Time-Bomb-

It was Saturday again. 6 am Saturday.
I woke up from the mere hour of sleep I'd gotten because some dumb ass decided to call me.
Of course that dumb ass was Vic. I spent the week pretty much avoiding him at all costs since Tuesday. I was so uncomfortable with the fact that he protected me. From his brother, at that. I sighed and picked up the phone.
"Hello?" I yawned.
"Hey, Kellin. What to hang out today?" Vic asked, sounding more awake than ever.
"I can't," I groaned. Couldn't he wait to ask later?
"Listen you at least owe me a few hours."
"So now you're gonna use that against me? I would've been perfectly fine. I could have handled Mike," I said. But I knew perfectly well Mike would have the upper hand. He was enormous.
"Kellin, why do you hate me?" He asked. He sounded really upset. Of course he would use the guilt trip to get me to do what he wants.
"Fine."
"Fine, what?"
"I'll hang out with you." I said. I tried to sound blunt and boring but he still got excited. I rolled my eyes.
"Come pick me up at 8," I finished and hung up.
I sighed at the time and forced myself out of bed. I was thinking maybe I could have gotten a good four hours of sleep. Guess not.

I turned the water on hot and stepped into the shower letting the first few drops burn my skin until my body became accustom to the heat. I sighed and laid on the side of the wall letting the water rush down my left arm. I wondered why Vic wanted to spend time with me anyways? It's not like I've been any good to him. Honestly, I was starting to feel bad about the way I treated him. Sure he was creepy and annoying, but now he's in the position I used to be in. He's the guy everyone hates, just because the popular kid does. Vic didn't deserve that. A week of torture is enough. I would figure out a way to make it up to him. For now, I'll just give him a chance as a friend.
After finishing I stepped out of the shower and dried myself off. Then I slipped a towel over my waited and pattered my way out of the bathroom. I looked at the time. It was only 7 now. I still had an hour before Vic came. I quickly got dressed and sneaked downstairs. I figured I would wait outside until he showed.
Just as I was about to open the door I heard a voice.
"Where do you think you're going?" Alex pestered.
"Out."
"You're not allowed to leave until 11," he said matter-of-factly.
I rolled my eyes at him.
"I'll tell Stacy." Alex said.
"Why? What do you want?"
Alex grinned menacingly.
"I want you to do my house work for a month."
"Hell no," I said and opened the front door.
Just as I was about to step out Stacy stopped me.
"Kellin you aren't allowed to leave," she said.
"A friend and I are going to study. Huge test on Monday," I lied. She wasn't buying it. Stacy was very uptight.
"Don't make me have to deal with you."
Bitch, I thought. I really did not like her.
I watched Vic pull up out front and walk up the steps once he got out of his car.
"Hey," he smiled at me.
"Hi, Vic. You're gonna have to come back later. Someone is a little too uptight to let me leave," I glared at Stacy.
"Actually, I change my mind. Vic, you're welcome to come in I'll make you breakfast. You guys can study here."
Vic looked at me confused.
"I'm Stacy by the way," she said and held her hand out.
"Vic," he said and shook her hand, "you must be Kellin's mother."
She scoffed, "I'm like a mother, but Kelly here has got four moms."
I brushed her off and pulled Vic inside, closing the door behind him.
"How do you have four moms?" He asked, grinning.
"I'm an orphan I have no moms. She's a caretaker. She's annoying just ignore her," I tried to say a little quieter so she wouldn't hear me.
I lead Vic upstairs and then to the pull-down ladder that led to my room.
"You sleep in the attic?"
I nodded.
We walked in and I patted the couch for him to take a seat next to me.
"So, uh, why did you want to hang out?" I asked just trying to make conversation since it was uncomfortably quiet.
"Because I like you. And well, if I can't date you I want to at least be your friend."
I nodded again and looked around trying to avoid making eye contact with him. It was so weird. He should hate me. I made his life horrible but here he is still telling me that he likes me.
"Okay, well we can be friends," I smiled subtly.
"I'd like that," he grinned.
For a while we just sat there in silence. There wasn't much to do or say. We had just gone from worst enemies to friends how was I supposed to make conversation with him?
My eyelids started to droop and I leaned against the couch behind me to relax a little.
"How much sleep did you get last night?"
I was startled by his voice, I had forgotten he was there.
"Huh? Oh, maybe an hour," I said not even bothering to lie to him.
"You have insomnia?"
"How did you-"
I wanted to ask how he knew that but I guess it was pretty obvious. No one would normally get just an hour of sleep.
"How about we do some homework?" He asked.
"Did you bring it?"
"Yeah it's in my car. I figured I could help you out of vise versa.
I chuckled.
"I finished my homework."
"How?" He asked, confusedly.
"I had the time," I said, trying to remind him that I didn't sleep last night.
"Right, I'll go get my homework..." He said and left my room. I was too tired to follow him. Actually, I dozed off the second he left.

