I had absolutely no idea where I was when I awoke. The ground was dry and hard. I could feel the pebbles digging into the flesh of my thighs as I sat up and opened my eyes. Laughter flooded my ears.
“What the fuck happened to you?” Aiden choked out as he watched me get to my feet. Of course he was finding this hilarious.
The dream flashed through my mind and my hand clasped around my neck where Mr. Marrs had bitten. The skin was smooth and unscathed. “I went sleepwalking. Again.” I grumbled. Just wonderful. Not only was my mind obsessed with Mr. Marrs but it was now mixing in some Twilight shit and turning him into a vampire?!?
Aiden chuckled and ruffled my already messed up hair. I reached out and punched him quickly in the gut as I glared towards him. “At least you didn’t end up at the beach this time.” He teased.
I rolled my eyes and moved towards the house. I didn’t make it more than two steps before I felt a wave of nausea and fell limply into the grass.
“Isa?” Aiden asked softly as he rushed to my side.
I peered up into his eyes, all laughter gone. “I can’t get up.” I said after a few moments. It was true. I felt so weak I could barely shift my leg let alone get up.
“Help, I have fallen and cannot get up.” Aiden teased me quoting an old commercial we used to make fun of. His eyes scanned mine unsure whether I was just kidding and intended to pull him down when he tried to help me up.
I tried again to get up but weakness filled my bones instead. “Aiden.” I groaned and closed my eyes to fight from throwing up.
“Isa you don’t look so good.” He said softly. He didn’t hesitate to scoop me up into his arms the second he realized I was serious.
“Oh haha.” I groaned as he started to carry me inside.
“No, I mean you are all pale.” He explained as he trudged into his family’s side of the duplex. “If I hadn’t spotted you when I was leaving for school you could have been out there for hours.”
He laid me on the livingroom couch and looked down towards me. “I’m fine.” I mumbled moving to stand up. I failed and instead of moving my body only twitched.
“You’re staying home.” He instructed. I didn’t object. I laid still as he threw a blanket over me. “You need to stop wearing those things to bed.”
“I like nighties.” I responded.
He fake gagged. “It’s awkward and I don’t like them.”
“They make me feel sexy.”
Leave it to Aiden to start an immature fight. “Well feeling sexy and actually looking sexy are two different things.”
I closed my eyes and sighed. “Then don’t look at me.”
“Kinda hard when I’m forced to carry you inside because you are insane and fell asleep outside.”
“I didn’t fall asleep out there. Just. . . woke up there.” I corrected him sarcastically.
“Still had to carry you in.”
“I would have crawled my way in eventually.”
Aiden groaned. “Yeah and your mom would kill me for it.”
I snickered. “I can’t believe my mom still scares you.”
“My mom scares you too.” He snapped at me.
It was true. She did. Not all of the time. But there was definitely something off about our moms. They weren’t the type of people you would mess with. “You’re going to be late for school.” I changed subjects.
“I’m staying home with you.” He plopped down on the chair near me and clicked on the television. “You know. . . make sure you’re okay and all.”
“Yeah sure.” I mumbled as I drifted to sleep.
I didn’t stay asleep long. I woke up to Aiden shaking me roughly. “What?” I yawned as I slowly sat up and squinted into the light room.
“You need food.”
“I’m not hungry.” I replied.
Aiden ignored this and pulled me to a sitting up stance. “You need to eat. You can’t get your strength back if you don’t get some food in you.”
I shook my head. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He chuckled and sat down next to me on the couch. “You don’t have to. I brought you a hamburger.” I looked over at him as he handed me a paper plate of food. “Just made them.” He commented as I picked it up and began to eat.
“Thanks.” I got out in between bites.
Aiden laughed as he watched me hungrily devour the hamburger. “Hey Isa?”
“Yeah?”
“How did you end up out there?”
I shrugged. “Slept walked I guess.”
He nodded. “Did you dream?”
I looked over into his curious eyes. “Yeah I did.”
“Who about?”
Was I supposed to tell him? No, no I couldn’t. “About Jake. He was chasing me, trying to catch me for some reason. No matter how far I ran he was always four steps behind me.”
“Do you want me to kill him?” Aiden growled.
I chuckled. “It was just a dream Aiden.”
“No I mean for yesterday. How he disrespected you when you said no.”
“It wasn’t a big deal.”
He set his plate in my hand giving me his extra hamburger. “Your mind is saying otherwise if you dreamed of him.”
“Jake the jock is none of your business.” I informed him
Aiden put his arm around my shoulder. “No guys can disrespect my sister and not get taught a lesson by me.” He said protectively.
“I’m not related to you.” I groaned.
“That’s it. I’m getting you a shirt.” He announced and hopped to his feel striding from the room. When he came back he quickly forced his football jersey onto my body.
“This is huge.” I grumbled. It was like a dress on me.
“At least it covers you up better.” He shrugged.
The loud ring of the doorbell surprised me and I jumped a little. “Who do you think it is?” I asked softly.
“Can you get it? I invited some friends over.” He replied lazily. I looked to the clock. School had let out an hour ago.
I groaned and got up.”Real nice, make the sick girl get the door.”
“Go be sick at your side of the house. I’m having company.”
I rolled my eyes and opened the front door to be greeted with the sight of at least ten super jocks. Jake was one of them. “Aiden’s in the livingroom.” I informed them suddenly grateful for Aiden’s jersey covering me as their eyes scanned up and down my body.
“You’re not staying?” Jake asked sounding disappointed.
“Naw.”
“You should Isadora. Hang with us today.” One of the other boys spoke up stepping forward. He was tall and broad shouldered in obviously great shape. The blonde hair that fell over his eyes reminded me immediately of who he was as I looked up into his hazel eyes. Shane Kelson. He was Aiden’s best friend, other than me of course, but he was also the highest on the school foodchain.
I had no idea how he knew my name, nor did I care. Before this school year he had paid me no attention. This year I had started to wear clothes that made me feel better about myself. Heels, skinny jeans, form fitting shirts. Attractive yet always appropriate and non-slutty. And before this year he would walk right past me to Aiden when I would open the door for him without so much as a glance my way. Now he was talking to me?
“No thanks.” I replied simply as I walked out past him and the boys and two steps over into my door.