Episode 20: "Are You Back?"

Christian sat at a booth, his hands folded. He looked to be lost in his own mind as Alicia came back with the coffee.

He looked up at her as she set the coffee down along with two mugs that had the letters 'MC' in bold lettering.

Cream and sugar were always stocked at every table.

"Talk." She said, sitting down across from him.

His left brow twitched some.

She pulled her mug forward and began to pour herself some coffee. "Or would you prefer I start?"

Why was she putting her foot in her mouth?

"Why don't you?" Christian asked, dying to know her thoughts about him now. He didn't mean any of it. Not deliberately.

She asked for it, didn't she?

"I feel like we're back at square one." She said focusing on her task at hand. She poured sugar packets into her cup now. As long as she could keep busy with her coffee she didn't have to make eye contact. Not.

"Square one?" He said watching her.

"Strangers." She said. "Only this time there was an injury involved so that makes it worse."

"So where were we before the incident?" He asked.

Her eyes went away from the black coffee and lingered on the napkin holder. Sqaure one? She thought. What would be considered square two?

She shook her head at her own reasoning. "We were cordial."

"Is that all?"

"Yes!" she looked at him then.

"You seem upset."

"Of course I'm upset! Despite what you've told me I was halfway hoping for some decency. A place to rest. Of rest! I should have known better with someone like you!"

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means in a world that's anything but normal to me anymore, it's stupid to hope I'll have a decent life!"

"Decent? You still can--"

"No, I can't..."

"Because I've fractured your jaw? You're going to let that haunt you for the rest of your life? It's healing Alicia--"

She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a hand to let him finish.

"It happened." He said. "It happened and that is something I have to live with, we both do, but is it going to stop us?"

"Us? It shouldn't even be us!"

"You're right. It shouldn't be an 'us'. Had you just left me alone I wouldn't have lashed out at you."

"I was trying to help you! You were having a nightmare--thrashing around in your--well, not thrashing but you were moaning in your sleep. And then you screamed a really loud 'No!' You expect me to let that slide?"

"How'd you even know I was having a nightmare? Wasn't my door closed?"

"No. It was cracked."

"That doesn't seem like me."

"Maybe not, but I went to investigate as you are not human and I did it as a precautionary measure."

He stopped himself from flinching. So now she was saying he was no longer human? That was fair, he supposed.

"I was just about to leave you be in the midst of your nightmare when you screamed. It made my stomach drop and my heartbeat accelerate so I went in to try and wake you."

"You should have left me be, Alicia."

"Yeah, I realized that now. Maybe then I wouldn't have a fractured jaw." She looked away. Before he could respond she added, "And you called me Alice."

He just stared, letting what she said sink in. "I, called you Alice?"

"Yeah," she said. "I tried to explain who I was but you thought it be better to ram me through with a blade that I thankfully dived away from."

He clenched his fingers together.

"Ha! I thought I was smart." She said, recounting the tale that happened only three months ago. "I knew you didn't recognize me, so that's when I ran out the room. I fell on purpose, just in case you had attempted to grab me or something...it worked too. You had attempted to...I don't know. Slice my head off or something. All I know is that I felt a whoosh of air just as I began to fall. That led me to believe me you were honestly going after me. I then went back into your room," she looked at the table then. "Probably wasn't the best idea, but I slammed the door in your face knowing you'd go bursting through it. I hid behind the door. Once again, thinking that I was a smart girl. Most villians don't think to look right behind the door as they pursue their victims. You charged through, wood flying everywhere, but now as I think back on it, you broke through the door, you didn't open it where I could have possibly sneeked passed you. You and your sight, you probably saw me out of your peripheral vision. Smack!" She slammed her fist against her palm.

Christian looked down. Must she be recounting this tale in such detail? He only knew his side.

"You basically yanked me to you. I had tried to get your attention still. Your grip was strong, tight. Very, very tight. It hurt a lot." She looked to him and saw his sunken shoulders. "You eventually came to. You apologized with tears in your eyes, as I'm sure you know, and then you were gone. Leaving me all alone."