I dreamt of my parents. I dreamt of the day they just, disappeared. Only this time I was the age I am today, fourteen, instead of the mere seven year old I was when I woke up and they weren't there.
"Mom?" I called, "Dad?"
I was afraid but I figured they were just out getting breakfast. I didn't try looking for them after that.
Weeks passed by and they still weren't there. I would tell myself every day 'they'll be back tomorrow, they're just getting food.' But each day I would subconsciously know they were gone forever. I would lie in their bed and ingest their scent every morning and every night. In between then I would eat cereal without milk or make myself small sandwiches like my mom did.
On the third week they were gone, I heard a knocking on the door. My face lit up and I ran to let my parents in.
"Mom! Da-"
It wasn't them.
It was a strange lady. I remembered her. She was the one who took me away from my home.
"It's all your fault," she said.
I didn't remember her saying this. When I was a kid she told me she'd take me somewhere safe.
"You are the reason your parents left" she said malevolently.
Her grin widened and soon spread from ear to ear. She grew two feet taller and thinned to skin and bones.
"You're a murderer, Kellin," she laughed.
I backed away but tripped over the coffee table behind my and fell onto my back.
I cursed out loud.
"Kellin," she saint eerily.
"Kellin!" Her voice changed to that of a familiar voice.
"Kells!"
I was shaken out of my nightmare by none other than Vic Fuentes.
"I was going to let you sleep but I can't just sit here and watch you freak out in your sleep," he said. He looked afraid. Was I really that bad?
"Sorry," I admitted.
"It's alright, Kells," he said soothingly.
I leaned on him for comfort. It was never fun waking up from those kind of dreams.
"I have to do something really quick," I said and pranced across the room until I reached where I kept my notebook and pen.
I sat out of his sight and wrote down what I dreamt last night in my book. After about ten minutes I finished and slid it back away.
I checked my clock, it was eleven now. We could finally leave the house.
I sat down next to him again and watched his expression soften. He looked confused, upset, even.
"Sorry," I said with a crooked smile.
He nodded, and at the lift of his chin I saw the slight discoloration of his skin where I punched him last week. I remembered the whole conversation. It was relapsing in my mind when I recalled what he had said.
"Hey Vic?" I asked.
"Hm?"
"What did you mean when you said that you wished I knew?"
"Sorry, what?"
"You know. Last week. After I, uh, you know..." I gestured to the side of his jaw.
"Oh."
I looked at him apologetically and waited for a response.
"I'll tell you if you want. But you have to promise you won't, well, overreact."
I shot him a puzzled glance. What could he possibly say that would make me overreact? How far was too far?
"Promise," I said, only half meaning my promise.
"Let's go for a walk," he suggested.
I nodded and we walked downstairs to the front door.

"Leaving now boys?" Stacy asked, almost as if she were annoyed.
"It's eleven," I retorted.
"I know. Be back by eight or call me," she said, just out of routine. It's not like she actually cared. She only said it because she had to.
I walked out without saying a word, Vic trailing behind me.
I shivered in the cold of the outside and rubbed my hands together.

