Gemini of Emreiana Read online

  "Well, see you later," her honeyed voice echoed in the room.

  There was no doubt in my mind that she knew I wasn't accepted into a college. Why that was of interest to her, I didn’t know. I didn't like that she knew. I never once did anything to her accept date Kyle, but even then she never had a chance. She could take her hurt feelings and leave.

  I walked out of the bathroom and was glad to find Kyle waiting for me as promised.

  "We’d better hurry if we want to make it to chemistry on time," he said as he grabbed my hand.

  "Oh come on! What do we need chemistry for? Surly, you won't need chemistry for community college?" I joked with him.

  "Oh, that is harsh!" he said, nudging his shoulder into me. It was not that Kyle didn't get accepted into an actual University, but he didn't get any scholarships. That didn't take away from the fact that his family was loaded, but they weren’t going to send him away for college. So his best option was Alice Community College. It was five minutes from his house, which meant not only would he be staying in Alice, but he would be staying with me. I didn't want to sound selfish, but the thought lightened the mood that I hadn't been accepted into a University.

  Our laughing grew silent. I knew he was thinking the same thing I was.

  "I still don't understand why your parents won't pay for your tuition at a university," I stated for probably the hundredth time this past month. His family was loaded with money and could have easily paid his costs.

  Kyle's jaw tightened like it always did. Somehow, and I was not sure how, I felt like he was hiding something from me.

  "You know how my family is. I have to keep to the family business and since I can't get a scholarship to get away, I'm stuck with the family business."

  "You've never even sounded remotely interested in running the insurance company.”

  “To my family, it doesn’t matter,” Kyle said as we got to the class door.

  Kyle’s fate was sealed, along with mine. We would both be stuck here in Alice, whether we wanted to be or not.

  The rest of the day ran smoothly. Classes left me with nothing but history and math for homework. I waited outside Titans’ Gym for Kyle to pick me up. I’d taken taw kwon do at this gym since I was four. Since we carpooled together this morning, I had to wait on him to pick me up. Typically, that wouldn't be so bad, except I seemed to have gotten out considerably early.

  The building sat on the corner of an old shopping district. The red brick was stained from the years worn on it. The windows were now a smoky gray making it less cellophane. I started to think about the first time Aunt Trish brought me here. In the car ride over, Trish was carrying on about how happy she was that I would be doing something productive for my future. I'm not quite sure what self-defense had to do with my future, but she thought it was something big. I had taken to tae kwon do quite well. I had amazing balance and great hand eye coordination. In fact, I got my black belt extremely quick when I was a kid. I was the youngest with a black belt. Because of my fast learning, they let me teach the younger groups on Saturday evenings, right after I get out from the animal shelter. I thought about taking it up as a full-time job while I was taking the semester off from college.

  I glanced at the newspaper on the bench. There was talk about a wild animal in the area. This morning they found three dead deer killed at the stream of Cane Creek, but the article said they were dismantled before they were eaten. There was not any animal I knew that could do that. I shuttered at the thought.

  I found myself playing with my ring and thinking about the dream. How strange was it that I was aware of the fact that I was in a dream? It was also strange that the symbols were the same as my ring's. And that guy, his eyes seemed so familiar to me. It's almost like they were a part of me. The aroma he had around him was extremely intense. His scent, his lips, his....

  Kyle's Honda broke my thoughts. I saw it spin around the corner. He had gotten a brand new 2015 model as a graduation gift from his parents; He always had nice things. He pulled up to the curve and pushed the door open from across the passenger seat.

  "Hey baby." He smiled as I threw my bag into the back seat and slid myself into the passenger seat. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. I almost felt guilty for thinking about my fantasy dream man. Come on, it was just a dream. No harm in it.

  "Took you long enough," I joked with him.

  "Hey you could always walk." He flashed his teeth, revealing his dimples.

  "But you know I'm not going to," I said, letting my tongue rest slightly between my teeth as I smiled.

