Chapter Three
Nobody's point of view
The door from the pool area slammed shut and a tall, lean man with blue eyes and choppy black and red hair leaned over to the first man to get out of the pool.
"Paul! That was her. I know it was. You'd recognize her from anywhere."
"Sorry, Bill, but it couldn't be Emily."
"Why couldn't it be? It's in every way possible!"
"Emily... she's... um, she isn't exactly very... she's not alive, okay? So it couldn't be her! I had an invite to the funeral, I am family, but I didn't go. It was an upsetting thing for me."
The door swung open and Alex walked in with a stack of fresh towels in her hand.
"Here you guys go, enjoy." She smiled and set them on a chair.
Paul tapped her shoulder very lightly. "Uh... what's your name? If you don't mind my asking..."
"Alexandria... well, Alex."
"Alex? Alex Carver?"
"Um.. yes. How'd you know that? Who are you?" She took a large step back, confusion written all over her face.
Nobody knows me, I left the people who do back home, She thought in panic.
"It's Paul. Your cousin."
"NO! No." She tried to laugh, shaking her head, "No. I. I don't have a cousin Paul. I don't have family. G-g-get out. Go! You're not allowed in here yet."
A man who hadn't spoken yet, with quite a few piercings and tattoos looked at Paul and asked, "Dude, is she okay?"
"GO!" Alex screamed louder.
All of them shuffled out, Paul the last one. He stared at her sadly as he made his way through the exit.
"Ok, so is she Emily's sister or something?" Joel asked.
"Yeah. I met her several times, I was closer to Emily. After the thing with their parents happened, Alex didn't want to have anything to do with any member of the family. Except for Emily. She just pretended we never existed. Em often called me or wrote me. Alex, apparently, never was an "emotionally stable" person. She tried to commit suicide four times over their mom and dad. She had an eating disorder when she was 16. She fought it but soon it returned. Last I heard from Emily she wasn't having those problems."
"How do you think she's dealing with the whole Emily situation?" Benji asked curiously.
"I'm gonna say, not well. She used to love Nevada and if she moved all the way to Illinois, then she's got to be having a rough time. And she still denies having a family besides Em. The first few times I met her she was such an adventurous, fun-loving person, you know. But after a year or two, she drifted from all of us, even Em. For about two months, she had a form of depression and was admitted in a hospital. When she came back she was happy for a little while. But then little arguments with her parents became worse and worse. That's when eating disorders and suicide came in."
Joel and Benji nodded and Billy was looking down as they walked down the hall and arrived at their rooms.
Alex sighed, sitting down in a wet plastic chair. She knew Paul really was her cousin. She remembered him. He was the only person who didn't show up for the funeral. In her heart, she knew that wasn't why she denied being related to him. It was just a scary thing. She thought she had ran away from all family, friends, and acquaintances. All she wanted was to live alone If she couldn't have the only person who loved her and understood her by her side, then she didn't want anyone. She'd rather be alone for the rest of her life than get hurt by, even, one more person.
She walked to the front desk, where the man still sat, chandelier above his head. "Bernie?"
"Yes, Miss Carver," Bernie smiled at her, glad to have someone to talk to.
"Ha-have you ever done something and than regretted it soon after?"
"Who hasn't?"
"Well I kind of, uh..." Alex tried to think of a way to re-word her situation, "I told someone I didn't recognize him, when I really did
"And now I wish I hadn't because I made him feel bad." She bit her bottom lip, Should I just get a hold of him and apologize?"
"I think," Bernie started in a wise tone,� You should talk to this fellow. You obviously didn't want to hurt him, so he must be special to you."
Alex leaned over the best she could and gave Bernie a small peck on the cheek. "Thank you!" She skipped over to the pool area, giddily.
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Chapter Four