Learning to Fall

Tonight was a quiet night up until around one-thirty in the morning. I awoke from my sleep with the presence that someone was in my room. I quickly flipped on the light on my nightstand beside the bed. The figure wasn't fast enough this time to leave without being noticed.

"Martin?" I replied as my eyes adjusted to the light.

"Busted." He mumbled before turning around.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked suddenly not afraid anymore. I climbed out of bed and started to approach him. Martin kept backing away until he ran into my door, closing it by accident. There was nowhere for him to run and hide.

There was no answer. "So what, are you spying on me now?" I asked mad.

"Where were you tonight?" Martin finally spoke.

"Where was I? How long have you been stalking me tonight?" I asked.

"You weren't home when it was dark." Martin replied.

"I don't answer to you. Besides you don't want to have anything to do with me and now you are suddenly concerned? Please." I said rolling my eyes.

"I came to..." He didn't finish.

"Martin, just go. I don't want to hear it. You made yourself clear on how you felt about me with your attitude the other night. I don't want you sneaking into my house again. Also, you took something from me and I want it back." I demanded as I pointed my right finger at his chest.

"I took something?" Martin replied innocently.

"I want my picture of Sara and I from when we were kids back. I know you took it." I said.

"This?" He said whipping the picture out of his pocket.

"Yes." I said. "Hey, give that back!" I replied trying to snatch it out his left hand but he kept moving it around to where I couldn't reach it.

"Tell me how you know Sara and you can have it back." Martin grinned.

"Not this again." I said stepping away.

"Look, I came to apologize last night. Instead, I watched you sleep for a bit until I saw the picture on your bed. You had your laptop out so I figured you were doing some research on the matter. I'm not here to be mad or hurt you, Alex. I just want answers like you do about what is going on." Martin replied.

"I found the picture as it fell out from an old album I had never seen before. I was nostalgic for reminicing about my parents that I found the album stashed in the back of the closet after I had moved a few photo albums. Believe me I was just as shocked as you were when I saw the picture." I said moving back towards the bed.

"Look at this." I said grabbing the album off the floor.

"You had never seen these before?" Martin asked flipping through the album.

"No. I have no memory of Sara but I learned we are cousins by digging around. That is how I somehow have a connection to her. See look on the back of this picture." I said taking out the creepy photo with Uncle Jon.

"Anderson. That wasn't Sara's last name. Who are these people?" Martin asked.

"Those are Sara's real parents. Jonathon and Jane Anderson. Jonathon was my mom's brother." I replied.

"Sara never told me anything about these people. I met her parents. This can't be." Martin replied pushing the photo away.

"Believe it because your darling Sara was put into a witness protection program and then adopted I assume. Her father, my uncle, killed her mother when we were four. Poor Sara saw it happen and had to testify against him. I found this all digging around at the library tonight." I sighed.

"She never mentioned this to me at all." Martin said shocked.

"I don't think she remembers. We were four. Kids can block out traumatic events. My parents must have seperated themselves from him. We moved around several times in the city too when I was little maybe because of him, I don't know." I sighed sitting back down on the bed.

"You can sit beside me you know. I don't bite." I replied patting the bed.

"Isn't that supposed to be my line?" Martin smirked as he walked over to the bed.

"I don't know, is it?" I coyly replied.

"So you have a twin, only you are cousins. Interesting." Martin replied as he sat dangerously close to me on the bed.

"Now you know the truth. Look, if this whole thing is weird for you...I mean Sara was your girlfriend and you were going to marry her. I totally get if you don't want to..." I was cut off with a finger on my lips.

"I'm not weirded out. I was at first but I understand things now. Sara isn't the same Sara I fell in love with. I want you and me to be friends." Martin said staring into my eyes.

"Friends?" I barely got out. He just wants to be friends? I guess I can settle for that. Just because I might be having feelings for him and the fact that he has saved my life more then once doesn't mean we have to have a relationship but why do I feel that way the more and more I look back into his eyes?

"You know, you really should stay away from me." Martin warned changing his tone.

"I should?" I said suddenly losing my nerve as he moved his face closer to mine. Martin's left hand touched my right cheek and I closed my eyes as his lips touched mine.

"I'm dangerous and can lose control at any minute." Martin replied breaking our kiss but only for a second as he kissed me more. I fumbled for his shirt and we broke so we could pull it over his head.

Then I moved backwards, lying down on the bed as Martin moved over me looking me in the eyes. I felt powerless and lost in the moment. Was this me losing my will or was he doing this to me? I couldn't tell.

"Stop." I breathed as Martin had started kissing down my neck from my ear.

"What's wrong?" Martin asked raising up.

"Is this right? Are you persuading me? I mean not that I am enjoying this but I don't want to regret it later." I said trying to catch my breath and kicking myself inside for becoming logical.

Martin moved over beside me. I saw his chest and that he wore several necklaces around his neck I had never noticed before because he kept them hidden under his shirt. I noticed his tattoo on his right arm.

"I told you I was dangerous. I lost control. I'm sorry." Martin replied about to get up off the bed.

"No. Don't go." I said raising up and pulling him back down. "We were both caught in a moment. Martin, I'm not her." I said. "I will never be like her. What you two had..." I wasn't able to finish again.

"You are right. You aren't Sara and never will be. This is my fault. I should never have used my persuasion on you." Martin tried to apologize.

"Thanks." I said a little hurt I think.

"No, that's not what I meant. Alex you are a wonderful girl. The past is the past. It's time to move on away from all that. I should do this right. I'm not good with words..." I cut him off this time with a kiss.

"I know what you are trying to say." I smiled as I pulled away.

"Why don't we start over." Martin smiled.

"I think its a little late for that but I think if you stay until I fall back asleep we can manage." I yawned suddenly.

"Deal." He said reaching for his shirt off the floor.

"Nope. You must lay down without the shirt." I said reaching up and pulling Martin down on the bed.

"Yes m'am." He laughed as I curled up laying my head on his shoulder.

"I can't help that I have fallen in love with you." I whispered as I became suddenly sleepy.