Chapter Twenty Four

I was sitting in the school yard, with Michael. I was in my sophomore year, and he was fresh out of high school. He came to visit me on my launch break.

"So, what are you going to do about that job interview?" I asked him, while taking a bite out of the sandwich.

"I'm prepared, you know me," he smiled, and kissed my cheek.

"Yeah, I know you," I swallowed, and kissed him back, "Um, if you get the job, does that mean you're going to move?"

"I don't know, we'll see. Don't worry your pretty mind about that," he tried, but I knew he was lying. That was his dream job, and I was just his first love. If it came down to choosing, he was probably going to choose the job. If the roles were reversed, I would have. Not that I knew yet, what my perfect job would be. I was good at writing and make up. Maybe, I could like to be a makeup artist or something like that.

"What are you thinking about?" He noticed that I was lost on thoughts.

"Nothing, just same test I have in a week," I lied.

Was I ready to let him go? He was my first love, too. I was being selfish, I know.

"Anyway, I won't be here this weekend?"

"Why, where are you going?" This weekend was my last treatment, and I needed him beside me.

"Well, I'm going to the interview…" he looked guilty.

"The interview is downtown, why would you…?" I don't understand. What did he mean he was going away for the weekend? He needed 20 minutes to the interview, have an hour maybe less doing the interview, and then 20 minutes back. That hardly counted as 72 hours.

"They moved the interview, out of town. I guess, they are testing people how badly do they want this job."

"This has nothing to do with them testing anyone and has everything to do with greed and pure ideocracy. They are rich; therefore, they can do whatever they want to do!" I was angry and done with people abusing their status.

"I know, babe, but I really want this job?"

Fine, I'll go on my own.

"It's ok. You have to what you have to do."

He smiled and put his arm around me, squeezing me tightly.

Suddenly, I felt a strong gust of wind blow in our direction and literally swipe everything off the table. I turned to Michael, but he was gone.

"Michael!" I screamed, "Michael!"

The wind was blowing harder, and harder. We were inside the school. How could this be going on. I looked around me and there was no one around. The place was empty. I was alone. I tried to find the way out, but even if I did, I couldn't move. The wind was blowing in my direction, and I wasn't strong enough to move against the wind.

"Jump!" I heard a familiar voice. It was Zach. Standing at the doors.

Suddenly I had a familiar feeling. Like, this has happened before.

"Jump where?" I yelled.

"Just jump towards me, and I'll catch you. Trust me," he yelled back.

"I looked down, and the floor turned to a a whirlwind of water, sliding into a deep whole. You've got to be kidding me.

"You expect me to jump, and like, what, fly over this?!" I screamed at him.

He just smiled and mouthed something.

"What?!" I could not hear him.

His mouth was opening, but no sound came from him.

"Zach, I can't hear…," and before I could finish the sentence, I felt the wave of water cover me, pulling me into the whirlwind… The water started filling my lungs, and I tried to gasp for air, and swim up, but I could not fight against it.

I woke up, swimming in wet clothes. A nightmare, again. I looked at the clock. 4 am. I walked to the bathroom and took my clothes of. I turned on the shower. I put my hands on the sink and looked in the mirror. My eyes were red. I must have been crying in sleep. My hair stuck to me and my face was pale.

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe on.

'Trust me….' I heard Zach's voice in my head.

I laughed sarcastically. I'd rather not.

I woke up to a phone call from Anna.

"Hello," my male morning voice triumphing. Why do people keep calling me in the morning? It's not flattering for anyone.

"Hey, did I wake you up?"

Except for hers. Her voice was perfectly fresh and bubbly. She probably woke up early and flew over to Africa to teach the poor kids, or something like that, then flew back. She warmed her vocal cards early in the morning.

"No, it's fine. What's up?"

I was not.

"I was thinking if you want to with me try out some cakes, and you know do all the wedding chores I still haven't done?"

She had a week before her wedding, and she still hasn't done that? Oh, yeah, she was probably busy with children in Africa, or maybe finding a cure for some unknown disease.

"Um, "I rubbed my eyes, and looked at the clock. 9am, "Yeah, sure, can you give me half an hour to get ready?"

"Great, sure, I'll pick you up."

I hung up and looked at my phone. 10 missed calls from Gina and Dan.

Oh no. I turned off the phone last night, and turned it on, when I woke up from that nightmare. I forgot to call them back. She's going to kill me.

I dialed her number and took a deep breath.

"Hello," her voice was calm. Weird.

"Ok, listen, I know I forgot to call you, both of you back, but I turned off my phone, cause Zach called me, and I'll tell you all about it, so I forgot. I'm sorry, sorry…"

"Who is this?"

