“I’m leaving,” a girl’s voice called. The voice was smooth, yet confident at the same time. Following this voice was the slim figure of a girl, making it's way down the stairs. The girl wore a pair of khaki bermuda shorts, as well as a red polo shirt. Her hair, long and auburn, fell to her waist and was pulled back on the sides with two hair pins. On her feet she wore white canvas shoes, and a tan messenger bag was slung effortlessly across her shoulders.
An older woman stood in the kitchen at the bottom of the stairs, fumbling through a few of the cabinets on the walls. She looked up when the girl stepped off of the staircase. "Oh, Madeline, where are you headed off to?" She asked, tilting her head curiously to the side.
"Just the park." Was the girl's blunt reply.
The woman nodded, her eyes holding a tired expression as she watched her daughter close the screen door gently behind her. Madeline's mother cared for her daughter greatly, but was a bit hurt by how distant she always seemed to be. She had become used to this, though, and tried not to let it affect her.
Madeline squinted her aqua eyes in the sunlight as she headed towards the park that was only a few blocks away from her normal suburban home. She would go there quite often, finding it gave her a strange nostalgic feeling. She didn't know why she felt this way when she was there, though. But, nonetheless, she liked being around the trees and the small brook that ran through the woodsy area.
[ I hope this was alright. n__n; ]
[[I thought I had scared you off!]]
Ethan was lost. Not lost in the technical sense of the word, physically lost, but just lost. He rather enjoyed it, actually, waiting for Madeline while drumming his feet against the tree.
The grey-eyed boy hummed tunelessly as he perched on a low branch of a thick tree, watching the brook without actually watching. With a sigh, he jumped off of his branch and walked towards the running water, sitting down on a rock and brushing his short blonde hair back.
His head snapped up to attention as he heard somebody move behind him; he stood up, fumbling with his jeans and shirt, standing there as two people emerged into the field right by him. They looked right by him as they laughed and joked with each other.
Ethan's heart sank. For one heart-stopping, hopeful moment, he forgot that he was imaginary. That he was capable of being somebody else's, apart from Madeline's. He walked slowly, purposefully, towards the couple, brushing his fingers across the girl's head gently. There was no surprise when she didn't feel him, but she turned around all the same and looked right through him.
With a sigh, Ethan walked back to his tree and sat down. Waiting for Madeline.
Waiting for salvation.
[ Nope, you didn't! And that post was awesome. :3 ]
Madeline sighed as she pushed back a few branches that stood in her way of entering her favorite spot in the park. She was able to get past them, though, and she reached her hand up to her collarbone to stroke the small wing charm that hung from a chain around her neck. She never knew why she liked to touch it. Hell, she couldn't even remember where it came from. But when she felt the cool metal between her fingertips, she felt instantly calmed.
Walking into the clearing near the brook, she stopped short as she caught sight of a strange boy sitting on the branch of a familiar-looking tree. She felt a bit territorial about this area, and was annoyed that someone else was in her spot. She had hoped to be alone.
[[Yay~ And how old is your Madeline?]]
Ethan's head jerked over, instantly assessing who was there before breaking out into a sad smile. "Madeline," he whispered, standing up almost, then sitting down heavily. It was all he could do not to go up to her and give her a hug.
But this wasn't his Madeline. This was somebody else. Yes, it was Madeline, he was sure of that, sure as he was that his eyes were grey. But yet she was not his Madeline.
Nervously he rubbed his dry hands on the thighs of his dark blue jeans, then made to stand up and then sat back down heavily. Ethan knew that he should go to her but she was exuding such a powerful influence of unwant that he couldn't go. Just... couldn't go. Simple as that.
[ Eighteen. :3 ]
Madeline stood for a moment longer, watching him. For some reason, he seemed oddly familiar. She just couldn't remember why. It was strange-- many things sparked strange feelings in her heart, but she could never recall why they were significant.
She shrugged off the kind feelings arising in her heart and made her way towards the brook. Ignoring the boy completely, she sat herself down at the shoreline and pulled out a small sketchbook, along with a box of pencils and an eraser. If he wasn't going to move, she'd just pretend she had the place to herself.
Ethan stood up again, watching her walk by without a second glance. Feeling confused- he knew his face reflected his feelings- he made his feet move, standing feet behind her before moving to beside her, dropping to his knees.
"Madeline," he whispered, looking down at his hands, not looking at her, too embarrassed to. "Do you really not remember who I am?" It was almost a plead, begging her to remember who he was. Ethan for sure remembered who she was. Even though it'd been almost ten years without her she'd been on his mind constantly.
