Psychotic craze

I happened to wake up bang on 9am the next morning having had a rather disturbed night's sleep, my head was pounding to the left slightly and I was feeling shaken and disorientated like I always did after a weird dream or a nightmare. I was normally fine with scary movies this was the first time I'd gotten a nightmare similar to the movie that I watched - the only difference was that I was the main character. I shuddered at the thought and went downstairs to see three people sitting at the table fully dressed and in the middle of a conversation - how flipping early? I approached them when the house phone began to ring; diverting my attention I picked it up quickly and answered.

"Hello?" I asked quietly as everyone's heads turned towards me.

"Alison - guys she picked up!" I heard a familiar voice; I waited as a huge grin spread across my lips and heard the sounds of my other friends in the background. The main speaker was Rose Buxton my best friend and goal keeper for our football team.

"Ally darling we've missed you!" She piped up quickly - she always spoke too fast but I was used to it and could understand her now.

"I've missed you too, what time is it over there?" I asked sitting down on the couch, I glanced up to see my mom and Daniel looking away but Toby still had his eyes on me as if he was intrigued for some strange reason.

"It's 4.16pm what about there?" She asked.

"9.16. How are you Rose?" It was nice to hear her voice.

"I'm getting by you know, held striker auditions today to replace you, got a few good catches but to be honest not as good as you. So how have you been?" She chuckled.

"Okay I guess although it's really warm here - awe don't worry you'll blitz through the games just like we did." I replied encouragingly. I regretted it straight away as silence followed.

"Well I hope so - we have to work harder now that - " She stopped and I heard her swallow knowing what she was going to say I wanted to block my ears some how, I didn't want to hear it.

"Now that two of the team members have left." She replied quietly and I stayed silent not knowing what to say back.

"We had this brilliant memorial presentation for him Ally, it was lovely - and then we all went and did a little ceremony at his grave yesterday. They've put a commemorative plaque outside of school too." She said softer.

I cleared my throat as I braced myself - would the tears finally come now? Instead my eyes stayed dry and my throat didn't ache with tears either. I figured it was time to change the subject otherwise she'd probably cry down the phone and I wasn't good with people crying in any way shape or form. It would also hit me in the face completely that a girl who knew my father by coach and a friend could choke up some tears for him and I still couldn't.

"I start school on Monday." I told her changing the subject.

"That's too bad we start in about a week." She replied.

"So have you been settling in well?" She questioned.

"Sure - I've slept most days and was forced to shop." I giggled.

"So what are you up to?" I twirled the wire.

"Well we're all just sitting at my house bored, it's raining outside and no one can decide on a movie to watch, Hayley and I want to watch a comedy but Olli, Jake and Tyler want to watch a horror." She breathed and my heart skipped a beat when she mentioned Jake's name.

I smiled, Hayley was in defence in our football team and she was bloody brilliant and aggressive too, she wasn't one of my best friends but we got along fine. Olli on the other hand was one of my best friends, Tyler was Rose's younger brother but he was still cool.

"Jake's there?" I asked in an almost whisper as my mom raised her eyebrow in a joking manner.

"Yes." She replied catching onto the tone of my voice.

"Shall I give him the phone?" She asked.

"Don't -" I began but it was too late - I didn't know what to say to him.

"Hey." I heard his cool and casual voice sound from the other end - my stomach somersaulted. I had only started to like Jake a few months ago when he moved from Liverpool and was new at my school. His contagious laugh and carefree nature had resulted in me forming a little crush on him; we hung out sometimes and rumour was it he liked me too. But everything was put on hold after the death of my father and the sudden move.

"Hey J-Jake." I replied nervously.

"How are you kid?" He asked teasingly, he always called me kid when in actual fact I was older than him by 3 months!

"I'm fine you?" I replied as Toby moved to lean against the kitchen counter with his arms folded.

"It's been weird without you kid but hey life goes on right?"

"Sure does."

"So what do you think comedy or horror?" He laughed but I knew which one I preferred straight away.

"Go with comedy." I replied quickly before a new voice erupted from the phone.

"Ally, how's it going?" Olli's deep voice sounded and I smirked.

"It's going good Olli how about you?" I asked.

"You know it's not the same without you, I miss throwing rainbow puffs into your hood in maths, I miss throwing ping pong balls at you in gym, I miss just hanging out you know." He spoke.

"So basically you miss bullying me." I lightened the mood a little and he laughed.

"Pretty much, so when are you visiting?" He asked.

"You know how I am with planes Olli - but I'll try my hardest - soon I promise." I knew I probably wouldn't carry through with this promise.

"I'll hold that to you - anyway film time, have a nice day whatever the time is down there - up there - I mean across there - I'm confused." He added passing the phone back to Rose and I laughed catching the attention of my mom again.

"Keep in touch darling." Rose cleared her throat.

"And chin up okay - we love you!" She was trying to be supportive.

"I love you guys too - bye." I put the phone down and sighed, was there such thing as friend-sick?

Back in England I didn't necessarily have an actual group of friends, I had my best girl friend and my best guy friend and then I was friends with almost everyone and then there was my football team. It was easy in England, because my school was so small everyone got on and there was no trouble. However, from what mom described; this school I would be starting on Monday was big.

"It was nice of them to call." My mom brought me out of my thought shower.

"So Toby mentioned something about sight seeing and I thought why don't we all go - including you Daniel." My mom added. I glanced up at Toby who pursed his lips and looked away.

"Sure." I replied getting up.

I had a feeling this would be another long day but it had already started off good and bad in two ways. The phone call had cheered me up a little but the conversation with Rose was lingering in my mind and one question stood out more than others.

Why couldn't I cry?