Bloodlines

by Trisha Lynn

  Chapter Six

  Adeila had texted Marissa when she got home, telling her they would talk the next day, since it was a Saturday and they usually hung out anyway. So Adeila called her around ten the next morning.

  “So?” Marissa's voice was breathy on the other line, and Adeila rolled her eyes. Her friend was just so dramatic, and girly.

  “So, what? We had a nice time.”

  “And? Did you... you know?”

  Adeila bit her lip. She did know what Marissa was referring to. “Not what you’re thinking, no. We just made out a little, nothing more.”

  Marissa sighed dramatically. “But you’re going to do it with him right? You want him to be your first?”

  Adeila shifted on her bed. She'd gotten home, done some homework, and then decided to sleep instead of answering all the million texts from Marissa. She liked the voice to voice conversation versus the almost impersonal text message. So much could be misinterpreted via text message.

  “Ah, I think so.” And she did, think so, that is, but truly who knew?

  When it did happen she wanted it to be special, and with someone who meant something. She knew Marissa sympathized this, because Ben had been her first and he had cheated on her a month later with Cindy McDaniels; a cheerleader who had gone to their school a few years ago but now went to neighboring Quinton High, who also happened to be good friends with Sadie Simms. It had been demoralizing for Marissa, her best friend had been heart broken. But they'd broken up just before school started and luckily Ben had graduated the past year so she didn't even need to worry about seeing him around school.

  Marissa was mostly over it now, but seemed extra crazy about boys these days. As if she needed redemption. Adeila didn't know why, since she'd gotten so hurt, but she guessed something was to be said about having a boyfriend. A boy who wanted you, and only you. Marissa said she needed to get right back in the saddle, and Marissa had been trying to do just that the entire school year. The hard part about a small town is that everyone knows everyone and it's hard to go through years knowing someone, teasing them, seeing them go through crazy weird growth spurts, and then dating them. You just knew too much. She figured that is why Marissa was so obsessed with the new kid. New blood.

  “You think so? Come on Adi, just get it over with. It's like a cloud hanging over you. You gotta just get it over with and move on.”

  Adeila rolled her eyes. It was easier said than done, and she was only slightly annoyed that her friend was pressuring her about it, but she knew Marissa wanted someone to share details with. Adeila had pressured Marissa about the details of her first time, but Marissa had been pretty vague. Saying only that it hadn't hurt as much as people made it seem like, nor was it as awkward as long you really liked the person you were doing it with.

  “Yeah, I'm sure it'll happen sometime.” But in truth Adeila had no idea. She liked Erik, a lot. Had dreamed of these moments with him for so many years, but now that it was really happening she couldn't help but feel a little insecure. They only had a handful of months before both would be going to college, and where would that leave them? Could she do the long distance thing without feeling too distrustful? She was pretty sure she couldn't.

  The Erik thing was sadly temporary and she just wasn't sure if she could handle giving him that part of her, which would mean so much, for it to be such a fleeting romance. But it didn't mean she wasn't going to enjoy the time they would have together, because she intended to.

  .~.

  School Monday seemed to drag on. It could have been because she'd had such a low key weekend. She and Marissa had gone shopping Saturday and then just hung out at Marissa's house and watched movies, then Adeila had slept over there. Erik had text her a few times over the day, but nothing crazy. She wasn't sure if she liked that about him or not. She liked talking to him, but didn't want to seem too clingy. So she usually let him text her and she kept it short and precise. It was only when he called her that she would open up to him. Sunday morning she and Marissa - after much insisting from Marissa - had gone for breakfast with Erik and his friend Danny, who she liked more than any of his other friends, who still treated her like some nerdy outsider who they were shocked their friend was interested in. Danny was funny and quirky and she secretly hoped he and Marissa would get together. They'd had a good time but Erik had had to leave around noon for something with his parents, which was unsurprising as they were a very involved family.

