I shook my head. “Maybe… I don’t know and honestly I don’t think I give a shit anymore.” I was over guessing at their motives. It’s officially their problem and not mine.
Mena spoke again but she did not meet my eyes. “This is dumb, Jay. Just talk to them.”
I knew she was right but I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear what they would say. “It’s cool guys. It’s really not a big deal and not a…neighborhood issue. Can everyone just drop it and drink?” There, end of discussion.
The guys grumbled agreements but I noticed out of the corner of my eye, Annabella slip away.
Chapter 13
Kira
“Hey Kira, it’s me Annabella” I lifted the phone closer to my ear and readjusted my grip as I’d almost dropped the phone into the mug of tea I’d been making when it rang. Not even my magic could save technology if it’d been submerged in hot water. Not that I would risk using my magic for that anyway. I hoped I was being honest with myself.
“Hey, how are you?” I said as I picked up the honey.
“I’m good. I was wondering if you wanted to come to the pub.”
Christina was at Xander’s place again so I had the apartment to myself. “Don’t laugh but I’d actually planned on throwing on comfy sweats and reading a book tonight.”
“I won’t laugh, I’m actually jealous of those plans but I’m hoping you’ll ditch that and hang out with me anyway.” She sounded even more hyper than usual.
“I don’t know, I mean I just made tea. Do you want to hang out tomorrow?”
“Yes, let’s do lunch but don’t make me beg, get your butt out here. This is peer pressure at its finest. You can stay in tomorrow night.”
I laughed. I had a lazy day yesterday with Christina out by our apartment’s pool for the most of the day so it’s not like I really needed to stay in at all. “Sure, when?”
“Now, if you can. Most of us are here and I wanted you to join.”
“Yeah, I can probably swing by. Give me like 20 minutes.”
“Sure, yeah, that’s perfect. You’re the best. See you soon.”
“Okay, see you.” I hung up and frowned at my tea. That was kind of strange, even for Annabella, I thought. Then I took my mug with me to sip while I got ready.
I arrived at the pub to find Annabella waiting for me at the entrance. She grabbed my arm “Hi, thank you for coming. Come with me.”
I laughed as she pulled me through the door “Annabella, what the heck. What are you doing? Slow down.”
She pulled me into a barstool next to Jay “Here sit, I’ll be right back.”
“Um, ok…” I half smiled at Jay “Hey.”
“Hey” he returned.
“Do you have any clue what Annabella’s up to? I’m really confused. Does she take any medications that I should know about?” I followed his eyes as he looked to me then to Annabella over in the corner speaking with Logan.
“I don’t know she’s always been an odd chick. I wouldn’t worry about it too much.”
“If you say so. So what’s up? How have you been?”
He ran his hands through his brown hair. “I don’t know. It’s been a weird past few days.”
“You’re telling me. At least you missed the drama at the party.”
His head tilted “What drama?”
I faced the bar, not looking at him. “Oh, it’s not important, some idiot wouldn’t take no for an answer. I handled it. Well, some of the guys did but yeah.”
“The kid you were dancing with? Daniel?”
I peered at him “Yeah, I didn’t even realize you saw me.”
As usual Jay kept a poker face so I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “What happened?” He asked.
I crossed my legs on the seat “Nothing, literally. When he let me go, Logan threatened him and I walked out. We all went home. It was stupid.” I sighed “What happened to you and don’t tell me nothing because I just shared that embarrassing story with you.” I smiled to show him I was his friend and he could trust me.
“I don’t see how that’s embarrassing unless you were the asshole, Daniel, but I can play fair.”
He paused and I wondered if he would continue. He played with the glass and drummed his fingers on the bar in obvious anxiety.
Finally, he let go a heavy breath as if a decision had been made. He said stiffly, “Saturday was the day that my mother passed away three years ago.”
My mouth dropped open and it took everything I had to try to straighten out my face. I felt cold all over. In a million years, I never would have guessed that was going to come out of his mouth.
I took a couple of deep breaths. “How did she die?”
“Car accident, a drunk driver killed her.”
“I’m so sorry. That’s… gosh…I’m sorry for your loss. I wish I would’ve known. I wouldn’t have made you come to the theme park. I’m so sor-”
“No.” He said stonily. “I’m glad you didn’t know or otherwise you wouldn’t have treated me like normal. My friends, they don’t know how to be normal about it, they can’t help it. When everyone knows something tragic happened in your life, they pity you and they treat you like you’re someone else entirely. I didn’t want that.”
“That makes sense. So why did you decide to tell me now. Aren’t you worried I’m going to treat you differently....and scratch that, you don’t have to explain anything. Thank you for telling-”
“I don’t know.” He cut off my rambling again and looked at me for the first time in the conversation. “You said yourself that you don’t like pity parties. I wanted to tell someone who wouldn’t look at me like I was a terminal cancer patient even after they knew.”
I got that. I remembered the way the neighbors looked at me, cooped up at home-school all day, never having many friends. They felt so bad for me but never understood that I just wanted a friend, not a sympathy parade.
“When you were normal on Friday it made things so much easier but I wanted it to be...”
