Chapter Eight:

Just Derek….

My mind kept whispering over and over again, agitate, I still felt a prick of fear however. Yes, it was just Derek. But the truth in the matter, Derek frightens me. Just the way he held himself, his fierce knowing eyes, and the permanent scowl, made me scared to death of him. But I needed to know about that book, now that my mind was open about what I am, and can do, there was no turning back.

I nervously rasped my knuckles on the door. I was staring blankly at the pale red door, intently listing for movements on the other side, readying myself for what is to come. Simon had to stay after school, so it would just be Derek and I for a bit, until Simon was released from school. Honestly, I did not like that at all.

The door opened.

Derek's dad smiled at me, brown eyes crinkling on the side, "Chloe." He greeted me.

"Uh… hello, Derek…"

"Yes, he told me you would be swinging by. Come in."

The plan had originally been for us to meet at the school door, but Derek had an early leave. Instead, I walked alone.

He opened the door wider, stepping aside; anxiously, I stepped over the threshold. I toed off my shoes respectably, than asked. "So Derek, where is he…?"

"Follow me."

He led me through the hall, and up a flight of stairs. We rounded corner after corner, square frames hanged on the wall peeked my interest. Slowing down, I studied them. Each one had an unknown woman, with a heart shape face, bright smile, and blue-green sparkling eyes. She was beautiful. And had a grace about her, "My wife." He muttered.

Looking at him, I muttered. "She's beautiful."

"She was." He replayed, navigating me towards a door, grasping the gold knob, "Derek." He told me, nudging his head at the open door.

"Thank you." I walked through, the door closing shut behind me.

I looked around the room.

My eyes went impossibly wide, about to pop out of my own head.

It was a gym. A massive gym. Derek only had on a black wife beater, and a pair of black gym shorts, with thick white strips along the sides like racetracks. He had a small boom box in the far corner, a rock song blaring from the round speakers. At the moment, he was lifting weights, bigger than me. Muscles staining with each pull. Perspiration lined his hair line and soaked the front of his wife beater, locks of black hair damp, stuck to the sides of his sweaty face.

He hadn't heard me yet.

Wincing, I said, "Derek…?"

No responds.

Slowly I stride towards the loud boom box, lowing on the balls of my feet, I flicked the off switch. The room was doused in silence. A slam bounded behind me, as the heavy weights were slammed on the matted ground. I stood, and turned towards him.

Derek's intents green eyes stared at me, unblinking, slowly he said, "You shut off my music."

I locked my fingers together, in one gnarled ball, rolling on toes. "Yeah…" I said, exiting the word out. "Sorry, I did try to get your attention, but you were otherwise preoccupied." I eyed the heavy weights. I had no clue, Derek was that built, sure I knew he was tall, and had some muscles…but he did a pretty stealer job at hiding what he really had.

He had a lot.

Derek mutely grabbed a towel, which was hanging on a chair, swinging it around his neck. He dabbed at his face with the end.

"Sit." He said.

I took a seat on one of the lift benches, across from him.

Ridged silence wrapped around the both of us, clueless as to what to say. Question's flittered through my head. My mouth on the other hand, stayed sewed shut. Derek's bottle green eye locked unto me, the feeling he wanted me to say something first, squirmed into my belly.

Blowing out a breath, I said. "The book…?"

He nodded,

"How much of that is true?"

"All of it." He said quietly.

I sucked in a big breath. I did have an inking that the book was mostly true, but hearing it was still pretty hard.

"So, am I…?"

"Yes." He paused, then "Look Chloe, I know how hard this is for you…but I need you to answer my question truthfully, okay?"

I nodded wearily. "Okay."

"Can you see dead people?"

The question hung in between us, buzzing around my head like an annoying bee. Never, have I been asked that question. I was so good at hiding the fact that I could see dead people. But Derek, who I have only known, for a few short weeks found out. Swallowing around the lump, the size of a melon, I squeaked. "Yes."

Derek nodded, short and curt, like he already knew.

"How did you…know?"

Derek fingered through his sweaty hair, the slick wet strain's seeping through his fingers. "I just knew there was something odd about you."

Gee, thanks…

"Hum?"

Derek's lip curled at the end, "And then during dinner, you muttered Liz. Liz and Tori used to be best friends, but she had a…accident, and died. This happened before you even moved here, point one. And then you kept staring behind my back, like you saw something, point two. In the bathroom you were having a convention, pausing every so often. The person responding back… point three."

My mouth opened shocked. How could I be so clueless? I was so stupid and careless, the outcome, Derek now knew my secret. Nervously, I wondered what he was going to do, was he going to tell someone?

As if reading my mind, Derek said, "I won't tell anyone,"

That was a relief. Oddly I did believe he would keep this to himself. There was just one question that was bothering me, heaps. "Why are you so calm? You just found out someone could see dead people, Derek, dead people?"

There was no way he should still be sane.

Here Derek looked a bit troubled. It was no were near flashing, a small part in his eyes told me. He was holding something back.

I glared slightly, crossing my arms. "I just admitted I could see dead people, something I've hiding most my life. If you are hiding something, I need to know."

"Chloe…I don't know."

"Derek."

"I…"

"It's okay bro. I've got it." A voice cut in.

I looked behind me. Simon was leaning on the door jam, a frown pulling at his lips. He looked troubled too, as to Derek; the emotion was clear as day.

"H-h-h-how much did you hear…?"

Simon joined me on the bench, muttering, "Most."

Chloe…you are so getting sloppy.

Looking at his brother, Simon said. "The reason Derek is calm about all of this is because, you're not the only one with supernatural powers."

My eyes went round. "What…?

He turned to me, "Chloe, I'm a sorcerer."

Oh man, how more messed up could this get…?