Chapter 23

                                                       Chapter Twenty-Three

                                               ~~~~~ Alex – Kill me now ~~~~~

We all get to that one point in life when all we want to do is dig a hole and hide in it. This is definitely one of those moments. I was never this person, not until I came here and met her. I was strong and looked at my problems right in the eye. I never hid from anybody in my life. I didn’t even run away from my grandmother when she had a belt in hand ready to beat me for not taking out the trash. 

So why am I hiding from her? Why do I care what she thinks of me? 

I hear Kylie laugh at my actions, which only makes me sink into my knees even more. Please just let me hide in my misery alone. She tries to lift my head again but I stand my ground and hug my knees as hard as I possibly can. I am still stronger than her. Kylie gives up and stands when I don’t budge. I let out a breath of relief thinking she gave up, but it catches when I feel her sit right next to me. 

God, you really don’t like me do you? ‘No response, I think he still doesn’t like you.’ 

“Ismael says hi.” Kylie says out of nowhere. I slowly lift my head and stare at her not exactly comprehending how he got into the conversation. She shrugs her shoulders at me and laughs. “I’m just sending his message. He is very irritating when he wants to be.” 

The memory hits me like a ton of bricks; He was about to kiss me. I almost kissed him in front of everyone thinking it was Kylie. I must have given him false hope. He even asked me to join his band and yet Ismael honestly never crossed my mind in the past few days.

“You’re fan club also says hi and hopes you recover soon.” Kylie grins as if remembering something but then frowns and balls her fists. This happens so quickly that when I blink, she’s staring back at me with the widest grin on her face. 

“I watched what you did to Ismael at the mall. I was there with Anthony and the squad that day and saw the guys in dresses. I was cracking up and even drew them for an art project which got me an A.” She laughed which baffled me for a moment. Kylie of course didn’t notice and kept talking. “Did you know that you have a Facebook fan page?” 

I stare at her not sure if I heard her right. The things I want to know is why I have a fan club in the first place and how the heck did I end up in Facebook. 

“Yeah you have I believe up to 500 fans but they just started it yesterday so I bet you will have more tomorrow.” A huge smile is displayed on her face as she speaks. I try to listen to her, I really do, but she does the simplest things that distract me. Kylie may not realize it but she does things to me that no one else has ever done.

When i realize she has stopped talking I think back to what she said. I look at her as if she’s crazy and get up totally forgetting that I’m not in jeans. Kylie gasps again and looks the other way. I quickly turn around and cover myself again. “Here” Kylie says getting up and handing me a pair of clothes, undergarments, and a pair of shoes. I thank Kylie as she exit’s the bathroom, leaving me and my super red face alone. 

“Stupid, stupid, stupid!” I say banging my head on the wall again and again. This cannot be happening to me. The room becomes quiet now that she’s gone. I quickly put on the clothes and lean on the sink with my head down. 

“What is wrong with you?” I ask looking at myself on the mirror. I frown at my own reflection. “Why are you acting like this? You didn’t use to be this way.” My reflection stares back at me asking the very same questions. I pause not knowing the answer. I used to. I never would have allowed myself to be like this. 

She changed me. Those damn eyes changed me. The damn dresses that she wears changed me. That musical laugh of hers changed me. That charming smile of hers changed me. Kylie Balthazar changed me in unimaginable ways. 

Taking a deep breath and straightening myself, I finally decide to face her. She is just another girl, a girl who I love but will never have. With that thought in mind I begin to exit the bathroom. 

When I step out the bathroom, Kylie is not there. I frown not knowing what happened to her. She said she would stay and not go back to school. Speaking of which, how did she get here? She doesn’t have a car and both Rachael and mike are working.

A loud conversation brings my attention to the window. I smile when I see Kylie but it disappears when I see her arguing with a nurse. I quickly step outside to see what’s going on since the nurse grabs Kylie’s arm roughly. 

“…I will not go back with you! He may be my blood but that man is not my father!” Kylie’s features scared me as she yanks her arm free from the nurses grasp. I had seen many versions of her, but the fierce Kylie honestly terrified me. 

I saw it coming before the thought came to her head. The many times I studied uncle told me when people were going to strike. The nurse’s hand flew in the air at a fast speed directed towards Kylie’s face. In a heartbeat I stood between them both and got the slap. Kylie and the nurse both gasped as my head went to the direction of her hand and a loud noise was heard through the halls of the hospital at the contact. The nurse blinks a couple times confusion written on her every feature. I close my eyes and let the pain come since she slapped me on my already injured lip. 

