"Get up stupid." I heard Lachelle giggle. I realized I was in her bed. Looks like she let me stay. "I beat your alarm. I honestly hate that thing." Lachelle said.

"I need it to focus." Which is a true statement.

"I can help you focus." Lachelle said. She is being more cheerful than usual. What did she do to me in my sleep? I opened my eyes to see Lachelle laying with her head on my chest. "You were the one who said we need to heal each other last night."

"Did I?" I laughed when I saw Lachelle roll her eyes. "Get up. Jim will be here in an hour. Then we have a few hours to kill before dinner with your mom." Lachelle listed out the day's activities before getting out of bed. "Now get out so I can get dressed."

"Why? You change in the girl's locker room. How is this different?" Why am I so weird?

Lachelle smiled at me. "Let me rephrase it. Go get dressed and meet me in the kitchen" At that command I rolled out of bed. Honestly I am reading her wrong. I checked my phone. She deleted all my alarms.

"Can we really trust her?" We? I couldn't help but laugh. Were these voices always there?

As I changed I looked in the mirror. I searched my left arm. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary but it looks good. I don't know why I felt the need to check my arm. I then removed my shirt. I checked out the rest of my body. It looks like my arms are more toned and I lost weight. Probably because of all the swimming, the lack of snacks and the running.

Maybe all the yoga has a part in this too. Yoga. The Vrikshasana pose. It goes something like this. As I entered the pose I searched for the answer to my question. Ninth grade. I heard someone tell me it was my fault. My fault that I sat alone at lunch.

That's the year I started to run away. They slowed down when I met Jim that summer. He helped my mom make the alarm system for me. Do they know about the voices? Does anyone else hear them?

"Wow."

Lachelle? I broke my pose and looked over at her. She was standing in my door way. She was avoiding my eyes. What did I do now?

Shit I forgot to get dressed.

"Shit. I'm sorry Lachelle. I forgot." It hasn't even been an hour without alarms.

Lachelle walked by and went to the drawer where I keep my shirts. "It's okay. I'm just surprise how in shape you are." Lachelle pointed out.

I felt my whole body heat up to her words. I forgot how to breathe when she grabbed my left arm. She was looking in the same area I was earlier. "What are you looking for?" Okay my curiosity got the better of me. Lachelle seemed unfazed. "I burned you with a cigarette the first time I met you."

Oh my gosh. I'm attracted to this crazy bitch. Wait. "You burned me with a cigarette?"

Lachelle handed me my black shirt with my silver reflector stars. "That's a cool shirt."

"Custom made. When I would go running at night, so cars could see me." Another gift from Jim. I quickly threw my shirt on. When Lachelle was on her phone I took a minute to see what she was wearing.

She wore her hair down letting her natural curls fall below her shoulders. She was wearing a black V neck shirt that exposed her purple bralette. The bralette matched the purple skull design on her shirt. She was wearing these blue skin tight jean shorts that hugged her thighs.

As I scanned the length of her legs my phone went off. Text message from Lachelle. 'Let me know when you're done checking me out. Jim is outside.'

I couldn't control my laughter. She's going to murder me before the day is over.

I let met my excitement get the better of me when I saw Jim. "Jim!" And as usual Jim refused to give me a hug. "Stop trying to hum me Alex." Jim said with a laugh. "Nice to see you again Miss Lachelle."

"Good morning sir." Lachelle whispered.

I couldn't help but smile. I knew Jim remembered everything important to me.

I stand corrected. I am hating every minute of this.

As we waited for our food Lachelle was listing all of my camp failures to Jim. Strangely there was more than I could remember. Jim couldn't control his laughter.

When our food arrived I felt another regret. Lachelle had chocolate chip pancakes. I had a stuffed omelette. I wanted her chocolate chip pancakes.

"So you do karate at that camp?" Jim asked.

I watched as Lachelle randomly grabbed my plate and cut my omlette. "Yeah Alex sometimes helps me practice. She doesn't like getting kicked in the face though." Lachelle joked. Lachelle is so awesome. She took half my omlette and gave me half her pancakes.

Chocolate. The first time I hung out with Lachelle I ate chocolate. Why am I remembering this now? Is that something important?

"Alex slow down." I heard Jim hiss at me. I realized that I inhaled all of the pancakes Lachelle gave me. I want more pancakes. Lachelle slid the rest of her pancakes on my plate without me asking. She is the most perfect mind reader.

"Tell me the real reason why you ordered the pancakes Lachelle." Jim teased.

I watched as Lachelle blushed. "Alex has a soft spot for chocolate. To be honest I figured she didn't think of reading the entire menu and I was planning on teasing her. Then I saw her omlette and decided I wanted some." I couldn't stop laughing, as I quickly ate the other half of my omlette.

Lachelle playfully elbowed me in the rib that made me laugh.

"So where do you want me to drop you guys off at?" Jim asked.

Where do I want to go? What's fun around here?

"The arcade is fine." Lachelle answered.

There's an arcade around here?

I looked over at Lachelle. Seems like she has my best interest in the back of her mind. She looked over and smiled at me. There is something about her smile. Words can't describe it. She just makes me feel warm and safe.

"Alex." Jim warned. He does that when I stare off into space. He won't believe me if I just tell I was watching Lachelle.

