Chapter 3: Jackie
"MOM I CAN'T SLEEP!"
Jackie's frantic yells echoed through the top floor of her house, making the mother of the house rush into her second daughter's bedroom. Her mother had crazy hair so, obviously, she had been asleep till the screaming earthquake shook her to reality. Jackie was snuggled in the covers, her face wrenched by sunlight, it hit her face squarely and made her brown eyes seem yellowish, honey-like as the sun hit near them.
"Jaqueline Riley Smith," her mother sighed, trying to sound as intimidating as possible, "You've woken me up more than 5 times this morning, no, it's already daytime," she said checking her watch, "You know how tired I am! And why haven't you woken up yet?"
"I'm awake, ma…" she said looking down, "I just like laying in bed remember? Besides…I'm still not used to everything always being sunny or partially cloudy…"
Her mom sighed, "Yeah…" she said, "Well that's why we got blinds, honey!"
Jackie sighed, "Gee, great help ma…"
Jackie Smith had just moved to Barrow, Alaska from Boston…where there was always a night and always a day, no matter what month it was. Jackie sighed as her mother closed the door of her room, telling her to get dressed, that it was three in the afternoon, and got out of bed, rapidly closing her blinds for no sun to get in while she changed.
She went to school in about a week. She was late, it was March, but she knew that homeschooling from her mother wouldn't be any better than an actual school, where she could actually be socially active and make real friends. Jackie had been homeschooled for half of her life, after one day the bullying that was pushed upon her was increased when a girl from her second grade class punched her in the stomach and pushing her down, causing a leg fracture that traumatized her for about a year and a half.
That was when her mom put her teacher skills up and taught her daughter everything she possibly knew. Jackie had probably learned more from her mother than what she would've learned from an actual school, but her mom had passed senior year, only having to forget everything because of a deadly car accident after prom night, when she and her ex-boyfriend, a man who she thought's name was Darrel Crook, were stupid a drove drunk.
Her mother had hit her head on a part of her brain where all memory was stored, when they crashed into the car, she'd hit her head on the window and damaged that part of her brain, which is why she has memory flaws now also. Her ex, Darrel had permanantly damaged his right leg, and supposedly walked with a limb and was rather chubby because it was hard for him to do any type of sport or excersize for that matter.
Jackie redied herself quickly, since she'd woken up two hours earlier and had showered just to lie back in bed and try to sleep again. Jeans and a small, thin jacket would be fine, since it was blazing outside today. She'd heard there was a hue lake near a small mansion, or so that's what she heard, east of barrow, in the center of a heavily wooded area. She liked nature walks, but she never walked in shoes to hike, she always wore her converse, tennis shoes, nothing special.
She raced downstairs, knowing her mom was asleep once again, and left a sticky note on the fridge saying she was going for a walk around town. Carefully, she opened the door, wary not to let the door slam behind her. She tiptoed to the sidewalk and walked. She had a car, yes, but opening the garage, turning on the car, driving out, and then closing the garage again would just wake up her mom.
"Mom's too histerical to let me out alone…" she said looking at the only few numbers she had in her cell phone, it had her family members…and two of her 'friends' which had numerously invited her out to see movies and so, but she'd said no…she wasn't the social type.
Her two friends were called Claire and Ryan, they were together last time she'd talk to them, which was forever ago, so they had most likely already broken up. Jackie kept her steady pace flowing slowing to the forest that was near her house. She guessed that if she just kept walking straight in the forest she'd eventually find the biggest lake in barrow…right?
It'd been half an hour, walking straight wasn't working for Jackie, "Shit…" she sighed, cursing at herself.
Suddenly, there was a small rusel in the bushes behind her. Panicking, she took a minature sized stick, about the size of her hand and with the thickness of a small cable. The stick was pathetic, to say the least, but she turned around, menacingly waving the minature piece of wood in her hand. She was in a bit of releif when she noticed it was someone about her age…shirtless.
Jackie blushed, turning a stunning color of bright pink. She hid her face but kept the stick strong in her grip.
"Who are you?" she mumbled looking another direcction, as if she'd seen something odd.
The boy chuckled, "Um, my name's Xavier. And this stick-" he took one end of the small stick between his index finger and his thumb, snapping it way too easily, "Isn't really going to be any help for protection."
She looked at the stick, blushing more, "I-I'm Jackie, sorry about that, I'm kinda…"
"You panicked?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
Xavier laughed, "You're new here aren't you?" Jackie nodded in a 'yes', "What are you doing in the forest?"
"Oh…I was looking for the lake but I have no idea where it is," she answered, rolling her eyes.
Xavier smiled, green eyes turning the direcction of the lake, "It's that way," he said, "I was going to the lake, too, wanna come with me?"
Jackie nodded curtly, following Xavier, trying desprately not to trip over anything. She was surprised, how she just magically found a beautiful guy roaming through the forest, also going to the lake that was nice and said he would take herto the lake she'd been looking for for half an hour. Apparently, there was a trail that made the walk to the lake only 15 minutes; Jackie blushed out of embarassment at this.
"Well…" Xavier smiled, "We're here!"
Merit watched in pain as the Lycans dove into his lake, the lake he'd used so many times. He growled to himself, eyes turning a horrible blackish-red color. That was when he saw her, a human, accompanying the Lycan he'd confronted just a few hours ago.
The Vampire's eyes opened as a series of thoughts came to his mind, but only one stood out, "Why is that amazing creature…" he breathed, eyes now a narrow brown, "With the stuck up wolf-boy?"
He growled, taking himself away from the window. Somehow, he had to meet the girl…but…how? And what if he lost it? No. He was almost immune to human blood, he was even studying to become a doctor, he could at least try to control himself with this girl.
It'd be so hard.
"Maybe…" he shook his head, growling at himself, "This is not the news I'd been wanting to hear, or see, for that matter…"
"Merit…"
Merit turned, speeding to the source of the sound, his mother. He sat, her sickly face bared in his memory forever more, "Tell me, mother…"
"Make me proud, boy…" her head fell back, eyes closing in happiness.
"Mother?" he shook her hand gently, "Mother!"
He began to shake her violently until a cold hand came to his shoulder, "Son, it's over, leave her."
Jarakay had come out of no where, but he always knew that, since Merit was a nicer vampire, he was always invited. Merit looked behind the Clan Leader, yes, the rest of his Clan was also here.
"We'll bury her by the river."
The river was the part the Lycans hadn't claimed, only becausethey had no idea it existed. He watched as Jarakay picked up his dead mother, suddenly remembering her last words, 'Make me proud, boy…' Instantely, he knew what she meant. Looking out the small window, he saw the girl pressed against a tree, he stared, suddenly, the girl looked up, brown eyes wide, looking at him through the window. His face was emotionless, almost scary.
"I'll make you as proud as anyone, mother."