“Alex, are you OK?” Kylie asks turning me around and putting my hair behind my ears. She cups my face in her hands gently rubbing my cheek. I nod. I’ve taken worst and her touch has made every possible trace of pain go away. 

“That’s it mother. I took it from dad because I was protecting you, but now you just showed me that you’re exactly like him.” Kylie’s eyes displayed tears as she spoke. I stepped aside letting her talk to her mother. 

The woman looked pained, Kylie’s words physically hurting her. She tried to speak but Kylie cut her off. 

“No mom, I’m sick of it! I have a job now. I live with a couple that has given me everything I could ever ask for. They show me what a real family is like. They care for me like my own family never did. All I needed to do was leave that man and his house to be happy. I don’t need you.” I stopped Kylie by putting my hand on her shoulder before she says something that might hurt them both even further. She smiles at me but turns back around to face the nurse. I let go of her shoulder as she continues to speak letting everything out. 

“He doesn’t love you. I know what love is like and I would never treat the person I love like that man treats you. Nobody deserves to be treated like you are treated, no one.” Kylie removes the tears in her eyes with her hand and turns around. I watch between mother and daughter in shock. ¿What just happened? Kylie turns around and sees me in the same place I was when she left so she waves me to her. The nurse has silent tears running down her cheeks as she sees her daughter walk away. 

“Take care of her, please that’s all I ask.” Her words came out in a soft whisper. I blinked rapidly not sure if I made it up or if she really talked to me. 

The nurse has her blond hair in a loose pony tail. Her uniform makes her skin tone pop out as well as her deep blue eyes. I see where Kylie gets her beauty from. The nurse’s eyes bear into me as if unlocking my every secret. Not knowing what to do, I just stare back at the woman. 

Before I can respond she leans in and surprises me with a hug. I stay stiff totally caught off guard. 

“Take good care of my daughter or you’ll have to answer to me.” She whispers in my ear and then lets me go. 

“She is the most amazing person. I hate myself for not doing everything in my power to make her fell like she is. Gabriel misses her so much. I miss her so much.” 

The woman still stares at Kylie who is staring at me. I smile at the nurse. “You have raised a beautiful intelligent daughter.” I tell her truthfully looking back at Kylie I smile at her which gets me a smile from her lips. This makes my body feel weak and it literally takes every ounce of self-control in me not to faint. 

‘Holy baby Jesus I think my heart just skipped a beat.’ This should be illegal. She shouldn’t have so much power over me. 

The nurse looks back at me curiously. I clear my throat and tried to hide my blushing. 

‘Since when do you blush?’ I guess since I met Kylie, that woman has serious powers. 

“I got to go.” I say rapidly not wanting to embarrass myself even further in front of Kylie’s mother.

“Don’t worry I’ll keep a close eye on her.” I assure her. 

When I loo back to where Kylie was, she’s gone. The nurse smiles at me for no apparent reason and then brings me in for yet another hug. I stand stiff not knowing what to do or how to react to a total stranger hugging me. 

“Kylie has found a great girl.” the nurse says letting me go. She then grabs a chart off the counter and leaves me standing there confused. 

Before I can process all this, I see Kylie leaving my room with her stuff. 

“Kylie, wait up!” I yell running after her. My entire body feels like I just ran 5 miles rather than 20 feet. When I get to her I put my hands on my knees desperately trying to catch my breath. I hold up my hand when she starts to speak since I’m still struggling to breath. 

A few seconds later I stand up and take a semi big breath. “Sorry these ribs are seriously killing me and are starting to get in my nerves.” 

“It’s OK I can imagine your pain. I’ve fallen on my side and almost broken a rib. It hurt since I fell from the top of the pyramid we were doing.” 

I flinch imagining Kylie fall and hurting herself. Whoever dropped her is in for some serious ass whopping. 

“Are you leaving?” I ask her after a few seconds of silence. She smiles a sad smile my way and nods. 

“I have to see my little brother. I miss him like crazy. Gabe is getting out of school sometime soon so I want to take him out for some ice cream.” Her face lit up when talking about her little brother. I nod understanding. 

