the second ring.

"Hey An, I hope it's not too late."

"Hey Al. No, it's definitely not. I was actually still up working on some Cal homework. What's up?

"I just wanted to check on you and see if you were feeling any better."

"Much better than yesterday for sure."

"That's great. I feel so horrible. Your first day and you get wrecked."

"Oh no I live for getting wrecked. I just wish my mom hadn't been a part of the equation."

"Yeah, if I had known where you were, I wouldn't have even messaged her back. She found me on Facebook and messaged me because she said you were supposed to check in at 11:30 and I had to let her know something because I didn't know where you were. I panicked. I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine. I'm actually glad that she had someone to get in contact with. She probably would have had the Swat team looking for me otherwise."

"Wish I could say the same about my mom but if I went missing, she probably wouldn't even bother searching even after the 48 hours."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"You don't know my mom."

"Well, my mom really likes you so she would definitely do it."

"That's great because I was going to ask if I could stop by your place tomorrow after school. I love Izzi but talking to her about boys is like talking to Brick about fashion."

"My mom actually has a double tomorrow, so she won't be home until midnight."

"Great we can watch something, and I can tell you about all the goss that went down today in school."

"Okay sounds like a plan."

"Well see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you then."

I hung up the phone and saw Tyler laying on my bed, frowning at me. He was leaned over to one side, head resting on his hand.

"What?" I asked with a shrug.

"I thought we had plans."

I rolled my eyes.

"You're sounding really codependent right now and I thought you didn't invade my privacy."

"It's hard not to do when you're bored to death."

"I think that saying only applies to the living and you can pick up objects, why not read a book?"

"I've read everything there is to read in this house twice. I don't think I could read your mom's Harlequin novels for a third time."

"You are deathly bored if you got through all of those once let alone twice."

"Then let's get back to it." He said patting the bed down for me to come lay with him.

"Homework remember," I said holding up my calculus book. "And we have all the time in the world."

Though a huge part of me wanted to forget about calculus and just join him.

He groaned as he sat up on the bed.

"Time for me doesn't exist. It's just an endless void of nothing and now I have memories to keep me somewhat distracted but it's not the same as being alive."

"Explain."

"I don't know. I really can't explain it. The best way to describe it is a feeling of emptiness that is until we..."

"Merge?"

"Precisely. It's not a feeling I would ever wish on my worst enemy that's for sure."

"What did you do while I was in school?"

"Walk around. I saw the Santa Monica Pier. It looks different now."

"So, you can travel anywhere you want?"

"I don't know. The furthest I've gone is the pier and the further away I am from the house or you, the less whole I feel."

"So, you think the house is what keeps you in this state?"

"No, I think it's you that keeps me in this state, but without you I can't travel that far on my own."

"So how did you get to the party then?"

"I don't know. It was like poof I was there instantaneously when I heard you call out for help."

"So that would make you metaphysical, something that I definitely don't believe exists."

"Then you better start because here I am." He said standing to his feet and spreading out his arms. "Why do you think that creep left so fast?"

"It's one thing to see things that could be all in your head but if what you are saying is true then that would mean almost every theory about the spiritual realm is true and for someone who has their head far into logic that is some heavy stuff man."

"Look I get it. It's not every day that you see a dead guy and if things were reversed, I'm sure I would be rocked to the core as well, but you're going to have to accept at some point that this is real and that you have to deal with this. I'll give you time to take it all in, but I'm not going away...I don't think I could even if I wanted to."

And like that he disappeared.