The List: Nine

To catch up:

THE LIST: CHAPTER INDEX


Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8



Smile (Barb)
Use a Prince Lyric (Irene)
Mention your favorite board game (Jessica)

The Butterfly Effect (Pic Submitted by Linda?)

Chapter Nine:

**********

It is said that a butterfly can cause some kind of ripples in the time space continuum.  Some say if a butterfly relocates from a warm climate to a cold one, it can cause a change in the weather.  I guess the same rules go for crows.  It's said they can see between realms of the living and the dead.  I guess someday we'll know the truth.  All I know is I feel like there was a butterfly effect happening to me.

One minute it was the first day of my senior year, and the next it's the middle of September.  School starts around mid-August in Florida.  I can't believe I made it a month.  This is homecoming week.  I just finished up a pep rally, and Ame came home with me after the game.

I had told her she didn't have to go home with me, as it is her thing to go out and have fun celebrating, but she insisted.  So, we are here playing my favorite game of Boggle.

"Oh, time's up!" She exclaims.  "Let's add up our scores."

I added mine up and got thirteen; Ame got twelve.

She looks over at my sheet and asks, "How come you got more points than me when we have the same amount of words?"

"Because 'bases' is five letters and two points," I answer.

"Well, aren't you smart."

I give a half smile.  "Not really," I say.

"You don't give yourself enough credit. Hey," I look up at her to find her looking at me with concern.  "Are you alright?"

"Yes," I yawn.  "It's just been a long day.  Like I said earlier, you didn't have to come home with me."

"Nonsense," she replies.  "I want to be here.  You're my cousin, and I want us to be close again like we once were."

"I thought this past month has brought us together."

It has definitely been an interesting first month of school.  Cristi has been hanging out more with me.  She's even showed up at my cheer rehearsals, which in the beginning, she was not around for any of that.  She's also insisted we hang out over at my place as opposed to hers, and that was fine by me.

I wasn't avoiding Xander this past month; it was more like he had been avoiding me, but I have no idea why.  In any case, it works out in my favor because I just need to make it through the year, and accomplish everything on my list.  I have plans to backpack through a majority of Europe during winter break.  I even got the plane tickets and my passport ready.  I'll have to get my shots when I get closer to leaving.

This list I make may not be important to anyone else, but it is important to me.  I know Ame and Nora's hearts are in the right place, but I don't want to have a boyfriend.  I might wind up breaking their heart, and I would feel horrible if I did.  The only one that seems to understand me is Cristi

In the beginning, Cristi was interested in hooking me up with her brother, but she understands that I'm not looking for a relationship right now.  Perhaps that's why Xander is staying away.

"It has," she answers, breaking me from my reverie.  "I just want you to know that I will always be there for you.  I'm sorry how I behaved a few months back.  I just didn't know how to handle things."

"It's alright," I smile at her.  "You had a lot going on, and I'm sure hearing my news of going back to school after not being around for a few years."

"I wasn't upset that you were going back to school," she pauses.  "There have been rumors."

"Rumors?"

She eyes the door of my bedroom, gets up off the floor, and shuts the door.  I look at her with surprise.

"There are rumors," she begins in a very low voice.  "That there have been students missing.  They've even been finding dead animals around."

"How true do you think this is?"

"Very.  The staff wants to keep it low key.  They don't want the media getting a hold of this.  Some parents are pretty mad.  They are so mad they want to sue."

"How many students have gone missing?"

"The count is at fifteen.  They're hoping these kids were just playing pranks on their parents and they'll be home in no time."

I am in a state of shock.  I had no idea, and I probably will have a hard time getting to sleep tonight.  At least I'll have time to sleep as the dance isn't until tomorrow night.  The theme is a masquerade ball.  We'll all be dressed up, wearing masks.

"That was the only reason why I didn't want you to attend school."

"So what?" I give a nervous laugh.  "Did you think something would happen to me?  Did you think I would be one of those kids who suddenly disappear?"

She intakes a breath and lets it out.  "You're right," she finally says.  "I was worried for nothing."

"You're always worried about me.  Let's be cousins and friends, not mother and daughter."

She sighs.  "I guess I never realized I was hovering over you like a parent."

"It's alright," I find myself say  "I probably would have behaved in the same manner."

That was pretty much the extent of our conversation before I brushed my teeth, and headed off to bed.  Ame left after I suggested for her to go out and have fun.  The day is pretty much done for me as I close my eyes and go to sleep.

****

*******

I'm at the masquerade ball where I'm wearing a royal purple dress, and a light purple mask.  I am surrounded by all these guys in tuxedos and masks, and they all seem to be staring at me.  One of the guys walks over to me, grabs my hand, and we're dancing a waltz.

"Did you get my letters," he asks me.

"Yes," I reply.  "But why?  Who are you?"

He says nothing as we continue to dance.  After a few moments, he decides to speak.  "I'm not a human, I am a dove.  I'm your conscious, I am love."

The words he speaks sounds familiar, I just can't put my finger on them.

In an instant, I open my eyes and find myself in my room.

It was all a dream, I think to myself.

I look at the clock to see it's two in the morning.

♪♫♪♫ I will die 4 U ♪♫♪♫

"What the?"  I say out loud.  I turn on my night lamp, and look around for my MP3 player.  The Prince song, I Would Die 4 U is playing.  I pull the earbuds out of my ears.  I don't even remember putting that song on my playlist.

5/22/16 ©Diana Jillian
*******
:)

******