Awaken Me Read online

Two

  AS I STOOD THERE, I could see that Greece was really beautiful. It was such a mix of old and new architecture; all of the buildings that I could see had rustic white smooth walls with delicate details surrounding the doors and windows. So much history surrounded me. I stood in front of a fountain that must have been around when Julius Caesar was on earth, that’s how ancient it appeared. It was a man holding a naked woman in his arms as water bubbled out, trickling down their bodies.

  The people, the town, it all seemed unreal, a foggy haze as I walked through the crowds. The women really knew how to dress, with their clothes layered stylishly. I wasn’t sure I would be able to pull it off.

  I wandered around for God only knows how long, until I decided to ask a European man, “Hi. Do you by any chance have the time?”

  He smiled as his eyes checked me out. That’s a bit creepy.

  “Never mind,” I said as I hastily turned away from him.

  Finding out the time proved to be a challenge in itself, as it appeared not many people understood me. I wasn’t in Florida anymore. Stupid language barrier. Frustrated, I walked into a cozy little coffee shop, chiming the bell over the door as I entered. The sales guy behind the register glanced up at me, a clock hung behind him, reading 8:40. The guy behind the register did a double take, and then spoke in Greek. I shook my head, gesturing that I didn’t speak Greek, and he asked again in broken English.

  “Can I help you?" his accent was thick as he looked at me with a hopeful expression.

  “Uh, no thanks," I told the disappointed coffee guy.

  My tearing eyes and bared arms unwelcomed the cold air as I walked down the cobble stone street. It was getting colder, and my dress provided me little warmth. I could feel the anxiety begin to build up within me.

  “Okay, Aimee, you can do this. Sure you just ran away from a life of luxury and a man who just murdered your best friend. Oh and not to mention you were supposed to get married in two days. But, life could be worse.” I thought out loud, startling a couple that was sitting close together on a bench.

  The piercing pain in my feet and nearly frozen body made me almost pass by a nice looking hotel, with gigantic white marble pillars, and a large gold-plated sign above the entrance, engraved with the name “The Enclave.”

  I walked inside and saw that the main lobby was luminous, with red velvet sofas and chairs clustered together around a grand fireplace. The floor was a deep grey marble, and I could see my reflection in it. I sure knew how to pick expensive things. One of God’s gifts, I guess. The bell boy smiled at me as I passed by him. I received a few looks actually, as I walked toward the front desk. I probably looked like a call girl in this satin dress.

  The girl at the front desk raised an eyebrow as I approached the long white marble counter that stretched along the back wall. She would have been prettier if her snobbish expression had been a smile instead. Her brown eyes narrowed in on me as I approached her.

  "Welcome to the Enclave. My name is Natasha. How can I help you tonight?" I flashed the rock on my left hand and her expression faltered into shock. My smile grew, it was caddy of me.

  “I would like a suite!" I said with confidence. I debated whether or not to charge Derek’s card. He wouldn't know until he went back to Palm Beach anyway. A smile grew on my lips at the thought of his expression when he would get the bill. The more I thought about it, the more I realized it would only cause him to come look for me. So, I decided to give her my personal card instead.

  “How many nights did you need?" Natasha asked, pulling me out of my dream.

  “Three nights and I’ll need to go shopping in the morning. Or is there a service for that?" I asked.

  “Yes, we can arrange a ride for you or if you make a list we have personal shoppers who can bring back clothes for you to try on."

  I didn't want to walk out looking like this tomorrow, so a personal shopper wasn't a hard choice for me to make.

  I finished with Natasha and followed the eager bellhop to my suite, passing by people that didn't hide their curious stares. This hotel was exquisite, with marble flooring and elegantly detailed angels painted on the ceiling, with walls of rich gold and deep blues. My heels echoed loudly in the hall as we approached the elevator.

  The elevator we stepped into took me straight to my room, using a special key.

  Nothing would prepare me for how gorgeous my room would be. Facing the sea was a canopy bed with a living room in the center around a fireplace. The dark grey marble continued in the room. It was beautiful. The bellhop cleared his throat as he turned to me expectantly. I happily handed him a large tip. He smiled and left the room.