Was she kidding? Yeah, she was angry. I sighed.

"Ok, I get it. This is your best friend, that is deeply sorry," I said in my best sweet voice.

"You know, it rings a bell. Keep going…"

I hated her.

"Ok, Gina, I get it. How about I come by and bring you that favorite ice-cream of yours, with sprinkles on top?"

When the sweet voice doesn't work, just try a different tactic.

"Maybe."

"Oh, shit, I can't. Anna is coming to pick me up, in like 25 minutes. She wants me to go and do wedding chores. How about I come by after we finish, ok?"

"Yeah, yeah. But, with the ice-cream. Otherwise, you are not welcomed. "

I heard her laugh, "Of course. Is Dan there?"

"No, he and Nicholas are in the town, doing some food shopping."

"Ok, I'll call him now. I got to get ready. See you in a few hours, girl," I jumped out of my bed, picking up clothes to wear.

"With the ice-cream," she repeated it sternly.

"Yes, yes."

I called Dan, after I finished my conversation with Gina, and told him the same thing.

Cake testing was interesting. You sit there, and the plates keep changing in front of you.

The yellow one with bananas, or the dark one with the dark chocolate, or the red one with cherries… So many choices.

We were on out fourth cake, when I asked her," How many people are coming?"

"Oh, not many, around 350."

I almost choked on the cherry. I imitated her, "Oh not many, around 350."

She laughed, "Yeah, my family is in charge. I really don't care. As long as, Michael is there, and you, I don't care. Everyone else is to please my family."

"Why don't you then elope? Why make all the fuss about it, if you don't care?"

"It's to please my folks. They are already disapproving of him, but If I do this, for the, then at least, they'll still stay in touch."

"Have they met Michael? How could you not love the guy?"

"Yeah, they have. And they do like him, I think, it's just, it goes against every generation of ours has done."

"You mean, rich marry the rich."

"Yes."

It figures, "I'm sorry for asking this, but exactly how rich are you."

She shrugged awkwardly.

"Oh, that rich," I started starring at the next piece they put in front of us.

"Should I like bow to you the next time we see each other?" I smiled. I was actually profoundly serious, but she just laughed.

The next chore was dress fitting. For me.

I was trying on some sparkling grey, strapless dress. It was a beautiful dress. There were two women helping me get in the dress. It was a tight dress.

Should I lose weight, or something?

I was standing in front of a big mirror, with lights blinding me, how strong they were.

One of the women kept telling me to breathe in and pull in my stomach. I was so close to screaming at her that I was breathing and pulling it in, as hard as I could.

They finally managed to get me in, and zip me up.

"There…," the woman said, "look how pretty you look."

"Yeah, you're beautiful," Anna added. I looked at her, in the mirror, and saw her smiling widely, "Do you like it?"

"Yeah, it's really pretty." It was beautiful, and I felt like a princess, "So, am I the only one who will wear it? What about your other bridesmaids?"

"Don't have any," she answered sadly.

"Would it be ok, if my best friend comes, and she can fill in the place of a bridesmaid. I know you don't know her, but she's hilarious. When we're done here, I have to go to her place. Do you want to come?"

Her face lit up, "Yeah, she's welcome to come. And, if she doesn't mind, I would love to come."

"She won't. I just have to make a stop, before we go to hers, and I need to call her and tell her I'm bringing you along."

Anna continued to smile.

"Maybe we can make this part here shorter. She has great legs, let's show them off," she told one of the women there.

I knocked on the door, and heard Gina's, "Come in."

I turned to Anna who looked nervous.

"Hey, it's us," I walked in to find Dan and Nicholas playing video games, and Gina rushing towards me, "Where's the ice-cream?"

"Here it is, calm down," I gave her the ice-cream and turned to Anna, "Anna, this crazy sugar apparently depraved person, is my best friend Gina. And those two kids there are Dan and Nicholas. Nicholas is Gina's boyfriend, and Dan, is my friend I met recently."

She waved at them, shyly, "Hi."

The boys turned around, said 'Hi' back, and returned their attention to the video games.

Introducing Anna, to this newly formed friendship group, turned to be a great move. We played games, and not video games, ordered take away, talked. I told them all what happened the night before when Zach called me, Gina and Dan told me how they had to make out, cause some, let's say unattractive, guy didn't want to leave Dan alone… It was hilarious, and Anna fit in well.

"She's perfect," Gina took me aside, and said with a hint of jealousy.

"I know, right, it's annoying."

"So, you are over Michael, now?"

"Yup."

"Good," she smiled.

"What are you going to do about Zach?"

"Nothing. I'll ignore him, when i see him, for the last treatment, and after that, I hope to never see him again."