Chapter 13

Paul had brought me to Starbucks like he promised and we had a wonderful day. Paul was on cloud nine, simply because he felt that me telling him about the bet proved I cared for him and wasn't pretending. That made me feel wonderful about myself….. He and I talked and he smiled and treated me like a princess just like he always did, I knew he could tell I felt bad for not 'returning his feelings' because he kept reassuring me that it was okay, he was happy being my best friend.

I had honestly never been happier for the day with Paul to end. He had dropped me off and I went upstairs to find Lisa already making herself at home…..and I told her everything about the day…..and she told me that I should go for it…..I was only making myself suffer. When I told her I wouldn't, she told me that I should at least tell him I wasn't in love with James and tell him about Josh.

I couldn't do that to him, because then he'd have hope…hope wasn't good. I'd hoped that Josh wasn't really dead for two years….and it hadn't gotten me anywhere. Just like hope that I'd fall in love with him would be very false. So I kept a happy smile and just enjoyed having my best friend back and having Paul around. I was always happy when he was around…..Lisa had started to call him my sun, they actually started to get along too, which I found extremely strange…..probably because Lisa always brought up that she had sex with him and that he was the most 'enjoyable', which was really strange.

Paul and I had just got back from the beach and Lisa and he had agreed that he could have me for the night, these days they had to have a legit custody schedule over me…..it was like they were divorced and I was the kid. It was hilarious. We were planning on watching some movies and just hanging out, when we reached my room and I saw the unexpected visitor on my bed.

James smiled widely at me, and I could tell he was drunk…he was extremely drunk. "Ali….." he practically giggled as he fell off my bed to get to me and pull me into a hug.

"You're drunk," I informed him.

He just laughed, "We always have fun, when we're drunk!" he giggled pulling out a flask of vodka and handing it to me.

I frowned at him, turning to Paul, "I think you should go," I told him softly glancing at James embarrassed.

"Sorry, dude you can't fuck her tonight, she likes me better because I let her call me Josh," James said giving Paul a soft shove.

My eyes widened, as I turned to Paul who looked extremely hurt and confused. "James, go home, you're drunk," I stated again.

"I covered it up, see, now I really look like Josh, I don't mind if you pretend," he grinned at me drunkenly as he pointed to his birthmark he had placed a band aid over.

"Ali….what is he talking about," Paul whispered his voice sounding broken.

Lisa then walked in at that moment, "Ali, James is in town, I thought I should warn you….." she started but then saw him lying on my bed.

"BABY SISTER!" James laughed racing over to hug her.

"Is that the guy that gave you the good fuck? The one that's also fucking Ali?" he asked pointing at Paul.

Lisa glanced at me complete apology on her face. "James, you are making an ass of yourself," she glared at him.

"Everyone likes Josh better, I know, I know, Ali would be happy, you would be happy, and so would mom and dad, if only I had died that night instead of him," he stated.

"James! Don't talk like that," I snapped at him before slapping him across the face. I saw what was happening, I recognized the psychotic look in James' eyes I recognized it from the summer.

I grabbed his face between my hands, "I love you, James, your sister loves you, and so does your parents," I told him sternly.

He slapped my hands away, "No you don't, and Josh doesn't either, he told me so, I found him Ali," he whispered.

I stepped back paling miserably, "He's crazy, Ali, don't listen to him," Lisa pleaded.

James grinned knowing that I was the only one who didn't think he was crazy because I saw the man too. "You remember that night Ali, you saw the man too didn't you…" he whispered grabbing my arms.

I felt Paul's hands trying to pull me away from James, but I was frozen still looking into James' eyes remembering that night…

"Come on guys, live a little!" James whined from the driver's seat.

"We aren't sneaking into a club, bro," Josh said with an eye roll hugging me closer to him and fingering one of my curls as he kissed my temple.

I smiled at him, and he smiled back, "Stop with the goo goo eyes guys, you're making me sick," James teased us throwing an empty bottle of water at us.

We just laughed and he turned around to look at us just as an eighteen wheeler slammed into the passenger side. I screamed as the car started to flip and doors started to fling open. I felt myself being thrown toward James as I watched the door by Josh fling open as the car flipped once more throwing Josh from the car. "JOSH!" I screamed as the car came to a stop. James and I were panting heavily, but neither of us were hurt that bad other than bruised up. We quickly got out of the car. James dialed 911 while I started to search for Josh when I spotted him on the forest line. "THERE HE IS!" I screamed just as two pale white hands pulled him into the bushes and I saw a pair of red eyes staring back at me. I was frozen stock still. Josh was gone…..something in me knew that.

"Did you see the man with the red eyes grab him?" James whispered to me having dropped his cell phone.

"He's dead isn't he?" I whispered my voice wavering.

"No, he can't be…..maybe the man was trying to help…" James tried.

That wasn't a man…..that was a monster… That's when I passed out cold.

"You remember the man don't you, you saw it happen better than I did," James grinned a crazy glint in his eyes.

I shivered yanking away from James taking some steps back, "I hit my head, he wasn't really there, Josh is dead James," I whispered the words I still didn't believe. Men didn't have red eyes.

"Really? Then how did I see him and talk to him huh?" he asked.

"James…..you're drunk, he might have just looked like him," Lisa said calmly taking his arm and tugging him away.

"Come to Seattle with me Ali, you'll see, he wants to see you, he forgave me, he'll forgive you too," he said softly.

I turned around and walked out of the room, he'd pulled that before, trying to get me to come with him. Using what we did against me. He hadn't seen him, it was just like that summer… James going mad…thinking he saw him…..that he forgave him…..he was dreaming…delusional.

"He had red eyes, just like the man Ali," he said and I froze.

"D-did you say red eyes?" Paul whispered.

"Yes, he had red eyes, it was him Ali, I know it was, I wasn't dreaming like I did that summer, I'm drunk, because he brought me to a bar, he misses you Ali, he wants to see you, he gave me money for a cab to come get you, he said he'd come himself, but something about wolves stopping him or something, he said he was finally ready to see you, that he could control himself," he told me.

I was shaking, it reminded me of a dream I had when I was in Seattle….the dream that felt a little too real.

"We'll be together again Ali, I promise, I just have to learn how to control myself, I've been watching over you, Ali, you really should go back home, I'll find you when I'm ready….." I remember hearing him say those words then waking up and thinking I saw him…..with red eyes, but when I got up to look he wasn't there…..proving it was just a dream.

I left to head back home the next day, not being able to take it anymore, Seattle had driven me crazy, and it seemed it had done the same for James at long last.

"Take him home Lisa," I whispered.

She nodded and I ignored him yelling at me to listen to him and that he wasn't crazy I just went and sat on my bed the dream's words repeating over and over again in my head. That's when I broke down.

I felt warm arms wrap around me, and I knew their owner and I didn't push them away. He should hate me, I had lied to him about dating James and completely left out Josh…..and well didn't exactly tell him I was practically mentally deranged.

He just held me as I sobbed rocking me back and forth not saying anything. After I couldn't cry anymore, I sniffled looking up at him with broken eyes, "I guess its time I explain," I whispered.