I close my eyes as I spin around in my swivel computer chair. I need to come up with a lie to get past my overbearing mother...
Or you could just tell her the truth. My subconscious suggests.
I snort, digging my feet into the carpet to halt my spinning. "Not likely." I mutter out loud.
What does Shay want to tell me about herself and why couldn't she just fly here and be a creepy owl like she did the last time?
I stare at the computer screen 'One hour Colby,' the message instructs. I glance down at the time. It has already been fifteen minutes. If I don't make a decision now I'm going to be late and she may leave.
I hop up from my chair and walk purposefully over to my door; closing and locking it, then I head over to my window and open in.
'You're so gonna hear this from your mom if she finds out.' My subconscious sneers.
Thank you for the unnecessary bit of information, I snap and roll my eyes at the overactive sub cortex part of my brain.
'If you want to stop being treated like a kid then maybe you should stop acting like one.' My subconscious is really starting to irk me. I grunt in an attempt to shut off my stupid brain as I climb out the window. I probably should tell my mom where I'm going, but I don't want to risk the chance of her saying no.
I climb down the side of the house and land on the ground with a soft thud. I've got forty-two minutes to get there
—
It takes me exactly thirty one minutes to walk to The Forks from my house. It's a bright sunny day, a couple of clouds scattered here and there in the sky. I glance down at my phone. Shay should be here in less than ten minutes now. I wonder what she's going to tell me.
After yesterday I have so many things I want to ask her, I don't even know where to begin.
"You're early." A familiar voice whispers behind me.
I turn to look at her. She's dressed in a black fitted t-shirt and tight blue jeans with a pair of all black converses, her hair is pulled back in a messy ponytail and her blue eyes are shining in the morning sun.
Se looks amazing.
"Hi." I breathe out.
"Is anyone with you?" She asks, looking around.
"No." I shake my head, confused by the question. Why would anyone be with me?
"Good. Come." She turns on her heels and starts walking towards the crowd of people waiting in line for the food trucks to open.
"Wait." I call out. "How'd you get my email?" I inquire, popping a brow.
"I told you..." She says and turns back around. "I could be a fly on your wall and you'd never know." She adds after a moment then continues her trek towards the food —which smells amazing incidentally.
"Does your stalking know no bounds?" I quip.
She stifles a laugh and with the most serious voice she can muster she turns and replies, "You should feel honored by my stalking... I don't stalk people often," then starts walking again.
I smile at her back and follow towards the trucks. "Are you hungry?" I ask. We've stopped in front of a Mexican food truck.
Shaking her head she says, "Not really."
"Well I'm starving for some reason." I tell her then walk up to the food truck and order enough food to feed three people. We walk over to a nearby bench and take a seat.
"How'd you even email me?" I ask taking a bite of my burrito. I'm sure I didn't see a computer when I was at her cabin.
"I had to go to the library." She replies quickly, staring at me.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing." She shakes her head.
"So why'd you want to meet me?" I ask with a mouth full.
She cringes in disgust, but I can see a smile playing at her lips. "You always eat like that?" She gestures towards my mouth with her hand.
"No." I shake my head. I swallow the food in my mouth and speak, "I don't normally like to eat food at all really." I take another bite—it's delicious. I moan as I chew and swallow the chicken burrito."Want some?" I hold out the half eaten burrito towards her face with a smile. She looks down at it briefly then back up at me.
"No thanks." She smiles and pushes it back towards me.
"Come on, it's delicious." I stand from the bench—placing my quesadilla and taquito down—to move in front of her; my left hand on the arm of the bench and my right holding the burrito. "It's really tasty." I murmur and move the Mexican treat closer to her mouth.
"Colby, stop it!" She chuckles trying to swat my hand away. She flails her arms almost knocking the food from my hand. I recover it quickly and glance up at her with wide eyes.
Her face is mirroring mine. "You did not just almost knock my food out of my hand." I pop a brow.
She smiles and shrugs.
"You shouldn't have been trying to force it down my throat." She says matter-of-factly.
"Shay," I say in a warning tone with narrowed eyes.
"I'm not apologizing, Colby." She smirks and shakes her head.
