I have been so busy lately, so it's harder for me to write more often. But I am trying to fit in as much as I can. I am just getting so many exams right now for school, and assignments and homework, so it is hard. But I will be writing more. I may or may not add another book, I'm not sure yet. I'll have to see how things go. But yeah, enjoy. :D

Chapter Thirteen

Sarah-Jane

My cheek was pressed against the wooden floor when I woke up. I saw that I was still in my bedroom. My stomach growled with hunger, and I had a look at the time. It was 5.30am on...

Friday! How could that be? I sat up, and a bit of pain rushed through me. I felt pretty good, so I could go to school today. I was just confused. I had never slept for so long in my life.

Not being able to sleep any longer, I got up and got organised for school. Dad wasn't going to be home until Sunday night, so I only had myself to get organised this morning. I grabbed a bowl and sat down in the tiny kitchen, cold and alone. I looked at the clock, and realised that I had been sitting in the kitchen, by myself, staring at a wall, for the past hour. If I didn't hurry, I was going to be late for school.

I tried not to think of what happened yesterday morning. I thought about me going to school, and being able to see Heath again. That sure did put a smile on my face.

The next few hours flew by, and before I knew it, I was at school, eagerly waiting for Heath at the front gate. I glanced to my left, and saw his brother and sister walking towards me, but Heath wasn't there. As they got closer, Carmen gave me a smile, and she and Isaac stopped in front of me.

"Morning, Sarah-Jane," she said politely.

I smiled back. "Good morning."

"Heath asked me to pass on a message. He apologises, and says he won't be coming to school today. He has been really unwell lately, and he doesn't want to wear himself out on school. And he doesn't want people to catch what he has."

"What does he have?" I asked.

"Some sort of stomach bug. He has been throwing up a lot, and he just doesn't look well. It's alright. Leshana, our mother, used to be a nurse, so she's going to look after him today."

I smiled. "Ok. Well please; tell him I hope he gets better."

She grinned back. "Of course."

I spun around, and walked leisurely to class.

School went quite slowly without Heath sitting next to me, talking to me about students, asking me questions about my life, and discussing our work. I looked forward to seeing him every day. I decided that I would go and see him on my way home from school. I vaguely knew where he lived, and it shouldn't be too hard to find. I just had to get someone to take me there. I knew that Donny had a car, but I really didn't want to ask him.

You mightn't have a choice, I thought.

I sighed. I would just have to bite the bullet and ask him. He was sitting in front of me in my last class, so I didn't have to wait to ask him. I leaned forward and tapped him on the shoulder. Donny and I didn't really talk much since we broke up, so doing this was going to be awkward.

Donny turned around and sighed. "What?"

"I was just wondering, can you give me a lift this afternoon?" I asked, innocently.

He narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"Because I need to see a friend, and I haven't got anyone who can take me."

"Take the bus."

"The bus doesn't go out that way. Please, Donny?"

He sighed. "Fine. Meet me at the school gate as soon as school ends. I won't be too far away."

"Found another girl's throat to stick your tongue down?"

He frowned. "No, I have to go to the library."

I felt my jaw drop. "You, got to the library?"

"Yes, Marshall, now do you want a lift or not?"

"I do. Thanks, Donny. Means a lot."

"Whatever."

I smiled. I wondered whether to text Heath, but I wanted to surprise him.

The bell rung and Donny was out of the classroom in a flash. I strolled to the front gates, and hung around, waiting for Donny to come back from wherever he was. He came out of nowhere, and turned me around.

"Come on. Let's go."

Donny staggered off, with me following closely. No one looked at us, but we did get a few laughs and glares from Clarissa's group. Donny ignored them, and so did I. He didn't open his car door for me, but Donny had never been the one to have perfect manners. Without looking at the school again, I sat down, buckled myself into my seat and Donny took off before anyone else could notice.

"So, who are we visiting?" Donny asked.

I swallowed hard. "Heath."

He started laughing. "What, he's not here for one day, and you feel you got to go see him?"

"He's not well, Donny. I want to see if he is alright."

"Wish you did that when you and me were going out," he mumbled.

"Ok, first of all, Heath and I aren't together. We're just friends. And second, you didn't even visit me when I broke my leg!"

"You didn't break your leg," he scoffed.

"Yes I did! When I fell down the stairs!"

"Oh, that's right. Man, that was funny!"

I swatted him with the back of my hand.

"Ow! Do you want me to take you to see him, or not?" he yelled.

I shrunk back into the seat and mumbled. We were out of Crimsonville, and were heading into a massive forest area, with a road running right through the minute of it. After a while of sitting and admiring the view, I turned to Donny and smiled.

"I really appreciate this, Donny. Really, I do."

He narrowed his eyes, and glared at me. "I know why you asked me to come with you now," he shouted. I looked at him, and squinted. I was confused. He continued. "You want to get back together with me!"

My eyes almost fell out of my head. "What!"

"That's why you wouldn't catch the bus! You wanted to talk to me. Well, guess what. I am not getting back together with you. Ever!"

"I don't want to get back together with you, you daft moron! The bus doesn't go out this way! I asked you because you're the only person I know who-"

"Would want to go out with you again? Is that what you thought? Well, princess, that ain't gonna happen, ya hear me?"

