Monsters & Fairytales (48 page)

“Yes. That’s how you got back to your world. Please, you must trust me.” He begged.

“Trust you?! I don’t even know you! And what do you mean your world?”

“You live here, I live in Aegyssus. I took you there, but not on purpose; it was an accident. You fell through the exodus when we were playing laser tag. We had the most magical time, we really did.

"You accepted your love for me and wanted to give up your world for it. It was too much, though. The Zahn came and you weren’t ready. But I think you’re ready, now. You have to give it another chance. You can feel it inside of you. That’s why I’m here again. And that’s why you can’t remember. We had to erase your memory, you were tampered with. Your intentions need to be pure to want this all over again.”

“I wanted to give up my life on earth to be with you?”

He was insane; cute, but insane.

“Well, if you want to put it in those words, yes. Mirabelle, we knew each other, we’ve known each other a while. You’ll see it soon enough. It took you some time in the first place to realize you loved me.”

“How could I love you? You’re a creature from another world who apparently keeps abandoning me. You’re telling me I honestly keep forgiving you?”

“You don’t have to forgive me, because once you remember you’ll understand why.”

“Why can’t you just tell me?”

I was nearly to the living room. I was holding my cell phone like a gun; pointing it at him with caution. I was prepared to flip it open and dial the necessary number at any second.

“I told you, you have to want it yourself. I’m not allowed to influence you.”

“Um, pretty sure you standing here in my living room
is
influence enough in itself.”

“Guiding what your heart already wants versus telling it what it doesn’t know are two separate things.” He said.

I stopped to think about that for a second. He took that opportunity and lunged for the card on the counter. I tried to snatch it from him, but when he opened his hands it was gone.

“Oh, now I’m convinced you aren’t here to hurt me.” I said sarcastically.

Then I realized the number to the police department was in my phone. I could easily call and ask for him to be sent out again. I flipped my phone open and hit the redial button.

“No!” Sebastian yelled, snatching my phone and closing it. 

“Even more convincing.”
I huffed, blowing the hair out of my face.

“Sorry. You just don’t understand, you can’t do that, now.”

He was pushing on the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed. He was trying to restrain himself from something.

“Why not?!”
I whispered.

“I know that none of this sounds good or believable, but look at me! Why else would I be here? You can feel it inside of you. You have to trust yourself. You are ready. I know you are.”

“If you want me to believe it so bad, why act like this? Why are you being so sneaky? If I already knew it and it’s already inside of me somewhere, you aren’t influencing it.”

“Yes, I am. You forgot it. You don’t pay attention very well when you are angry.”

“Okay, so stop making me angry.” I sighed, leaning on the barstool behind me.

“I’m sorry. I
do
do
that a lot.” He admitted.

“Well, I still have no idea why I’d be in love with you, let alone want to leave this place.”

“You did.”

“How are you so sure? Why send me off if I loved you?”

“I told you, you panicked in front of the Zahn.”

“What the hell is a Zahn?” I asked.

“I can’t tell you.”

“What can you tell me?!” I shrieked. This was pointless.

“Nothing that you don’t already know.”

“You told me about laser tag, and going to your world...I didn’t know about those things.” I said.

“That’s different.”

“How?”
I asked, getting up in his face. It was very difficult, considering he was a good foot taller than me.

“Because what we did didn’t affect how you felt.”

“That makes no sense.”

“Telling you what we did won’t affect how you feel. I could tell you all day that we went to the park and ate cookies, but that wouldn’t make you trust me and remember why you loved me.”

“But telling me what a Zahn is will make me trust you and all that jazz?”

“It could. It’s the sole reason you exist.”

“Come again?”

“The Zahn.
The reason you exist on Earth is because of it. But you don’t exist because we played laser tag.”

I took the bait. He was good at this making me want him game.

“Fine.
What made me remember, then? You said you’ve done this before; how did I remember those times?” I asked.

“I don’t know
,
you always figured it out on your own.”

“Okay, look. Those small details about what we did together might actually be the key to all of this. When Joe was telling me about what he and I did together, that’s when I remembered him.”

I sat back down and leaned on my arms. He just stared at me for a few seconds. I guess he was making sure how serious I was. I was plenty serious. I was tired of all these games. Since I had woken up yesterday, everyone had been telling me what I knew. I wanted to remember it on my own. If he was the only person to experience it with me, then there was a good chance he could spark something. I had to try.

“Joe?”

He said the name after a few moments. It was with such disdain though, I was taken back. It was as if he hated him as much as Joe hated Sebastian. What was with these two?

“Yes, Joe. Why is that the only thing you focused on?” I sighed.

“I am surprised that you remembered him. It usually doesn’t work that way.”

“So...I just forget all human contact?” I asked.

“This is not important.”

He waved his hand to shoo the conversation away.

“Oh, I think it is. What’s your issue with him? Are you jealous? Did you make me forget him so you wouldn’t have competition? You know, that could help trigger something?”

I teased and poked at my temple very comically.

“
There was no competition with Joe. I won by a long haul.”

“Oh, yeah?
Did he, uh, did he know you looked like this? Cause I highly doubt he’d think I’d choose this over him.” I grinned.

“He did not. You know, you actually preferred me this way.” He said.

