18. Traitor
"Where could she be?" Nick was pacing the room. Cody was on my bed, his head on the pillow and he was very upset. The worst part was that I couldn't get a hold of Jason.
"Anywhere by now." I said. "If she was working with Cody then she could be on another planet by now. Of course she will be most likely in France, but maybe that would be too obvious."
"Or maybe they want us to think that so they'll go there." Nick teased.
"Maybe they even want us to think that so we shouldn't go there." Angel hinted on our joke.
"Well then maybe-" Skylar started to go on.
"Enough!" Cody yelled. He sat face up and his face was pained. It was like someone setting him on fire slowly and just letting him cook like that. Like an oven or something.
I sat in my corner and tried dialing his cell phone one last time. It rang about 6 times and then it went to his voice mail for the 5th time.
'Hey it's Jason. I'm either ignoring you or not here so leave a message. Bye!'
His voice cut off and then I heard the beep.
"Jason please call me. Something has happened and I need to talk to you and know you're safe. Please call me as soon as you get this. Love you." I hung up and threw my phone one the bed.
"How do we know she was even part of this? Cody could have controlled her and then framed her. Why are you all so quick to judge her? Just because she is knew and we can't really trust her?" He hated every word he said. And I truly felt sorry for him, but right now I was furious at Summer.
"Cody has a point." I said, giving Summer the benefit of the doubt. "She is knew and her loyalty hasn't been with us that long so she can't resist that much. Cody could have done this to her and then left her to clean up the pieces."
"That's true." Skylar said nodding his head. I didn't notice until I really checked around the room that her trace was hard to find, but I could feel it.
"Hold up for a sec." I said sniffing around her spot. I made my way around the room until I went around the house to get her trail. I went outside and traveled about 3 miles west and then I stopped in front of the house I hoped she wasn't at.
Jason's house.
I knocked on the door and Jason opened it. I didn't expect him there so it sent some shock through me and I gasped really loud. His face was angry and twisted into a way where I didn't even recognize him.
The thing that stood out the mast was how his heart sounded. It was off beat; too slow for a human.
"Claire?" he spat my name. I looked into his hazel eyes and instead of looking into his soul; I was staring into a bottomless abyss. It scared me.
"Jason? Is someone here? Summer perhaps?" I hinted with confusion right on the tip of my tongue. His face was so out of whack that for a second, if I wasn't on myself, I wold have thought he was a vampire as well.
Yes, His eyes seemed to scream. I gasped again as I blinked and looked back into them. It was like I could see Jason again, trapped in his own body.
"No." his voice lied. It was a monotone and lifeless. The face in his eyes tried to scream at me, telling me not to listen, but no words came out of its mouth.
I heard a gasp of pain came from inside the room and I heard another heart beat loudly. Jake, my mind told me. Jake was in trouble and Jason was allowing this to happen.
"Don't lie to me." I growled stepping closer to him. He took a step back. His face was torn into two people. One of hate while the other wanted me to listen to him. I didn't know which one to believe.
He got his complexion back and his face was made of fury; carved out of stone.
"Leave." He commanded. "And don't ever come back, or I will kill you, Claire Emerson." His left hand slammed the door in my face while I noticed that his hand wasn't wearing his ring. His promise ring that he never took off.
That was the second sign for me to believe that this person was not Jason. Besides Jason doesn't even know how to kill me. Does he?
I walked down the porch steps until I realized that Jake's car was gone. He had to work on Mondays and he didn't come home until nine. I figured that out by watching him when I came over here to be with Jason.
The gasp of pain, Jason not being himself. Everything fell in to place for me in one moment.
I bolted to Jason's room, jumping through his window with no sound at all. There Jason sat, all sweaty and bleeding. He had duck tape over his mouth and his arm was broken again.
Then I looked at Summer. Her wild red eyes were looking at me with…with apologies. She was sorry? Wait a minute, I thought she was the traitor and she turned against us? Maybe Cody did take control of her and used her against me again. And this time he had really hurt Jason.