"Would it have been better had I stayed?" He asked, looking at her.

She didn't respond.

"Or would you feel as you do now? Distant?"

She looked away. "Distant."

"As you should." He said. He pulled the coffee toward himself and poured a glass. "I'll take you back to my place. But you start looking for another place to live--"

"I have." She said.

"Good." he said taking a deep breath. "Find anything you like?"

"I'll always find things that I like Christian. Whether I'll really like them or not or if they're meant for me...?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure how I'll fare on my own, but," she sucked her teeth, "I gotta find out some day, right?"

"Yes, you do." He said, looking at her.

She looked away.

They sipped their coffee and found themselves unwilling to leave the booth aside from the occasional bathroom break. It was comfortable. It was just them. It was quiet. Just them and their thoughts.

Alicia even brought a few snacks out and requested they watch the sun come up.

He was against the idea but due to a little begging, he oblidged. Still feeling the guilt over her face.

"How often do you get to watch the sun rise with your co-worker? Well, employee?"

"Never. How often do you stay up to watch it rise?"

They stood by one another waiting for the sun to rise in a few minutes.

"Never. But I think the coffee is doing the trick. I'm nowhere near tired."

Christian smirked some. "You'll be soon. You'll hit a caffeine crash."

"Ha-ha! Yep! I can totally see that happening!" She yawned.

"But there's that inbetween where you may feel sluggish. Even irritable as you know you need to sleep but can't."

"Thank you for reminding me of that!" she said.

Christian saw through all of her. The dark circles under her eyes. All her hidden pain that shown through her eyes.

"Would you like me to put you to sleep if you can't go on your own?"

"No!" she quickly said. "I mean,you can do that?"

He nodded. Seeing that she didn't want him to touch her.

"Does it work on yourself?"

"No, sadly. If I can't sleep, I can't sleep. If I wish to I'll have to mentally shut down my entire body where I'll black out."

"So isn't that the same thing?"

"No, not to me. Blacking out and willingly sleeping? I prefer the latter."

"Hm, I see." Alicia said, watching daylight come through the glass panes. Her world became blurry. "Say, how many cups of coffee did I have?"

"Over three." He said.

"All with cream and sugar, right?"

"Right." He said watching her.

"Right." She said, falling back.

He caught her.

Even though she was about to lose consciousness she still tensed being in his arms. She closed her eyes.

Christian held her in his arms. He didn't want her to be afraid of him. But in her case, whether it was fear or her overthinking mind...it didn't matter. He had no right to question her.

Picking her up, he vanished from the cafe and reappeared in her room. He pulled back her covers and laid her down. Any other time he would have removed her shoes but since her body had a "Hands Off" label he decided against it and pulled the covers up her body.

He thought of Alice and wondered what her reaction would have been had he injured her? Even Delilah? They'd forgive him he was sure, but would just need time to be around him again he assumed.

With Alicia? He didn't know whether to feel annoyed or to sympathize with her.

Shaking his head some he turned and reappeared in the cafe. They had cleaned up their area except the coffee. He poured out the rest as there wasn't much left and rinsed the dish out.

He came back to the front and grabbed her jacket and then pulled the metal doors down upon the cafe.

Appearing in his car, he started the engine.

***

Alicia opened her eyes and blinked multiple times. She swallowed coffee flavored mucus and felt the need to shower and clean. She sat up and recognized her room in Christian's home. Was he there now?

She thought about the things she had over at Ricky's. It was most of her everyday clothing. She sighed and rolled her eyes. No point in complaining over it. She'd just shoot Ricky a text asking her when would be a good time to pick up her things.

Doing this she got up and prepared to shower and find some clothes to wear.

***

It came to her memory that her uniforms were over at Ricky's too safe for the one she slept in. It was a little after 1 in the afternoon.

Ricky said she'd have her things in her car her next shift at work.

Sitting down on her bed she ran her fingers along the bed spread. Displacement. She did have a chance to get used to coming home to Ricky's. But she did entertain the thought in back of her mind that she would be returning to Christian one day.

