October 11, 2000 morning
The unmistakable and irritating sound of the alarm clock was what made me come out of that strange place and return me to reality.
"Uff," I groaned exasperated before possibly the most strange dream that I ever had in my two lives. Feeling the morning annoyance of the sun in my eyes, I put a hand instinctively in front of my face.
"So it was not a dream," I murmured more for myself than for another person. At that moment could be seen a small child getting up from his bed and moving his face through all his room trying to define if this was in truth his new reality or he continued in a dream.
"For now let's leave the existential doubts for another moment," said Aaron while he got up from the bed directing himself to the bathroom to proceed to discharge the tank.
"Much better," I said once I had emptied the tank and upon feeling myself lighter. "What a most strange dream," I said to myself mentally once I remembered all the strange experience that I had this night. Once more reviewing the facts, I began to intuit two possible hypotheses about what was what happened: either it was a very weird or realistic dream, which seemed to me the most logical option. The other option and also the most worrying is that the hit on the head from yesterday left me certain sequels in the head that the nurse could not detect.
"Good morning, honey," I heard a voice that made me come out of my thoughts.
"Good morning mama," I responded in response while I directed myself straight to the kitchen. Once in the kitchen can be seen two stunning women seated waiting that the remaining person joins the table to be able to start to eat breakfast.
To the right could [be seen] a woman wrapped in a tight dress with matching heels; her brown hair in waves together with her bronze-colored skin would be a delight for the view of any man. On the other side instead was seen a woman wrapped in a waitress suit, but even so that could not avoid noticing how beautiful she was with her blond hair tied in a firm ponytail and her penetrating and expressive blue eyes.
Two women with different styles and with different personalities: while my mother was introverted and modest, my aunt was all the contrary, extroverted and flirtatious. Sometimes it results incredible to me to think in how two completely different women can be friends. I suppose that the proverb about how opposite poles attract does not exist for nothing.
"Good morning aunt," I said directing myself to the woman that was seated to the right of the table.
"Good morning heart," she told me returning the smile to me.
"What is there for breakfast," I asked while I approached my chair and start to eat.
"The typical American breakfast," was the exasperated response that my aunt gave me. As soon as I was seated, I could see what she referred to; in front of me there was a plate of eggs with bacon and a glass of orange juice. Simple and practical, something that a woman who lives life hurried without having the sufficient time to prepare something more elaborate would do.
A smile crossed my lips; although simple it was something that I did not do in my past life, and it is that the kitchen and utensils of my previous apartment were practically new due to the null use that I gave them. My basic diet consisted in eating fast food and from gas station every day of the year. If I had not died by accident in the kitchen, the most probable is that the junk food together with a sedentary life with almost null exercise would have been my end.
Seated in a comfortable silence while we ate, my mother broke the silence.
"The aunt will take you today to the school, honey," she said with a light tone of apology in her voice.
"Ok," was the simple response that I gave her to then return to concentrate myself on the food that was in front of me.
"It is that today I will work double shift and I must leave now or I will not arrive on time and…" Melissa followed talking without having realized my response. After a moment, maybe upon having realized my response, she stopped talking and fixed on both pairs of eyes that looked at her.
"Are you okay with that?" she asked me in a hesitant tone fearing that she had heard wrong my response.
"I said that it is okay ma," I responded to her again reaffirming in that I did not have problems with my aunt taking me to the school.
"Oh," was the only thing my mama could let out.
"Calm Mell, I will make sure that he arrives healthy and safe," my aunt told my mama. After that fell a silence in all the apartment only broken by the exterior sound of the cars and pedestrians.
"I already have to go," said my mother hurriedly while she stood up. "Have a good day heaven," she said while she approached to give me a kiss on the forehead and a greeting with the hand to my aunt.
"Well champion, get ready because we leave in 10," was the response of my aunt while she took charge of collecting the dirty plates and putting them in the dishwasher.
"Ok," I said while I directed myself quickly back to my room. 5 minutes later I returned already completely dressed and with my backpack on the shoulder. My clothing consists in a baggy blue pant, a white t-shirt and a brown-colored jacket to combat the light air that makes in the autumn in New York.
"I am already ready," I said with an animated tone in my voice.
"Someone is excited for returning to the school," was the response of my aunt as soon as she saw me ready to go out.
"Yes," was my response. But the true reason for my excitement is that I had a certain pending account with someone.
"Ok let's go," responded my aunt while she gave me the hand and we put ourselves on the way rumbo toward the school. After a trip of less than 20 minutes we found ourselves at the door of the school; my aunt crouched while she combed my hair.
"Have a stupendous day honey," said my aunt in a loving tone.
"You the same aunt," I said to moments later direct myself again to my classroom. Once inside the school I could not avoid remembering the years that I spent here; the lockers, the water drinkers, the bathrooms, all brought me a sensation of nostalgia but not good memories.
"Hello loser," I heard a voice not very friendly directed toward me. Once I turned around, I found myself face to face with my least favorite person followed by his two lackeys.
"I see that that hit was not so much thing since you are here," he said with a hypocritical tone while his two henchmen laughed.
"What does it matter to you," I responded to him calmly.
"I see that someone forgot what is his place," said Lionel now with a tone of anger in his voice while he approached toward me. Once he was closer to me I saw that practically I took out half a head of difference to him and his henchmen, which made me laugh internally upon thinking in how I had fear of someone who was much shorter than me.
From one moment to another I gave a abrupt step toward the front and I saw how he and his henchmen jumped of fear ending falling toward back. Before that I could see a trace of shame and maybe wounded pride in the faces of the three.
