Rebirth - The Beautiful Fallen (2 page)

             
Although he was obviously grown now, he looked just like he could’ve once been the child in my nightmares.

             
I wasn’t sure of how, but I just knew his face, even from the side.  He was much manlier of course, but he definitely looked like he could’ve been that boy.  It was almost unbelievable.  His complexion, his light, sandy colored hair, his features… they were older, yet exactly the same.  The only thing I couldn’t really see was if his eyes were different colors because he wasn’t looking at me.  Without thinking twice, I heard myself speak again.  “Have we… met before?” I asked.

             
The guy looked up, and then over at me.  And all I could think was Oh my God.  They were exactly the same.  He had the same different colored eyes.  They were very distinctive, and stood out even in the not so good old lighting of the classroom.  The right one was a golden brown, while the left was a very vivid emerald green.  “Hmm… I don’t think so.  Although I have seen you around since I came here last week.” he replied.  Apparently, he didn’t notice my shock.  Or maybe he just didn’t pay any attention to it.

             
“Since you came here?” I repeated, not knowing what to expect.  He’d definitely thrown me off then, and I’ll admit that it wasn’t only for those eyes or the fact that he looked so much like that boy in my dreams.  Now that he was looking right at me, I couldn’t help but think that this had to be the most handsome guy I’d ever seen.  But I certainly didn’t remember seeing him before this either.  And with his resemblance and just plain hotness, I sure as hell I would’ve remembered that.

             
The guy shrugged, sitting back a little and facing me completely.  “Yeah.  I just came here last week, and I saw you walking around town a few times. Though I was a little surprised that you were all alone.  You don’t look like the type.” he said.

             
Well, I did tend to take long walks around town  and on the wooded paths near my home whenever I felt too confined in my house.  But I certainly hadn’t noticed him during any of them.  But then again, I did tend to be more focused on my thoughts when I did that too.  Walks always made for good times to think things over.  And I had a bad habit of just tuning out everything around me when I did so.  So I guessed that it was possible that he could’ve seen me and I didn’t even notice him.  “I guess.  But I like walking by myself.  It lets me clear my head.” I said, turning back to my book.  That seemed like a good enough excuse to give him.  So much for studying though.  I knew that I wouldn’t be able to now that I knew he was beside me and I’d gotten a good look at him.

             
“By the way, you looked a little familiar when I saw you too.  What’s your name?” the guy asked.

             
“Ariana Benson.” I replied.  I didn’t bother looking back at him, but I also didn’t think it would hurt too much to be polite.  Besides, I still couldn’t quite understand how he could look so much like that child in my nightmares.  This couldn’t have been just a coincidence.  So I decided to go ahead and keep the conversation going.  This was much more important to me now then this stupid class was.  “So what’s yours?”

             
“Chris Liam.  I’d tell you my whole first name, but I don’t give that out too often because I don’t really like it.  It’s just too old school.  Chris fits me better.” the guy said.

             
“Really?  You know that sounds weird.” I commented, looking back at him.

             
“Trust me, I’ve gotten that more than once in my life.” Chris replied.  “Although I have to admit, I am surprised.  It seems like luck’s been on my side with this after all.”

             
“What do you mean?” I asked, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.  Something about the way he talked now just didn’t sound quite right.  Not to mention that it added to my uneasiness in general about how he was so familiar, even if we’d never met before.

             
Chris just smiled.  I felt my breath catch a little in my throat as I saw it.  He had a really breathtaking smile.  “Don’t worry about it.  Let’s just say I’m here now, and you don’t need to worry about things anymore.” he told me.

             
“What?’ I said, not believing what I was hearing.  But by then, other students were beginning to trickle in.  I wanted to ask him exactly what he'd meant by that, but I couldn’t make myself with seeing these other people around us.  Like I said, I hated drawing attention to myself.  So instead, I just turned away and looked back down at my book and my notebook in front of me.  I didn’t know how in the world I was going to concentrate now, but I was determined at least to try.

             
The class droned by as usual and seemed to go on forever as I thought about the guy beside me and what he‘d just said, and what intentions he may have had for me.  I found myself glancing over at him when I could, trying to put it all together.  No, I was certain now that I had not noticed him at any time when I was taking my walks.  And like I said, that really wouldn’t have been that unusual.  But what I couldn’t understand was why he looked so much like the boy in my nightmares.  And what exactly had he meant by him being there would help me?  Something inside of me just knew then that there was a lot more to Chris Liam then what met the eye.  And with that thought, I could feel my stomach knot slightly.  It felt like this was something that at least a small piece of me didn’t want to face.  And yet, he was somehow going to make me face it.

             
As the class ended and everyone was getting up to move onto the next, I found myself with those questions still on my mind.  Chris looked back over at me as he stood up and offered a hand to me.  “Well, looks like we can get going now.  You coming?” he asked me.

             
“What?  Are you serious?’ I replied in spite of myself as I stared up at him.

             
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Chris asked.

             
“Well.... maybe because I have no idea of exactly who you are.  You said yourself that you just moved here, and besides I haven’t even met you before.” I said.  I declined his offer of help, and stood myself up to gather my books.

             
However, he didn’t seem bothered at all with my attitude towards him.  “I don’t really believe that one.  Besides, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard about me before plenty of times.  You've probably even been able to see me before.  At least, what I once was a long time ago.  So, are you coming or not?” he replied.

             
I felt myself freeze as he said that.  Again, I remembered the blood stained child in my nightmares.  Could that child have actually once been Chris Liam?  It was sounding more and more like the case.  But how in the world was that possible?

