15. Forever
I watched Jason dream. I watched him open his mouth and sigh. I watched the way he tossed and turned which meant he was having a nightmare. I wonder what he was running from this time.
I brushed my cool fingers through his soft hair. I watched the way the wind blew through, making it dance. I watched the way his eyes fluttered and when he moved in his sleep. I heard my name many times, but I stopped counting after 37…
"Good morning." He breathed. I smiled and wrapped my arms around his still body. He rubbed my back and hummed to himself. I don't think I have ever seen this side of Jason before. He kissed my head at the same time his stomach rumbled. I laughed.
"Humans…" I muttered too low for him to hear. He got up out of bed and then made his was to the fridge. He didn't have much grace doing that, but it still left me breathless and staring as I watched him again. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately.
He grabbed a bowl of cereal and started to pour milk in the box. I raised my eyes brows.
"You didn't think I was going to forget how to eat like a guy here just because were in a fancy hotel, did you?"
I rolled my eyes and went to answer the door when someone knocked. I opened the door and outside was standing a man wearing a tux. His hair was smoothed back and he was smiling at me weirdly. He looked like one of those people who owned the hotel and he looked oddly familiar. The only thing that really caught my attention was the bouquet of flowers he had in his strong, firm hands.
"Claire?" he asked in a fluent French accent. I nodded and he handed me the roses. I closed the door and walked back in the room confused. Had this man really gone to all this trouble just to give me some flowers?
"Who was that?" his voice sounded strange. Like he was hiding something from me again.
"Someone with flowers." I tried to sound nonchalant, but I was never good at that.
"Oh." He picked up the box of cereal and threw it in the trash. Of course he ate the whole box. He was a guy, they were always hungry. I sighed and sat on the bed. Jason went into the bathroom and I heard his start to brush his teeth slowly, trying to listen to something.
There was a card in the flowers.
I picked it out just as the door opened. Skylar walked in like he owned the place with that grin that made me want to bite him, literally. He was wearing the very shirt I hated and he knew that I hated it. I had wondered why he wore it so often…
"Ugh, will you please take that shirt off. You know I hate it." Skylar stood about two feet away from me and he held his arms up, tense for a fight.
"That's right, you know you want to see my shirtless." He teased. He rubbed his shirt that said VAMPIRES: WE'LL BITE YOU. I couldn't believe I let his shop by himself. I was such an idiot.
I growled and he smiled. "You are so lucky you haven't found a mate yet, then she would be mad for what I'm going to do to you." he laughed and then I lunged for him, knocking him to the ground. I pressed my lips to his throat and I bit him.
"Damn Claire! That really hurt!"
"Serves you right!"
He smiled at me again. Obviously he remembered the memory as well. I growled again, and like the past he held his arms up.
"Hey now!"
Nick entered the room.
I groaned.
Nick was wearing the exact same shirt as Skylar. He smiled at me too, like the innocent child he will never be. Jason came in the room and he was wearing a shirt that said I'm with stupid. It had an arrow pointing the right. I hoped he would stand next to Skylar.
"We'll see ya later." Jason called as he walked out the door with both of them. No explanation, no words, they knew I hated that.
I sat down on the bed again, flowers in hand, and opened the card in it. Meet me in my room. Lots of Love, Angel. I laughed. Why couldn't she just tell me this in person?
I walked to my dresser and put on my favorite pair of jeans and my pink T-shirt that Skylar had once complimented. I brushed my hair, put my shoes on and walked next door to Angel. She opened the door before I knocked and took my hand, yanking my into her room, slamming the door.
My first instinct was to attack, but she was smiling so I held it all in. I knew that look in her eyes, and we were going to do what we always do when all of the guys leave.
"Shopping." Mine was a groan and a laugh, while hers was high pitched and excited. I rolled my eyes and ran with her out the door, grabbing our purses on the way.
She made a pouting face when we got into my Viper. I laughed and I made my way through the cars and raced down the road. I had been in Paris with Angel so we both went to our favorite shopping mall.
We arrived and it was bigger than five hotels put together. Anyone could get lost in here, but that was only every woman's dream. We ran through the doors and I was going to my favorite jean store, but Angel dragged me into a dress shop.
"Ange?"
"Just roll with it. I want to have some fun today since I couldn't get a new car.
