Torn Between Two Worlds

by Alex Barkhorn

Chapter 1

"Alex...Alex! Wake up!"

"Gah, wha, I-"

I woke up in a startle, and found my teacher, Mr. Donnovan, standing over me, arms crossed and a scowl on his face. "Have a nice nap?" He asked with a quirked brow. My fellow classmates snickered and shook their heads in amusement, before the bell rang. As Pavlov would prove, that was their cue to stand up and exit like mindless drones.

"Alex, this is the third time this week you've fallen asleep in my class," He paused for a moment to sigh. "What's gotten you so tired? Usually you're my best student." He said, this time, with a much more friendly tone. I thought this over for a minute. Yeah, like I'd really tell him I was up all night watching 'My Little Pony'. That wouldn't be odd.

"Dunno...Just having sleeping issues," I replied in half-truth with a yawn, wiping my tired eyes. I reopened them, and Mr. Donnovan stared into my midnight blue eyes with worry.

"Is something going on, then? Do you need to go speak with the counselor?" He asked, placing a friendly hand on my shoulder. I chuckled softly and shook my head, giving a reluctant smile.

"Nah, I just probably need to take some melatonin again..." I replied with a sigh. I stood up, wiping spent eraser shavings from my white shirt. I smirked to myself, observing the design at the bottom left of the shirt: A backwards double quaver, just like DJ P0N-3's cutie mark.

"Wait, 'again?' Well...That's fine. Take care, Alex. I'll see you Tuesday!" He called as I exited the class. I swiveled a bit to give him a lazy half-salute as a goodbye, and when I turned around, ran smack into a wall of dark brown hair.

"Hey, watch it - Oh, Alex?" A soft voice said, switching from annoyed to friendly in a matter of a second. I rubbed my head and sat upright, staring at the person I had run into. My tired expression seemed to vanish, and I broke out into a smile.

"Dana, hey. Sorry about that," I apologized, standing up and helping the petite girl up.

Whoa, whoa, okay. Let me backtrack here. I haven't even introduced myself. That's rude, isn't it?

My name's Alex. Alex Barkhorn. I was a Senior at Equitas High school. Relatively average sized town in the midwest. It's a nice place, I guess. Decent shopping centers, mall, movie theaters...Normal town. Well. If you can call anything I encountered recently 'normal.' These past few months have been nothing short of insane and...Well, amazing.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Heh. Back to the story! Where was I...

Dana shook her head and laughed, adjusting her black glasses. "Oh, don't worry about it. I shoulda watched where I was going," She said with a light giggle. I couldn't help but return it with a goofy chuckle of my own.

This is Dana. She's a Senior here as well, but you wouldn't think that by looking at her. The girl's small, probably no taller than five feet even. But, she's one of the nicest girls in the school, and one of the cutest as well.

"Why were you late getting out of class?" She asked, slightly tilting her head to accent her curiosity.
"Oh, I, ah, fell asleep." I replied sheepishly.

"You should probably get to sleep earlier, then," She said with a smart grin. I chuckled and shrugged, beginning to walk down the hallway. "Yeah, well, that's whatcha get when you're me," I called out to her. She only shook her head in amusement.

"See ya Tuesday," She said to me.

"See ya," I replied in a near whisper, smiling a bit. I sighed, and looked around. The halls were already empty. Kids were really excited to get home this weekend. Well, that's only natural. It was a three day weekend, due to some district-wde teacher garbage, and spring break is just next week. As I walked outside, the bright sun caught me by surprise. It was so cloudy that morning, I never bothered with my sunglasses. I used my hand as a shield until I found my way to my car. I got in, buckled up, and started the engine.

It was about a ten minute drive home, and I walked inside, and made my way straight to my room. Right as I outstretched my hand to open my door, I heard someone call my name.

"Alex!"

The voice echoed throughout my house, and I quirked a brow. Walking down the hall to find the source of the voice, I hesitated at a bedroom door. His bedroom door. After staring at it for a moment, my mind snapped back into the now, and I made my way into my mother's room.

"Mom, what are you doing here? Why aren't you at work?" I asked, my tone more quizzical than disappointed.

"I have another trip I need to go on," She said hastily, using...whatever technique women used to style their hair. I stayed away from women products and all things involved since I was a child. Too many burns from recently-used irons.

My mom takes care of me here at home. It's a pretty big house, so we usually use the part closest to the living room and kitchen. And mom, well. She works for some big business that makes investments and trades stocks, and blah, blah blah.

Pro? We make bank.

Con? Lots of business trips.

"Where are they sending you to this time?" I asked.

"Vegas," She replied, running to and fro in her room to find clothing and jewelery. I smiled and leaned against the wall, crossing my arms.

"Oh? Gonna visit grandma while you're down there, then?" I asked. "Actually, I'm gonna be staying there," She said matter of factly.

"Huh," Was all I replied with. She emerged from the bathroom portion of her room, now fully dressed, toting her suitcases.

"Will you get a haircut while I'm gone?" She asked in a teasing voice. I smirked and ran a hand through my jet black hair. It was kinda long, probably going down to my neck in the back, over my ears to their middle, and the front was swept down and just above my eyes, but below my brow.

"I'll consider it," I quipped, standing up and giving my mom a quick kiss to the cheek. "Be careful, mom," I said quietly, smiling sadly. She pinched my cheek in that classic motherly fashion, and made her way to the front door.

"Alright, Alex. You know the drill. Money is provided, you have my card and account info if you need it, no-"

"No parties, not too many people over, don't stay up eating junk food, yadda yadda...I got it mom." I said with another smirk.

"That's my boy," She said, walking up to me and giving me a hug. I wrapped my arms around the small woman with a smile. "I love you, son," She said. It almost sounded like she was about to cry.

"I love you too, mom. Now, go. Bring home the bacon, or, however the saying goes," I said with a smile. Mom let go from the embrace, and walked outside just as a cab pulled up. I smirked and shook my head. I could have driven her. Surely she knew I could have driven her to the airport. I sighed and waved one last time, before closing the door and turning around, staring at the quiet house.

It was Friday night, three day weekend, and I was all alone. I made a mental list of things to do, and used my fingers to count them.

Exercise.

Cook dinner.

Watch My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

...Sounded like a perfect Friday night to me.

Comments

[Saph Jebus]

It pains me to see how little attention this is getting. It's good, seems to be around my writing skills. I'll continue reading tomorrow. Good job.

[Menoshe]

It was Friday night, three day weekend, and I was all alone. I made a mental list of things to do, and used my fingers to count them.

Exercise.

Cook dinner.

Watch My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

...Sounded like a perfect Friday night to me.

HE'S GOT THE RIGHT IDEA!

[Frost]

566470 My schedule. All. Summer.

[Lord Nopony]

This is off to a great start!

[Nightcall]

Add 'Play the shit outta my PS4' and it's my list for a weekend... or the summer.