Madeline had started drawing a tree. She began with the trunk, then added branches, and then added branches to those branches. She was aware of his presence next to her, but she didn't look up at him until he spoke. She was highly agitated at this boy.
Her aqua eyes blinked once as he spoke. She was slightly surprised at his question, but hid it with her furrowed brow. "Excuse me?" She questioned, her voice low, yet slightly stern. She knew his face, strangely, but she couldn't recall ever meeting him. "No, I don't know who you are. How do you know my name?"
Ethan did look up then, and laughed once, humorously. "Madeline, I've known everything about you until you cast me off to fend for myself. You're my creator." He said this all quietly, trying not to scare her off. It was almost like training the wild cats he had brought home once. A caring voice and a hand that wouldn't hit were necessary to keep them tame.
Of course she wouldn't remember. Ethan had to remember than this was a futile attempt, even as he settled himself comfortably yet able to run at a second's notice. This was life as he knew it.
She had no idea what this kid was talking about. He must've been some kind of nutcase. But why did he have to be in her drawing spot? Her hand immediately lifted to stroke the charm around her neck and she eyed him suspiciously.
"Look, I don't know what you're up to, but I don't know who you are. Why don't you go bother someone else?" She growled, quickly averting her gaze from his face back to her half-sketched tree. Honestly, she was starting to become a bit scared of this guy.
"Because I can't," he said simply, reaching forward to grab a smooth wet rock from the brook. He weighed it in his hands before setting it on the ground in front of him. "You're the only one who can actually see me."
He sighed and stood up gracefully, leaving the rock where he had just been sitting and taking a few steps back from the brook, just standing there, waiting.
Your move, Madeline.
She stared at him. Was he being serious? He couldn't be. He had to be some mentally ill person who had escaped from the hospital...or something. She raised a brow, setting down her things and standing up with him, brushing a tuft of her thick hair from her face.
She didn't know why she continued to talk to this boy. After all, he seemed to be a bit loony. But she just couldn't help but wonder who he was.
"Alright. What the hell are you talking about?"
Ethan frowned and ran his hand through his hair yet again, back-combing the messiness. "Exactly what I mean," he said, frustrated. "Nobody else can see me. I suppose it's only you." It had made things doubly hard for Ethan, finding a job, getting an apartment in the city, everything.
The twenty three year old sighed, rocking back on his heels, turning around and walking back to the tree. The couple had heard Madeline's voice and had turned around, most likely wondering who she was talking to. He smiled crookedly. Even ten years later, Madeline was still getting those crazy looks.
She scowled at him, the turned to the couple with the same expression. It was so familiar-- those strange looks. And she could remember it faintly, the same twisted faces that turned her way. But why? She remembered how hurt she was when everyone would make fun of her. But the events must've been so painful that she suppressed them into the back of her mind.
Her faced reddened deeply as the couple stared, and she whipped her head back towards Ethan. She brought her hand, once again, to feel the gold between her fingertips. "So. You're a ghost." She wasn't going to believe him...or the thoughts that floated in her mind...that easily.
"A ghost?" He pressed his lips together tightly. "Never. You called me once an imaginary friend, as though me being real wasn't good enough for you." Ethan frowned. "If I were a ghost, then I could disappear from here too. Just go somewhere, far away. But you made me real."
The necklace. How could Ethan have been so stupid to not remember the first time she'd touched the wing charm? "You have dreams about me too," he said bluntly, sitting down to face her. "I bet you can't even remember them."
Her scowl softened, and she stared at him. Something tugged on her heart. Truthfully, she could remember sending him away. It was all coming back slowly and vague, but she remembered. But she also rememebered the torment she went through.
With his words, her knees felt weak, and she stumbled backward to sit on an old stump next to the water. Her head shook and she stared at her hands, frowning. "No, I remember them. I do."
Ethan sighed. "If you remembered them, then you would remember my name, wouldn't you?" He snapped, shifting towards the tree and leaning his back against it, lifting his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around his legs, holding them in. A classic barrier move.
He rested his head on his knees, closing his eyes. Waiting, wishing, thinking, he thought bitterly. "I bet... I bet you can't even remember who gave you that wing that you still wear. Who gave it to you, Madeline?" He whispered, voice carrying over the burbling sounds of the brook.
And just like that, her soft feelings washed away. She was angry again. Angry that he was making her feel small. She hated feeling like that. How dare he talk to her that way, especially when he was the cause of all her pain when she was younger!
She looked back up at him, watching him with narrowed eyes. "You. You gave it to me Ethan." Except, her voice was cold, and she bit off the last syllable of his name. Of course she could remember. In fact, she was beginning to wonder if she had ever completely forgotten at all.