And now that she was here?

She fell back. Staring up at the ceiling. It was times like these she wished she had a life. One with excitement and friends--friends. She still had their numbers.

She decided to call Sayla. She dialed her friend's number.

"Hello?" they answered questioningly.

"Hey Sayla! It's me Alicia! How are you!"

"Oh! Hey Alicia! How are you! I'm doing good! I'm just getting my nails done!"

"Oh really? I'm good..." Not! "Just relaxing."

"Yeah? You in school or anything?"

"No." She replied. "I'm working."

"Oh? Where? You still in town right?"

"Yeah I am. I work at a Cafe." She said, butterflies swarming her stomach. What would she think of her seeing her work at a Maid Cafe?

"Oh..." she briefly paused.

"What?" Alicia said.

"Nothing...just thought you'd be doing more Alicia. You always had the potential."

Alicia scoffed. "Well what are you doing for a living Sayla!"

"I'm in school actually." She said. "Well, will be going next semester."

"Oh? Where are you going?"

"Remwood." Her friend did an eyeroll. "I couldn't be more annoyed. Just because we're rich doesn't mean I have to have a school to show for it..."

As Sayla rambled on Alicia swore someone shoved a knife right through her. Or she wished someone would have. She pulled the phone from her ear and looked down at her lap, questioning all the decisions she had made up until now.

Eyes watering some, she chuckled quietly.

Remwood. The one school she turned down due to her parents pestering, was the one her best friend was going to. And she could have been there. Even if she didn't want to be there, if Sayla was there then perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad. They could go to parties together. Get their college degrees there. Get...She stopped herself.

She was not Sayla. She was not living her life. Maybe she was pressured into going. Maybe Sayla really wanted to do her own thing and just didn't have the guts like her?

Yeah, that had to be it, as she tuned back into Sayla's conversation. "Huh? I'm sorry I spaced out a bit?"

"Huh? Oh I was saying how up in Remwood there's all these crazy people. I swear girl. If I had another option I sure wouldn't be going to Remwood. I wouldn't even be going to college."

"So what would you be doing?"

"I don't know honestly...I mean, It's not like we really need to work. Or I do anyway. I mean, why can't I just live my life without anybody's say? Daddy insists I go to school like they all did. Follow in his footsteps. But the moment I protest he holds my inheritance over me!!"

"And how much is that, I might ask?" Alicia grinned some.

"Phst. A lot! I'm not at liberty to say how much but if I even want to smell it, I have to get a degree...a college education." She spoke mockingly.

"Is he ordering you on what to major in?"

"No, thank God! Just as long as the career is lucrative."

"Then he kind of is, Sayla. There aren't a lot of lucrative careers outside of engineering and technology. Or something in the science field."

"I know! I'm screwed either way! But between me and you, I'm secretly stashing the allowance money Daddy gives me into a seperate bank account. It's actually my college fund one. Daddy thinks I'm saving it for a rainy day, but it's really to get away from him once the going's good." Sayla whispered.

"And how are you going to manage that?" She asked.

"Simple. Remwood hasn't taken anything out of my account yet and Daddy expects me to stay all four years. Maybe more depending on my major. The moment they take the money out of the account, I'll drain the rest of it out. Daddy could easily persuade someone to open my bank account information...yes, my father is that kind of person, and I'm not risking it. Cash is always nice."

"Yeah, but so much on you? That's dangerous, Sayla."

"I know. But once I'm able to stand on my own two feet and prove to Daddy that I won't squander his money around like he feels I will, I'll resurface on the map again."

"Wait. You actually plan on running away?! Do you plan to finish school at all?!"

"Look, Alicia. My parents, my father especially has always had his finger jabbed into my side ever since I was a little girl. Dance recitals and piano lessons. They were grooming me to follow in their footsteps and right now I really don't have a choice. Or so they think. Even if I don't get my inheritance, I know people. I'm smart enough to outrun my father."

"And your mother?"