"Fair enough." I decided.
We looked through dozens of racks and this one pink satin dress caught my eyes. Angel shook her head. Something more plain, but still dazzling, you know?" she kept looking while I put the dress back. 10 minutes later I came across a white dress that came up to my knees and was frilly at the end of it. It was sleeve less while two thick strings was supposed to tie around your neck. I held it up.
Angel gasped. "Perfect!" she squealed. She grabbed the dress and me and practically threw me into the dressing room. I tried on the dress and went outside to see if it fit Angel's qualities, whatever that meant.
"That's great! Turn so I can look at it from every angle." I turned and she smiled even wider. "Ok take it off then we can pay for it then we are going to the shoes!" she smiled and started to pick our stuff up again.
I went to pay for it, but she already had money out and was giving it to the nice man. I picked up my bag as she took my hand and dragged my to the biggest shoe store in the mall. She didn't even let me look. She went straight to the man again.
"The one I had on hold please." She gave him a credit card and after he swiped it he gave her the card back and a bow, which I was guessing, had some shoes in it. She took my arm again and we went to an accessory boutique. We had been in the shoe store all but 15 seconds.
"What is all this for?" I gasped as we ran through the hallways, dodging angry customers. I think this one guy eve flipped my off, but Angel only made me look at her so I wouldn't be distracted.
Then she stopped dead in her tracks "Wait we can't go in here!" she yanked my arm and she dragged my away to somewhere else.
She pushed me onto a bench letting me breath for a minute. "What are we doing? What is all of this for?" she smiled and shook her head.
"You'll find out later."
She ran me to my car and she was driving this time. She was going down the highway faster than I did so we made it to the hotel in half the time I did. The sun had only been in the sky for about 25 minutes. Why were we up this early? Didn't Jason want to sleep in?
She dragged me to her room again and slammed the door. She undressed me and she put the dress on carefully. She tied the string around my neck and then moved to my hair. After brushing it through twice, she put a rose in one of my strands of hair. She ties it around the strand so it wouldn't fall out. She moved to my nails and then my toes, painting them in the French manicure and pedicure. She shoved white high heels onto my feet and I looked at them. I didn't have much time. Already she yanked me out of the room and down the stairs. There were a few gasps at my appearance, but I was already in the car by the time I registered that fact. Angel didn't get in, but the car was already flying down the road.
"Seatbelt." Skylar commanded. I buckled up still in a daze. Skylar laughed at my face. "Nice outfit." He said through the chuckles.
"Where are we going?" my voice was tight and stressed. He made a cat's meow sound and I hissed.
"Nice kitty."
I growled. He rolled his eyes and was silent from then on. He parked in front of the beach, pushed me out and drove away. I was left standing there looking like an idiot.
"Damn!" I yelled a little too loudly. Several heads turn my way, but I paid them no mind. I was dressed to well for a stroll on the beach, so why was I here?
"You look…beautiful. As you always do." Jason whispered behind my ear. Since when did he become so silent? I whirled around and he put his hands on my waist.
"So you planned this?"
"You're not mad are you?"
I put my head down and laughed. "No." I leaned closer to him and he held me tighter. He was shaking, tense, but for what? He took my hand and began walking. I stopped and took my shoes off. Why would Angel put me in these shoes if I were going to walk in the beach? It was just all so confusing. I put them in my hand and he led me to the sand. I ran to the water, letting the cool ocean wash over my feet.
"Mmm." I sighed. The water was cool, but it felt warm to me. Jason's hands found my waist again as he hugged me. The sun was warm, but the clouds blocked the sun so it could not touch me.
He placed his warm hand in mine again and we began to walk again, keeping close to the edge of the water. The beach was strangely deserted. I wonder why the reason was for that.
We walked for about ten minutes when we came upon a middle-sized gazebo. There were lights surrounding the top of it and there was one seat in the side. He walked me up the stairs and took me to the middle of the circle.
"How about a dance?" he asked taking my hand. He placed both of them around his neck while he put his hands in my waist again. He started to move and twirled.
"What happened to music?" I asked, whispering. I didn't want to break this odd silence, but I had to ask.
"Who needs music to dance?" he breathed. He silence my by pushing his mouth to mine. He was fierce and gentle at the same time. I breathed in the deep scent of him, never wanting this moment to end. He broke away and our dance was never interrupted. I leaned my head to his chest, when his arms constricted around me.
