Loving the Reaper

by Alexis Michaud

  Chapter 3

  Valerie had spent as much time as she could be keeping herself busy but now it was time for her to face going to school and seeing Alistar. She sighed, yelled a goodbye to her mom, and walked out the door. The sight in front of her almost made her turn around and go back inside. There in her driveway was Alistar leaning up against his car. She felt her jaw drop but she couldn’t help it. She froze studying him for a moment trying to read his serene expression. He gave away nothing. So it was time to get brave she thought. “What the hell are you doing here? And how did you know where I live?” Alistar put up his hands in a motion to show that he didn’t mean any harm. That didn’t convince her at all. “I saw you walk home yesterday and like I said you remind me of someone… I just want to get to know you if you would let me…. I’m not a total creep like you think, it’s just I didn’t really know how to approach you. “Valerie rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry but staring at a person for a whole class period and then giving them cryptic messages is weird enough but then to just show up in their driveway?! In what world is that ok?” she didn’t give him time to respond, she turned on her heel and started her way to school. She knew she heard him getting into the car behind her and then the crunch of the tires on the pavement but she stood tall as she walked and ignored him driving slowly past her. Once he was out of sight she felt like she could breathe again. What is wrong with him she thought who does that just follows people around shows up unannounced. She hoped like hell she had gotten the point across to him.

  Sitting in her first class she noticed he was in his own world. Better than him staring at her. He was writing on a piece of paper and she realized she was now the one watching him. She quickly looked back to her notes. Just as she was starting to concentrate a note was put on her desk. Not knowing what to do she stared for a moment and finally picked it up. The note read: You said my words were cryptic let me sit with you at lunch and I’ll explain it all to you…. Underneath his writing she wrote back with one simple word. Fine. The classes seemed to go by so slow now that she wanted them to hurry and end. She didn’t know what to expect from him but she needed to know in order to understand his behavior. She tried to go over how the conversation would go in her head but she knew she was probably way off. She tapped her fingers beginning to get frustrated with every slow moment. Finally, the bell rang and it was time for lunch. She didn’t want him to know that he had intrigued her so she slowly made her way through the line and made an even slower decision on what to get. She made her way to the lunch lady. Now there was no other way for her to waste time so she made her way to the table. Alistar was already sat at the table and was absentmindedly poking his food. When she sat across from him he looked up. His black eyes twinkled behind his dark lashes. Huh she hadn’t noticed just how striking yet strange he was.

