Side Note: This chapter is a short one.
Keith and Kaleb were in the living area sitting next to each other on the olive green L-shaped sofa. They were discussing something that seemed serious, as their facial expressions told me so. I stepped toward them and they both turned their heads at the sight of me. Their concerned faces shifted to joy while they wore smiles on their faces.
"Feel rested?" Keith asked me and I nodded my head in response. I sat down on the cushion that extended outward so I could be directly across from them.
"How'd it go with Debby?" Kaleb chimed in and I smiled while letting out a sigh, leaning back and placing my hands out behind me on the sofa to support my weight.
"It went well. She doesn't blame me and it feels great. I think we're making amends and our friendship will finally be back to how it was," I answered and they both nodded their heads while they listened. "So, I'm happy. Anyway, what were you two just talking about?"
"Our plans going forward. What happened at the football field was Zach's attempt of igniting the war without actually taking the blame for it. Us vampires don't know what to do at the moment except ready our forces," Keith explained as he shifted his weight forward, his right arm laid across his lap with his left one planted on his knee. He rested his chin on his open palm while he gazed down at his feet.
"We don't have any intentions of attacking first. We plan on staying on the defensive side and not doing anything reckless. We've all been on edge, unsure of when the werewolves will strike, but for now, we'll continue to deliberate on our next moves. We have camps and hideouts right now across the state and the nation fully prepared," Kaleb added.
"But we have nothing at this hideout," Keith debated as he let out a worried sigh.
"Correct, but we can handle our own."
I watched as Keith and Kaleb went back and forth. I cleared my throat to turn their attention away. I knew what they were dealing with, and I understood the seriousness of the situation, but I felt as if they needed a break. I didn't want them to stressed. "Well, how about we go do something together? I'm eager to see what's around here."
"We would love to, but we're waiting for Jen to return. We're meeting up with some officials to discuss a few things. We'll be gone for a few days," Keith answered with a sad look on his face. I could tell they both didn't want to leave, but they had to do what they needed to.
"Jen will be gone too?" I asked.
"Yes."
"I thought it was dangerous to leave me and Debby alone together?"
"Georgia will be here and so will Josh. He's coming over tonight."
I remembered how Josh never told Debby that him and Jen were Mates. Now that Debby was a vampire with immense strength and rage, I didn't know how she would handle it when she found out. I fidgeted anxiously as my gaze met my feet. They sensed how I was feeling, but they didn't know exactly what was causing it.
Keith leaned forward to take my hand into his. "You'll be safe. I promise."
"I just don't want you guys to leave.. that's all."
"Only a few days. We will come back, so please don't worry," Kaleb spoke up, his voice gentle and caring with promises in his eyes. I thought they're afraid of me believing they wouldn't come back, considering they were gone and had left me behind for over a year.
There was a bit of a concern buried deep inside me, a doubt that crawled around whispering to me that they wouldn't ever come back. "I know," I responded, my voice quiet. "Can we.. can we just cuddle and watch movies until you leave?" I felt small while sitting in front of them. I finally had the courage to look up at them, but my vision was blurred with tears. I was exhausted, my entire body was exhausted, and I was sick of crying, but there were no other emotions I could've felt in that moment.
"Of course. What kind of movies do you want to watch?" Keith asked as he carefully pulled me into the spot next to him. I nestled myself in between them, my right leg over Kaleb's lap and my head resting on Keith's shoulder.
"I don't know.. Anything."
***
Keith, Kaleb and I spent 4 hours watching movies. I had almost forgotten for a minute that they weren't leaving me that night. It wasn't until Jen strolled into the living room with a serious expression on her face. No words were spoken, they all just glanced around each other and knew it was time.
Kaleb was slowly getting up from his spot, but I quickly grabbed his wrist, stopping him in his tracks. "Rebecca—"
"Be safe. Both of you. Do what you guys need to do, but make it back safely." I pushed through the weakness in my voice and the hard lump in my throat. I pulled Kaleb into a deep, long kiss before letting go of his lips and his wrist. Kaleb fully stood up and I did after. I watched Kaleb follow Jen out the living room and I turned around to see Keith also standing to his feet.
"We love you so much," Keith said as he stepped closer to me. "It truly does hurt us, to leave you like this." His hand trailed up to caress my cheek. We stared into each other's eyes for a moment, trying to listen to our thoughts.
"I love you," I whispered before our lips connected. I placed my hands against his chest and slowly pushed him away. "Now go, before it becomes too unbearable for me."
Keith nodded and walked away. I followed him out the cabin where Jen and Kaleb were waiting by the bottom of the stairs. Josh was leaned up against a tree waiting for them to leave. I didn't know where Debby and Georgia were since I didn't see them inside. I watched as Keith and Kaleb got together and began walking into the distance. It hurt me that they didn't spare another glance at me, but I knew they wouldn't have wanted to make it harder for themselves. I didn't want them to look back either. If they had turned their heads, I would've ran to them and begged them not to go.
Josh and Jen began talking to each other, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. I was about to turn away and walk back inside, but they gave each other a kiss and I froze up. How could they do that right there? Did they not think for a second that Debby could be seeing it all?
I sighed and turned my body away from the sight of Josh and Jen and that's when I saw Debby standing in front of the window from inside, watching the whole thing. "Shit," I said out loud with my eyes widened. "Debby!" I rushed to talk to her, but she quickly disappeared.
I thought she wasn't inside. I didn't think she would have seen that. I whipped my head around and saw Jen and Josh standing there with worried looks on their faces. They should be worried. Debby was now a vampire, and she could do some real damage. I glared at them and then raised my finger, pointing it at Josh.
"This wouldn't have had to come to this, if you had just told her the truth!" I shouted at him, before storming away into the cabin, slamming the door shut behind me. I called Debby's name a few times as I walked around. There was no answer from her and I stood in the hallway, unsure of what to do. Before I gave up on looking for her, I heard crying coming from her bedroom and I quickly went in there.
She was sitting on the floor, her knees to her chest and her head lowered. She was violently sobbing and I dropped right next to her, pulling her into a hug, but she pushed me away. Her strength was a little too much, and I ended up slamming into the wall.
"How long did you know about this?" She asked me as she looked up, anger in her eyes.
"I.." I couldn't lie to her. "For a while now, Debby."
"And you didn't tell me?"
"It wasn't my place. Jen and Josh are Mates, what the fuck could I possibly do about that?"
"Not your place, Becky? That's some bullshit! You had every right to tell me. You were my best friend, how could you do that?"
"Were?" I repeated with disappointment and shock.
"Yeah, Beck. Were. You had me turned into a vampire and kept a huge secret from me, knowing I was in love with Josh. You really think you can just keep that title?"
"I thought you came to terms with being a vampire. You forgave me for that, or did you forget?" I wasn't even hurt anymore, now I was completely furious. I stood up from where I was pushed and I glared at her. "And for the Josh shit, I was going to tell you, but you almost died and you were in the middle of fucking nowhere with Jen. How the FUCK was I supposed to tell you?!"
"You're a bitch, Rebecca," Debby said angrily as she stood her feet as well. "I could kill you right now."
"Then fucking do it."
We stared at each other after I said that with dead silence engulfing us. After another moment had passed, she scoffed and turned her gaze away from me. "I can't believe I trusted you," she muttered as she walked past me and out the room.
I wasn't even going to try to go after Debby. She made it pretty clear to me. Just when I thought Debby and I were doing really well, and our relationship repaired, it had to fall apart into pieces again. The worst part was, I couldn't even run to Keith and Kaleb for their comfort or support.
They were gone..