“Real” I supplied.
“Yeah, I guess.” He answered. “Plus, it’s easy to take risks when you don’t have much to lose. You’d find out eventually.”
I nodded. “I have a feeling you take risks anyway. It seems to fit your personality.”
He dipped his head once in agreement.
I took another deep breath. “Let me say again that I’m sorry about your mother. For the record, I don’t pity you and I don’t know that your friends do either. You seem to have everything going for you. You have a huge support system. I know that they have your back because they even had mine on Friday night. Your dad is the mayor. You have every option available to you. You’re getting an education and you’re not hideous. I’d say no one pities you, if anything they seem to be worried about you. I doubt having friends that care about you is the worse thing in the world. For most of my life, my best friend was my cat, Elvis.”
He snickered and showed one of his rare smiles. He tried so hard to hide his laughter and failed.
“Hey, don’t laugh at me.” I said mock defensively.
“What can I say, I’m not hideous. It’s a great day.”
“Is that all you heard me say out of that awesome speech?”
“No, but it’s the part most worth repeating.”
I smacked his arm playfully. “Shut up. It was almost a complement.”
“Almost. Oh wait, I just remembered the cat named Elvis part. Classic.”
I buried my face in my hands. “I give up.” I mumbled through my fingers.
I heard him lift his glass, drink, plant it on the counter. “I call bull. You don’t give up. I’ve seen how competitive you are.”
I looked up “True. Did you know Logan’s been calling me Annie Oakley since the water-gun game?”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Any tips on how to make him stop?”
“Be good at something else?”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re really unhelpful.”
We bo
th laughed and Annabella came back, finally. “Hey” she said cheerfully.
“Hi, mind telling me what’s going on?”
“Nothing, sorry I had to pawn you off but I needed to talk to Logan about something. So let’s hang out now.”
I knew I was missing something but I didn’t have the energy to figure it out. Mondays were not my best days for thinking. “Ok, how’s your day been?” She pulled up a barstool on the other side of me.
“So good, Teresa’s redecorating the house, so I’ve been helping all day. It’s a lot of work but it’s really fun.”
Jay stood up “Before you guys get into color samples, I’m going to sit… anywhere else.”
I watched him stand up “It’s probably for the best but listen if you need someone to be real…”
“Yeah” he said, his eyes burning into mine. “I think you’ve got the right idea there.” He started walking toward the door.
Annabella called after him “Where are you going?” He didn’t turn around and was out the door before we could blink.
Suddenly a blur rushed at me and I winced, nearly falling right off the stool. When the initial panic subsided, I noticed a pair of arms was wrapped around my body. “Whoa. Whoa, Annabella, relax.”
She unpeeled herself from me, grinning from ear to ear “Sorry, Kira but I needed to do that. You are amazing.”
“Only in the truest sense of the word” I said “but do you mind filling me in on the exact reasons why, this time?”
She began babbling. “I knew you could do it. Well I had a theory that you could do it but you did and I was right. Thank you for making me right.”
“Seriously, Annabella is there medication you should be on?”
“No, why do you ask?” she said, deadpan.
“Annabella” I shook her shoulders lightly “What is going on?”
“Oh right, ok. How much did Jay tell you?”
I felt uncomfortable and strange. It was odd seeing as I had been fine moments before. “Um, he explained about his mother’s passing.”
She froze “What?”
“Yeah, what did you expect we were going to talk about?”
“He didn’t talk to you about Demi and Will?”
“No. What about Demi and Will?”
“Well, I don’t know exactly, it’s complicated but I’m sorry I can’t get over that he told you about his mom.”
“Well, I feel like it’s private so if you wouldn’t tell anyone, I’d appreciate it. I really shouldn’t have told you but you seemed like you already knew when you asked me.” I crossed my arms. “I feel awful now.”
“No, it’s ok. I swear I won’t tell anyone. I just, wow… I can’t believe that but you guys were laughing when I came over…”
“Yep. There’s only so much depression a conversation can take. So you expected him to talk to me about Will and Demi?” I asked, trying to make sense of any of this.
“Yes but now I feel like your conversation trumps that a hundred times over.”
I considered. “Annabella, you didn’t invite me here to talk to you, did you?”
“Not exactly, no but I really do like hanging out with you. I just thought you could help Jay a little bit. You seemed to do it before and I thought…I don’t know he’s going through some stuff.” I saw the pain flash in her eyes and I knew her heart was in the right place.
“I understand why you did it but I don’t like being manipulated and I don’t think Jay would appreciate it either. If he wants to talk, he can call me just like if you wanted to talk, you could do the same. Besides, I hope I helped him in some way but I don’t think he’s as bad off as you imagine. You’re giving me too much credit here.”
She smiled brightly but it seemed slightly placating. “You’re probably right. Thanks, Kira.”
“Sure, now tell me about the house, what kind of theme are you going for?”
“We went from Victorian to Modern. It’s fantastic.”
**************
Jay
I knocked on the door to Will’s room. No answer. I started banging “Will, open up.”
He opened the door, and grumbled. “What?”