We danced for a long time, but here in this moment, there was no time. It was just him, dancing until we wanted to stop. And I knew I didn't want to.
His watch beeped and then I realized we had been dancing for a few hours. It was noon. He took my hand and ran with me the other way. He clicked some keys and there he flashed a brand new mustang. It glinted in pure silver and it was a new model. Translation: It's not sold in America yet.
"Nice." My finger traced the side and he laughed.
"You and your love for cars." He muttered knowing I could hear. He opened my door like a gentleman and then went to get in the other side. I slid in with precision and buckled my seatbelt.
"Want to race cars? I'll bet I can beat your puny little Viper." He winked at me.
"No!" I said quickly. I cringed at the sight of him racing, remembering what happened with Angel. What if he didn't see it and he didn't make it? Could I bring him back?
"Kidding." He murmured and then drove down the street, going the normal speed limit. I sighed, wishing he could go faster, but I never pushed him.
We pulled into a parking lot.
"Le Bellecour?" this place was too expensive, I would have to pay for this, unless Skylar…
"Don't you like this place? Skylar said-" then he stopped. "Never mind." Yep, he was definitely hiding something. I just had to find out what.
"It's fine, but it's the most expensive restaurant here." He shrugged and went to open my door again. I took his hand and got out of the sliver car. He walked me to the table.
"Avez-Vous une reservation?" the French man asked. Jason turned to me confused.
"He said 'Do you have a reservation?'"
"We-we." I smacked my head. He didn't know a thing about French.
"English." I told him. He nodded his head. "It would be under Greenfield I presume." I smiled and he looked through the book.
"Ah, here you are. Trino? Show them to their table please." A waiter with brown skin and black hair came up to us. He smiled at both of us and Jason nodded.
"Follow me please." He asked as he began to walk. He took a right and then a left, swerving us around different tables. We finally made it outside and he took us to a private section, just for the two of us. "Someone will come to take your order in a minute. Can I get you any drinks?"
"Dr. Pepper." Jason and I said at the same time. He smiled, but it was fake.
"You're going to drink something?" his voice was full of disbelief.
"Of course not! Do you think I'm stupid? I'm getting it for you Jase." He laughed again. His voice echoing around the tent we were in.
"What?"
"What's Jase?"
"It's a nickname for you. I call Angel, Ange. I call Skylar, Sky. Even though he hates it when I do." I laughed to myself. "Ben is a nickname for Benjamin, but I'm sure you knew that."
"And Syd is for Sydney?"
"No. Syd is her real name. If you don't like it I won't call you that, but don't worry I'll think of something else." I said. I didn't want to call him something he hated.
"It's fine." Jason said. He looked around for something, but I couldn't see a thing. Then the waiter came up with our drinks, setting one beside him and me.
"Are you ready to order?" Trino said with a thick Spanish accent. Mexican. Or, maybe Cuban. Who knows these days?
"I'll have the fried chicken, and the Mexican sauce." Jason said. Then Trino turned to me.
"Nothing." He nodded, but then turned and walked away.
"Wait you're not hungry?" his voice was full of teasing. I rolled my eyes and pulled my glass towards me. I took a sip, just to try it.
It was horrible. No, it was beyond horrible. It was like someone sticking mud, turds, and rotten milk down my throat. I coughed and with all my will power I did not spit it out. It burned my mouth, but for a vampire there was nothing to wash it down besides blood and I couldn't get it right now.
Jason stared at me with wide eyes. I've seen this look before. He was shocked and thinking very hard. His Hazel eyes were hard and deep in thought. What could he be thinking about? Did he think I could survive on human food too?
"Just say it." I told him. He blinked his eyes and he shook his head. He took a sip of his own drink and I shrugged my shoulders.
"Why did you do that? Can you eat and drink human food? What did it taste like to you?" his eyes bright with energy.
I waited a moment before answering. I wanted to know the answer to that too. Had anyone of us ever tried to feed like a human for a long time? Could we be more human like that? Did I have to kill to feed myself or could I save lives and just take a little pain now and then?
