Hello ladies and gentlemen.
I know, I know. You guys were almost certain that I was dead/kidnapped/other vile things. Anyways, I am not and I finally found the time to continue this story. And no. I, Sandra the awesome (not really), promise to never abandon this story again regardless of how many of you are still reading this. I read all of your comments and I feel awful to have stopped writing. Also, my parents have convinced me to keep going. So keep going is what I did. I'm graduating high school in a month so projects, projects, projects, magazine, thesis. Yay. But don't worry, I'll make sure to upload despite the hectic schedule.
Happy reading!
Sandra xx
Chapter 17
The light felt blinding. I shifted in discomfort as I was awakened and turned away from the sunlight streaming from the window. I had not the idea what time it was but I was certain it was far too late to arrive on time for first period. I groaned in annoyance before willing myself off the bed and shutting the curtains.
What day had it been? It seemed odd that I remembered nothing for I was certain something had happened as I awoke to a tear-crusted face. I paced forward and backward deep in thought struggling to recall whatever it had been that worried me –left me in tears.
Then it hit me.
Drew. Amy. Powell. McKinley.
I lost my balance almost at once. I fell forward towards the floor yet I had not cared. I breathed deeply for I feared I may begin to hyperventilate. I could not allow this to happen to me. I had been aware of the damages caused by emotional stress to my illness and the pain was excruciating.
What had I to do? I loved Drew; I loved him more than life. I could not bear the thought of losing him –betraying him. Indeed we had not known each other long but the instant I laid eyes upon him, I was certain he was different; the instant I had seen the look on his face as I confessed to him my illness, I was certain I loved him. And then there was Amy. How I cared for my sister. I could not imagine life without her. I could not begin to think of putting her in harm’s way for anything. It was unfair. I did not ever wish to choose between Drew and my sister. But I had –and now what? After what occurred last night I was no longer sure of my decision. Had it been wise to choose Amy over Drew?
I no longer wanted to live. Not after this.
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“Hey, you!” I heard a familiar voice say, as I entered Starbucks –where else had I to go?
I smiled in greeting. “Oh, Stef! Hey.” I headed towards the cashier and ordered a non-fat caramel macchiato before seating with Stefani.
“Where have you been, Al? Haven’t seen you in school today,” Stefani asked, as she stirred her Americano with great care. She had been in a better mood today than I had seen her for a long while.
“I was running late and decided to ditch,” I shrugged, before taking a sip of coffee.
“Oh my, seems like little Alice is turning bad,” Stefani commented, a smug expression etched on her face.
“I am not!” I responded quickly in defense. “I was just ……. Not in the mood for school..?” I reasoned, unsure of how I would evade her accusation.
“That’s what they all say in the beginning, Al. But don’t worry, being bad is not that…..bad, really. All you gotta do is not be like B. I mean, I love her to death but with the kind of trouble she always seems to get in to you’d be done for without her brains and balls,” she shrugged matter-of-factly.
I smiled, before taking a sip of coffee. There was a long pause before any of us spoke. I hesitated for a moment. I had been meaning to ask Stefani about Drew –I could not quite figure out what occurred between them that left them in an odd state whenever one was with the other. I turned towards Stefani. I did not want to ruin her mood but I could no longer hold the curiosity that had boiled within me. “Hey Stefani, may I ask you something?”
Stefani paused, glancing towards me with caution. “Sure, I guess. About what?” She asked, crossing her legs and turning in my direction completely.
“I noticed the tension between you and… “
“Drew?” Stefani finished, her stare turning frighteningly cold so as her tone. “Like I said Alice, Drew is no good. In fact, he will never be good. We used to be the closest of friends you can imagine. We did everything together. Drew never talked much about himself but he was always there for me. I met him way back, before he moved to Los Angeles. My parents were good friends with his. When Drew decided to move to Los Angeles, I moved with him. I convinced my father of the business opportunities in Los Angeles and he agreed to move,” she paused for a moment, staring at nothing in particular.