“We need to talk. If Demi’s still here I’ll talk to her too.”
“She’s not. She left after you came in. She’s pissed. So, thanks a lot.”
“A. I haven’t the slightest idea why your girl is pissed off at me and B. More importantly, I have no clue what your frickin’ problem is, so let’s sit down and figure it out. I’m so over the bullshit.”
He looked me up and down. “I’m not wasting my breath. Get out of my face.”
He tried to shut the door but I held firm in the doorway “You don’t want to talk? Well guess what? I didn’t want to talk in my father’s office but you didn’t care then so I’m not caring now. You don’t even have to talk, you get to listen. I don’t like Demi and I don’t even mean as a more than a friend. Right now, I don’t even like her as a person.
We’re not speaking and I don’t get why but even if we were as close as we used to be, I still wouldn’t like her as more than a friend. Never. Not before, not now, not ever. So whatever, your problem is, get over it.
He pushed me back a step “You idiot!” he yelled.
“Idiot? I’m the idiot?”
“Yes, you are” he pushed me again.
“Why, Will? Tell me how the hell I’m the idiot?”
His face turned red and I felt like I was finally getting through to him, he was going to break. “I’ll tell you why. I know you don’t like her but did you every think how she felt about you? Did you ever think about anyone but yourself? No? I didn’t think so.”
Push.
“It might be goddamn possible that someone else exists on this planet. That she needs space from you, to get over you.” Push. “That for years she didn’t see me because of you.”
Push.
“That she’s only going out with me to make you jealous.”
I pushed back. “That’s a lie you both tell yourselves but even if it was true, how is it my problem? How is it my fault?”
He got in my face “It’s not. What is your fault is being so callous, so self-centered, and jealous of me for doing the only good thing in my life. I’m sorry you’re mom died but I loved her too. My own mother wouldn’t know love if it spit on her designer shoes. Your mom was the only one I have ever had too. So don’t stand there feeling sorry for yourself. Leaving when I did was my only way out. I didn’t want to become apart of my father’s plans anymore than you want to be apart of yours. I finally found something I can do, that I’m good at and what’ll get me away from the psychos I call parents. But you couldn’t allow me to do that.”
Push.
“Why, because you didn’t think it was fair that I got to leave and you didn’t? If you gave a shit for anyone else but yourself you would’ve wanted me to go. You’d have been happy for me, damn it. You’re a selfish bastard, Jay. So if there’s any doubts as to why we’re no longer buddy-buddy than you’re more stupid than I thought.”
In an instant I knocked him down, my hands around his throat. He tried to push me off but I didn’t budge. He had me strength wise but I used all of my strength and added all of my anger to it. “Do you think I didn’t know you had to leave? You think I wasn’t happy for you? All I ever wanted was for you to do what I couldn’t, to get away and be your own person. You cut me out the second you got the acceptance letter, at the time I needed you most, and it’s been getting worse ever since.”
He stopped struggling so I got off of him and backed away. “I always wanted you to be with Demi, she may think she wants me but she’s wrong. Her parents pushed her, night and day, to try to be my mate since the second she was born. Look how hard it was for her to be friends with Annabella and Mena once her parents thought they were competition. They’re ambitious and selfish and they don’t even give her merit for being an Alpha all on her own. Does this sound familiar? Maybe it’s exactly like your own
home life and I know, just like I’ve always known, that you are perfect for each other.”
I watched Will get off the floor and stare wide-eyed at me but I didn’t stop. “One day she’s going to wake up and realize that her parents are poison and the lies she tells herself about how she feels about me will stop. She tells her parents that she’s with you to make me jealous and she might even believe it but all of it is bullshit and deep down she knows it. She’s just as in love with you as you are with her. You of all people should know that’s true. So leave me the hell out of it.”
We were both breathing heavily. I took one last look at my former best friend. “I came here to make things right, to be… real but I’m not delusional enough to believe things are going to be perfect. You don’t want to effing talk to me? Fine but you should know that we’re never going to get over this if you don’t. So that’s it.” With that I walked out and headed for the stairs and my room.
“Screw you, Jay.” He called out and it was followed by a slam of his door.
I kept walking. I was angry and all the memories of that day when he left me behind were screaming at me in surround sound but I also noticed something strange. The heaviness in my chest was gone and it wasn’t the usual numbness that took its place, it was lightness. That night I had the best sleep I’d had in years and I didn’t have to be knocked unconscious first. Imagine that.
Chapter 14
Kira
This week had been uneventful but that was a good thing. No shadowy creatures out to kill me. No need to use magic. The fact that I wanted to use it, missed using it was a different story altogether.
It was Friday afternoon once again and I was packing up to leave when Doc came into the waiting room.
“Kira, you headed out?”
“Yes and actually I was wondering if I could take some of the files home to study?”
“I don’t see why not although you need to make sure you also have some fun this weekend.” His face was stoic but his gray eyes were laughing.
“I promise to have fun this weekend. In fact Mena, Annabella and I are going to see a movie tonight.” I picked up the files and placed them in my bag.
Shifting Shadows (Sparks Collide Trilogy) Page 9