Let's Pretend

-30-

Astraea Grey

"I said I was sorry!" I yelled at my brother who was glaring at me across the marble island.

"And yet I'm still never gonna let you live it down" He grumbled before pointing to his now blue hair.

"It wasn't meant for you". I firmly stated while pushing my eggs around on the plate. My eyes went back to my brother. To say the least he was pissed. I'm pretty sure you can literally see the steam coming from his ears. I had been planning to dye then ends of my hair blue, when I found the dye in Colton's bathroom. Long story short the idiot thought it was his shampoo and rubbed it in his hair.

"You did this on purpose, for when I called you a smurf". He grumbled before eating his eggs.

"Think of it how you want". I shrugged my shoulders before standing up grabbing my plate.

"Rae"

"I miss you"

My eyebrows furrowed together and I looked around the kitchen. My parents were in my dad's study talking about some of the expenses to expand my mom's bakery. And Colton was being a fatass, stuffing his face with food.

But the voice sounded like Hayden but it was weird as he was at his house. And he hasn't called me Rae since the night of homecoming.

"Rae, please"

This time it was Madison and her sobs were filling my ears. Her sobs were uncontrollable. I dropped the plate of food and covered my ears. It was too much. Between the sobs and the voices, I couldn't take it.

My eyes met Colton's grey ones. He was talking but I couldn't make out the words, his mouth was only moving.

The voices continued and my eyes burned with tears. I continued to cover my ears and fell to the floor.

Colton shook my body and I looked at my parents who ran into the kitchen. My mom knelt down to me and started talking.

Suddenly the voices stopped and I looked at my family. Colton's hands remained on my shoulders. His eyes were searching my face for anything that can tell him what the hell just went down.

"Astraea, what happened" My dad questioned as he helped me up.

I rubbed my lips, trying to form the words to explain what the hell just happened. I myself didn't know. "I-I dont know". I paused while looking at parents "I heard voices" I lightly spoke, looking between my parents. They probably thought their daughter was going crazy.

Hell, I was starting to believe it myself.

"Maybe you should go lie down". My mom suggested as she started cleaning my mess up.

"Okay". I grabbed my phone and left the dinning room. I rubbed my lips thinking about the voices. Maybe I should call Madison. I mean she was crying and calling for me. 

Maybe it was a sign saying she was in danger.

I dialed her number, biting my lip as I walked into my room.

"Hey" Madison breathed out as she answered the phone. And I swear I felt a ton of weight get lifted off my shoulders.

"Hey, where are you?" I questioned trying to stay clam and not raise any suspicion.

"At my dance studio. Guess who broke their ankle." She cheered into the phone.  

Judging by how happy she was, a smirk twisted onto my face "Heather". I simply stated as I jumped into my bed.

"Yes. All the praying I did finally paid off" She giggled into her phone. "I have to go stretch. Wanna met up later?"

"Sure. The park?"

"Yes. Alright bye love you" She hanged up the phone before I could respond. I threw my phone to the side and went to sleep.

~*~

I wrapped my arms tighter around myself as a breeze of wind hit my body.

"You should've worn a sweater" Madison remarked as she pulled her black hoodie over her curls.

I grimaced for being stupid. I was in a cropped tank top with sweatpants. "Didn't think of it" I shrugged my shoulders. We took a seat under the great oak tree, where we usually sat at to just talk.

"So what's been going on?" She questioned as I leaned my body against the tree.

"Hayden and me been good". I picked a flower and twirled it between my hands. "How have you and Darnell been".

She rubbed her lips as she looked at the sunset "Turns out he didn't want anything serious. He's going to Duke for college and I'm going to UCLA. He claims a long distance relationship isn't going to work". She shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm sorry." I pulled her into a side hug. "I knew how much he liked him".

She leaned her head on my shoulder "It's fine. Plus I've been talking to someone".

"Who?"

"Its a secret. I don't want to jinx it" She smirked.

"Really, I'm your bestfriend".

Her smirk remained on her lips "Just think of it as payback, when you and Hayden kept the fact that you guys were dating from me for a whole week".

I chuckled "I guess you're right."

"Wake up"

"I miss you"

"Huh?" I looked at the sky.

"Rae are you okay?"

I looked over at Madison. I rubbed my forehead before answering "I've been hearing these voices. Yesterday, I heard Colton. And today, I heard you and Hayden. And you were crying."

Madison took a second before answering. "What are they, the voices saying".

"They're just calling my name and saying they miss me and I should wake up". I furrowed my eyebrows.

Why did I need to wake up?

"Have you told your parents"

I nodded my head "Yes, I just told them I'm hearing voices, not what they were saying."

"Maybe its stress. You know with colleges sending letters about acceptation and all". She suggested while wrapping her arms around me.

"I hope you're right. I feel like I'm going crazy". I muttered.

"Girl, you were already crazy for liking Hayden" She remarked with a smirk twisted on her face. I shook my head smiling at her.

"Whatever, but is this all real" I questioned pointing around us.

"Yes". She gave me an unsure look as she looked at me. I ignored her look and  nodded my head feeling satisfied with her answer.