Scenario
When Theo wakes up, he realizes that everything that happened -including Shade and Imade were only a figment of his imagination. A way to cope with his anxiety and depression.
However, is she really just a character he made up in his head?
THEODORE
"I'm feeling feeling vibes on vibes" she screamed the walls down and I laughed in the living room.
"I'm a ticking dynamite" God, she was no Celine Dion and she didn't even want to hear it. I didn't mind though.
"Stop singing, Imade. Please?" I called and she walked into the living room, wearing her pajamas. She put her hands on her waist and glared at me with her lips pursed in obvious dissatisfaction.
"You missed our date, Theo. Why are you acting like it never happened?" She was mad. Really mad. Really really mad and I understood why. I really didn't want to but the business talk dragged on for hours and I didn't realize when times passed.
I exhaled and stood up, tugging my tie off.
"I'm sorry, babe. I really am. I tried calling you but you weren't answering and so I asked my assistant to pick you up. Forgive me, yeah?" I pulled her close and she groaned, throwing her head back. She was so beautiful.
"I'll make it up to you. I promise" I kissed her lips and she smiled into the kiss, wrapping her arms around my neck. I pulled back and brushed my knuckles over her cheek.
"Let's go to bed."
"You owe me" she poked my chest and I chuckled, nodding.
"Yes ma'am" I grinned and pulled her up the stairs. We climbed into bed after we took a shower. She rested her head on my chest and it just felt so right.
For some reason, I was scared to close my eyes. I feared that she'd disappear. I wasn't sure why but I had been feeling like that after her accident. I probably wouldn't survive if it happened again.
The rays of the sunlight felt different today and so did I. I felt sick. I groaned in bed, searching around the bed for Imade but it was cold.
Like she wasn't there.
"Baby" I groaned, forcing myself to sit up.
"Imade?" I exhaled, climbing out of bed as I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. I picked my glasses off the bedside table and that was when I realized that those were my old glasses.
Letting out a sigh, I glanced around the room and noticed it again.
Where was everything? Imade's bags that she usually dropped on the couch, her things on the vanity table and her favorite bedside t
My brows furrowed and I searched around for my phone. Again, something was wrong.
My flip phone was on the bedside table. That wasn't my phone. At least, not anymore. I stopped using it so long ago.
"Imade?!" Confusion filled me like an oasis as I walked out of my room. The house even smelled different. It was a familiar scent but I couldn't remember what the hell it was.
Glenna walked past me, talking to her boyfriend on the phone. She walked past me like it was her house.
"What are you doing in my house?" I asked, clenching my jaw? My eyes unconsciously glanced around for Imade. Had Glenn done something to her?
Glenna stared at me like I had lost it.
"What kind of question is that, Teddy? What's your wife doing in your house?" She raised a brow and shook her head, continuing down the hallway.
"What the fuck are y- you know what? Get out" I waved my hand at her and walked out of the room. My heart dropped when I walked into the living room.
It was like she was never here. The curtains weren't the grey and blue ones Imade got, they were dark -the old ones that used to be there.
"What the fuck are you ta-"
"Get out of my fucking house, Glenna" I snapped and jogged up the stairs, searching for my phone because something didn't fucking seem right.
My heart was racing and God knew my vision was getting blurrier. I couldn't find my phone anywhere, so I picked the flip phone and dialed her number.
"The number you've dialed does not exist. Please check the number, and try again" I tried twenty times and each time, I couldn't understand what was happening.
It was like she was never here.
"Her apartment" I mumbled to myself and shot up, slipping on a sweatshirt. I snatched my keys off the table and jogged out of the house. I stopped when I saw the car in the garage.
That wasn't my car. I remembered changing it.
I scrapped that damn car after Imade's accident.
I exhaled shakily, walking towards the car. Opening it, it was void of any of Imade's property and my fear grew even stronger.
I gulped and climbed into it, driving to the university's student estate. I climbed out of the car and walked to her door, pressing down on the bell again and again till someone opened the door.
It wasn't Imade.
"Professor Stephen" the green eyed girl smiled, fluttering her lashes.
"W-Where's the girl who lives here?" I pointed at the house, my hands shaking and I could feel that familiar feeling. I hated it. A panic attack.
The girl looked confused and tilted her head.
"I'm the one who lives here. I've been here for three and a half years" she added and I shut my eyes taking a deep breath and exhaling.
The realization that I was refusing to accept swirled around in my head. I couldn't accept it.
"Is something wrong, Professor Stephen?" The girl held my hand and I snatched it out of her hold, stumbling towards the car.
"Calm down, Theo" I whispered, my voice shaking. I picked my phone and noticed how hard my hands were shaking as I called Ash.
"Hey man, what's up?"
"I-i can't find her" I whispered, glancing around the car.
"Who? Glenna?" He said her name with distaste and I wondered why he would even think about Glenn in this situation.
"No! Not Glenn. I can't find, Imade!" I snapped and he went silent for a couple of seconds.
"Imade? Who's that? Ah, you dirty old man. Who's she? Your girlfriend?" Asher sang and the phone fell from my hand.
"This isn't happening. Take a deep breath" I whispered and nipped on my bottom lip as my eyes burned with unshed tears.
Imade couldn't have gone too far.
Maybe she was still mad at me for missing our date last night?
"She'll be back soon" I mumbled and drove to a coffee shop. I sat down, still dialing her number as I sipped on a cup of black coffee.
I refused to believe it. This couldn't be happening.
"Babe, I'm sorry" a male yelled and i turned to the scene. The woman sitting across him poured a glass of water on his head and leaned over, whispering something into his ear.
Something about her was the only thing that I was familiar with today. She spun around and my jaw dropped.
"Imade?" I whispered and followed behind her, jogging after her as she walked out the cafe.
"Babe!" I called and she spun around. My heart filled the minute I saw her. It was like the first time we met.
"Are you talking to me?" She pointed at herself and I smiled but the smile quickly died down. She didn't have that look in her eyes anymore. That sparkle in her eyes when she looked at me. She looked at me like I was a stranger.
And I wondered if I was. Was this a dream?
"Can I help you?" She asked, lashes fluttering as she tilted her head. Her shoulder length hair swayed and her fringe parted at the center.
Imade hated hairstyles that let hair get in her face.
"You don't...you don't know me?" I took a step closer to her and she pursed her lips, eyes running over my body.
"Should I?" She smiled and I took another step closer.
Why was she staring at me like she didn't know me?
"We're engaged. We've been dating for over a year." I blurted out the words that came to my head and she stared at me before laughing.
I smiled as she laughed, moving closer to her. I wanted to touch her to feel her and know if she was just a figment of my imagination but I didn't.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, hun but you got the wrong person. It's my second day in Cali...besides, aren't you married?" She nudged her chin and my hand and I glanced down at my finger.
It was the gold band. I exhaled, staring at it.
It was unfamiliar like I had found myself in another world. She was the only thing that felt familiar to me.
"I'm not too fond of cheaters but I like your eyes." she winked and pulled a pen out of her pocket. Taking my hand, I shut my eyes at the onslaught of feelings that coursed through me.
She wrote down her number and left an 'xoxo'
"Call me if you wanna talk...or fuck" she spun around, walking towards a power bike. She pulled her helmet on and climbed on the bike. She glanced at me one last time before speeding off.
When she left, it was like the clouds grew darker.
I went back home, feeling like I had the whole world on my shoulders. Glenna was there, watching TV in the living room.
Everything passed like a blur. I detested myself. I wondered if I had gone insane. Was it all just a dream or I had imagined all of it?