Ethan felt a kind of a chill run up his spine, and he opened his eyes to look at Madeline. Except this wasn't the present day Madeline.
This was Madeline from ten years ago.
"What do you mean, you don't want me? I thought we were supposed to be friends forever!"
Ethan blinked twice, rubbing his eyes with his fists, his legs falling. She was back then, her voice cold, not the usual happy Madeline. He smiled. "We're getting somewhere, aren't we?" He asked quietly, looking away from her into the thicks of the forest. He wouldn't fall prey to her advances again. Last time that had happened, he'd been left with a broken shell and nothing else.
Madeline let out a long sigh as she rubbed her temples with her fingers. Her head dropped, then, and she let it rest in her palms. She wasn't ready for this. How the hell was she supposed to know that a simple day at the park would turn into something like this? Besides, she was just a kid when she let go of Ethan. Should she really be held responsible for something she didn't know how to deal with?
She stayed silent as he spoke, not having the nerve to look back at him. His pained expression hurt her.
Ethan look back at Madeline once, and then quietly jumped off the tree branch, walking down and around the tree to the other side, where the ground was remotely clear. He sighed and sat down, sliding his back against the rough tree trunk. Ethan leaned his head back on the tree, closing his eyes and focusing on his breathing.
It should have been only his breathing that he was focusing on, a trick that he used to calm down, but his mind was suddenly filled with the fear of rejection. Would she reject him again? Ethan supposed this was the only way she would cope with it- of course, she wasn't going to let him back into her life like nothing had happened. He snorted, fidgeting a little.
Madeline let out another sigh. She wanted to be close with him again, seriously. She really missed his friendship, but she wasn't quite ready to let her guard down yet. Nonetheless, she rose from her spot on the stump and stood at the side of the tree. She watched him from his side, crossing her arms and thinking about what she was going to say.
"...Why did you...I mean, how did you know I was going to be here?" She asked, her voice still stern, though she was trying hard to be kinder to him.
"I didn't know." Ethan opened his eyes but didn't look at Madeline. "I've been coming here for the past month or so, just coming. I didn't have anything else to do, really."
She nodded once. "Well..." She averted her gaze from him to the dirt below her feet. She just wasn't good at talking to people anymore. "I apologize for leaving you."
"Why would you say sorry for that?" Ethan asked, now looking up. "It's not your fault that you wanted to fit in." He shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Madeline. What's done is done." Ethan stood up and brushed himself off. "And now I have to go. See you later." He put his hands in his pockets and waited, not exactly sure if he wanted to go.
It's not her fault that she wanted to fit in.
Yes it was. It was all her fault. And she knew it. But she was glad that she had apologized, even if he didn't think it was right. She blinked once, keeping her eyes closed for a moment before opening them again. "Well...am I going to see you...Again, I mean?"
Ethan couldn't help but stare at her. "It's all your choice, Madeline," he said, unable to keep the trace of bitterness out of his voice. "It's always been your choice."
She hated the fact that he was doing this to her. She was actually making an effort!She just wanted complete control over the situation. Sure. It's her choice. But if he wanted to have any chance of being her friend again, she would've liked it if he was nicer. "Yeah, I know that," she snapped back. "Thing is, you don't sound too pleased that I want to try again."
Ethan was taken aback for a second; he visibly recoiled, taking a step back. "What makes you think that I'm not happy to see you again?" He asked, pulling his hands out of his pockets and crossing them over his chest. "I am so happy to see you, Madeline. And I would gladly trade my life for one of those so-called friends of yours just so I could see you every day. But you know what? Life just doesn't work that way." He clenched his teeth together and turned around, beginning to stalk through the underbrush in the direction of his apartment.
"Why not, Ethan? Why not?" She seethed, walking behind him, and picking up speed as he walked futher ahead from her. "I'm making an effort here. I miss you. I realize that now." She paused, letting her last sentence soak in. She really did miss him. And her heart panged. But at the same time, it stung. "But, God! I was only eight! What did you expect from me? I was just a kid. I was sensitive. What was I going to do?"
Ethan stopped moving, breathing quickly and squeezing his eyes shut. Everything Madeline had said was true. Everything. So then why had he picked a fight with her?
"Even though I may be imaginary, I still have real feelings."
Ethan didn't know. As usual, it had been his hot-headedness that got him in trouble.
"I... I don't know what I was expecting," he said quietly. "It was all so... sudden, what you had done. I was only thirteen- what's a thirteen year old supposed to do when they don't even exist, in the truest sense of the word?" He choked back a sob, refusing to look at her. "I may be imaginary, but that doesn't mean I don't have feelings."
