(Book 1)I Have Chemistry With My Tutor

Chapter 14. Ashes to Ashes, Dawn to Dusk

                        Chapter 14. Ashes to Ashes, Dawn to Dusk

        "Andrea!" Mum's voice woke me up early this morning.  Monday morning, parent/teacher conference break day.  I wanted to sleep in.  I had no boyfriend to meet, he was probably on his way to work, I had no school to attend, and no friends to meet up with, Hanako being at her Aunt's.  I wanted to sleep.  I peeked at my clock which only said 8:37.  Ugh...

        I rolled over on the bed and covered myself with the sheets. "It's parent teacher conference! Ugh!" I groaned.  "Two more hours please!" I shouted to my mom.

        "Andrea!" This time mum's voice was outside my bedroom door.  I looked over to Tanya's bed and it was messy and empty.  I wonder where she was off to this early.  She usually slept in, too.  When my bedroom door opened, mum blasting in, I shot up on my bed.  She ran over to my bed and started slapping the bed covers in a mommy frenzy.  "Get up!"

        "What?" I said sleepily, wiping my eyes with the back of my hands.

        "It's Mr. Daugherty's house. It's been burned down."

        'Things are starting to heat up.' The words Asmodeus had said to me last night rang in my ears.  Oh my god... No...

        I breathed out slow, panicked breaths.  A sickening thud pressed into me, like gravity wanting me to sink to the floor.  Fear gripped me.  Is Seamus okay?!  Was he hurt in the fire?  "Mum... is Seamus alright?  Is he okay?"

        "Oh, he's fine, dear.  But he has 2nd degree burns and-"

        "He got burnt?!" I freaked out, the panick shooting me up from my bed.  I flurried around the room, struggling to pull on some leggings and a skirt.  "I have to go see him."

        "He insisted he not go to the hospital.  He's right downstairs and won't leave until you see him.  So get dressed and see him."

        That stopped me dead in my tracks, a sock halfway on my feet suspended in the air as I stood still.  He's right downstairs.  Seamus, or Asmodeus...? I gulped.  "I'll be dressed in a few.  Are you still going to Sears?"

        "Yes... I have to leave in just a minute.  Dress faster so he won't have to be by himself while I go.  He has no place to go, and you were the first person he thought of to contact.  Isn't that nice?  Well, considering his own relatives live 50 miles away, it makes sense.  I tried to convince him to go to the doctor, but he is more stubborn than you are, Andrea.  I already dressed his wounds and gave him some breakfast.  Please, keep him company while I'm at Sears.  If you can convince him to see the doctor better than I can, please do so."

        "Alright, alright, I got it, mum." I rushed over to mum and gave her a big hug.

        "Okay, just making sure.  Oh, also.  Do the laundry later.  It's dark clothes today. No putting the whites in with the darks.  Your dad's socks turned stained wine last week!"

        I laughed and my cheeks flushed, remembering how distracted I was doing laundry the other night.  "Oops.  Go go get outta here!" I ushered mum out of my room.

        "Bye, honey!"

        "Bye, mum!" I shut my door and got dressed.  Good thing I took 'had' a shower last night, and took another one when he brought me home.  I was anxious to see Seamus so soon after last night.  Even more so that he was injured and his house was burnt down!  It was too much to handle.  House burnt down?!  So scary.  I couldn't imagine what it must be like.