“Do you still have the movies?” Alex asked.
“Some of the movies were on regular TV, but we did rent and watched four movies,” Brandy said. “Two of the four were different. Do you want to see them before I return them?”
“I do. I’ll be here after midnight, but if you want, you can give the movies to Trudy. I’ll watch them when I get off and give them back to you tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Brandy said.
“Actually, you can give them to me to watch while Alex is at work and I’ll give them to Trudy,” Doug said.
“That’s fine with me.” Alex gestured towards the kitchen as she continued to say, “I’ll turn in your food order.” Alex turned and walked away.
As Alex was walking away, Doug asked, “So which movies were different?”
Kenny and Brandy named off a short list of movies.
As the minutes passed, Kenny, Ben, Brandy and Cindy ate their food and left within thirty minutes. Doug left with them.
As the minutes turned into hours, Alex remained slightly busy as groups of customers came through the door in intervals to where Alex was only able to take a five or sometimes a ten-minute break between waiting on customers. It wasn’t until 9:30 P.M. when the intervals between waiting on customers were fifteen minutes or longer. When Alex saw as to how slow it was becoming, she had Stephen fix her something to eat. However, she was only able to eat two-thirds of it before feeling bloated.
Alex was walking in her dorm around 12:20 A.M., and as she walked in she saw the two movies on the coffee table. Beside the movies was an envelope with her name written on it. Alex placed her purse down next to the movies and picked up the envelope. As Alex was opening the envelope Trudy came out from her bedroom.
Alex looked at Trudy and asked, “Did Doug leave the envelope along with the movies?”
“I found the envelope attached to the outside of the door around six. I don’t know who left it there.”
Alex pulled out the letter inside and read it. Once Alex was done reading it, she pleasantly grinned before saying, “It’s another one of those romantic poems like I got yesterday with those flowers. I first thought Miles sent me the flowers, but when I asked him about it, he said he wasn’t the one. So now I’m wondering who is sending me flowers and poems.”
“Miles told you that the flowers weren’t from him?”
Alex thought for a second before saying, “Actually, he never really said one way or the other, but his reaction was as though he wasn’t the one to send me the flowers.”
“Miles would kill me if he finds out I’m telling you this, but he was the one to send you the flowers. I don’t know for certain, but most likely, he’s also the one who sent you the poem that you have in your hand.”
“I’m going to have to tell him the truth about myself, aren’t I?”
“Or you can keep quiet and date him.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Alex, the odds are against you at switching back to your reality. So why don’t you just embrace what is and date Miles. I know you like him.”
“I’m sorry, but dating anyone isn’t an option.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Well, I’m going to watch my movies.”
As Alex was picking up the movies, Trudy asked, “You’ve never seen those movies before?”
“I have, but according to Brandy and Kenny, these movies are different from what they are from my reality.”
“In what way are they different?”
“I don’t know. I’ll find out when I watch them.”
“Do you want some company?”
Alex grinned before saying, “Sure.” Alex held up the movies; one in each hand. “So which one do you want to watch first?”
“I’ve seen both of them, so it doesn’t matter with me.”
Alex indicated to the movie that she had in her right hand while saying, “Okay, let’s go with this movie first.”
Alex stepped up to the entertainment center and turned on the TV and DVD player. After putting in the movie, she went to the couch and sat down at the end of the couch. Trudy sat down at the opposite end.
The movie was the same for the first twenty minutes. When the plot suddenly shifted from what it was in Alex’s reality, Alex said, “Okay, the movie just changed from what I know.” Alex then described in what direction the movie went in her reality.
The movie was two hours long and when it came to an end Alex put in the second movie to be watched. Trudy also watched the second movie with Alex. When that movie came to an end Alex and Trudy went to their respective beds.
Monday, October 25 at 9:50 A.M., Alex was leaving her first class of the day with her purse and book bag. Trudy was also in the class and walked out directly behind Alex while carrying her purse and book bag.
Trudy tapped Alex on the shoulder and asked, “Are you going to the library?”
“No,” Alex said as Trudy began walking beside Alex. “I’m not going to risk running into Miles there. I am going to find a place to study though.”
“You’re really going to avoid Miles?”
“I can’t be around Miles right now, and I’m going to stay away from places where he might find me.”
“I was hoping to study with you, so do you mind if I come with you?”
“Sure, we can study together.”
“So where are we going?”
“To the coffee shop just off campus. In my reality I would study there more than anywhere else.”
“So should we ride in the same car?”
“Actually, I’m going to be there for a while to catch up on all my studies so we better take two cars.”
“All right; I’ll meet you there.”
Trudy followed Alex to the coffee-shop. There was a newspaper box in front, and after parking their cars, Alex bought a paper.
Alex and Trudy studied for an hour and a half and when Trudy noticed it was 11:40 A.M., she said, “It’s time for me to leave. I have class in twenty minutes.”
