Living With Him

My first course is Geology. After I sat at my desk, Miguel appeared sitting on the floor beside me and laid his cheek on my knee. This is my required science class and science and history are, without a doubt, my worst subjects. So I have to study extra hard just to maintain my B. I had thought Geology would be the easiest science course available, that's why I signed up.

"Almandine," Miguel stated suddenly. That's when I realized he was answering the teacher's question. The answer was later written on the board so I knew he was right. An iron-rich form of Garnet is commonly formed from regional metamorphism, it is the most common garnet in schists and gneisses. It also occurs in silica-rich igneous rocks, such as granite, rhyolite, or associated pegmatites. As I was reading Miguel stated "Quartz." Once again stating the answer before the teacher decided to inform us of what he was talking about. I quickly took notes. "Your teacher really loves rocks," Miguel commented.

"Well... this is Geology class." I replied, then realizing people might think I was talking to myself, I laid my head down and whispered, "You must like them too, to know so much about them."

"I took Geology in middle school," Miguel stated as if it was common sense. Though, I don't remember learning so much in middle school myself. I felt a little embarrassed because he was smarter than me; in Geology, anyway. Once that class was over, Miguel walked with me down the hall to my next one. My next class was Acting and we had to put on a play very soon, so we were rehearsing under the strict instruction of Mr. Marcs. Unlike science, I was fairly confident in this. Though, knowing Miguel was sitting in the usually empty auditorium watching, unnerved me. He seems like the type to criticize and I don't handle criticism well.

"Louder Lemiette. You have to project your voice more. I can hear you but the audience, she, can't hear you." My teacher chastened. I raised my voice and did my best to be engulfed in my role. It still feels unbelievably wonderful to lose myself in a character. When the time to leave came around Miguel manifested beside me. I prepared myself for mean words but he instead asked something, slightly unrelated.

"Are you trying to follow in your mother's footsteps?" Perhaps I should give a bit of backstory, my mom is Liluette, she's beautiful and very famous as an actress. My father is a director and I think you can guess how they met. I'm surprised he knows who my mother is... maybe I'm more locally famous than I thought.

"Ah... no, the fact that I like acting too might just be genetics or... coincidence." He looked away from me with disinterest but I hadn't noticed and continued speaking. "I actually would prefer if I was nothing like my mom," I admitted.

"Why?" He asked quickly like he couldn't understand what I was saying.

"She... hurt my father... badly, because of her... uh... bad habits. She's fickle, irrational, gets lonely easily, and can't be loyal. I don't want ever to do that to someone. Oh, but I resigned myself to staying alone so I guess I don't need to worry about breaking anyone's heart." I laughed and Miguel tilted his head.

"Because of me?" He inquired.

"No... a lot of things, actually," I answered. He hummed to himself then, before walking away from me. I tried to rush after him but as I got close I watched him fade into nothingness. I definitely preferred his company in comparison to being alone... It's odd... I thought I had grown used to solitude, so why do I miss him? I was a little relieved, later, when he appeared at the lunch table in the college cafeteria. I sat down next to him and he nonchalantly took one of the fries from my plate. I stared at him in shock. "You... eat?" It was so surprising I couldn't even be mad he was taking my food. He shrugged

"I can do whatever I want... but it's more for pleasure than necessity." He responded while stealing more. I wondered how it looked to other people. Was my food floating and then disappearing into thin air? I looked around, expecting someone to be giving me strange looks. But No one was even glancing in my direction; I really am a total outcast. "Your goal is to be an actress right?" He asked, bringing my attention back to him. "Have you auditioned for any movies or commercials?" I felt too ashamed to answer so instead I changed the subject.

"Did you see the girl today?" He groaned and looked away from me.

"You're the one who's supposed to find her, not me." His response irritated me a little but I couldn't snap at him. He has every right to be this way. I took a deep breath and decided to rephrase my sentence by saying,

"Then have I seen her?" Miguel turned to me and smiled mischievously.

"Not today, but you've seen her before in your life." He stated. I pouted in response. He has a sadistic streak.

"What happens to the food you eat?" I asked, watching him eat a few more of my fries.

"It's incinerated inside of my body and disappears into nothingness." I gasped and yanked my tray away from him.

"Then it's a waste to let you eat them!" I stated defensively "Plus you said you don't need to eat anyway." I argued, eating as fast as I could to prevent him from getting more.

"But I enjoy it." He complained, walking through the table and sitting in the chair next to mine. I shoved a few fries into my mouth and moved my plate again. "In death... there are not many things of this world I can still find pleasure in," Miguel said softly and I stopped eating. If he's trying to make me feel guilty... he's succeeded.

"Alright... you can have my fries but the cheesesteak sub is mine," I replied, lifting my sandwich and taking a bite.

"Thanks, Lemon." He whispered, sitting a bit too close to me. His breath sent shivers through my body. It must be because he's so cold... He helped himself to what was left of the fries and the look on his face showed happiness... but I also noticed sadness... I gave up on my career as an actress because I plan to die as quietly as possible as soon as I finish school. I don't want to waste my parent's investment in me... so the least I can do is obtain a degree... I suppose I may live a little longer depending on how long it takes me to find Miguel's girl.