  Marissa had dropped her off at home, but within fifteen minutes of being home she couldn't handle the silence of the house, even though all inhabitants were accounted for. Everyone was keeping company with their respected technical gadget. Her father at his TV, her mother at her lap top, her brother at his video games, and her sister, well she had no idea what her sister was doing, but her door was firmly shut and no sounds came out of it. She couldn't handle it, and had gone outside and spent the rest of her afternoon until dinner sitting on the deck reading a book. So that was her boring weekend. Maybe she was just restless, maybe she needed to go for a walk after school or do more yoga and meditation.

  Her classes took forever, and didn't hold her interest at all. She wasn't sure what was coming over her. She felt the weird magnetic feeling in her blood a few times throughout the day, but when she'd looked around hadn't really discovered a meaning for it, and soon pushed it into the back of her mind. Her classes with Loki were the hardest to push away, as just being near him for some crazy reason heightened the magnified sensations. As soon as he stepped into the room, or she stepped into one with him in it, the sensations increased, and it was almost unbearable when he looked at her. It was like a magnetic pull, and the electrical static feeling made it almost feel like if she touched something electrical she would short it out. She tried to avoid him at all costs, but when Chemistry came that day, she was not quite so lucky.

  “Now I want you to sit with your lab partners for the tonic chemical teeth test. I would like you guys to check the progress of the teeth being soaked in the soda and write a few paragraphs on what you see.”

  The teenagers grumbled and slowly made their way to the cabinet where the projects sat.

  “Hi.” He said it nonchalantly as he sat next to her, with the project in hand. She'd seen him get up for it and decided instead of going up there with him uselessly, to just wait for him to come to her.

  “Hi.” She said it quickly and without looking at his eyes. It was so much worse when the hazel ones connected with her own.

  For a few moments they sat in silence observing the very disgusting dentures, which looked much more disgusting after a few days of soaking in the dark soda.

  They spoke very little and before long were separated again by desks and the teacher's lecture continued. She copied down notes and kept her head front and eyes to the teacher. The moments with Loki had been tense, but entirely of her doing. He was completely stoic and normal. He tried only to talk to her out of politeness, she guessed she was being kind of a bitch trying to avoid him, but until she figured out exactly what the heck the weird effect he had on her was, she would continue to do so. Let him think of her as a stuck up bitch, maybe it would be easier.

  .~.

  After school Erik, caught up to her. “Hey, what are you today?”

  She was in no real mood to hang out with anyone, but figured she should probably be the good “girlfriend” even though he hadn't officially asked her out. She guessed they were technically dating. Maybe guys didn't actually ask girls anymore? Maybe they just assumed? Since she really had no idea how this really worked, she just kind of let it go the way it was. It was kind of sad that here she was, a senior, and this was her first real relationship of any kind. She'd watched enough relationship drama unfold around her that it had turned her off from the experience until Erik. She'd always dreamed of a relationship with him. She had just no idea what to expect or how to act or... Really anything about any of this girlfriend/boyfriend/relationship kind of stuff.

  “Nothin
g as far as I know. You?”

  “Nothing. Want to get some hot chocolate and hang out?”

  “Sure.” She still got the fluttery feeling in her stomach just standing so close to him.

  “Cool, you ride with Marissa?”

  She nodded, and he took her hand kissing the back of it, making her heart stumble and a little jolt in her belly.

  “Let her know I'll give you a ride home. Give me five minutes and I'll meet you outside.”

  “Okay.”

  She went out to tell Marissa and wait for him.

  .~.

  Hanging out with Erik was exhilarating and easy. They drove to a local coffee shop, ordered hot chocolates, sat at a booth and just talked. It was a good way to eat up an afternoon. She thoroughly liked Erik, and enjoyed his company. They didn't really have a lot in common but found things to talk about anyway. She had to appreciate that.

  About ten minutes before they left, she felt the familiar buzzing along her body, she nonchalantly looked around, making sure she wasn't doing anything with her hands or mind to make anything crazy happened. When she realized it was nothing she was doing, she swiveled around in her seat trying to get a look at what exactly was causing the reaction. Her eyes whisked over a buff guy with a very short crew style haircut and the feeling heightened slightly.