  Walking to the window, I looked out at the ocean. It really was hard to see clearly, the glare on the window hindered my sight. But the moon was very visible. Luckily, I wasn't near Derek’s yacht.

  Feeling truly alone, I began to contemplate what I was going to do and where I was going to go. All my belongings were in Palm Beach, Florida, and at Derek’s house nonetheless. I began to realize that I had done what I always do, and acted on emotions and fled. Letting the reality of my grief sink in, my tears began to erupt like a volcano. I couldn’t control them. A knot grew in my chest. I felt such despair, an aching pain. Clutching the wall for support, and feeling like the wind had been knocked out of me, I blindly made my way to the bed.

  After what seemed like hours of crying in a curled ball on the bed, it felt like I ran out of tears. My eyes stared blankly at the high ceiling as I began replaying the night. Krissy and Derek and how his eyes looked at her. Derek taking Krissy’s life. All I could see was her falling to the floor. I would most likely have to suffer in silence. Why couldn’t I escape my head? Tonight wasn’t what I planned, what a mess of events. It was supposed to be a happy memory, one with family and friends. Instead I was left trying to figure out what I was going to do now. Do I go back to Florida? How could I face anyone back home? Especially after what I saw Derek do to Krissy. Could I have stopped it? Would Derek have killed me?

  Aimee, just breathe, I reassured myself. I was beginning to have an anxiety attack; my breathing was staggering and I could feel the warm fire growing in my chest.

  The room began to move around me. I sat up thinking this would help to cure my madness, that I was just dizzy from crying, but it got worse. The room felt like I was in a warped tunnel. I quickly started opening and closing my eyes, hoping the room would stop. But it wasn’t the room, it was my vision. Everything present became blurry and I drifted to sleep, or so it felt. Blackness surrounded me.

  I felt the warmth before I saw the scenery before me. The beach was warm as I sun bathed. Well, I would have been sun bathing if I had worn a bathing suit. But, I just stood in the sand. It was a perfect blue sky day, with a slight sea breeze. I was on Derek’s private beach, and it was so peaceful. It was one of my favorite places to escape for a day. The palm trees blew gracefully in the breeze, and the sound of the waves brought a sense of peace to me. This was a nice dream. An odd reality it brought me, something unusual. I felt a soft touch, I knew instinctually that it was Derek’s hands that glided up my side. Derek’s eyes were examining me. I smiled at his approval. Why was I smiling? I should be terrified, at least I was earlier. But my feelings were muted. The moment passed, as did the ocean.

  The scene quickly changed and I was standing on the cobble stoned street in Greece. I was alone, though. The gold-plated Enclave sign shone with an unusual brightness. Derek appeared by my side again. The hair on my arms rose.

  “The Enclave, Aimee? Of all places to go!” Derek said with his arms crossed and eyebrows raised.

  “This is my dream! Why are you here?” I asked. His smile curled up the sides.

  Wasn’t I supposed to be angry at him? The small fragments of my night unraveled before my eyes and I couldn’t stop it. It felt like my brain was being pried open, like a bad headache; I grasped my face in pain. This was the weirdest dream I ever had.
I was more exhausted. My eyes could no longer see; instead his voice surrounded my blackness.

  “I found you.” Derek said softly.

  “What do you mean you found me?” I asked, getting mad. All of the stress from the day must have given me some psychotic warped dream. The headache lifted and Derek’s face appeared.

  There was something about his smile that was bothering me. “Don’t worry, I will see you soon enough.” He said so confidently. He touched my face and terror seared through my body.

  “Oh, really? I think not!” I said angrily. His green eyes just watched me with amusement. Oh, how I loved his eyes. And I still do. What conflicting emotions I felt. How can I hate someone that I loved? What a curse to be that good looking. My eyes began getting heavy and the dream became hazy, like a thick fog. Derek was gone, but slowly my mind became blank, as I finally felt exhaustion take over me.

