Twisted Reality Read online

  Twisted Reality

  Nikolas Harris

  Published: 2010

  Tag(s): "love interest" short story romance emotional twist school

  Prologue

  My world went crashing down around me. For a moment I realized I had no control on what was happening. Everything seemed to change regardless on what I wanted. It all started one chilly Sunday afternoon. The sun was high up in the sky with a slight breeze in the air. It was just enough to make you think it was beautiful out, despite the fact that the temperature was only in the single digits. The scent of frost flowed through my nose as I walked down the street. The only thing on my mind was the fact that I’d never get to see you again…

  Chapter 1

  The Beginning

  I’ve lived in a small town called Riverbrook my whole life. Ever since I was a child I had wanted to become an architect. Everything revolving around architecture amazed me. After I graduated high school, I figured it would be simple to switch into university mode. Sadly, that’s not the case. Since Riverbrook is in such a small area, the town’s university doesn’t provide an architecture course to their students. This is when I started learning that life wasn’t as easy as I thought.

  The school semester was just about to begin and I had to start packing. Since there aren’t any universities close by that carry the architecture course I wanted to take, I had to apply to a university in the capital, Jasper. It was goodbye carefree summer days, hello hectic school year. I figured this year would be different – moving out of Riverbrook and starting university. It was a drastic change, I was obviously hoping for the better. I was hoping to make the change smoothly, without causing a ripple in the water.

  Chapter 2

  Life

  Consider this: you’re sitting on a lounge chair basking in the sun’s rays next to your beautiful girlfriend, the one who completely gets who you are. Seems perfect, right? Well, that’s basically how I spent the last few days of my summer.

  “Benjamin Jacob Tanner!” my mom hollered from the kitchen window, “I thought we discussed that you were to clean your room before you went outside!”

  Crap, I completely forgot. “Sorry Mom! I meant to do that, but it slipped my mind,” I replied, getting up from the lounger.

  Embarrassed, I told Selena I’d be back in a few minutes. She didn’t seem to mind, considering this is a usual thing around my house.

  “You teenagers are all the same, in one ear, out the other,” I heard as I came closer to the sliding glass door.

  “So not a teenager, I’m 19, practically an adult,” I said, passing by.

  “Close enough, now go clean your room.”

  As I cleaned, I periodically I glanced out the window. It was obvious from inside the house I was trying to get a glance of Selena. Selena is the one person who I can really trust. Every since the first day of junior high when she walked through my English class door and sat down beside me, I knew. I felt an instant connection with her. Selena Martins father got transferred here because of his work. We enjoyed the same movies, liked the same music, were both considered fairly nerdy, and we became really close to each other – an inseparable match. Selena came from a troubled past. Since her family was always moving from town to town, she chose delinquency to lash out at her parents. Throughout her younger years she battled severe cases of clinical depression. We’ve been each others, “emotional rocks,” so to speak. I lean on her and she leans on me. Everything seems to just stop whenever we’re together - all our problems seem to just float away. We’ve been dating ever since. I think that’s why we make such a great match. As long as we’re together anything is possible. She hasn’t had a relapse of depression since she has moved to Riverbrook. Wow, it’s been almost 5 years to the day, I thought to myself.

  Selena is the one reason I’m dreading going to Jasper for school. Though we’ve come to an agreement about being in a long term relationship type of situation - promising to contact her every second I could - I knew it would put strain on us. I thought about what we’ve been through, everything in the past – and realized that we could get through anything together if we really tried.

  The month of September slowly crept in, and my time in Riverbrook was coming to an end. With everything I could possibly need for school all packed up and loaded into the car, the only thing I was awaiting was the goodbyes. Something I was really hesitant about.

  Chapter 3

  Leaving

  The last few hours before heading off to the University of Jasper, were hectic. Everyone on the house was frantically rushing around, double checking to make sure we’ve collected everything that we had designated to go with me on my journey.

