Defender
Chapter 10—Friends?
Author's notes: Here it is. /big smile/
Comments:
Daewen98: Thank you muches/smile/ And I remember saying "No promises".
Araz: Wow! A long reply! Let's see...hm hm hm. Everyone wants to know if he'll talk. I can't tell. Sorry. And Count D has shown up...several times. Um...three, I think. And Orcot twice. Anyhow...this story is more about Karen than anything. But, before I start to ramble, too...here's the next chapter:
Brimseye: Heya! Welcome aboard. /smile/
.oO0Oo.oO0Oo.oO0Oo.
Wednesday afternoon, Karen sighed and set down her novel. Leaning back against the headrest in a long, luxurious stretch, she glanced casually at Dreizehn. Her stretch froze at the apex and her eyes opened in surprise and delight. Casually resting on the circle rug was her old friend, the German soldier. Afraid even to blink, unless she discovered it was just a dream, Karen felt around with her left hand until she found her book and flipped the cover shut. Then she leaned forward and pulled her feet out from under her so that she was resting with her head in her hands at the foot of the bed.
"What are you doing?" Amanda queried.
Startled, Karen's gaze snapped to Amanda. She registered the question, composed her answer, and suddenly realised that she had looked away from Dreizehn. With a sad sigh, she glanced back at him, just in case, but not even daring to hope. Yet, there he sat, just as much a man as when she set her book down. A wide smile spread across her face and her eyes fairly glowed with mirth. She had a sudden urge to jump off the bed and throw her arms around the poor canine, but just as she was about to follow through, Amanda's voice cut into her universe again.
"Are you okay!"
Karen chuckled out of embarrassment as much as from relief that Dreizehn was evidently going to stay human for a while. "I'm going for a walk," she announced as she stood up from the bed and grabbed her jacket.
"And that's why you were staring at Dora-chan and acting weird in general?"
"Sure, why not?" Karen answered flippantly. She turned a quick circle that closely resembled a pirouette as she hastily scanned the room for anything that she might have forgotten. Satisfied that nothing was amiss, she skipped out the doorway, hesitating only long enough to glance behind her and make sure that Dreizehn was following. Then she was gone.
Amanda shook her head at her friend's odd behaviour and dutifully walked across the room to put out the incense. As she set the cover over the ash, an unrestrained high-pitched scream came through the window from outside. Her hand jerked and the lid fell to the floor, breaking into four pieces.
"What in the world?" Amanda exclaimed as she ran to the window, unaffected by the shattered incense lid. Throwing aside the curtain, she peered down to the sidewalk.
"What are you doing?" she exclaimed.
Karen jumped away from a startled Dreizehn, releasing him from her crushing grasp. "Nothing illegal," Karen called back up to her with a laugh that was so full of emotion it was almost hysterical.
.oO0Oo.
Karen's heart was nearly bursting with song as she walked to the park. Her pace was fast and often broke into a skip as she danced around her solemn bodyguard. She laughed joyously and twirled in the middle of the sidewalk, drunk with glee. Eventually, she paused, rested her hands on her knees and smiled unabashedly up at her German companion. "Why are you always so grave?" she asked between breaths. "Most dogs would be romping around with me by now, you know."
Straightening up, she tipped her head and observed her silent audience's austere and entirely serious countenance. "You remind me of the Secret Service. All you need is a wire in your ear." Then she tagged his arm and ran on ahead.
This time, Dreizehn chased after her if only to stay near her.
As the park came into view, Karen slowed to a jog and then finally stopped by one of the poles of the fence designed to keep children and their toys out of the street. She breathed deeply, leaning against the pole for support, and watching the birds flit through the branches overhead. Dreizehn stood calmly at her side, gazing absently across the street to the small, weathered, and grey apartments that stood closely together like elderly, beaten, and forgotten gentlemen who had to lean on one another for support in order to survive.
"You know," Karen murmured, "your mood is starting to rub off on me. Either that or I've just run completely out of energy and adrenaline." She smirked and stood up. "Come on, let's sit down, at least."