"You better." I command softly, leaning down closer to her.
"No." She breathes out quietly, the smile still on her lips. I feel like she's challenging me right now; challenging me to make her apologize.
Challenge accepted.
I guess the look in my eyes say challenge because Shay stares at me for a moment then says, "Colby don't you dare," she warns; trying to scoot off the bench under my arm.
"Don't what?" I coo, feigning ignorance.
"Colby I'm serious." Her tone is sterner than before. Clearly she can read my mind right now.
"Shay," I mutter.
"Colby, no!" She shrieks and giggles as she takes off towards the open field behind us. I bite my lip to fight a huge grin—letting her get a head start.
I catch her in no time though—using my super speed to gain the ground she'd covered.
"Colby what are you doing?" She asks with wide alarmed eyes, glancing around us at the dozens of people. "You shouldn't use your powers like that in public. What are you thinking?" She whispers.
I shrug. "Its fine, no one was even watching us."
"You don't know that." She snaps. "You shouldn't..."She trails off, shaking her head. "You don't know who's watching you."
"Alright, alright," I hold my hands up in defeat. "I won't use my powers in public again." She sighs and sits down on the grass. "What's the matter?" I ask taking a seat next to her—forgetting all about my Mexican food I've abandoned on the bench. "Shay?" I move my head to make her look at me. How did we go from playful to whatever this is... in a matter of seconds? "Shay would you tell me what's wrong please? Why are we here? Why am I here? What'd you need to tell me?" I fire off questions, placing the more than half eaten burrito wrapped in foil down on the grass beside me.
"I want to tell you what I know... or what I think I know..." She pauses and closes her eyes.
"You can tell me anything." I explain and in that moment I know it's true.
I haven't known this girl that long but you ever get that feeling that someone is meant to be in your life? That every event leading up to the day you two met was a stepping stone to the present moment? Well that's how I feel with Shay.
I barely know a single thing about her, my brother acts extremely weird around her, I'm not supposed to hang with her kind...but even with all that—I can't imagine not ever seeing her again.
"I," she starts, glancing up at me—the look in her eyes is telling me that whatever she wants to say to me right now is heavy."Do you feel it?" She questions. I'm not sure I understand what she means.
"Feel what?" I question.
"This." She reaches out and places a hand over my heart and for the second time—in the two weeks I've known this girl—my heart feels like its beating.
"Whoa." I breathe out and move back a fraction so her hand isn't touching me anymore. She recoils her hand and pulls it close to her chest.
"Colby you're not...this is..." She sighs. "I should go." She makes a move to stand. "No." I grab her and pull her back down. Electricity surges through my body and again... my heart beats. I pull my hand back. "You're not safe around me." She steps back, out of my reach.
I stand and move in front of her so she can't walk away.
"Don't Colby." She warns when I reach out to touch her again.
"Shay," I close my eyes. I think it's a plea. I'm begging her to explain this to me...tell me something, because I have this overwhelming feeling that she knows exactly what's going on.
"You were followed." She whispers. I open my eyes and she nods her head behind me towards the food trucks. I turn and sure enough my brother is headed this way. I roll my eyes and turn back to Shay to explain to her I had no idea Drake had followed me here but she was already a hundred yards away—headed towards the parking lot on the other side of the park.
Gotdamnit Drake!
I turn back to him and start walking towards him as he walks towards me.
"What the hell are you doing here Drake?!" I shout much louder than intended. But I'm pissed though. Really freaking pissed! I just want one moment of peace from my family; my overbearing mom, my overprotective brother, my reticent father and my over the top sister.
It's all so much to handle and I've been trying to manage it for six hundred and eighty four years.
"What'd I tell you about that girl?" His tone matches mine. He's exasperated, I can tell... but so the hell am I!
"Maybe if you told me why I can't see her I wouldn't be so freaking—"
"It doesn't matter why Colby!" He booms, startling me. "You can't! And if you see her again I'm going to tell mom and dad and you know how they'll handle it. Now let's go." He commands and turns without another word.
I scowl at his back and shake my head. Nothing is going to keep me from seeing Shay, and the more they tell me not to, the more I have to.