Karma Is Omnipresent

Should I Have Said Something Or Not?

Amara's POV

Present Day

I walk out of my penthouse to meet up with Genesis. He has been helping me against his better judgement with finding Mabel.  I drive out to meet up with him at a diner which seems like a less suspicious place to talk illegal business. 

"What do you have for me?" 

"Always one to go straight into business and not beat about the bush. Before I give you any form of information, you have not told me the real reason you want to do all this. What exactly is the main reason you want revenge so much that you are willing to do it at all cost even if it costs you spending the rest of your life in jail? I want to know"

I stare at him for a minute before looking out the window and I shock myself with what I do next. I begin to cry, I cry so hard for everything and anything. I cry sad, angry and happy tears because even though Mabel took only for a little while my whole life away, she gave me something back and maybe for that, I'll go easy on her a little bit.

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Amara's POV

March 28th 2011

Almost three weeks after that day and no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get it out of my mind that  the girl I saw that day may just have been Mabel and so I am going to ask her about it today during lunch or whenever I get some alone time with her. I spot Alcott down the hallway and I avoid him as fast as possible by sticking my head into the locker of the girl across me while mouthing a quick sorry telling her I'm hiding from someone and girl 'code' makes her help me. 

You might be wondering why all of a sudden I'm hiding from Alcott. The only reason is ever since I started talking to Alcott about a friend of mine liking him, he thinks I'm trying to be smart by saying 'friend' instead of me because he thinks I like him. And I have to talk to him about that whenever I get the chance. 

Luckily for Mabel and I, we have spare together this morning since our Math teacher called in sick today. I walk into class and see Mabel already seated with an empty chair by her side. 

"Hey. Um Mabel, I want to ask you something and because I consider you a friend of mine, I want you to tell me the truth" 

"Ok, go ahead." I pause for minute before continuing

" Do you have brothers?"

" Ok, that's a really weird question but no. Why do you ask?"

" Well it's just that ever since you moved here, no offence but you have no other friends but me, you hardly ever talk about you or your family or your house but about three weeks ago, I saw you at the mall with three other guys and since you have no friends I just guessed they were your brothers which was why I asked but now  you have said you have no brothers if you don't mind me asking who are they to you then?",  At my question she freezes, like visibly freezes and that's a red flag to me

" Um. they are my co-workers. I work at, um at a museum and that was our off day and we all decided to match and you know, hang out." Her answer seems credible enough but considering her reaction before her response, it may seem that she is a really good liar but I'm not about to start filling my mind with bad stuffs about her, I still trust her but I could not help how my 'ok' came out. It sounded dragged, almost like as if I doubted her. Well, one discussion down, another to go. 

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As I was leaving my locker heading towards my last class before lunch, I spot Alcott and he sees me too. Guess there's no hiding this time and it's not like I could hide from him forever. We seat together at lunch, we go to the same school. We practically hang out together, so it's an impossible mission. 

"Hey Mars. I've been looking for you"

"Oh why?", 

" I have something I want to discuss with you, so if you are free?"

"Urgh yeah sure whatever time works with you"

"Ok so during lunch we could meet on the fields. Does that work with you?"

"Yeah, sure"

As I watch him walk away I can't help but think I might have made a mistake by trying to link him up with Mabel. I can only hope this doesn't end in a messy way.  

Throughout English class, my mind was in wonderland. I wasn't able to fully concentrate in class because of the discussion I am about to have with Alcott. I pray a silent prayer before heading out into the fields. I see Thea on my way out to the fields. 

" Mars, been looking for you. I was about to ask, do you want to go some place outside school for lunch?"

" Nahh, sorry I can't. I'm having lunch with Alcott on the fields"

"Oh OK. Go have lunch with you boyfriend"

"Don't say that", I whisper yell at her

"Why are you whispering?"

"Don't ask me that stupid question, someone could hear you and start a rumour. I see Alcott as one of my close friends I just hope he sees me the same way"

'Why did you say that?"