As Trudy was putting her books away, Alex said, “Okay. I’ll see you on campus later.”
“Well, don’t forget you have a class at two.”
Alex grinned before saying, “I won’t.”
Alex watched Trudy as she left the coffee-shop. Once Trudy was outside, Alex flipped to the horse racing schedule, and ripped out that section. After Alex collected her books she walked out while leaving the rest of the paper on the table. The paper was opened to the page that was missing part of its page.
Ten minutes later, Trudy was walking through the halls towards her classroom when Miles saw her.
Miles caught up to her and asked, “Hey, Sis, do you know where Alex is?”
Miles noticed a pause in Trudy’s response before she said, “No. No I don’t.”
“Trudy, I know you’re lying.”
“Okay, fine. I know where she’s at, but she doesn’t want to see you.”
“I just want to talk with her that’s all.”
“Miles, just let her be right now. She’ll talk to you when she’s ready.”
“Trudy, please tell me where she’s at.”
“Alex will kill me if I tell you.”
“Please.”
Trudy thought for a second before saying, “If I tell you, you must act as if you ran into her by chance.”
“I will.”
“Alex is at that one coffee-shop just off campus. She’s there studying, and if she asks, you just happened to be there for a Danish or something.”
“I won’t tell her that you told me; I promise.” When Trudy nodded, Miles turned and walked away.
Trudy watched Miles for a second before going about her business.
Minutes later, Miles was looking over the seating area of the coffee-shop. When he didn’t see Alex he walked up to the counter and asked the man working the register, “Have you seen a woman with long red hair? She’s a college student and I was told that she was in here studying.”
; “There was a red headed woman in here, but she left about ten… maybe even fifteen minutes ago.”
Miles showed a disgusted expression on his face and commented, “Great. I missed her. I wonder if she went back to Harvard.”
“She went to the racetrack,” the worker said.
Miles gave the worker a curious look before asking, “She told you that she was going to the racetrack?”
“Well, actually, that is where I’m assuming she went.”
“Why are you assuming that?”
“She had a newspaper when she walked in, and when she left she left her paper on the table with the horse racing section ripped out.”
“Thanks for the information.”
As Miles walked away, the worker responded, “You’re welcome.” Miles just waved.
Fifteen minutes later, at the racetrack, Alex had finally stepped up to the betting window after waiting in a good size line. When she stepped up she placed a twenty-dollar bet on White Dasher to show. White Dasher was a twenty to one long shot. She had also made a ten-dollar bet on the horse that was the favorite to win. The bet she placed was also to show.
Alex made her way through the crowd and walked to where she could see the track. She was there for a short time while waiting for the race to begin when Miles saw her.
Miles casually stepped up to her and asked, “So which horse are you betting on?”
Alex turned and glowered at Miles before asking, “Are you following me?”
“Not at all.”
“So you always come to a horse track?”
“Okay, I’ll admit that I did come here looking for you.”
“And how did you know I was here if you weren’t following me?”
Before Miles was able to respond, an announcement came over the speaker that the race was about to begin. Once the announcement was over, Miles asked, “Does it really matter how I found you? I found you and I really want to talk to you.”
“Well, I’m not interested in talking to you.”
“Why is talking to me a problem for you?”
“Miles, I do not belong here. I belong somewhere else and as soon as I get enough money I’m going to try to fix that fact.”
“Is being here so terrible that you are gambling on horses?”
“It’s not terrible; it’s just that here is not where I belong, and I’m not going to pretend that it is.”
“The odds of you making any money here are against you, you know. Most likely you’ll lose the money that you have already.”
“Yeah, well, short of robbing a bank, I can’t think of any other way to make money.”
Miles said barely above a whisper, “Alex, I do understand that it is important to you for you to get back to your own reality, but you finding Randy might not happen right away. So why not enjoy yourself while you are here?”
Alex grinned and said, “Watching a horse race is fun to do.”
“That’s not what I mean and you know it.”
“I do know, but I’m not the person you think I am,” Alex said as she saw that the horse race was about to begin.
“Then tell me who you are.”
Alex pointed to the horses at the gate while saying, “I really want to watch this.”
“Fine, but can we talk after this race?”
“If I say ‘no’ to that will you go away without saying another word?”
“Alex, please talk to me.”
“I’ll take that response as a ‘no’.”
“Alex, I’m being serious.”
“Fine, Miles, I’ll talk to you after the race.”
A short time later, the race got underway. Alex cheered for White Dasher. White Dasher was in fifth place for the first half of the race and moved into the fourth position while going into the final straightaway. As they were approaching the finish line White Dasher was trailing the third position horse by half a length. As the horses crossed the finish line White Dasher was inches from passing the third position horse. The horse that was the favorite to win came in first.
“Err, that was so close,” Alex blurted out. “If the track was just a little longer, White Dasher would have come in third, and I would be a few hundred dollars richer.”