  “Ben, I think you forgot a box upstairs. Go check and don’t forget to put it in the trunk!” mom yelled from the side door, grasping a box between her arms.

  “Alright, one second mom, I’m just trying to figure out how to make all of the boxes fit,” I replied.

  “Also, don’t forget the box I have here, I’ll leave it here beside the door.”

  She placed the box on the stoop and went back inside. I ran up to the door and grabbed the last of the boxes and set them in the truck. Even though I wasn’t leaving until the next morning, mom suggested we should have everything ready to go beforehand – just so I can leave as early as possible to make it to Jasper mid-day.

  The night went by slowly, I couldn’t concentrate on the fact that I needed to sleep. It was going to be a long day tomorrow, considering the fact that the trip to Jasper is about a five hour drive from Riverbrook. As my mind concentrated on the details of the events happening the next morning I slowly drifted into a deep, deep sleep.

  * * * *

  “Wake up kiddo,” Dad said, shaking me awake.

  “Huh, what?” I was still dazed, sleep in my head.

  “Its morning, bud, time to get up, you have to leave soon.”

  “What? Really..? Already..? What time is it?”

  “Its 6:00AM, you better go get washed up.”

  “Sure thing, just give me a minute, my body needs to wake itself up.”

  I got up and looked out the window. This would be the last time seeing the view of the lake, all the things that happened here. My stomach was doing flips. Did I really want to leave? Glancing at the clock, realizing I only had about a half hour to finish getting ready, I rushed into the bathroom. I showered, brushed my teeth and threw on some fresh clothes. Then I just sat on my bed and took everything in. Wow, leaving?

  “Ben, you ready?” my sister, Stephanie, called from downstairs.

  “Yeah, coming, be right there.” I shouted.

  I gave my room one last look, sighed and walked out of my bedroom door for the last time. I headed down the stairs. It was quite an emotional moment, more so than I thought it would be – for everyone. Moving away gives me a chance to start new, though I have to leave everyone behind. My mind raced through moments of my past - birthdays, school, hanging out with my friends, Selena. These thoughts kept running through my mind. Sure, Selena and I were still going to be together, it was just the distance that worried me. I had said my goodbyes to Selena the day earlier. I hugged Stephanie, Mom and Dad, and promised to call as soon as I got to Jasper. As I got in the car everyone waved from the driveway, Mom with tears in her eyes. Turning the car on, and driving down the street, my life as I knew it was forever changing.

  Chapter 4

  Something New

  The car glided into the parking lot of the university, ironically called the University of Jasper, how creative. I called home to let them know I made it safely. I had officially arrived in Jasper, everything was so different here. I was a small town guy in a big city. I felt so out of place. The University of Jasper was huge. Accordi
ng to the map in the main lobby of the university, the campus was spread out all over the city. My dorm was on the fifth floor of a building located in the south-east quadrant of Jasper. The lady situated at the front desk supplied me with a map and proper directions to get there. She also explained to me that due to the high amount of students attending the university, I was going to be sharing my dorm with another person.

  As I drove through the city, everything in Jasper looked so cold, I was really missing home. I arrived at my dorm, roughly a half hour later. My dorm was located in a tall grey building, about 20 floors high. You’d never see buildings like this in Riverbrook. I headed inside with a box, got inside the elevator and went to the fifth floor.

  “Hello?” I said, entering the room.

  “Hey mate,” a voice came from around the corner.

  “I’m Benjamin, but you can call me Ben if you’d like. I’m your new roommate, I guess.”

  “Fantastic, my name is Mike. It’s nice to meet you.”

  I crossed the room and looked out the window. The view was kind of dull, unlike the view of the lake my room back home had. I placed my stuff on my side of the room, since Mike had clearly already chosen a side.

  “Need any help?” he offered.

  “Yeah sure, if you don’t mind,” I said.

  We went downstairs and grabbed the last of my things. Mike and I went upstairs, arms full of boxes.