"So you and Tay? You're really into her?" He asked.
"Yeah, yeah, she's great," I said. I didn't mean it though. I'd much rather be with him... But he couldn't know that. I was beginning to question what I even liked about him. Sure, he was attractive, I'll give him that. He's a damn good kisser. But in all honesty I still saw him as a stalker. Just all around creepy.
"That's good," he grinned.
"Uh, Kellin, I'm leading up to what I have to say, don't think I'm trying to avoid it."
"Uh-huh?"
He looked down and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"I'm sorry about kissing you," he admitted.
"It's okay," I sighed. I dreaded him mentioning it. Right now what I was craving most was the warmth of his lips on mine. I shook the thought from my head.
"I'm also sorry about trying to kiss you. And I'm sorry about Mike. He, he's actually a nice guy. Just a bit... Overprotective. Also, I'm sorry about invading your privacy. Well, more than once. I know what I'm doing I just.. I can't help it," Vic's eyes swelled up with tears and I couldn't help but feel guilty for being so horrible to him. He's a person too. He had feelings too.
"Is it like, a psychological thing? An obsession? I don't mean to offend you. I'm just really wondering why you take so much interest in me."
"Because I care, Kellin. I know you have been through some really rough times and I want you to know that I care. That's why I take in all of the bad remarks I get from you. I endure all of the pain you cause me because I know you've gone through so much worse. You deserved some good for a change and if that means I have to get all of the bad, I'll take it."
I laughed.
"Sorry, Vic, but you have no idea what I've been through. All you know is that I live in a group home. And you only know that because you read some confidential files."
He looked at me with a questioning glance.
"Is that what you think?"
"Yeah?" I mean what other way could he have found everything out?
"I didn't look through any files Kellin. I don't want to know everything I do. I'd give anything to forget it all. I'm so sick of all of the pain and suffering. But I think that's why I'm here. You know, life purpose?"
"Your life's purpose is to somehow find everything out about me and then try to get me to kiss you?"
He chuckled.
"No I figured I could mask the whole 'I have to protect you' thing by being your boyfriend. You know, I thought if I kissed you I could get you to like me."
"Alright. But I'm still not putting this all together why do you know all of this about me?"
He sighed and poked his tongue out of his mouth to lick his lips.
"I don't know if I can tell you."
"Why?"
"Because you won't believe me. Everyone I tell, and I mean everyone, thought it was all a joke," he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, "I don't think I can handle any more people not taking me seriously."
I stared at my shoes as we walked. My mind wandered about different ideas and scenarios as to what he could be. An undercover agent? A criminal? They both seemed so far fetched. He really couldn't be that awesome. I grinned.
"I will take you seriously," I said.
"I believe you."
"Well then, go on," I pushed.
"I-I" he stuttered but took a deep breath and spat it out, "I'm psychic."
I stopped walking and glared at him. No way. I tried to avoid laughing. It just sounded so stupid.
"You said you'd take me seriously," he muttered.
"Hold on I just need some clarification. What do you mean?"
"There are a certain pattern of people who I have some sort of connection to. I know everything about those people. One at a time. From the day they were born to the day they die I know everything. You just so happen to be that one person this one time."
This couldn't be true. All I could do was deny it. Nobody was psychic, that was something people made up to scam others out of their money.
"I believe it's my life's purpose to prevent your death," Vic said.
"Dying is a natural part of life," I said.
"Well this way isn't natural. And I don't mean to make you afraid but I've dealt with 5 other people who I could read. I lost them all... I was unable to prevent their deaths. I'm not going to let that happen again. Kellin I can't let you die so young."
"What do you mean 'so young'? When am I supposed to die?"
"In a few months," he croaked.
I shook my head.
"No I'm not. You're a liar."
"Kellin I-"
"No! You're lying to me! What kind of sick joke is this?!"
I started to walk in the direction back home.
"I just want to help," he said in a caring tone while trying to keep up with me.
"Get away from me!" I yelled and ran as fast as I could.
This was all a lie. That's what I kept telling myself after I got away from him and made my way home with tears streaming down my eyes.

Notes