Her brows furrowed, but her eyes softened. She was beginning to understand the effects she had on him when she forced him to leave. It was just as hard on him as it was on her. She gulped the lump in her throat before speaking. "I know." She shook her head. "I had never thought of it that way." She reached her hand out hesitantly, then placed it gently on his shoulder. "But I know now."
Ethan jumped slightly at the contact she had made, not accustomed to the touch; slowly, hesitating, he brought his hand up to touch it back, biting his lip.
[[Sorry, brain fart. xD]]
[ Man, don't you hate those? xD ]
"So, do you still have somewhere to be?" She grinned to herself as she pulled her hand back and rested it at her slide. He seemed to be in a rush before, but now that they were on the same understanding he didn't seem to be too eager to leave.
"Actually, yeah, I do," he said, dropping his hands to his side and turning around her face her. "Work starts in a couple of hours, I still have to head home and change," Ethan said, almost apologetically. "It's about an hours walk back, an hour to get ready, and then about half to eat and half to get there."
Madeline tilted her head to the side while she cocked an eyebrow. "Wait, but...you're imaginary. I'm the only one who can see you, right?"She asked. It was true. So, how could he have a job?
"True..." Ethan said slowly, then something clicked. "Oh! I work as a stock person at a grocery store. People can only see me if I will them to- it's ridiculously exhausting, not to mention annoying. People just... forget, I suppose, that I exist." He shrugged.
Madeline frowned at this. "That's not right. To forget you exist, I mean." She paused for a moment, thinking. "Oh, hey! I have a car and all. If you want, I can drive you home. It'll be a hell of a lot faster than walking."
Ethan smiled. "That would be nice, thank you," he said, standing almost awkwardly. "What do we do until then?"
Madeline gave him a warm smile. "We can just drive around." It's what she did when she was bored...or angry. Or sad, even. It was a calming mechanism for her. "If you'd like."
"I don't care," Ethan said, truthfully. It didn't matter to him, as long as he was with Madeline.
Believe you me, ten years is a lot of time to spend without anybody. Ethan felt like knew how Frankenstein felt when it was left alone to fend for itself.
"Alright." She grinned at him. A real grin. Not just one of those, 'fake a smiles'. This was the first time in a long time that Madeline felt completely comfortable around the person. It was ironic-- She had blocked out everyone who tried to enter her wall, so in a sense, she had lived without anybody for ten years as well.
"My house is just down the block." She turned an grabbed her bag, then shoved her open sketch pad and pencils in it.
Ethan nodded. "I know where your house is," he said, following her almost meekly, pushing his hands into his pockets again. "I did live in it after all."
She nodded. "Right, I'm sorry," she replied quickly, walking so that she was alongside Ethan.
When they reached her house, she opened the screen door to see her mother still fiddling in the kitchen. "Hi mom!" She greeted her with a smile, something she had rarely done since she was a child. "This is..." she stopped short, looking back at Ethan, realizing her mother couldn't see him. "...a nice day, huh?"
Her mother, taken by surprise, just smiled at Madeline as the eighteen-year-old quickly headed upstairs. She wondered what it was that had put her daughter in such high spirits.
Ethan snorted as he ascended the stairs after her, laughing. "She's gonna come and investigate, you know," he said knowingly, brushing his hair out of his eyes and smiling. "You're normally not that happy."
Madeline, already hearing her mother's footsteps ascending the stairs, nodded and shushed Ethan. The door creaked open, and her mom's head poked in. "Honey, is everything alright? You seem...different."
"I'm fine, mom." She grinned.
"Did something nice happen? You seem extra happy today. Do you want to talk about it?" Madeline's grin must have been contageous, because her mother was now beaming.
"Something nice did happen." She gave Ethan a side glance. "But it's no big deal. I'l tell you later."
Thank God, her mom didn't ask any more questions and just let her daughter be. She was a good mom, really.
"It's a good thing your mom can't see me," Ethan commented quietly, a faint blush tinging his cheeks. "She might wonder about your credibility with a twenty three year old in your room."
Madeline plopped down onto her navy comforter. Her room was simply decorated with a color scheme of navy, black, gray, and white. She shook her head while chuckling. "Yeah, right," she whispered, "I've got enough brownie points with her to last me a lifetime. Even if she could see you."
"I highly doubt that," Ethan whispered back, a smile in his eyes. He perched lightly on the edge of the ed and watched Madeline, flushing.
She raised her eyebrows at him. "You do?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "And why is that?" It felt good to joke around with him. Especially after being so cold with him only hours before.
"Just 'cause." Ethan smiled, reaching over to her and resting his hands lightly on her sides, tickling her.
