Did you guys know… that I love each and every one of you? Thank you so much for the reviews(: They made me smile a lot! I appreciate your kind words and you guys are the reason I keep writing(: Thanks a bunch!
aBrokenJar: Thank you so much! And I always try to keep you guys wondering what'll happen next ;) I'm only fourteen so that means a lot to me! And I'll need more than like 92 (I think), so maybe by the time I finish the story I will be!
The Maximum Ride: Your comment made my day. I literally smiled when I read it! Sorry to leave you with a cliff hanger, but it's what I do ;) But, really, thank you for that comment. I try to keep writing like the author does, but add my own ideas and flairs in as well. I'm addicted to writing this too ;) It's an OBSESSION! And I'll try to update ASAP!
Joro3: Thanks! And I know… I hate my own character… but he's supposed to be! You'll see why in the future… and here it is!
Alright, so here's Chapter 21! Obviously it won't be as long as the last one, but I'll keep my goal of around 3,000-4,000 words. I never go less anymore(: Hope you guys aren't too mad about where I left you ;)
As soon as my eyes finally flutter open from that nightmare of pain and confusion I was in, he's there. John's there, right by my side, holding my face. His worried eyes soften as my eyes open. There are dark rings under his eyes and light pink lines circling his eyes. There's dirt covering most of his face and naked chest, his hair is matted and greasy, and there are small cuts along his face.
"John," I whisper. He lets out a breath I'm sure he's been holding in ever since I passed out and gives me a feeble smile.
"Hey Sarah," he says. The back of his fingers gently graze my cheek while I turn into them and lay a delicate kiss on the back of his hand. His breaths come out trembling and I know he's trying not to cry or be weak, but honestly, I don't care. My father always told me that the strongest are always the most sensitive. That's how it is with John and definitely Six. She tries to be the leader all the time, but I know she breaks down inside. I mean, she's still human… hypothetically speaking.
"John, it's okay. I'm okay," I say trying to comfort him. Instead he only looks down, his eyes closed, his head softly nodding, and his tears being suppressed. I reach for his face and place my hands on his neck. I gently slide them up to where his hair starts to grow and soothingly run my fingers through it. I massage his temples and steadily bring his face closer to mine. "John, look at me. Please," I plead. His head tilts up and I can tell that his tears have fallen, but they were wiped away.
"John, I'm better. You saved my life. You helped me through the pain. You gave me a reason to hold on. John… you are the reason I live," I say to him. I run my fingers through his hair and pull his face to mine so our noses and foreheads are leaning up against each other.
"I thought I was gonna lose you," John whispers. I nod slightly and pull on his jaw.
"I know. But I'm here, John. I'm alive and I'm with you," I say through a wobbling voice. My throat is starting to close up and I have to blink away tears. God, this is worse than having that rock pushed into me. Seeing John like this… it's the worst pain I've ever dealt with.
"Don't cry," he murmurs. I shake my head and let out a small whimper. "No, Sarah, please…" John tilts his head to the right a little and gives me a small smile. "Shh… I'm okay. We're both okay. Please don't cry…"
I take a couple breaths and wipe away a few fallen tears before looking back up at him. He gives a smile curve of the lips before kissing my forehead long and softly.
"Is there anything that you need?" John asks me. I shake my head and he nods. "Well, I'm going to shower and then I'll put our things away." Only then is when I notice my surroundings. There's a large flat screen TV hanging on the medium shaded wood in front of me, a glass door leading to a wooden deck on my right and to the left of the television, a walk-in closet to my left, and a bathroom diagonally on my left.
Out the sliding glass door, I see the beach. The golden sand, the crystal clear water, and the luscious green plants out front are all reflecting the giant burning star in the sky. Outside, I see a few chairs and a hammock hanging where the porch turns. The railings are all natural, un-sculpted pieces of wood and the support beams are large tree trunks. The whole house seems magical.
"Where are we?" I wonder aloud. John pops his head out from the closet and actually smiles at me.
"Seven showed it to us. Apparently, it was built for our arrival. Six and Sam and next door and Five is across the hall. Seven wanted one of the four rooms upstairs. You want me to go get Sam and Six?" he asks. I nod eagerly and John walks over to kiss my forehead. "Be back in a sec."
"Wait," I call after him. He turns and takes a step back towards me, his face questioning me. I place my hands on his neck and pull his face down. Our lips meet and I feel a bolt of electricity go through my body. That's all I do though because to tell you the truth, I'm too tired to make out with him right now. I might collapse out of exhaustion, so can you imagine how embarrassing that'd be?
We pull apart and exchange smiles before he walks out the door. I then realize how thirsty I am and look around for water. Next to me is a night stand where a glass of water and a TV remote sit. I grab the cup and pull it towards my lips. The second the liquid hits my mouth, I feel like it's a rain storm over Death Valley. I easily gulp it down and place the glass next to me. Suddenly, the door busts open and I see none other than the goofball himself; Sam.
"Sarah!" he yells and runs towards me. I smile and hold my arms out. In an instant, his arms are around me and he's squeezing me tightly. Well, actually, a little too tight.