"I always wanted to know what human food tasted like to me. It doesn't smell good at all, but then I look at you. You don't really smell good either, but maybe you're just like that because you're a guy." He laughed and I went on. "I doubt vampires could survive on human food, but I don't know anyone who has tried. It might be possible, but I'm not sure. Sure we can eat and drink like you guys, but it's not very appetizing.
"Have you ever tasted rotten milk mixed with mud and something vile?"
"No."
"I wouldn't try it then. I'm sure with my better senses that if it tasted awful to me then it would taste bad to you too. But of course no good human food would taste very good to me." He nodded and took another sip of the pop. He gulped and I watched his jugular pop out. It pumped blood and right now it was very strong. The air blows to me and his scent is spread out over my face like water. I wanted it so bad, but he was lucky there was that…that after taste to it. Now I finally had a word for it.
"Claire?"
"Yeah."
Jason shook his head. "Never mind."
"Jason," I pleaded. "Tell me, please." I leaned over the table and I tried using the charm only a vampire could use. I didn't like to force him, but he was going to ask an important question. I could tell that it was.
"What…what can Cody exactly do?"
"Cody can move thing with his mind. Did he tell you that?" what kind of important question was this. I was sure Cody would have been excited to tell anyone he could, within reason.
"Not our Cody. Your Cody." He said each word carefully. He hesitated with that last sentence, but then he got it out. The main thing that hit me was when he said 'Your Cody'. He said it like Cody was still mine and I was still his.
"He isn't my Cody anymore." I said with too much anger. He recoiled from my words and took another sip, not meeting my eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to talk to you like that. You just have no idea what he can do."
"What can he do?" he asked, still looking at the table. My eyes flashed around us, making sure no one was around to hear. I believe I was just paranoid, because the only person who would be able to hear us was the waiter and he was off doing whatever waiters do.
"Cody can do anything and everything. Anything that is not real, he can bring to life. He can take lives and give them, just like me. He can read minds, move things with his mind, and control people with his mind. He makes the weather what it is now and he can make animals turn against their masters. He can turn families against each other and lovers out the door." Something clicked in my mind, but I was talking to Jason so I had to keep my focus. "He can make me love him and kill you." I said in a lower voice. I didn't want to say that, but Jason had to know what he was up against.
Cody could do all of these things. He can turn families against each other. Is he behind this? I hadn't heard of him for thousands of years. What could have possibly changed that made him come back to my life? I said it myself. He could make me love him again. Did he find out that I loved Jason? Is he here to take care of the competition? It all seemed reasonable. Why didn't I think of this before?
If he did turn my family against me why would he bring my family back to help rescue me? Why would he have Taylor stop him before he could do what he was going to do to me? Were they so angry that they broke free? But what about Keith? Did he really hate me about Sierra this much? Did he let nothing break Cody's power? Or was he in line with Cody and he wasn't being controlled at all? The thing is that I don't know Keith that well and I didn't save him, he joined. Who knew what he could do? How far would he go to destroy my whole life? How far would Cody go to destroy Jason?
Everything in my mind went by in seconds so Jason wouldn't notice it. Humans can't think like we can.
"Oh." He finally said. Just then a new waiter came up and my breath caught. I didn't know who he was, but I knew what he was. He looked at me too and he knew as well what I was. He set Jason's food down and a new refill. How long had he been watching and listening to know Jason needed a new refill? I looked back at him and he seemed to know what he was too. His red eyes were hard to miss.
"Claire Emerson?" his voice rang in my ears. It was so clear and bell-like. His eyes were staring into mine. How did he know me? "Oh forgive me, I'm Zach. I've heard your story many times. I haven't met a…" he stopped looking at Jason.
"He knows everything. He also knows what you are and what I am. He knows our world and most of the myths that are in it." I confirmed seeing his hesitation. It felt weird talking so fast, but it was just because I haven't met another new vampire in a while.
"Ok then. I was going to say that I have never met a vampire that doesn't know you. Well except for the newborns of course." We laughed at his joke and Jason was looking at us like a lost orphan.
Zach looked over at him too. "Do you not know the dangers, Claire? The risk you're putting him in or is he some sort of volunteered snack?" he chuckled while I growled. He stopped. "You love him don't you?"
I nodded.