“So how much did you lose?”
“Actually, I won a little on that race.”
“Your horse didn’t come in, so how did you win?”
“I put ten dollars on the horse that did win, but unfortunately the pay off wasn’t as great.”
“Ah.”
“Well, I better collect my winnings.”
Miles walked with Alex as she walked through the crowd towards the betting booth. As they walked Miles asked, “Now will you talk to me?”
“Let me get my money and place another bet and then we can talk.”
Alex stood in line for a few minutes before stepping up to the betting window. Miles stood off to the side as Alex received her winnings and placed another bet.
As Alex stepped up to Miles, Miles asked, “Now can we talk?”
“Let’s get somewhere where there aren’t too many people around.”
Miles looked around at how packed it was before saying, “That might be difficult.”
“I know where. Follow me.”
Alex walked to a spot that was relatively quiet. Miles followed and when they reached the spot Miles said, “Alex, living in this reality isn’t half bad if you give it a chance.”
“There are noticeable differences, but even with those differences this reality is much like mine.”
“Then why don’t you stick around? I know I would like it if you stuck around.”
“We can only be friends even if I can’t get back to my reality.”
“What’s so terrible about us being more than friends?”
“Miles, there is something about me that I’m trying to keep from you, but you are making it difficult for me to.”
“Alex, I’m a big boy so you don’t have to keep anything from me.”
Alex stared skeptically at Miles for a brief moment before sighing and saying, “All right, fine. I’ll tell you. My name wasn’t Alexandra in my reality.”
When Alex stopped talking Miles asked, “What was it?”
Alex slightly hesitated to say, “It was Alexander.”
Miles gave Alex a perplexed look while questioning, “Your… your name was Alexander?” Alex politely grinned and nodded. “You… you were a guy in your reality?”
“I was. That’s why I say that we can’t be more than friends. I didn’t want to tell you because when Alexandra and I switch back, I didn’t want you seeing her strangely.”
Miles thought for a second before saying, “I… I need to go.”
As Miles was turning to walk away, Alex said, “By you leaving the way you are, is another reason I didn’t want to tell you.”
Miles continued to walk away without responding. Alex slightly sighed before turning and going back to the track.
1:10 P.M., Trudy walked into the lunchroom for lunch. Miles was sitting at one of the tables while concentrating on a thought. When Trudy walked in and saw Miles she walked up to him and asked, “So how did things go with you and Alex? You didn’t tell her that I told you where she was, did you?”
“She doesn’t know that you were the informer. In fact, she wasn’t even at the coffee-shop when I got there.”
“So you didn’t find her.”
“Oh, I found her. She left a clue at the coffee-shop that she went to the horse track, and I met her there.”
“So were you able to talk to her?”
“Oh yeah, I talked to her. I found out why she’s not attracted to me.”
“Miles, Alex is attracted to you.”
“She’s not because Alex in her reality is a guy. Alex is literally a man trapped in a woman’s body. Alex hates being a woman so badly that she’s at the track trying to win enough money to go to Mexico to find her friend.”
Trudy sat down in the chair across from Miles before
saying, “Miles, Alex is attracted to you. She is only in a hurry to get back to her reality because she is rapidly losing her identity as a man, and that is frightening the hell out of her.”
“Wait, you knew she was a man in her… or his reality?”
“I had known from the beginning, or should I say the moment we discovered that she was from a different reality.”
“You knew about it, and you didn’t tell me?”
“It wasn’t my secret to tell.”
“Out of curiosity, how did you know? Did Alex tell you?”
“The moment when both Alex’s switched bodies, Alexandra fell unconscious and when she awakened, she almost went hysterical that she was a woman.”
“Now I know why you told me to refocus my attention to someone else, and you were right.”
“Actually, I wasn’t right.”
“Of course you were right.”
“Miles, I only told you that because I thought her mindset was of a man. Now I don’t know if reality or Mother Nature… or whatever it is that’s causing it is trying to correct itself, but Alex is losing her male identity by leaps and bounds. Both of you are seriously attracted to each other, so now I’m saying don’t give up on Alex.”
Miles gave Trudy a surprised look while saying, “I can’t believe you just suggested that.”
“Why?”
“Alex was a man.”
“The only thing about Alex that’s a man, are her memories and if this is her reality now then those memories will begin to fade over time as well. Everything else about her is definitely a woman.”
“I will not be able to date Alex while knowing that she was a man in another reality.”
“Aren’t you a Star Trek, Deep Space Nine fan?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“The character Jadzia Dax had memories of being a man.”
“That is science fiction and this is fact.”
“I’m just saying that you should keep an open mind.”
“I can’t do what you are suggesting.”
“Suit yourself,” Trudy said before standing up. “Well, I’ll be back after I grab some food.” Trudy then hesitated before walking away. “You know, there’s no reason that you can’t be just a friend to Alex.”
A Crossed Reality Page 15