Cody could have turned human and taken the shape of Jason, which that was why his heart was beating too slowly for a human. It couldn't be like normal because he wasn't normal. It all made sense now.
"You need to go." Summer whispered. Jason's head saw her lips move and he looked in the direction she was looking at, which was I. His eyes were relieved and scared. He was in pain and I needed to rescue him from this mess.
"Claire." He mumbled through his taped mouth. It really sounded like 'Clawu'. I smiled and walked toward him when Summer snapped her leg and hit my in my chest, flinging me through the wall. I feel to the ground with a loud thud that sounded like an explosion, a loud one.
I jumped back through the window to find Summer on her knees holding her head, like it was going to explode.
"Now, now Summer. We don't have to be angry about this. I know you missed me, but you don't have to attack Claire for being jealous." His voice was very distinctive. It was the sound I never wanted to hear again, but right after I was changed I was longing for it. Part of me still does, but just the sound of it makes my spine quiver.
"Let Jason go." My voice was shaky and it had no volume. He laughed lightly and put his hand in my hair, patting it.
"Now why would I do that?"
"Because, if you let him go…" I paused, "I'll stay with…you." I managed to get out of my mouth. Every part of my body screamed in protest, but if it were the only price to get Jason away from here and free, I would pay every cent to the fine.
He sighed happily. "A tempting offer, love. What do you think Jason?" he snapped his fingers and the tape covering his mouth was gone. He fell to the floor.
"No! Claire please don't so that! He doesn't deserve you and neither do I! Leave me here and go away! You can find someone else. I would rather be killed by you than know it was my fault that you were forced to be with him!" he pointed his finger at him and Jason scowled at Cody.
Cody clapped his hands together and laughed musically. "Nice speech my young friend, but it's not your choice. You heard Claire earlier. She still loves me in some way at least. And I would take that any day." He shook his head. He then walked over to Jason and sat next to him.
"You understand don't you?" Cody asked. "I mean I know you love her, but so do i. It's nothing really personal, but why do you think I haven't killed you yet? You smell very good, but if I did destroy you, how would I ever get Claire to fall for me again?
"I love her so much. You see I play fair Jason and from man to man, you can see where I'm coming from. I never meant to hurt her like I did, but the only reason I left, is because I couldn't stand to watch her scream in pain. Then when I came back, she was gone and I guessed she didn't want to see me again, and I was right.
"So I stayed away and let her be happy, knowing that from her experience with me, she would never love anyone ever again. Then you came along.
"I heard about Claire and you and so I decided to get a look for myself, but you guys were never alone!" I threw his hands in the air and put one around him. I growled in protest. "So I stayed in France, because, well, I never left actually. Then I knew she was close by. I could feel her energy and I knew you were with her, so I decided to pop in and say hello."
"Of course Claire here had to get defensive, but then part of it was my fault for the way I came in and then I hurt you which was not the best idea, and then everything went downhill from there." He paused taking in another giant gulp of air, wincing slightly from Jason's scent.
"Then I made sure Summer went over to your side, but she was always with me. She made Cody love her and think she could never leave him, but she was always a good actress, right Summer?" he glanced over to her. She was pouting and she crossed her hands and huffed.
"Don't bring me into this." She said angrily. I rolled my eyes while Cody and I laughed at her expression. We both stopped at the same time and looked away from each other embarrassed.
"Right after that I butted in on your alone time, got Summer to stop time only for Claire and then took you away and left you there. I went back, made Summer start time again and then left off where Jason was.
"My powerful side kicked in then. I got crazy and I missed the way your lips felt against mine. I figured if you kissed me again that you would remember how we felt and that you would love me again and not that human. But I got wild and started hurting you. Then your brother came in and made you stop." He rolled his eyes like I do. "He has quite a temper doesn't he?"
"He just looks out for me. He doesn't want anyone or thing to hurt me." I pushed the word thing towards him.
"Ouch."
I punched his arm lightly and then I stopped smiling, knowing what he was doing.
"Oh no! You're not doing this to me! I love Jason not you! You hurt me, you left me and I moved on."