“I’ll see you later?” she said more as a question then a statement. I nod furiously anticipating the time when I see her again.

She hugs me catching me totally off guard. ¿What’s with these Balthazar woman hugging me? But hey I’m not complaining. Kylie can hug me whenever her heart desires. I embrace her tightly and inhale involuntary. Her smell goes through my entire body waking every sense. 

A lady calls Dr. Ramirez to his office which made me open my eyes and notice that I have to let her go. 

Rapidly I untangle my body from hers and tell her goodbye. She says bye back and begins to walk down the hall. 

“You really like her don’t you?” A voice says behind me. 

I quickly turn around and face the person who nearly scared me to death. Catherine stands there looking at me with a smile on her face.

“I… um… no I….” My mind thinks of a million ways to cover it but nothing seems to come out my mouth. The nurse smiles even wider and points to the room. 

“You really should be resting.” She says. 

Looking back at the hall I see Kylie in the elevator smiling at me. The doors began to close but this time no matter how much self-control I have my body, once again begins to fall as the last thing I see is Kylie’s beautiful face. 

‘Not again!’ 

                                                     ~~~~~ Kylie – Angelic voice ~~~~~

She drove in silence. When looking in the mirror a wide smile occupied her face. She also noticed the redness of her cheeks. Kylie went back a few moments ago when she saw one of the most adorable butt cheeks she had ever seen in her life. She laughed at herself for thinking such things but she couldn’t help it. Something about that girl made Kylie do things she would never do. 

A loud honk brought Kylie’s attention back on the road. The light had turned green and the cars behind her were mad at her for not moving. Kylie stepped on the gas and drove to Gabriel’s school. She had imagined hugging her little brother for the longest time. 

“Kylie!” Gabriel screamed once he saw his sister leaning on the hood of a blue car. Kylie smiled and got off the car to greet her brother. She got on one knee as Gabe dropped his backpack on the floor and ran to Kylie’s arms. Gabe buried his face on Kylie’s shoulder and hugged her with all his might. 

“How you been kid?” Kylie asked separating their bodies. She got up and grabbed his backpack from the ground. Gabe answered with a smile and another hug. 

Kylie had texted her mother and told her she would be picking up Gabe and would take him home later in the day. She didn’t want to start a conversation with her, so when her mother texted back asking if they could talk, Kylie refused to answer. 

Kylie enjoyed every word spoken between her and Gabriel. She had missed his since of humor and missed his presence. After a few hours it was time to say goodbye again. Kylie saw the tears in his eyes and a few fell from her eyes again. 

“Don’t worry I’ll come for you tomorrow if mom allows it. I’ll bring a great friend of mine. She’s really amazing and I think you’ll really like her.” Gabe hugged her goodbye and went inside. 

Just before Kylie started the car, she saw her mother through the open window looking at her. Kylie smiled and left without another thought. They would have to talk eventually, but the time was not now.

When arriving to the Smith’s house, Rachael and Mike sat on the couch watching a movie. She said hi and asked for Alex desperately wanting to see her girl. “She’s in the music room.” Mike answered her. Kylie thanked them and went down the hall to the music room eager for the encounter. 

The house was a maze to her. She barely knew where her room and kitchen were. She was guided by a piano melody she had never heard before. Kylie walked slowly with her eyes closed enjoying the melody escaping the piano keys and a low humming escaping the girl’s lips. 

Kylie’s ears then heard an angelic voice coming from the next room. When Kylie stopped behind the open door she made no sudden movements. Kylie listened to what Alex was singing attentively since this was the first time she had actually heard her beautiful angel sing. 

                                   ~~~~~ Alex – Chasing Pavements ~~~~~~ 

The room kept spinning around me. I closed my eyes tightly and then opened them slowly feeling a little better. 

“Hey, how you doing?” Rachael asked sitting on the edge of the bed. Mike sat on the chair holding Rachael’s hand looking at me with a smile on his face. I smiled at them and sat up.

“Can I go?” I ask them desperately wanting them to say yes. I’ve spent way too much time in this hospital.

I literally jump up and down on the bed when they both nod their head. I get off the bed and start to leave the room. “Alex, wait up!” Mike says before I get to the door. I turn back to them. 

“This belongs to you.” Rachael said grabbing my hand and putting something on my palm. When she removes her hand I gasp. 