[[Did I ever mention how much I hate brain farts?]]
[ Maybe once. xD No big. It's late. :3 ]
Madeline began giggling, plastering one hand over her mouth to stop herself from getting louder, and using the other to try and pry Ethan's hands from her sides. "Stop...stop!" she whispered hoarsely, smiling.
[[For you, maybe. It's only 9 here razz ]]
Ethan laughed. "Why?" He asked, laughing with her, trying to protect his sides as well. "Your mom can't hear you if you're only giggling."
[ Bah. D:< I wish it was still 9 here! ]
"But you....you're tickling...me!" She whispered back, placing her hand back over her mouth as she stifled a fit of giggles. She took her other hand and began tickling his belly, remembering back to when she was a kid. They'd had tickle fights like this before.
"Isn't that the point?" Ethan asked, erupting into a fit of giggles himself as she began to tickle him; he scootched back farther onto the bed, inching closer to her, trying to get ahold of her while preventing himself from getting tickled.
"What...point?" She giggled a bit more, letting out a loud laugh here and there. She stopped trying to stifle her giggles and used both hands to try and get him back. She clasped one of her hands around his, trying to prevent him from using it to tickle her.
Ethan didn't see it coming until one of his hands were immobile. "Darn it," he cursed, pulling her closer towards him and using his free hand to resume tickling her. "You... really suck, Madeline," he said in short gasps, laughing too hard to form a coherent sentence.
She continued to giggle, keeping her hand around his and she swiped at his belly. "Ahahah, me?" she took a few giggling breaths. "I don't think so," she squealed.
Ethan squeaked, sucking in his stomach and launching himself at her again, pining her under him and tickling her mercilessly.
She closed her eyes from laughing so hard, feeling small tears form in their corners. "It's good...to have...you back!" she whispered between giggles, resting her arms at her sides and not trying to tickle him anymore. She couldn't even remember the last time she laughed even half as hard as she was now.
Ethan laughed, suddenly hyper aware that he was too close; with a push he rolled over to the side, a silly grin plastered onto his face. "I think your mom is coming back up," he whispered, still chuckling.
Madeline was a bit disappointed that Ethan had moved from her. She liked being that close to him, especially since it had been years since she had seen him. She nodded though, sitting up and listening as light footsteps became louder until they stopped at her door.
"Madeline," her mother cooed, knocking once on the door. She opened it then, giving her daughter a concerned look. "Is everything alright? I heard you laughing..."
Madeline still had a wide smile on her face and red cheeks. "O-oh, I was just...remembering. This one funny joke that I heard in school. It was just really funny." She replied, chuckling nervously as she watched her mom eye her.
"I highly doubt you laugh that hard when you hear a joke," Ethan commented quietly, watching Madeline's mother with wide eyes. "She's going to be slightly annoyed at you now because you lied to her." He stuck his tongue out at her. "There goes your brownie points."
"Oh, really?" Sure, Madeline's mom was happy that her daughter seemed in a better mood, but she had to wonder why she was being so strange. "Sweetie, are you sure everything is okay?" She wrung her hands together as she spoke.
"Fine mom. I promise." She said, trying to put on the best fake smile she could, ignoring Ethan's comments for the time being. Her mom lingered in the door for a moment before leaving.
"She won't know I lied." Madeline said simply, turning to face him.
Ethan sighed. "If you say so, Madeline," he said, smiling and looking out the window. "I think she still must doubt you or something." He combed his hair again with his fingers and turned to look at her, smiling gently.
Madeline nodded in agreement. "I know she does." She paused for a few moments. "I feel guilty. But what am I supposed to tell her, you know?" She shrugged, giving him a half smile.
Ethan turned to look out the window again, flushing slightly. "You could tell her that I'm here," he said quietly. "As soon as she knows the reason you're happy, as soon as she forgets that I'm here, she'll know that you're safe."
Madeline began to play with the ends of her hair nervously. "It's not that easy..." she muttered, looking down at her hands. "I mean, really. How am I going to tell her that I reconciled with an imaginary friend from ten years ago?" She shrugged. "That, and the fact that you're twenty-three now and in my bedroom," she added, grinning.
Ethan slid off of the bed slowly. "Let me do it," he said, padding quietly to the door. "This way, it's easier to trick the mind. She won't remember that I'm here but she'll be put at ease." Ethan put his hand on the door knob and pulled the door open, taking a deep breath.
She watched him as he rose and walked to the door. Tilting her head slightly, she asked, "How are you going to do that?" She sat on the edge of the bed, lifting herself off slowly and approaching behind him.