"Ok." Cody said, blinking. "For now, but trust my words. I will be back. And I'm not going to force you to do anything again. It's going to be your choice this time when you kiss me." He smiled one last time and vanished. I growled again and went over to Jason. He was still sitting there, puzzled as usual.
"When." I scoffed.
"He seemed nice." Jason whispered.
"What! You're falling for his damn crap! How could ever believe a word he says?"
How could Jason, of al people, believe Cody and then think he was nice and he was going to be nice to him and me? That was just a piece of bull crap.
"I just mean that for the first time since I met him, he seemed like he actually cared about you. Now I can see how you fell in love with him and how you still love him a bit. Maybe he can be in both our lives." He shrugged his shoulders, but if I could I would have had a heart attack at his words.
Cody? Being nice? Being in our lives? Being one of us? My family? He has got to be joking about this. I mean is he sick? Why else would he be thinking and saying such things?
"Are you high, Jason? Did he give you drugs or alcohol? I mean there has got to be something wrong with you, because I know you didn't just ask if he could be one of us." I narrowed my eyes at his innocent face. Maybe I was being too melodramatic for this, but still.
"No I'm not high, but IM saying if you ever wanted him over me I wouldn't get mad or be jealous." He lied. Of course he would be jealous. "I just want you to be happy."
I was happy with Cody, but he left me. I am happy with Jason because he loves me back and he doesn't want to leave me.
"I am happy now, with you, Jason. I don't want to be with the guy who left me alone going through the pain I did, I want to be with you, who took me in with all my flaws. The who saw past the monster and thinks much to highly of me." I smiled. Jason smiled. He winced in pain, but other than that Jason was fine.
Now to deal with her.
"Summer." I spat. She fell to the ground at my words and cringed in terror. Even Jason fell silent for a while.
"How dare you. How dare you come to this family? How dare you betray Cody? How dare you bring Cody here and hurt my Jason. How could you be such a traitor us? And I was foolish enough to believe you hated Cody and really joined us. I was such a fool! But now you're dead." Growls ripped through my barred teeth and I sank into a half-crouch.
"No."
Cody stepped into Jason's room and made me stand up straight. He got in front of me and he walked over to Summer and smiled. He took her face in his hands and leaned down to her ear.
"I loved you, Summer. I loved you so much.
"It's very funny to me actually." Cody laughed humorously. Summer tilted her head and took in a deep breath.
"What is, my love?"
"How sometimes you need a second chance, because time wasn't ready for the first one. It seems strange to me how I found everything in you and how you took it away from me like that." he snapped his fingers.
"I never meant to hurt you. I didn't know I was in love with you, but I was, I am." She said, lying once again.
"It hurts me so much to love you the way I do and then look at you and realize how much you don't care." I gasped realizing where he was getting these quotes. He got them from me.
"You can't ever open my heart again. You had your chance and you abused my love. Never again will I love you. I promise you that." he stepped back and then looked at me.
"You can finish her now. I just wanted to tell her that." he smiled weakly and took Jason by the hand taking him away from what was about to happen.
"Please." Summer begged. Her eyes were full of regret and pain. I didn't know whether the last thing was fear or hurt of what Cody just said, but either way something else was there too.
"You'll thank me. If you knew how Cody would deal with this for breaking his heart, then you'll realize I'm merciful I really am." I smiled an evil smile that I loved so much.
Something in her eyes made me sad that her life was about to end. The other was pain and anger that made me inch closer to her demise. Did I really want to kill this powerful vampire? I already answered it. She was powerful, but too powerful? Did a traitor really have to die?
What about my other family? Sam has betrayed her kind and me, but yet I won't ever kill her. Why should I kill this vampire now? I have no idea what to do and that scares me.
"Claire?" Summer's voice was full of questions and her head was tilted the way it always was when she asked and unknown question, but all the same I knew the answer to it once again.
"Killing you wouldn't prove anything. It would just show that I was a monster and a killer. I've met hundreds of traitors, but yet I haven't killed one. Why should you be any different?" I looked around my room.