“Thank you.” I say looking at my necklace and bracelets. I immediately put the bracelets on to cover my wrists and then the necklace holding on the A that hangs from it. 

When I finally arrive to the house I hug Mike and Rachael and ask them if I can go to my room. They let me go so I go straight up the stairs into a room that I have seriously missed. After lying in the bed for a few minutes I get up and head back downstairs. 

Mike smiles at me as he sees me heading to the music room. I smile back and keep walking. 

The room is still breath taking with all its instruments and speakers as well as its black walls. 

The keys to the piano are smooth and shiny. I position both hands on the keys and began to play my dad’s favorite melody. 

“That’s good Alexandria.” My dad says beside me. I grin from ear to ear missing the sound of his voice. “You’re here.” I whisper a silent tear falling down on the keys. He wipes my face and smiles at me. “I’ll always be here, and so will your mother.” I turn back to where he looks and let the tears come. 

“Mami.” I say my voice cracking. Mom comes closer sitting on my other side and puts her hand over my shoulder. “Keep playing baby don’t stop.” 

I play for a while and close my eyes humming random notes. When the song ends I open my eyes. “Bye.” I whisper to them once I see that they are no longer here. 

Kylie gets inside my head again without warning. I sigh and lay my head on top of the piano. This has got to stop before I go crazy. She shouldn’t have this much effect on me. 

Lifting my head I play and sing a song that summarizes everything. 

“I’ve made up my mind; don’t need to think it over 

If I’m wrong I am right, don’t need to look no further 

This ain’t lust, I know this is love

But if I tell the world, I’ll never say enough 

‘Cause it was not said to you 

And that’s exactly what I need to do if I’d end up with you.” 

I stop playing and groan out loud. “Why can’t I just say this to you? What is wrong with me?” I scream at myself for being a coward and a wimp. She’s just a girl.

“Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements 

Even if it leads nowhere? 

Or would it be a waste even if I knew my place 

Should I leave it there?

Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements 

Even if it leads nowhere?” 

Frustrated I lay all my fingers on the keys creating a loud piercing sound. 

“Maybe she feels the same as I do. Maybe she also loves me too. How can you not notice what you do to me every time I’m close to you? When you give me that breathtaking smile that makes me faint?” 

Not getting an answer, I keep playing. 

“I build myself up and fly around in circles 

Wait then as my heart drops and my back begins to tingle 

Finally could this be it?” 

Why is it I even feel this way? I shouldn’t look at a girl or even think about a girl the way I’m doing with Kylie. 

Guys should do this to me. Ismael should make me feel these things, not her, not kylie. 

“Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements 

Even if it leads nowhere? 

Or would it be a waste even if I knew my place 

Should I leave it there? 

Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements 

Even if it leads nowhere?” 

Even more frustrated than before I get off the seat and run a hand through my hair. If my ribs weren’t threatening to kill me and I could actually breathe, I would run. I would run away from here, from her. 

When I run everything goes away. I leave and start fresh somewhere else. It has worked in the past, and it will have to work now. Leaving seems to be my only option. ‘Did I just say that out loud?’ I don’t think I did. 

“Or you could stay.” 

I turn around freighted realizing that I’m no longer alone. ‘I told you!’ My eyes widen as I see her approach me playing with her hands. She looks up and smiles at me. 

“You could stay with me.” she says her eyes burning through my own. My mouth slowly opens wanting to say something, but nothing comes out. 

With each step she takes towards me, I take one back. Once I hit the wall I’m aware that I have nowhere else to go. Kylie is probably not aware that with each step my heart races even more.

“What do you mean?” I ask her looking up into her eyes. Kylie just stairs at me and smiles her wonderful smile. 

“Say it again.” She says putting her hand on my cheek. 

I furrow my brow together not understanding what she wants me to say. 

“Say you love me.” 

My mouth literally falls to the ground. Her smile gets even wider as she sees my reaction. 

‘Oh God, she heard you.’ 

“I love you.” I say quietly not even sure if she heard it or not. I close my eyes and wait for her rejection. 

When nothing happens I open my eyes back up, only to see Kylie smiling at me, her eyes shining. 

‘Alexandria, breath!’ I can’t she’s way too close. 

