Chapter Three

 

 

 

Hayden lurches back on his seat inside the car waiting for Miranda and the new guy. Miranda told him to wait because he went to the bathroom, and was going to bring him to the car soon after he was done.

   The plan was to take the stranger to her house, come back the next day and see what to do next, probably make a friendly interrogation.

     Hayden looks at his digital watch, gazing at the green lights that formed the numbers of five o’clock in the morning. Hayden was at the brink of reaching his third all-nighter at the club.

      A wronging sigh full of light depression and guilt ran fugitive out through his breath.

      Hayden’s parents didn’t find these nights impressive, they were very ashamed of him when he did this. And unfortunately, they are going to lecture him about being a responsible adult this morning and maybe grounding. Yet still, a long, torturing lecture that Hayden would have to endure; such an awful way to start off the March break.

       Unless, Hayden thought, his mind adventured into an idea, feeling the warmth of an imaginary light bulb above his head.

        Hayden can bring the mysterious, lost stranger home.

        It would be a good excuse of why he stayed up at the café, and a good reason to bail him out of the unnecessary punishment filled with what seem a thousand painful words. He would also appear to be a generous man if he does, showing he cares for strangers, showing he was taught well from his parents.

         Then what if... His expression depressed as he weighed the odds from the good to bad. What if his parents don’t care if he brought a stranger home, and he still gets the lecture of all lectures? Or, what if the stranger doesn’t appear to be helpless or innocent as he seems?

           Hayden’s head turn to the direction of the backdoor of the café. The creaking sound of the dark-blue painted metal door struck his attention, Miranda and the stranger strolled to the car.

            Better think fast. Hayden had to choose, the man was a few feet from his car and closing. Hayden weighed the odds once again. Then with his unfaithful intuition he chose to bring the stranger home. Let’s hope this unfaithful intuition of mine won’t harm my life or anyone in particular. But then what life did I really have?

            Miranda, with courtesy, opened the back door of the black Hummer for the mysterious stranger right after she stepped in. Quickly, he started the engine and rolled out onto the street.

           

                                                ***

 

The orange light collided with the old night sky hue of the sunrise that shined from the east as they got on the highway which displayed a beautiful view of the city. From the outlooks of the tall buildings to the vast shorelines of the beach, the landscapes changed amazingly. The beauty of the land became an awe-inspiring experience for Dante.

       Was he in Florida, was he somewhere in California, Hawaii or was he really in heaven? Dante couldn’t tell the difference.

         The car sped up the beachside and Dante got a look at the people. Built, young men played volleyball in the sand, diving and jabbing the ball to each side of the white net. A brow rose on Dante’s face. Gorgeous women walked around in their stylish bikinis. A short-lasting grin stretched Dante’s face. Surfers ride the waves like if it were there own. Couples smiled with joined hands. Families laughed with each other. Everyone had a smile on.

         Families.

         The sudden great feeling of serenity flew away as gritty thoughts surfaced.

         Dante thought about his parents. The facts from what he saw surely showed an answer. They died. It was definitely impossible for them to get out of the cruise, especially with no lifejackets or lifeboats. Dante had to find information soon for the whereabouts of his beloved parents, to see if they made it. Even though everything he lived with had disappeared, he only had one thing left. Hope.

          Hope that they made it through, hope that they are still alive in this world, hope to see them again. Hope to see her again.

           Jenna.

           It was the name that he somehow forgot from these occurring events. It is highly likely she is alive. She was on the lifeboat, but however the storm was nasty, and it is possible something dangerous might have ensued. Jenna has to be alive, she must, she has to, she made it on the lifeboat.

            Suddenly, the weirdness happened again. A headache split through his calmness and own thoughts. Memories not of made from himself covered his eyes.

            

           A vision of red candles on a white-frosted cake that said Happy 12th Birthday Hayden was shown in blue. Adult faces which showed to be the mother and father smiled and their lips began to voice the happy birthday tune. The smell of the burning candles assaulted his nostrils. Feelings of happiness and joyfulness surrounded Dante but emotions of depressiveness and loneliness was held inside.

            

          The memory disappeared and the headache became more severe. His body was jerking back to actuality from the shaking of a body, which began to sway from side to side.

              Another memory partnered with a layer of new pain.

             

             A heavy substance assailed his chest and shoved violently and abruptly backwards, hitting a surface that smacked with a shuffling clang, the surface of it was cold. The hands appeared to be the hands of a jock. A handsome-faced smile he gave seemed generous but brought fear inside Dante.

              Faces around the jock, began to laugh and point straight at Dante. Tears went down his face, true tears, and ones that wasn’t right at all to him. Dante began to run away down a hall filled with rows of lockers.

             

               The headache stopped, it was over.

               Reality revision his sight, senses reacted ordinary as it use to. However, the motion feel of the car stopped. Dante sniffed the way a person who cried, he also touched his cheek to find water droplets on them. What a strange occurrence.

                Dante looked to see the man had stopped and parked the car to the side, his head on his hands. Miranda put her hand on his shoulder, patting it lightly, asking for explanations. Something everyone needed.

               “This is the second time I got this. I’m not sick, and I’m totally a M.A.D person, so there is no drinking on the road for me. But what is happening?” the man said, complaining and questioning about the pain.

