Walking in the Shadows

by Giovanni, Cassandra

  Chapter 23

  By the time we arrived at my apartment there was at least five inches of snow on the ground and visibility was near zero. Tad parked his car in Toby’s extra space and even within that distance I couldn’t see him. When he came into view he was already shivering.

  “I don’t think you should drive home, it’s still twenty minutes away,” I commented.

  “What am I going to do? I can’t stay with Toby without getting a mustache sharpie on my face while I sleep amongst other things,” he laughed, and the face he made showed he wasn’t willing to deal with the ‘other things’ that might happen there.

  “Well, no one can see you or your car in this snow, and you have pajamas and extra clothes waiting for you with me,” I replied, taking a deep breath of the sharp air. I didn’t want to act anymore.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I can’t let you leave in a storm like this. If something happened…I mean if you think it’s a bad idea…”I trailed off, looking up the stairs to my apartment.

  “No, I’m fine with it, but you seemed so against everything in the bookstore…” Tad replied with a sigh.

  “Someone could have seen us there.”

  “No one in their right mind would go to Cambridge to buy a book besides us.”

  “Fine, I’m sorry I overreacted…get your papers to grade and come on up.”

  “What no Christmas tree?” Tad asked as he came in the door and slipped his snow covered shoes off.

  “I didn’t feel up to it,” I replied.

  “Well, what should I put this under then?” he asked, taking a box out of his back pack.

  “Right next to this bag right here with your present in it,” I replied as I shook the snow out of my hair.

  Tad sighed. “Now why did you have to do that?”

  “Buy you a present?”

  “Well, that too,” he answered, picking up his phone as it rang. “Hello…Hi Dad, what’s up? Yeah, I’m in out of the storm…yeah, she’s right here.” He handed me the phone.

  “Hi George, how did you know he was over my house?” I asked, smiling at Tad who was shaking the snow out of his hair.

  “Well, he always sounds overly happy when he’s around you. How was your Christmas?” George asked, and his kindness reminded me of my father’s voice.

  “Truthfully? It was hard, it always is, but I guess Tad would say I did that to myself this year,” I answered, shooting Tad daggers as he sprinkled me with the snow from his hair.

  “You’re just trying to be smart about the whole thing, and I commend you for that, but you still shouldn’t be alone all the time…not that it’s my place to judge. You’re always welcome over with us—hell, you might be amused with Crazy Cat Cathy,” George said with a chuckle.

  “I’m not sure they would approve of me—”

  “Don’t be silly, they already approve of you. They don’t need to know the whole story,” George said, cutting me off; “Some secrets are meant to be kept, could be an interesting story someday though!”

  “I guess so, how’s the snow out your way?”

  “Blinding; I’m glad that you and Tad are safe and sound…don’t cause too much trouble if you know what I mean,” George teased.

  Tad was laughing at the color of my face.

  “I’ll be nice to him,” I replied, trying to gain composure as I handed the phone to Tad.

  “Yeah, you too, Dad.” Tad tossed the iPhone onto the table and flopped on the couch. “You’re going to take it easy on me? You already tossed your hair around like a model.”

  “I did get some really cute pajamas at Victoria’s Secret today,” I suggested as I nodded over my shoulder at the bag on my bed. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched his face redden at the thought.

  “Even saying that isn’t being easy on me,” he replied, leaning back in the couch.

  “Here,” I said as I handed his present and sat down beside him.

  “Sexy scholarly transportation! How will you keep your hands off my tie when I have this?” Tad teased, holding the bag out in front of him and shaking it.

  “I’ll be able to, but Jaz might slip in a puddle of her own drool,” I retorted with a smile.

  He rolled his eyes. “I don’t get it…”

  “You’re a young, hot teacher, all the girls are dreaming about you,” I explained with a shrug.

  “It’s awkward you know,” he replied, his face sullen.

  “I bet it is, especially when you also have Jennings chasing after you,” I sighed while I thought about her sleek blonde hair and long locks. She was the opposite of me in every way.