"I'll just... talk to her." Ethan turned his head and smiled. "Don't worry, it'll all work out. Trust me."
She nodded, going back to sit on the bed while watching him. "Alright, if you say so."
Quietly, Ethan escaped out of her room, his feet making no sound on the floor as he walked downstairs, his heart pounding. Truth be told, he hadn't done anything like this for a while now-- maybe three, four years? "Madeline's mom?" He called out quietly, walking into the kitchen. "Can I talk to you for a second? It's about Madeline."
Of course, the middle aged woman was yet again fiddling around in the cupboards. She had started heating a pot on the stove and was now perched on the balls of her feet, trying to reach for a box on a high shelf. She turned when Ethan approached her, slightly surprised at his presence. Was this one of Madeline's friends? She hadn't seen anyone in her room...
"Oh!" she exclaimed, flattening her hair. "Yes? What is it?"
"Just letting you know that I'm over," Ethan said, smiling easily. "Madeline's going to take me to work soon, I'll be out soon. It was nice to meet you." With that, Ethan turned and walked out of the room, taking the stairs two at a time.
His charming smile calmed her, and a smile of her own emerged across her lips. "Oh, that's wonderful," she replied, the smile on her face remaining. She was still a bit leary, but the calming words of Ethan seemed to make her feel a bit more at ease. "Nice to meet you, too!"
Ethan knocked softly on Madeline's door before entering quietly, walking over to the bed and sitting on it with grace. "Knock, knock," he mocked, smiling.
Madeline was lying on her stomach across her bed, head down on her arms. She looked up when Ethan walked in. "Hey!" She greeted him with a smile. "So, how'd it go?"
"I think it went okay," he commented, stretching out beside her. "The mind is easy to manipulate." Ethan chuckled, turning so he was looking at her.
She chuckled with him, thinking about how her mom must've reacted when he went down to speak to her. "Hah, yeah, my mom's pretty gullible I guess."
"It's not just your mom," Ethan said. "If you haven't noticed yet, people act... peculiar around me." He laughed. "It's a good think I'm not self-indulgent, or else I think I would have freaked out."
She shrugged, looking at him. "No, I've noticed. I mean, when I'm with you, they act weird around me too. It's not everyday you see someone talking to an imaginary friend." She shook her head at him, smiling.
"Talking to themselves." He laughed. "Everybody thinks you're crazy by now, I bet."
She shrugged. "They think I'm crazy, they think you're crazy. Hah, we're perfect for each other."
Ethan blushed. "How would they know I'm crazy if they can't see me?" He asked. "Unless they think they're crazy for imagining somebody that just stepped out of thin air..."
She shrugged again. "Well, I don't know. If they think I'm crazy for talking to myself...when I'm actually talking to you, then they're assuming that you're myself and therefore think you're crazy without even knowing it."
Ethan scowled and rolled over onto his back. "I hate logic," he murmured, then looked over at her. "Am I ever going to be 'normal'?" He asked her, a note of pleading in his voice.
She rolled onto her side and rested her chin in her palm. "Normal?" She watched him for a moment, thinking. "Ethan, I think you're perfectly fine the way you are."
He swallowed thickly. "I can't walk in a crowd without people noticing that there's something there. If I go out, I have to make sure I'm touching somebody the whole time so that they know that I'm there. That's not normal. That's being invisible."
She was watching as he talked, studying his face. She didn't think about all of this when she had created him as a child. But at the same time, she didn't regret making him, either. For such an imaginary person, he was amazing. She didn't know what to say. She felt guilty, and dropped her head.
Ethan winced. "Don't feel bad, please. It has its advantages, I just wish I was more... solid."
She nodded, looking up again. "Yeah, I understand." Or at least, she was trying to. "I'm glad I can see you," she added with a smirk.
He sat up and crossed his legs, rotating to face her, and sticking his tongue out at her. "Brat," he said, laughing.
She lifted her shoulders, looking away innocently. "I guess some things never change," she cooed in an airy voice.
He kicked her with one of his feet gently, laughing. "Yeah, I guess they don't."
She laughed with him, nodding. "Yeah, well. It's true." But at the same time, it wasn't. She could see a big difference in Ethan, even though she still saw parts of him that were still thirteen years old.
He sighed. "I think it's almost time to go to work."
"Oh, that's right! Sorry," she said, sitting up and grabbing her bag from off the floor. "Where do you work again?"
"I have to go home first," Ethan said, standing up and stretching. At his height, he was almost touching the ceiling. "I have to pack for work and get my dinner and uniform and stuff. Plus, I need a shower." He laughed.