               “It’s alright. If you want me to, Hayden, I can drive,” Miranda said.

                Hayden nodded, and they both switched spots. Miranda took the wheel and continued the traveling, Hayden gave directions and to switch the plans, and make him do it.

                 Wide-eyed, Dante was poured with questions all over his mind. Is he really Hayden? Was he doing those things? Dante kept his cool, sighed out for relief, and spoke for the first time in the car.

                 “Sorry about the headaches, hope you will feel better,” Dante’s voice seem to stop both of them from doing something that happened for them usually, and made them react to his attendance.

                 “It’s alright, it wasn’t you’re fault anyways, plus where happy to have you here,” Hayden said with a smile that was confusingly unreal. “This is San Cristoic. Happiness is the main competent of this city.” A sarcastic fling arose from his words.

                  San Cristoic. The name of the land he was on shocked Dante. It was impossible for him to reach San Cristoic. The last place he was on the cruise heading up to Hawaii, but now he is on an island west of California?! Completely Impossible. Soon all will be answered. That thought calmed him down; he exhaled deeply, rested his head on the window to his right and looked outside.

 

                                                  ***

 

              Miranda pulls up into the drive way of Hayden’s home. The drive way is wide and had a blacktop. The lawn was neatly cut and near the doorway a small garden bloomed with exotic flowers. The house looked pretty big and had a great elaborate exterior. Appeared almost like a small palace. The small dim lights everywhere made the appearance seem more dreamy than realistic.

              People would think whoever lived in here were a happy wealthy family, living the perfect life. So far, that’s what it was to Hayden’s parents a perfect life. Miranda found his house a sanctuary, but it was the Island with the society of the rich and famous Hayden said he found unsatisfying and awful, a similarity they shared.

               The car stopped and the engine was ceased. Hayden unbuckled his seat belt and began to say, “Okay, Mr. Mysterious, you’re going to have to wait in the car, I’m going to have to do some hardcore begging to get you inside my–”

               “Hayden,” Miranda interrupted him, touched his arm, and nod her head to wear the young man sat. Hayden turned around to discover that Dante was asleep.

               “I’ll watch him, just go inside and do what you got to do.” Miranda told him with a grin. Hayden acknowledged, swung the car door opened, closed it and walked towards the large front doors.

                Miranda gave a look back to Dante, then thought, I wonder where he came from? Just right when she was going to sit back in the driver seat, to get some shut-eye, a gleam of silver glistened into her vision on Dante’s neck. In curiosity, Miranda stepped over the front seats of the car to the back, keeping her eye straight on the string of silver. Her hand reached for the necklace.

                In sudden speed, a grasping hand snatched Miranda’s arm and aware her that Dante was awake.

                Miranda gasped in stun and paused fully, frightened on Dante’s next move. Dante’s eyes were bright brown, both widen and determined. His eyes stared deep into hers like a predator to its prey. But after a long moment, he gave the impression to realize what he caught and loosened his grip.

                 Miranda drew herself back away from him, and felt her heart pump and her breathing heavy. Dante sighed and looked down searching for answers of what he had done. Soon he said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.”

                  Miranda nodded in disagreement. “No, don’t be, it was my fault I shouldn’t have done what I did.”

                  She slowly sat back, on the opposite side of the back seat. Her eyes studied him.

                   His face was handsome; his darken caramel skin matched well with it. High cheekbones, a strong jaw line and a straight nose that was flat on the nostrils.  Her thoughts brought her back at the shop. His body was lean and muscularly built when he stood up. Hot. Though, ever since the shop, there were always blank or serious expressions on his face.

                   Breaking the silence, she asked, “So, do you know what happened to you?” Bad question.

                  “No.” His eyes were tracing the house, he was slightly distracted. Shaking his head, he glimpsed at her with unease. “No, I don’t exactly know how I got here.”

                  “Oh?!” Her eyes widened. Weird. “Well, what do you remember before any of this?”

                  “I was on a…” His voice drifted off, it seemed an important thought came by his mind. “I was on a ship, a cruise actually. It was going from Florida to Hawaii. I was on Christmas vacation.”

                  “Christmas is long gone, but the cruise sounds nice.” Miranda commented.

                    Dante was going to say something, he paused, laughed falsely. He then motioned his head to her, eyes looking at her.

                   “Well, on the cruise returning journey, a storm occurred.” His eyes began to stare, not blinking; he was beginning to be serious. “The storm was violent and something broke the hull of the cruise. It was sinking. I and my family started evacuating like everyone else…. However, my parents were caught by emergency lock doors. I had to get out of the ship alone. Unfortunately, all the lifeboats and lifejackets were taken. I had to jump into the sea and swam. Right there, I blacked out.”

                    “Whoa...” She was speechless, shocked. Out of the blue, she giggled, then the giggled turn into a thunderous laugh. His stare began to retreat back, and he gave an eye-roller. “WTF?! You’re not serious, are you?”

                     Dante exhaled, “No, I guess I drank one to many.”

                     Dante’s eyes caught something outside moving, and then she looked outside herself.

                      Hayden was coming back; he came to the rear doors and opened the one closer to Dante. “Okay, mystery guy, my parents are giving me a half A-Okay, come on, let’s go.”

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Author Guidance for This Story

Right and wrong seem so meaningless suddenly.

excerpt from What if..   by redhat