  "You just better be glad that I love you." The magic words were said. There was nothing the dream guy could have that would compare to how I felt about Kyle. No matter how good-looking he was.

  "I love you too."

  Kyle put the car in drive and we started for my house, but something told me to turn around. A figure stood right outside Titans Gym. My eyes widened as I realized he looked an awful lot like the man from my dream. There was no way. I turned back around and sat quietly in my seat.

  The rest of the car ride was just Kyle and I, telling each other about our day. I ran my fingers through his hair as we drove along the meadow road that led to my house. I couldn't keep my thoughts from wandering to my dream and the events from today. It just seemed so strange.

  "Are you okay?" Kyle asked, curious.

  "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I smiled.

  "You just seem a little..." He looked at me through the corner of his eyes. "Distracted."

  "It's nothing. Just thinking about everything to do before graduation." I reached for his hand and held it.

  "It's not that far off, is it?"

  I shook my head.

  "Well, although most everyone else is moving away, you will always have me." Kyle leaned closer to me suggesting that he wanted a kiss.

  I quickly leaned over and gave him a peck.

  "Eyes on the road." I pushed him back softly.

  "Don't worry. You know I drive safe." He laughed.

  Kyle's phone started to ring. He pulled it from his pocket and looked at the caller id. An annoyed look crept over his face.

  "Yeah dad...Now?" Kyle glanced uneasily at me. "Can't it wait? I need to drop Carson off... okay I'm on my way." He hung up and looked at me.

  "What?" I asked.

  "We have to go to my house before I drop you off."

  "Oh." I looked out the window. His dad had never been too fond of me, so we basically stayed away from his parents when we were together.

  "Don't worry. It will be quick." He picked up my hand and kissed it. I smiled weakly at him as an uneasy feeling settled in my stomach.

  When we arrived, Kyle took me by the hand as we walked into the living room. His dad's office was just across the room. His door was closed off from the world, like every time I have ever come over. Granted, it wasn't often.

  "I'll be back in a minute." Kyle kissed my forehead and walked over to the door. He knocked and waited for a second before entering.

  I sat on the brown leather love seat. The house was enormous, but I didn't dare to wander from that spot. Kyle's father got agitated when he had guests wandering on their own. I looked at the pictures on the wall of the family. I always found myself looking at the family photo hanging above the fireplace. Kyle was sitting in a chair. His mother, with long dark hair and pale skin, smiled weakly and placed one hand on Kyle's left shoulder. Then his father, not smiling or even frowning, had one hand on Kyle's right shoulder. The family never looked happy in their photos together. It always looked staged and cold.

  My attention broke when I started to hear Kyle yelling in the office. What was going on? I stayed quiet to see if I could hear any words to give me a clue; everything was muffled by the door.

  The yelling continued for about five more minutes before the door finally swung open. I stood up quickly. Kyle emerged from the room and stomped across the room, never looking back. He grabbed my arm and dragged me along with him out t
he front door.

  "What's wrong?" I asked, pulling my arm back. I tried not to show the pain from my arm in my face.

  "Nothing, let me take you home."

  He opened up the passenger door and grabbed my arm again, pulling me into the car. After he shut the door, he stormed to the driver’s side and got in the car. He cranked it and took in some air.

  "I'm sorry." He released his breath.

  "What's wrong?"

  "It's nothing that I can talk to you about right now, so please don't ask." He turned and looked at me, pained.

  I nodded. Then, he leaned over and gave me a kiss.

  The rest of the car ride home was quiet. I didn't know what to say, and I didn't want to upset him. He was tense the whole time. Somehow, I could tell he wanted to tell me. I didn't know why he kept it to himself, but I didn’t pursue it.

  We pulled into the curved driveway that complemented the small cottage styled home my aunt and I lived in. Vines, with beautiful flowers, accented the creases of the house, and the garden was just as vibrant as ever. Aunt Trish loved her plants; one time I even caught her talking to them! She was a bit outlandish, so I wasn't too surprised.

