Left to right: Jessie Miles, Lydia Todd, Claude Harris, Jocelyn Wright, Wayne Wright (Joy Father), Martin Clifford, and Kinsley
~~~
"Welcome back, Claude."
I opened my eyes to see Kinsley standing in front of me. I stood up instantly and grabbed her by the collar, "you better explain how I got to my house and how I got a superpower."
"This is how you greet someone?" Kinsley plastered a smirk on her face. I let go of her, and she patted her clothes, "you won't remember anything before you got into Joy's memories."
"Why not?" I ask as I cross my arm.
"Well... It's a lot to explain," Kinsley said as she scratched the back of her neck, "you kinda deserve an explanation since I'm going to screw up your brain a lot."
"What?" I furrowed my eyebrow in confusion.
"I really can't explain entirely to you about how this works. But, don't worry, you won't get this dream a lot. Just think of this as a lucid dream," Kinsley explained, "and I'll tell you one piece of information every time we meet."
"Why don't you just come to my house and explain it to my face?"
"I can't. I'm basically inside you now. You can only meet me in Joy's memories," Kid added, "I have already made every dream enough information for your to handle, and I can't add more."
I sighed, giving in, "Where are we anyway?" I asked Kinsley.
"Still at Joy's," Kinsley responds.
I look around to see the room. It's a massive room with the chandelier in the middle and the dining table under it. I can see Joy and another family sitting across while eating their steaks- except Joy, she's eating healthy food that I don't understand. Also, I didn't see her mom here. Mr Wright is in the middle of the end of the table, and another man is sitting on the other end. Behind Mr Wright, there's a fireplace, and above there's a massive painting of ten-year-old Joy and her family, including her... Brother? Maybe that's Dion, the guy that Joy mentioned.
I approached the dining table to listen to their conversation.
"Martin. How did it go in Harvard?" Mr. Wright asked.
The guy at the other end answered, "It was great, father-in-law. I have reached the highest GPA in the last semester," Martin replied. Well, this is the face of Joy's fiancee. He has messy brown hair a beard, but he still looked pretty neat with his suit.
"Show off," Joy's voice echoed inside my head. I stifle a laugh. I can't be more agreeable with Joy.
"That's great, Martin. You'll be the perfect successor for me and a good husband for my daughter," Mr. Wright said, and Joy didn't respond.
"Shut up."
"I believe in my son too," Mr. Clifford joins, "how about Jocelyn? When will she graduate from high school?"
"Well, she's still in sophomore year, George. It would help if you were patient," Mr. Wright responded and laughed.
"Gosh, are you listening to yourself, people? You sound like a child molester," Joy voiced in my head. It's sad to see her getting matched by their parents underage.
"How about your son, Dion? I haven't seen him since he left Oxford for his PhD," Mrs. Clifford asked.
"He's doing a fantastic job there. Even though he hasn't come home for a year because he's always busy," Mr Wright responded.
"Nonsense. He hates you, and he always calls me and flies here every time he's free," Joy thought. Does Joy live behind her brother's shadow? Like in the movies, the older sibling is always better than the younger ones. Thank God I'm an only child in my house.
"I'm done eating. George, Layla, would you care to join us for wine tasting? We just bought Château Lafite Rothschild wine," Mr. Wright said as he patted his mouth with a cloth. The maids were getting their dirty plates. Mr. Wright stood up and led the Clifford for a wine tasting, leaving Milton and Joy alone.
"What's special about this memory?" I asked Kinsley.
"Well, this is the day when she finally meets her fiancee. She always hated this day," Kinsley said, and we approached closer to the couple. It reminded me of what Joy thought of how I reminded her of sophomore year.
"Jocelyn?" Milton called for Joy, and she turned her attention from her phone.
"You can call me Joy," she added.
"Right, Joy. What do you think of high school?" he asked? Why is he even asking that?
"It's, torturing," Joy replied and rolling her eyes.
Milton laughed, "I remember what my high school days were like. It was also torturing."
"Where was your high school?" Joy asked.
"Calstock Owls High School. It's somewhere in Washington, D.C," Milton answered.
