Ok so I didn't update when I wanted to, but that's okay. It's up now. And to those who are wondering, Angel was supposed to be in this story as Fang's little sister, but I guess it just never came up and it's a bit late to add her in now.
So a little drama in this chapter, I hope you like it.
Ten years ago (5 years old)
I lay curled up on my knees as I stare out at the pouring rain outside. My soft breath dusts around the window, causing in to condensate against the glass and I busy myself by draw random shapes.
The cool chill of the glass on my finger makes me shudder involuntarily. It had only been three months since his death and I can hardly close my eyes, because when I do, all I see is the red.
Sitting down stairs on the couch, staring out the window, and letting the sky cry my tears, helps.
I want to be alone, yet it's unbearable. My parents are sound asleep, curled up around their youngest for comfort. Ella is too young to know what is happening.
I want someone to hold me, to tell me that everything will be alright, even if I know that it's not true.
Suddenly the sky lights up and not an instant later, thunder crashes down around the house, making it shake on it's hinges. My frightened scream is lost in its echoes and I scramble across the room into a corner.
I want to cover my head, hide my eyes, but the house shudders again and I'm left staring frozen as the outside turns daylight before quickly falling to night once more.
I fold my head into my arms, cover my ears, trying desperately to shut out the scary noises.
Then he's there, draping a warm blanket over my shoulders, and hugging me close. I'm no longer alone.
I melt into his arms easily, tackling him to the floor, and trying to hide in his shirt.
He pry's my arms from around his waist and holds me at arms length to look me in the eyes. I cower once again as the room goes though day and night again in an instant.
But he grabs my chin and forces me look into his kind eyes.
Trust me, they say, and I do.
I let him slowly drag me back to the couch, and I once again kneel in front of the window, this time with him at my side holding me.
"Close your eyes." He tells me, and I immediately obey.
He takes my hands in his and presses my palms into the frosty window, letting the cold seep in and up my arms. Another rumble is heard and I feel it vibrate in the glass.
"Just listen and feel it. It's not something to be afraid of. It's something incredible." As he speaks to me, my heart slows in time with his against my back, his arms still holding me in place. A shiver runs down my spine.
"Now open your eyes and watch." My eyes slowly open as another blaze of light webs across the sky, and this time, when it goes black, there is a faint streak still in its place.
My breath catches and I can't help but lean forward, placing my nose to the pane as well.
Fang shifts beside me, and he places his palm next to mine, leaning forward intently.
I shift my eyes to him and slightly see his outline in the dark, until I see him lit up completely. The bright streak is reflected in his eyes and suddenly, it's no longer something scary.
It sends a thrill into my body as another crash reverberates down my spine and I find myself eagerly leaning forward, waiting for the next light to appear.
I feel Fang's eyes on me again and when I turn to him, he's smiling.
My smile forms as well, easily matching in excitement.
Now
I hum lowly as I sit on my bed strumming softly on my guitar and looking at the words that I had jotted down in my old spiral notebook.
"The thought of this is killing me
it's been on my mind
Can't believe it's been right here
after all this time
And even though I love you
I can't seem to find someone
who cares the way you do
You know, I love the way
we're always been nothing more than friends
So why do I give every man the stand up
Thought I was over this
but once again I'm comparing you to him
And I find that there's no you and nothing matters
Boy even though your my best friend
I can't help it whenever I compare you to him
It's like I always do this
With every single man
And I hate that I can't find someone
who's worth my time
Just like my best friend
And I know you hear me say this all the time
I don't do relationships cause I'm on my grind
But see your part of this
Because I just can't find someone
who knows me like you do
Always brought out the good in me
Don't know just what you see
Whatever it is
no other guy has even tried
Remember when you left one day
and turned around and say "your my best friend"
And right there you made me cry
Boy even though your my best friend
I can't help it whenever I compare you to him
It's like I always do this
With every single man
And I hate that I can't find someone
who's worth my time
Just like my best friend
I'm trying to let you know
A part of me just can't let this go
Never had a friend
I don't know what you did
But I know whatever it is
I'm so grateful for you
I'm so grateful for you"
I end it softly and then smile. Fang has always been my best friend, and he always will be. And that's right where I want him. That's all I need. My best friend.
I set my guitar on the stand and slowly climb off my bed, careful not to disturb my newfound peace of the situation.
When it holds strong, I unlock my window and climb across the plank to Fang's, slipping inside with ease. I feel moisture on my skin and know that if I look up, clouds would blanket the sky.
"Come on Fang." I pull the covers of the boy and chuckle when he groans in response. "It's almost twelve, get your lazy ass out of bed."
My laugh is a squeal of surprise when he snatches my wrist and pulls me down to the bed, laying half way on me to keep me from getting up.
He only tightens his hold when I struggle and he lets out a loud, fake snore. I sigh and relax back into the familiar sheets. My heart beats pleasantly faster as I stare down at him, his head tucked into my stomach, my fingers fiddling with the hair on the back of his neck.
Yes, him as my best friend is good. We're good at that.
My quiet contentment is broken by the loud gurgle from my stomach. If it weren't for him shaking against my body, I wouldn't know he was laughing.
He rolls sideways off me and pulls me to my feet.
"Lunch?"
I nod and brush past him, going downstairs and into the kitchen to start throwing together a meal.
"So I was thinking, maybe we can go to the movies and see that new horror film that came out?" He asks stealing my sandwich. I roll my eyes and start making another.
"Just the two of us?" I ignore my racing heart as I pay special attention to spreading jelly onto the bread.
"Yup."
I put my knife down on the counter, cross my arms and lean toward him with a smirk as I forcefully shove a blush down. "If you weren't my best friend, that would sound an awful lot like you would be asking me out."
