After all, we're childhood friends.
Her words kept running through my mind, ringing like bells, pounding like drums. What does that mean? It couldn't be true, maybe I was still dreaming. but I felt SO awake!
"What did you just say?" I asked, as if searching for some sort of confirmation that I wasn't seriously going insane. She smirked at me.
"As if you didn't hear." she whispered and turned her attention back to the board.
"I need you to explain-"
"Time to time, Lyndsey. You'll have everything clear after school, okay?" she whispered.
"Hey, you two." Mr. Bouvier called us out. "If what you're saying is more interesting than my lesson, why don't you tell the rest of the class too?" he was usually chill, but since Alexa was the new girl we were kinda getting too much attention.
"Um... Uh..." I mumbled, not sure of how to respond. Luckily, Alexa took control of the situation.
"We're fine, thanks." she said. Mr. Bouvier raised an eyebrow at her and rolled his eyes.
"I don't think you want to get trouble on your first day, miss San Roman. First warning." he said and went back to the lesson.
I turned my head to see Alexa roll her eyes and open her notepad. She ripped a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. I tried to focus on my textbook and whatever Mr. Bouvier was saying, but it's hard to concentrate when you find your imaginary childhood best friend to be in the same class as you.
Then a convoluted piece of paper was tossed on my desk. I picked it up and turned around, seeing it was from Alexa, so I opened it.
The note read: "Meet me at the park at the end of the school. Come alone."
When I looked up at Alexa, her eyes were glued to the blackboard. She was playing it cool while I was nervous as hell. What's next, meeting Santa? I wouldn't be so surprised at this point.
I decided not to question it to her and folded the paper, placing it in my pocket.
--
Alexa hurried out of the classroom before I could follow her to ask her anything, but it didn't matter. I don't think she would've explained anything anyway, we were going to meet up soon.
"Is it me or there's something strange about that girl?" I heard Brian's voice coming from behind me, once I was in the hallway. When I turned around, he was walking next to me, setting his backpack on his shoulder.
"I'm not sure." I shrugged, lying. Of course there was something wrong, but if Alexa wanted to meet me alone maybe I wasn't supposed to talk about it with someone else just yet.
"I know you know something. Spit it out." he urged, and I shook my head.
"Lyndsey." I rolled my eyes.
"She's an old friend of mine. That's all."
"No, you're hiding something more."
"I said, that's all I know." it wasn't a total lie.
Sure, I didn't mention she was an imaginary friend, but I was sincere when I said I didn't know anything else. Alexa had always been reserved and somewhat mysterious, but for all these years that my parents had been convincing me that she didn't exist, I thought it was just the 'fascinating side of the character'.
Something that I created with my own ideas. Now, I wasn't so sure about that.
However, I was glad that History was our last lesson, so now I was able to go and meet up with Alexa.
"Hm I have to go. See you." I told Brian and waved at him.
"Bye..." he mumbled, a little confused. Without even realizing it, I started running through the hallway. I spotted Justin while running past the lockers, and he gave me a puzzled look as well, but he didn't question it and kept walking toward his locker.
I rushed outside and to the sidewalk. I'm not one to hurry about things, but I really needed answers and I needed them as soon as possible.
I was headed straight for the park...
Wait. She said park, she didn't say what park though...
The nearest park to the elementary school.
These words flew in my mind like a rush of wind. I remember I and Alexa weren't in the same elementary school, but we would meet up here often, and then we'd go to the playground. She sure meant that one park.
I went there with no hesitation.
--
Here she was, sitting on a bench with her eyes closed, relaxing. The weather was great, not too warm nor too cold, though it was sunny. There wasn't that much people, just a few kids playing on the lawn with a ball and a little girl making soap bubbles while riding on an older man's back.
I silently sat down beside Alexa, and she must've sensed my presence since she smiled a little.
"They say there's more peace when you close your eyes." she stated. I stayed silent.
"It's only half a bullshit. When you keep your eyes shut, your ears hear all the sounds better because it's like your mind, even unconsciously, focuses more on each sound. But at the same time, your mind gives you the chance to picture the scene by yourself and lets you feel more detached from whatever sound bothers you. With your eyes closed, it's easier to decide what environment you're in." she explained, and that's when her mesmerizing eyes shot open and she turned to look at me.
Her eyes were so bright, sometimes they would make her look so innocent. Some other times, they would make her look kind of intimidating. This wasn't one of either things, they just made her seem... sincere. Genuine.
I nodded at her and went to speak up, but she preceded me.
"You're going to ask me about it now, aren't you?" she said, with a soft sigh, turning her head back to towards her. I pondered and bit my lip.
"No." I responded, surprising myself too. Alexa furrowed her eyebrows.
"No?"
"Before doing that, I'm going to yell at you." I said. It wasn't programmed, but I felt like I needed to. She left without saying a word to me, and worse than that, she made me look crazy. Everyone thought she didn't exist and told me I was imagining her... Part of it was her fault. I had every right to be mad.
She let out a laugh and shook her head, causing me to furrow my eyebrows and narrow my eyes at her.
"Do you think me being mad is funny?" I asked, shocked.
"No, no. I get why you're mad, but..."
"But what, Alexa? Do you even realize what I've been through? No, you couldn't know it. Because you weren't here. You weren't here when I needed you and you left without even saying goodbye nor why you were leaving!" Something inside me was increasing and I didn't know whether it was good or not. It didn't feel like a nice emotion though.
It was anger.
