Still Alive

by Jessi Newborn

  ***

  Rhapsody sighed in boredom as she waited for her plane to touch down in Charleston, SC. After trying to puzzle out the meaning of her dream, she had settled on studying medicine. The field was quickly vanishing, so there wasn’t a lot of competition to get in. Not that she would have had a problem getting in with her professional background. She had no idea what she was supposed to be looking for at the college. She hoped it would be obvious when she found it.

  She had only been gone for one day and she already felt an emptiness in her chest as a year of college stretched out in front of her. She planned on visiting Aria and her family every spare second she got, but after being with them nonstop for three years, it felt like she was withdrawing from a highly addictive drug. God, she loved that small family!

  She felt like a robot as she mechanically retrieved her luggage and made her way to a taxi. She shook her head in disgust when she saw a street preacher holding up a sign about false prophets showing signs and wonders. If the devil was responsible for healing the world’s sick, then Rhapsody had no interest in joining the side of a God who didn’t seem to care. By their fruits ye shall know them. Rhapsody thought darkly, remembering the mob of ‘Christians’ who had attacked her. What would Jesus do? I know! Beat them to death with baseball bats!

  “Where to, ma’am?” the cab driver asked as he pulled away from the curb.

  “The CAMC,” Rhapsody replied heavily.

  “You look kind of familiar,” he noted as he observed her in the rearview mirror. “Have I given you a ride before?”

  “This is my first visit to Charleston, so probably not,” Rhapsody replied with a sigh.

  “You must have one of those celebrity faces or something,” he continued studying her. “It’s right on the tip of my memory.”

  “I’m just an intern at the CAMC,” Rhapsody supplied helpfully. “You’re probably just mistaking me for someone else.”

  “I guess so,” he said doubtfully. He kept glancing back at her throughout the drive as he tried to jog his memory.

  Rhapsody was glad he hadn’t figured it out before she left him. She had managed to hide from the ever-searching eye of the world’s media for over four years now. Even Harmony was oblivious to her true history. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck in the limelight again. It was amazing how much different she looked with her hair grown out long.

  She didn’t waste any time carrying her luggage to her dorm room. She had decided to play the role of a normal, broke and starving college student. She was supposed to share the dorm with another girl; she hoped the girl wasn’t a bitch. If she turned out to be unbearable, Rhapsody wouldn’t hesitate in moving to more suitable living quarters.

  “Hello, sugar,” a voice called from behind her as she stood in front of her empty bed.

  She turned around and found a petite girl with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes watching her interestedly. “Hello.”

  “I’m Capella,” the girl walked over and offered her hand.

  “Rhapsody,” Rhapsody replied with a smile as she took the girl’s hand firmly.

  Capella had tiny hands. She had her left hand stuck in her pocket as they shook hands. Rhapsody caught a light whiff of tantalizingly feminine perfume.

  “Ooooh,” Capella exclaimed brightly. “You have a musical name too! I can see the wheels of destiny working all around us!”

  Rhapsody laughed at the irony in the girl’s voice. Capella had a pleasant alto that was very expressive. “Yeah, I seem to always end up with friends that have musical names.”

  “So where are you from?” Capella asked enthusiastically. She reminded Rhapsody of an excited puppy.

  “Seattle,” Rhapsody replied cautiously.

  “That’s so cool!” she exclaimed excitedly. “That’s where that Aria girl is at! Did you ever get to meet her?”

  “Not exactly,” Rhapsody answered evasively. “Where are you from?”

  “Salt Lake City, Utah,” Capella replied with an infectious giggle. “And before you ask, the answer is no, I don’t have any sister-wives or five mothers waiting for me at a polygamist colony back home.”

  “The thought never crossed my mind,” Rhapsody assured her with a small smile. “So are you a Mormon?”

  “I was raised Mormon,” Capella replied in a more serious tone. “I left the church when I discovered their lack of tolerance for civil rights issues.”

  “I see,” Rhapsody nodded thoughtfully, wondering which act of intolerance she was referring to. Unfortunately, there were quite a few to choose from in most religions.

  “Are you religious?” Capella asked, her voice picking up steam again.

  “I don’t believe in organized religions that ask for money,” Rhapsody replied with a shrug. “So I suppose I’m not religious.”

  “Good!” Capella declared firmly. “Religions are the root of all evil.”

  Rhapsody laughed as she imagined the looks on several televangelists’ faces if they ever heard that quote. “I’m going to have to agree with you on that one, I think.”

  “So how old are you?” Capella asked intently.

  “Twenty-three,” Rhapsody replied. “How about you?”

  “Twenty,” Capella said with a frown. “Do you drink much? I’m still underage, so I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

  “I don’t drink at all,” Rhapsody assured her with an involuntary shudder. “I can’t stand the taste of alcoholic beverages.”

  “A woman after my own heart,” Capella crowed happily, causing Rhapsody to blush. “So what have you got planned for the night? Would you like to go clubbing? Or a movie? How about rollerblading?”

  “Slow down…” Rhapsody laughed helplessly. “A movie sounds fun. I need something to distract me from being homesick. What shows are playing?”

  “Ender’s Game, Avatar 2, The Future of Yesterday and the second Hobbit,” Capella ticked the names off on her fingers. “Which one sounds good to you?”

  “Hmm…” Rhapsody frowned thoughtfully, tapping her lips with her index finger. “How about Avatar 2? The first one was the coolest movie since The Matrix, so hopefully the second one lives up to its reputation.”

  “I was hoping you would pick that one!” Capella grinned, bouncing on her toes. “It starts at nine, so let’s go get a seat before they sell out!”

  “We still have over an hour,” Rhapsody told her dryly. “And they invented this nifty thing called the internet that lets you purchase your tickets in advance.”

  “My sarcasm meter is broken, so if you were just being sarcastic, it went right over my head,” Capella warned with a teasing sparkle in her eyes. “Okay, you order the tickets, and I’ll make some scotcharoos to sneak into the theatre.”

  “Deal,” Rhapsody replied with a chuckle. Her worries about having a bitch for a roommate were quickly put to rest. This girl was going to be hilarious to live with.

  After quickly unpacking her luggage, Rhapsody called Harmony and Melody.

  “Hey, girlfriend,” Melody’s voice answered seductively. “You miss my underage loving already?”

  “Melody!” Harmony’s voice admonished in a shocked voice as Rhapsody giggled into the phone.

  “I just wanted to let you two know that I made it safely and that my roommate is awesome,” Rhapsody told them with a grin. “And I wanted an update on Aria.”

  “She’s still slumbering,” Harmony sighed sadly.

  “That’s great that you didn’t end up with a bitch!” Melody exclaimed.

  “Melody!” Harmony snapped in exasperation. “Behave!”

  “Blasphemy,” Melody gasped in mock horror. “Thems are fightin’ words where I come from!”

  “You see what you’re missing out on?” Harmony said with a helpless laugh.

  “Yeah, I do,” Rhapsody replied wistfully.

  “When are you coming to visit?” Melody asked hopefully.

  “On Labor Day in two weeks,” Rhapsody replied, trying to ignore how long
two weeks was going to be without her girls.

  “Okay. Well, stay out of trouble,” Harmony said firmly. “You don’t have an Aria there to heal you if anything happens.”

  “I’ll certainly do my best to avoid trouble,” Rhapsody replied dryly. “Love you.”

  “Love you back,” they both responded.