Dreizehn followed her to the gate, across the sparse grass of the playground, and to the little bench nearby. The seat was made of wooden slats fitted into a metal frame and, situated near the sidewalk and looking out over the duck pond, it made a perfect place for couples to spend long hours arm in arm watching the sun set. The various engravings of "Olivia loves Brian," and "James and Penelope forever," marked this seat as the lovers' bench.
Karen sat down with a weary yet contented sigh. Drawing her knees up under her chin and clasping her hands under her thighs so that her skirt wouldn't fall open, she sat in perfect relaxation. Dreizehn dutifully sat beside her and waited.
The ducks and geese swam lazily in the cool waters and the wind blew gently in the tops of the trees. The chatter and laughter of the playing children behind them was muted by an intangible wall that kept those in the lovers' bench separate from the rest of the world.
"You know," Karen began after several long and peaceful moments, "with you being expelled from the school buildings, there's no way that you can really protect me. Edward evidently comes into the school whenever he wants and there are far too many doors for you to guard all of them at once."
She furrowed her brows in thoughtful contemplation. "And it doesn't help that Ellie and I are at odds. I'd hate to end the school year like this, but I don't know what to do about it." She toyed with the hem of her skirt, pulling at a loose thread that didn't want to break off. "I just can't believe that she's so insensitive. Yah, maybe I'm not my usual self, but dare say she wouldn't be either! I'd like to see her loose anyone dear to her and not react negatively!"
The bitter tears threatened to flow once again and Karen blinked them back with effort. Dreizehn placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, which brought back vivid memories of the day when he had explained why his ears were cut. He had comforted her then and he was comforting her now. Karen turned away, trying to be strong.
"I guess it's not really her fault. She took her problem to Amanda, who told it to me, which angered Ellie. Man! It's such a mess! And I feel like I can't really be myself around either of them."
The tears finally broke free. She hid her face in her hands attempting to keep her sorrow to herself, but Dreizehn would have nothing of it. Pulling her toward him, he rested her head against his shoulder and smoothed out her curly hair. The gentle stroke of his hand on her back only fuelled her sorrow, reminding her of how her mother used to comfort her. From deep within her heart came the river of tears that she had locked inside, walled away, and buried so that she wouldn't have to deal with it. Once the dam had broken, there was no force that could hold back her grief. For nearly half an hour she cried—cried for her parents, for her cousin, and for her friends. Finally, as the sun was dipping below the horizon, bathing the lake in fiery oranges and reds, she heard a familiar baritone.
"You should talk to her."
Karen looked up in shock, right into a pair of deep dark eyes, gazing back down at her like two obsidian gems. The long bangs provided a thin veil that separated her from the mysterious world beyond. An echo replayed in her mind.
He will protect you with his very life.
He'd die…for me?
Ja!
She stared back in amazement, wondering how she had never noticed the depth within his eyes and the way it seemed she could look forever and never reach the end. Shaking her head, she forced herself to remember what he had said.
"Yah…I guess I should," she breathed.
.oO0Oo.
Thursday morning, Karen slammed down the snooze and rolled over like usual. Then she remembered—Dreizehn wasn't a dog anymore! Instantly awake, she jumped out of bed and threw open the door.
Her Doberman was waiting for her just as he had been every other morning.
"What's gotten into you?" Amanda asked groggily as she rubbed her eyes.
Karen stared at the canine sitting on the floor. She could've sworn he was grinning up at her as if it was all a cruel joke. She definitely felt betrayed.
Why had she left the warmth of her bed again?
"Nothing," she mumbled.
"Then why are you up?" Amanda asked through her yawn.
"Because that's what people do when the alarm goes off—get out of bed. Whatever are you doing in bed after I've gotten out?"
Amanda blinked in confusion, her mind not quite awake yet.
"Well?" Karen pressed as she hastily selected her school uniform, and raced to the bathroom. She was out the door before Amanda could finish processing the question.
Still confused, Amanda yawned again, and slowly dragged herself out of bed. Standing before the mirror, she made a face at the person who stared back at her and then set to dutifully making sense out of her hair. When that was done, she packed her bag and set out her clothes. Finally, Karen returned from the shower with her hair up in a towel.
"What's with the glare?" she asked.
"Don't do that again," Amanda warned.
"Do what?"
"Whatever it was you did this morning to completely throw off my schedule."
"Well you're the one who stayed in bed so long," Karen teased.
"You're the one who bolted out of it like the house was—" She caught herself.
"No, I just wanted to get to the shower first." Karen winked and started packing her backpack.
Amanda gathered her clothes and thoughtfully walked to the bathroom.
.oO0Oo.
Within the hour, both girls were hastily making their way down the sidewalk toward the school with their ever-present guardian a step behind. As a gust of wind blew her hair forward, Amanda glanced up at the darkening sky.
"Maybe we should have brought umbrellas," she commented.
Karen did not seem to hear her. She clutched her books a little tighter and continued her brisk pace, walking right past the place where they usually met with Ellie.
Amanda paused a moment and clasped her hands behind herself to keep the wind from blowing up her skirt. Glancing down the street, she spotted her friend waiting under an awning. A wave of her hand and Ellie trotted out to join her.
"Where's Karen?"
"She stopped down a little ways. I think she'd run to school in order to beat this storm if that didn't mean she'd have to go alone."
"Well…" Ellie glanced at Dreizehn. "She wouldn't exactly be alone."
Amanda chuckled and the two girls ran to catch up with Karen. Before they could actually reach her, she turned and continued as quickly as before, staying a few paces ahead. Already a few drops of rain were starting to fall.
.oO0Oo.
As soon as Mrs. Hurst let out class, Karen gathered her things and headed straight for the school's front doors. Once outside, she smiled to see Dreizehn casually seated on the porch with his back against the wall.
"Oh good! You're staying dry."
Dreizehn looked up at her with surprise and disapproval.
"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. It's awful to leave you out here in the rain…even if you are staying perfectly dry. Oh don't look at me like that! I'll go back in...in time for class." She tried to return his steady gace, but the disapproval that exuded from him was almost more than she could stand. "I'll eat lunch later," she commented, lamely, knowing very well that lunch was not what he was concerned about.
The door burst open again and Amanda and Ellie tumbled outside.
"I thought I'd find you here!" the former cheered.
"We decided that if you were going to be this worried about Dora-chan, then the least we could do was join you," Ellie explained.
"Thanks," she replied automatically and without feeling.
"Well! You don't have to be so glum about it."
"I was hoping to have some time alone."
"With my boyfriend?" Amanda teased.
Karen gave her a look of bored irritation. "No, with my bodyguard."
"Well," Ellie began hesitantly, taken aback by the unfriendly tone, "if you want us to leave…"
"You're here, now!"
The two girls stood silently in front of her, unsure how to respond or what to do. Finally, Amanda leaned against the wall and rested her hand on Karen's head. Looking down at her friend, she forced her most motherly tone. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Then why is Dora-chan glaring at you?"
Karen's jaw dropped as she suddenly realised how much more expressive a man's face was than a dog's. If she could tell just from his canine eyes that he was displeased with her, then what, she wondered, must Ellie and Amanda be seeing?
"I'm fine," she insisted weakly.
Amanda raised her eyebrow and traded looks with Ellie. "Dora-chan would say otherwise, I think. Did you two have a fight?"
"Hardly! How can you fight with someone you can't even talk to?" The last words petered out as she suddenly realised that she was already fighting with Ellie by avoiding speaking with her. "Um, Amanda?" she said in a low voice. "Would you mind terribly if Ellie and I talked alone?"
.oO0Oo.
The rain was starting to let up a little, but the wind still gusted through the porch in cold burst, blowing the girls' hair and playing with the edges of their skirts and sleeves. Dreizehn faced the wind, letting the air fan his fur and whistle in his ears.
"What did you want to talk about?" Ellie asked.
Karen sighed deeply. "You know that Amanda told me how you felt about me and the fire and all that junk, right?"
Ellie nodded her head slowly.
"Well, I guess I've had a hard time accepting it, and…well…I just don't want it to get between our friendship. I don't know how to handle this, I admit, but what I'm doing is working…or has been working for me well enough. But…I guess if it's irritating you, then I need to find a different method. In truth, I was mad that you talked to Amanda and that she told me instead of you talking to me, but what's really upsetting me, I've come to realise, is that you're upset with me at all. I mean…" She took a deep breath and pulled her knees up under her chin. "You can't know how I feel," she whispered.
"But I do, a little."
"No you don't."
"I didn't loose my parents (that's true), but I did loose a sister."
Karen looked up in surprise.
"Before I transferred here, my older sister, with whom I had the strongest of friendships, died. In fact, that's the reason that we moved here. We had to get away from her. It seemed that she haunted every place that we used to share together and the memory of her and her struggle and her pain and…well, everything, just wouldn't go away. Moving here helped some, but I was already a very miserable person. You didn't really know me at first, but Amanda did and she can confirm that I had major anger issues back then. I was a real pain—mad at life, humanity, and basically everything. Amanda, the dear, was the only person who didn't let it affect her. She was always cheerful and always seemed to know the right thing to say."
"She's like that, isn't she?"
Ellie nodded. "Most of the time. I have to wonder about her telling you what I said, though, but," she shrugged, "I figure she thought it was best and who knows? Maybe it will be in the end."
"Sure doesn't seem so right now."
"Yah…."
"Do you still get angry about your sister?"
"Sometimes." Ellie looked out across the parking lot where the rain bounced off the tops of the cars in a white haze. "I miss her a lot still and whenever I think about it and why she died it makes me mad."
"How did she die? If you don't mind me asking, that is."
"Might as well. I'm already thinking about it." She sighed again and leaned her head against the wall, staring up at the porch ceiling. "She was hit with a stray bullet from a gang shootout. It didn't kill her, but lodged dangerously near her heart. My parents wanted to pay whatever it took to help her, but the operation would have been risky at best…and expensive. Since she probably would've died anyhow, my sister just opted not to have the operation and save our family the expense. Mother, of course wouldn't hear about it, but she was eighteen, so the doctor's considered her wish over ours. And so she died…and was in great pain up until then. And all because of a stupid gang war." She dashed at the angry tears that slowly slid down the side of her nose.
"That was all only a couple years ago?" Karen whispered.
Ellie nodded. "Seems unbelievable, doesn't it?"
"And you've gotten over it so quickly?"
"Well, with Amanda's help. And I wouldn't say that I'm entirely over it. It does still make me mad, after all. But being able to unload on Amanda has done wonders!"
Karen sat in silence, processing the information.
"I'm not saying that you should talk to Amanda," Ellie suddenly added. "And I didn't even mean to bring that up, but…well…I'd definitely recommend talking to someone, even if it's just Dora-chan. He'll understand, somehow, I'm sure."
Karen smiled. He definitely would understand…somehow.
"Still friends?" she finally asked.
"Friends."
Karen stood up to go back inside and, as she did, she glanced at her watch. "Oh gosh! We're late!"
.oO0Oo.
As the three girls and their guardian walked back home in the rain, Amanda suddenly stopped and smiled with feminine satisfaction.
"What?" Karen asked.
"I was just thinking that Dora-chan looks really hot when he's soaking wet!"
The three girls shared an admiring smile at Dreizehn's expense.
.oO0Oo.oO0Oo.oO0Oo.
Last notes: Yar…it's just one tiny line—five words, but it'll have to do for now. He'll probably talk more laters.
Anyhow…if the next chapter doesn't come out in a while, please be patient. I'm done with the mural I've been painting (I did tell you all about that, right?), which means that I'll be changing my residence again…/sigh/…and so I'm not certain how my Internet situation will be. Also, I need to start job-searching again and…well…to be honest, I'm starting to loose track of where I'm going with this story so I need to take some time to just reread it, take notes, and plan the rest of my very rough outline so that I don't start to ramble or, worse yet, write myself into a hole. In short, I need to take a break. Sorry. I know. That's a bad and terrible thing to do to my readers, but the alternative could easily be worse. /nods/ Don't worry, though. I PROMISE that I will continue writing…sooner or later.