Descendant - Archaic #3 (Sample of Published Book)

Chapter 2 - Part 2

The reality of our situation crashed over me like a cold bucket of water and I pulled away from him, breaking our connection.

"I'll be okay," I assured him as I brushed the remaining tears from my face. I couldn't look at him because I was embarrassed that he still had such an effect on me. If he'd kissed me I wouldn't have stopped him.

He nodded his head and watched me with an expression that gave me no way of knowing what he was thinking. There was that awkwardness that I felt when I was around him. It was hard trying to get over someone who was around me all the time.

I walked out of the living room and left him standing there watching me leave. I needed to get away from him for a little bit. In the kitchen I was busy making supper when he walked in.

"What's for supper tonight?' he asked as he sat down by the kitchen table and watched me while I tossed a salad.

"Pasta and salad," I said as I kept my eyes firmly on what I was doing.

"Can I stay for dinner tonight?" he asked. I stopped what I was doing and turned to look at him. Why would he want to stay for dinner? Spending so much time around him was really not good for me at all. I understood he needed to keep me safe but this wasn't helping my already raw heart.

He saw the reluctance in my face.

"I think it's important to spend time with Anne so she learns to trust me. It will make keeping you safe easier for me," he explained. Everything he'd just said made sense but I still didn't want to spend any more time around him than I had to.

"Fine," I gave in. There was no point in being difficult about it.

A little later that evening we were sitting at the table with my grandmother and I was watching him work his magic on her. It didn't take much for him to wrap her around his finger. By the end of dinner he'd accomplished what he'd set out to do and I could see Anne had a new level of respect for him. I bet she trusted him more than she trusted me.

I started to clear the table.

"You need to phone your parents," my grandmother reminded me. It had been a while since I'd last spoken to them. There had been so much going on it was hard trying to hold my normal life down.

"I'll give them a call once I've done the dishes," I told her as I carried the dirty dishes to the sink.

"Go call your dad, I'll do the dishes," Jared offered as he took the dirty dishes from my hands. I could see from Anne's expression he'd just scored some more brownie points.

"Fine," I replied before I walked out of the kitchen. Jared had already started to run water into the sink.

I sat down in the chair beside the landline. I picked up the phone and called my dad. It was good to hear his voice. We talked about the usual topics, including school.

"Your grandmother mentioned you were dating a boy," he said. Technically Jared wasn't a boy and technically we weren't together anymore. I wondered when and how much Anne had told him.

"Yes, I am." The lie was growing. My parents were now becoming a part of my deceit. Despite having to lie, I felt that one day they were going to catch up with me.

"I hope you're being careful," my dad said, sounding a little awkward. I nearly fell off my chair. There was no way I was having this conversation with my dad. I knew about sex and the repercussions of having unprotected sex.

Besides, I was still a virgin but in my dad's mind I was a normal seventeen-year-old girl dating a boy and in this day and age that normally meant we were doing a lot more than holding hands.

"Yes," I replied, feeling so embarrassed and hoping we'd move onto a new subject. I didn't want to explain to my dad that I was still a virgin so I let him believe I was doing what most of the girls my age were.

It didn't help that I got the same speech from my mother a few minutes later. I eased her fears with assurances that we were not that seriously involved. Even after the call ended I still felt so embarrassed.

I walked back into the kitchen and stood in the doorway watching Jared drying the dishes and Anne packing them away.

It was weird to watch him do such a simple household task. While he and Anne talked, oblivious to my presence, I thought back to the conversation with my dad. I wondered if we hadn't broken up and if we had still been together, if I would still be a virgin now. But thinking of that just reopened the rawness of emotion I was still struggling to overcome. I needed to find a way to let go.

"Can I help with anything?" I asked when I entered the kitchen.

"No, we're nearly finished," Jared said as he handed Anne another dry plate. I sat down and waited for them to finish.

"So how's your mom and dad?" Anne asked.

"They're fine."

"Did you guys talk about anything interesting?" she prodded.

I blushed. There was no way I was telling my grandmother what my dad had talked to me about in front of Jared. It was mortifying.

"Nope, nothing interesting," I lied dismissively.

"I'm going to get ready for bed," Anne said before she gave me a goodnight kiss on the cheek.

"It was good to get to know you a little better," she said to Jared with a wink, and he smiled at her.

"Likewise," he replied as he leaned back against the kitchen counter. She left us alone in the kitchen.

An awkward silence settled between the two of us. On my mind were thoughts about the conversation I'd just had with my parents, and my cheeks heated with more embarrassment. Jared watched me with his arms crossed and still leaning against the counter.

"Are you all right?" he asked with concern. "You look a little flushed."

"Yeah... I'm fine. I need to go and get ready for bed," I said, trying to stop myself from blushing more. I stood up.

"Sure, I need to do the same. I'll see you soon," he said and followed me out into the hallway. He made no attempt to kiss me goodbye. It was for the best even though my heart yearned for the brief touch.

Later, I'd settled into my bed and switched off my bedroom light. I knew I was being a coward but it was just easier to pretend I was sleeping when I heard Jared climb through my window.

I heard him move around my room, probably making his bed on the floor. Unexpectedly I heard him walk nearer to where I was lying. I wanted to open my eyes and see what he was doing but I resisted the temptation.

I felt the bed dip as he gently moved me slightly over to the other side. What the hell? He climbed into my bed and I felt him lie down beside me. What was he doing? I continued to pretend to be in a deep sleep.

I felt him pull me toward him so that I was tucked into his side and his chest became my pillow. I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

Ouch! My fingers pinched my skin painfully. It was definitely not a dream. Why was he sleeping in my bed? We'd decided since we'd split it would be better if I slept in my bed and he slept in the makeshift bed on the floor. Maybe he thought I was going to have more nightmares about Kennedy and decided to just sleep in the bed with me to keep the bad dreams away.

This boy was an enigma I just couldn't figure out.

My mind warned me to keep my distance but my heart commanded me to pull him closer. My arms tightened around him and I promised myself I wouldn't let this happen again. This would be the last time I would sleep in his arms like this.

I was sure this was how a druggie felt with wanting just one last hit. He was the drug and I was the addict.