"Jesus Sam, you're gonna kill the girl! Let her breathe!" I hear Six yell at him. Sam pulls away, rolls his eyes, and gives me a mock apology before stepping back. "How're you feeling, Sarah?" Six asks me. She actually gives me a real smile which instantly makes me mirror her expression.
"I'm feeling a lot better. Six, thank you for everything. I know you're the one who had to do it and I can't thank you enough for saving my life. That's twice now," I say and wink. Six actually blushes a little bit and nods in gratitude. "And Sam, thank you for helping me hold on. You held my hand and kept talking to me when I thought I was going to let go."
"Anytime, Sarah. Losing you would be like losing a sister. Not to mention John would just sit around all day like a load of-"
"Sam!" John and Six yell in unison. Sam and I both laugh before everyone in the room is laughing too. Just then, the door opens. Seven walks in and is about to speak, but her eyes fall on me.
"Oh! You're awake! I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Seven. Call me Marina though, please. How are you feeling?" Marina asks in a strong Spanish accent.
"I'm feeling a lot better, thanks," I say. She smiles at me and turns toward the others.
"Anyhow, I was coming up here to tell you that dinner should be ready in a half an hour. Kyle and I have started cooking from the few canned and boxed items we had in the pantry. We'll go out and get supplies tomorrow," Marina addresses. Everyone nods and she leaves the room with a small wave. For a moment, there's an awkward silence until Six clears her throat.
"Well, Sam and I need to go finish unpacking so I guess we'll see you two at dinner," Six says. Sam looks as if he's about to object, but Six glares at him before he gets the hint that she wants to leave John and I alone. Six shoots me a grin and rolls her eyes at Sam before shutting the door. As soon as it shuts, I glance over at John and choke on my own breath.
He looks like a god. He's standing in front of the door with only shorts on, his hair disheveled, his jaw covered in stubble, his whole upper body covered in a thin layer of dirt that's almost sexy, and finally, he has that smile pasted on his face that I can't get enough of. I make sure my mouth isn't hanging open before I give him a small smile.
"You know, I never did give you that haircut, mister. Go get me some scissors and a trashcan," I say. John rolls his eyes, grins, and walks into the bathroom. I smile to myself and feel my face start to flush. Truthfully, I could go without giving him a haircut, but he looks sort of like a wild animal right now. "Actually, John, you should probably shower first," I call out to him. I'm answered by a groan and a disappointed looking John sulking out of the bathroom.
"Well, you need one too! And there's a Jacuzzi bath so it'll probably help both of us loosen up," John says.
"You know, I've never liked the idea of sitting in my own filth so I don't think I want to sit in yours either," I counter.
"There's a shower too, you know," John says seductively and wriggles his eyebrows. I chuckle and reach my arm out.
"At least help me out, please?" I ask. John walks over to me and pulls the sheets off, but instead of taking my hand, he lifts me up bridal style and walks with me into the bathroom. He sets me down on the tile floor and I almost lose my balance, but I fall into the wall who's standing close behind me.
"You okay?" John asks as he helps me regain my steadiness. I nod and peel off my shirt and shorts before hopping in the shower. Careful to avoid the water at first, I turn it on warm, but surprisingly, the water is already hot. John's setting up the Jacuzzi and I take the opportunity to look at myself before John gets in.
It looks like I have a giant blob of pale skin on the right side of my stomach. It's bigger than my hand and really stands out. I groan and think how I definitely won't want to wear bikinis anymore.
"It's not that bad," a voice says into my ear. It sends shivers up my spine and I smile in response.
"Yes, it is. I refuse to wear bikinis anymore. I'll be that person who always wears a shirt in the water," I say and giggle. I wrap my arms around my waist, covering my scar, but John pries my hands away.
"Stop it. You're gorgeous. And good, now no one will be able to look at you like that except me," he says and puts his chin in the crook of my neck. I lean my head on him and reach my right arms around to play with his hair which is now sopping wet. I glance over at him and notice that I can't even see his eyes. I giggle and shake my head at him. "See? This is why you need a haircut. You can't even see. Explain to me how you're supposed to fight if you can't see!"
"Fine," John groans, "but if you give me a buzz cut I'll kill you. And I won't be able to maintain my godly figure," John teases and winks at me. My face flushes instantly and I groan inwardly. I forgot we could hear each other's thoughts. Damn alien boyfriend…
I turn towards him and take the back of his head in my hands. "You could be bald for all I care." I lean in and kiss him on the lips gently. I pull away and kiss him again; pull away and press my lips to his; pull away and let our mouths meet. But soon, we're meshed together. Tangled. Intertwined. However, I pull away due to lack of breath and feeling in my legs.
"Alright… I think the Jacuzzi's ready," I pant and glance down. John grins and, using his forehead, nudges my face upwards. Our lips meet again and this time, I refuse to break away. I feel the shower stop and all of a sudden my legs are swept from under me, but strong arms are suspending my body. I feel him step out of the shower and take a few steps before breaking away. John carefully lowers me into the tub and its effects overtake me.