  ﻴ

  I woke up to a soft knock on the door. My eyes became alert and I sat up too fast. Glancing around the large room and remembering where I was, I got up and sluggishly moved to the door. I was still in the satin red dress. My head pounded with a serious headache. Passing a mirror, I caught a glimpse of my horrific morning face, mascara smudged all under my eyes, looking like some creature from a sci-fi movie.

  “Coming!” I yelled as I used my hand to wipe some of the mascara away. Peeking in the peephole, I saw a tall beautiful woman standing there with a rack of clothes. I excitedly opened the door.

  “Hello, Miss. My name is Iva." She said with a smoldering Italian accent, as she glanced at my state while rolling the cart in. "Hello," was all I replied. She smiled at me, and something about her reminded me of someone I once knew. Maybe it was just her ice grey eyes, the same as the mystery man I met last night. She neatly unzipped the bags in the living room area, revealing the clothes. Surprisingly, she had great taste. I immediately began taking the red satin dress off as she helped me into a more casual day dress. Her hands briefly touched my arm and I had a sense of deja vu from her touch. She winced at the touch.

  “I’m sorry, Miss." She said politely. Her face was gentle and elegant, but had a fierce edge to it, like Iva could kick some serious butt. Her brown hair was in a tight bun.

  “My name is Aimee. No need to be formal.” I said. “How long have you been a personal shopper?" I asked curiously as I examined the dress she put on me.

  She hesitated a moment before answering. By now, she was zipping the back of a sexy black dress up for me. "A long time...”

  “Oh. You have really good taste.” I said.

  Iva smiled. “What happened to the dress you were wearing? I noticed rips by the knees."

  I glanced in the mirror to admire what I was wearing. Turning my attention back to Iva, I answered, "I jumped off a boat onto the dock." Her eyebrows rose. "I didn't want to stay on board any longer." A smile crept over her face; I could tell she tried to hide it.

  "What is so funny?" I couldn't help the smugness in my voice.

  “I’m sorry. It's not funny, just curious as to why."

  The horrible image of the man I was going to marry snapping Krissy’s neck, played in my mind again. I shook my head, trying to erase it. A cold chill ran down my spine. “Long story. My wedding was tomorrow, but I just couldn’t marry him anymore." I replied, a bit sad. My life had seemed so right and in a flash, things quickly changed. I felt an overwhelming sadness.

  Iva’s smile shifted a little. "Oh. Well, better to realize that now before you married him." She said softly, as she gently helped me into the next dress. I wish I had done something. Maybe expose him to Elizabeth.

  Iva soon finished and began packing the unwanted garments back into the bags. She was heading toward the door with the almost empty clothes rack, but stopped just before. "It was nice meeting you, Aimee. I hope your stay gets better." Her eyes just stared at me, and her words sounded sincere. I nodded, afraid of what I might say. I almost felt like crying. Iva left and I sat on the bed. What was it about Iva that made me feel so comfortable? At that thought my stomach growled and food became a dominant thought.

  The main hotel lobby was buzzing with happy tourists. The woman at the marble check-in counter was the same one from last night. Natasha was her name and she glanced over at me smiling, clearly she did not recognize who I was in this conservative outfit, jeans and a cute, long sweater. Surprisingly, the air was warmer as I walked outside the hotel. It was partially overcast, and the breeze was mildly cool. At least I was prepared now for the temperature.

  Walking causally down the sidewalk, the tourist shops were alive with people. I would have loved to sit and people-watch, but my stomach told me differently. A breeze rustled through my hair and I caught wind of something that smelled heavenly. Following the scent led me to a pastry shop. I wasn’t even sure how I got there.

  The tiny hole-in-the-wall shop was cute and intimate, couples were sitting outside under tiny yellow umbrellas drinking coffee; this setting was like a movie, and a pang of jealousy flared in me. Derek.