  “So, where are you from?” he asked.

  “Riverbrook, you probably don’t know that place though…”

  “Oh, I know of that place, I’m from South Shore, it’s pretty close to Riverbrook.”

  “I know where that is! My family took me there a few times in the summer when I was younger. They rented a beach house and we stayed there for a month or two.”

  “Sounds nice. My parents own a beach house up on the tip of the Fare Coastline.”

  “Wow, you must love it there. That’s a beautiful spot.”

  “You know it.”

  I spent the rest of my day unpacking my stuff and getting settled in. I had to get my schedule and my books from student services. Mike offered to go with me. On our way there we stopped at various locations to look around, he offered to be my tour guide since this was his second year in Jasper. The campus was amazing. Mike showed me where my classes were at so I wouldn’t get lost on the first day. I was starting to think I’d really like it here.

  Chapter 5

  Break

  A few weeks passed and school was going great. My courses were fairly straight-forward. I was even getting used to the big city. Selena and I were going great as well, or so I thought. We’d call each other whenever we could, which was pretty much every day after my classes. As the days progressed, the calls shortened. School had taken my full attention, and my relationship was put on the backburner.

  One day, after class, I had arrived home to my dorm – the answering machine was flashing – three missed calls. Two were for Mike, the last one was for me and it was Selena. She asked if I could call her as soon as I got the message. She seemed really worried.

  I called her back. She answered on the second ring. I pictured her sitting beside the phone - waiting for my call.

  “Ben,” Selena said.

  “Hey Selena, you called? What’s wrong?” I was concerned.

  “Well, I’ve been thinking, and I’m not really sure what’s going on.”

  “What do you mean? I’m not following you.”

  “Its over, Ben, I can’t handle this anymore.”

  “Wha… what do you mean?”

  “Us, everything. I’m just done with it.”

  “What… why?”

  “I’m just sick of being alone, waiting for you to call. I’m done with it”

  “B… but.”

  “It’s over. I have to go now, its better this way. Goodbye”

  “Wait!”

  Dial tone. What had just happened?

  ****

  Over the next few days I tried concentrating on my school but I couldn’t. Selena’s image wouldn’t leave my mind, the things she said replayed over and over like a broken record. I tried to get a hold of Selena many, many times, without any luck. I wanted answers, but more importantly, I wanted her back. Grabbing the black box I had laid on the table, I shoved it in my pocket, wrote a note to Mike, and headed for Riverbrook.

  Chapter 6

  The End

  Nervous, I approached the Martins’ front door. My palms were sweaty at this point. I had the urge to just turn around and leave. To just forget it all - I wish I had have done just that.

  Trembling from my nerves, one shaky hand rose to the doorbell and a faint chime began to ring from somewhere in the house. Mrs. Martins answered the door.

  "Ben? What on earth are you doing here? I thought you were in Jasper?" Mrs. Martins said, seemingly surprised.

  "Well, I've come to see Selena. I need to talk to her."

  "Oh. Selena. Come on in and have a seat Ben," Mrs. Martins motioned a hand towards the living room. I sat down, eyes sweeping the room. The house was well lived in. Pictures of family and special events plastered the walls and tables.

  "Ben," Mrs. Martins started, sitting in the leather armchair next to me. A single tear ran down her cheek.

  "Mrs. Martins what is it? Is everything alright?" I said, you could feel the pure emotion in my words.

  "It’s Selena… Something happened."

  I was clutching the little black box in my hand.

  Many things ran through my head, some good and some bad. But nothing prepared me for what Mrs. Martins told me…

  That is when my world came crashing down. I stared at Mrs. Martins in disbelief, the black box I was holding fell to the floor between my feet.

  That was the day I learned that Selena was dead.

  www.feedbooks.com

  Food for the mind

 

 

  Nikolas Harris, Twisted Reality

  Thanks for reading the books on GrayCity.Net