“Please don’t faint on me again.” Kylie says with a worried look. She grabs my waist pulling my body to her own. When I look back up, her lips are so close to mine that I can feel her hot breath hitting my face. 

~~~~~ 

For those of you who hate me for not updating daily or even weekly, let me explain myself. You see I got to school, I have 2 jobs, I have homework from all my AP classes to worry about, and I still got to clean and cook for myself and my parents every day since they LOVE my cooking. So yeah I have no life or time to actually sit down and write. 

I’m sorry I can’t I wish I could but I want to go to college and get my own home away from my parents.

So yeah once again I’m truly sorry for that but I do try to write at least one paragraph a day 🙂 

Alright so you all know that apparently I look a lot like the girl from hey Monday, right? Well if you didn’t, now you do. 

Today I go to my second job at this Hispanic restaurant with my hair down since I didn’t feel like doing anything to it and I was already running late anyway. With my phone and uniform on I left my house and got in the car to work. 

The day progresses slowly for a while but then a family comes in and sits in my section as well as 2 other people who sit in the next table. I put a smile on my face and go attend them while I’m groaning inside. I introduce myself and throughout all this I notice this woman who is just staring at me not even trying to hide the fact that she’s starting right at me. 

Now if you know me, you know that I hate when people stare at me. I just hate it. It seriously pisses me off. I don’t know if I have something on my face or teeth, or if I have a burger hanging out my nose. 

I’m going to ask them what they want to drink, doing my intro, when the woman stops me in the middle of it and says, “Oh my gosh you look like that one girl from that one famous band.” I just smile and try to ask them for their drinks again caught totally off guard by her comment. The husband orders a coke and their daughter orders water for both her and her little girl. When I turn to face the woman again she is still staring at me. 

“Yeah you look like Cassadee pope. Honey doesn’t she look like her?” The woman asks her daughter who is looking at the menu because clearly, the bitch is fucking hungry. The girl looks up from the menu, agrees with her mother, and looks back down at the menu, because like I said, the bitch is fucking hungry. So with all this the woman is still staring at me and has not ordered a fucking thing. I ask her if she wants anything to drink and she finally orders an ice tea.

I get there drinks and come back for their orders. The dad orders but the woman is still staring at me. I smile at her and again she interrupts me mid sentence saying I seriously look like that girl from Hey Monday. I thank her giving her my best fake smile and take the little girls order. The bitch is still fucking staring and then the words that come out of this bitches mouth piss me the fuck off. 

“You have a pretty voice.” Now I know that this woman has never heard me sing so I just smile and ask her if she would like to order something to eat. She finally does decide to order and I leave to attend the other table. This bitch I swear is still staring at me while I’m taking orders. 

So she then decides to call me Cassadee every time I come by their table to check up on them like if that’s the best idea she could have ever possibly have. By now I’m totally pissed off but I just smile and say that my name is Alba. She dismisses it and still calls me Cassadee. I continue to smile my ass off when I’m dying to punch this fucking bitch’s throat on the inside. 

Then finally they decide to leave. I take a deep breath and give them their check. The woman was not done. The bitch takes out her camera and tells me to take a picture with them. My manager comes by so the fucking woman asks her to take the picture. She hugs me and smiles into the camera. Her family looks at me sympathetically the entire time.

If that wasn’t enough she takes out a pen and paper and asks for my autograph. The bitch is 6 feet underground in my mind. I take the pen and sign Cassadee pope because she didn’t want MY autograph she wanted Cassadee’s. When they start to leave, the woman smiles and says, “Thanks Cassadee.” 

My manager has to hold me back at this point cause when the bitch turned around I was about to beat the shit out of her. She told me to calm down and laughed at me. Everyone in the restaurant laughed at me because the place is small and you can see and hear everything. Basically everything that happened, they all witnessed. 

I went on with my day but every time I went to the back, everybody was still making fun of me asking for my autograph and picture. 

When I got off work I went straight to Bec. She of course laughed her ass off when I told her what happened. I punched her in the gut but soon regretted it when the girl pinned me to her bed tickling my every weak spot. I gave up after I could no longer take it. 

Then Bec had an idea that just about pissed me off even more. She had me put on her Hey Monday shirt and took out her microphone. She made me sing to her as if I were Cassadee. 

So that was my story tell me what you think.

Oh and should I continue this story or not? 

Wow this is extremely long so I’m going to head out and let you enjoy the rest of your life.

Peace!

– Alba Luz :^)