"You brainless idiot! I came out here to see Heath! Heath is who I wanted to see."

He scoffed, and ignored me. "Whatever, Saz."

We reached the turnoff to Heath's house. Donny pressed his foot down harder on the accelerator, and raced down the road to Heath's house. There weren't any other houses in his street. It was like his house was in the middle of nowhere. There were a lot of trees, and a lot of grass, but it was like there was just this massive driveway leading to an enchanted place. I gasped as we turned the corner. Heath's house was massive. It was three storeys high, and was very modern, and was so...open. There were windows everywhere, and there was a set of wooden stairs out the front. As soon as Donny stopped, and I jumped out of the car, slamming the door behind me. After taking a few steps, I turned around and glared at Donny.

"You can go! I don't need to be babysat!" I yelled.

"Sarah-Jane, I'm not going to leave you here."

"I don't need you! I can get home myself."

He rolled his beautiful brown eyes, and turned the steering wheel, slowly backing out of the never-ending driveway. He stopped, and looked at me. He was worried, I could tell.

"Go!" I yelled again, and he turned the car around and sped off down the driveway, and the last thing I saw of him was the number plate of his silver Mercedes.

I spun on my heel and strolled up to Heath's house. I climbed the wooden steps, and reached the front door. I raised my hand to knock, and before the skin of my knuckles met the wooden door, it opened and there stood Carmen, grinning at me.

"Hey Sarah-Jane. What's up?"

I smiled back. "Hey Carmen. I just dropped by to see Heath. He texted me today, and told me he wasn't well, so I thought I would drop around to see how he was."

The smile on her face dropped, and there was a hesitant look in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Sarah-Jane, but Heath is asleep at the moment. He is really ill. He can't even get out of bed."

"Oh, gosh. Well, can I just pop my head in to say hi?"

She shook her head, and her black hair waved as she did. "I don't think that's a good idea, Sarah-Jane. He might be contagious, so we're just trying to be careful at the moment."

My heart fell. I was so looking forward to seeing him. "Ok, Carmen. Thanks. Tell him I hope he gets better soon."

She nodded, and I turned to head back home, when Carmen yelled out to me.

"Sarah-Jane!"

I turned around and looked at her, wondering what was wrong.

She ran up to me, and looked deep into my eyes. "What are you doing tomorrow night?"

I wanted to tell her that I was going to be meeting Heath in the woods, but I wasn't sure if that was going to happen anymore. If Heath was this sick, maybe he would call it off. But he hadn't so far, had he? Maybe he was hoping that he would be alright for tomorrow night?

So I lied, right to her face. "I don't know. Probably watch a movie. My dad is out of town right now, so his girlfriend might come over."

She didn't say anything about this. She just swallowed back hard, and flicked a strand of her hair off her face. "Ok, well, stick to that plan. No matter what, don't go into the woods."

I frowned. "Why?"

She swallowed again. "I just have a feeling that something is going to happen. With all these animal attacks going on, I would hate for you to become the next victim. Heath likes you, very much."

My heart was beating uncontrollably, and I stood there grinning like an utter moron, even though Carmen had just told me some pretty scary news. I just nodded, saying that I understood what she was saying.

Without another word, Carmen spun on her heel, and strolled back up to the house, leaving me standing there smiling.

--

Heath

I was exhausted. As the days got closer and closer, I felt more and more tired, and felt more and more energy drain from my body.

Carmen strolled into my room, and attended to the cold, wet towel that lay on my head. I had a fever that was driving me crazy. One minute, I would feel like I was standing right in the centre of the blazing sun, the next, like I had been held under freezing cold water. I looked up at Carmen, and gave my best effort to smile. She knew what I wanted to do, and smiled back.

"Sarah-Jane was just here," she said.

"I thought I could hear voices," I muttered, my voice hoarse and husky. "What did she want?"

"You."

I tried to frown, but it just hurt too much. She got my confusion, and explained.

"She heard that you were sick, and wanted to come and see if you were feeling better. I told her you were asleep."

"But I wasn't."

"Heath, do you think I could let her see you like this? She would get that there was something else wrong with you than just a common flu."

Carmen continued fussing around me, but she was extremely quiet. I knew there was something wrong, and guessed that there was more to the story.

"You told her not to go out on Saturday, didn't you?"

She didn't say anything. She just continued cleaning around me.

"Carmen," I hissed.

"Ok! I just didn't want her to be the next one, Heath. You love her too much."

"I don't love her," I said, a bit too quickly.

"Yes, you do. And don't give me the crap that it has only been three days. You love her, I can tell. Some people fall in love earlier, some later. It doesn't matter. Just be careful, alright? She doesn't know the truth about you, or us."

I nodded. She gave me a smile, and leaned in to kiss my forehead. "Sleep well, Heath. I'll see you on Sunday."

As she said those words, my eyes started to get heavy and were slowly closing. I knew that I had to sleep now, and that I wouldn't wake until Sunday. That was the way my body worked with this "gift" thing.

The last thing I thought, before I fell asleep, was a prayer. It was a prayer that asked God for forgiveness, pray that I didn't hurt another girl, and that if I did, that girl wasn't Sarah-Jane.