He laughed again, easing the tension. "I must say I don't know how you can love a human, I know I have had troubles with working here myself, but then you have had over 4,000 thousand years to master it. Well it was nice to finally meet the famous Claire Emerson. I hope I can see you again sometime. And maybe you too, uh I don't seem to know your name?" Zach's head twisted to Jason.
"Jason." He said. I gripped the table as the breeze blew from behind Jason and then to Zach. Zach seemed to grip the table also. Then he crinkled his nose with the after taste as I call it.
"I-I guess maybe we will see each other in the future?" it was a question to me without looking at me.
"I haven't decided if I'm going to do that yet. It would seem unfair to him. To just destroy his life like that." Zach nodded once. Then he took long steps away, almost running. I was glad he was doing so well with self-control. Zach was nice enough I didn't want to have to kill him too.
I sighed as he left and I saw Jason relax too. He started eating and we sat in silence for a little bit. Jason ate each little bite, chewing more than he needed to. He was thinking again. I was getting so good at getting a read on him.
"What did Zach mean when he said 'Maybe we will see each other in the future'? Is he coming back?" his eyes slid in place, looking right at me. I couldn't lie to him like this. I was becoming so soft with him around. How could I ever deny his face?
I sighed again. "No." I looked down. "He meant if I was going to change you."
"Change me?"
"Like turn you into me. Turn you into Skylar, turn you into one of us. Join our world and leave humanity behind." Jason looked down and nodded, thinking once again.
"Do you not want to change me?" Jason suddenly asked. He looked at me again, refusing to let my eyes move away from his. "Are you going to answer me?" he said in a tight voice, it was on the edge of crying.
"No I don't." his face looked down at his plate. "But you have to understand why. I love you more than anything Jason Greenfield. That's why I can't change you. I won't take your life away like that. The reason the others are even here was because it was either death or vampire life for them. I changed Skylar because I was alone. I had been alone for 3,000 years. You have no idea what it's like to be isolated from everyone because you're different.
"I can't have children and you could never be a father with me. You would have to say goodbye to your old life completely and I just don't want to be the one that has to end it for you. I want nothing more than for you to live the rest of your life…human.
"But of course I don't know if I could let you go. I love you Jason and I can't loose you. I won't ever love anyone else the way I love you. Don't ever let Cody interfere with that and think that you have to prove yourself to me. Jason you're everything I want, but at the same time," I sighed. "You just don't understand the danger I put you in every second that I'm with you."
I looked back at Jason Greenfield, the man I love and have waited for all my life. He was smiling a little bit and he was shaking from laughing.
"I don't think you understand, Claire Emerson. I love you with everything I have. I wish I could give you more, but I know that is not possible.
"The thing you have gotten wrong is that I do know the danger that I am always in. I've seen you attack me, attack Skylar and fall under Cody's will so that he wouldn't kill me. I know what you can do; I know what he can do. I know you're a monster, and a human killer. I also know that I don't care. I can't leave you if I know I love you with every cell in my body. My body yearns for you and it can't leave your side." Jason reached over and took my hand. He patted it, smiled, and leaned forward just an inch more to kiss me again.
He let go too soon and began eating again. I watched him eat for about 10 minutes. When the check came around he wouldn't let me pay for it and gave him all cash. I was going to ask where all of this money came from, but then I didn't really need to. There was only one word to sum it up. Skylar.
"What time is it?" I asked, looking around for a clock. Jason took my hand once more, but this time he just held it and wouldn't answer me. We got in the car and drove faster then the first time. I was guessing we were late for whatever he had planned for our little date.
I glance at the clock swiftly and noticed that it was 3:00p.m. We had spent about 3 whole hours there. Did his eating really only take 10 minutes or had it been and half an hour. And how long had we really been talking? A few minutes or a few hours?
He drove our way down the side of the beach. I saw the waves crashed down and a little girl screamed and jumped back from the water. Another child was burying her dad and then there was a tall, tan man surfing in the waves, back out about 100 feet too far. Did he have a death wish to be eaten by a shark? It was his life I guess. I still couldn't help, but feel bad for him. But it was his decision and he didn't deserve my pity.
Jason passed the end of the beach and then we got to another part of Paris I didn't know he knew was there. He made a right turn into some woods and I held my breath as he took me to my past. Out here was a cemetery. It was where my parents were rested and where I became what I am.