  Having bought pastries I couldn't pronounce, I ate quietly as I continued to walk back outside, oblivious to the surroundings as my mood lifted with each bite, sending my taste buds wild and watering with each tantalizing bite. Being completely absorbed with my pastry, I didn’t realize I was rounding the corner into an ally. It was darker, I noticed, and above me hung clothes lines that were streaking in between the peeling, off-white buildings. I was so taken with the scenery above me that I ran right into something, or someone. Almost choking on the pastry, familiar hands grabbed my shoulders, sending an electric current through my body. My eyes widened as I looked into those same grey eyes from last night. It was such a feeling I never felt before and pure horror filled me.

  "Hello again," said that same Italian accent. He looked at me expectantly, what he was expecting was beyond me, and he smiled a crooked grin.

  “Hi.” I said swallowing the piece of food I was chewing. “Can you release me now please?" I asked.

  He smiled and released me, slightly jumping from the tone of my voice.

  "Why are you following me?" I asked as I snapped my arms out of his reach, while I examined him with uncertainty. He still looked like a Greek god with his wavy, brown hair, ice grey eyes and pale skin. His lips were still in a half smile. Could I really be attracted to a man so soon after leaving my fiancée?

  “No, I just happen to be in the same places as you at the same time.” He said as he glanced around the ally before returning his piercing gaze back on me. “You really shouldn't be wandering around by yourself." His voice hid something I couldn't quite figure out, concern maybe?

  “For your information, I can go wherever I please. And why shouldn’t I call the police on you? You could be some dangerous villain or something for all I know!" I said sounding utterly ridiculous.

  He just raised his eyebrows in a perfect arch, ignoring my last comment. “Where are you going now?" He asked calmly.

  "What’s with the questions? I don't even know you!” My voice went up a notch, my sudden burst of anger always seemed to get the better of me at times.

  His smile grew. “My name is Alec. And you are?" Alec didn’t offer his hand to me, and even if he had, I wouldn’t have taken it. Instead I crossed my arms like a pouting child. He seemed to bring out this character in me, which was a bit unsettling. I was so used to trying to be controlled when I was around Derek and his family.

  “What no last name? I don't need to tell you my name, anyway." I felt snarky and annoyed by him.

  “Last name is irrelevant and I already know who you are. You're Aimee. Everyone is looking for you. Actually, I'm surprised they haven't found you yet, considering you’re staying at the Enclave." His voice held such a fire. I turned my face away from his. I felt the color leaving my already pale face. Searching? They were looking for me? Of course they were. I felt terror enter me. It was so much more potent. I leaned on the white light p
ost, to stabilize me.

  “How do you know any of this? And even if they find me it doesn't matter because I'm a free woman!"

  “If you go back to the hotel, HE will find you." Alec said. I searched his eyes for signs of deceit, but from what I could sense, there wasn’t any.

  "What about everything I just bought?" After uttering those words, I realized how dumb they sounded. What did I care more about? I knew I couldn’t face Derek, the murderer.

  "Okay." I said. “What do I do? You obviously know something that you aren’t telling me!" My anger was seeping out of my words like venom.

  His smile continued to grow. “You don’t have to worry about your clothes. Iva has them for you." He said.

  Astonished, my mouth dropped open. How did he know Iva?

  “What is going on here? Who are you?" Fear started to seep through my veins. I slowly backed away from him, reaching a brick wall. I felt trapped. And scared.

  “Aimee, I can help you. If you want help, then believe me when I tell you that you can trust me."

  Words from a stranger, I knew better. Yet there was something about Alec. I couldn’t place it. I felt comfortable with him, maybe I really could trust him. Or maybe it was me being careless and allowing myself to trust a complete stranger out of fear of Derek.

  My two choices were these, go with a stranger or be confronted by my ex who killed my best friend. Looking into Alec's eyes, I made my decision. His eyes bore into mine, like he knew what I was going to say.

  “If I go with you, will you explain how you know everything?" I asked.

  “When the time is right, things will reveal themselves." He said.

  I didn't have any clue what he was talking about, so all I did was nod.

