I am Number Ten

CHAPTER 11

        I'm doing about 99 or more on the highway. I think we just passed the state border into Colorado but at this point, I'm more concerned about getting Blake to a hospital and trading cars so we can't be identified.

        I pull over into a local hospital and drag Blake on my back. The nurse at the front desk was surprised by the two of us but I told her that he had been at a bar and had been mugged. The nurse didn't hesitate at my story and had him taken on a gurney for x-rays and such. I took the car to a local dealer and the man was surprised by my insistence and the fact I wanted to buy a car at 2:00 in the morning. When I showed him the wad of cash, he shut up and didn't question my motives at all.  I got the simplest and cheapest car there. He had restored it to the best of his abilities but I bought it anyway. I thanked the man and I drove back to the hospital. When the nurse saw me she said that Blake was awake and screaming out for me.  I asked about his injuries and the doctor said there was a few nasty bruises, cuts and some minor frostbite but nothing major to be concerned about. He could be released in the morning

        To be honest, at that point, I was stalling for what would come next. I took my time making my way down the hall to his room. I gripped the doorknob tightly, if this is it...there's no going back. You're in too deep with him to go back.

        I opened the door and walked towards his bed. I pull back the curtain and Blake meets my gaze but there is hesitation in his face. I smile at him and sit down on his bed.

I open my mouth to speak but he speaks first.

"Where are we?" he asks, trying to keep his voice low.

"Denver Colorado" I answer meekly.

"How did we get here?"

"I drove us here..."

"Why?" he asks

        I fiddle with my fingers slightly as trying to come up with an answer. Some kind of reason that both of us are on the run from another alien race and I saved his butt from his step-dad killing him. I meet his eyes and his slightly disturbed stare.

"Chistina..." he says.

"Don't..." I say, trying to fight back the tears.

"No, please..." he says. "I-I...saw you do stuff tonight... who were those guys?... Why did we end up in a tree?...why were you silver?"

"Just...just..." I say softly. I haven't felt this tongue-tied since I met him. "Watch me"

        I use my telekinesis to pick a glass cup from one of the tables across the room. I float it to the sink and turn on the taps. I fill it and bring it over to Blake to drink. I place it on his nightstand and then look down at my shoes.

"So...so...I wasn't hallucinating was I?" he asks rolling over

"Nope," I say to my feet. I refuse to meet his gaze right now. Let it sink in for the time being.

"I...I understand if you want to...you know break up or whatever but..." I mutter.

"Hold up. Back up the truck just a sec...I...I don't want to break up with you." I raise my head and meet his milk chocolate eyes.

I...I...

"You're confused and scared aren't you?" I ask. He looks at me bewildered.

"I...I can read your thoughts" I confess. Part of me is sad about this but slightly relieved that  I was sharing my secret.

That can't be so...She's can't hear my thoughts

"I can hear you talking in your head," I say, digging my sneaker into the tiled floor. "I can hear your thoughts."

Okay... let's prove it...

"Okay... let's prove it...what number am I thinking of right this minute," He says with intent.

193

"193" I smirk slightly. I look up at him and I can see a grin crackling on his face.

"Again...what number am I thinking of now"

70

"70," I say.

"How about now?" I can tell he's really trying to psych me out.

" 10 060 452," I say. " I can seriously hear everything your thinking"

"You must be a killer at charades" he jokes. I giggle slightly and then I see the smile fade from his face.

"The...the...the night my mom died...you...you didn't make that up?"

"No," I say kneeling down at his bedside. "Everything I said was from her own head. Even though her mind was going, she still had memories stored up inside; deep under the layers of confusion and disease. She always thought of you. You were in her head until the very end..."

I trail off and grasp hands with him. Our eyes meet and I give him the warmest smile I'd ever given.

"One... one of the last memories...that ...she had." I'm tearing up again and I cling to his hand and rub it against my face. He gives me a sympathetic squeeze. He needs to know.

"It...it was you and your-your dad and m-mom together with you. It was under a snowy sky, with little snowflakes falling on your sleeping face. You...you...you look like your dad but with your mom's eyes. You were just a baby but you looked very happy." I come within inches of his face and let out a soft sigh.

I wish I had that... I think to myself and rub my head against his hand. I can feel his fingers combing through my hair as if trying to memorize the texture.

"My dad died when I was two..." Blake mumbles to me. I face him again and there is a sadness in his eyes. I now realize that I never did know what happened to his father. 

"It was a car accident on the way to the store. Some asshole wasn't watching where he was going and drilled my dad's car. Both of them died on impact. My mom kind of...died after that and blamed herself. I could tell that she tried to give me a normal life but when she was diagnosed, it kind of... fell apart." He's crying now and I feel the need to hop into bed with him.  He scoots over to allow me to get in with him. I put my arms around him and cradle him like a child.

"And to leave me with that asshole of a stepdad..." He cries and I let him. I say nothing and let him cry for as long as he needs. I'm reminded of all the times Annie did this to me when I was sad but a lot of the time it was for no reason. Blake has every reason to cry. He's lost everything and almost died twice tonight. Once was my fault. 

I hum a soft tune to comfort him as the night drifts on.

Eventually, he falls asleep in my arms and I just hold him. My body is warm all over. My feelings for him is not like but love. I love Blake! Part of me already knew that but I guess it takes some time to be sure.

"I love you..." I whisper in his ear.

" I love you too..."