HERE IT IS! CHAPTER TEN!
I can't belief it… 55 REVIEWS?!
Um… Yeah! Awkward A/N aside, ENJOY!
As I lie in bed that night, I tremble with tension, head spinning with confusion about what I'd just learned. Jay and I are so similar to those characters… COULD it just be a coincidence? I squeeze my eyes shut, highly doubting it.
At that note, who else could be Warriors characters? Chloe? Bethany? Mrs. Sands?
I snort, inwardly scolding myself for being paranoid.
Thunder rumbles in the sky outside, wind howling through tree branches and rain pounding on the roof. It had started raining on my way home from school, but this has turned into a full-blown storm. Definitely won't help me get to sleep…
My dreams that night are foggy and confusing, full of the screeches of battle and the hisses of cats.
…
I haven't talked much for the past couple days to anybody. The sixth grader must be sick or something, for I haven't seen her around the school, and when I catch a glimpse of her friend Bethany, the girl isn't by her side. That sucks. I really want to talk to her.
On a side note, we got a new student, a girl named Isabel whose blonde hair spills down her back in thick curls. She was assigned to sit next to a bubbly brunette named Skylar, who seriously annoys me. Besides that, nothing truly interesting has happened…
I sigh in boredom, flipping through a book at the McDare's dining room table. Jay is slouched back in his seat, Leo is flipping through a sports magazine, and Holly is the only one doing her homework. I've been hanging out at their house after school for the past few days, which Mom is okay with. In fact, she's thrilled I have friends.
Ms. McDare steps into the dining room, holding a cell phone in one hand and a plate of cookies and cup of tea in the other. She sets down the plate on the table, and then sits down in a chair, listening to someone on her phone. I notice a flash of anxiety in her eyes and wonder what is happening on the other end.
Leo reaches for a cookie and Ms. McDare takes a sip of her tea.
"Mmhmm." She murmurs to whoever she's having a conversation with, "Yes, I know, I-"
There is a sudden crashing sound of shattering china. Everyone looks around to find the source of the noise and I realize that Ms. McDare has dropped her teacup, golden-brown eyes wide. She sets down a trembling hand, visibly shaking.
Jay is the first to speak up, "Are you okay?"
Even Holly is staring at her mother in concern, as Ms. McDare closes her eyes and sighs.
"Oh. I see. My condolences for your loss, Thalia. How are your kids managing?" Ms. McDare's murmurs form a knot of dread in my stomach, "Silena and Brent already know?" Another pause. "Yes, I'll tell the kids. Um… again, I'm sorry… Bye, then."
It seems to take her extreme effort to end the call, and set her phone on the table. In the dead silence that follows, Ms. McDare takes a deep breath and stares at her kids with a grave look in her eyes. I awkwardly wonder if I should be part of this conversation.
"Finn died." Ms. McDare bursts out, her words slicing like a knife through the silence, shattering it to pieces. Holly gives a sharp intake of breath.
Leo stares at her in disbelief, "How?"
Ms. McDare cringes, "Apparently there was an early autumn snow in Roaring Falls and the lake where they live was frozen over. Daria thought it was a good idea to ice skate without permission, but the ice cracked beneath him and-"
She breaks off and buries her face in her hands. Jay stares at the ground with shock and disbelief clouding his gaze more than blindness, while Leo and Holly slouch over in sadness. Though I don't know who Finn is, this moment feels so sad, so raw, so genuine, that I feel like an outsider watching through a window. After a moment of respectful silence, I quietly clear my throat. Ms. McDare looks up with teary eyes.
"Should I… Call my mom to pick me up?" I ask softly. Ms. McDare gives a little nod. I smile weakly, before grabbing my own cell phone out of my backpack and dialing my mom's number.
After a few rings, she picks up.
"Hello?" Her voice asks. She sounds tired.
"Um, hey Mom." I say weakly.
"What is it, honey?"
"Could you come and pick me up? The McDares just got some pretty sad news and I want to give them time to grieve…"
…
That night, I'm doing my math homework at my desk when my phone buzzes. Frowning, I check to see who it is. Unknown number…
I flip it open and answer.
"Hello?"
"Hey." A meek voice sounds from the other end, instantly recognizable. The sixth grader.
"Um… hey! What do you want? And how did you get my number?" I ask.
"Long story." She responds, "Just, look… I need to talk to you again soon… Meet me after school tomorrow at the flagpole. I found something I think you should see…"
"Um, Okay then. Is that it?"
"Yeah…" She responds quietly, nearly whispering. Talking on phones is obviously not one of her strengths.
"Well, then, bye!"
"Bye…" She murmurs, and then I realize something.
"Wait!" I call into the phone, "Don't hang up yet!"
"What is it?" She asks.
"What's your name?"
"Oh… It's… Alexis."
"Okay, thanks." I respond, "Bye, Alexis!"
"Bye…"
After a moment of silence, I figure she's hung up.
Setting my phone down, I hover my pencil over a particularly difficult math problem. Find the meaning of X if X= -7y and Y equals 5.
Smiling to myself, I write down the answer: -35.
My phone is buzzing again.
Who could it be this time? Is Alexis calling me back?
To my surprise, it's Holly, who sounds out of breath and agitated as I answer her call.
"What is it?" I ask, setting down my pencil again.
"Look, Julia," Holly responds, her voice tense, "Something just happened and I didn't know who to call."
"So you chose me."
"As a last resort."
"I'm gonna choose not to take offense in that."
"So, look… Umm…" Holly ignores my comment, "This guy just arrived at our door and he's not really someone I want to see, especially not after my cousin just died."
"Who is he?" I ask, completely confused. Holly doesn't answer. Why doesn't anyone give a CLEAR answer through phone calls? It's not exactly hard!
"Well, let's just say this," Holly says, "I'm not really sure what to do right now, so I need your advice. Nobody in this family is thinking straight right now, especially Mom…"
"Holly, WHO IS THE GUY WHO SHOWED UP?" I'm getting a straight answer out of her this time, though I feel kind of bad for shouting at her while she's grieving.
"Oh, yeah." Holly sounds awkward, "This guy… He's my dad."
Yay! Awkward cliffie! What did you think of this chapter? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Are you intrigued…?
Gosh, sorry, I'm hyper on sugar right now! I just ate a full box of rainbow nerds and my hands are all shaky!
Well, bye! I'll try to update soon… I have a LOT of ideas!
BYE!
-JWFF!