Resuming History

Copyright © 2014 by Sarah Syed.

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Contents

Author’s Note

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Acknowledgements

About the Author

To Nana and Nani

Author’s Note

The images provided do not exactly match the description; they are there to help the reader imagine the scenario in a better way.

Book of Dreams

Dreams of a pendant

Pendant of red

Red as a heart

Heart of ink

Ink of Alex

Alex with an aura

Aura that Jett seeks

Seek not get

Get in his dreams

Dreams of a queen

Queen that imprisons

–Akhtar Naveed Syed

Chapter 1

I find myself running on a long never ending road, my feet moving on their own accord. Where am I going? Even I don’t know. My eyes are shut tight, my mind wishing that everything disappears. Its pitch dark, where did the lights go??

My foot suddenly crashes into something hard ‘BAAM’. I held my breath, waiting for my nose to break when I land face first on the solid ground. But the pain never came, instead I found myself standing in a dimly lit hallway with lockers; ALOT of lockers.

Wait, what’s happening? I’m not supposed to be here. I don’t want to be here.

Someone pushes me into a locker; my back hits the cold metal causing pain to spread all over my spine and ribs. Suddenly, I feel something cold and slimy run down my face. I reach up and touch my head finding huge blobs of pasta tangled in my hair.

What in the world is going on?!?!

He was laughing an evil laugh, the sound booming all around the hallway. Everyone was laughing with him, making fun of me. I clasped my hands over my ears, trying to shut out their sounds. I want to cry.

Alexandra, wake up!! We’re going be late. GETTTT UUUUUPPPP!!!!!!!

It was the same dream again. Why can’t he leave me alone, now I’m sweating, ugghh!!

All of a sudden, she yanked my blanket causing me to fall over and land on my stomach. Rolling over I sat up, my back against the side of my bed.

Oww, Mom I whined rubbing my knee, five more minutes, please. And its Alex NOT Alexandra, I said the last part sternly while getting up and snuggling back into my comfy white blanket. I HATE getting up early. I’m not a morning person, unlike the rest of my family.

I would have been someone like them 4 years ago. Always waking up at 5:30 in the morning when my sister jumped on my bed singing -more like shouting- some crazy Disney tale song.

But not anymore, now I am different, I have changed my name and my personality -everyone- my new friends and all my new teachers know me as Alex. I know it’s a boyish name, but it sounds much better than Alexandra. No offence to all the Alexandras of the world. I’ve become more grown up and less scared of the world and all its bullies. If you haven’t understood yet, let me explain this to you.

When I was younger, from the first day of pre-school, me and my friends, we’d been bullied by the biggest group of jerks. I HATE them. But why remember them now, they were in my past, life is moving and I’ve moved on.

Today is my first morning here, back at home. I’ve missed this place more than I thought I had. I missed my room, my bed, heck I even missed my sister’s stupid green parrot. That thing makes the most random comments ever.

I’ve missed my Mom and her strict rules. It’s not like she’s a not-fun-mother, it’s just that she likes us to be organized and always on time. I’ve missed Dad and his crazy obsession with plants. Dad loves growing plants; I think he started this after we watched ‘Wall.e’. Dad says that his plants will someday save us all from dying. I do believe him you know; we did learn this in biology back in grade 9, at school.

But the one person I missed the most is my little sister. She is the most adorable kid no one cannot miss. It wasn’t her cuteness that I missed, it was her. She used to be so little but acted very grownup. Sierra used to tell me all her secrets and problems. I was some kind of therapist to her who can solve all her problems. She used to help me study; it was more like me studying while she asked questions about the stuff she heard me memorize. I used to explain them to her and Sierra used to hear me attentively even though I’m sure she didn’t get a word I used to talk about. Sierra is 8 years younger than me. She’s 10 now - or today.

Even though I Skype with them every week and called them every single day I couldn’t stop missing them. Video call or any type of call can’t be as good as talking to someone face-to-face.

Alexandra wake up NOW or I’m going to forget you’re 18,my Mom threatened. When we were little kids, me and Sierra, we used to act like we hated waking up in the morning. Sometimes Mom used to get mad really quick and either splash us with a mug of water or drag us under an icy shower. Our slow, sleepy reflexes used to fail us and allowed our Mom to do what she wanted.

It may sound funny, but it’s not if you can’t strangle the person who’s done it to you. I hate it when this happens.

Ignoring what she called me, this time I stood up and dragged my tired body to the bathroom. My room has an attached bath with purple tiles on the floor and alternate white and purple ones on the walls. I got myself a white towel and picked an outfit for today’s occasion. Then I jumped under the cold shower. It took me a few minutes to adjust to the waters temperature. After I felt less shaken up by the coldness, I took all my time to scrub and get clean then I changed into a pair of dark skinny jeans and a loose pink t-shirt that said ‘Always Think Positive’ in white cursive font on the front.

I stuffed my pocket with my hot pink headphones together with my phone and some money. I applied some chapstick and made my now almost dry hair into a side braid. Grabbing one of my favorite books from the shelf I went up to Sierra’s room. Her door was wide open and the bed was made. She’s not home just like I had been told last night.

Today is Sierra’s birthday, she’s turning 10. Mom sent her for a sleep over last night; she told me that both my parents and Sierra’s best friend have decided to throw her a surprise party. I think I’m part of this surprise because Sierra doesn’t know that I’m back. Sierra and I, we used to be really close but then after I left, we slowly grew apart. Mom told me that Sierra became friend’s with