I couldnt believe she was gone, my mother had left my brother and I. I feels like it ws only yesterday we were back in Texas, putting her body into the grave. I cried so much on that day, the real last time to say goodbye. I didn't go to her open casket funeral, I didnt want to see her like that, cold, hard, expressionless, lifeless. I practically forced John no to go, saying he didnt want to see her like that either. I'd like to think John held together more than I did, sure I saw a few tears here and there, but not as much as I was letting out.
I realized, with a start, I had started whimpering, salty drops running down my cheeks. Soon those whimpers became gasps for air, I couldnt breath. My arms wrapped around my middle, hugging my heart together, trying to keep myself together. I felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around my back and waist, my head was facing the floor, but I knew it was my twin brother, John. He placed his forehead against my temple, black hair against black roots, "Shhhh, it's okay, I'm here." he whispered, rubbing my back with 1 hand, the other holding my left hand, rubbing soothing circles on the back of it.
"but she's not. I miss her." I choke out, my voice cracking, barely a whisper. He nodded, 'i do too.' "I think I'm okay." I said standing up and heading over to my closet to get dressed. Today is our first day of school without our mother seeing us off. 'are you sure you want to do this?' he though-asked, being twins gave us the advantage to share thought, but we were different.Our mother had believed we had powers no one could imagine. And she was right.
I could tell you the thoughts of everyone in the 100-mile vicinity, but only if I really listened. John was a charmer, or an empath, he could calm a room full of angry people by taking their anger and holding it on himself. We never talked about it, but we did use out advantages when we needed them.
"Yes... we both need it, John. Our mother would want us to move on and you of all people would know better than anyone how much it hurts dad to see us moping around." I explained, pulling out clothes for myself. I shooed him away so I could change. 'We dont need anybody but each other.' he thought on his way out. "please dont get mad at me, John. I'm trying! Okay?! I'm struggling, but I'm doing my best!" I yelled at the door, knowing John could hear perfectly well. After i dressed, I collapsed on my bed, curling up into a ball, wanting to roll awa into a ditch and stay there.
I hadnt meant to get mad at John, he hadnt done anything to me, only trying to help. 'No, dont you dare feel remorse for yelling at me, i know we both need it, I can see we are both struggling to get through the day let alone an entire wee with other kids.' He thought, calmness radiating out of his being. By the time he was done thinking it I was already at my door with my backpack.
I pulled open the door and embraced John, who had been leaning against my doorframe. "Come on, we're going to be late." i stated, pulling away, he smiled slightly 'sorry' his only thought.i nodded and grabbed his hand and ran out the door to the driveway where my new car was.
A beautiful, glistening silver mustang sat, calling to me, the black top signalling it was a convertable. The 4 headlights shinign with eagerness. I ran my hand over the hood, my breath taken by the beauty that lied in this beast. I got in and started it, the purr of the monster calming me down. John smiled at me as i pushed the gas, causing the vehical to roar with excitment. "okay... let's go!" i squealed as i took off down the street, a cloud of dust and pebbles flying behind me.
It took 3 minutes to get to school, rather than my fathers truck at 10 minutes. All eyes were on my car as it raced into the parking lot, roaring with difiance as i turned it off, 'we will be fine' John thought.
I tuned into the students minds to see how we made a scene in some. 'whoa! did you hear that engine?' ' there are definatly 2 people in the car.' 'i heard they are twins' I rolled my eyes, the same thoughts over and over in every mind but 1. a boy, to my suprise, didnt give a second thought to our enterance. Just 'whoa that's a powerful engine.' then stuff about school. That was the 1 mind that i actually wanted to know better. this bo unlocked something inside me i had never felt before, something that was vital.
I had different classes than John, the only classes were 4th period and 6th. I said goodbye to John and made my way to math.
1st and 2nd period passed without incident, but when 3rd came around , i got a feeling that something of importance was near. the hair on the back of my neck stood on end, chills ran up and down my arms, i shivered and entered the classroom.
My eyes frantically searched the room, looking for a clue, anything to explain my reactions. But all i saw were students, all had thier own cliques; populars, nerds, geeks, prissies, ect. thier thoughts however helped me out. 'whoa new girl alert' 'she's not as pretty as i heard she was' 'heard she has a twin' 'she is absolutly beautiful' the last thought caught my attention, my head swivled around looking for the face that went with the thoughts i had heard this morning. but no faces popped out.
i hid my face behind my hair, confused on the 'voice's' meaning, i found an empty table at the back of the room, 2 chairs sat; empty, just like my soul. i sat down and pulled out an empty notebook from my backpack. doodling.
I had just finished drawing 2 linked beating hearts, when the chair next to me scrapped along the floor, squeaked from the pressure of the person's wieght.
My eyes met a pair of memorizing, midnight black eyes, deep purple bags surrounded the enchanting clack holes, my fingers figited on the notebook in front of me, wanting to lightly touch th purple briuses. the important feeling grew in my gut until i was almost choking on it, i was breath taken. he cleared his throat, which caused me to looked down with emmbarrassment, i had accidently been openly staring at him.
"hi, i'm nico suarez," he smiled, showing perfectly straight white teeth behind a full bottom lip and a thin top. i open and close my mouth, gaping like a fish, his voice... was so... smooth, i could cause lull the most wreckless of monsters to sleep, caused me to lose all train of thought. "are you okay?" he asked, placing a hand on the back of my chair and the other on the table in front of us, long fingers stretched out ready for danger.
I nodded, "Yes, i'm fine. you're the first person to introduce themselves to me or my brother. usually people stay away from me and my brother." i said, trying to catch my breath from the feeling brewing within.
