Trophy Eyes

Chapter 20

Wooh! Chapter 20!! Haha, notice how there was no creepy author's note in the last chapter? ^_~ Anyway, I lubs chu all. Keep voting and shit xx

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I walked into the lounge to find Zayden seated on the sofa, looking a little awkward.

"Um, hi. Here's the blankets and stuff." I threw a heap of pillows and blankets at him.

He didn't move. "Thanks."

I sat in the armchair across the room from him. He then looked up at me.

"Can I ask you something?" He said, interlocking his fingers, elbows propped up on his knees.

"Um, okay." I replied hesitantly.

"Answer me honestly," His voice was serious, "Did you kiss Dan?"

I blanched. "Um, what?!"

"I'm serious."

I glared at him, my face heating up. "That really is none of your business."

"I need to know, Adira."

"Why? Jealous, are you?"

He glowered at me. "This isn't funny Adira. And no, I'm not jealous of that bastard."

"Yes, I did. Are you happy now?" I narrowed my eyes at him, but the expression on his face shocked me. He looked grave.

"Zayden? What's wrong?" I asked, gently touching his knee.

He flinched away from me. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong. It doesn't matter now. Nothing can be done." He appeared to be talking to himself, and was staring into space.

"What is it? What do you mean? Zayden!" I shoved him slightly in the chest, but he just brushed me off. His lips were moving, but I couldn't hear anything he was saying. "You're scaring me."

He didn't appear to have heard anything I'd said. I slapped him around the face.

He suddenly snapped back to reality. "What the fuck, Adira?! Just piss off!" He snapped, pushing me roughly away. He then sat rubbing at his cheek.

I glared at him. He couldn't tell me what to do, especially in my own house!

"I still think you're a vampire." I told him.

He sighed. "And I still think you're crazy. This conversation is over."

"Yeah, the crazy person who's lending you her couch for the night."

"Touche." He gave me a rueful smile that was really cute.

I looked away quickly.

Bring on the awkward silence.

"Um, so, yeah. Goodnight and stuff." I said hurriedly, jumping up.

"Yeah," He muttered. " 'Night."

I crept softly upstairs. Mom had gone on another 'weekend trip' so it was just me and him. The thought made butterflies in my stomach flutter. I flopped onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling, going slightly cross-eyed in the process. I couldn't believe Dan had been so horrible earlier. I had no clue what Zayden had done to deserve that, apart from presumably slamming him against the bonnet of the car, but I one thing I knew was that I wouldn't be going on any more dates with him. I sighed and rolled over to face my poster of All Time Low on my wall. Alex Gaskarth and Co. stared straight back at me.

I had a feeling I wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight.

~*~

I woke suddenly in the middle of the night to a loud crash coming from outside. I sudden rush of adrenaline jolted through me.

A coyote. Just a coyote, I told myself. But I had to go and check.

I crept back downstairs. The clock in the hall informed me it was just past midnight. I didn't turn any lights on. Sticking my head into the lounge, I noticed that Zayden wasn't there, his blankets rumpled but empty. I brushed my hand over them, but the weird thing was that they were icy cold, almost as though no one had been there or they had been away for a long time.

I stepped into the kitchen. Nothing and no-one. I was getting a little creeped out now. Where the hell was Zayden?

Another crash made me jump. It was just outside the yard, in the woods. I peeked out of the kitchen window, but there was nothing I could see. Pale moonlight illuminated a broken barbecue and overgrown grass outside, but nothing else.

"Zayden?" I called into the night. The eerie silence that followed told my instinct that something was oh so very wrong. A dark shadow blurred across the yard, with another closely behind. The same shadows as before. They were quite large, almost the size of people. The gate swung on its hinges and they were gone suddenly. I backed out of the kitchen, and suddenly there was a creak on the landing. I froze in panic and terror.

Just as I was contemplating whether or not to grab a knife, Zayden came from the kitchen and closed the door behind him. He seemed surprised to see me awake.

"Adira? What are you doing up?" He asked, frowning slightly at me.

"I heard crashes outside. Didn't you? And where were you?"

"Crashes? You must be tired because I didn't hear anything. And I was in your kitchen, getting a glass of water." He showed me the plastic cup in his hand. I noticed his fingernails wre grimy with mud whereas they hadn't been earlier. Strange. That meant he must've been outside.

I raised my eyebrows in an 'Oh, really?' way, but he just looked calmly back at me. We stayed like that for a long time.

"Goodnight, Adira." He walked past me back into the living room, his arm brushing mine slightly. I noticed he left the door open. Resisting the temptation to follow him, I walked back upstairs. Still feeling slightly paranoid, I flicked my lightswitch on before going into my room. I nearly screamed when I saw one of those shadows at my window. It quickly dropped out of sight. I sprinted forwards to the window, but any traces of it had mysteriously disappeared. Then I noticed a chilling detail.

My window was unlocked.

It wasn't before, and it can only be unlocked from the inside. I was seriously creeped out. I locked my window, checking it twice before turning my light out and climbing into bed quickly. I shivered, but not from the cold. Just what were these weird shadows? And why were they seemingly everywhere I went?

I was going to find out for once and for all. I needed some answers.

But first, I thought, yawning, Sleep.

And I did just that.