My body suddenly felt weak and afraid. I felt like Cody was here and that he was watching me. But I felt no other life here and I knew it was just Jason and I. Nothing more was here besides a few squirrels.
I stepped out of the car and I felt the wind whip my hair and the tree blow with force. I couldn't see the sun through all the leaves, so I knew Jason couldn't either. It gave the woods an eerie look and it made me want to run and leave this horrid place at once. Dark shadows were nowhere; it was too dark.
I felt the warmth of Jason behind as he wrapped his arms around my chest and held me tight.
"I love you." he whispered in my ear. I felt too weak and alone that I couldn't even speak. The silent howl of a coyote even had me cringing into him. Jason patted my head and spun me around to face him.
"Maybe this wasn't the best place to bring you." his eyes slid down over my body and looked at his feet. Jason needed to know everything, but not right now. I shivered again.
I put my hand under his chin and forced him to look at me. His arms wrapped around me tighter while my hands were limp on his chest. He took one of his hands and pulled a strand of my hair and put it back in place. His eyes were like pools of silver, just floating together as one. The only difference was that his eyes were green and it was the most wonderful color I had ever seen.
"What color were your eyes before you were changed?" he asked randomly. He must have noticed that I was looking at his eyes and not really him.
I took in a deep breath. My eyes were beautiful when I was human. I think it was one of the reasons Cody was attracted to me in the first place.
"My eyes were a deep blue. It was light and dark at the same time. It was a strange color for a person to have since I was the only one known who had that color of eyes." I smiled. "Even now I haven't seen anyone with my color of eyes. And I've been to a lot of places in my life." I laughed again as I put my hand to his cheek. He blushed and leaned into my hand. His warm breath tingled on my fingers.
"Sounds…nice." He sighed. His breathing was harder. Then he opened his eyes and jerked me to his car. He was lucky I wasn't tense or the action might just have torn his arm off.
"Now where are we going?" I complained. He laughed and then waited a moment. He put the car into drive and made his way out of the cemetery. Then he parked the car on the side of the rode and picked up a piece of a bandana. It smelled awful and it made my eyes water. When I looked at it I knew what he was going to use it for.
Skylar always put this on me if he ever wanted to surprise me. It was Sam's and it made my eyes want to close automatically. That way if I opened my eyes to see through it my eyes would burn and be in severe pain.
I rolled my eyes one last time as he put the piece of cloth over my eyes. My nose crinkled and Jason laughed once again.
"How did you know about this?"
"Skylar told me it was the only way to surprise you. I guess he was right." Jason said softly. His breath was against my neck. Fire ignited inside me and I just wanted to rip this thing off and look at him. My Jason.
"I hate it when he's right." I grumbled. He laughed again and I heard his start the car again. His new mustang purred and the car was once again in motion. I could feel the speed and I wish he wouldn't go that fast when I couldn't see. There was no way I could help him with the car when it crashed if I couldn't see.
He went straight and I new we were going back to the beach, but why would he blindfold me just to go back there? Humans were so strange these days. I sighed. I guess he was my human.
He parked off-road and I heard him open my door and then I heard every step and breath he took to get over to my side. He opened my door, took my hand and led me to where he was taking me.
After about five minutes of walking he took the retched cloth off and took my hand. Yes, we were on the beach, but it was semi-dark and I could see the full moon. It was shining over the black icy water. The way the waves crashed made me very afraid of it. The clouds were up in the sky and I could see every detail on it. They were altostratus clouds so they were pretty low.
So much time had passed when it all felt so fast. How long has this all really been? My time is limited with him now.
In the distance I could see a blanket that had a basket on it. Beside the basket was a plate, a glass, and music player. I saw two candles and it was near the water, but yet far enough away from it. The blanket that held it all was checkered and I could see the basket was woven by hand, probably Skylar's hand from the way it looked.
We walked for a while, swinging hands, and then we came across the blanket. He sat down and I took the place beside him.
"A beach side dinner for one. Nice." I complemented. He smiled and took a lighter and lit the matches. He blew them out instead of shaking them like normal people. Taking his time, I guessed.
"Well it would be more romantic if the other person ate the food too." He joked. His smile was still there as he took my hand with his left and with his right he took a sandwich out of the basket. He paused, put the sandwich down and pushed play on the music. I noticed the familiar tune immediately.
