Part 13
She'd been on his mind all day. Jackson didn't understand it. What was it about Juliana that drew him to her? She was stunning, sure, but so were lots of other girls. When he had first seen her something had almost seemed to open up.
A light had almost started to shine around her. He had had the sane idea that this girl had been the reason that he had been put on this earth. He hadn't managed to even get a moment with her alone yet.
The Snob Squad had hogged Juliana for most of the day. Paige was convinced there was something weird about her. He'd heard Juliana had collapsed in the hall after her last class. What confused him was the fact that Juliana and Charlene were identical. He was obsessed with Juliana from the first glance, yet he had known Charlene for about three years and had never really looked at her in that way.
Charlene had never really talked much about her family before. She claimed she didn't remember, and never wanted to talk about it. He felt sue if he could just *talk* to Juliana everything would be okay. She would make everything okay for him. He just needed to *find* her.
She wasn't at home when he'd called at her house. He drove into town where he spotted her heading into the burger bar with Brandon Goldthorn. Damnit. He'd just wait until the jerk left. Paige was inside the diner and waved to him. Jackson went inside to join her.
He paused when he heard angry shouting. A couple were arguing, clearly breaking up. The girl left. The boy died. What the....
He frowned as he joined Paige. She was watching Juliana with narrowed eyes. "She did it," she said as soon as Juliana and Brandon left the diner."
Jackson glanced at her. "What makes you so sure? *He* did it."
"Why would he?" Paige asked,
Jackson shrugged. "Why would she?"
They sat there in silence. He could already tell that Paige didn't like Juliana much. He knew talking to her about his crazy obsessions with the new girl wouldn't be much help. She would just tell him he was out of his mind. And she was probably going to turn out to be right about that, if he kept thinking along those lines.
Paige sighed. "This is confusing."
Jackson slumped back in his seat. "Tell me about it."
* * *
Charlene didn't know where she was running. All she knew was that she had to get away. Who *was* this insane person? Why was he calling her Serefina?
Who was Serefina?
This was just nuts. She shot through the dark woods, not sure what to do. There wasn't many places she could hide. She could hear the branches snapping behind her and knew the Hunter would catch her if she remained where she was.
Charlene ran on, panting her heart beating so loud she was sure he would be able to hear it and give her position away. Tearing out of the woods, she spotted the town's only fancy apartment complex and banged loudly on the first door she could see.
"Help me!" she screamed. "Please help me!"
~Come on, answer,~ she prayed silently.
The Hunter was coming closer.
* * *
She'd been on his mind all day. Jackson didn't understand it. What was it about Juliana that drew him to her? She was stunning, sure, but so were lots of other girls. When he had first seen her something had almost seemed to open up.
A light had almost started to shine around her. He had had the sane idea that this girl had been the reason that he had been put on this earth. He hadn't managed to even get a moment with her alone yet.
The Snob Squad had hogged Juliana for most of the day. Paige was convinced there was something weird about her. He'd heard Juliana had collapsed in the hall after her last class. What confused him was the fact that Juliana and Charlene were identical. He was obsessed with Juliana from the first glance, yet he had known Charlene for about three years and had never really looked at her in that way.
Charlene had never really talked much about her family before. She claimed she didn't remember, and never wanted to talk about it. He felt sue if he could just *talk* to Juliana everything would be okay. She would make everything okay for him. He just needed to *find* her.
She wasn't at home when he'd called at her house. He drove into town where he spotted her heading into the burger bar with Brandon Goldthorn. Damnit. He'd just wait until the jerk left. Paige was inside the diner and waved to him. Jackson went inside to join her.
He paused when he heard angry shouting. A couple were arguing, clearly breaking up. The girl left. The boy died. What the....
He frowned as he joined Paige. She was watching Juliana with narrowed eyes. "She did it," she said as soon as Juliana and Brandon left the diner."
Jackson glanced at her. "What makes you so sure? *He* did it."
"Why would he?" Paige asked,
Jackson shrugged. "Why would she?"
They sat there in silence. He could already tell that Paige didn't like Juliana much. He knew talking to her about his crazy obsessions with the new girl wouldn't be much help. She would just tell him he was out of his mind. And she was probably going to turn out to be right about that, if he kept thinking along those lines.
Paige sighed. "This is confusing."
Jackson slumped back in his seat. "Tell me about it."
* * *
Charlene didn't know where she was running. All she knew was that she had to get away. Who *was* this insane person? Why was he calling her Serefina?
Who was Serefina?
This was just nuts. She shot through the dark woods, not sure what to do. There wasn't many places she could hide. She could hear the branches snapping behind her and knew the Hunter would catch her if she remained where she was.
Charlene ran on, panting her heart beating so loud she was sure he would be able to hear it and give her position away. Tearing out of the woods, she spotted the town's only fancy apartment complex and banged loudly on the first door she could see.
"Help me!" she screamed. "Please help me!"
~Come on, answer,~ she prayed silently.
The Hunter was coming closer.
* * *