Three boys and a girl

Chapter 5

My scream was cut short by the hand that grabbed mine. I twisted my hand out of the death grip and kicked blindly into thin air. My foot connected with something solid and I let myself have a small moment of self-satisfaction before reality kicked in and I realised Shadowen didn’t swear. “Shit, Shit, Shit, Rosalie!” Shaun’s voice came from out of the darkness. “I was trying to comfort you!” I stood still, listening for the slightest sound of the Shadowen. All I could hear however was the elephantine footsteps of Shaun, jumping up and down on the carpet. “Shut up!”  I hissed and immediately the thumping stopped. Silence. All I could hear was silence.  It was like a gigantic wall, blocking out all other sound. The only thing I could hear was the sound of my breathing. Then something brushed up against my arm and I felt my heart pump faster and my body tensed- ready for action. “Don’t spaz. It’s just me.” My body relaxed. I didn’t bother to answer Shaun; my energy was concentrated on finding the Shadowen. I was so not letting them get away. I needed some serious pay back.

The darkness was solid and thick. But I ignored it, a distraction I did not need. I closed my eyes and felt the air around me, looking for something. I shut my eyes tighter, letting all my focus run through my veins, clearing my mind of anything I did not need. I had to focus, if I was distracted I wouldn’t be able to find it. Shaun brushed up against my arm. “What the hell are you doing?” My eye’s snapped open, concentration broken.  “Shut up.” I spat. He didn’t answer. Sulk.

I closed my eyes again. Damn. I couldn’t sense anything. The coward had probably scrambled. I was fighting a power cut. My eyes were ready to snap open when I heard something, a dry whisper spinning around the room. A-ha. I focused harder on the sound, letting my instincts find the source. Shaun wasn’t reacting. His mind was wondering. There. I could feel the Shadowen; it was getting ready to pounce. And according to my gut it was…

Right behind me.

Oh, hell yeah. I quelled the fight rising inside of me- forcing myself to be patient.  I breathed out, letting my ears follow the sound. It seemed to be standing still, gathering energy. Right before it strikes.  I could feel the density behind me and as the air grew thicker and more solid I clenched my fists. The fight inside of me was burning, inflaming my ribs and my throat. I was itching to move, to fight. It had been so long. But I waited, I listened. Patience was the key. There. It had reached its limit. I got ready to move as the air turned cold near my ear. A deadly hand reaching out into the darkness.  I held my breath, tensing my muscles.