"Lynn, I-"
"Shut up! Everyone thought I was insane because apparently you didn't exist! How comes that whenever I wanted to show you to my parents, you'd disappear?!" I raised my voice, crossing my arms towards my chest. She sighed and I decided to give her a chance to explain while I cooled off a bit.
"I often needed to go out of the country." she said.
"You never told me about any trip." I pointed out, a little less enraged.
"Because I wasn't allowed to talk about it."
"Yeah, sure." I rolled my eyes.
"Lynn, you have to believe me... I wanted to spit it all out but, I couldn't. Okay?"
"Well, why not? Were they threatening you? Are you in the Witness Protection Program? A spy? Who are you really?" I asked, then paused "Do you even exist?" she sighed and nodded.
"Yes, I do. And it was none of that. But I get why you want explanations and I think you deserve some." she said and sighed.
"I'm all ears." I said, quietly. She rubbed the back of her neck and searched for the right words to spell. I guess it wasn't easy for her to word a speech about not being an imaginary friend.
"My father works for the American government... and it wasn't easy for me to go wherever I wanted to. All the family needed to lay low." she started.
"It wasn't a job like the others. He's in the secret services, you know. American secrets." Okay. That was unexpected. Secret services... I just heard something really astonishing, I wasn't sure what to do so I just took a deep breath.
"That explains why you moved..." I mumbled to myself. Yet I wondered why she was telling me. I mean, it was incredibly private information. It's stoking that she trusts me this much.
"Yes... We had moved several times. I loved hanging out with you, I swear, but I had no choice. When the call comes, we don't question it and start packing. I actually tried to protest because I wanted to either stay here or having you come with us." I raised my eyebrows.
She wanted me to come with...? I wasn't expecting this. Until now, I just thought she was an asshole for not telling me anything and giving me this roller coaster ride of anxiety due to the fact I was going insane.
"You know... By the time you were gone, my parents inducted the conviction that you didn't exist in my head. I started to think you were an hallucination..." I confessed, smiling sadly and looking down.
I adverted her gaze and saw her giving a sympathetic look as well.
"I'm sorry for what you went through... Especially because of me. I truly am." she said. I could tell she was sincere, her voice sounded really serious. I nodded and looked up at her again, locking eyes with her.
"Why are you back?" I asked. Then she grinned.
"Because there's a few things I wanted to get back." she said simply, and I tilted my head to the side, giving a confused look.
"What do you mean?" she rolled her eyes.
"Isn't it clear? This time, you're coming with me. I mean, if you want to, but I don't think you'll pass this opportunity."
"Wait, what? To go where? Why would I come?" I stumbled my words. My head was so messed up at the moment that thoughts were entangling to themselves and I couldn't think straight. To make it short, I was confused as hell.
"To your favourite destination." she replied, still grinning. I still didn't get it.
"Got it, you're bad at guessing. Have your dreams been replaced with something else recently or you're still up to find your happy place?" she asked. My eyes grew wide and my mouth shot open.
WHAT.
"WHAT." I echoed my thoughts and got up rather quickly. She giggled.
"Hey, don't freak out. You already knew that place existed, didn't you?" She said, cooly. I stood there with my mouth wide open staring at her, not knowing how to react. Apparently she was getting a little annoyed by my reaction cause she rolled her eyes.
"Alright, I'll tell you what. You have two options, you either come with me and bring your friends along, or you stay here and keep going with your life." She said, turning very serious.
"Who assures me this is not bullshit? How comes you show up all of a sudden like this?" I asked, crossing my arms.
I trusted Alexa a lot when we were little, but after all I couldn't tell if she was just playing, messing with me. Not yet at least. Part of me wanted to scream yes, that I'd go with her, but my gumption was telling me to wait for more answers and reason about it before possibly getting humiliated.
"Look, it's up to you. You can believe me if you want, you can decline the offer if you want. If you have questions, I'll do my best to answer them." She said. Hell yeah, I did have so many questions. "But not now." She added. I frowned and gave a confused look.
"What?"
"I will answer if you come with me, only in that case. I can't do otherwise." I meditated about it, not questioning her statement. If she couldn't, she couldn't, the reason wouldn't change a fact.
What may I have to lose? I hated my life back here. I based my knowledge and mentality off that beautiful place and now she was offering me a ride to it, why was I even hesitant? I had been preparing myself to this moment for so long.
"Okay." I breathed out. "I'll come." She smiled to me and gave a firm nod, standing up.
"Great. Return to your house, pack your stuff and call who you want to bring. Just a few people, pick carefully. Also, take this." She handed me a folded piece of paper. I looked at it for a few seconds as she spoke.
"It's the address where we'll meet up. Show up at midnight, kay?"
"Why so late?" I asked.
"Is it a problem?" she furrowed her eyebrows.
"I mean, no, I guess..."
"Good! Then I'll see you later and... give you the answers you deserve." She was already walking away when I called her name.
"Alexa!" she stopped dead in her tracks and turned back around to me.
"Hm?"
"Are you sure you really exist?" I asked, awkwardly. At this point I couldn't be sure about anything. She smirked to me.
"I am. As long as you're willing to believe it." She winked and left right after, leaving me with a feeling of confusion. We had just met up after ages and she was already messing with my mind.
But it didn't matter, I had a track now. I was willing to believe in Alexa, I was willing to test myself, and to leave all the darkness behind.
This is not just all in your head.
---
A/N: Another early update! Oh Alexa is amazing