In spite of myself, I found myself nodding in agreement.  “Fine.  But you‘re going to tell me what's going on here.” I said, as I followed him outside.

              “If you insist.” Chris said.

             
Really, this guy had some audacity to him.  But at the same time, I found myself pretty attracted to that too, which was a feeling I'd never felt before.  There was something about this guy that was irresistible, and it wasn’t just his looks.  All at once, I was finding myself really wanting to solve his mystery.  Even if it meant skipping the rest of my classes and following him to God knows where.

             
The two of us walked back out into the hallway and towards the front of the building.  I kept my head down, feeling the people looking at us.  But I tried to just ignore it.  Coming back outside, we went down the stairs to the sidewalk leading up to the building, and I watched as Chris just tossed the book he’d brought to class into the garbage can.  “You know those things cost a lot of money, right?” I had to ask.

             
“It really doesn’t matter that much.  They get outdated too quick, and besides, I don’t need it anymore.  It was more for show in there anyway.” he told me.

             
I had to shake my head in disbelief.  Something about this guy just told me that he was going to have a very strong personality.  Or maybe stubborn would’ve been the better word for it….

“So why did you get me to come out here anyway and make me miss class?  You couldn’t be that interested in me just from talking to me for five minutes.  And what were you going on about in there about me not having to worry anymore and about me seeing you before?  Because I’m telling you, I know I haven’t.” I said, trying to sound defiant.  I made myself take a seat on the stairs as I said it.  Thankfully, it seemed like we were the only ones out there now.  Everyone else who had come out had just headed on to wherever they were going, although some had taken quick looks at us as they did.  Again, nothing unusual.

              “Well, I wouldn’t call it just being interested.” Chris said, standing near me.  He apparently chose to ignore my other questions.  “Although I do admit that I was curious as to whether or not I was right about all of this at first.  But the more I look at your eyes, the more that I know I am.  You’ve got to be her.  Only his kid would have eyes like that.” He continued.

             
His words immediately got my attention.  “His kid?  You mean you know my birth father?” I asked him.  He did seem awfully young for to know my birth father.  But then again, I reasoned that perhaps he might have though through friends or even family.  Could they have been related?

             
Chris just shrugged though.  “Well, sort of.  I know more about him now, considering it’s been a long time since I’ve actually seen him.  But that’s beside the point.  I’m here now because this is where I needed to come.  I need to keep my promise.” he said, sounding a little more serious now.

             
I looked up slightly up towards the sky through the leaves hanging overhead and sighed.  “Okay, look, this is all really weird.  You’re talking about knowing my father, and I keep feeling like I’ve seen you before.  You even talk as though I’ve seen you before.  Just who are you supposed to be anyway?” I asked him.

             
For a long moment, he was quiet.  I found myself listening to the sound of the slight cool breeze passing through the leaves as I considered what he’d already told me.  I couldn’t explain it, but somehow, I just knew that he was the same boy from my dreams that I’d been having my whole life.  He had certainly seemed to know something about that.  But why he had appeared to me now was a complete mystery to me.  That, and why I’d even end up dreaming about him like that in the first place.

             
Finally, Chris spoke again.  “Unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot I can tell you right now aside from what I already have.  But I can tell you that nothing that happens with you is ever a coincidence.  And trust me, I think you’re going to need me around soon enough now that you’re near the age.  Your time is running out.” he said.

             
I’ll admit that his answer was a little more than frustrating for me.  It just didn’t make any sense.  Nineteen or whatever age I was, it didn’t change who I was or where I had come from.  Or, at least, what I understood of where I had come from.  And saying that I was just plain going to need him just didn’t sit right with me.  I couldn’t help but tell him so.  “Look, I appreciate it if you think you’re trying to help me with something.  But I know where I came from, and I think I know where I’m going in my life.  So please don’t just think you can walk into it thinking that you’re going to be my savoir or something stupid like that.  No matter what happens to me, I can take care of myself thank you very much.” I said, standing back up.  I’d had just about enough by then.  All I wanted now was to go back home and try to get some much needed rest.

             
Chris just looked at me for a moment, although he didn’t seem that put off.  Instead, he shrugged his shoulders slightly, a small smile playing on his face.  “All right then.  I can get that.  But I’m not planning on going anywhere either.  Rest assured, I’ll be seeing you around.’ he said.  And with that, he turned and walked away.

             
I just stood there for a moment, not too sure of what to make of all of this as I watched him disappear in the distance down the sidewalk.  I knew I wasn’t anywhere near to getting the answers as to who he really was or why he looked so much like the boy in my dreams.  But at the same time, I wasn’t about to follow him either.  For as much as I was curious about him, I was also a bit fearful.  What if Chris held some sort of big secret that I really couldn't handle?  My mind already felt fragile enough most of the time.  Maybe it was just better if I left all of this alone and hoped that he disappeared as quickly as he had appeared.

             
Finally forcing myself to move from where I seemed glued to the spot, I turned and headed home.  I think I walked quicker then I’d ever done before, occasionally even taking the time to look over my shoulder.  I knew it seemed silly, but my entire being felt shaken to the core with that strange meeting.  What had just happened with all of that?  Was he even real?  I found myself instantly beginning to question it all.  And the more I did, the more I just wanted to get home and hide away for a while.

             
Finally getting back to my little house, I quickly unlocked the door and went upstairs to my room.  Tossing my bag aside, I plopped down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, allowing myself to take some calming deep breaths.  My insides were still shaking, but at least doing this helped me some in sorting out my thoughts from my fears.  And as I did, I found that everything Chris had said was echoing back through my mind once again.  Especially one thing in particular.