  Alec smiled and nodded toward his heavily tinted car. How did I not notice his BMW sooner? Am I actually getting into his car, like some stupid common-senseless girl? The type I would make fun of? I glanced around, hoping that someone might see me get into his car. But, I was in an alley with nobody around. Only a fool like myself would get into these situations.

  “Of course," I said to myself.

  Alec was already in the car waiting for me patiently. The inside of his black, 750 series BMW had black leather seats that smelled new. I glanced at his navigation system in the dashboard, hoping I would see a destination. I noticed that he was dressed nicely. He wore a form-fitted, buttoned down, long-sleeved, dark blue shirt paired with dark denim jeans. I really began to wonder who this man was. Or what exactly he does. He peeled the car out of the ally and I scrambled to put my seat belt on. I wondered if I was going to die from his driving alone.

  Winding through the streets of Greece, everything was a blur, we began heading, well, I didn't know where. I peeked from the side of my peripheral vision; his hands were gripping the steering wheel, keeping his eyes on the road. He was so tense.

  “Where exactly are we going? And why are you helping me?" I asked, trying to be as polite as I could be under the circumstances, even though every ounce of my being cried out in outrage and anger.

  “You leave me no choice but to help you. And you’ll see where we are going." His straight face was bothering me. He seemed so controlled.

  All my life I ran away from things, anything complicated. Derek, a number of times, would find me and bring me back. I don’t know why I would run. Maybe I just didn’t feel content or maybe I was looking for the unknown. Thinking about Derek made me sad. Would I ever see him again? And was my dream really a dream? Or was it something else? Every time I would ask Elizabeth about the accident, she would avoid it. I always let it slide. I had been okay with not knowing details. But now, with things unfolding right in front of me, Derek’s cruel behavior, what indeed would be my sentence? What scared me the most was that I still loved Derek. I was horrified with what he did, but that part of me was still consumed by him. Maybe it was just something I would have to outgrow.

  The awkward silence in the car grew thick. So thick, you could cut it with a knife. Alec’s face softened as he took a deep breath.

  "Aimee, do you remember anything from your past?” His face was now hiding behind his soft waves.

  Feeling a bit uneasy, I kept my eyes on the road. “Nothing before the accident. Why don’t you tell me what you know? Because I know something is going on here!" My voice got loud, but Alec just kept that smooth expression. The fact was, I didn’t know what kind of accident I was in. I was alive and should’ve just left it at that. I always knew there was something missing, but I never pushed Elizabeth for answers.

  “I’m curious to know what you were told about the accident." Alec said, locking eyes with me briefly. I caught myself staring at his perfectly proportioned face. How deceiving my emotions were. In fact, I began to worry about what he knew, which was likely more than I knew.

  “I don't know anything except waking up at a hospital." Soon after I met Derek, he pursued me immediately. Thinking of him now only made the visual of him breaking Krissy’s neck more present. I gulped as I closed my eyes for a second. The aching, why wouldn’t it stop? Alec stayed quiet as I battled my feelings.

  “Who are you?" I asked. I didn't mean for my voice to be rude, but I couldn't control it. I was on the edge of insanity.

  “It’s not important who I am." Alec said.

  “Yes, it is important! I got into this car with you! I don't even know you or why I listened to you! I have no clue where we are going or what is going to happen to me when we get there! And you just sit there with that stern face, and what, I'm supposed to be okay with all this?"

  The amused expression returned to his face. “Yes." He answered calmly.

  I was on the verge of jumping out of the car or screaming at him. But, by the looks of him, I wouldn't have made it very far. So instead I sighed deeply and dug my back further into the leather seats.

  I noticed a dark horizon when I woke up. I didn't even realize I had dozed off. I quickly wiped the drool from the corner of my lip. How embarrassing, I thought to myself. I glanced over at the God-like man sitting next to me; Alec. His expression hadn’t changed.

  “We are almost there," was all he said.

