Chapter Ten

Heath

I left Sarah-Jane's house with Sharni busily complaining in the passenger seat.

"Oh my God, I thought we'd never leave!" she moaned.

I didn't respond. I was too busy thinking about Sarah-Jane, and wondering if she was alright. I should have stayed with her, should have called Margaret to pick up Sharni. I should have stayed to look after Sarah-Jane, even if she was only going to sleep.

"She's going to be fine, Heath," Sharni interrupted.

I shook myself and glanced at her.

"I just didn't understand what caused her to go so mad. Something must have happened to have made her like that," I said.

"I'd just leave it now. Maybe she didn't have enough water," Sharni guessed.

"No, I don't think that's it. She completely lashed out. Carmen told me. She said it was like someone had tapped into Sarah-Jane's brain. I'll have to check. I was too busy worrying about her."

"But who could have done that, Heath? Indiana can't be here! She was in Washington last time we checked, and wouldn't have Isaac seen something?"

"I have no idea. He hasn't said anything."

We were silent for a while. Neither of us had any idea what was going on, and we had the feeling that the worst was yet to come.

I pulled into the driveway, questions still circling my head. Why had this happened to Sarah-Jane? Whas it going to happen again? But there was one question that scared me quite a bit. It was Was Indiana really in Crimsonville?

All these questions were put on hold when I saw him standing there in the rain, hands shoved deep into pockets, boots covered with snow, and an irritating smirk plastered on his face.

"Ugh," I groaned. Sharni saw what I was looking at, and she gave me a look.

"Come on, Heath. He isn't that bad."

"There's just something about him that I don't trust. He just gives off this vibe."

"Well, I think you're paranoid. Carmen would've picked up something by now. They've been spending heaps of time together."

I frowned at this, and got out of the car. Cameron stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Sharni, lifting her off the ground. He placed her feet delicately back on the snow, and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Dear sister," he said. "What have you been up to today? Not annoying people, I hope."

He flicked his golden hair out of his face, his honey brown eyes sparkling in the sun.

"Oh no. I went to Heath's school. It is quite exciting, that's for sure."

"So I've heard. How's Sarah-Jane, Heath?"

"She's getting better," I said, narrowing my eyes.

"Good to hear. Well, Sharni, we have to leave. Margaret is waiting for us down the road. We have to go."

"Alright."

Sharni strolled around to my side of the car, stretching up on her toes, and leaning up to my cheek to give me a kiss on my cheek. I wrapped my arms around her, and squeezed her.

"I'll see you soon, Sharn."

"Will do. Take care of Sarah-Jane. I'll come and see you soon."

She let go of me, and had taken off with Cameron before I could say another goodbye.

I sighed once more, and leaned against my brother's car. He was still out for the rest of the afternoon, and Carmen was still out shopping. Lucius and Leshana were probably doing something together. That just left me alone. I promised Sarah-Jane that I would visit her again today. I smiled to myself, and decided that I would go back and see her.

I threw the keys to the car up in the air, and caught them behind my back. Sliding back into the car, I placed the keys in the ignition, turned the radio up and backed out of the driveway. I zoomed out of the twisting driveway, all the way out to the main road the turned off to my house. Pushing down on the accelerator, and not bothering to look either way, I accelerated down the road, the grunting from the engine echoing through the forest on either side of me. I slowed down once I reached the town, and like I had been there many times before, I twisted and turned all the way to Sarah-Jane's street. Making sure no one was looking or had noticed me, I sprinted to her front door, with superhuman speed. I lightly knocked three times, and the door was opened by a blonde woman.

She wore a lot of make-up, and you could tell that she was the type who told people she was twenty-nine when she was really thirty-eight.

It was meeting Christine.

Her eyes widened at the sight of me, and the corners of her mouth pulled up into a big grin. She leaned against the door, and her eyes rolled over me.

"How can I help you?" she asked.

I smiled, and I heard her heart beat faster.

"Hello. I was just wondering if Sarah-Jane was here."

Christine shook her head. "No, she's out still. But maybe I could help you?"

I heard another heart beat from the house, and I knew that Sarah-Jane was definitely there. She was either asleep, or had no idea Christine was here. I was guessing both.

"Uh, no thanks. I just wanted to get some homework from her. You see, I had to leave school early today and missed out on Geography."

"Ah, I see. Well, maybe I could help you?" she asked.

"That's very kind of you, but Sarah-Jane has collected my sheets for me."

Christine's face fell, and I grinned inside.

"I'll just come back later. Could you let her know I stopped by?"

"Of course."

I turned my back and as soon as Christine closed the door, sprinted to the side of the house and waited. It wasn't long before Christine was out the door, mini-skirt and all, trotting away in high heels to her car. Once she had started the engine, and backed out of the driveway, completely unaware that my car was still parked on the street.

Once I was sure she was gone, I strolled to the back door, and I was in luck. It was unlocked. I twisted the doorknob and walked inside. Skipping every second step, I was in Sarah-Jane's room in less than a second. She was still asleep, her blonde hair spread out all over the pillow, and the covers pulled off her body. I could see the cut on her cheek, and the bruises all over her body. I pulled the blanket up over her, and sat in the chair next to her, watching this beautiful creature sleep.