  “Ughh…Jennings, that woman just won’t give up. I’m about to file a harassment complaint,” Tad placed the bag in his lap and echoed my sentiment with a sigh of his own.

  “Uh, oh, what did she do now?” I wondered, trying not to sound too nervous.

  “She keeps insinuating my ex-girlfriend is nuts and so am I for holding on for so long.”

  “And what do you think?”

  “It’s worth it in the end if we’re on the same page,” Tad replied as his eyes searched my face for an answer.

  “Yeah…”I trailed off.

  “You want to watch a DVD?” Tad suggested, stuffing his papers into his new bag with no intention of grading any of them.

  “Sure,” I answered standing, “but pretty much all I have is Jane Austen movies.”

  “Eh, that’s fine, but I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to stay awake.”

  “You never do,” I teased smiling over my shoulder as I put the DVD in. Tad lay down on the couch and smiled up at me. “Where am I supposed to sit?”

  “No one can see us,” he replied, tapping the area in front of him.

  “If Jaz could see this she would be so jealous,” I commented as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my hair.

  “She has a boyfriend you know,” Tad mumbled.

  “She does?” I asked, not really caring. I could feel his breath on my neck and was trying to stop myself from turning my head and pressing my lips hard against his own.

  “Yeah, she’s dating Brad,” he replied softly, and I wondered what he was really thinking about.

  “That’s news to me…I wonder why she never told me?” I replied, and in that moment I felt a pang of pain. I was supposed to be her best friend, and she was the only one I had.

  “I think it’s new. I saw them making out at the mall a few days ago. She probably hadn’t had time to tell you,” Tad reassured me with a squeeze of my waist.

  “I don’t really care,” I huffed.

  “Well, she’s your only friend?”

  “Not really a friend,” I lied.

  “Why do you close yourself off from everyone?” Tad asked, leaning up and looking down at me.

  I pulled away from him as I sat up and stared at the TV. I was quiet for a moment before speaking, “It’s too risky to let people in.”

  “You let me in.”

  “And look where that got us because I had to lie to you about who I was,” I added, shaking my head.

  “It’s not all that bad…” he commented, rubbing my back.

  “Next week we’ll just be student and teacher again. You can’t tell me this is what you thought our relationship would end up like.”

  “I wouldn’t turn back the clock and ignore the gorgeous girl reading Chaucer. You make me too happy,” he responded, putting his head on my shoulder.

  “Sometimes I wish we were in a Jane Austen book. It was so much easier back then. The only thing that could come between us would be money and status and that wouldn’t matter to me.”

  “Or me,” he agreed, kissing my shoulder. “Want to open your present?”

  I nodded my head and he handed me the package. When I opened it I found a fine embossed leather journal.

  “How did you know I used to write? I never told you that,” I asked in shock.

  “I’m your English teacher. I can tell a good writer and one who
loves it when I see it,” he replied, moving a piece of hair out of my face.

  “I haven’t written anything since my parents died—well besides for school,” I whispered as I ran my hands over the blank pages.

  “Why?”

  “I guess I’m afraid what will come out…anger…sadness…guilt… fear,” I explained, shaking my head.

  “You need some outlet for all those feelings,” Tad suggested as he pulled me back into his arms.

  “I’d rather keep them in.”

  “Vera…” he whispered kissing my hair.

  “Someday I’ll write again,” I replied, letting my body give into his, and for the most part Jaz was forgotten.

  “You should—you might be surprised in a good way,” he said as I turned to face him.

  “Thank you for the present; it was very nice of you.”

  “You don’t seem happy?”he asked as his eyes paced across my face.

  “No, it’s not you. I just feel like something is coming to get me, and I can’t shake the feeling.”

  “I won’t let anyone, or anything hurt you ever again,” he promised, his eyes showing that he really believed he could protect me from the world. I knew better though, the world was a cruel place.

