by Dexx Peay
“Crystal!”
“According to Trey, he was the only one in the family who had no idea.”
This was crazy. It was like everyone in New York was turning out to be an alien.
“So is that why Trey was upset?”
“I wish. Trey’s sister is missing.”
“Missing? What do you mean she’s missing? I thought she was in Germany with the army?”
“She was. Her dad thinks that someone found out and now isn’t sure where she is.”
“Do you think she is…”
“I’m not sure. All we can do is pray for the best.”
“What can we do to help?”
“Right now, we need to focus on finals and watch our backs. We can see what we can do once we go home for break.”
During my test, my concentration was off.
I was paranoid.
I couldn’t help think about what Trey and his family would have to go through if she turned out to be dead. I didn’t always get along with Crystal growing up, but I would never want any harm her way. Life became all too real at that moment. I felt nervous because I missed a lot of training sessions. One thing was for sure when it came to these powers, I will fight to end.
After my test was over, I met up with Malcolm. We stopped by the coffee shop and grabbed some to-go. Told him I would be home for the break. Hadn’t been back to Poughkeepsie since the summer. He had to stay in the City to work on some big project for his company. We agreed to catch up once I got back from break.
When I got back to the room, the gang was all there talking. Marcus, Sam, Hachi, and Hudson were huddled up with Crystal as the topic of discussion.
“We just need to make sure we all watch our backs,” Hudson was saying when I walked in.
They all turned to me when they heard the door open, then went back to their conversation as I walked up. Hachi was seated on the floor and scooted over to make room for me to join the group.
“We’re still not positive what happened.” Marcus chimed in.
“If somebody tries anything with me or my sister, I promise you it will be the biggest mistake of their life,” Hudson growled. Hachi held back a giggle. “Ain’t that right sis?” He nudged her with his elbow.
“We all know that Qihar are out there. As long as you guys are not using your powers in public and keeping your markings covered, I think you will be fine. You guys are well trained and I feel that you can handle anything that comes your way. Just be smart and continue living your lives. Now, Marcus and Dylan, when you guys get home, find out as much as possible. If your friend needs help, I’m sure Hudson and Hachi won’t mind helping,” Sam said.
“You guys know we got you,” Hachi said.
“Hudson smash Qihar,” he roared and smashed his fist into his palm.
We all busted out laughing. He was sort of like our “Hulk”.
“Hey guys, I need to get going, I have a final I am not ready for. I will catch you all later,” Hachi said as she darted out the room.
I sighed and took a seat on the couch. Sam took a seat next to me.
“Everything alright Dylan?” Sam asked.
“I feel like I just bombed my final. I was distracted with the news. To be honest Sam, I don’t have a good feeling about this,” I said.
“We have to remain positive. Until we have proof. We have to believe that she’s okay.”
“I promise you we will get to the bottom of this,” Marcus cut in.
“Yeah I know guys. I think I’m going to head to the room and get some studying in for my final tomorrow morning.”
“Oh,” said Sam. I turned around mid-stride. “I wanted to know if you guys wanted to have a guys night tomorrow to study? I can get some pizzas and we can all help each other out in the areas we need most. You guys can tell Gunner and the others to come too.”
“All we need is Marcus here to give us all the answers,” Hudson said. Marcus glared him. “Geesh, just kidding bro.”
I wanted to take a nap before I stayed up studying so I gave my peace to the guys and headed to my room.
The next morning during my exam, my concentration was better. I felt more prepared and wasn’t stressing over Crystal. I felt good after the final. When I got out, I noticed Imani across the street. She was just standing there. People and cars rushed by her. She never moved, just stared. Her eyes followed me but her head never moved. I kept walking, zoning in on her.
“Dylan,” I heard off in the distance.
I didn’t break concentration
I stared back.
I heard the voice again, “Dylan!”
It got louder and louder until I finally crashed into someone. The sound of the books hitting the pavement brought me back. I instantly bent over to help pick up the books before I even realized who it was.
I was trying to see around the figure of the person I bumped into, trying to keep an eye on Imani. When I finally got her location back in sight, she was gone...just that fast.
“Dylan are you okay?” I looked up and it was Mayson.
“Sorry M&M something had me distracted.” I shook my head a couple of times just to get my bearings.
“I’ll’ say.” She turned around, trying to get a glimpse of what had my attention. “Where you headed?”
I stood up and handed her the one book I managed to pick up. “Just got done with a final. Aced it.” I gloated.
She giggled and ran her fingers through her hair.
“So how is Kappa life treating you?”
“Well I haven’t actually had time to enjoy much of it yet. Figure next semester will be when the fun really starts for me and my circle.”
“Totally. You’ll love Greek life. When are you heading home?”
“My last final is tomorrow. Marcus and I are going home first thing Friday morning.”
“Yeah me too. I’m just ready to end the semester and bring in a new year.”
I started to move slowly away from Mayson. I had to get going and really didn’t have time to talk.