  I leaned in and gave Kyle a quick kiss and then I reached into the back for my bag. Before I could slide out of the seat, Kyle grabbed my hand.

  "Hey, we’re all going up to the Star House Coffee tonight. Do you want to come?" He asked me. Of course, I wanted to go. Our group of friends were regulars there; the cashiers didn't even have to ask us what we wanted anymore. Of course, I did have a lot of school work to do, not to mention the valedictorian speech.

  "I have a lot of school work tonight, but I will call you later and let you know. Okay?" I gave him my best answer.

  "Okay. We are meeting at nine so just call or text." He pulled on my arm bringing me into one last kiss. "I love you."

  "I love you, too." I slid out of the seat and shut the door.

  Walking into the house, I could hear Trish in the kitchen searching through some pots and pans to cook dinner.

  "Aunt Trish?" I called out to her. Ever since I was an infant it had just been the two of us. My parents died in a car accident, so I never got to know them. Strangely enough, Trish didn’t even have any pictures of them. However, she raised me the best she could on her own. Running her plant business, she was able to provide for the both of us quite well.

  "I'm in the kitchen dear."

  "I hear that," I said walking into the yellow painted room, accented with greens and reds. "I think I am going to go to the Star House Coffee tonight. Cheap Thrill Deville is supposed to be playing."

  "We will talk about that after dinner." I saw Trish as I rounded the corner.

  I could see her butt hanging in the air as she rummaged through the pots in the bottom cabinet. She never once raised her head, though I'm sure her dark auburn hair was all in a mess as always. The pots were all clanging noisily against another. It wasn’t odd for Aunt Trish to be a bit eccentric, however today she seemed a bit more anxious than usual.

  "Okay?" It had never been a problem before for me to go out. "What are we having for dinner?" I asked her, hoping maybe it would allow room for explanation.

  "Well, a friend dropped off a lot of food from their home. I thought I would make you an old family recipe."

  "Oh, okay," I said with a smile. Aunt Trish was never one to open up with me.

  "Can I ask you something?" I asked innocently.

  "Of course," she said, bringing her head up. There was something about the twinkle in her eye that gave me a strange feeling.

  "Do the engravings on my ring mean anything?" When I asked she looked kind of nervous.

  "Planet of many moons and royalty."

  "Okay, but why is it on this ring?"

  "Honey, can we talk about it at dinner? I'm really sorry. I just have a lot to do."

  A lot to do? Since when did cooking become such a burden?

  "I think I will go and do my homework."

  I headed up to my room to bury my nose in my school books. Not that anything about school interested me in particular, but I caught on very fast, so I never had to study for too long. I almost felt bad about being named valedictorian, because I never had to put any hard effort into it.

  Paws, my slick black cat, jumped up on my desk. I rubbed her chin and heard her purr. It was funny how I could tell how happy she was. Of course, I could also tell she wanted to play. I reached towards the floor and picked up her toy ball. I threw it onto the bed and watched her chase after it. I turned back to my school books, contemplating which class homework to do first.

  All of my calculus and half of history later, I heard Aunt Trish calling up the stairs.

  "Dinner is done!" Her voice was chirpy.

  Getting to the table, I smelled something unfamiliar, yet familiar at the same time. I knew it smelled like meat, but I couldn't quite make out what kind. Unusually, Trish already had my plate prepared for me. This was a self serve type of house.

  "I want you to try it all," she answered my unspoken suspicion.

  I suddenly got the impression that something wasn't right. I didn't ask any questions, but with the raise of my brow, I took a seat and my first look at the meal.

  A big hunk of brown meat, which almost looked like meatloaf, was sitting on my plate. Along with it, there were some unusually blue beans and something that looked like a miniature lettuce head, with the exception that it was orange.

  I first took a bite of the meat with caution. It was tender, juicy, and surprisingly better than tender loins.

  "That was drazen," Aunt Trish informed me. She smiled noticing my liking to the taste.

