Immortal Bodies

Chapter 4--Isaac's Question

Riley and Christian always walked to school together, every morning. It was some sort of daily ritual that they had created. It was silent as they continued up the road; Riley always watched the birds dart across the sky and the fall trees changing colors in the fall leaves of copper, shimmering gold, and deep red.

"Either you're really quiet or something's happened," Christian commented, interrupting the silence.

"What?" Riley was surprised at the assumption. "No! That's not it at all....I just...." She trailed off, and ended with a sigh.

Christian narrowed his eyes. "Yeah?"

"I saw you talking to that girl....You know, the one that freaked out yesterday? And it's bothering me."

He chuckled. "Oh, I just asked her what she saw."

"What, so you could figure out what I saw, too?"

"N-no! Why would I even do that? That's really low!"

Riley shook her head, laughing. "I'll let this go on one condition."

"Which is?"

"No talking to new girls to figure out my secrets. I saw you grab her, too. That wasn't cool, Christian."

She caught him shoot a glance at her. There was a sort of look on his face, something between sorrow and regret, something she rarely saw on Christian.

They had been best friends ever since she could remember, and had always stuck by each other. Riley rarely ever saw that look on Christian's face--only when he really did feel sorry about something he'd done to her. It was just natural for him to not hurt anyone in a way that he actually hurt someone.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Riley. I won't do it again." They turned the road and took a right, reaching the spacious school yard.

*****

"Thank you for driving me, Uncle Ed," said Annaliese thankfully as she shouldered her book bag and stepped out of the car. Yes--she probably was the only sixteen year old girl without a car, but she managed just fine. She could always walk--but Uncle Ed offered to drive her this morning. He said the movement "cleared his mind."

She saw a familiar face, one of the only ones, as she was making her way through the courtyard. He waved her over, and she went, her heart beating a little faster.

"Hello Isaac," she said with a small smile. "Nice to see someone I actually know."

He chuckled, crossing his arms. "For once. So....Did you see any weird trick-of-the-eye-things last night?"

A shudder went through Annaliese's spine. "Thank God I didn't." Then she noticed something she hadn't before, and it made her narrow her eyes in suspicion. "We established that you're one of those jock guys, right?"

"Right," he replied, a hint of humor touching his voice. "And?"

"And Jock Guys usually have the football team or girls hanging around them. So why are you sitting here like the odd one out? I don't see anyone around you!"

He chuckled. "Well....I wanted to ask you something. And usually when I ask girls stuff I don't have my friends with me." He wrinkled his nose--but in the cute type of way, the type of way that girls are supposed to like.

"Now you're making me nervous," Annaliese joked, though her heart did speed up a little more. She sat down on the bench beside of him, staring about all the chattering high schoolers, laughing, hanging out, waiting for classes to start. The sun was bright overhead in early morning light, and the trees exploded with color around them; leaves fluttered to the ground in a soft breeze that tickled her face. A bird flew over head singing a loud melody.

He sighed. "Let me just get this out. Do you want to go to the Full Moon Assembly with me Friday night?"

"Oh." Annaliese was caught off guard by this question. She'd only known this guy what, a day? And he was already asking her out? And what was the Full Moon Assembly?

Alarm raced into his dark eyes. "Oh?"

"Not like that!" Annaliese assured him. "Of course. Like a date?"

"How about friends?"

She smiled. "I'm more of a friend person anyways."

He smiled, too, obiviously relieved.

"But one more thing," she said nervously, "What is it?"

***

The Full Moon Assembly turned out to be a gathering for the school for friends to talk, hang out, and look at the full moon. They usually had it on the full moon, or the Friday after, once a month. It was pretty cool, Annaliese thought, and as she walked home it left a giddy feeling in her stomach. Her day at school was good, too. No creepy monsters. Not trick of the eye things. Nothing paranormal. And Christian avoided her today, too, in which she guessed was a good sign that she liked to take.

When she reached the nice house on the end of the street, the giddy feeling subsided and in came the strong feeling of nervousness. Often guys had asked her out--she didn't know why--and she always said no because she'd always feel nervous about how it would turn and out, so this was actually her first "friend date."

She opened the door, where her Uncle greeted her with a warm smile. "How was school today? Surely better than yesterday, I hope?"

She took a seat at the kitchen table, "It was great, thanks."

He narrowed his eyes, sitting across from her. "Oh really? Great, I'm glad it wasn't 'alright.' So what made it great?"

What made it good was that she didn't see any monsterish creatures today. But of course she wasn't going to tell him that, though. "Someone asked me to the Full Moon Assembly, this Friday. I said yes, if it's okay with you."

"Of course it's okay!" He said, eyes lighting up with joy. "I've never seen a better opportunity for you to make friends and socialize....I know what that is. AeroRidge has it every month."

She nodded. "I think it's great."

He smiled. "I'm glad."

"Well....How was your day today?" she asked, as it only seemed polite.

Uncle Ed cocked his head. "Okay, I guess. We went to pick up Dylan. We decided he'll start school tomorrow....He's been a little quiet--actually really quiet. And I've noticed he's been peeking in your room a lot today. But don't think much of it. Just do as you usually do....Shut the door if you feel the need."

She went around the table and hugged her Uncle. "Thank you."

And then she raced upstairs, ready for the possible dangers her cousin could give her.