  Well, the whole - maybe it's a strange kind of attraction thing - was ruled out right there. So the reaction she got with Loki was not because she found him attractive, because she did so not find this military style buff guy attractive at all. The buzzing in her skin was not quite as strong as with Loki, but it was there, and when she let it slide over her, she realized it was a little different. She mentally shook herself out of the thought, sighed and refocused on Erik again - like so many other times she brushed the whole thing off. It was getting easier.

  The door opened, and a frigid wind came through, swirling straight at her. Her long brown hair was tousled about, but looking at Erik it didn't even move a single gelled hair from his head. Maybe it was the gel.

  Erik stared at the door; eyes narrowed, then reached across to her and smoothed the hair from her face. She found the gesture incredibly sweet and the butterflies in her belly responded to his gentle touch.

  “That's weird; I didn't even feel the wind.” He gestured toward the now closed door, and she gulped. Great! Phantom winds. De-freakin-lightful!

  She shrugged, hoping he would drop it, and he did. As they got up to leave she looked at the buff guy again, and found him staring at her. His eyes were so dark, they almost shimmered with their depth-less luster. It was so creepy; she turned away quickly and moved closer to Erik. The buzzing along her skin was almost a complete vibration now and something in her head told her this was not the good kind of feeling. This was a warning. Nothing like what she felt when she looked upon Loki. She ushered Erik faster, and only when they were in his car speeding away, did she let go of the breath she held.

  What the hell was that all about?

  Before Erik dropped her off, he gave her a light kiss on the lips and rubbed his hand across her cheek, pushing her hair back. Then he kissed her deeper, she positioned her body closer to the center console and ran a hand up his arm.

  He ran a hand along her shoulder, down to her waist, as she ran her hand up his arm again. She still wasn't very used to this whole making out thing, and didn’t really know what to do with her hands. She moved her head ever slightly to give him more access for a deeper kiss; he obliged her, his tongue swiping her lips. Suddenly, they heard a loud bang on the windshield and both of them jerked apart, heads whipping up.

  Adeila's brother made a disgusted face before sauntering towards the house; she looked down the drive to see Mrs. Caulter's huge white SUV drive away. She'd completely forgotten about her brother's soccer game that day. Her parents must not have gone, that's why his friend Billy's mom dropped him off. Her parents had been awed that he'd even wanted to do soccer this year, but Adeila had been so proud and happy that he'd wanted to do a sport; she'd vowed to go to as many games as she could. She'd failed in epic proportions as a sister.

  Her face heated, she ducked her head, and peeked at Erik.

  “I have to go and apologize to my brother.”

  Erik snickered. “I'm sure he's going to be doing the same thing in a few years.”

  She didn't feel like explaining anything to him about her family life, so she halfheartedly laughed and said yeah, not really knowing what else to say.

  “See you tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, I'll text you.”

  She nodded and shut the door. She turned to the house, but a bit of white caught her eye. In the large pine tree to the left of her lawn, perched stoically, was a Gyrfalcon. A fairly uncommon bird for these parts, since they tend to stick to tundra like climates, but are sometimes found in mountain regions. Granted, they were in a mountainous region but her home was in more of a valley and she thought it strange that this appeared to be the second one she'd seen in the past few weeks. In her almost eighteen years she'd never once seen one here, or anywhere in California. Not that they couldn't survive here, because she imagined that the mountains were home to a few, it was just so odd that they'd be coming down into the valley of her home, and more that they were at Erik's house which was in a very upscale, busy part of town. Since now that she laid eyes on this falcon, she was quite sure the bird at Erik's window that night was this species too.

  She only knew about this particular species of falcon because she'd studied Polymorphism in biology and she'd done a paper on bird species that were polymorphic. This being one of them, meaning their plumage can vary. Typically due to climate change and other atmospherically or biological reasons. This one in particular was very oddly colored. He was mainly white, with a silver sheen along the edge of his wings, with dark brown and silver speckles. It was huge and its golden predator eyes were fixed on her; as if it was judging her. That familiar buzz of energy current ran up her arm.

  Grumbling, she trudged to the door. She'd had quite enough freaky electrical, mystical, whatever shit for one day.