In the little gap of existence that I call my own I stare off into the darkness that is where I live. There is no light underground. It would be pretty backwards if there was I suppose, considering that I wouldn't be able to live here either. But that's beside the point. My skin hasn't seen day light for over a decade, or at least that is what I tell myself, when in reality it hasn't been but a week, maybe two since I was walking down the street with my mom.
~~~~Flashback~~~~
It was sunny outside, a normal California day in LA. Well, sunny might be the wrong word, but it wasn't raining, it was just the usual smoggy, so I call that sunny. My mom and I had been walking for maybe ten minutes, looking in the windows of shops, basically just keeping our eyes open for anything at all that caught either of our interests. That was when I saw her. Looking to my left and down the street a little bit there was a girl who looked to be about my age standing in the shadow of a ten story building. My mom's cell phone rings as we stop at the crosswalk so she doesn't notice when I leave her side without her consent or knowledge. I walk up to the girl and glance back at my mother. They are complete contrasts to one another. There's my mom, looking the same as she always had. Honey colored blonde hair cut in a business woman haircut, wearing a business suit and high heels. Did I mention we were on the way to her office. Which is why she is dressed like she's going to work. But then I can remember when I was little and her hair was long and had curly waves that seemed to make a golden halo around her head whenever she was outside. She still has her halo, but it has become less and less defined as the years have dragged on. Then I look at the girl. She is leaning against the wall in a way that looks incredibly comfortable and for a brief moment I want to try putting my foot up on the wall and leaning against it so casually like I own it as well. She is pale, not at all like me or my mother. She has dark raven colored hair that is like waves around her head, and she wears a lot of eye makeup, only accentuating the natural beauty that is the color of her eyes. The lightest blue I've ever seen. And for a moment I think that it might be contacts but decide that it's a natural color. And her peircings. That's one of the other things that sets her apart. Her clothes are all black, the pants like parachutes and her shirt nearly skin tight. I continue to walk towards her, feeling somewhat self conscious in my striped red, yellow, and blue shirt, red overalls, and an old worn out pair of Adidas shoes. I stop in front of her and stick my hands into my pockets out of habit to keep them from fluttering nervously in front of me. She stares at me in acknowledgement and I stick out my right hand.
"Hi. I'm Sarah." I say, smiling sunnily, and she just stares at my hand as though asking 'I'm supposed to touch that thing?' and that's when my smile starts to falter a little bit.
"No you're not. You're Anastasia." She says quietly and I feel elated, like I've gotten an 'A' on a very difficult test. And for a moment I do believe that I am Anastasia. Even though I do not know who this Anastasia person is at the moment, I am her. "And I'm Tommy." She says and reluctantly shakes my hand.
" you wanna.I dunno, go and get something to eat or something?" I ask hesitantly. I don't know why but for some reason this is what my gut instinct is telling me to do instead of high tail it in the opposite direction for once. And I feel like I know her. Even though I know that I don't.
"Sure." She says and leaves her position on the wall only to pick up the black bag I hadn't notice before. Then I stop for a moment and when I look back I see that it hasn't been nearly as long as it seems to have been, because my mother is just now crossing the street, I could still catch up with her if I wanted to. The girl starts walking away from my mothers direction and for a small millisecond of time I debate who to follow. Then I see Tommy turn around to look at me. "Coming?" she asks.
I nod my affirmative and walk after her. Making sure that my cell phone is on in the front pocked of my overalls. "So, where are we going?" I ask after a couple of blocks where neither of us speaks.
"Home." Is all she says.