  We began to descend underground. I wasn't paying attention and somehow missed seeing an entrance. My eyes narrowed as I tried to capture the dimmed light. Alec parked the car next to what would seem to be a parking lot, if it was normal. These cars would make Palm Beach cars look like shams, with every kind of exotic car you could imagine surrounding me. A green Lambo with matching green rims was next to me.

  This garage was made of silver walls, actual sheets of silver, I could see the cars’ reflections in them. The ceiling looked low and was black concrete. The floor was also black concrete.

  An electric current shocked me when Alec touched my arm. I jumped, startled.

  “So, I guess we’re here?" I asked, my voice was low, almost a whisper. I was afraid and cold, even though I had worn a sweater.

  "Yes." Alec said quietly.

  He opened my door and I hesitated for a moment, almost debating if I should get out of the car. My legs moved, but my body felt like I was floating. Alec led me to an elevator. It appeared to be made of some type of strong steel, like something you would see in battle, or like a safe house. What did they keep out? Alec pressed the third level and it didn’t even feel like we were moving further underground. The doors opened and my eyes tried to gather as much as they could in the dark hall. It smelled earthy and was warm.

  Silently, we walked together as the light got brighter. What I didn’t expect was what the third level looked like. It was an underground palace or fancy mall. There were shops of all sorts lining each side. Even though it was clearly upscale with black sparkling granite floors, the structure of this underworld had an ancient feel. Almost like a small Rome, but more modern. It was surprisingly bright and cheery, even with no windows. If I didn’t know we were indeed underground, I would have thought it was a n
ormal place. We crossed a bridge that went over a coy pond that divided the two main sides of this place. I had never seen anything like this before.

  Where was I exactly? Everyone was dressed so nicely, like in H&M or Forever 21, or maybe the real deal clothes. And boy they were good looking. Men, women, and children. I realized that most of the people, minus the younger people, all had pale skin and icy, grey eyes, but their hair were different lengths and colors.

  A small grumble of uncertainty mixed with fear began to corrupt my mind. It was hard not to feel this presence of fear when everyone around me caused the hair on my arms to prickle up. Alec was swiftly moving as we walked through the crowd. I received mixed looks from some of the passers. One girl my age almost stopped as her eyes went wide; she raised her hand, as if to point at me.

  I ran up to Alec, touching his arm. As I did that, I felt the return of the electric current go through me. Surprised that the hair on my head didn't stand straight up, I let go of his arm. Alec turned, not fazed by the touch. Looking into his eyes, a piece of his soul was revealed to me. He had more than a deep sadness etched on his face. There was also a haunted look that lurked behind his grey eyes that I could see

  "Yes Aimee?" Alec asked.

  Whispering, I asked, "Why are these people looking at me? Do I have something on my face?" I felt insecure by the gawking.

  "No your face is fine." He said, as he quickly glanced over me and then began walking again. He turned down a small hallway that had one door in front of us.

  We walked through the plain white door. Walking into some room, but it wasn’t just any room, it was large and like a council room, with white walls surrounding me. Long stone benches engulfed this room, with dark red velvet drapes hanging on the walls, where windows would be if there were any. On the front wall was a large portrait of a woman with hazel eyes, wearing a long silver dress. She was very regale. There in the middle of the room stood a woman I did know. Shoulder length brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail, her grey eyes narrowed on me, statuesque stance, Iva. She was smiling as if she knew I would see her again after this morning.

  Who are these people? That was the question of the night.

  "Hello again, Aimee. Long time no see." She nodded at Alec who crossed his arms, but her eyes never left my face.

  "Yes, long time indeed. Maybe you can tell me what is going on, because this guy over here hasn’t said anything productive to me," I said as I got closer to Iva. Iva continued to smile, but addressed Alec.

  "Hasn't changed much since the last time, has she Alec?" Her Italian accent was smooth.

  My mouth dropped. Last time? What did that mean?

  "No, she hasn't. Her tongue is still sharp." Alec said laughing. His laugh was deep and exciting.

  How was I beginning to have feelings for a complete stranger?

