Chapter 26
Let's just say sleep did not like me very much. Right around midnight I woke up with tears springing to my eyes, and a churning stomach. I didn't know why I had this feeling, but I did. I sat up to go get a drink, but froze seeing the large room I used to live in until I was 12. I rubbed my eyes, willing them to show me my dark messy room at home. I removed my fists from my eyes, to still see the dark room I once lived in.
I suddenly remembered everything, and my turning stomach and tears returned. I got out of bed to go get that drink I wanted, and to distract myself from thinking too much. I found some socks, and slipped them on to save my feet from the cold floors. I quietly made my way to the door, and opened it up with a loud squeak.
I tiptoed down the stairs, and into the kitchen. I rummaged around in the cabinets, until I found a glass. I pulled out the milk bottle, and poured some into my glass. While pouring I heard a creak from the old floor boards echo around the house. I froze, with the milk still tilted, but no longer pouring. This time I heard the hinges of a door squeaking open. I set down the milk, and walked over to the doorway.
I peered out into the dark hallway, to see nothing there. I turned to look at the cold inviting glass of milk waiting for me on the counter. I looked back at the dark hallway, just as another creak echoed the house. I left my post by the doorway, and headed down the dark hallway, lit only by the dim lights from above the counter tops in the kitchen.
I checked in the dining room first. I saw nothing in there, but the long tables and rows of chairs. I turned back around to let out a startled scream, and sidekick the intruder behind me, knocking the person to the ground. When I realized who it was, I couldn't help the long string of apologies that left my mouth.
"Here you go," Emily said handing a cup of relaxing herbal tea to me. I took a sip, involuntarily burning my tongue. I choked up a cough before setting down the cup to cool off. Emily came over and sat down beside me. She held an ice pack to her upper thigh, that was starting to swell.
"I am so sorry again!"
"It's fine hon. At least I know you could take on any intruder. So would you like to tell me why you were up?"
"I couldn't sleep," I rushed out. I grabbed the small cup of hot tea forcefully, and buried my face into it. My hair also created an awesome curtain to block my face with.
"I feel so bad about what happen to you. I still don't understand why after all those years you ended up back here," She sighed, before mumbling something and taking a sip of tea. I too took a small sip before setting it down.
"It's really complicated, but I understand it at least," I said.
"Would you like to explain, because I would love to understand!" She said frustrated and pissed off.
For the first time I wanted to pour out everything. Just tell someone every little secret I kept. Every reason for those secrets. Everything. It bared down on me so heavily for so long. I wanted to do nothing but talk until well after the sun had risen into the sky. I wanted to tell no matter who it was to.
"It's complicated," I said before even realizing that the words had slipped my lips. No, why? I wanted to tell, and that was my chance. No. I didn't want to tell anyone, I wanted to tell that one special person. Reveal all of my problems to him until the morning. Share every problem that made me who I am now. Have him comfort and protect me.
"I see..." she said slowly, probably trying to understand the messed up look on my face caused by many thoughts buzzing around.
"I completely understand the situation, but I wish I didn't have to. I wish I could still be with my family, in my room sleeping peacefully. I wish... But not all wishes come true," I finished in a whisper before bursting into tears.
Emily pulled me onto her lap, while trying to comfort me. I fell asleep in her arms after an hour or so of crying.
I woke up the morning with no Emily in sight. I found the cooking lady starting breakfast, of eggs and toast, in the kitchen. I ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, to see if anyone else was awake. I opened the bedroom door, to find four girls in different processes of getting up. Some just sitting on their beds, looking lost, others stretching at the foot of their bed. The auburn girl wasn't even close to getting out of bed, with her head stuffed underneath her blankets.
"Hey, where were you?" the always cheerful Abby asked.
"I fell asleep on the couch downstairs." She raised a questioning eyebrow, but didn't proceed with an interrogation. She just started to get ready.
I pulled on a pair of dark jeans from the suitcase. Now for a shirt. I searched all around trying to find a shirt, when I came across a pink bag that still held the clothes Kathleen had given to me. I dumped the bag onto my bed, revealing a cute off the shoulder scarlet top with a large cracked black heart on the front. Appropriate top, huh? I pulled it on, and found my black nearly knee high boots to pair with the outfit.
I put on a light layer of makeup, but a lot of black eyeliner on my waterline to really make my eyes pop. My hair I left in it's natural waves for. I felt ready to go, so I grabbed my bag and headed down.
I was the last one to reach the table, so when I entered every girl turned to stare. I awkwardly took my seat by Emily. Emily stood up, and introduced me.
"This is Eliana. She will be staying with us for a while." Short and to the point. Oh Emily, how I've missed you.
