Readers Of The Future

6. My Father's Diamond Watch

Dean's horrendous words leave me filled with dread. He f*****g wants to kill just because he dislikes me? What a psycho!

I look back and see he is talking sweetly to Eric. He says something and Eric laughs genuinely. Why is it just me he hates? Is it my eyes? my clothes? Or is he just a crazy psycho? Could be anything, anyway I really need to watch my back even though I have no idea how to do that.

Miss. West, our English teacher and one of the few people I like, walks in five minutes late. She hastily introduces a new chapter and the lesson carries on. English is one of my best subjects, but I'm not getting a thing Miss. West says today. All I think is Dean's chilling words.

The lesson ends with Miss.West giving assignment that I did not hear well. My sense are on alert mode as I maneuver the collidors and turn conners to my next classes. The pain in my leg has reduced to a dull ache by the time I get into my fifth lesson.

I make sure to sit as far from Dean as possible.

That however doesn't stop him from throwing me dirty looks. Now and then he winks at me like he is reminding me of his promise to end me. I swear he must be a serial killer on the loose.

I watch as Tracy and my sisters vainly attempt to seduce him during chemistry class, running their fingers along his neck as they pretend to set his collar for him. He brushes their hands off him before leaving his seat to come and seat on an empty seat behind me. My whole body tense.

"You don't seem to have many friends, it's like they can sense what you are!" He says with an evil smirk on his handsome face.

"What is it you want from me?" I ask in a gentle tone as I really want this to end.

"Seriously? You want to play the Innocent girl now? You don't think I would buy such crap, do you?" His voice is now deep and threatening.

"Look, I don't know what kind of a crazy psycho you are! But look for someone else to play with, because I swear next time you try and hurt me, the police will be the first people to know about it!" I warn in the toughest voice I can master.

He chuckles as if I just made a joke. "Police? really? Didn't they tell you not to see police or doctors here? Or what kind of useless training did you receive in those pathetic rebel camps?"

"Rebel camps? Where? What are you talking about?" I ask puzzled.

"I thought I already told you playing the innocent girl isn't going to work. You don't even have your glasses to hide your alien eyes anymore. They're cute by the way! I will make sure to pull them out before I slit your throat." He whispers the last words and my eyes nearly pop.

The bell rings and I jump out of my seat. I hear his low laugh as I rush out. I take my backpack and end to the Library, making sure he isn't following.

The young librarian, Kate, is very used to my presence here. Because whenever I need somewhere to hide, this is where I come. The shelves at the farthest corner holds only old science books that are not even arranged in any order. No one goes there except me.

"Hi Kate!" I say bypassing her desk. She looks up and smiles which is unusual. Kate never smiles at me, she just let's me be.

"You have such lovely eyes! Where are your glasses today?" She says and I shift my gaze to the floor. Dean just said they are alien eyes. Not that I believe him but I no longer want people to see them.

"They fell and broke." I answer and excuse myself.

Just as expected, no one is even near my ever peaceful place. I put down my backpack and lay down, beside it. One would expect me to cry, but no, I have been through a lot in the past and have learned not to breakdown evey time.

I close my eyes and concentrate on thinking about the good old days when Mike used to be here. The times we spent in his room drawing stuff and playing games.

There are so many memories and by the time I'm close to reviving the last of them, I hear the final bell ring. It is followed by loud chatter of students as they fill the hallway.

I stand and walk to a window that has a good view of the school parking. I need to make sure Dean is gone before I get out of here.

I see him being stalked by a group of girls as he walks to his car. He looks around the surrounds as if searching for someone but finally gives up and enters his car. The girls pile on the windows, all wishing him goodbye. I wait thirty more minutes after he is gone before leaving the library.

I almost run all the way home despite there being enough witnesses on the way for someone to attempt murder.

I go straight to Mikes room the moment I enter the house, panting from the unnecessary run.