  Clearing her throat, she put on her brave face. “Well feel free to explain your freakish behavior at any time.” She wished she could have patted herself on the back for that one. Alistar gave her an ashamed look but all the same slid closer to her. “You have to understand that what I’m going to tell you is going to change your life forever…. And you can think I’m crazy all you want but you may never tell another living soul. Deal?” Valerie was starting to really freak out on the inside now. she took a deep breath trying to calm herself and shook her head in agreement. Alistar seemed to bristle at the fact that she was actually going to listen to him. He quickly recovered and set his gaze on her. He took a moment as if he was getting his thoughts together and then he finally opened his mouth to speak. “I have known of you for a very long time. I have often dreamt of your face, your home, and your family, even of your father.” Valerie went to interrupt him but before she could he held up his hand and told her to let him finish. he began again. “I’m not like you though, I have never been normal… I am in some cultures called the reaper… I was born to rid the world of tired souls and rid the world of the damned. I am the bringer of death. For many years I spent my life doing what I was born to do. Stuck at the same age and stuck in the same body. But then seventeen years ago you came to me in a dream… And I have learned about you ever since from my dreams. I didn’t know why you were so significant to me until just recently… My ancestors explained that you are a match for me. And that I am now at the age to where the match must be made. You were born to fulfil the role of the reaper’s match.” Alistar watched Valerie very closely for her reaction. When she didn’t do anything he told her that was all there was for him to tell. Valerie looked at him as if he were a monster. She slowly got up backed away from the table and walked out of the school. She didn’t know where she was going and she didn’t care just as long as she got far away from him. She found herself on the edge of town at the lake and she slowly sank down to the grass trying to get a grip on reality. She didn’t know what to think. Either he was out of his mind or she was truly the reaper’s match. She didn’t know how to feel about either one of the scenarios. This was crazy! Why would some random guy say something like this to her? And how did he know about her dad? What kind of sick trick was this? Valerie had stayed by the lake until it was almost dark. She knew her mom would be worried about her so she figured she should hurry home. When she walked through the front door there her mother sat in the kitchen with her arms crossed. Shoot was all Valerie had time to think before her mother began. “Do you want to tell me why the school claims you skipped your classes after lunch? And would you like to explain to me where the hell you have been?” Valerie knew she had screwed up badly. But what was she going to tell her? Hey mom calm down I left school because I just found out I’m the reaper’s match… Yea that wouldn’t work! She mustered up her best upset face and lied. “Sometimes people pick on me and usually I can take it mom but today I just couldn’t stand it anymore so I left and just started walking and before I knew it I was at the lake… I sat down and pouted for a bit until I realized how late it was getting and then I came home.” Her mother’s face softened then. “Oh honey, people will always have something to say about you no matter who you are you can’t let it get to you. Next time just please let someone know you're leaving okay?” Valerie nodded her head at her mother and apologized for the mess she had caused. Once their talk was over and she had eaten Valerie told her mom she would be in her room doing her school work. Valerie got comfortable at her desk and began the subjects she had skipped out on. Two hours later she was done with the work she had missed and her homework. She turned on her television but paid it no mind. She lay on her bed wondering what to do about the whole situation. How in the world was she going to just act like the little chat between them had never happened? She knew Alistar would never let her do that, he already wouldn’t leave her alone. She sighed wondering what to do. Finally, she realized that he could either give her some proof or leave her the hell alone. If he couldn’t prove he was telling the truth the she could avoid him like the plague hell if he can prove it she will still avoid him like the plague but he didn’t need to know that. She decided that was her plan and she was sticking to it. Tomorrow if he planned on talking to her she would play it cool and act like she was willing to fulfill this crazy fantasy but only if he would give her proof. She slept like a rock that night. After two days of hell she was exhausted. When she awoke she noticed it was only four thirty. She tried to get back to sleep but once again she felt like she was being watched. She fidgeted underneath the covers until she just couldn’t stand lying there with that feeling anymore. she got up and pretended to not notice a figure at the window. She knew for a fact it was Alistar. What did he want from her? Valerie decided to stay in the kitchen until the sun came up she knew he couldn’t be there anymore because someone would see him. Valerie got to her morning routine and was done getting ready in record time she couldn’t wait to see what kind of proof Alistar would give her. She drank the last bit of her coffee and realized she still had an hour so she decided she would head out and waste some time at the market and get a few more supplies. She
was surprised to see Alistar sitting in his car waiting for her once again. Oh what the hell she thought I have to face him at some point. She took a deep breath and without hesitating climbed into his car. “Before you say anything to me I want some kind of proof. If you can’t give me proof, we have nothing else to talk about.” She breathed hard after the words came out in a rush. Putting her hand on the door handle she turned to him waiting for his answer before she climbed back out. Alistar’s eyes glimmered for a moment before he spoke. “I’ll come see you after school once your mom goes to bed.” With that she climbed out of the car not saying another word and strode off to the market. Her thoughts swirled around her she wasn’t sure what to expect. She knew he would come to her window. She knew he had been watching her there in the

  darkness. Strangely she was no longer scared she had the feeling of being untouchable now that she had given him the ultimatum. Valerie made her way into the market in search of highlighters and more notebooks. With her normal eight classes and her extracurricular she was going through notepads like no tomorrow. She picked out everything she needed and made her way to the checkout noticing Mr. Keeble standing with his wife. He looked good despite the cold he had just gotten over. Valerie gave the biggest grin she could and bid them both hello and good morning. Mrs. Keeble went to scanning the items as they spoke. “My dear, have you met the new boy yet?” Valerie knew she should have expected Mrs. Keeble to ask. Such a small town there's bound to be a little bit of gossip. “Yes mam I have, he’s a little different so it seems but I really don’t know much about him.” Mrs. Keeble gave a grin. “His parents came into the market just yesterday. Have you seen them they are quite striking people!” Just as Valerie was about to reply Mr. Keeble spoke up. “Now now Marge you know it's not polite to gossip. Valerie was relieved she wasn’t sure where this conversation was headed and she really didn't feel like getting any deeper into the conversation. Mrs. Keeble gave a guilty look and giggled a bit. She told Valerie her total and bid her a good day. Sending the girl on her way. Valerie was once again free to be in her own little world as she went on her way to school. She was overly glad that Mr. Keeble had stepped in and quite the conversation. At the same time, she was disappointed that she couldn’t find out more about his parents. She hadn’t seen them in town at all and she hadn’t given it any thought to him having parents. Maybe if he had no evidence she would have to talk to his parents about his irrational thoughts. She wasn’t very fond of that idea but if it got him to leave her alone that's what she would do.