"My mother might as well be non-existent. She tries to be a mother but I'm not sure she knows how. To be honest, I never really felt she loved me. I mean, she tries, but--oh! This is getting depressing! Look, I'll call you back okay? They are about to start on my finger nails?"

"Oh! Okay! Save my number okay, it's my new one."

"All right, and Alicia?"

"Yeah?"

"It was great to hear from you again, really it was. Though I never showed it, you were the one friend that I knew...would be yourself. No matter what."

"Oh, thank you--"

"You're a survivor, Alicia." Sayla quickly spoke.

"Oh!"

"It's high praise indeed, but it's true. I gotta go, but don't be afraid to reach out to me. I'll try to do the same okay?"

"Okay, sure. You take care of yourself Sayla. I mean it. Don't end up on the news!"

"Ha-ha! I won't! I'll talk to you later!"

"Okay, bye!"

"Bye!"

The call ended and Christian appeared in her room then, startling her.

"CHRISTIAN! WHAT THE F--" She gasped. "Christian! What happened!" He looked paler than she had ever seen him.

"I don't...know..." He stumbled towards her. "I don't...I need..."

She tried her best to catch him, seeing the tube in his hands. "Christian! I don't know what to do! I don't know what to do!"

"Call...Delilah--" He lost consciousness.

"Christian! Christian! Oh! I don't have Delilah's number!"

Laying his body down on the floor as gently as she could she snatched up her phone and called Ricky.

"Hello?"

"Ricky! Listen to me! I need to talk to Delilah! It's an emergency!"

"What! What's going on!"

"I just need to speak with her! Do you have her number!"

"Yeah, I'll text it to you right now!"

"Okay! Hurry!"

Moments later she felt her phone beep. She pulled her cell away and saw the text message.

"Okay thanks! Bye!!"

"Wait what's--"

The call ended and Ricky looked at her phone in confusion.

Alicia had no time for formalities.

"Hello?" Delilah answered.

"It's me Alicia! Look! Christian needs you to come! He fainted!"

"What!" Delilah nearly dropped her cellphone into the boiling water she was heating to make some Ramen.

"Please Delilah!"

"Uh...yeah...sure! Where does he live?!"

"You mean you don't know!"

"Not exactly! I know he lives in the hills but I didn't exactly memorize the route!"

"If I give you the address will you just GPS it!"

"Yeah!"

"Okay! His address is 4280 Skyy Ct.! The code to his gate is 7545328!"

"Huh! Could you repeat that!" Delilah said stumbling about her apartment. She had one arm in a sweater and the other pulling on a boot as she held the phone to her ear, pressing it into the crook of her neck.

"Come on Delilah! Write this down!"

"I'm trying!" she said. She snatched a pen up and tore a piece of paper from a grocery ad. "Repeat it again!"

"Okay! And hurry!" Alicia said, preparing to repeat herself. She gasped.

"What!" Delilah yelled.

"His nose is bleeding! His nose is bleeding out!"

"GIVE ME THE ADDRESS!" Delilah yelled. She was just as concerned for Christian's wellfare as Alica.

"It's 4280 Skyy Ct. The code is 754-5328!!"

"I got it! I'll be on my way!"

"Okay!" Alicia yelled.

Hanging up, she thought to turn him over when the few things she had picked up about health and the body came to her. If he was bleeding from the inside the last thing she would want is to flip him over and have him start choking.

"Oh!" Her heart was beating faster than a humming birds. She eyed the end of her bedframe. She could set him up against that.

As she used all her strength to begin to drag and sit him upright, a wind blew in her direction that caused her to look back.

The window was open.

"What?"

She turned and stared directly into the face of a woman.

"Ahh!!" she jumped and scooted back.

"Oh? I thought you cared for my brother?" they spoke. "Deserting him like that is hardly nice."

"Huh--"

They rose their hand and then clenched it shut.

Alicia hunched forward. Unconscious.

"My, my, my, brother. You and the ladies. You just can't seem to have any luck with them, can you?" She said, hoisting him up and tossing him onto the bed. "I take it this tube meant something?" She eyed the clear plastic and then looked at Alicia. "Hmph. Let's find out what?"