"why?" he asked, relaxing his posture, his hand laying flat on the blacktop table, the one on the chair staing in place. I smiled sadly, "it's not a happy story," i stated simply, shrugging my shoulders.
"please? i want to know more about you. you seem like a very interesting person to know." he pleaded, looking at me with a pout on his face, irresistable.
i took a deep breath, bracing myself, "my name is Maria Reyna- Di'Nozzo and my mother died 3 months ago.My brother and I drew away from school for the funeral, then finished our sophmore year in Texas, then we moved here." I said, closing my eyes. "My friends drew away from me, because i wasn't much of a friend anymore. I would zone out constantly."
"What about ur brother?" Nico asked, a sad look on his breathtaking face, i bowed my trying to hide from the world.
"He took it better tehan I did, of course, i expected that, he is older by 2 minutes. He should have better reactions." i smiled halfheartedly, the bell rang and I slowly gout up. "I'm so sorry." he whispered as I walked away to my next class.
I was so tired of hearing it, "I'm sorry....this happened. Im sorry that happened." Couldn't everybody just forget abot it?
By the time I found the classroon, class had been in seeion for over 7 minutes. I sighed as I opened the door and walked to the bav of the room. John was already there, along with the boy, Nico. I smiled sweetly at John as I sat in between them , and layed my head down, my hair acting like a dark sheet.
"Hello again, Maria." Nico smiled, leaning forard to whisper in my ear, the longing growing in my gut every inch cloer. "I met y ou brother. He's a funny one." He chuckle. "Yeah Nico, I am well aware that my twin is funny." I mumbled pulling my head up listening to the thoughts around me. "Why is Nico talking to them?" "Great they're going to be popular within the day" "I wonder why she looks so sad?" Why does Nico look worried? Questions swarming in my head, like angry bees, pinching and poking at my curiousity.
I glanced at Nico and once again my breath was taken, I frowned, he did look worried, the lines rolling up his forehead. His eyes boring into mine, endless questions in his mind. His lips pressed together: pursed.
I took a glance at John, he looked uninterested, uncaring as he stared ahead, i knew it was his blocking mask, a mack that made everyone believe that he could care less. But I knew he was morning inside, and confused on the mood change from me. "Are you okay, John." I asked, grabbing his hand, needing to hold him down from bolting out the door. He turned toward me, nodded then smiled. I rolled my eyes, "I meant are ou feeling alright?" I stated. He laughed, "yes I'm fine, sis don't worry about me."
"HEY!? Look?! It's snowing!!" some skinny blonde headed boy yelled, immediatley running outside and playing in the white powder. Other kids had already been out there, throwing balls of fluff at each other. i looked at John, asking if i could go. He chuckled and nodded after he exited his seat. I squealed as I ran all the way down the hallway and out the door.
Kids everywhere, were pouring out the door, screaming with excitement. Apparently it never snowed this early in Chicago.
I twirled in the white cold flakes as they floated down giggling the whole time. I ran back inside once the snowballs were being thrown. John laughed as he was hit by a wet ball of white "Its a war!" He yelled as he ducked behing a trash can.
I breathed heavy trying to get air in my lungs. "pst..pst...Maria!" Someone whispered as they walked out the door from my 4th period. I turned only to be embraced my long arms. "It will all be okay." Nico whispered squeezing his arms so that I was squished. It took a moment before I realized I was sobbing in his arms, clinging to him like a life perserver. "I miss her" I whimpered, he buried his face in my hair, and mumble something unintelligable.
"What?" I asked. That's when my world came crashing down on me. The room swirled like a smoothie, different colors blending into one ugly color, of brown. I cried out squeezing my eyes shut, hoping if I opened them Nico would be there, comforting me.
I opened my eyes and felt the prickliness in my eyes stating my tears were welling up. I looked down and frowned. White walls, I was in a pair of white sweats, a white shirt, and no shoes on the floor in a fetal position.
A nurse ran in then giving me a tray of food, a water bottle, and she had a chair in her arms. She rushed out and a man came instead, a clipboard in his hands, a white coat flowing from his back like a cape.
"Hello, Maria...." He stated calmly. I screamed and stood up. He remained seated, scribbling what I just did in his notes.
"where am I!? where's John! Nico??!!?" I yelled, pacing the room. I backed away to the back of the room, needing to be away from this place.
"Calm down or I will have a nurse come and calm you down" the white man said, a serious look on his face. I immediatly sat down, although the tears were already rolling down my cheeks, I was already gasping for air. I nodded.
"where is John?" I asked in gasps, already everything felt wrong. I felt no calmness, no love. Where was Johns aura? Was he okay?
"you don't remember?" The doctor asked, he took the confused look on my face as a 'NO'. "Your brother died in the car crash with your mother and father. You were at your house, when the police notified you, you went bonkers" He explained. "A mental breakdown" Although he kept talking after that, I zoned out. John....was....dead!?
I cried out as the emptiness throbbed, he was gone, I could feel it. "what about Nico?" I gasped out. He had to be alive, somewhere happy?
"Nico?....Oh....Nico Suarez?" he asked. I nodded. He shook his head. "no, no Client Suarez has been dead for over 7 years, lack of sleep." the doctor explained.
"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" I screamed, curling up in a ball. i was going hysterical. I could feel it seeping into my soul, my brain....my heart.
"are you telling me that Nico and John never met? I never went to my mothers funeral, holding my brothers hand? I never hugged Nico with all my might?" I blurted out, choking, not expecting the truth. It never happened?
The confused look on the doctors face was all I needed, before I succumbed to complete and total madness