I noticed he mumbled the first part, it was weird. I ignored it, though. It was too much fun seeing him jealous and insecure.

“
Why in the world would I prefer looking at a beast than a human masterpiece?”

“I do not know. You’re the one who said it, not me.”

“Show me.”

“You couldn’t handle it right now. It’s too much for you.”

I couldn’t tell if he was serious or not. I laughed twice and crossed my arms. This was crazy. He was picking up on teasing. Did he always follow and learn from me? That could be bad. However, I wanted to see his human form, now. I had to.
             

I blinked a few times and sucked my teeth. I was just staring at him with that attitude filled look most parents gave a disobedient child. He gave me an awkward smile and I felt myself wanting to smile back. I quickly rushed that feeling away and focused on wanting to see him as a human.
             

He sighed; it seemed
forced
. He then flickered into his human form. I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. Everything Joe had explained made sense. His hair, clothing style, even his features were just as Joe had said. I was impressed more so that he wasn’t lying to me, to be honest.

I stepped off the stool and carefully walked towards him. Even though he was about half a foot shorter, he was still taller than me. I liked it. He was nervously fidgeting the closer I got to him. I stared into his eyes and studied his face. I wanted to kiss him. I couldn’t explain it. Somehow he completely resembled his beast form, and then, in his eyes, there was this longing famili
arity.
I wanted to know why and what it meant. I wanted to remember everything and I felt I could if I just kissed him. I went for it. Sebastian embraced it. He held my shoulders at first, but gave in and held the back of my neck and my lower back. He was a very good kisser, much better than Joe, but I didn’t feel anything. I was just kissing and that was that. I stopped and looked at him.

“I guess I was wrong about you.” He laughed quietly.

“How do you mean?” I asked.

Before he could answer, someone knocked on my door. He dropped his hands and took off down the hall. He didn’t go into my
room,
he went in the spare bedroom. Why on earth would he go there and not my room? Was Joe at my door? Could he sense that?
             

I felt butterflies in my stomach. Had Joe been watching? Had he seen us kiss and had come running to my door to stop us? Joe knew what Sebastian looked like. He knocked again. He knew I was home, I had to answer.
             

I wiped my mouth
and then opened the door.

“Hey.” I said, as fake as possible.

“Hey. Sorry to interrupt, I think I left my phone.”

Yep, he had been watching. What a creep. Why would he be spying on me?

“Oh, yes, it’s in my closet. I’ll go get it.” I said, instantly regretting it. He was going to ask how I knew that. I was so dumb.

“How’d you know it was in there?” He said, right on cue.

“That’s where you changed.”

I managed to respond in such a matter-of-fact way that he seemed to buy it. He nodded his head and just stood there, waiting on me. I took that as my cue to leave and walked down the hall for his phone. I guessed that was why Sebastian hadn’t gone in my room. I wonder how he’d sensed it, though. Had he seen Joe outside? Is that why he’d played into that kiss so much?
             

I went into my closet and grabbed his cell phone. It lit up and showed that he had four missed texts. I was so embarrassed. He would see that and check it in front of me.
I had to erase mine. But if I went into his phone and deleted mine, then it’d take the notification icon away
. Then he’d think I had been snooping in his phone. Ugh, why did I have to send a stupid smiley face? I was thinking too much. I just have to hand it to him. He’ll see it when he sees it. Why did I care so much?

“Mira?”
Joe said, walking up next to me.

He scared me and I jumped, dropping his cell phone. The backing fell off and the battery popped out. Well, that solved that problem.

“Oh
my gosh
, you scared me! I’m so sorry.” I said, bending down to pick up the pieces.

“No, that was my fault, I’m sorry.” He smiled.

He was smiling. That’s why I cared. I wanted him to like me. It was like high school and he was that jock and I was that nerd who hooked up once at a party that no one knew about. But I knew. I wanted everyone to know. No, that was shallow.
             

I wanted the way he made me feel to last. It was better than being with Sebastian. I don’t know what he was talking about. I felt nothing in his kiss, and just thinking of kissing Joe made my knees weak. I think I’m in love with him.

I still had on his
ring .
I thought about offering it back to him. Maybe he’d see how hurt I was and feel guilty. I just wanted him to hug me.
             

We stood up together and I handed him his phone. He took it then turned around and walked back to the door. That was it? That’s how he was going to leave me?

“Joe.” I said.

“Yeah?”

He stopped and turned around.

“Honeymoon’s over.” I said sliding off his ring.

I was angry and hurt.

“Oh, wow, thanks a lot. This thing means so much to me. I completely forgot I’d lent it to you.”

He walked back over and took it out of my hand. He smiled and nodded and took off again. I wanted to cry. I couldn’t believe it.

“Joe.” I whispered.

He didn’t hear me that time. I didn’t want him to hear me. He was already around the corner. I heard him close my door. I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me.

“He can’t see inside your true feelings.” Sebastian whispered over my shoulder.

I didn’t even care how he snuck up behind me. I was still staring down the hall, hoping to see Joe’s face peek around the corner like it were some sort of a joke. This was all just a bad dream.

“I thought you said my true feelings wanted you.”

I walked off into the living room. I was debating grabbing my cell phone, but I knew I wanted to be in view of that back door. He was going to turn on his cell phone, see that text, and do something. Whatever it was, I hoped everything would be fixed.