The Second (The Immortal Prophecies: Book I)

II. Lincoln

One question. Can't be that hard to answer, now could it?

Ah, don't push yourself, Linc, that kind of effort is reserved for a real man. Then again, you wouldn't want to be answering the type of question that asks what in the hell you plan to do when school ended--yeah, because piano playing without pay every so often is the life, not that I don't happen to enjoy it. Or answering what color underwear it was the last time you had as much luck as a frigging relationship (no comment).

Come on, I use a mirror to go and see my grandfather, who died about the same time an entire economy went to the dirt. Not to mention I get to hear people's opinion just by staring at then while they keep their mouths shut and flash a smile at whoever they happen to be monolog-ing about. How the hell do you explain that to someone?

Apparently you don't, or can't, the line that separates the two is a little unclear. So what you do is hide out under where they least expect you and try to figure out where to go from point B to point C. Genius! Just ignore the bumps in the road stabbing your feet and carry on. What's the worse that could happen?

***

Taking my time to reach her room, I made mental notes on how to talk to her right. Seeing the way she took what we told her makes me think there were issues. It was a bit hard to swallow, and no one is an exception, trust me. I did notice a glint of hurt when we mentioned her family, and the confusion she kept secret in her thoughts.

As I was fixing to open the door to retrieve her, the door nearly smacked me in my face when she flung it open, jostling herself backwards until it was too late for me to move out of the way. Her back hit my chest first, and with the pretty powerful momentum, I stumbled with my feet, quickly wrapping my arms around her waist to--I guess keep her from falling, but unfortunately dragged us down to the floor, her glossy red hair becoming the resting place for my nose.

Well, it was a better intro than yesterday.

"Ow. What's going on?" I asked, my voice muffled through her waves, me struggling to spit them out. Breaking free of my hold hastily, she scurried to her feet, hyperventilating while I stayed dumbfounded on the floor.

"The-the Adder's still in there," she exasperated breathlessly. That got me off the ground at record speed, hoping my explanation didn't draw more of her funny looks to me.

"I can tell you right now, without looking in your room that there's nothing in there, trust me." We both had to be patient, came the thought as I shifted between her and the door. "When it happened to me, I saw a rabid dog, ready to attack me--they're hallucinations." Making an entrance, she followed me inside, and we crept to the corner of the bed where the supposed snake was. Animal Planet didn't tell me anything about rubber making up skin, however, only that snakes weren't part of the animals that had it.

And jutst about every other living creature.

Realization hit her when we heard snickers a few doors down the hall, with a slamming sound drowning it out after a few moments. She eased her tension and maintained her breathing, while I let go. Stitching the pieces together, her attitude just now when I touched her was more understandable.

"Very charming, Theo," she called out, sarcasm dripping from her voice. It took me while to process before my face dropped.

"Fake, right?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Thankfully. He always had a nack for arsing around, so this isn't the first time." It showed, too. The way she rolled her eyes and seemingly forgot what happened moments earlier, a bit of respect grew for her in the way she brushed it off. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.