Chapter 21: Changes
I went outside to the deck with Eve. I paced around, finding it harder and harder to maintain control of my temper. I'm mad at Jessica for ever coming here and for knowing a terrible monster like Finn. I'm mad at Finn for almost killing Mark. I'm mad Mark for being disgusted by me. I'm mad at myself for being mad. I should've known this was coming. I could hear Eve breathing.
"You're breathing again," I said, surprised. Both of us had stopped breathing when we changed, running toward Mark and Finn.
"Yeah, I feel warmer again too," Eve said calmly. I got even more mad since apparently I'm still not breathing and I feel colder than ever. I clenched my hands on the railing of our deck and smashed through it, holding it up and throwing it across the yard.
"Dammit!" I stomped, shaking the whole deck. Mark opened the door and came outside.
"Lily, you have to calm down," Eve advised and I glowered at her.
"Eve, will you give us a minute?" Mark asked. She nodded and returned to the others.
"Lily, Eve is right, you have to calm down. I can already tell she's changing back into herelf again." I clenched my fists together, but then it made sense and I began to calm down. "When I'm trying to phase back into a human, I think of happy thoughts," Mark laughed.
That made me laugh too and I could finally feel the ice begin to melt. He came over to me and hugged me then. "Sorry." I say that a lot.
"It's okay. You didn't know." He smiled. We waited a few minutes while I continued to transform back into my half-human, half-vampire state.
"I should appologize to my family," I said, heading toward the house. He grabbed my hand and stopped me.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" He tapped his forefinger on his lips, puckering up. I stood on my tip-toes and kissed him.
"Now aren't you forgetting something?" I asked.
"What?"
"You're forgetting to thank me for saving your life!" I chided.
"Hey, I would've won! I was just waiting for him to make his move so I could send him flying."
"Yeah, sure..." I said.
"Thanks for saving my life, Lily." He rolled his eyes, but at the same time sounded sincere.
"You're welcome."
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Beep Beep Beep Beep
"Ughhh," I groaned, hitting the alram. I do not want to get up for school. It's the first day of my junior year, and the first time I will be going to school without Annie. She's away at school in L.A. She said she wanted to go somewhere warm and sunny.
I went through my morning routine, then for breakfast, I had a pint of blood from the fridge. Yummy. "Bye Mom and Dad!" I called, running out the door, getting in my hybrid Lexus that I had picked out over the summer after I got my license. I thought it was fitting to get a hybrid, not to mention it's good for the environment. I picked Elena up on my way to school since she doesn't have her own car. She and Nick broke up last week. She said she just wants to be alone for awhile and not be tied down. I wonder if Mark ever feels that way.
I slid into a parking space next to where Mark parked and got out. Elena and I walked in the school and I saw Mark by his locker. "Hey, how's it feel to be a senior?" Elena asked him now.
"Awesome," he replied happily, putting his arm around me and walking me to my locker.
"I'll see you guys later," Elena called over her shoulder. We've grown apart a little over the past two years, but she's still my best friend. I would trust her with anything, like for example all my family secrets.
"Next year will be so weird without you. It's already weird without Annie here." I said to Mark as I found my new locker and put some supplies inside.
"Yeah, I know." He said.
"Have you decided on where you're going to apply to go to school this year?" I asked.
"I've already completed an application for Washington State University," Mark said excitedly. "They have an amazing program for Architecture."
"Anywhere else?"
"No," he said. "I'm applying there early, so if I don't get in, I will look for other options, but it would be really weird if I don't get it in. You know I have really good grades, plus my summer internships with my dad and your uncles really help. Besides, I don't want to go far away from you. This way, I can see you on weekends and everything."
"But don't you want to... to expience other things besides me? Don't you want to date other people?" I asked, trying to leave the emotion of out my voice.
"No. Why, do you?" He sounded a little upset.
"No, but I don't want to spend more years together and end up like Nick and Elena."
"We are nothing like Nick and Elena. They were a high school romance that fizzled out after two years." He pulled me close to him, "We, are much more than that and you know it."
"Get a room!" a Freshman with greasy hair yelled and all of his friends snickered.
Mark leaned in closer and kissed me, dipping me back, then straightening back up. He looked at the kid and said "If you had a girlfriend like this, would you be able to stop yourself from doing that?"
The Freshman stared at me then at Mark in awe. "No, man. You rule!" I started blushing while the kid and his friends started clapping. How embarrassing.
