Reel or Real

Chapter 38

The look in Alex's eyes only intensified with each step that she took closer to me and I'd be lying if I said that I'm not nervous right now. The look in her eyes is similar to what a predator has when she's about to pounce on a prey and devour it.

She then began to raise her hand and reach out to me. I contemplated between pushing her away or to scream at the top of my lung to alert Amanda, who I just remembered is still in the kitchen. I was about to do both of it when, suddenly, at the next step Alex took, her knees buckled and she fell to the floor with a loud thud.

A kind of strangled, panicked scream escaped my mouth and Amanda was quick to rush back in, a glass of juice in her hand with her eyes wide in panic.

"What happened?!" she asked in a holler and I just pointed to a now passed out Alex lying on the floor with her face flat on it.

"I-I don't know, she just suddenly fell" Amanda and I knelt beside Alex and that was when I was hit with the smell of alcohol coming from her and, when I raised my head and saw Amanda looking at me, I knew that she smelled it, too.

"Help me carry her to her room" Amanda ordered and we immediately grabbed one of Alex's arms and pulled her up with a heave.

"This is the only time that I'm hating all the muscles that you have" when we're about to take the first step up the stairs, Amanda suddenly spoke and, despite the seriousness of the situation and the hardship that we're currently in, I couldn't help but to laugh a little. When we're in the middle of the stairs, Amanda then suggested to just drag Alex up the stairs. By then we were both breathing heavily so I couldn't muster a laugh even if I wanted to.

When we finally reached Alex's room, we had barely lifted her in her bed when Amanda suddenly released her. Luckily, I was able to pull Alex in the middle of the bed before she could fall to the floor for the 2nd time tonight.

"You go take care of her, I've already exerted too much energy carrying her up" Amanda huffed as she walked out the room. I was about to protest but, when she looked back at me; I saw a different glint in her eyes. I immediately knew then that she has a different intention than what she's saying and, because I was distracted with that revelation, she was able to walk away.

I sighed in defeat and looked at Alex. The first thing my eyes caught sight on is the red mark on her forehead and I'm pretty sure it'll bruise tomorrow.

I'm going to need to ice it.

Do I, though?

I could just walk away, too. The reason I'm here is to talk to Alex, for a reason that's still unknown to me, and with Alex's current condition, talking is something that she currently can't do. I sure as hell don't need to take care of her.

But look at her.

What about it?

She looks... sad.

I looked at more intently and noticed how her forehead is creased, her brows knitted together in a frown. Then, I remembered all the time that she was there for me when I needed her, even when she didn't need to.

It's wasn't real. It was just part of her plan with Johnson.

I tried to convince myself, but the way she would listen to me for hours cry and rant about everything doesn't seem fake to me. All those hours she spent comforting me never once felt less than a hundred percent genuine.

She's just a victim here, too – a victim of Johnson.

Amanda's words then attacked my mind and, before I could process what was happening, I stood up and went downstairs. Amanda was looking at me questioningly when I reached the bottom of the stairs, but I just immediately went to the kitchen to look for a basin and immediately went back up the Alex's room after filling it up with water.