“So what happened? It’s a shame that you are no longer friends now from what I understood,” I asked, my brain slowly grasping what Stefani had said.
“I fell for him –hard. Really hard. But he didn’t love me that way. It was difficult for me to understand but after a while, I learned to accept it. I thought things would go back to normal but they didn’t. One day, he just disappeared; he wouldn’t answer my calls, he wouldn’t return my emails. Nothing –I was shut out. And then when he returned, he acted as if he didn’t even know me,” she finished, eyes glistening with unshed tears. Stefani blinked furiously before sipping her coffee once more perhaps to swallow the lump forming in her throat.
“I’m so sorry, Stef. I didn’t know.” I could not begin to process the information that Stefani had revealed. How could Drew have done that to her? Drew had been indeed many things but a heartless person he certainly was not. I refused to believe that Drew could be as insensitive to have done such a thing –but who had I been to accuse him of these things? Perhaps he had a reason for doing what he had done.
“Of course you didn’t, Alice. I mean, it’s only been a few months since you came to East Delton. Besides, if you had known would you really still be seeing him?” Stefani responded, her tone filled with bitterness and regret. “I don’t really have the right to tell you what to do, hun. But if I were you, I’d leave him. In fact, I would stay the hell away from him –as far as possible.”
I remained silent. A thought had struck me then: Had Stefani known about who Drew truly was? I had reason to believe that she had indeed and quite possibly reacted awfully which led to their end of friendship contrary to what Stefani had claimed. However I could not be so sure.
Stefani cleared her throat. “Anyways, I’m going to have to leave you now, Al. I have a date to get to,” she said, her tone brightening.
“Really? So date number one went well?” I guessed, relieved that Stefani had no longer sounded bitter.
She grinned as she began to rise and head towards the door. “Better than expected,” she replied. She waved once before finally leaving.
I slumped backward as I had once again been alone with nothing but my thoughts. Theories on Drew and Stefani aside, something or someone occurred to me –Powell. If I was not mistaken, he had been with Drew that night I had discovered who he truly was. Had they not been talking about information? But what information had Drew wanted from Powell? And if Powell had true to his word, been covering for Drew this whole time and furthermore aiding him to obtain information, had he been an ally? I recalled my earlier confrontation with Powell. He was most certainly menacing –frightening as all the others. I had now been certain that it was necessary that I found what Powell’s true intentions were.
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“Honey, dinner!” My mother called from the kitchen.
I heard the familiar sound of a slamming door and the distinctive sound of Amy’s feet bounding down the stairs. Amy had been doing well since having been released from the hospital and for that I was grateful. AH1N1 was a hazardous flu which had taken the lives of several. For a moment I was consumed by the thought that it would have taken my little sister as well. Fortunately there had no longer been a need for worry. Amy continues to visit the hospital to ensure the flu would not return although her visits are held on greater intervals now.
“Aliiicceeeeeeee!” my mother bellowed, suddenly interrupting my thoughts.
“Coming!” I responded, before bounding down the stairs as Amy did.
Dinner with my mother and Amy had been silent. My mother did not talk much and I was much too lost in thought to bring about a conversation as well. Amy was too consumed in her pasta to utter a word and I was certain my mother was thinking about my father who has been continuing to disappear. He reasoned that it had been for a business meeting yet I was certain and I know my mother was as well, that he told nothing but a lie. He gave the same reason for disappearing every moment he decided to vanish. Initially, my mother thought he was away with another woman but she knew better; my father loved her far too much. Now it had dawned upon us all that the reason for his departures was me –and now, Amy. However it was strange for him to have left once more for now Amy was well and I was alright. Conceivably this time it was in fact a business leave.
As I returned to my room once more, I remembered the conversation I had with Stefani and what I had come to realize soon after. I was now certain that the only chance I had of possibly stopping Dr. McKinley was Powell. He must have had some sort of plan as he seemed to be allying with Drew.
I could only hope now that Powell had truly been an ally. Powell was the last hope –the last resort. Without him, there was no escape. If what I had feared was right and Powell has betrayed Drew then it was game over.