The lights snapped on, bathing the room in yellowish lights. I spun around, eager to catch the Shadowen but deep in my heart I knew it was gone.  I was proven right when the only thing behind me was empty space. I bit my lip in frustration.  Freaking hell. My eyes snapped onto Shaun’s figure, standing with one hand on the light switch and the other strewn casually by his side. His gaze was fixed firmly on me, eyes narrowed like he was trying to figure me out.  “What?” I snapped. I felt like kicking and screaming and crying and swearing but I held it in. “Are you really that scared of a power cut?” I blinked, trying to work out what he was saying. I’m pretty sure my face question marked because Shaun rolled his eyes. “You just stood there, doing nothing. Like a weeping angel or something. I figured you were either scared or just really lazy.”  Oh.  Doing nothing in a power cut; Suspicious. “I’m scared of the dark, ok!” My voice hitched up at the end giving away to my untruths. He looked at me, skeptism obvious in the sharp lines of his eyebrows. Shaun opened his mouth to say something but was halted when the sound of the front door slamming reached our ears. I jumped at the distraction. “Nathan and Alex are back!” I stated rather unnecessarily. Before he could say anything I flicked out of the room, flying down the stairs and into the white frangipani entrance way. I heard Shaun’s footsteps following mine down the stairs. I stopped, my bear feet tingling thanks to the ice cold tiles. I didn’t want to intrude on Nathan and Alex alone. I wasn’t that confident. Shaun came down the stairs, looking casual and sarcastic and very, very sexy. He stopped near me, a deadly smile carved into his skin. The word he said next was a word that was the cosmic nightmare for all with brains. “Payback.” Before I had time to even speculate I was being hoisted up into the recycled air conditioner air and into Shaun’s arms- baby style. The embarrassment was inevitable as was the anger that followed in suit. The white hall way started moving as Shaun, and now me, made our way to the kitchen. “Put me down, ass whole! I haven’t done anything!” His chest rumbled so either he was laughing or a secret entrance was being revealed.  The fluorescent lights of the kitchen glared in my eyes, but through the brightened haze I could see Nathan and Alex putting numerous things into the humming refrigerator. I wriggled a little, trying to get out of Shaun’s arm but he was actually really strong so my plan was not executed with the upmost proficiency or accuracy. After a lenient snigger, he put me down onto the rough white tiles. I stood up, glad to be able to rely on my back once more. Both Alex and Nathan turned around, curious about the noise. Both boys looked at us, taking in my hands straightening my singlet and fixing my hair and Shaun smiling like the sun. Nathan turned back to the fridge. “Didn’t take you long.” We spluttered in unison. “I would give you the lecture. But frankly I can’t be bothered and you won’t actually listen so…” Alex also turned back to the fridge. My brain was slow and I was confused so I masked it all with anger; it was already pent up inside me anyway. “What the hell are you jerks on about?” I said at exactly the same time Shaun said “We didn’t have sex.” In a completely off hand way that really didn’t match the sentence he was saying. I turned to face him, pretty sure that my face was trying to match my hair. “What!” My voice went low like it does when I get angry and Shaun’s nonchalant expression wavered a little. “They think we had sex.” He said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I opened my mouth to say something when Nathan’s voice came out from the refrigerator; he was in the process of putting some beer inside. “You mean you didn’t? Good on you, man for showing some respect.” Shaun sniggered so I hit him. Alex, who was examining us both split into a smile and turned back to Nathan as if saying ‘she’s your problem’ “Ow! Freaking hell, woman! What was that for?” He rubbed the spot on his arm where I hit him and I allowed myself an inward smile. Outwardly, I narrowed my eyes and tightened my lips. “For letting them think we, you know. Instead of telling the truth!”  Shaun’s blue eyes were sparked with humour. He was so not taking this seriously. He was saved by Alex who at that moment said; “And the truth would be?”  With a dirty look at me Shaun obliged to explain the whole payback thing and speaking of which I still wasn’t sure what I had done. Nathan whistled through his teeth. "Damn, Rosalie. Way to get on Satan’s bad side. What did you do?” With the eyes of both Nathan and Alex on me I said exactly what I wanted to say; attitude included. “I have no freaking clue.” Shaun spun to face me.

“You kicked me in the gut. That deserves payback.”  I felt my brow furrow.

“Really? When?” Nathan sniggered and Shaun’s head snapped around to face him.

“What?” He bit off the word.

“You got hit by a girl.” Shaun rolled his eyes and magnetised back to me. “Wait, I’m not done.” Nathan said smiling and coming over to us. “You got hit by a girl and she can’t even remember!” He dissolved into classic Nathan laughter; loud, bold and completely inappropriate. Shaun narrowed his eyes. “Shut up, man! It’s not funny.” Nathan, too consumed in laughter just nodded his head and I rolled my eyes while Shaun and Nathan continued to argue; or at least Shaun got pissed while Nathan laughed. I shared a look with Alex. “I’m going to bed.” I told him. With one look at Shaun and Nathan Alex walked towards me. “Me too. Before my head explodes with all the immaturity in this room.” I smiled as we both made our way to the white stairs in silence. Conversation only started when we ascended half way up the stairs and Child 1 and Child 2’s voices had faded out.  “I think you’re going to fit in well here.” Alex said unexpectedly. I looked at him, surprised. He just gave me a small smile back. Even though his smile wasn’t as affectionate and freakishly friendly as Nathan’s or as sexy and sarcastic as Shaun’s it was still hot in the quiet-and-humble kind of way. We reached the landing without saying anything and made off down to our rooms . “Goodnight.” Was the new fad in farewells so we departed as friends. Yeesh that was awkward. When I got to my room I flopped onto my bed (It was too hot to go under the covers)too hit by the unexpected exhaustion  to do anything else. I reached over to turn off my lamp, my eyelids feeling like lead, and as a result the room was bathed in darkness. I lay face up, staring at the ceiling thinking stupid, pointless thoughts that only come when you’re close to unconsciousness. I knew I was close to sleep, so I lulled myself into a state of blissful ignorance trying to ignore the feeling that something was watching me, something that hid in the shadows and was thirsty for blood.  Something that never seemed to go away, no matter what I did.  Something that was watching from my bathroom door where I could see it reflected in the window.

I closed my eyes and went to sleep.