"You…" was the only thing Aaron [Lionel] could say from his humiliating position from the floor. I simply directed them a half-smug smile while I turned around and I disposed myself to look for my classroom.
"This will not stay like this you hear me," I heard Lionel shout behind me. Without caring to me in the least his stupid attempt of intimidation I followed long without looking back.
Once I found my classroom I disposed myself to sit in the back part of all the classroom while I waited that the teacher arrived and started the class. 5 minutes later could be heard the bell giving start to the school journey of Wednesday while the last children entered the classroom; I saw how a woman with glasses entered the room and directed herself straight to the blackboard.
"Silence everyone," could be heard the teacher say in a tone that did not give place to negotiations. Then giving a quick glance to all the room her gaze settled on me and I heard her say:
"Mr. Reed are you found better now?" she asked with a slight tone of worry in her voice.
"Yes Mrs. Stevens," was my response.
"If you feel any discomfort do not doubt in directing yourself straight to the office," was the simple response that she gave me. "Now well passing to what we saw the past class…." started to say Mrs. Stevens.
After that could be seen how Aaron disconnected himself and slowly leaned back on his desk falling deeply into a sleep. After a time could be heard the unmistakable sound of the bell, signal that the recess started. Walking tranquilly toward the door following the rowdy crowd of children that directed themselves straight to the playground.
Now well, the playground was not so big and was full of children playing on the swings and slides while others simply looked for where to sit to chat. In that my gaze settled on a particular place of the playground: the basketball court. In that I saw how a group of children joined starting to group themselves in teams to play.
With a decision already taken and giving decided steps I approximate in direction to the court. "Can I join," I asked the one that I suppose was the leader of the group. In that the boy turned around and gave me an evaluating gaze weighing if to let that I joined or not. He was a blond boy who probably was some grades superior to mine since I did not recognize his face.
"What age do you have," he asked me in an interrogative tone upon not being able to identify me.
"5," was the simple response that I gave him. I could see how his eyes opened with trace of incredulity upon knowing my age wondering if I said the truth since practically we were almost of the same height.
Leaving aside his brief incredulity he said: "Sure, you go to the team of Nate," was his response while his finger pointed to the redhead boy in the other corner of the court.
"Sure," was the brief response that I gave him while I directed myself to the other corner.
"I also want to play," I heard Lionel say who approached to the court with a smile in his gaze. As soon as he approached I could see the slight frown of the previous subject, and it is that even if I could have the height to be able to play with them Lionel practically was the smallest of all.
"Sure?" the boy asked him.
"Absolutely," was the simple response of Lionel while his gaze directed itself instinctively to me.
"Ok little one you are on my team," said the same boy. After that the teams organized themselves to start the game; being several we were a team of 8 against 8. It was a simple game without rules in which won the one who added more points. After a rock paper and scissors to decide who started the game began.
The contrary team had the possession and they began to run toward our basket; now well, one of the reasons for which I joined to this game was to test if I could imitate the movements that I performed in my dreams. I saw how the same blond boy had the ball and directed himself to the hoop; I saw how he did a fake to be able to remove his defender and started to penetrate inside the post.
With my vision I could notice how he approached to the hoop while a teammate tried to block him; I even saw through the corner how another subject approached in the other corner. With a sensation difficult to describe I directed myself to his direction while the blond boy threw him a pass; the subject caught the ball and prepared himself to throw until suddenly he saw how a hand lunged over the ball and made it go out of the limits.
It could be seen in that moment how all the children of the court threw him a gaze of incredulity and surprise to the boy of brown hair and blue eyes that just had blocked a sure shot. After that was seen the same boy go after the ball and wait to do a court throw-in.
"Come on do not stay there to play [standing there, play]!" I shouted while I waited that the others react. After that I passed it to a teammate and started to run straight to the contrary hoop while I raised the hand asking for the ball.
"Pass it to me," I said to a boy with curls that was on my team. After that he passed it to me and as soon as I had the ball I tried to do another movement that I saw last night which was a crossover to rid myself of the rival, but as soon as I tried it I felt how I got to do it but with a clumsiness that almost makes me lose the ball.
After that I avoided doing flashy movements and threw the ball in middle of the restricted area. The ball gave some light bounces before entering in the net; after that I felt my teammates lunge over me.
"Friend that was cool," one of them told me.
"You have to teach us that movement," said another.
After that the game resumed but immediately could be seen how now the team centered on me and how I controlled the rhythm of the game. In a given moment I received the ball under the post and I felt how someone annoying stuck behind me.
"Do not believe that I will let you show off loser," said Lionel annoyed while he tried to push me far from the hoop. In that moment an evil idea crossed my mind which made me smile. In a given moment I moved toward the front taking Lionel out of balance in the process; then I tried to turn myself with the elbows raised.
In that moment I felt how my elbow crashed with something soft followed by a pitiful scream and crying. As soon as I turned the first thing I saw was blood; after that I could see Lionel lying on the floor crying while he grabbed the nose that bled.
After that the game stopped and the boys approached asking him if he was okay; so much was the rowdy noise that not even a minute passed until a teacher arrived to check what was what had happened. As soon as he saw Lionel lying and with the nose bleeding his frown deepened and with seriousness said:
"Everyone to your classrooms now, I must take your teammate to the infirmary." After that we all opened path for him while he carried a crying Lionel straight to the infirmary.
After that sounded the bell indicating the end of the recess and all began to direct themselves inside. Walking tranquilly toward the classroom a smile crossed my face while I whispered:
"I hope that this teaches you to not mess with me never more," I said to then enter to my classroom and return to my seat at the end of the classroom.
Author's thoughts
What did you think of today's episode?
They also learned that the Hawks fired Trae Young :'(