'I hung up the phone tonight, something happened for the first time deep inside it was a rush, what a rush' David Archuleta's voice sang. 'Crush" was my most favorite song of his. He had a voice on this particular song.
I shook my head. "How?"
"How what?"
"How did you know I loved this song?" Jason looked at me clueless. Then his smile replaced the moment of confusion and he shrugged those shoulders.
"I didn't. So I guess I did good with the song selection." He rubbed little circles on my hand and then he took a bite out of his sandwich.
He finished every bite in about a half-hour. Now the sky was completely black and the only thing that lit the sky was that full moon.
"Can I ask you something?" Jason said after swallowing his last mouthful. I turned to look at him, for my attention was caught on the moon itself. Like it was speaking to me.
"Shoot." I said once again.
"Why do you act so…human?" he said slowly, looking for the right word.
"What do you mean?" his question confused me.
"I mean Skylar is normally calm, Angel doesn't talk a lot and Nick just pretends the school doesn't exist when he's there. But you, you act so normal. You act like a human would when the person is around other people."
"You say 'human' like you aren't one yourself. He let that one go as he waited for my answer.
"Well look at it from my point of view. I've been alive for over 4,000 thousand years. I have spent a lot of my time around them. Habits form when you're trying to bland in. I'm sure in a little time Skylar will be like that too. But right now we just don't want to be noticed as too different by the humans." I smiled whenever I said that word. I had no idea why, but I guess since I was talking to one it felt weird to go out of habit and say it aloud.
"Oh. Sounds cool. I mean it makes perfect sense…" Jason babbled on. He fumbled with something in his pocket and then looked back at me. He jumped up out of his sitting position grabbed my hand, pulling me up too. Well I guess I let him pull me up.
"Close your eyes and promise me you won't peak." He demanded in a kind tone.
"Why?"
"Just do it." he laughed. I rolled my eyes again and closed them tight. It felt weird to hear him doing things and not see them. I fought the urge to open them and quench my curiosity. "Open them." He finally said.
I opened them, not to find him standing in front of me, but down to the ground on one knee. Wait a minute. He was on one knee. I gasped. In his hand he had a simple diamond ring. It was shaped in a heart and I knew the others had to lend in some money for Jason to be able to buy this ring. He looked at me with shining eyes. On the side of the ring it had an inscription: Forever. It was in beautiful script.
"Before you say anything let me get this right. I'm shaking enough." It was true. He was quivering on the ground. He was his own personal earthquake. Well, to a vampire at least. Again with the human jokes. I sighed. He frowned, I guessing it was about the proposal.
"From the day I saw you in the parking lot, from the minute you looked at me, from the second you touched my arm and said my name I was in love with you. I may not have realized it, but I was. I never knew if you could ever love me, but I was wrong. You did love and you do love me, even through all my faults. You may have tried to kill me several times," he laughed and shook his head, "But I couldn't love you anymore than I do now. I bet that if I did my heart my heart might explode.
"The main thing I want to say is this. Claire Renee Emerson, I love you and I always will. Will you marry me and be mine forever?" now I understood why the ring said 'Forever' on it.
I stood there like an idiot and my mouth was held open in shock. He was still there waiting for my answer.
"Jason…I…" I didn't know what to say. He looked down and he wore a small and fake smile. "I don't know how to explain this."
"I understand." His tone was defeated and he didn't even try to smile this time. It hurt. "Skylar said you would say yes in half of one of my heart beats." He smiled a little but, but his eyes didn't light. They seemed to lose their color. They were so dark. "Happy endings…" he muttered in disgust.
"You don't understand. You caught me off guard. All this time I just thought it was a perfect date. I never expected…this. I don't want to take away your life, Jason. It seems like getting married makes it all so final. I don't want to end your life this way. I love you more than you know." He was still sad. It seemed like my words that were meant for comfort, were making it worse. I got down on my knees and looked him in the eyes.
"But you say no." he mouthed. He couldn't even speak. I winced in pain. He looked at me again, with a face that mimicked mine. He didn't want me to be in pain like I didn't want for him to be in pain.
"I say…yes." I took the ring from him and I slid it onto my finger. I looked at it shimmer in the light of the moon. "Just like the ring says. Our love will last forever." Jason smiled and leaned in for that last kiss.