Changed [Watty Awards 2013]

23. Wake

He chuckled.

“It went fine surprisingly. I have to say,” I put a hand on my hip, “your mother is very good at acting. I would’ve thrown up if I were her.”

Nick grimaced. “Please refrain from talking about my mother trying to be seductive. It’s not the prettiest sight ever.”

My mother came out of the bathroom, her long brown hair dripping wet from a shower. I was surprised to find her here. I had thought she was going to stay at Noah’s. She smiled when she saw me.

“I brought the box, hon. It’s in your room.”

I looked at Nick. “I have a room here?”

He nodded. “You’re still a part of the Pack. Of course you have a room. You and Matt share it, obviously.”

He pointed me up to my room and I led Matt up with me. I laid down on the bed and sighed in contentment. Matt reached over and opened the lid on the box, looking at all of the pictures. He chuckled and showed me the picture of my parents kissing.

“This one looks like something we’d do.”

I laughed and sat up. “Yeah, that’s what I said to Mom.”

Matt put the pictures back and grabbed my hands. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you when everything with Doug happened. I had no idea that he was my grandfather, and frankly, I’m happy he’s dead. He got what he deserved.” He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “All we have to do is wait for Noah to make the move and everything will be over. Hopefully that move is tonight.”

“What time is your flight?” I asked as I bit my lip. I didn’t want him to leave me alone. I felt vulnerable whenever Matt wasn’t around. Even though I was with the Pack, I would never truly feel safe without him around.

“Ten.” He kissed me softly. “I really wish you could come with me.”

“At least I’ll be able to go to all of your games for free.” I winked.

He laughed. “Using me for free Leaf games, huh?”

“Even though the team is crap.”

He feigned hurt. “You are talking about my team. How dare you say that?”

“Easily,” I smiled, “I have all the stats.”

We bickered back a forth about the stats for a while. When eight o’clock rolled around, the smell of dinner wafted up into our room and my stomach grumbled. We walked downstairs to see Chinese food scattered all over the kitchen table. I licked my lips and piled up my plate.

Nine o’clock came and went as we all sat in the living room watching TV. When eleven o’clock rolled around, everyone was exhausted. Eventually, everyone went to bed with anguish. We were all upset about Noah not showing up. Matt, Jared and I were still up watching the television when I yawned.

“I’m going to go to bed.”

Matt agreed with me.

“Are you coming up, Jared?” I asked, looking over my shoulder.

“Nah,” he waved us off, “I’ll keep watch just in case.”

We shrugged and went into our room, collapsing onto the bed and let sleep take over us.

*  *  *

I woke up at one o’clock with a nagging feeling in my stomach. Something was wrong—very wrong. I quietly walked out of the room and padded down the hall. I glanced over the railing of the stairs and saw Jared sleeping on the couch with the TV still on.

I sighed and walked over to him. I shook his shoulder gently.

“Jared,” I said. “C’mon, you can go sleep in your room.”

He neck lolled to the side at an impossible angle. My stomach dropped and my heart fluttered. No. I shook his shoulder more and he wouldn’t budge.

I took a shaking hand and opened one of his eyelids, his eyes were lifeless. A sob escaped my chest as I checked for a pulse. Nothing.

I backed away from him and sunk down onto my knees, barely breathing. Jared’s dead. I stared at Jared’s lifeless body as sobs racked my body. A yellow sticky note was on the table. I reached across and grabbed it. My breath caught in my throat as I read it. He was on to us.

*  *  *

I ran up into Nick’s room, tears still running down my face. I looked at him, scared that if I shook him, he wouldn’t wake up like his brother. I stood beside the bed and gently shook Nick’s shoulder.

“Nick,” the words were a sob.

He bolted up right in bed and looked at me. His hand reached out and brushed away my tears. “What’s wrong?”

I shakily held up the yellow post-it note. After he read it, his face paled and he ran past me down the stairs and tried to shake his older brother awake.

“Wake up, dammit!” He yelled. “Wake up!”

I ran down and stood beside him. “Nick…”

“Jared!” He screamed. “Wake the hell up! It isn’t funny!”

“Nick!” I grabbed his arm and spun him around. His eyes were red and puffy, his face was tear stained.

He yanked free of my grasp and grabbed Jared’s shoulders, shaking him again. “Please, please, please wake up, Jare. Please.” It broke my heart to see him like this. He looked so lost and confused, unsure of what had happened.

Eric, Emily and Kyle all came downstairs, hearing Nick’s screams. Eric was the first one down. As he rounded the couch and saw Jared, he was frozen in place, his face full of guilt and mourning. As Emily came around to see what happened, Eric spun around and held her back.

“No, baby. I don’t want you to see.”

Emily peeked over Eric’s shoulder and gasped, her hand over her mouth. She shoved Eric aside and ran over to Jared. She grabbed his face in her hands as the tears finally escaped. It hadn’t happened that long ago. His skin was still warm and his body was still soft. It must have happened twenty minutes before I woke up.

Kyle sunk down beside his mother and youngest brother as he stared at his brother’s corpse. Kyle’s nostrils flared as he looked at Jared. When his gaze snapped up to mine, I felt ice surge through my veins.

“Get out.” He pointed at the front door.

“Kyle…” Nick said. “It’s not her fault.”

“The hell it isn’t!” He stood up. “If you hadn’t joined the Pack, my little brother would still be alive and Noah wouldn’t have done this! You just brought more danger to us! I cannot believe this.”

“I—”

“Just go.” Kyle yelled.

Matt came up behind me and wrapped his arm around my waist, leading me outside. I couldn’t get Noah’s message out of my head.

Watch who you mess with.

A/N: I cried while writing this. This chapter broke my heart. </3 Picture of Jared is on the side <3