She smirked. "Oh yeah, you do." She grabbed her keys from her desk and stood up from the bed, beckoning to follow him out of her bedroom. "I'm taking Ethan to work," she called down the stairs, hoping her mother wouldn't mind...or notice.
"Hey!" Grumbling, Ethan followed her out of the room almost meekly. "I'll tell you my address in a second, gotta remember it first."
"Take your time," she replied, peeking around the corner of the stairwell, to see her mother had left the kitchen. She rushed out the back door and to her car, trying hard to avoid her mother's badgering.
Ethan walked after her, not bothering to run. "I don't think they'll miss me very much at work," he said, with a slight smile on his face. "I don't think I have to go."
Madeline leaned against her car, jingling her keys in one hand. She looked at him and tilted her head lightly to the side. "Really? Well...what do you want to do instead, then?"
Ethan's lips turned upwards in a smile. "I should still go. Even though I might not be missed, I still need to get paid."
She shook her head. "You're still a wimp, just like I remember," she grinned, joking with him. She jumped into the driver's seat and closed the door behind her, sticking her tongue out at him from behind the glass of the window.
Ethan frowned at her, taking the few strides to the passenger's door and opening it, getting into the car and putting his seatbelt on. "You suck."
She snapped her seatbelt in place as well, starting the engine and shifting gears. She shrugged. "I only tell the truth." With that, she backed out of the driveway quickly and sped down her sidestreet.
"Bull." He smiled and looked out the window, watching the trees go by faster. "Do you want my address?"
"Sure," she replied, her eyes glued to the road as the turned onto a main street. She side-glanced at him a few times, though.
"It's on 104th street and 100th ave. Almost downtown." Ethan sighed and kept looking outside, fascinated. He hadn't been in a car in almost ten years, and it was freakishly fun.
"Ooh, downtown, eh?" She grinned, glancing at him. It had been a while since she'd been to that part of town, but she'd always loved the atmosphere there. So cool and cute.
He twisted his body so that he was facing forwards. "Yeah." A small blush graced his cheeks and he ducked his head. "It's close to work and it's my own."
"I can't wait to see it," She replied with a smile, this time turning to head to look at him. She was coming up on 100th Avenue, so they only had a few more blocks to take until they reached his house.
"It's nothing special. There's an underground parkade right beside it, I have my card so you can get in there for free." He produced the card from his pocket and held it between his fingers, showing her the card.
She nodded, turning down 100th and speeding towards 104th. "Alright, the parkade is right in those gates to the left, right?" she asked, slowing down as she approached it.
"Mhm." He yawned and rubbed his eyes, putting his card into his lap and stretching. "Roll down your window."
She turned quickly, stopping at the small station that stood before the gates. She pressed a small button on her door to roll her window down, then turned to him and held out her hand for the entrance card.
Ethan sighed and shook his head, unbuckling his seatbelt and leaning across her lap. Placing the card in the slot, he spoke into the microphone. "Hey, Michael. It's Ethan. You can go ahead and let me in." Taking out the card, he withdrew from Madeline and smiled, tucking the card in his pocket as the garage doors groaned to life, opening to admit them.
She smirked at him, her arms crossed over her chest as he leaned back. She watched as the doors opened slowly, quickly slipping through when she was able to, and turning into a spot near the exit.
"What?" He asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at her.
Madeline popped off her seatbelt and shifted into park, then turned to him with raised eyebrows. "I didn't say anything."
"Your expression," he explained, pulling off his seatbelt as well and getting out of the car, shaking his hair out of his eyes. "You smirked at me!"
She got out as well, slamming her door shut and locking it with her key remote. "I did," she replied, smiling again. "What about it?"
Ethan mumbled something under his breath and started walking towards the stairs that lead inside the apartment, checking every so often to ensure she was following him.
She chucked as she walked behind him, tucking a piece of her auburn hair behind her ear and shoving her keys into her messenger bag.
Ethan sighed as he carded the elevator, calling it down towards the floor. "I warn you now, the apartment is a bit of a mess. I wasn't expecting visitors." He flushed and looked down at his feet.
She shook her head. "Don't worry about it." Sure, she was a complete neat freak. But she figured she could handle his messy home. At least, she hoped she could!
He smiled. "I forgot how easy it is to be myself around you. Well, the elevator's here." For some reason he was nervous, which was apparent when he held the door open with trembling fingers.
She smiled at his comment, striding through the elevator doors as she glanced down at his hands. "Thanks," she muttered before asking, "Hey, are you alright? You're shaking you know."
"What? I'm alright... I think." He pushed the 'door close' button and then the top floor's button, then stepped back as the doors closed with a whoosh.
