I turned to see the questioning eyes of my beautiful sister, my hand flew to my head in a vain attempt to stop the painful ache.
"huh?" I replied but even I heard the strain. She came towards me, but didn't even seem to notice my strange friend.
"Are you okay?" I nodded my head quickly. She didn't seem to believe me, she pulled me into an awkward hug, she was almost a full foot taller than I was. I looked at the boy, and he was holding back laughter, but his eyes were still concerned.
"I'm okay, I really am, I was just going to the bathroom." I didn't know what to say, but Shee was always easy to lie to, she was just to gullible; must have been the blond in her.
"okay, do you want me to go with you?" I saw the boy get close to me, he made sure I saw him this time.
"Have you been alone at all since you moved here." I nodded my head, a very slight movement that I knew Sheelah wouldn't notice. Did she not hear him?
"Tell her you're going with Charlotte." I looked at him skeptically. She must not have… is that why he was so surprised when I did? He squeezed my hand. "Just do it."
"No, I'm going with…Charlotte" she looked confused.
"Who is Charlotte?" I felt his icy breath on my ear, I tried not to shiver.
"Where did you go?" it took me a minute to be able to answer.
"The library." It was barely even a whisper, he smiled back at me.
"Tell her you met her there." His ringing voice made me lightheaded.
"I…I met her at the library."
"Oh" she looked at me with her big doe eyes curious. "well okay." She squeezed my arm, the same one the boy was holding, and went back to set down with the table full of preppy girls.
The boy pulled me out into the hall.
"Could she not see you?" he shook his head. "But I can?"
"Apparently"
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"No, why can't Sheelah see you?" he opened his mouth to answer, but a flash of white crashed into him. He dropped my hand
and I jumped back.
"Oh, my goodness, Devon, she's gorgeous! I can't believe you found her, I knew Alice said you would, but I didn't believe it would be so soon! Oh she is beautiful, wait till your father see's-" he slapped his hand over her mouth. She looked down at it. This girl was beautiful, close to the boy, she was just maybe an inch shorter than I was. She was very small, and looked kind of… elfish. She had white-blond hair that fell to her waist, which looked kind of awkward because of her height. She looked around the same age as most of the students in the classroom, sixteen, maybe seventeen at the oldest, she and Devon, (I was glad to know his name) looked nothing alike, they must not have been full blood brother and sister, but they did have the same strangely white skin, and she had those demon red eyes. How peculiar.
"I'm so sorry, she doesn't know when to keep her mouth closed." I nodded.
"Hello, its nice to meet you," she stuck her hand out. "I'm Charlotte, Devon's mother."
"I thought you said she was your sister." She glared at him, and slapped him in the chest.
"We will not lie to her, you know what Alice said!" he sighed and looked back up at me. I was kind of curious on what this Alice had to say.
"I'm sorry, this is Charlotte, my adoptive mother." I smiled. I didn't know they let people her age adopt.
"Its nice to meet you." I shook her hand, it was just as hard and cold as Devon was, something wasn't right with this…
"your coming home with us I assume?"
"Uh…" I looked back toward the classroom, I saw my sister sitting, entertaining the crowd of girls. "I would have to tell her… she would let me, but I would have to tell her first."
"Okay, we have some things to tell you." She made me realize something.
"Why can she see you?" he shrugged.
"Anybody can now."
"Why is that?"
"Darling, he will explain everything to you, we just can't do it in this public of an area." I looked around, but saw nobody.
"Uh, okay."
"Would you like to stay for the rest of the time, or do you want to go now?" She did seem like a mom, just way to young.
"how much time is left?"
"About thirty minutes. You got here very late, the teacher already left." I sighed, but he smiled back. Sheelah must have done that on purpose.
"I'll go ask." I walked back into the classroom, and toward the group my sister was in.
"Shee?" she turned around, smiling at me. "can I go home with Charlotte?" she looked toward the window, and her eyes grew, she stood up and walked me away from the group.
"Charlotte? Is that her?" she pointed at her. I nodded. "Well who is that?" she pointed at Devon. So everyone could see him now. I looked up at her and blushed. She smiled, I knew she understood.
"That's," I didn't know what to say, mom or brother? I decided to go with the story that Devon told. "her brother, Devon." She sighed.
"Okay, go have fun with devon." She mocked surprise.
"Shee, I'm going with Charlotte, not Devon." She rolled her eyes, but put her hands up defensively.
"Okay, Kelly. Just go."
"Thanks Shee," she nodded. "I will call you." I made it a promise. She nodded, and hugged me.
"You better." I laughed. "Tell me everything!" I shot her a look, she just smiled. I grabbed my bag off of the floor, beside the counter, and hurried out the door. Charlotte and Devon were waiting for me. Devon stood close to me, and Charlotte was just to his side.
"Get ready for a long night." I looked at him, and he smiled, taking my hand in his own.