Anyway I blanked out on the way to the arcade. I let Lachelle sit in the front to give Jim directions.

"You have discovered a new land. Do you wish to continue?"

Whoa! What is this?

I heard Lachelle laugh as she grabbed my hand. "Let's go." Lachelle said cheerfully.

This angel just dragged me into Heaven. The whole entire building was aligned with video games. Race car games, first person shooters. Is that a basketball video game?

Lachelle dragged me to this double seater car. One side had a steering wheel while the other side had a gun. "Want to go on an adventure with me?"

That smile makes me weak. "I'll do whatever you want." I'm so weird. Lachelle pushed me over to the side with the gun. "Just kill all the zombies for me."

The car raised slightly into the air and started shaking. Our mission was to take the holy water to church to purify the zombies. A little unrealistic but it's whatever.

I know my aim is amazing, but Lachelle's driving is terrible. "You are the worst driver in the history of drivers."

"But I'm the hottest." Lachelle giggled.

"Your looks isn't going to keep us alive Lachelle." I teased.

"Keep it up and I'll eject you."

"Eject me?" In that moment Lachelle shoved me out of the car. This bitch is crazy. I laid on the floor laughing.

"Lachelle is that you?" I heard an unfamiliar voice say. As soon as I was on my feet Lachelle was standing behind me. She grabbed onto my arm which distracted me from the girl that approached me. "Is this your new experimental toy?"

Hold up. Stranger danger.

I watched as this freckled face girl approached us. She had green eyes that hid behind her glasses. She had curly brown hair and you guessed it, shorter than me. She was wearing a bright top and a mini skirt.

"I'm not good enough for an introduction Chelly?"

Lachelle just glared at the girl so "Alex." I extended my hand out but this chick just eyed me up and down.

"I'm Cara." The girl snapped. "Chelly's one true love. Sadly it will never work out."

'Get over yourself." Lachelle hissed.

"I don't like her." Me neither strange voice.

Cara smirked at me. I don't like this feeling.

"Well. Got to go." In one swift motion I swept Lachelle off of her feet and started walking to the exit. What is this feeling?

"Jealously." Is it normal? Come on strange voice answer me.

"Alex what are you doing? Where are we going?" Lachelle's voice snapped me back to reality. I realized we were outside. I gently put Lachelle down.

Before I could say anything I heard Cara's annoying voice. "What the hell was that?"

I felt Lachelle's hand grip mine and pulled me forwarded. Running. We were running. "Bye Cara." Lachelle yelled.

I have no idea where we are going. Lachelle let go of my hand but was still in a full sprint. I heard her phone going off. She was unfazed.

I watched as we came to a stop at this park. I saw hammocks and a lake ad Lachelle tieing up her hair. Shit.

"Hey Alex can we spare?" Lachelle asked sweetly.

"Who was that girl?" Lachelle didn't look like she liked my answer. She shot me a look daring me to ask again. So I did. "Answer me."

Lachelle rolled her eyes as she kicked off her shoes. "You're not my keeper Alex. Besides you know how to get what you want from me." It's clear she wants to fight.

"Her one true love." The voice mocked.

So I kicked my shoes off and ties my hair up.

I watched Lachelle smirk. She then frowned and I watched her eyes darken. She wasn't seeing me anymore.

I bowed. I don't have training like Lachelle. I'm not a fighter, but I do owe her a kick to the face. My body moved on its own, but I kicked Lachelle clean in the chest knocking her on her back.

It didn't feel as good as I wanted it to, but when Lachelle used her hands to spring to her feet I didn't feel as bad. "She was my first girlfriend." Lachelle answered while she got into a fighting stance. There was no more bowing when Lachelle threw a fist at me.

My body was moving on its own as I tried my best to block her attacks. "How many have you had?" I went blow for blow with Lachelle. Every punch she threw hit harder and harder.

I was careless as Lachelle punched me in the stomach. She turned her body into me and kneed my right side causing me to fall for the third time. I released breakfast as I stayed on all fours. "Best four out of seven." I heaved out.

"Alex please stop." Lachelle begged as I continued to vomit. "I physically can't." I answered as I vomited some more. I struggled to my feet. It sucks that Lachelle would rather beat my ass than talk to me.

'Alex I don't want to fight anymore." Lachelle said. I didn't recognize the look on her face. For some reason I can't shake the feeling that Lachelle was hiding something from me. "Lachelle would you rather beat me up versus talk to me about your feelings."

"Powering off" The robotic voice announced.

I don't know what happened next. I just remembered where I woke up. My room. My home.

How?

I looked around. When I sat up I felt a sharp pain coming from my head. I ended up groaning in pain. "One true love." Not going to lie the sound of my voice scared me.

That's right. That girl. Lachelle loved that girl. Where is Lachelle? Maybe she can fill in the blanks.

When I checked my messages I saw a message from an unsaved number. 'You're not safe.'

What?

I looked up when Lachelle entered my room. "Are you okay Alex?"

"Yeah." I slid my phone in my pocket.

"You're not safe. You're not her one true love." I know.

I walked over to Lachelle and closed and locked the door behind her. She looked up into my eyes with concern, but without fear. "We need to talk." My words took me off guard but Lachelle didn't budge.

Featured picture by El.