Madeline leaned against the back wall of the elevator and shoved her hands in her pockets. She eyed Ethan for a moment, a bit confused. "Hm, you sure?" If he said he was alright, fine. But he didn't seem too certain about it.
"Proof positive. See, my hands aren't shaking anymore." He smiled and held them out for inspection as the elevator slowed to a stop. He pushed the door open button and smiled, holding the door open for her.
She raised her eyebrows. That was so weird! Why had they started to shake in the first place? She shrugged off her questions, though, and headed out the door and into the hallway.
He sighed and walked over to her and smiled. "So it's a little bit messier than your house. But it's clean." He laughed and walked over to apartment 1010, pulling out his card and swiping it on the mat beside the door, then putting his hand on it. The door swung open noiselessly and he ushered her into the darkened foyer.
"Really, don't worry about it," she said with a smile, stepping into the foyer and looking around. It didn't do much though, she couldn't see anything because it was too dark.
Ethan took a deep breath and flipped the switch, sending the apartment into light. He supposed it was big- it was hardwood, with a lowered floor area for the living room. His room was off of the hallway, and the kitchen was big, with an island in the middle. Immaculately clean and very polished, he supposed. "Come on, I'll show you around." He opened the mirrored closet by them and put his shoes and jacket in there, closing it.
She blinked once, soaking in the wonderful design and cleanliness of his home as the light shined upon it. She had always wanted an apartment-- for no reason, really. She was just bored of the same old house for eighteen years. She wanted a change. This was a secret, of course.
She followed after him quickly, letting her eyes wander as she did so. "This is a very nice place."
"Thanks." He blushed again. "Living room, kitchen, my bedroom, bathroom. Laundry room's downstairs. It's so messy in my room, I'm not even going to show it to you." He went down the steps to the living room and smiled. "You know where I live now, you stalker."
She laughed at him. "Me? A stalker?" She put a hand on her hip and continued to smile. "The only way I could be a true stalker is if I saw the inside of your bedroom, you know."
He sighed. "Well, if you really want to, I suppose you could," he responded slowly, running a hand through his curly hair. "Oh! I have to get in the shower."
She nodded. "Well, I'll be exploring in your room..." she replied with a grin, walking towards hims bedroom's door and placing her hand on the doorhandle.
Ethan rolled his eyes. "Go ahead, stalker..." He walked toward the bathroom and stopped, his hand on the doorknob. "Uhm... do you mind at all if I have a shower? I don't wanna make you uncomfortable or anything."
She shook her head. "Nope, not at all," she replied. She didn't get very uncomfortable easily. Besides, she could keep herself busy by exploring Ethan's room.
Ethan smiled and went into the bathroom and jumped into the shower quickly, giving himself a total scrub-down with the bathroom wash and stuff. Getting out of the shower, he froze. "Madeline?" He called, opening the door an inch or so and ensuring that none of the heat was lost. "I... um... I left my clothes in my room."
Madeline had taken the liberty to enter Ethan's room, and was sitting on his bed admiring the contents of it at the moment. She perked her head up when he spoke, then immediately laid her eyes on his clothing that was lying right next to her. "Oh...right," she muttered back, scooping them up in her hands and walking towards the bathroom door.
How would she do this without being completely awkward? She knocked once on the door. "Um, here, I have them."
Ethan flushed as he put his hand through the crack in the door and took the clothes gingerly from her. "Uhm... thanks." He smiled and closed the door again.
She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest as he shut the door. She walked quickly back to his room to sit back on his bed, hoping her own pink flush would quickly go away.
Ethan pulled his clothes on quickly, drying his hair a bit with the towel and getting out of the bathroom, shivering as the air hit his still-damp skin. "Madeline?" He called, teeth chattering. "Where are you?"
"In here!" she called from his bedroom, pulling her legs up onto the bed and crossing the indian-style. She rested her cheek in her palm, relieved to feel that her face was no longer warm with embarassment.
He pushed the door open and sighed. "Did you check everything out, stalker?" He asked her, walking over to his closet and pulling it open, grabbing a form-fitting sweater and zipping it up.
She laughed. "Hah, yeah actually, I did." She grinned at him. "It's not messy at all! You're such an exaggerator."
"It is so messy," he whined, coming to sit beside her on the bed and laying back. "I need to spend like an hour cleaning it tomorrow."
She shook her head as she leaned on one arm and looked down at him. "Lighten up, Ethan! It looks fine." As she said this, she grinned. It was weird for her to be saying such a thing, when for so long even she didn't know how to lighten up!
He rolled his eyes. "Says the girl whose mom cleans the house every single day."
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