Once inside, I take out all the boxes holding his toys, the drawings we drew and the little decorations we made with papers and paint.

Mother packed everything safely hoping that one day Mike will find his way back home. Now it seems everyone forgot about him and his room. I all empty the boxes on the floor. That's when I see it! A shiny diamond watch within the paper rubish we made.

I pick it up and carefully scrutinize it. The whole thing is made of diamond, except a ring of strange, black metal surrounding the centre piece. There is a phrase engraved on the metal, "member of readers of the future family", I read out the words. What the hell does that mean?

Mother used to say my father gave her a diamond watch, could this be it? But she said she sold it? I have to talk to her even through she's probably going to insult me.

I run out of Mike's room. I take two stairs at a time on my way down to the ground floor. I can hear her humming a tune so I already know she's in her room. I knock on her gently.

"Mother, can I come in and speak to you?" I ask hoping she will hear the desperation in my voice.

"Alena? Is that you?" I hear her speak from the inside. She sounds sweet today and did she just call me by my real name? Maybe it was a mistake she made so no need to be happy about it.

"Yes, it's me, Walker." I answer.

"Come in!" She says and I very slowly step into the room. She sits on the bed facing a full length mirror on the wall. She has a hair brush in her hand that she's using to style her already good hair. I look at her reflection on the mirror and notice her eyes are a bit wet.

"What is it you want to talk about?" She asks tossing the hairbrush aside and turning to look at me. She is not glaring at me like other days.

I hold up the diamond watch. She looks at it and smiles.

"I found it in Mikes room. I was wondering if it's..." I start to explain but fail to find the courage to say the last words.

"You're wondering if it's your father's, right?" She asks still smiling at me.

I nod in response.

"It's your father's, yes." She confirms and I gape at her in both astonishment and confusion.

"But you said you sold my father's watch?" I ask.

"I know. Take a seat, there is a lot I should tell you." She says.

There are no chairs in the room so I walk closer and lower myself on the floor.

"Hey! What are you doing? Come here, sit with me!" She welcomes me to sit on her bed beside her.

I leave my spot on the floor and join her.

"I didn't sell the watch, I kept it. It's what your father wanted. I met him one night in a club, I was completely broke and desperate. So when he made me a offer, I immediately agreed." She starts to explain.

"What was the offer?" I ask.

"He wanted me to have his child, said it was important to him that he gets to have a child. He paid me six hundred thousand dollars and gave me the watch. He said I could use the money but I keep the watch and give it to his child when he or she is born. I did as he said, used the money to buy this house and open a business. But I didn't give you the watch. It looked strange and I knew it could get stolen since it's diamond." She confesses, sighing in relief as if that truth had been a burden she has been carrying for a decade.

"Why was the watch in Mikes room?" I ask.

"Mike found the watch in my jewelry case. He begged me to let him wear it to his friend's birthday party. You remember the one he went to a week before he disappeared?"

"Yeah, It was two days before he disappeared." I remind her.

"Yes, it was two days, I remember. Anyway, he begged me too much that I felt like I didn't have a choice. I gave it to him to wear only that day and I took it back. I was so stressed after he disappeared that I took the watch to his room believing that it will make him come back." She reaches out and massages my knee.

"I should have given you the watch. I'm really sorry, Alena!" She says. Why is she suddenly so polite?

"Can I keep the watch?" I ask.

"Of course you can keep it. Just be carefully, diamond is a priceless mineral." She smiles as she says the words.

"Thankyou, Mother. I'll be careful." I forge a smile and start walking out.

"Alena, I made dinner for you. Pick it from the kitchen. Are pancakes and spiced beans still your best dish?" She asks and I stand gaping for a full minute before giving a nod. She made me my favourite dish, weird!

"Enjoy it then." She says and turns back to the mirror.

I go back up the stairs to my room, my diamond watch in hand and a smile on my lips. I just hope I won't wake up and find out this was just a stupid dream.