To the right is a picture of Christian (the officer)>>>>>>
Also, the song fits more toward what happens near the end of the chapter. Or at least the lyrics do.
***I've become so numb... I can't feel you there...become so tired, so much more aware****
There were no words that could describe how distraught I am at the moment. And to make matters worse my little escort to my parents failed to enlighten me with a simple fact that he was to escort me the whole way to Texas; where my parents are waiting for my arrival.
“You know, you really don’t have to come with me on the plane.” I started, “it’s just a waste of time and money to come and go just to make sure I get there safely. Why can’t you just call my parents and say I’m on my way.”
Beside me, Christian twisted in his seat. He had been highly interested in a magazine that was handed to him while boarding the plane by an attendant. His clear eyes sparkled slightly before he spoke.
“Oh, sure I know for a fact that you can arrive safely with no problem. What worries me is if you’ll actually get there.”
I feinted hurt, placing a hand over my chest, “Why officer, I wouldn’t dare do such a devious deed.”
He arched a brow, a low chuckle rumbled up his torso, “Right, because you are such an angelic girl.”
“The sarcasm wasn’t necessary” I snapped, turning my attention to the open window beside me.
Did I ever mention I am deathly afraid of heights?
At the moment the cotton puff balls that we call clouds roam closer to the plane in a silent threat. I swallowed hard, dropping my eyes to the ground bellow. It was so far away, just a green speck to my perspective vision. Yet, the plane continued to travel onward, not bothered by anything. The purring vibration of the engine tickled the soles of my shoes, the feeling relaxed the muscles of my legs however it refused to reach my agitated stomach—which continued to churn nauseously.
What is one of the engines over heat? Or a suicidal bird decides to slam its frail little body right into the pilot’s window, spooking him out while making him lose control of the plane. Then we all spiral down to our horrible death!
“You doing okay there, Elaine? You look a bit green.” My eyes flickered over to Christian, his brows knitted together in worry. I let out a heavy breath, wiping my sweaty forehead with the back of my hand.
“Yeah, I’m good. Just not much of a fan of heights is all.” I croaked before swallowing hard. Suddenly my abdominal heaved, my palm smacked over my mouth.
No, No, No!
It’s not even possible for me to vomit; I haven’t eaten since last night!
“Elaine, calm down. Take deep breaths.” Christian’s deep voice cooed beside me, his big hand rubbing circles on my back.
Breathe? Breathe?! I can’t!
My chest constricted, not allowing oxygen into my lungs. My stomach continued to dry heave.
“Elaine, listen to my voice and concentrate on that.”
“If you…are trying to…distract me…” I wheezed, “It’s not…working.”
I witnessed as his lips stretched into a crooked smile, “you sure it’s not.”
I attempted to snort; only it came out more like a raspy gag. Did this plane get smaller or is it just me? The air seems thicker, hotter. Good, God. I am going to die!
My body shook violently, cold sweat beaded my eyebrows. So this is what hyperventilating feels like…I don’t like it. My bodies convulsion caused the smile of Christian’s face to get wiped clean off.
His palm found my face, placing his palm over my eyes and pushing my head back against the seat. “Deep breaths.” Was all he instructed.
I did as told, my own hand clutched over my stomach trying to keep it from heaving.
Breathe in…
Breathe out…
Breathe in…
Breathe out…
The hand lifted from my eyes; after what seemed like hours later. I pivoted my eyes back into Christian’s crisp blue ones. He held his other hand under my nose, I grimaced when I saw two blue pills settled in the center.
I shook my head, “No, I am not taking pills from anyone unless it’s from my parents or my doctor.”
He frowned, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips. “Take it Elaine. Or else you aren’t going to get any better and we still have three more hours of flying to go.”
Three more hours!? Oh hell no!
I snatched the pills from his hand, taking the cup of cool water he held up for me soon after. I chugged them both down, the cold liquid was real refreshing as it traveled down the length of my throat. Settling back in my seat; letting go of a breath that I had apparently been holding.
“Better?” Christian asked beside me, his husky voice already beginning to sound distant.
“Better” my voice responded.
*******************************************************************
I woke up an hour later, my head pounded slightly. It wasn’t enough to be painful but it wasn’t that much comfortable either.
“Sleeping beauty wakes from her slumber, at last.” Christian’s voice chuckles beside me. I turn to him, mildly annoyed.
“Are we even there yet?” I demanded, forcing myself to keep my eyes open. Damn, those were some strong pills, what did he give me?
“No, not yet. About an hour and a half at most.”
Oh. The drumming in my head disintegrated, my thoughts in a haze now.
“I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas!” I started to sing, laughing hysterically afterwards.
“Oh, no…” Christian put a hand to my head, “I was afraid the side effects might be a little too much.”
“No, no shush. Its sleepy time” I smiled languidly at him, placing a sloppy finger over his lips. The stubble on his chin tickled my hand, making me giggle and pull away. “You’re hot for a police officer.” I blurted.
“Okay, Elaine, time to go back to sleep.” He suggested, with a shake of his head.
“No!”
I made a strong attempt to glare at him through my droopy eyelids. He just laughed at me, indicating that I looked constipated. Nice.
He then began to stand, “I’ll be back. Sleep.”
“Don’t go.” I implored, “what if the boogey man comes and gets me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, we are miles off the ground, no one is going to get you. Now sleep or I will force you to.”
I pouted, “No mister grumpy face.”
He shook his head again, sauntering off.
“If you wanted to pee, you could of just said so!” I hollered out to him, laughing hard.
I wonder if I manage to tick him off, he’ll simply just arrest me.
Now that I think about it, he never really did…even when Izzy and I raced them out.
Ha! We really did kick their ass in that.
Play hard or go home right?