"Great, a private school," Joy thought. She nods in response.
"If I may ask, why didn't you go to a private school?" Milton ask.
Joy cleared her throat before answering, "I never liked private school."
"What makes you hate private school?"
Joy shrugged, "I don't know. I just thought public school is more interesting. The students are much more enjoyable."
Milton tilts his head, "but have you ever looked at any private school? Private schools are much better than those low ends schools. I can guarantee you," I can see Milton's hand reaching for Joy, but she pulled her hand.
"How would you even remember about your high school if you're already a college student?" Joy asks in a sassy tone.
"I just passed my first semester. I still remember some things about my high school," Milton answered. When Milton scooted his seat closer to Joy, his mother called for him.
"Milton, can you come here and taste this wine?" Mrs. Clifford appeared with her wine glass.
"Yes, mother," Milton replied, "let's talk later," he said to Joy and winked. After that, he left Joy alone and joined with the other.
Joy took a sharp breath and lay her head on the table, "Dear God. How long can I keep my life a secret from everyone?" Joy said to herself. She must be tormented because she can't tell anyone about her situation. I can sense the unhappiness inside her. I felt like I wanted to hug her and tell her that I understood her feelings.
"Can I touch her?" I asked, but I realized it sounded weird, "I mean, I want to hug her and not touch her anywhere."
"If you try to touch her, your hand will go through her body," Kinsley said as she punched her head, but it went through, "remember, she's 16 here."
"I'm not a child molester! I'm still a minor, too," I said as a matter of fact.
~~~
I finally woke up from Joy's memories. I opened my eyes to see an unfamiliar room with Lydia sleeping on top of me... Naked? Not to mention I'm also naked. What the hell happened?
I tried to remember what had happened today. Alright, let's do a recap.
First, after I talked with Jessie, I waited for Lydia until she finished her training. Second, Lydia and I went to another argument. Third, I snuck out from my house to go to a party from my class, and I met Lydia here. And fourth... I don't remember much. I looked over my shoulders to check what time is I, and it's midnight.
I tried to let Lydia off me, but she opened her eyes and groaned, "you didn't plan on leaving me, did you?"
I shook my head, "Of course not. I'm worried if my parents know that I snuck out."
"Ugh, can you not?" she said and sat up, "you satisfy the hell out of me, and now you're worried about getting caught?"
"Did I?"
She scoffed and wrinkled her nose, "do you see my nose growing five inches after telling you that?"
"No," I replied.
"Good," she got off the bed and swept for her clothes on the floor.
"I'm sorry, I didn't remember. Maybe it's because of the alcohol," I said as I grabbed my clothes, putting on my pants my hoodie.
"You didn't drink a single drop of alcohol, Claude. When you arrived here, you apologized, and we went straight to sex," she said as she opened the door.
"I'm sorry!" as I left the room. The party was still alive. Although it's midnight, they were still chugging alcohol down their throat, "I think it's because it was the most incredible sex we've ever done, and it gives me amnesia."
"Cut the bull. I was the one who cum, not you," Lydia said as she put her hands up to stop me, "I'm going to my friends, so stop following me," I threw my hands and grumbled. Then Lydia went outside to the back to meet with her friends, and I approached Jessie, who was chugging a one-liter beer.
"Slow down, Sports. No one is cheering for you," I said to Jessie as she finished the whole beer and slapped the one-liter beer on the island.
"But he did," Jessie pointed at Kale, and he awkwardly waved his hand at us, "nevermind. So, how did it go?"
"I don't remember a single thing before I had sex with Lydia," I said as I massaged my temple.
"Instantly went to sex, huh? I figure you two made up but," Jessie raised an eyebrow at me, telling me to complete the sentence.
"But, she said I was the one who apologized."
"Bitch, you better be joking," Jessie waved her finger at me, "I told you to stand up for yourself and not let her get into your head. At this point, I don't understand why you're trying to maintain this relationship."