Sarah-Jane

For the second time that day, I woke to see Heath sitting in a chair beside my bed. He smiled at me, and I tried to smile back. It was a bit easier to move now, but I was still sore. Where were my pills?

"I told you I would come and see you again," Heath whispered.

I smiled at him, and tried to sit up in my bed.

"You haven't eaten, have you?"

I shook my head. "I haven't been out of bed all day."

"I can't let you starve. I'll be right back."

Heath walked down to the kitchen, and left me by myself. I reached over to my bedside table, and picked up my phone. There was a message from Christine.

Where the hell r u? U were meant 2 b home ages ago! Ur dad won't b 2 pleased.
U had a visitor whilst u were gone. Didn't catch his name. He was a hottie, tho.
C u l8r, and u better b home nxt time I chek!

I threw the phone down in frustration. Dad had promised that he wouldn't let Christine babysit me whilst he was gone! And what had he done, he asked her to check up on me!

I deleted the message, and the home phone rang when I did. Luckily I had a phone in my room, so I reached to the other side of me, and picked up the phone.

"Sarah-Jane?"

"Dad?"

"Oh, thank God you're alright!"

"Beg your pardon?"

"Christine rang me and told me you weren't home. It was five o'clock for crying out loud, what were you doing?"

"I...um...was at the library. I was getting some books for an assignment."

"Very well. But in future, let Christine know."

"Why? She's not my babysitter."

I heard an exasperated sigh from the other end.

"She cares about you."

"She doesn't. She cares about you."

"Well, Sarah-Jane-"

"Dad, I have to go. There's someone at the door. Thanks for "checking up on me". Much appreciated."

"Sarah-Jane-"

I hung up before I could hear another word. At that moment, Heath had walked in with a plate of cookies, chocolate, a peanut-butter sandwich, and carried a glass of cola. I smirked, and shook my head.

"Hardly what I'd call 'healthy'."

He grinned back, and sat down on my bed. "Well, after the day that you've had, you deserve it."

He passed me the glass, and I sculled it down before realising how thirsty I was. Heath raised his eyebrows, and I threw him an apologetic look, before digging into the cookies and chocolate and all the other rubbish he got for me. I hadn't eaten since that morning, and looking outside it was almost dark now.

"If you want, you can leave. It's almost dark."

"No, it's fine. I'll stay for a little bit. If that's alright?"

I tried not to show my glee. "That's fine with me."

I passed him the plate, and asked him if he wanted anything to eat. He shook his head. "I don't like chocolate."

I frowned. "Well thanks for making me feel bad."

We both laughed and sat together, talking and discussing for ages. We talked about school, about family, about life, everything. I told him some of my childhood secrets, but he didn't tell me much of his.

"So, let me get this straight. You went out with Donny Clare for...?"

"A month."

"And you broke up because?"

"He was changing who I used to be. I used to be intelligent, and I used to care about everything. Then I joined the "Plastics" and all of that changed. I dropped grades, I started trends that I shouldn't have, I was becoming one of them. Then I gave myself a look in the mirror one day and decided that I didn't like what I saw. So I dumped Donny, and left the plastics, and just became me. I will always have those memories though, and those regrets, and I understand that I will never be able to change that, so I just have to learn from my mistakes, and with that I can grow."

"I can understand that. They don't seem like very decent people."

"They're not, trust me. And every since I left their group, Clarissa has been picking on me more frequently than others."

"Clarissa is...?"

"The blonde bimbo who was hitting on you on your first day, in Maths."

"Ah, I remember."

He laughed, and I giggled with him.

"So, why did you and your family decide to come to little old Crimsonville?" I asked, after a bit of time had passed.

I saw him tense, and his eyes widen with what looked like fear. I saw him swallow back hard, and he ran a hand through his messy brown hair.

"Well, we kind of had to."

I frowned. "How come?"

"Something happened with someone close to my family, and it forced us to move. It shook us up a bit, but we eventually settled down, and we haven't heard from them in a while."

"Annoying relatives?"

"Something like that."

We were silent for a while, and it was so quiet, I could almost hear Heath's heart beating.

All of a sudden, my phone started buzzing, and I reached away from Heath to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Oh, Sarah-Jane, I'm sorry, this is Carmen."

I shook myself with a bit of surprise. What was Carmen doing ringing me, and how did she get my number? I sighed to myself, and closed my eyes.

"Hey. What's up?"

"Heath isn't answering his phone, and I need him home now. His number was on his desk, I hope you don't mind."

"No, not at all. I'll let him know. Thanks."

"Good bye, Sarah-Jane. And get better soon."

"Thanks."

We both hung up at the same time, and I turned to Heath. He looked annoyed and his hand curled into a fist on his knee.

"Um, that was Carmen. She needs you home now."

He glanced at me, turned on a smile, and nodded.

"I best be off then."

Standing up, he did something unexpected. He leaned down to me, kissed me on the forehead, then pulled back. I drew in a sharp breath, and stared at him. His eyes widened, as if he had just realised what he had done. Without saying another word, he turned away from me and bounded down the stairs.