I sighed and thousands of things rolled through my head. Jason had gone through so much for me and the only thing he ever got from me was a yes for me to marry him. When was that going to take place? With the way things were going it seemed like never.
"Oh I forgot about this one thing." I hissed at her. Her eyes went wider and I swore her eyes were about to roll out any second, 'cause her lids were so open. I gasp slid through her closed teeth, and her body went rigid, ready for the pain, the drowning, and the fire. The eyes were so full of fear, that she reminded me of a human. Not the red eyes, but just the way she looked so fragile to me, an easy kill.
"You almost killed my fiancée, and you almost exposed us for what we are to our neighbors. How am I supposed to explain the whole in the wall? A vampire attack?" she rolled her eyes, but she never took them off me, tensed for my strike. She knew me well enough from his stories as she had said, so she knew she could never win. But then again she can do time, so maybe she plans to do it all over again. I wouldn't know.
"But I have always been known as the girl that was changed by her crazy lover and she has the gift to kill people at her will. That's it. They know me as that and nothing else. Not 'Claire can kill and bring people back to life' nope its just death. Death death death. That's what vampires seem to be consumed with. Death this and death that. Well I'm done with death!" my arms went in the air. "I'm done with ending things. I want to start things.
"I plan to marry Jason. I might end his life, only to start a life with me where there are no restraints. We would be both equals, but you and Cody seem to be postponing that lately.
"I'm sure you know what it's like to lose someone. I lost Cody only when I thought he was mine and that I loved him. Now Jason is my whole world and if you take him from me I have absolutely nothing. Sure I have Skylar and them, but I wouldn't be the same.
"Before Jason I was me, but now Jason is my everything and if I lose him I will have nothing and then I will cease to exist. One of the world's most strong vampires will be no more. Think about that while you travel the world and never come near me again." I motioned my hand to the big hole in the wall and she jumped out of it with no hesitation at all. She was running very hard and I turned to my door and walked downstairs.
Everyone was in a couch, everyone but Jason and Cody. I looked around the room and I met the eyes of three vampires. The faces of each of them were made of stone and I finally realized that for the first time in my long life I could finally see them as that.
Before I just saw them as my family and a bunch of screwed up people that I loved, but now I can see me clearly as well as the others.
I glanced around the room and noticed that glass was everywhere. Paintings on the ground, burned into pieces. Just what I needed, fire in this house. Chairs were overturned and tables were smashed. There was a whole in the left wall and there was a knife on my door.
I maneuvered around everything and went into the kitchen. No one said a word to me as I walked by either.
The kitchen was somehow worse.
The fridge, not that we used it anyway, but it was in the wall, in the garage, over my car. It was just inches from being destroyed so Cody was in some massive trouble, but then again so was i.
More knives in the wall and there were some in the ground as well. I looked up to find shoe prints on the ceiling-not that I was surprised by this-and then I started to pick up every single piece one by one. It wouldn't have taken very long, but I needed to slow down right now, so I went at the human pace.
I wasn't even done before I heard someone move inside the living room. I had only been at work for about an hour and I wasn't even half way done. The vampire walked up stairs quietly and shut the door. Slammed would be a better term for it I guess. But then again I was doing a lot of guessing lately and I've been wrong every time.
After another two hours of slow human paced cleaning I moved on to the big room where the other vampires were. There was no movement in the room and they didn't even realize that I was there. They were moving or breathing, they weren't alive right now.
I pulled out the knife in the room quickly and walked to thrown it in the sink with the others. I would have to wash them later.
Then I did something I have never done before. I took a broom and swept up all the glass of the ground and put it in the garbage. I took the pieces of wood and threw it in a pile outside the house where the vampires and I used to play football.
I smiled slightly and then began again on my work. I worked hard to get all of the big chunks off the floor and then I took out the sweeper and plugged it in, still at human pace. It was so slow to me; but then again it wasn't slow enough. It couldn't pass the time quick enough like I wanted it to. I was waiting got some call or sign that Jason and or Cody were ever coming back. For all I knew Cody hated me and Jason wanted to comfort him.
