It Is What It Is (Sequel to TSC)

Chapter 3

I'm walking through the park with Theo when Isabel walks up to me. She looks like nothing ever happened. Looking at her now, I'm starting to believe it. All of those horrid things ever since the Talent Show never happened. I close my eyes. I want to believe it. I can have Isabel come to my house for dinner like she normally did 5 times a week. I can ask her how her day was even though I was with her for all of it. She can hug me in the morning like she hasn't seen me in forever when realistically she saw me yesterday. I open my eyes again and Theo walks away and stands behind Isabel. What is going on?

"You have to choose," Isabel tells me.

"Choose what?" I ask.

"Do you want Theo or me?" Isabel yells at me with anger in her eyes.

"I-I..." I stutter. I can't choose between one. I love them both with all of my heart, but Isabel is scaring me. "Urm... I-I-I'm not g-going to choose b-between one of y-you. I-I can't."

"If you choose me, you will never see him again. If you choose Theo, you will never see me again and I will make you feel guilty forever! Are you really going to give up the one person who has put up with you since kindergarten?" Isabel screams at me, and Theo just stands behind her doing nothing.

What is happening? I want to sprint away as far as I can, but I can't move, I can't blink, and I can't breathe. The world around me is getting dizzy, and that's when I realize...

This isn't real.

I jolt awake from a restless sleep as my dream drips away. This isn't the first time I have had a dream about her. As I move out of my bed and head to the bathroom I notice the ungodly hour that my dreams have awoken me to this time. It's three in the morning. I slam my palms on the bathroom counter. I let her slip away right through my fingers. Everything was great until the Talent Show. Everything was just fine until murders had to bust through my school. I haven't been to school in three weeks. There is only one week left, so I'm not even going to try to make an entrance there again. I splash water on my face and head back to bed. When I can't fall back to sleep, I find myself wondering why there were shooters after Theo's life to begin with. Staring at the ceiling, I realize that it is time me and Theo have a talk about why he is on someone's to kill list.

•••

Theo and I are sitting at the park and I finally build up the courage to ask him.

"Why were they trying to kill you?" It may seem blunt but I don't know how else to ask.

He looks at me confused until realization washes over his face, looking down at the floor he begins to talk. "I'm not entirely sure why they were trying to kill me, but I have a feeling it's because of something that happened when I was about your age." He pauses as if it's crucial that he choose his words carefully, "You see when I was younger I wasn't the happiest person and I began putting a lot of my time into computers and technology in general. I began hacking into small things like chat rooms for fun and one day I stumbled upon something.... Illegal being discussed."

He stopped and I began nodding my head urging him to continue and eventually he did. "These two men were dealing drugs to minors and I turned them into the cops. They ended up doing fifteen years in prison because of me."

Hearing the story I began to wonder if going to the cops would help or just put him in more danger when they get out again. That is if they do get out.

"But it wasn't because of you. They were doing things they shouldn't have been, and I'm glad they were caught. You did the right thing, Theo. Don't let your mind tell you anything else." I reassure him. I look at him sympathetically realizing that until these guys were dead or in jail he would never be out of danger.

As I gave him a hug all the anger I have had since Isabel's death began to resurface. He squeezes me with as of his might. It's not much because he still weak from the hospital. I kiss him on the cheek and the memory of the hospital flashes through my mind. He looks down into my eyes, smiles, and then kisses my forehead. We both know we don't mean anything romantic about it. I'm surprised Ruth hasn't checked on him yet. The only reason he is still here only because he has to check with Dr. Patel everyday. Once that's over, I'll have to find something else to occupy by days. I'm not looking forward to it. Someone isn't going to just pop up into my life like they did. I'm so grateful to have them in my life. I loose my train of thought when Theo says, "Let's go get a bite to eat; my treat."

I chuckle and reply, "No. I'm paying. You paid the last two times. My grandma gave me money to get lunch for her anyway."

He sighs in defeat, takes my hand, and leads me to the nearest restaurant.

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