"What's going on Minnow?" Jamie finally asked after watching the road intently for several minutes.
"I don't know what your talking about, your the one acting crazy." She gave me a long look and nodded at my clueless expression.
"I'll take you home."
"I thought you were. I have to face my family sooner or later anyway." And you are acting really weird today and I have had enough weird to last me years.
"That's what I meant, what's going on with your family?"
"Nothing much, Cale and my dad have to go away for a few weeks and I wanted to go with them." I lied not knowing what to say to her, like I could ever tell her the truth.
We drove the rest of the way in silence and when she pulled in my drive way she got out. I thought she was going to help me with my bags as they were all jumbled together with hers even more so now as she drove like a person possessed, while I white knuckled it most of the way here.
I was wrong, she didn't help me but headed for my front door, "Hey, what about my bags," I called after her when I heard her car honk.
"Later," she called over her shoulder and ran up the walk to my front door.
I followed when I realized she was serious, I met her at the door and she was tapping her foot like I kept her waiting for an hour instead of a minute, "Do you have to pee?" I asked as I tried the door which was locked. I rummaged through my purse for my keys but stopped when the front door opened and my mom greeted us.
"We need to talk," Jamie said to my mom as she walked passed her and into the house. My mom and I followed Jamie into the living room where Jamie turned and faced us right away.
I knew Jamie was going to say something about the mall, and with everything else that is going on right now some guy that looked at me the wrong way was at the bottom of my list of things I wanted to talk about.
"I think you need to get Mr. Swift, he needs to hear what I have to say." Jamie said politely to my mom. Mom looked to me but I shrugged my shoulders I had no clue what has gotten into Jamie.
"Okay," My mom and and left the room with a worried look on her face.
I turned on Jamie, "What the hell has gotten into you today?" But before Jamie could answer my mom was back with my dad and Cale.
"What's wrong Jamie? Everything okay at home?" My dad asked as they all settled into the room.
"Everything is fine sir, it's about what's happening here."
"Is this about the guy at the mall Jamie, because if it is I think you are over reacting."
"What guy at the mall?" My dad asked as he and Cale sat on the couch and my mom took the leather chair across from them.
"Just some guy. Jamie didn't like the way he was looking at me. She's making a big deal out of nothing."
"It's not nothing Minnow, I think it is very important."
"Tell me why this man has got you so upset Jamie." When Jamie didn't say anything right away and my dad asked if she was okay. Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks she's not acting like her self.
"I can't really say, do any of you have some thing to say. Like why Mrs. Swift and Cale were so adament on talking to Minnow this morning." The room remained quite.
"Oh for Christ sakes, I know," she said staring at my parents.
"Know what, Jamie." My dad asked.
She sighed, "The man that was staring at Minnow at the mall was a vampire." When no one said any thing and just stared at her, she growled deep in her throat in response to the quite room.
"You have told Minnow that you are all vampires, right."
When the room still remained silent she added. "I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Swift if i'm being rude but we have no time for games," she looked at me and continued, "I've known you all were vampires since I was thirteen, when I began the change. Let me tell you it took awhile because you all don't smell right and you hide it very well but with a little help from my uncle I confirmed it."
"Okay," was all my dad said.
"What do you mean okay, dad," I said as I turned to Jamie, "Your telling me that when you got your period you could smell vampires. Jamie, that's ridiculous."
She smiled brightly at me, "It's not ridiculous, if you are a werewolf."
"A what?"
"I'm a werewolf, Minnow. I had my first change at age thirteen." I didn't know what to say to her so I turned on my parents.
"Did you two put her up to this to make fun of me because I don't think this is very funny."
"Minnow they didn't put me up to anything, I really am a werewolf." I was just about to go off on her that if this was one big elaborate joke that they are all playing on me I was going to scream and never speak to any of them again. I stood up but my dad told me to sit my ass back down and and said that if I ever talked to him or my mom like that again he would show me scary vampire.
When I sat my dad turned to Jamie, "Jamie, I need you to tell me everything that you can remember about the vampire you saw at the mall. Sydney can you get us something to drink and a snack. Cale get my address book as I'm going to need to make some phone calls."
I watched Jamie and my dad talk and for the life of me I couldn't think of her as anything else but the girl that I had met when I was seven. She was the kindest person I know besides my parents, but I didn't know if I could get over any of their lies or the fact that all the fictional characters I've read about are coming to life whether I want them to or not. Next thing you know I will be seeing leprechaun dancing outside my window on St.Patricks Day.
My attention snapped back to the conversation with my dad asking Jamie a question I really wanted to know the answer to. "Jamie," my dad said, "tell me did you see if he had any tattoos or piercings and can you tell me what he smelt like."
"Well, I can tell you he was at least six foot two, two hundred and fifteen pounds, he wore all black with wrap around shades. I couldn't see any tattoos or piercing but I got his scent pretty clearly. He didn't smell like you or Mrs.Swift or even Cale he smelled like cedar and lilacs which really smells bad together. You and Mrs. Swift smell bad too but your smell is synthetic." My dad raised an eye brow at her statement but he didn't say anything. "That didn't come out right, its just that you two don't smell fresh." My dad laughed and smiled at her.
"Sorry wrong words again."
"It's okay Jamie. I know what you are trying to say."
"Well at least someone knows what she's trying to say, I didn't get anything out of what she said." Jamie glared at me.
"Don't look at me like that, I can only look at you that way since I have never lied to you."
"Minnow," my mom said from the door way. "Jamie could no more tell you she was a werewolf then you could of told her that your family are vampires, now apologize."
I knew my mom was right and I did feel bad for saying that to Jamie and when I looked at her face tears sprang to my eyes. I hated how I was feeling but I felt betrayed but I knew in my heart that none of them would keep something this important from me unless they had to especially Jamie.
"Sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me."
She told me it was alright and gave me a big hug then sat down beside me on the couch. Cale came over and put the address book down on the coffee table but moved it when my mom gave him a dirty look and he moved it so my mom could put the tray of drinks and snacks on the table.
"Oh chocolate chip cookies my favorite." Jamie said as she grabbed two and stuffed them in her mouth.
"You don't know how glad I am that you know what I am now, I don't need to starve myself." She said around the two cookies still in her mouth and was reaching for another one.
"Well I think that's good enough for now but if you think of anything else Jamie let me know, we will leave the two of you alone. I think you two need to talk and Minnow your mom and I still need to talk to you about everything."
"I know, I really am sorry about what happened this morning but I don't want any of this to be real. I know that sounds bad but I can't get my brain to recognize what has been told to me in the last however many hours or the show you put on last night." My mom came over and hugged me tight.
"It's okay honey." My mom said into my hair. "I'm sorry too Minnow, for that as well, I should have realized that you would need more time to digest everything before I showed you a sample of what being a vampire means."
"It's okay mom, I think I'm going to need as much time as you can give me."
"Let's hope we have the time for you to get use to it." My mom let go of me an left the room with my dad and Cale which left Jamie and I left alone for the second time since I found out she was a werewolf. I didn't know how to start a conversation with her even thought I've talked to her everyday for over ten years. It's funny how one word or sentence could change everything, even the way I looked at her seemed to change.
"Sorry," I finally said after five minutes.
"I'm sorry too Minnow, for everything."
"Me too."
"What show did your mom put on last night."
"Oh she jumped up on the chandelier and hissed down at me."
"Cool," she said and we dropped into silence again. "Minnow if your just going to sit there and stare at me as if I just ate a bunny, I might as well leave."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare."
"It's okay."
"But since you mentioned it, Do you eat bunnies?" I said smiling at her.
"Minnow when I change I hunt, just leave it at that."
"I think that might be a good idea, you eating any kind of red meat seems funny."
"Actually, rabbit is white meat, it's like chicken."
"Oh," I said which made Jamie sigh.
"Minnow, what's wrong and I know it's not my eating habits?"
I didn't know how to explain what I was feeling but Jamie needed to know how I was feeling if we were ever to get back to the way we used to be. I needed to get this off my chest since this whole vampire thing and her being a werewolf was finally sinking in.
"It's just hard finding out that your family are a bunch of vampires and your best friend turns into a wolf and eats small animals. The worst part is knowing that you all can kill me with the flick of your wrist."
"Only for a little while longer, you should start the change soon. Maybe six month to a year can't really tell by the smell of you. You don't smell like your parents or brother."
"Apparently, Cale has more vampire DNA in his blood cells then I do. So my dads not even sure if I will change and Cale is taking longer then they thought he would."
"How long does it normally take for a vampire to change?"
"I have no clue, as you know I only found out yesterday and I not sure if my dad told me or not. I only remember bits and pieces of our conversation last night as I was still freaked out about what my mom did."
"I can see that, but we still need to know whats going on."
"I'm not sure I want to know whats going on."
"What else do you remember your dad saying last night?"
"Not much, I wasn't really paying attention. I do know that Cale and my dad are leaving tomorrow though and something about my mom and I following after prom."
"What? Why do you have to leave you haven't turned yet and I don't see the point of Cale and your dad leaving over some guy at the mall. Yeah, he seemed dangerous and you need to be careful now that a vampire has sensed you but they don't know anything about this guy so why not just hang around the house for a few weeks, until everything blows over." Both Jamie and I turned to the door as my dad came in.
"That's just it Jamie, things that involve vampires don't just blow over. I found out who the vampire was at the mall." My dad said as he walked further into the room. "He works closely with one of my friends back east which is a good thing as he held back some information from the horde but he did report what he witnessed at the mall and his description of you Minnow was spot on. It was good that he didn't know what you were so that part didn't get back to the horde. He also said the smell of werewolf was to strong to get an actual scent from you, but to be on the safe side my contact wants you and mom back east. If we are are all back their maybe they won't send out vampires to investigate. They have noticed Cale as I could not shield him like your mom and I shield ourselves from them. He just changed to fast that is the reason your brother and I were leaving was yo protect you Minnow."
"Investigate what? I am not a vampire and mom will protect me."
"That she would Minnow with her dying breath. See that's the point Minnow out here there's no one to protect you two, back east I have friends and most of them aren't to nice."
"I can't leave in two days what about prom"
"Sorry Minnow our lives are more important the some dance."
"But, I already put a down payment on the dress and Jamie's uncle has rented a limo for that night."
"Sorry, Minnow this is the way it has to be. I won't take any chances with my family. You need to go pack what you can, things can change quickly. You need to be prepared to leave at a moments notice."
"What about school and Jamie?" I asked staring at my dad then looked to my mom who just entered the room.
"Mom," I said my voice sounding shrill even to me.
"I'm sorry Minnow, but your dad is right. I just checked your iphone Maxwell your contact back east texted saying that Minnow and I should leave right after we drop you off at the air port."
"What I can't be ready by tommorrow."
"Minnow you need to go pack, now." My dad said as he left the room. My mom followed but stopped in the doorway.
"Jamie would you like to stay for dinner."
"Yes Mrs.Swift, if that is okay." She said looking as stunned as I felt.
"I wouldn't have asked if it wasn't, dinner won't be for a while."
My mom left Jamie and I alone, "Come on, I'll help you pack. You couldn't pack properly if your life depended on it."
"Maybe it does."
"It will be fine Minnow your dad won't let anything happen to you." She grabbed my hand and pulled me up off the couch and the stairs. Her words sounded good to my ears but I wasn't convinced and for the hundredth time today my stomach sank to my feet.