  Chapter 24

  “You never called me!” Jaz exclaimed, leaning on the locker next to me with a pout plastered on her face.

  “Sorry, I worked almost every day last week,” I explained with a shrug. The truth was that I was upset with her for not filling me in on her new relationship with Brad.

  “You’re not fooling me, Vera. I know your parents help you out. There’s no way that you could make enough to afford the payments on that TDI, let alone the insurance!” Jaz divulged with a look of understanding. “I get you’re a hard worker, though. I’m not saying you’re not, but they’d probably let you have some fun every once in a while!”

  “You might be a bit right Jaz, but please don’t tell anyone?” I replied, feeling that she did actually have my interests in mind. In fact, she kind of sounded like Kirsten.

  “So, why didn’t you call me? I overheard Lily say she saw you at the mall all alone. I would have totally loved to come with,” Jaz asked, looking hurt.

  “It was a spur of the moment thing.”

  She pointed to my bulging pocket. “Cell phones are for spur of the moment things. I could have met you there, I mean I do have a car, not a good car like yours but it runs!”

  “Sorry, Jaz, next time I’ll give you a call,” I reassured her with a small smile.

  She held up her pinky. “Promise?”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah,” I replied linking my finger with hers, “sure.”

  “You do smile!” she commented as her brow furrowed.

  A commotion caught our eyes and we both turned to see Tad speaking to a group of guys with his arms crossed and his face red. He threw his hands up and yanked on his tie, and the look on the group of guy’s faces was of complete fear.

  “Uh, oh. Knightley’s temper is at it again. Mike looks totally embarrassed and Brad is coming this way,” Jaz whispered as she nudged me. “I have Brad wrapped around my finger now. He asked me out before winter break and now he is practically in love with me.”

  “Do you like him?” I asked. I couldn’t help myself; I really did want to know.

  “Yeah, I really do,” she replied with a smile. “Brad, what just happened with Knightley?”

  Brad kissed Jaz’s head before answering. “Mike just got his ass handed to him. Knightley overheard a conversation we were having, and I guess he didn’t like it much.”

  “And what were you talking about?” Jaz probed, her eyes narrowing at him in suspicion.

  He looked at me and then looked at his feet. “Err…nothing.”

  “It didn’t look like nothing—now tell me word for word what happened,” Jaz demanded.

  “Babe, it’s kind of embarrassing,” Brad replied with his voice hushed.

  “For you or Mike?” Jaz dug in.

  “For Vera…” Brad replied. Now he had my interest.

  “Me? I doubt something Mike could say would embarrass me,” I responded as if my stomach wasn’t forming a knot. Whatever he had said it had really pissed Tad off. I had never seen him that angry before.

  “Well, Mike was saying how he would like to umm… ‘hit that’ in reference to Vera. Knightley overheard and said he didn’t want to over hear us talking about hitting any girls. So, Mike got all smart mouth on him and said that it wasn’t that kind of hitting and Knightley said he was well aware what kind of hitting he was referring to, but Mike might want to watch what he said around Vera’s best friend’s boyfriend because it was bound to get to Vera and she and no girl would be impressed by that kind of talk. Dude, Mike is going to be so pissed at me because I told you Vera,” Brad finished his ramble with a huge breath.

  Jaz shook her head. “That kid has no game. Knightley hit the nail on the head on that one.”

  “Even if Mike wasn’t dumb enough to say that, he would never have had a chance anyways,” I responded, rolling my eyes. No one had a chance.

  “This is true. He’s playing anyways; we all know he’s in love with Ashley,” Jaz replied, linking her arm in mine. “I’m thirsty Vera; let’s go get something to drink. Bye, Brad.”

  “That was really immature of Mike,” I said agitated. “Sickening.”

  “Don’t let it get to you. He knows he has no chance with you. They all know it,” Jaz replied as she tapped my arm with her hand.

  “What does that mean?” I asked, turning to face her.