"Because I've been with her for two years," I sighed and took a solo red cup without knowing what was inside, letting the burning taste of th alcohol down my throat, "I'm sorry that it wasn't my fault for her to be friends with the cheerleaders."
"Why is she blaming it all on the cheerleaders," a voice echoed in my head. I looked around to see Joy with her friends playing billiard while looking at me, and then she looked away.
"That bitch," I clenched my fist. I hated how she talked about Lydia and how I think she looks good today. She looks cute wearing a varsity jacket that's too big for her- focus, Claude.
"Who?" Jessie turned her attention to where I was looking, "you're talking about Joy?"
"She said that I'm blaming it all on the cheerleaders, which is true. It's their fault!" I said as I marched down to Joy.
"Claude! Where are you going," Jessie pulled my arm to stop me, "what are you talking about? She's miles away from us, and she didn't even say a single word."
"I can listen to her thoughts, Jess. I've been telling you that for a whole day!" I said to Jessie.
"You know what, you need Jesus. Come on. I'll get you a Bible," Jessie pulled my arm, but I yanked her.
"I'm atheist, you idiot."
"You're Catholic!"
"That's what in my ID said," I continue marching down to the blonde who's already paying attention to the billiard. I tapped her shoulders twice, and she turned around, "Hey, can we talk?"
"What do you want, Harris?" Joy asked as she put down her cups on the side of the billiard table.
"I know you were eavesdropping on our conversation earlier, and I know there's something you wanted to say," I said to Joy.
"Uhm, I don't understand what you're talking about," Joy tilted her head in confusion, "Was I was that obvious? I should stop eavesdropping on people from now on."
"You were pretty obvious when I noticed you were looking at me," I said, ignoring that I could listen to her thoughts.
"Look, I'm sorry if I offended you or something," Joy said as she dropped down her hand to the side.
"What's wrong with-" as I was about to finish my sentence Jessie covered my mouth with her hand.
"Hi, Joy, nice to meet you again. Look, sorry for the disturbance. My friend here is drunk, have a good night, Joy," Jessie pulled me away from Joy, but Joy called me, and we stopped our tracks.
"Wait, I may have something to say to you," Joy said as she approached me. Here you go, the persistent cheerleaders who don't like to lose, "first, I don't like how you blame your broken relationship to the cheerleaders. What did we even do to you?"
I looked to Jessie for permission to talk, and she nodded, "well, you did change my girlfriend. That's for sure."
"I didn't. She did it herself," Joy said, defending what she loves.
"I don't get it. I don't mind about her new appearance whatsoever, but I mind about her personality change."
Joy sighed, "I can agree on one thing about that," she took her cup and drank it all, "I thought Lydia was cute at first, shy and all of that, but suddenly she became a whore."
"Hey!" I snapped at her.
"Sorry, I mean slut. She's a slut," Joy rephrases even though it means the same.
"Ha, you're smart, Joy. I'm starting to like you," Jessie crossed her arm, feeling impressed and all. I glared at her, but she ignored me. Jessie pointed at Lydia, who I thought was talking to her friend instead. She's talking to a guy, "I can see your point there."
"How can you live with a person like her?" Joy asked.
"Because she wasn't like this before," I said, and I looked around to see any alcohol laying around, asking for someone to consume them, and I found Absolut vodka on the kitchen island. I grabbed it, and when back to Joy and Jessie, I drank it and hoped alcohol would draw it off my sorrows.
"Can you just snap at her for once in your life?" Jessie said as she tried to steal the alcohol, but I pulled away.
"She hasn't?" Joy asked Jessie in disbelief, "and slow down with the drinks, tiger," she turned her attention to me.
"Nope," Jessie responded by popping the P.
"I have! And why do you care anyway?" I asked Joy.
She shrugged, "Because I know when someone deserves a better relationship when I see one."
"And I know a nonsense person when I see one," I jeered at her.
"Hey, she's just being nice. Maybe the alcohol kicked in," Jessie said.
I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, "Sorry, I know you have a good intention, but I have too much problem today."
Joy nods, "Yeah, I understand that," of course, you do. You had much more problems than mine, and somehow I need to get involved in your life.
***