“Hey M&M” I really don’t want to be rude, but I’m a little crunched for time.”
“Oh, no, yeah I understand.”
“I’ll catch you later alright.”
“Sure Dylan.”
Later that night, all the guys met up. Sam ordered a few boxes of pizza and Gunner brought over some sodas. Everyone had their grease-stained cheesy books laid out on the floor with paper and pen. At the start of everything was just guy talk. Marcus referred everything back to Delilah somehow, Gunner was talking about how many girls on campus wanted him….we sounded like chatty women, or at least that’s what I think they sound like.
“I’m serious,” Gunner laughed. “She told me that at your party.” We all couldn’t stop laughing. “And then she threw up in the bushes,” he laughed.
“Yuck,” we all replied.
“Delilah would never get that drunk at a party and make a fool of herself,” Marcus said.
Everyone stopped laughing and glared him.
“We get it Marcus, she is perfect,” Charlie growled.
“Shut up Charlie as much as you used to talk about Stacey last year,” Marcus barked.
The rest of our eyes shifted back and forth between the two as they went back and forth.
“Settle down, settle down,” Sam interrupted. “Let’s go ahead and start studying before we all fall asleep from eating too much pizza.”
Charlie reached over Gunner and grabbed another slice. Marcus laughed. I had my Intro to Engineering and Organic Chemistry finals tomorrow. No one else was an engineering major so that was all on me. I didn’t need to put as much time into that class as Chemistry. I was confident I could get a B+, but I wanted an A. Everyone partnered up with whomever they could benefit from the most.
Time started to fly.
Chris passed out first right into a slice of half-eaten pizza. After Chris, Charlie, and within an hour everyone was passed out between the floor and the couches. Marcus and I started
to clean up all the pizza so we didn’t wake up to a place full of roaches. He walked to his door and I walked to mine.
“Goodnight bro,” I said.
“Night.”
He walked into his room and closed the door.
I did the same.
Qihar or The Matrix
I didn’t sleep much since I needed to be up early. I woke up everyone in the room and we all got ready. I had my Engineering final first and was done within thirty-minutes. Next was my Chemistry and I took the whole two hours.
Afterwards I spent some time with Gunner and Noel, then spent some time chatting with Malcolm that evening. Monica called but I missed it. She followed with a text, which I got later. When I got back to my room, I started packing and cleaning. Marcus had already packed and had his stuff waiting by the door. He was out spending his last bit of quality time with Delilah before the break was over.
The next morning felt like it came as soon as I closed my eyes. We wanted to get on the road as early as possible. Marcus was dressed and ready to go when I walked out my room.
“You ready?” he greeted as I walked out the room.
“Damn can I brush my teeth? Plus, we have to wait for Monica.”
His eyes followed me and he didn’t say a word.
I smiled inside.
“Monica? What are we waiting for again?”
“Monica, she’s riding home with us.”
I walked into the bathroom and started to brush my teeth. Marcus followed me.
“Why didn’t you tell me she was riding home with us?”
“idsmacar,” I said with a mouthful of toothpaste.
“What?”
I spat and rinsed my mouth. “It’s my car, I didn’t think I had to ask for permission and plus, it makes sense. We’re all going to the same place. I wasn’t going to tell her no.”
“You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”
“I’m eating this up. You guys agreed to be friends and I haven’t seen none of that this semester. But I’m not getting between you guys’ relationship, she asked for a ride home and I said yes. She is my friend at the very least.”
Marcus walked out and started to put his stuff in the car. Once Monica called, I loaded my things and went to her dorm to pick her up.
I dropped her off first.
The car ride wasn’t as awkward as I pictured it would be. Marcus didn’t act weird. We all just had casual conversation without them bringing the past up. When I stopped at Marcus’s house, I went inside to speak to his family.
“MARCUS!” Mrs. Peterson screamed as we walked through the door.
She ran and hugged him before he could take another step past the door. He did his best to drop his bags with his mother’s arms tightly wrapped around him. I walked up and grabbed them. His eyebrows raised and he hugged her back.
“I’ve missed you Mom,” he whispered in her ear.
“I’ve missed you too,” she said.
She released him after a few moments. I noticed a few tears in her eyes.
“Dylan,” she smiled walking towards. We shared an embrace. She was definitely like a second mom...or maybe third mom since Marcus and I are brothers.
“Good to be home Mrs. Peterson.” I replied.
“You boys must be hungry,” she said.
Marcus dropped to his knees and stuck his hands out motioning Katie to come hug him. She was in the living room watching “educational cartoons”, the ones that brainwash kids. She started running towards Marcus, giggling the whole way and crashed right into his chest as he stood to his feet.
“How’s my baby Katie,” he started to talk in a baby voice.
“She is three now Marcus, talk to her like a human being; and yes, I can go for some food,” I said.
Marcus started to laugh. “I guess we can use some food Mom, if you don’t mind.”