  A new door opened and an older man entered along with a woman. He was mid-fifties, with greying hair and a grey suit. The woman wore a long-sleeved dress. She looked very statuesque. Their eyes showed joy and I noticed that it was the same woman in the portrait on the wall.

  “Does she remember anything?" The man asked curiously. His Italian accent was just as strong as Alec’s.

  "I’m afraid not. All she remembers is waking up at the hospital." Alec said.

  The man turned to face me. I could feel the color drain my already pale face. Something about this man, I couldn’t place it, made me feel uncomfortable. The woman placed a hand on his shoulder.

  "Be careful, we can't explain things to her yet!" said told the older gentleman.

  "I’m standing right here if you have forgotten and I can understand English perfectly. And since no one seems to tell me anything, why are we underground? Better yet, who are all of you?" I asked as my voice rose an octave. I was boiling in anger mixed with fear. They just stared at me, not saying a word. "Hello? I’m tired and annoyed. Can I please get some answers?" My patience and tolerance were never good to begin with, but they were really waning at this point. I felt that same burning sensation in my chest, the one I usually got when I’m angry. I felt like I was on the verge of losing control. The death of my best friend, the betrayal of my ex fiancée, everything seemed to mix into one giant festering pool in my brain and I couldn’t stay calm.

  The older woman walked toward me. “You haven't changed much since I last saw you." Her voice was soft. Her accent sounded somewhat French. It was very mild and she was well spoken.

  “Meaning what?” I asked, a bit rudely.

  “Meaning your temper, as well as a few other things,” the older woman said as she touched my shoulder.

  "ROSEMARIE!" The older man scolded.

  "I’m sorry, Ralph." Her eyes filled with tears and she turned from me.

  This night just was getting more and more bizarre as it progressed. How much more I could digest was beyond me.

  "Perhaps I should take her to her room to get some rest?" Iva said in a reassuring way, along with changing the subject.

  I just glared at them all because I wasn’t getting any answers.

  The man nodded as he began to guide the older woman out the door; the woman named Rosemarie glanced over her shoulder back at me. Her hazel eyes were deep; I could see pain and happiness at the same time etched in her face.

  What secrets did they know? I thought I had been confused in the car, but now I was a hundred percent more confused. The only thing I knew for certain was that Iva was right—I was really exhausted.

  Alec stood in that very still way that he was good at; I don’t think he was planning to move at first as he continued to look into my eyes. Iva cleared her throat, and Alec broke eye contact. Alec was so mysterious, yet he was a familiar presence.

  "Goodnight, Aimee, I’ll see you in the morning," Alec said, although he didn’t move.

  "Goodnight, Alec; she will see you tomorrow." Iva took my arm and I followed, unable to speak.

  Why had Alec looked at me that way? So many thoughts raced through my head. I had so many new feelings I never felt before. Feelings I didn’t know even how to register.

  Iva led me back out into the main court, and I was still getting mixed glances from passersby. The crowd of people were more my age; some were sitting on the stone benches, while others stood in groups, eyeing me as I passed.

  The stores were closed as Iva led the way.

  Iva soon turned down a hall that had many doors, having the look of a hotel hallway, with off-white walls and dark blue carpet that smelled like it was just vacuumed. The doors even had numbers on them. Iva abruptly stopped in front of 156.

  She turned toward me. She looked uptight with her arms crossed. Was this how she always was? She reminded me of Krissy in a way. Something about them was the same.

  "Aimee, I know you must be confused about everything that is going on. But try to get sleep tonight, okay?" Her Italian accent was smooth and soft.

  That was easy for her to say, I thought darkly.

  Iva opened the door for me, reveling the room. It was very clean and looked like it was lived in once; the bed was to the left. It was a canopy bed; it looked so welcoming. The walls were a pale blue color, and the dresser in front of my bed had a plasma TV on top of it. A small living room was in front of what I assumed was my bathroom.

  My eyes continued to glance over the room. I was trying to take it all in but couldn't, due to how tired my mind was; instead I muffled a "’Night" to Iva and flung myself onto the puffy white bed, slipping my shoes off. Sleep at last.