  “The theory that they all have is that you either had your heart broken and you are totally off limits, or you left someone behind in your old town that you are waiting for,” Jaz explained.

  “It is defiantly not the latter,” I answered as we began to walk again. When I thought of the guy I had broken up with when my parents died my stomach went empty.

  Jaz stopped and turned in front of me so quick I almost ran her over. “Someone broke your heart!”

  “Oh, no that’s not what I meant,” I said, stepping back and waving my arms in dismay. It was a bit of an overreaction and there was no way I could cover it up. Jaz’s eyes narrowed on me as they had on Brad.

  “So, why are you off limits?” she pressed.

  “Not loving the maturity of high school boys,” I stumbled, and it was half truthful.

  She thought about it for a second and then linked her arm back in mine. “You’re right, they’re a bit foolish. Well, except for Brad.”

  Chapter 25

  I handed the cashier my cash and picked up my coffee before standing from the line to look up at the flat screen TV playing the news.

  “With the third movie in the Crimson Reign saga releasing next month we are reminded of the rash of killings that were inspired by the movies and novels. These killings still remain a mystery. They began shortly after the first movie released and stopped last year shortly after the second movie came out. Mark and Sarah Martin were the first to be found dead. New questions have arisen from this particular murder,” the news women lectured, and my body went numb as she continued. “Shortly after the two were discovered dead their daughter sold all the family’s belongings and left without a trace. We contacted the local authorities on the subject and they declined to comment. Could she be the one responsible?”

  I could feel the coffee cup slipping from my hands and my body on fire with agony. In an instant someone’s hand was wrapped around mine refusing to let me drop the coffee and their arm around my waist refusing to let me cave. I looked up into Tad’s face.

  “I didn’t…it wasn’t…I can’t,” I muttered in disbelief.

  “I know,” he said, guiding me out the door.

  “Did anyone notice me—”

  “No, I saw you from the back of the line and knew something was wrong—then I heard what they were saying,” Tad replied, brushing a hair out of my face. It didn’t matter that some
one might see us; it seemed that he could see it in my eyes that I was coming undone.

  “I swear to God, I didn’t do it!” I whispered, and I was rushed into the memory of that day.

  ~~~

  “Casey, did you hear my parents come in last night?” I asked, rolling out of my bed.

  “No,” she yawned, “sorry.”

  I got up and went to their bedroom door.

  “Mom—Dad?”

  When there was no answer I opened the door to find their bed perfectly made just as it had been the day before. “Mom! Dad!” I screamed as I rushed down the stairs, sliding halfway down on the slippery hardwoods. I glanced at the key rack, only to find it empty.

  “Mom! Dad!” I screamed again as panic filled every part of me. I could feel something was wrong and then there was a knock on the door.

  “Hey, baby,” Brian slurred with his usual amount of sleaze. I hadn’t managed to break up with him yet and right now I was regretting it. “I see your parents aren’t home.”

  “Are you kidding me?” I snapped as he pulled me into him.

  “Let’s take advantage of it,” he whispered.

  “Get off me!” I shouted, glancing over his shoulder and pushing him away.

  “Come on baby, you know you want to,” he replied, yanking at my hips.

  “Puke? Yes,” I retorted, slapping at his hands, yet still he held me.

  “I don’t know why I put up with your shit, you’re a bitch,” he commented, pushing me away almost as quickly as he had grabbed me.

  “You know what? Screw you!” I yelled in his face still glancing around him in anxiety.

  “Abs, what’s going on? Oh, hey Bri, what are you doing here?” Casey asked as she came down the stairs.

  “Trying to see my girlfriend, but she’s being stupid as usual,” Brian replied.

  My head was starting to pound as I lost feeling of my body. “I’m not your girlfriend anymore.”

  “Abs, don’t be so rash,” Casey commented before smiling at Brian.

  “I was going to anyways,” I repeated. I had avoided dumping him at Casey’s urging. He was, after all, the hottest senior, but he was also an arrogant jerk.