Human

11.

My eyes popped open in a frenzy as the dream ended. I gasped for air and coughed as I sat up and quickly turned on my lamp. I was relieved to see my curtains still hung, and my room in perfect order. I had to repeat to myself a few times that it was just a dream. "Cade? You alright?" Garrett asked groggily from beside the bed. When I didn't answer him he sat up to look at me. "What's the matter?" He asked concerned. He got up from the floor and sat at the foot of my bed looking at me strangely again. "Wait, why are you afraid of me right now?" He questioned with his eyes narrowed.

"I'm not." I told him.

"You are." He replied looking a little wounded. "Why?"

I sat up straighter, letting my back rest against my headboard and pulled my knees up to my chest. "I don't know what you're talking about Garrett."

"Cadence..." He said my name in a whisper.

I knew how crazy this was, but I had to do it. "What are you, Garrett?"

He looked thrown off by the question. "What are you talking about?"

"What are you, Garrett?" I repeated.

He stood up from the bed and ran his hands through his hair, turning his back to me. "I'm a human Cadence, what are you?" He answered defensively.

"Don't try to turn this around on me." I said firmly. "I want the truth."

"You sound insane." He said still looking away.

I had to agree with him. On any other circumstances I would say anyone talking the way I am needs to be committed, but not this time. "Garrett there are just too many things that don't make sense. I don't care, I just want to know."

He turned back to me and his face looked sad. "Cadence don't do this." He pleaded. "You're the only friend I have."

I stood from my bed and went to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. "It's because I am you're friend that I just want to know the truth about you." I tried to explain. "Please Garrett, what are you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about Cade." He told me as he moved out of my grasp.

I was getting angry that he wouldn't just tell me the truth. "Do you think I am stupid? I know something is up, I just want to know what it is."

"I think you're cute when you're mad." He joked half smiling.

"Don't try to distract me Garrett." I said biting my lip to keep from smiling. I had to refocus myself on my mission. "What are you?" I asked him again with more resolve.

"I'm human, Cadence." He told me again.

"You're lying."

"I've got to go." He said suddenly then went for my door.

I cut him off, blocking the door from him and he rolled his eyes at me then backed back to my bed and sat down. He put his elbows on his knees and held his face in his hands. I knelt in front of him and pulled his hands away from his face so that he would look at me. "Please?" I begged again.

His eyes bore into mine desperately. "That's the most annoying part of all of this Cadence." He whispered to me. "I. Am. Human." He said emphasizing every word. "I am just as much human as you, or anyone else is." He brought his hand up to the side of my face. "I was born, just like you. I grew and went to school, just like you. If I get hurt, I will bleed, just like you. I have feelings, and a heart, and everything else just the same as you."

I saw so much pain in his expression and I almost regretted forcing him into this. He already seems like he carries so much, I hate to be adding to his unhappiness, but this is something I have to know. "Then what is it?" I asked him.