A small smile forms on his lips as well. He takes a deep sweeping bow, half eaten sandwich almost touching the floor.
"It would be my honor to escort Miss. Ride to the grand public theater."
I take a curtsy with a cheesy grin, my heart calming. "Why thank you Mr. Martinez." There's nothing to be nervous about. It's just us as we've always been. Nothing will change that, not even my senseless feelings.
I take a bite of my sandwich as I lean against the counter, contempt.
"That was a terrible movie. Horrible. The blood was so fake, and there is no way a human can have that much blood in them." I tell Fang as we walk casually out of the movie theater.
He smiles but doesn't say anything. He wouldn't, we're around other people.
"Remind me why we went to watch that?" I ask.
"Because we like to laugh at everybody screaming and you like to figure out all the different ways they could have done to get out of getting killed."
I nod along with him. "I knew there was a reason I kept you around."
"Oh, and I thought it was because you loved me." He nudges me lightly.
I know he was just joking around, it's what we do, banter, but my heart speeds the tiniest bit. "You wish." I push him back.
He opens his mouth to say something, probably something offending, but he's interrupted before any words get past his lips.
"Hey, Fang!" I hold in a groan at the girlish squeal. The red head in her vintage dress comes jogging up
"Hey." She breaths again, stopping in front of us and giving a big award winning smile. To Fang. I find my teeth grinding together when he blushes.
"So um, do you think, maybe, you and I can hang out sometime before school starts back up?" She doesn't even look at me as if Fang and I aren't on a date right now. Well we aren't, but we could be for all she knows!
He glances at me, lips parted in uncertainty. "Sorry, but Max and I have plans the rest of the week. It's her birthday on Thursday."
The feeling of victory surges through me as he turns her down. But then he has to go and ruin my triumph. "But I would, if I wasn't busy."
"Alright, that's fine. Maybe next time."
"Yeah, sure Lisa." She gives me a hard glare before spinning on her heel and marching away. Fang looks on in an awe kind of way.
"Dude, come on." I scoff, hitting him in the arm.
He turns his eyes to me. "What?"
"She's not as innocent as you think, she's slept with, like, half the football team already."
"Those are just rumors. You know more that any one not to believe everything you hear." We start walking again.
"But this one is true! Do you not remember all those times she's dumped her lunch on me? She's not some saint."
"Those were accidents." He defends.
"Look at you, she's already got you staring after her like a puppy on a leash! Why are you defending her?"
"Why are you so hell-bent on making her into some devil incarnate."
Because she's already taking you from me. "Because she has practically tortured me since kindergarten when I accidentally cut off her ponytail! Maybe if you would start looking with you eyes instead of your dick, you'd see that!" I scream at him. It's funny how this started out as an innocent enough disagreement. I'm an idiot.
I turn my head up to the sky and stare at the grey overcast sky. I wish it would rain and cool my overheated skin.
I take a deep breath to calm myself. "Sorry." I say. "I'm supposed to meet Nudge at the diner in a few minutes. I'll see you at the house."
I walk away from him before he could say anything, or before I say anything more.
I wait in the gloom at the back of the diner, the direction Nudge will appear from. It's not her who steps out of the shadows.
"So you and Fang, out on a date. Impressive."
I glare at Lisa as she walks closer, circling me like an animal stalking its prey. "It wasn't a date." I say simply.
"It doesn't really matter anyway. He'll be with me soon enough." She gives me a sadistic grin.
"He wont fall for you little innocent act."
She puts on this light angel-like voice. "Ah, but I am so very innocent."
I roll my eyes as she glances down at her phone. Can you say rude? We're having a conversation here!
"He'd be better off with me anyway."
"And how is that?" I scoff.
"You have a lot of accidents don't you? You even got your brother killed didn't you?" My stomach begins to churn and the taste of bile rises in my throat. "The same thing would probably happen to poor ignorant Fangy boy."
My spine goes ridged and I once again wish for it to rain to cool my burning skin.
"Take that back." My voice comes out in a horse croak.
"Ooo, did I hit a nerve?"
"Your sick." I spit.
"I'm not the one that killed my own flesh and blood. What kind of person does that?" She's still grinning. How can she be smiling when saying such terrible things?
My blood starts at a low boil and it feels as if the air around me is steaming.
"Take it back!" I say, gripping her shirt in both hands and slamming her into the wall of the diner. I distantly hear a scraping sound behind me. "Take it back, take it back!"
My grip slackens in confusion when she starts to sob uncontrollably. Then I'm being pushed away and my butt collides with the ground, hard.
"What the hell is going on? Is this what you wanted to show me? You beating someone up? What did she even do?"
"What are you tal-"
"It's my fault." Lisa sniffs. "I must have said something wrong and not realized. I'm sorry Max. I don't know what I said, but I'm sorry." She begins crying into her hands.
I start to get up from where I fell, my hands aching and bleeding, but Fang shoves me back down. I look up in utter surprise.
He's furious.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"She-" I try to explain but her cuts my off.
"Know what, don't answer that. I don't want to hear your excuses."
He turns his back on me, and I think that's what hurt the most, and reaches down to help Lisa up. Betrayal runs through my now frozen veins.
He puts his arm around her waist and helps her walk. Lisa smiles over her shoulder at me before turning the corner.
A few drops of rain land on the gravel around me before down-pouring.
It's finally raining, my inner mind croaks but right now I'm just left shivering and alone.
She did it. She took him away from me.
I tilt my head back, letting the storm replace my tears, and scream at the top of my lungs. It's lost in a clash of thunder that rattles my bones.
So we are almost done with this story! Two or three more chapter at least. Please hang with me until the end, and I give my thanks to you faithful viewers.
Thanks guys.
-Fantasy