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"You don't have to call me too often. I want you to have fun," I said, holding Mark's hand, leaning against his shoulder while we're sitting on the edge of Fulton's Ridge. "I don't think you should come home too often either."
"Shut up, Lily. You know you're lying," he chuckled.
"Is it that obvious?" I asked of my noble attempt at sort-of-setting-him-free. He's leaving for Washington State University in the morning and I'm feeling guilty that an 18, almost 19 year old boy has to behave like he's married or something, when he should be enjoying college life. Oh, and he doesn't even have the benefit of doing what married people do in the bedroom, if you know what I mean.
"Yes, you dimwit," he joked.
"I love it when you insult my intelligence," I laughed. "So, I've decided what I want to go away to school for next year."
"Really? I know you've been struggling with that." Mark acknowledged.
"Yeah, I want to be a doctor, like Carlisle. I'm not sure which specialty I will choose yet, but I'm going to major in pre-med wherever I go." I told him.
"That's great, Lily! WSU has a medical school, you know."
"Yeah, I know. I'm not that big of an idiot." We both laughed.
"So, when will you visit me? I want you to see where I am and everything," he inquired. He invited me to go along with him and his parents tomorrow, but I don't want him to be known as the guy who's high school girlfriend follows him every where.
"Maybe after you've settled in."
"I'll be settled in tomorrow."
"Okay, then in a few weeks."
"With an attitude like that, will you even miss me?"
"More than you know," I replied, a dull ache filling my heart. Though I tried not to, tried really hard not to, I began to cry a little. I tried to hide it by just not speaking, but one of my tears hit Mark's hand. He looked at me and brushed the tears away from my cheeks with his hand.
"Don't cry," he begged. "Please." I know it hurts him when I cry, which is exactly why I didn't want to do it.
"I'm sorry, I can't help it."
"Your emotional range is ridiculous," he sighed, probably referring to my temper tantrums and crying jags, but luckily, most of the time, I'm sane and rational. That got a giggle out of me and I was able to hold the tears at bay for a little while longer.
"What time is it?" I asked.
He looked at his cell phone. "9:00 PM."
"Follow me," I commanded, getting up and running. I ran to his house, and for once, I beat him fair and square. I looked in the window and saw Jacob and Ava watching TV. I strained to hear what they were saying so that I could become invisible. It worked like a charm as I knew it would. "Okay, open the door and say goodnight to them."
"It's so freaky when you do that," Mark shook his head. "I can hear you, but I can't see you. Weird." He opened the door and peaked in at his parents saying goodnight.
"Good night honey, be ready to leave by 8 AM," Ava said.
"I will." He ran up and met me on his bed. I was waiting under his covers, having kicked my jeans and hoodie off so I'm only wearing a tank top and underwear.
"Lily, you kill me," he sighed, but happily stripped down to his boxers and climbed in next to me.
"I have a surprise for you." I whispered. "My parents think I'm sleeping over at Elena's house tonight."
"Is that why she's borrowing your car?" He asked surprised.
"Yup," I smiled.
"This is a great surprise," he beamed.
"I brought protection," I told him boldly.
"From what?"
"Well since I don't think you have any diseases, I guess it's protection from getting pregnant."
"Lily, that's not happening tonight," he informed me sternly.
"Why not?"
"Shall I run off the checklist for you? My parents are downstairs. Your dad reads minds. And..." He hesitated, looking embarrassed. "I want our first time to be special."
"Are you saying if we have sex right now, it won't be special for you?" I know that's not what he means, but I'm not liking his reply right now.
"No, Lily. I just mean, we've waited almost four years. We should plan for it or something."
"Okay, then, when do you want to do it?" I asked.
"It's not a matter of wanting to do it. The answer to that question is 'all the time'." He paused looking at my angry face. "Another year, Lily. One more measly year. You'll be 18 and off to college. Please don't torment me about this."
"You are the tormentor," I replied stubbornly. I gave him the silent treatment for a few minutes, then finally gave in, not wanting to waste our first night together arguing about sex. I guess waiting a little while longer won't hurt. "Fine, you win, again." I leaned over him, kissing him softly. I caressed his chest softly with my fingers, feeling his warm skin and hard muscles. God, I'm really going to miss him.
After a long time, I finally fell asleep in his arms. It was the best night's sleep I ever had. Then, at 7 AM when his alarm went off, I kissed him goodbye, unsure exactly when I would see him again. It won't be a long time by normal peoples standards, but for me, 1 day without Mark is 1 day too many.