My thoughts suddenly seemed too far away, out of my reach.
Then before I knew it, darkness wrapped me up and drifted me off like a baby in a rocking crib.
*********************************************************************
Next thing I knew, we were boarding off the plane, and melting into the crowd. Making our way to the waiting center where my parents were waiting for us.
I halted abruptly, “Uh, yeah I need to use the facilities,” I stalled, skipping off to my right. Christian dexterously reached out to grasp my upper arm, pulling me back to our original route.
“Oh, no you don’t. It’s too late to turn back now.”
“come’n, haven’t you heard of the phrase ‘when you gotta go, you gotta go’? Besides, it’s not like I could get on another plane and get back to Florida. Since you stripped me of all my money—which I will be getting back right?”
He ignored me, leading me forward, dodging people with ease—or at least he did the dodging, since I ended up ping balling through the crowd, apologizing the entire time—we finally then made it into safe waters, well safe enough for us to take two steps forward without getting mobbed by a cosmic amount of people. That’s when my parents came into view.
I had spoken too soon.
My mother and father had their heads close together, seeming to be bickering over something. Just like they always did. My eleven year old brother, Bryan, was off to the side—a Nintendo DS in his young hands, thumbs drumming away adroitly at the buttons.
Once we were closer—as if sensing out presence—they looked up in unison. My mother burst into tears, she looked so relieved in that moment that it nearly shattered my heart. I swallowed back the lump in my throat, nearing closer. When I averted my gaze to my father, I felt a chill run down the length of my spine, as cold splinters seemed to probe at my feet with every step I took closer. If it wasn’t for Christian’s strong reassuring hand that kept me going, I would have turned around then and ran away. My father’s face was blank, empty, like a dark abyss. I could tell that, he was so angry with me, so angry that no emotion can portray his rage. His dark eyes did carry his anger though, two flames of brown, extremely lethal. Like those of a mountain lion as it stalks down its prey before finally charging at it.
Well, this is good-bye to my life as I knew it.
I turned to my brother then, he had a sad smile playing on his lips, and was the only one who took the courage to amble over to me so he can give me a warm hug. I wrapped him up in my arms, tightening the hug. Please, Elaine, be strong and don’t cry. I urged myself, reluctantly pulling back. I noticed my father was clutching onto the sleeve of my mother’s sweater—holding her back—then he stepped forward.
“Thank you, Christian, for bringing her back.” He shook his hand, bringing him in for a half hug, “I don’t know what we would’ve done without you.” My dad’s voice was hard as stone, even though the one he was addressing was Christian and not me.
“I’m just doing my job,” Christian shrugged nonchalantly, his clear eyes flickering to me, they seemed sad. So he empathizes me, huh? Well he doesn’t know the half of what might happen to me soon as he leaves.
“I know, but still. You offered to come all this way just to assure she got here and that really means a lot.”
A small smile spread across his lips, “It’s the least I can do to a good friend. I know you would have done the same if the situation were reversed.”
My father nodded, “indeed, I would have.”
A moment of silence passed through us, so thick that I could even smell the awkwardness in the air.
Christian then cleared his throat, “So I think I best be going now. I told Sabrina I would make it back just in time for Sean’s football game.”
Oh yeah, it’s football season right now in school. I had almost forgotten, always from the beginning of school in August until winter break in December. Not that I attended any games, since I missed my first day of school along with three more weeks. Which means it should be September something right now.
“Of course, well say hello to your wife for us. And thank you once again.”
“Will do. Adios amigo.” He turned to my mother, “Bye Angelica.”
She waved, still hiccupping from her sobs. Then Christian looked at me. “Be good, okay. No more delinquency, make your family proud. I’ll see you soon,” he patted my shoulder, then ruffled my brother’s hair before sauntering off and melting into the heavy crowd once again.
Looking back at my father I felt like a person trapped in a cage with a hungry lion.
I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off with a wave of his hand. “No, do not speak. I am very enraged with you right now, Elaine.”
“But—“
“I said, shut up!”I flinched at the raw anger in his voice, “ Now. You are not to speak with me unless it has to do with school or anything important. You will march over to your mother and apologize for what you put her through this past week. Then you will get in the car and not speak at all.”
“Okay, dad.” I mumbled under my breath. I started walking forward, but my father roughly grasped my arm in an iron hold.
“I am not done yet,” he hissed, “your punishment for what you did runs deeper than a simple apology. You are not to communicate with anyone from Florida. Not your friends, not the family, not even your doctor. No one. Am I clear.”
I nodded my head vigorously.
“Good. Also, while you were running around immaturely in Florida, we took the opportunity to inscribe you into a school called Mustang High school. You start tomorrow so get everything ready. You will also ride the bus, so don’t expect us to take you anymore. You go to school. You come straight home from school. You do your homework, your chores, you eat, shower, and then off to bed. That is it. The rules change now Elaine, don’t expect any mercy from me for now on until further notice.”
He let go of my arm and shoved me slightly. Bryan then took hold of my hand and silently led me out the airport to the car, every once in a while he would look back at me with sad eyes. But I wouldn’t return the gaze, I just stared forward at nothing in particular, a numb feeling enveloping me.
And that is all I’ll feel from now on.
Numb…
Copyright © 2012 Cynthia Montoya
All rights reserved
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Hey guys ^_^ so I'm back and am planning on updating twice or three times a week. I am still catching up with things in school since i moved to a new one in the middle of the year as some of you might know. Either way, thank you to those who have been patiently waiting. Comment on what you think of this chapter ^_^ i tried making it longer for you guys haha!
ps: this chappy is not yet proof read or edited so I apologize before hand on that -_-
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lots of love and kisses, and hugs (for those of you who don't want kisses)
-Cynthia<3