Sitting down at the table, pushing around my eggs on my plate, I realized that something had changed inside of me. The way that my heart felt empty, it was different than usual. It no longer ached for my mate, only for my family. What had happen to me had put things into perspective for me. I realized that I no longer yearned for my mate, all I cared for was my family.
With this change of heart I realized how much I was pissed at my mate. He yelled at me, and then went off and slept with some bimbo. Probably just to make himself feel better. Oh I was going to make him suffer now. I smirked down at my breakfast before eating it all up. I must have realized this this morning, which is why I must have dressed this way.
Once breakfast was over, I ran upstairs to go grab my i-pod that I had forgotten by my bed. The other girls were all rushing around the room, finishing up. I then followed them down , and out the door? We never left without Emily, who would always drive us to school. I noticed that we were heading over to another group of teens waiting at the corner of the street.
"Where are we going?" I asked Abby.
"Waiting for the bus of course," She said before grabbing my arm and pulling me up to a girl waiting at the stop.
"Hey Abby," the girl waved. "Who's this?" She asked.
Everyone, all 8 other people, at the bus stop turned around to look at me.
"This is Eliana, she just arrived last night."
One of the girls at the stop looked me up and down like a piece of meat. When her eyes landed on my face, I raised an eyebrow at her. She flipped a lock of stick straight light brown hair, before giving me a sickly sweet smile.
"It's nice to meet you Eliana. I'm Jenna," She said holding out her hand for me to shake. I glared at it, so she dropped it before marching away to that girl in the orphanage that looked like a valley girl.
I then turned around to face the road, completely ignoring everything around me. After a few minutes of this I got fed up, and sat down on the sidewalk by the girl with the auburn hair.
"I never did catch your name," I said.
She smiled at me before answering. "Hailey. So will you ever tell me why your here?" She asked me.
"Nope," I said popping the P.
"I'll keep on trying though."
"Ha, good luck."
"Bus!" somebody from the stop yelled. I turned to look up and see a large yellow school bus heading our way. I stood up and got into the back of the line right behind Abby.
"Emily told me to take you to the front office" Abby said.
I nodded. When I got on the bus, it was filled with chatter and kids throwing things around. You have got to be kidding. If I ended up making it to school without killing anyone it would be a miracle. I scanned the seats, looking for a familiar face. Everyone was looking at me curiously, but none of them seemed to recognize me. I sat down by Abby, and started listening to my music.
The ride, though insufferable, passed by quickly. When we arrived, Abby headed towards the office with me in tow. Inside the office behind a large desk, sat a lady with short dyed blond hair, that did nothing to hide the grays. Before her was a tall boy, with a heap of blond hair.
Her eyes flickered from the boy to me.
"Ah, you must be the new girl... um, Eliana?" She said holding up a sheet of paper in the air in front of her face.
"Yep."
The boy turned around to see who this new girl was, but froze. A grin filled his face as he grabbed me into a large bear hug. I couldn't help laughing with excitement.
"Daniel!" I screamed when he set me down. It was none other than the same Daniel that had been one of my few friends when I used to go here. He had also left me to walk alone at five in the morning in the rain just a few weeks ago.
I slapped his arm. It was a loud stinging one.
"Ouch! What was that for?" He asked, looking like a wounded puppy.
"That was for leaving me in the garage to walk the four miles home in the rain at five in the morning."
"Ha, sorry about that, but I didn't want to wake you up. Chris said you hadn't been sleeping well anyways."
"Here is your schedule," the secretary said, interrupting our reunion.
The bell rang, and Daniel left so he wasn't late to class with one last hug, and a good luck. I would definitely need it.
The secretary spent another minute babbling a couple of key rules, and giving me my locker number and combo. After that Abby led me to my locker, with late passes in hand. I dumped everything but my binder into my locker. I then looked down at my sheet while Abby got her stuff from her locker down the hall.
First period, Biology. I let out a loud sigh upset that I had to face Biology first period. Abby appeared by my side, and we headed down to the science wing. She had math now, but was taking the liberty of walking me to Bio.
The room was buzzing with excitement about some experiment they were doing today, plus the teacher was no where in sight. When I entered everyone got quiet, and watched me make my way to the back. I pulled out a chair, and sat down. The chatter continues , but a few brave souls came over to me.
The first one was a girl who looked all make up and pink galore. She started to introduce herself, but I didn't really care so I only gave a half attempt. She stayed near me while a boy tried to introduce himself to me. He was stopped short when the door opened up, to reveal two girls. They looked like they were in charge of this school, but weren't cheerleader material. They were werewolves. I could tell by the way their eyes honed in on everything in the room. The one closest to me had her long beach blond with gold highlighted hair falling down her back in natural waves looser then mine. She was wearing a golden green top, with black shorts and golden sandals attached to her tanned legs.