It was midnight before I finished in the living room. I walked around the house to make sure Cody didn't destroy anything else and I had to clean up.
After walking back into the living room I saw that it was Skylar who left the room, but then again he was just another vampire in this house. He was no different from me. We were all monsters here. I didn't deserve to still be alive. If anything I deserved to be under a grave that was meant for me 4,000 years ago. That was my happy ending that I was never going to get.
Wasn't there always a happy ending in a fairytale? Or at least the monster was slain and the prince carried off the princess and then they lived happily ever after?
Well I guess that doesn't happen when the monster can live forever and the monster is in love with the prince who thinks the monster is the princess. What a jacked up fairytale.
Some things weren't just meant to be made, or in my case, created. It just shows how much we shouldn't exist and how much we destroy things. What a jacked up life.
I went upstairs once again and went in Nick's room. For a vampire he was pretty clean, but a guy is a guy. I made his bed and picked up a few things around his room. I threw all of his clothes into the hallway and then went into Sam's room.
From the smell I knew I was the first one in here since she left. It still reeked like a dog, but since she has lived here for a while we all have gotten a but used to it. I picked up her room like Nick's and then threw all of her dirty clothes in the hall with Nick's.
I did this for all of the rooms until I got to Skylar's. I hesitated and I knew he knew that I was out here. I knocked.
"It's open." There was no emotion in the vampire's voice as I walked in. he was staring at the wall. He was flipping a ring in his hand. I knew that ring. I paid for it when he met Taylor
"Claire, it's really expensive." Skylar whined. He still wasn't used to the idea of me having money that was endless. I rolled my eyes and laughed.
"Forget about that part." I told him. I looked at his creased face; it always looked like that when he was worried. "Doesn't looking at that ring just remind you of her? She'll love it, trust me. I may not know her that well yet, but I'm a girl, and we love big diamond rings." I smiled and pushed him to the side.
"We'll take it." I told the man in a black suit. He smiled and took his key and unlocked the glass case. Carefully, he took the ring out and laid I on the counter. I held out the money.
"Keep the change." I told him. He smiled again and walked to the cashier. I followed his every movement. I felt paranoid when I was around humans, but sooner or later I was going to have to put up with it. I could feel it.
"Thanks." Skylar said. He put his arm around me and gave me a small kiss on the cheek. Then he stuck his leg out in front of me, tripped me, and then caught me again in the same fluid motion. I laughed and pushed him into the fountain. I took off running.
"Dang it Claire!" he yelled taking off after me. I went through the people and I even heard some people yell at me, all while running from Skylar. I went into the only place where he couldn't follow me in public. The girls bathroom.
"Oh that is sooo not fair, Claire." He said banging on the door. I laughed and opened the door to a crack.
"Hasn't anyone told you life isn't fair?" I swung the door open, hitting his face and the chase began all over again. There was just more cussing, more yelling, and we almost got arrested. Best day ever with Skylar.
I blinked my eyes and took in a small breath. The vampire looked at me, blinked and then looked away.
"What do you want?" again his voice was lifeless, like he was a robot or something.
"I was going to do everyone's laundry so I was coming in to clean your room and then get your clothes." I looked around his room. And to my surprise it was cleaner than mine was. "But then as I look around it's more clean than mine so I'll just get your clothes." I said walking over to his box. I threw it into the hall like everything else. I closed his door softly and then kicked the rest of the piles of clothes down the hall. I didn't feel like picking them all up.
It was then that I heard the talking. At first I ignored it and just made my way to the laundry room, which is upstairs. I did the first load of whites when I heard some yelling.
"She just let her go! Just like that!" it was Cody. I figured and I waited for the load to get done. Then it was quite again and I thought he left again.
After I switched each load twice it was then that I heard the scuffling that was making its way up the stairs.
The blonde newborn vampire lounged on the side of the wall and shook his head at me. I turned away from him and started to fold the clothes that I had just finished. I went from room to room putting them away as I felt his hand stop me and pull me around to face him.
