Collide

Chapter Nineteen

“What are you doing here?” I asked him, looking around the area. This town was across the state from where I lived now. It wasn’t exactly a place he’d just coincidentally show up at.

He smiles, walking over closer to me. “I needed to talk to you.”

I bite my lip, walking out of the water and onto the sand, purposefully walking past him to create some distance between us both. “How did you get here?”

His lips tighten into a thin line as he looks past me towards the large rocks. “I teleported.” He finally states, shrugging.

I can feel my heart rate picking up as I stare at him, trying to comprehend what he was saying. “You… you what?”

I watch as he suddenly disappeared from his place, only to appear again right in front of me, causing me to jump back in shock. He laughs, his head tilting to the side. “What, you thought you were the only one who could do that?” he smiles, reaching out and running a finger down my cheek before dropping it to his side. “Oh wait, then there’s Zayn too…”

I continue to stare at him, my jaw opening slightly. I didn’t know what to say, or even what to think. Derick was a jumper too? How long had he known Zayn and I were as well?

He laughs at my expression, but he doesn’t say anything as he waits for me to speak.

“So…” I whisper, biting on my lip as I tried to process what he’d told me. “So you’re a jumper too?” he nods. “That means Zayn’s wrong then… Your soul is good or whatever, Zayn told me about how jumpers have good souls. I don’t really know about it really well but I’m pretty sure that means you’re a good person. I’ll have to tell Zayn that, he doesn’t like me hanging out with you.” I look back at Derick and realize I’ve begun rambling; probably saying more than I needed too.

Derick rolls his eyes, “Of course Zayn doesn’t like me. He never has.”

“You two know each other?” I ask him.

Derick shrugs, “Yeah we do. Zayn just doesn’t know that he knows me.”

“I don’t get it.” I mutter, looking down. I’m not sure that I wanted to.

“I’ve known Zayn for centuries. I’ve known Zayn in his past lives, before he was even Zayn; just like I’ve known you.” He says calmly. His eyes are on my face, watching as my mouth drops open in shock.

What the hell? “How does Zayn not know you?” I force the question out.

He smiles and I watch as his body suddenly morphs into a new person and I scream. “My power is to mess with people’s minds. I can make you believe you’re seeing something when really, it isn’t there.” I watch as his face turns back to the Derick I recognize. “You think you see the boy with blonde hair and blue eyes that wears glasses, but really you’re just seeing what I want you to see.”

“Then how do you know us? And why do you always change forms to Zayn?” I ask him.

He shakes his head, “Doesn’t matter. All that matters right now is I need you to come with me.”

I shake my head, “I can’t right now. I need to get back home and find Zayn. I’m sure he’s heading to school and when he gets there and I’m not there he’ll come looking for me.” I try to explain.

Derick smiles, “That wasn’t a suggestion. You don’t really get a choice in this, Ronnie. You’re coming with me.” His voice has turned cold now.

My mind flashes back to my dream again and I think about what Derick said about Zayn. Zayn always hated him. Zayn told me Derick gave him a bad feeling. “If you can mess with people’s minds… Then can you mess with their dreams?”