Through Her Shattered Eyes ✔

Chapter 10 (continued)

I draw in a huge gasping breath, as if being released from an airless room. I stare at James for a second, then look around, trying to make sense of my surroundings. Both of us are still in his car, parked in the parking lot of Walmart already. It seems like we just got here because he takes his keys out of the ignition and shoves them in his pocket. The sky is bright blue and the afternoon sun is hung high. It isn't nighttime.

And not a single indication that it's anything other than a normal July afternoon. I had another one of those dreams again.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? I have a bat in the cave or...?" James brings the back of his hand up and swiftly wipes his nose. "I had that happen once when I went over to my family's house for Thanksgiving last winter. It was hanging down and my brother didn't bother to say anything at all. It was embarrassing, really."

Even if I found my voice, I wouldn't have known what to say to that.

James' smile falters. "Hey, are you all right, Ali?"

I shake my head to snap myself out of my stupor. "Uh...yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I be? I'm perfectly fine." Except for being not fine.

"You sure?"

"Positive. Um, do you mind if I stay in the car while you go inside?"

"Sure, that's fine. Why?"

"I don't feel like getting out, that's all."

"Aight. Well, I won't be long."

"Okay."

He shuts his car door and walks to Walmart, entering through the garden section. When I see that James is completely out of sight, I bring my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them.

What is happening to me? I think. Why am I having these visions?

And who the hell is Adrian? I don't know the guy at all from anywhere. I've never heard of his name or even seen him before. What I do know is it's another new dream, but basically so much the same as the others that have afflicted me before.

It can't be a dream. It's something else. A memory.

I can still feel the heat and softness of Adrian's lips on mine. Well, Erika's rather. Subconsciously, I reach up and my fingers graze over my lips. That's one other thing. The memory I had involved Erika, the same girl from the first one.

Who was she? Is she the girl sending me these memories? Sending me the nightmare that haunts me every night? Is she the one who turned my eyes blue and made everybody I know be totally oblivious to my sudden change of eye color? Then, a thought comes to me.

What if...what if this girl—Erika—is the person I received my corneas from?

Perhaps she's my donor. It'd make sense. Maybe the dream I've been having maybe isn't even a dream at all. If Erika is my donor, she's showing me what happened to her, on the night she died. But at the same time, I wonder, out of the seven point five billion people in the planet, why choose me?

I put both hands up to my head, sighing. I need someone to talk to about this. Who, I'm not sure. I reach for my phone and scroll through the contact list. The first one that comes to mind is Nevaeh, though I have second thoughts. She can't help me with my dilemma. And even if she can, I don't think she'll listen to me. She'll probably assume what James and my parents think: they're simply post-surgery symptoms and they'll all go away.

I feel frustrated. I don't know who else to confide in. My mind feels lost.

As I continue scrolling down the contact list, Nathan's contact shows up. Absently, I tap on it and see all of his information. His email and his cell number are all still there, saved; I haven't deleted any of it. A small smile spreads across my lips, remembering the times, when we were still together, I'd call him whenever I got frustrated. We'd talk for a long time until his lunch break was over and had to go back to work. He always listened when I needed to talk.

Maybe I can give him a call, tell him everything that's been bothering me. I know he won't object to hearing me vent...

I shake my head.

No. NO. What am I, out of my mind? What am I thinking? We broke up three months ago, and for very good reason. There's no way I'm going to resort to calling Nathan. I even vowed to myself that I'd never, ever call him, no matter the circumstances. And I won't. I'm standing my ground and keeping that promise.

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