My jaw dropped, at the sight of the girl. She was no longer in old jeans and basketball t-shirts, no she was changed. She was now the queen bee of the school. You could tell by the look in her eyes that she wasn't the snobby kind. There was still some of the old her left.
I leaned back in my seat and put my boots up on the table. "Well if it isn't Keila. I thought you got dragged away to some family in another town," I said.
She turned to look at me. Her pursed lips turned up into a smile as she abandoned her friend by the door, and headed over to me. With a motion of her finger the girly girl, and the boy left. She sat down in the spare chair beside me.
"Well haven't you changed. What happen to the ripped jeans, boys basketball shirt, and mud stained face?" I asked her.
Her smile reached her eyes now. "I started to become a girl. Seems you have too."
"Eh, you're lucky I decided to get dressed up today. Most days I just pull on somebodies sweatshirt and old jeans," I said back.
"I can see," She said looking at my feet on the table.
"I thought I would never see you again," She whispered when the class got over their initial shock that we knew each other, and went back to chatting.
I dropped my feet, and we both hugged each other. It had been too long. We were like sisters. We were inseparable. She used to be the only person I could depend on.
"Shit, your gonna make me cry," She mumbled into my ear through my hair.
I chuckled and released her. I looked at her long and hard as she tried to fix her makeup.
"You really changed," I said again.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It is. Do you guys even have a teacher?" I asked when the teacher still hadn't arrived. It had been about 20 minutes since the bell rang.
Just then, as if he heard my words, walked in our teacher. He was in his mid thirties, and had longish dark hair, and a partial beard starting.
"Great, you jinxed it," Keila muttered into my ear. I chuckled under my breath. The teacher spotted me, and asked what my name was.
"Eliana," I answered.
"Last name?" He asked.
"Don't have one anymore."
He looked up from his papers, and seemed to suddenly understand that I was an orphan. Everyone started to whisper, but Keila silenced them with a glare.
"Ok then, I'll talk to the office about that. Class today we are going to be looking at what lurks in those ponds you all swim in over the weekends. What type of bacteria sticks to you," He said getting the classes attention.
He held out a jar of murky green pond water. Some of the girls started to wiggle in their seats, unwilling to discover what they swam in. Keila sat up straight, ready to discover. She looked excited, and I started to laugh at her.
"What?" She asked.
"There's the old you," I said.
"What? I think it's going to be cool to see what clings to my skin and clothes after swimming out there," She said.
"Ha, I know. I hope there's something really big and gross looking."
The teacher chuckled lightly, having heard our conversation. I looked up, at the teacher as he had his back to us, and was writing instructions on the board. I narrowed my eyes at him. He didn't look like a werewolf, but then how did he hear us all the way from the front.
Keila called me back, with a nervous look on her face as she kept looking over at our teacher. That reminded me, she was a werewolf too. I looked her up and down before covering up my suspicion with a fake smile. If they were all werewolves, then how come they hadn't smelled my family, let alone any werewolf on me or my clothes?
I turned to look at the board and see the instructions we would be needing. Keila went to go get the microscopes while I went to go get the pond water we would need. I put a drop of the pond water on a slide. I mentally shook myself from the thoughts that had been going through my head, and continued on. I tore off a thin small transparent sheet from a cotton ball. I set it out on the drop, to slow the bacteria down so we could see it. I put on the plastic piece that goes over the slides, and headed back.
"Ok, so I got the creepy stuff. Now what do we do?" I asked her.
She smiled, happy to see I was no longer suspicious. "We put it under the microscope, and try to find one."
And that's how the rest of the period went. We would both scream in joy when we found one, and then would show it to the other. When the bell rang we reluctantly packed up.
She led me to my locker to go drop off my biology book, and then led me over to her locker. We were talking about what had happen to her after I left.
"So why are you back?" she asked me, turning to look.
Should I tell her? Would she understand? She's probably under the Steffens pack. But still. I've known her forever she would understand.
"Too fresh of a wound still," I said. That should buy me some time to decide.
"Oh, well I'm sorry for whatever-" she said, but was grabbed from behind by somebody.
She let out a squeal, as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist. I rolled my eyes at her reaction. I looked up to see who it was, but she was spun around, and started to kiss him, so his face was hidden. Again, I rolled my eyes. She pulled away from the guy for an instant, and I saw part of his face, but it was enough. My blood started to boil, and I nearly reached over and strangled him.
He looked over her shoulder while they were kissing, and he saw who I was. His eyes darkened, and he started to growl. He pulled out of the kiss, and pulled Keila to his side.
Jace, my mate, was sleeping with my best friend.