"You let her go." The vampire told me. His blonde hair looked whiter than before, but that just might be the way I'm looking at things now. I'm seeing what things really are this time, not what they've become.
"Of course I let her go." I answered. His face got paler in the dark, even a human would have been able to notice it. "I've met too many traitors and I haven't harmed a single one. Why should I start with Summer?"
The vampire growled at the mention of her name. His eyes blazed an amber color, so he was still following the diet I made for all of them.
"You should start with her because she almost killed you're fiancée. He almost destroyed our entire family and the lies we live on!" he was frustrated now, I could see that. He mashed his teeth together and made his hand into a tight fist that could kill thousands.
"It's all about lies then is it? It's what we live on, right? We live on nothing but lies! The only person who knows the truth and I've lied to him the most. He didn't fall for our human charade and he knew we were all something else. He learned that from Sam! I did nothing to destroy our family. Sam ruined the lie and I bet if she hadn't of done that Jason could still be that normal human I want him to be.
"So if you want to point your fingers at someone to show the blame the you point them at Sam! Of course she is a traitor to me, but I will never kill her. I was a traitor to her and yet she saved my life once, but in that she saved it many times. I won't lay a finger on her, but if she wanted to kill me I wouldn't fight back." The vampire's face softened a bit as I explained myself to him.
"Summer was my fault. I fell in love with a human and Cody wanted to see him so he brought Summer. She must have been a good actor. But then again maybe she wasn't pretending. Maybe she really loved you and Cody used that against both her and you. She couldn't fight Cody just like I couldn't. He's too strong and he used her for his own selfish deeds. But I promise you that will never happen again to you, got it?"
"Yes." The vampire said gloomy, without hope in his voice. He turned around and walked down the stairs. I followed him because there was a question I needed to ask him.
"Where's Jason?"
The blonde vampire turned around and smiled at me for the first time that he got home.
"He's at his house trying to explain the big hole in his wall to his father." He winked at me and then went down to sit where Skylar was sitting.
The other two vampires hadn't moved once and I was afraid that they would never move again. But then again why was I afraid? They were just vampires, they would always be alive, or dead I guess. They could sit there for the rest of their eternity and I wouldn't care anymore. Or I wouldn't care until I saw Jason again. But maybe he didn't want to see me. I mean I wouldn't want to see me either after I was supposed to kill the person that almost killed my fiancée, as the blonde vampire had put it.
I walked out the door and I paused as the female vampire moved just a hair and she looked at me with worried eyes.
"When will you be back?" she asked me. She stood up as the other vampires followed her every movement as she walked closer to me.
"I don't know." I told her. "I have to go see Jason and then I might be back before school starts. Will you be here?" her focus was on her mate until I asked her that.
"As long as you want me here." She smiled, walked closer and gave me a sisterly hug. She wasn't just a vampire she was my sister and I realized that now.
And nick wasn't just her mate he was one of my brothers and close friends. The same was with Cody he was my friends and now my brother since I changed him.
Skylar was very different from the rest of them. He would always be the one who understood me the most. Even more than Taylor does. He gets me on a personal level that I can't even begin to understand how he knows me so well. I understand him so well and it's the same with me. We were like twins who were meant to be in each other's lives. He was also my everything and I couldn't live without him and he couldn't live without me either.
Now I had to go see Jason so I walked out the door and unlocked my car. For the first time in a couple of decades I drove my car on the normal human speed, giving Jason some time for him to calm down a bit.
As I drove there were several people walking by. All of them were senior boys from my school. All of them were staring at me.
"Well hello there, Claire." One of them said. I remembered his name as Will. He was tall, a good runner. His skin was tan like he was from Hawaii or something and his teeth were perfect.
I rolled my eyes and waited for the light to turn green. It had to be now that id decided to be human and people I knew were here. Of course. That was just the story of my life. I always had bad timing.
"Dude, I've tried. She's gonna ignore you. She only talks to her family and her boyfriend Jason." The one standing next to Will said. He was blonde and short for a senior. He was going to stay that way forever I suppose. Poor kid.