Several jets are pushing on my back, neck, legs, and feet while the aroma of strawberries fills my nostrils. As if that isn't enough, warm hands are placed on my shoulders. They knead my muscles which gets a few moans of bliss out of me. My body is so sore from everything and I feel like I'm in heaven. The hands work their way lower down my back until my whole backside is relaxed.
"Here, drink some water. When you get massaged toxins are released into your body so you need to drink water to counteract them," John says while handing me a glass of water.
"Well, I didn't know you were an alien masseuse who's also meant to save the world," I say and lean my head back to wink at him. He takes the opportunity to kiss me gently before getting in the tub with me.
"Sorry, I don't want to seem too amazing. I like to be humble about how incredible I am," John says and pretends to clean his fingernails. I roll my eyes and stick my feet up on his legs. I wiggle my toes in his face which, in turn, scrunches up. "Gross."
"What? They're clean!" I claim. John makes a disapproving noise and gently starts rubbing them. I moan and sink lower into my seat. "John! Where did you learn to massage?" I moan with my eyes shut. I hear him chuckle softly to himself before speaking.
"Henri. After training he would rub my muscles out sometimes if they were really tight," John says. He uses his knuckles to work my feet and my body trembles in response. John laughs aloud and pulls my feet quickly towards him making me slide forward and go under. I rise to the surface and glare at him.
"I'm going to kill you John Smith," I growl and lunge at him with what little strength I have. His hands come up to stop me, but I get a hand on his head and push it down. He comes up spluttering water and shakes his head. "John!" I squeal and break into a fit of laughter. John dives at me, sending us both under the water, and I clutch on to him. His hands grab my waist and we both come up.
John presses his lips to mine simply before breaking away and whispering, "I love you." I kiss him again and lean my forehead against his.
"I love you too."
"Hey," I say and put my chin on his shoulder. I place my hands on his biceps and soothingly rub them up and down. "What are you thinking about?"
"Everything." Sam is standing with his hands on the railing out on the deck looking at the sunset over the ocean. His shirt ripples in the light breeze, yet his face is as still as stone.
"You wanna talk?" I ask carefully. He shrugs and I know the answer is no. "Sam… will you please tell me? I don't want you to keep everything bottled up inside." Sam turns to me, his face still unreadable, with his arms now crossed.
"You don't talk to me about stuff. You only talk with John. How about we start there first," Sam says. Normally, I'd have some retort, but I see where he's coming from. I haven't been fair at all. I hesitantly reach for his hand, but he waits a few seconds before giving in. I lead him to the bed where we both sit on the edge. I take a deep breath and begin to tell him my story.
"I was fourteen when they caught me. Julianne and I were in France when they had picked up our scent. As they were coming through the doors, Julianne told me to get in the car despite my pleas. If I had listened to my gut instinct, I could've saved her. Instead, I did what I was told and she was killed. I murdered my first Mog that day. After she died, I tried to drive away, but they surrounded me. I was beaten, kicked, and shot, but there was no effect; no pain."
"From there, they took me to their base in Germany. They took my Chest and I think they still have it. Anyhow, they tried everything they could to kill me. They gassed me, but it only killed those who installed it. They cut me, but the blood ended up no their own skin. Everything they did backfired and they kept me there for a little over a year. One day, I noticed that my hand disappeared. The next day it would be my head or leg. Soon, over half of my body was able to turn invisible."
"At last, I turned my whole body invisible. The guard came in, opened the door, and looked around like crazy. I undid the keys from his belt, slammed the door, and locked him inside my cell making him scream like crazy and wonder what the hell happened. From Germany, I snuck on the next plane out which happened to land in Australia where I stayed for two years before finally tracking down John in Florida. From there, I found him at the school and the rest is history."
I bite my bottom lip and look at Sam. His expression has changed, but it's still unreadable. We sit in a moment of uncomfortable silence before he speaks.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Sam asks. I quirk my mouth to the left and sigh.
"I guess that I just felt John could relate more. I would've told you, but I think the last thing I wanted to hear was, 'Sorry'. Sorry means blaming themselves and I'm the only one that can be blamed for her death. That's why I act on impulse all the time and don't take orders. I can't let anyone else die, Sam." My voice is quiet, but he's listening intently.
"You can't blame yourself, Six. You were only fourteen. Listen, Julianne was protecting you because she knew that if she didn't die, you'd have to. You can't blame yourself, Six. You have to let go sometimes." I nod and lean into him. His arms envelope me and I breathe in deeply. His smell makes me dizzy and I feel like I want to go to bed.
"Go to sleep. It's been a long day," Sam says.
"No," I mumble, "you never told me what's wrong."
"I'll tell you when you wake up."
"Mmkay."
"Sleep well, Six. I love you."
"Love you."
I don't know how the hell I got that done so fast, but here's another one! I feel like such a mysterious person… no one knows of my dorky obsession with writing except my best friend and family! Shh… I gotta maintain my rep ;) Kidding! Haha, but let me know what you think!