"I myself am about to find that out. Go with Cairo. Bye"

I wasn't scared about people starting a rumour because of my image or anything, but because that's the worst type of rumour to spread about me especially when it deals with me 'dating' the guy I said I'll help her with. Many things could go terribly wrong. I can only hope no one heard Thea say that. 

I make my way out to the fields and spot Alcott sitting under a tree. I wave at him as I make my way over to him.

"Hey. What did you want to talk about? Hope it's nothing too serious"

"Well, that depends on how you take it." 

Oh boy. Yup, talking about Mabel to him might have been a big mistake. 

"Who is this friend that you keep talking to me about so much? I haven't seen any pictures, heck you haven't even told me her name."

"When the time is right, you'll see her and meet her"

"Mars, at this point I need you to be really honest with me. Do you have a crush on me?"

"What! No I don't Alcott. I see you as one of my close friends"

"Oh thank goodness." At his expression, I do a double take

"What do you mean by that?'

"Oh, I don't mean it in a bad and insultive manner. It's just that I see you as a great friend and I want it to stay that way"

"Oh, I get it now, you thought I was the 'friend'. I do actually have a friend that does like you but like I said, when the time is right you guys will meet"

"Ok, now I can eat in peace, glad we are on the same page"

We spend the remaining period of lunch laughing and just having fun but the heavy feeling I had in my chest isn't going away. Even after I have cleared everything I needed to clear with Alcott and Mabel the feeling is still there. Like as if something terrible is about to happen. With all my strength, I push the feeling to the back of my mind while trying to enjoy my time with Alcott.

We walk back into the hallways side by side and I see Mabel. I give her a wink and nod my head slightly in Alcott's direction. She gives me a slight smile in response before walking away. And that's Mabel for you, never one to show so much emotion.  

Since Mabel's birthday is in May, I plan on surprising her with a secret date with Alcott. My only prayer is that Alcott will actually end up liking her and not dislike her like the boys do or hate her like Thea does. I pray he doesn't hate me even.

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School is over now but I'm not waiting for my friends because Wyatt is going back to school next tomorrow and we all spend the whole day with him well in this case, almost the whole day and then drop him off at Chicago. He is a student of the University of Chicago, so my dad is calling in sick for me till next week Monday. We all try to spend every waking moment together, dad even took the week off to spend it with us. As I got into my car, I see Mabel getting into and SUV but I think nothing of it even though she told me she walks home always. I drive out of the school's parking lot but not before looking to see if I can recognize any face and I see one of the guys I saw her with and that adds up since she told me she hangs out sometimes with her co-workers. 

Putting my car to a stop right beside my dad's car about getting but I stop in my tracks when I see my dad and Wyatt carrying backs that we normally use for camping.

"What is going on?"

"Well princess Ara, we are going camping",

"Daddd, stop calling me that."

When I was a little girl my dad said I always told him to be putting my name after saying princess because he always called me that and so Nicholas gave me a nickname, he called me Ara. My family are the only people I allow to call me Ara, most people either call me Mars, Amara or Mara.

"Well you always wanted it. Be fast and go get changed, I had to bribe my mum into going"

"Well, I don't want to go", I say in hopes of getting bribed

"I'll get you those news shoes you were whining about"

"Where are my bags?" my dad laughs at my response.

"Dad, why do you let yourself keep being fooled over and over again my Ara?"

" I could ask you the same son"

I rush into the house to shower and change into something more suitable for camping. I rush out of the house when I hear my name being screamed but not before taking some chocolate and gummy bears.

"I' m here, I'm here. Let's not panic."

 My dad begins to drive out and my brother plugs his phone into the aux-in and we start jamming to the type of songs teachers usually play for us when going on trips and I'm not surprised Wyatt has those type of songs because you can't expect anything with him. I watch my Nana hit dad on the back of his head telling him to sing the right thing but keep his eyes on the road and my dad's expression makes me laugh so hard. Pained I don't have that on camera but moments like this are what I cherish the most.  This happy family would have been complete with mom and Nicholas but even with the death of them both, we are still happy each passing day and I couldn't be more grateful.

I roll down the window and put my head out a bit and I close my eyes and let the wind take it's course on my face and hair and all my worries disappear and I honestly couldn't have been more content.