"What do you see in him anyway? I'm sure I'm a better kisser." Will purred and went over to my car.
Damn red light. Why wouldn't it change?
"I doubt that." I flashed a quick smile at him. I heard some whoops from the other guys. "You see Jason is different from you in many ways. He doesn't flirt with other guys girlfriends first of all."
"She got you!" the blonde yelled. He winked at me.
"He doesn't annoy a girl to like him and he's so sweet that he makes you look like a rotten egg." My smile was smug while Will stared at me blankly.
"Dude that was so a burn." The blonde poked another guy with his elbow.
"Jack will you shut up?" Will turned to the blonde and punched him in the mouth. Jack fell to the ground and blood came from the blow. I held my breath.
Then-to my relief-the light turned green.
"See you boys." I waved to them and took off like a normal vampire should.
"Damn!" Jack and the other boys said breathlessly as I drove away. I even heard Will cussing a bit, but now I was too far away to hear it completely. It was something about someone's mother. Mine I was guessing. I laughed. Too bad my mother was dead.
I passed a few cars and I went way over the speed limit. I think even one guy flipped my off for cutting him off. Stupid.
In no time I was parked in front of Jason's house. I could see Jason standing in the living room talking to his father. Yelling was more descriptive in my terms, but you could call it anything you want.
"Why is there a huge hole in your wall Jason?" Jake's face was red and frustrated. They must have been fighting for a long time.
"I don't know. I didn't hear it!" I knew that as soon as Jason said that he wanted to take it back. Too bad our time vampire was sentenced to life without the Emerson's.
"That's a bunch of bull and you know it! Don't give me that load of crap Jason. Just tell me how you did it!"
I ran lightly to the porch and knocked softly. The talking stopped abruptly and I heard footsteps going upstairs. Then the door opened.
For the second time for me coming here uninvited, Jason answered the door. It surprised me that he wore the same expression as before. It changed in an instant as he realized it was I standing there. I wonder whom he was expecting.
"Hello." I said. I shrunk back wondering if he still didn't want me around.
I was wrong.
He took two steps out the door, shut the door and embraced me, holding me close.
His confrontation with his father reminded me of something else I had to do. Jason can't tell him the whole truth and to tell you the truth I have no way to explain it either.
I promised Jason that we would vote on letting Trevor in on our secret. And I was going to keep my promise to him. We would also vote on Jake and Jason would rule out anyone on that since it's his father and maybe he wouldn't want him dragged down in this mess.
I wouldn't want mine in it either, but I don't know if I would have a choice. Not that someone would force me because I would ever do that to Jason, but because all of the thing he wouldn't be able to explain. I don't know how to decide for that one, but I'll side with Jason if he's reasonable.
"What are you thinking about now, Claire?" his voice was tired and even his tight hold was weak. He had been through so much today and I forgot how late it was. We had school tomorrow and everything.
I groaned.
It was only going to be Tuesday.
"Like I promised to you Jason. Were going to vote, but we can do that at lunch tomorrow. Right now you need to rest. Goodnight." I stood on my tiptoes and he leaned in to give a soft kiss.
I smiled and walked down the porch. I hopped in my car, watched Jason walk back inside, turn off his light, and then I drove home.
Cody, Nick, and Angel still sat in their same positions as I left them in. I sighed and walked to the top of the stairs.
"Goodnight." I said quietly. They would hear it as if I had shouted it. I walked to my room and closed the door. I turned on my stereo and leaned on my bed. I closed my eyes and listened to the song I had memorized so long ago.
'We all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, submarine.' Sang my favorite song of that time.
"Turn the damn Beatles off." Groaned Skylar from the other room. I laughed quietly and turned it off. I put it Miley Cyrus and then he groaned louder.
"I would rather have the Beatles than that slut." Skylar laughed and I heard him fall to the floor. I smiled slightly and chuckled again. I turned it on louder just to annoy him. I lay back down and sang along with a song I hated. Well it kept me busy for eight hours of a sleepless night.