She started opening cabinets and pulling out cookware to start on a meal. Marcus put Katie down, and we took his things to his room. School was still in session so his brother wasn’t home yet. He sat on the edge of his bed and leaned back.
“Feels good to be back in good ol’ Poughkeepsie doesn’t it?” he said.
It did.
I took a seat at his desk. He jumped up and gasped.
“I gotta call Trey!” He started to shuffle for his phone.
I got up and took his phone from him.
“What are you doing? We just got home. You haven’t even seen all your family yet and I haven’t been home. I’ll call Trey later. We’ll head over some time tonight, okay?”
“Aight, cool.”
I sent Trey a message saying we were back in town and I would give him a call later on. Mrs. Peterson called us to come get a plate. She made some eggs, sausage, and biscuits. Marcus and I didn’t waste any time.
We dug right in.
After two plates of food and almost falling asleep on the infamous squeaky leather couch, I found the energy to get up and go home. The traffic here was completely different than the hectic hustle and bustle of the City.
Love-hate relationship.
I went to Mom’s house first. Nobody was home as I figured. I walked around the house. The house looked the same but had a different feel, almost as if this was my first time here. Still couldn’t get past the fact that my parents were divorced.
Mom still had a family picture on one of the end tables in the living room. She told me she was going to replace it but I guess she hasn’t moved on yet. I picked it up and smiled at the memory.
It was a day at the beach in Florida.
We were visiting Mom’s side of the family. I was twelve and Dalton was half my age. We’d been swimming all day. Dalton was crying because Dad was acting like a shark that was going to eat us. Mom and I couldn’t stop laughing at Dalton. Aunt Chloe was tired of seeing Dalton cry so she grabbed the camera and said we needed to take a family photo. Dalton didn’t want to go near Dad. Dad ran over and scooped him up, told him that he loved him and put him on his shoulders. Dalton used to love being on Dad’s shoulders. I ran over and put my arm around Dad and Mom stood opposite of me. Aunt Chloe counted to three and we all shouted ‘cheesecake’ since Dalton wouldn’t eat cheese unless it was made into a dessert.
Dad was always better with Dalton than he was with me.
I put the picture down.
I miss the way my family was.
Knowing it wouldn’t be like this day ever again saddened me.
I called Dalton’s school so they could let him know that I would be picking him up. He was excited when he saw I was waiting for him in front of the building. He got in the car and wrapped his arm around my neck.
“Dylan!” He rushed me. “You’re a punk Dylan.” He took his arms from around me and punched my shoulder.
“Ouch.” I started to rub my shoulder.
“You never come visit.”
“Well you’re getting strong I see. I know I need to do better. This semester was a tough one. Hold me to this promise that things will change and I will make sure I call, visit and whatever else you want as well, okay?”
He responded with a good headshake.
“But you need to make a promise as well.”
“Yeah, what’s that?”
“You have to pick up the phone and call. I know you’re busy with sports and school, so we have to help each other out you hear me?”
“I promise.”
“Good. Now, sit back and buckle your seatbelt. How was school today?”
“It was good. I had a math test today and I don’t know Dylan…”
“Are you having trouble in school?”
“No not really just Math… and Social Studies.” I glared over at him.
“It’s hard!”
“No worries, we’ll work on it.”
We pulled up to Dad’s house. Dalton got out the car and ran to the door right as I put it in park. I took my time. I got out the car and walked up to the door. Dad was meeting me there.
“Broth
er,” he smiled.
“Daaadddd please,” I said.
I smiled but I was embarrassed even though no one was around. He was wearing his Xi Beta Kappa hat and t-shirt. He started chanting. All I wanted was to have a seat. I was trying to fight my way into the house but he was blocking the door. I joined in and finished the chant off.
“Ahhh!!!!!” he screamed. “I still can’t believe you’re my brother now.”
“Dad I’m your son.”
He wrapped his arms around me and gave me the manliest hug I’d ever received in life. I couldn’t remember the last time Dad was this playful with me.
“C’mon in brother!”
He was way too amped for me.
Dalton was still bundled in his coat sitting Indian style playing video games in the living room. I went into the kitchen that opens up to the living room and took a seat.
“How’s life Dad?” I asked.
He poured me a glass of orange juice and sat it on the table next to me.
“This isn’t freshly squeezed from you know who?”
“Tracy is a nice lady Dylan, you just have to give her a chance. She really wants to get to know you.” His stern voice will forever frighten me.
“Yeah Dylan, she took me for ice cream,” Dalton shouted over the crashing of his NASCAR video game. Can’t believe after all these years of his obsession with NASCAR, he was still into it.
“Eh, I guess.”
I wasn’t too thrilled but maybe I would give it a try.
Dad and I caught up over the next hour. It was good to talk to my dad without feeling the pressure that I’ve always felt around him. He told me again how proud he really was and what I’ve accomplishing in life so far. I loved my dad and nothing could ever change that. Not even the lie he is holding onto. I put my things in the spare room. I’d already decided to stay here the majority of the time along with Dalton once he got out of school.