  "What is drazen?" I asked, never hearing of such a thing.

  "An animal," she said. "Try the bion nips. They are the blue beans."

  I took the beans into my mouth. It was an odd taste for a bean. They were almost like a dessert they were so sweet. Then I glanced at the orange lettuce heads sitting on the plate. With curiosity taunting me to try them, I drove the fork into one willing to give it a try. It tasted similar to celery with a hint of spice.

  "What is this food?" I couldn't contain the question any longer.

  "Carson, there is something I need to tell you," Aunt Trish said, pulling her chair around quickly to where I was seated. She had a big grin. She said the words as if something was wrong, but her excitement told me something different.

  "Okay?" I wanted her to continue.

  "You know I have raised you since you were an infant." Her smile was stressed. I raised my posture preparing myself for the unknown. "But there is something I have had to keep hidden from you."

  Then without any warning, someone walked in from the door that led to the garden. I stood up quickly, pushing the chair behind me. Frozen, I stood staring at hazel eyes that just this morning haunted my dreams. Instead of the weird attire he wore in my dream, he was wearing jeans and a button up.

  "Honey, I would like for you to meet Aaronmon. Of course, I think you have already met." Trish stood next to the boy. It was impossible for him to be here. He was only a dream, right? Or maybe I met him somewhere, and I threw him into my dream. She did say we had already met.

  "It's a pleasure to meet you in the flesh and not in a memonai." He curled a smile. Was I dreaming again? I could be sleeping right now, I reasoned with myself.

  "No Carson, this is real," Aaronmon said, answering my thoughts.

  "Carson, just let us explain," Trish said. Then I remembered everything that he had told me this morning about being an alien.

  "No, this isn't real," I said, tensing up.

  "Carson, he was supposed to talk to me first before he called to you in a memonai, but he did it anyway. I wanted to be the one to tell you. He wasn't even going to be here tonight," Trish told me while Aaronmon stared at the ground.

  "Okay, I am just going to say that I don't know what is going on," I declared.

  "Honey, do you remember the stories I used to tell you as a kid
?" I nodded, remembering tales of a land full of exotic plants and animals that my parents ruled over, and I was their little princess. Of course, I remembered. I thought it was heaven. "Well it wasn't just a story. The majestic land is a planet. And your parents were, still are, the royal family that rule it. You, honey, are a part of that." Trish reached out to my hand. In a fast reaction, I jerked it away.

  "Look, this isn't very funny if you think it is a joke." I turned around to leave. I wanted to believe that my aunt had cracked and this guy was just insane, but the fact that he was in my dream confused and frightened me. Everything they were telling me could not be true. That would just be crazy.

  I had not even made it out of the kitchen when something itchy grabbed my wrist. I looked down to find what looked like a vine. Then I followed the rest of it to find that it actually was a vine! The vine had come through the window above the sink and somehow grabbed my arm!

  "Please dear, let me explain," Aunt Trish pleaded with me. Her arms were reached out and swaying to the rhythm of the attacking vines. That was when I realized she was controlling the vine.

  Startled, I wanted to run away; however, the vine tugged harder on me and wouldn't release me.

  "Carson, don't be afraid." Aaronmon stepped toward me.

  "Let me go!" I started to freak out. Nothing, and I meant nothing, was normal about this. With the wave of her hand, Aunt Trish had another one burst through the window, ready to seize my other arm. I tried to fight it off, but the wiggling vine succeeded and took hold of my free arm.

  "Carson, you are going to have to calm down," Trish said calmly.

  With me still struggling against the vines, Trish walked to the pantry and opened it. I noticed she pushed back a secret cupboard inside of it and reached for a cloth sack. Opening it up, she spilled a little into her palm.

  "What is that?" I asked, noticing the light green dust.

  "Illimor." She made her way over to me. "A calming dust."

  Then, without any warning, she blew it into my face, causing me to sneeze a few seconds later.