CHAPTER TWO
"Where is she?" Cassie's mom frowned, "I told
her to be home before eight."
"Maybe she changed plans." I suggested.
"No." Cassie's father said, "She'd have
phoned to check with us first."
"I'll call Rachel's. Maybe she's there. This
isn't the first time it happened." Cassie's mom picked up the phone and
dialed a number in, I watched.
"Who's Rachel?" I asked.
"Cassie's friend." Cassie's dad replied,
"Maybe you'll get to see her."
"Yes, hello. Naomi, is Cassie over at your house?"
Cassie mom asked. Cassie's mom frowned again, "No? Rachel's not there
either? Alright, I'll wait to- No, I haven't either. Maybe the girls found
something in the forest, you know Cassie. She hates to see injured animals, sure
I'll call-"
The front door opened. And Cassie came in.
"Thank god, she just came." Cassie's mom hung up.
"Cassie, why are you late? It's nine already,
didn't we tell you to come home before eight?"
"Uhh, I was over at Rachel's and we lost track of
time I guess." She replied looking a little bit startled. She was looked at me
from the corners of her eyes, She looked at me like she couldn't figure out
who I was.
"Cassie, I just phoned Rachel's mom, she said both
of you weren't there."
"Umm." Cassie said, her cheeks flushed, "Emm, I
was at Rachel's to start with but then we headed to the beach and met up with
Jak- no, Melissa."
Cassie's parents stared at her, "Alright. What were
you doing at the beach?"
Cassie shifted her weight and then said, "She wanted
us to see this group called the Sharing."
"What group?" Cassie's mom asked.
"Oh, the sharing." Uncle Will looked relived, like
he finally believed what Cassie said, "I know them, they're alright."
"There not." Cassie said coldly, "They a bunch of
morons."
Cassie's parents stared at her. She looked at the
ground.
"Can I go now?" Cassie asked.
"Sure…Cassie, Jessie's sleeping at your room for
the time being."
"What?" She asked.
"Your cousin, Jessie. Remember what I told you at
breakfast?"
"What?" She repeated, obviously having no clue as
why I was here. So I assisted her poor memory.
"I'm living with you guys," I cocked my head and
flicked my hair behind my back, "You know, since my dad passed away
recently."
She still looked confused, "Um, for how long?
Wouldn't your moth-"
"It's not important for how long," Her mother
snapped. Interrupting her, she gave her a dirty look and said, "Cassie I
can't believe that you forgot what I told you today!"
"I wasn't listening?" She offered meekly,
"Sorry mom."
Before her parents could talk again she grabbed my hand
and said, "Come on, let's get you to my room."
As we left the room I heard her mother say to her
father, "And you tell me there's nothing wrong with her!"
"Uhh." I said as we went up the stairs, "I
unpacked already."
"Great, that's okay, I just wanted to get away from
my parents." She said hurriedly.
"Why?"
She closed the door behind us. "Because…Because."
I frowned at her, "Boy you changed."
"How so?"
I sat on her bed and looked her up and down.
"Barefooted? Wearing a leotard? And lying?" I paused and then said, "Phew.
Boy are your parents weird, they didn't notice all this?"
She stared at me. "My friend was giving me gymnastic
classes. Just for fun."
"Oh yeah? Then why are you barefooted?"
"I forgot my shoes."
"Yeah, right." I rolled my eyes, "What about the
lies. You weren't at the beach."
"Ha." She forced a laugh, "I was. Besides. Why
should you care?"
I shrugged, "Just making conversation."
This time she laughed in relief. It was like she had
her guard up. I shrugged it away. "I'm going to your school."
"Oh yeah." She said, changing in her pajamas, "I
guess you would be."
"Man, I hate going to new schools."
"Don't worry, I'll be with you, actually, I'll
show you around."
"Thanks, but I'll manage." I smiled.
She looked around her room, "I'll sleep on the
floor for today, you can take the bed."
"Thanks again." I said, "But I don't mind the
floor." Uhuh. Let's hope she offers me her bed again.
"You sure?" She asked. "No, take my bed, I
insist."
"Whatever you say.." I hated sleeping in someone
else's bed, in an unfamiliar house, but I guess this will have to do. I helped
make her bed and then I slipped under the blanket. She closed the lights and all
was silent.
Suddenly I wished I'd have taken the time to find
Jade.
I fell into a restless sleep.
TAP! TAP! TAP!
My eyes snapped open, I was facing Cassie's
nightstand, I reached out a hand and checked the time, it was late, very late.
I glanced down at Cassie, she was fast asleep. I
settled back, but as I closed my eyes, a shadow caught my eyes, the shadow of
the branches outside the window. They were moving.
TAP! TAP! TAP!
Cassie?
I jerked up from bed, I spun towards the window. A
bird. It flapped it wings in panic, startled.
YIKES! What the…?
Then it left. It flew away.
I stood staring at the window. I walked slowly
backwards to the bed, my eyes trained on the window.
I heard the faint flap! flap! of bird feathers,
and another bird landed on the branch to stare at me, this one had bigger eyes,
yellow, an owl?
"Ahh!" I yelped, I stumbled over the bed and landed
hard on Cassie.
The bird flew away.
"Urgh!" Cassie choked out. I got off her.
"Cassie!" I whispered "There are birds
outside."
"What? What are you talking about?" She jumped up
and ran to the window, she threw it open and looked out.
Then she slowly closed the window and turned to look at
me, in an oddly calm voice she said, "Jessie, there is nothing outside."
"But…" I said, confused "I saw two birds…"
"Hey it okay," She said, "Maybe you heard
something, you now, it always happens in a new house, you can't get use to the
odd noises."
"Yeah." I said, still unsure, "Maybe that was it.
Yeah, noises."
"Come on." Cassie said glancing at her alarm clock,
"Let's go to sleep, you've got a big day tomorrow."
I yawned. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight."