CHAPTER 14
It was Monday. I went to school early. Even though I had moved in with Richard a few days ago, I always woke up before and went to school without him. He didn't mind.
After I told Richard who I really was, we went back to my hotel room, and packed the few things I owned. Then I checked out of the hotel and brought my things back to Richards place. But before I left the hotel lobby the guy behind the front desk told me I had a message. It was Karin. When I listened to the message, her voice sounded distressed. I could barley make out what she was saying. She crying into the phone, and it sounded like she was whispering, as if she was making sure no one could hear her. Or she was hiding. Then there was yelling and a crash could be heard and then the phone went dead. I was really worried and wanted to make sure she was ok. But I didn't know her phone number, where she lived, or anything.
I unpacked my bag and closed my locker. I was getting anxious. I wanted to see Karin. I walked out the school doors and into the morning air. I walked down the steps leading to the huge double doors that were the entrance to the school. I sat on the half wall that ran around the hedges that were standing in front of the school. I lay on my back, looking up at the sky. There was one cloud. It was big and it had blue and purple tucked away in its curves. It was moving slowly across the vast sky. I closed my eyes and sat up. I crossed my legs and placed my hands in my lap. It was easy to meditate at school that early since there's nobody there to make noise. I concentrated on my breath, my heartbeat, and the feeling of the brisk air on my bare skin. 'Is Karin safe?'
"My dear child, nobody is safe if they know you." Laughed my father's voice.
"Leave me alone." I growled.
"You are never alone. I am always with you." He laughed again.
"I know that you're just trying to scare me."
"Am I? Is it not true that you have already put Richard in danger? George came looking for you. Didn't he?" Trigon asked.
' How'd he know?'
"I know because I'm your father."
"Leave me be, Trigon." I warned.
"So I'm Trigon, not dad?"
"Never." I growled through gritted teeth.
"What ever the case, I think you should be worried about putting people in danger."
"I'm not putting anyone in danger." I knew that I was in fact putting anybody who I ever spoke to in danger. I knew it but I wasn't about to admit that my father was right.
"Aren't you worried that Karin is hurt…because of you?" The demon said in a low voice.
"I never thought of that…" I was pondering the thought when Richard, who had apparently snuck up on me, jumped out from behind the hedges and grabbed my shoulders and pulled, screaming 'BOO!' As he pulled me back I fell backwards into his arms.
"Richard!" I yelled. My heart was racing.
"That was so funny! You should have seen…." Richard paused. He noticed I wasn't laughing. "Rae, are you ok? You look troubled."
"Have you seen Karin by any slim chance?" I was looking around the campus, which now had a few students wondering around. No sign of Karin.
"No. Why? Are still worried that phone call?" Richard asked pushing me back to my feet.
"I think…maybe…" I wasn't entirely sure what I thought.
"She's ok. Don't worry about it."
I sat back down on the half wall. I pulled Richard down beside me. I leaned closer so that no one could hear what I was saying.
"Ok. Here's the thing. Before you o-so rudely scared the crap out of me, I was meditating and my father told me I may have put Karin in danger just like you, and…"
"Wow, wait. You haven't put me in danger." Richard said in a calm voice.
"Don't do this. I did, I almost got you seriously hurt with George." I was getting irritated. I couldn't have Richard telling me I wasn't putting him in danger when I was.
And then, my eye caught Karin hunched over looking at her feet and slowly making her way to the school's double doors. I stood up and ran over to her. She didn't notice me until I was a couple feet away from her. She looked up at me with mournful eyes. I could tell she was sleep-deprived, and had been crying that morning. Her eyes were red and her eyelashes were stuck together because of tears. But the first thing that I noticed, and scared me was the gash on the side of her head. It was a long gash that started by her ear and ran down her cheek to about her jaw.
"Are you okay Karin?" I asked. My voice was dripping with concern.
"I'm fine. You get my message?" She choked out.
"Yeah. I couldn't reach you though."
"Yeah, I figured." She said coldly.
"You have to understand! I couldn't reach you because I was busy. I didn't blow you off!"
"Ok." She brushed pass me. I knew she didn't believe me.
"Karin!" I yelled. I ran after her. "Listen to me!" I grabbed her backpack and pulled back. She stumbled backwards.
"What was that for? You could have hurt me!" She shrieked as I dragged to where Richard was still standing.
"We have to tell her." I explained to Richard. Karin was struggling to get out of my grip. I handed her to Richard her had to wrap his arms around her to keep her from running away.
"Why are you so mad at me?" I half yelled at her.
"Because my life is shit!" She yelled. A couple students turned to look at us.
"Karin, listen to me very closely." I looked at her face. She looked so screw up. Her eyes had purple circles under them.
"No! You listen to me! While you were having a "busy" weekend, I found out I was adopted and then my dad got mad at me because he thought I was snooping in his stuff and started throwing things, so I called you and you didn't pick up because you were having a fun weekend. And then my dad found me hiding from him in the closet with the phone and threw it at me." She pointed at her gash. I almost exploded.
"I'm sorry about not being there when you called, but my weekend was far from fun!" I could barley keep my voice from rising, but I didn't want to bring attention to myself.
"Oh yeah? What happened that could possibly be as bad as mine?" She looked at me with angry eyes. I looked at Richard then back at Karin.
"I was busy running away from my ex boyfriend who is trying to kill me after he killed my sister because we are half demon and half angel, and my father is the supreme demon. And the other night, when I tried killing myself, my dead sister told me our mother was the one who sent George to kill us. And then I told Richard about my past and had to deal with him." At that last sentence I looked at Richard. He looked at me with a serious face and the he let a grin break through. He let Karin go.
"That's not funny, Rachelle." She sounded pretty pissed off.
"It wasn't supposed to be, Karin." I retorted.
"You are getting on my nerve. Do not mess with me." She looked hurt. I had to prove it to her that I was telling the truth.
"You don't believe me? Then watch this…" I stepped closer to her and held out my hand. "Do you see? My hand is empty." Then I clenched my hand into a fist. I slowly opened it back up to reveal a hovering black orb of energy. I held it up to her astonished face. "Go ahead and touch it to make sure its real."
"I-it won't h-hurt?" She looked a little afraid. I nodded. She just barley touched it. As soon as her finger made contact, she abruptly pulled it back. "I'm not s-sure what to s-say." Karin's eyes screamed confusion.
"You don't have to. Just don't tell anyone." I clenched my fist shut again to cease the orb of dark energy. I looked up at Richard who had walked to my side. He was looking at Karin.
"Well, she took that better than me." He said sheepishly.
"I think you were equal." I whispered. "C'mon." I motioned for Richard to follow me as I walked beside Karin up the school's steps.
It wasn't until lunch that Karin spoke to me again.
"So what are we going to do?" She asked in a quiet voice as I settled into my seat between her and Richard.
"My real is Kori." She said as I settled into my seat between her and Richard.
"So how is it knowing you're adopted?" I asked in a low monotone voice.
"It's weird knowing my dad and mom aren't my birth parents. I wonder who my real parents were."
We sat in silence for a minute or two, until she spoke again.
"Rachelle. I don't think I can go back home." Karin said looking down at the table.
"I was just thinking you could come live with Richard and me." I looked at Richard who looked surprised. He looked at me and shook his head. I mouthed 'please' and he tilted his head to the side. I made a face and mouthed the sentence 'do it or else.' He sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Yes, it would be wonderful to have you live with Rae and me." He sighed again.
"Really? Thank you so much!" She cried as she moved her lips into the biggest smile I've ever seen. "My dad will get mad though. He would never let me."
"Who gives a crap about him? He can't hurt you. Trust me." I gave a weak grin.
"We'll go by your house after school to pack your things. You can bunk with Rae." Richard suggested.
