~June 24, 2017~

"No Alice. No. I'm not going. All go to church, but not the Sabbath school." I insisted.

"Try it." Alice begged.

"No!" I shouted. "I don't want to! I don't even want to go back to school! I'm finally feeling safe and I don't want to ruin it!" I ran back to my room and closer my door. I flopped on my bed and begged it all to go away. I wasn't going to go to any Sabbath school with kids that have friends and have known each other since preschool. No. I'm not going.

I waited for Alice to come into the took, but she didn't.

10 minutes later

15 minutes later

20 minutes later

Then she came. I still hadn't moved from the bed.

"Fine Kyle. You don't have to go. But remember that bet, if Melody goes, so do you." Alice reminded me. I remembered that bet Alice and I had made almost a year ago. 3/4 of a year ago. I didn't think she would have remembered that.

"Yeah but Melody is at camp." I reminded her.

"But she'll be back." Alice told me. "You're going to go pick her up next week."

"On a Friday." I added, my face still in the pillow.

"Yeah..." Alice said. "Now get ready for church." I rolled over and pulled on nicer pants. I took off my hoodie. Only for a few hours, I told myself. I put on a nicer looking shirt and met Alice at the front door.

She looked surprised at me, but didn't say anything. I hoped into the back seat of her car, even though Max was taking his own car this week.

•••

We pulled up in front of the church. Alice parked. I tried putting my hands in my hoodie pockets, but realized I had no hoodie. I started feeling insecure. I thumbed around with my hands, not knowing where to put them.

"Come on Kyle? What's taking so you long?" Alice called. She had stepped outside, while I was still in the car, having a mini panic attack.

"Kyle? Are you ok?" Alice asked. "You look a little pale." I took a deep breath and unbuckled my seat belt. This couldn't be this hard. I would be fine. Perfectly fine. I opened the door and stepped outside.

"Kyle? Are you ok? We can go home if you don't feel good. Are you ok?" She asked over and over. I shook my heard.

"Ok that's it. We're going home if you aren't going to tell me what's going on." Alice decided. I tried talking, but chocked on the words.

"I'm. Ok." I choked out finally. I sat back in the car seat, my legs hanging outside. Alice knelt down and put her hands on my knees.

"Kyle. Really. Are you ok?" She asked. I shook my head.

"You sure?" She asked again. I shook my head again. Alice took a deep breath.

"Ok. Let's go." She decided after a few seconds. "But if you're not feeling good or anything we go home. Got it?" She asked me. I shook my head again. I stood up, my legs shaking around a bit. I tried putting on a brave face and walked after Alice. Alice locked the door and we went inside the building to church.

•••

We sang in church and listened to a person, Max called the preacher. Max's family wasn't here, they lived in south Indiana, a few hours away.

I sat through the whole thing, without saying a word.

I think Alice was getting really worried about me and this point. I didn't want to worry her. It wasn't like I was going to stop talking again, I just didn't have anything to say. At the moment.

The children's choir from their Sabbath school sang a few songs. Max looked at me, encouraging me. Alice nudged me, but I just have them a cold stare.

After about two hours of the church time Alice and I started to leave. Max and Alice were talking.

"My family wants you and Kyle to come visit in Indiana next weekend. If you two want to come." Max asked Alice. Alice nudged me.

"You ok with it?" She asked me. I nodded, my attention not fully on Alice.  Alice looked back at Max. "I'll talk to him, I'll text you later today." She told Max.

"Alright! See ya guys. Ether at church or in Indiana." Max said smiling.

"Bye!" Alice called. I did a small wave, again not fully paying attention. Alice started talking about something. I looked down at the floor. Rocks were all around the sidewalk. All of different colors, some red. Others gray and shades of brown. Some were as dark as the night sky. Alice nudged me, bring me back from the rock world. I looked up at me. She had that look on her face like she just asked me a question.

"Ummm, what?" I asked, not knowing what else to say or do.

"Why are you so distracted lately?" Alice begged. "Are you not getting along with anyone at the pet shelter or something?" I shrugged.

"I don't know." I said. I shrugged again and started looking at the rocks again.

"Miss Melody?" She asked me. I almost stopped walking. Did I miss Melody? Yeah I missed her, but that much? Yeah. Maybe. I shrugged a few seconds later than needed.

"It's just a little boring without her coming up with stuff for us to do, that's all." I told Alice.

"You haven't been getting too many letters from her, have you?" She asked me. I shook my head.

"No." I told her, trying to talk more.

"Don't worry. I have one at home. It came in yesterday." Alice too me.

"And you didn't tell me!" I said louder at her. I started pulling her faster to the car. "Hurry up, I have a letter to read and to write back to."

•••

We got home ten minutes faster than it took us to get to church. I hoped out of the car. I stole Alice's keys and went to open the front door. I unlocked the door and walked into the house, greater by the sounds of the alarm. Alice walked in after me and went into the kitchen while I took off the alarm.

Alice handed me a navy blue envelope. I tore it open, recognizing Melody's handwriting, as rushed as ever.

June 21, 2017

Dear Kyle,

Camp is almost over. I can't say I'm not happy, but there are a few things I'll miss about the place. I'll miss the huge lake where the sunsets always looked the best, I'll miss my favorite horse. A white stallion named Seawish. I'll miss the only friend I made, a crazy girl named Yessi. As much as she is amazing, I can hardly wait to get home. To get back to out kingdom and get back to our awesome summer of 2017 planes.

Maybe next year, I'll drag you to this camp too.

The recipe for De Le Melody and Kyle cookies are behind your Percy Jackson books, I put it there so you wouldn't loose it. Don't loose it. We only have two copies.

Miss You!
Melody

I folded up the letter, and wrote one last one. I knew she might not even get it, because she was leaving next week, but I didn't care. I took out a green sheet of paper and a black pen.

Dear Mels,

I'm glad you liked camp. I don't know if I'll be able to go to an overnight camp got a month. Alice would be too lonely. I couldn't leave her alone that long.

We'll make the cookies together when we get back.

Miss ya!
-Kyle Forest

I folded up the letter and placed it in an envelope to be mailed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's Note

This chapter was much longer. Much. A Wattpad user PMed me to look and see it I can get Mr. Nobody published. I kinda choked on nothing right then. I don't know if I should look into it. I'm not sure if people will like it.

That's Alice. Alice Forest, sister of Kyle. I feel like she would have larger eyes though, those really large kind eyes. How have you all been imagining Alice????

Word Count: 1392