by Dakota Lake
“Anything the guys want up here they have to take down there themselves. If you've been to Brackelburn then you've seen how behind with technology they are. I still can't believe Senka risked taking you out the gates like that. That guy has balls.” he said looking at his cell. “They didn't even have electric. How come the manor has electric but not the village?” “The manor is connected to Rose Cottage.”
“Em must get some pretty hefty bills.” I joked.
“You have no idea but Cam foots the bill.”
The garage suddenly came to a clunking stop.
“We have arrived.” he said theatrically. “Now move to the side out of view, while I check no one is around.”
He pushed another switch and the door slowly went up, he stepped outside and nodded back at me signalling it was clear. I walked out and looked around. I was back in the manor gardens. It was dark outside, the only light was coming from the small garden lights twinkling in the distance and I could see a couple of the manor lights still on inside. The familiar sound of crickets and frogs filled the night air. I had spent so long trying my best to hate this place because I thought it wasn't normal that I hadn't realised how much I actually loved it.
“You need to get out of these clothes as soon as possible.” he said zipping my hoodie zip up higher. “Come on I'll walk you in. If anyone asks about your clothes say they're mine. We are kind of the same size.”
We walked along the path and I veered off to the side of the manor.
“Hey, what are you doing? Inside is this way.” he said sticking his thumb in the other direction. “Shortcut.” I said looking up at the trellis deciding where to start.
“You're going to climb up the trellis?” he asked.
“Yeah, it's how I got in the other night with Senka. Kenzie it's fine, it's a piece of cake.” “Well I'm going to wait down here encase you fall, then you can squash me like a piece of cake. If you fall at least I should break your fall.”
“I'm not going to fall.”
“Whatever you say Tarzan.” he said pulling out his cigarettes.
I climbed up much quicker than before, I found my footing easily and soon made it to the top and swung my legs over my balcony.
“Kenzie,” I whispered looking over the wall.
“Boo!” he said from behind me making me jump. I spun around to him laughing. “I'm going to enjoy doing that to you from now on.”
“You're going to give me heart failure. Next time warn me.”
“No way that's the fun part and I can't warn you when I'm going to appear, it's not like I can send you a postcard to let you know I'm coming.” he joked taking a drag on his cigarette looking at his cell screen.
“You going to meet Em now?”
“Yeah just googling where Blue Murder is? But of course nothing is coming up because anything on the web about Heaven's point has been wiped.”
“Why?”
“Because Cam likes to keep the town hidden as much as possible. Don't want too many people moving to the town and getting suspicious.”
“Suspicious?”
“Ruby you're living under a town that is mainly populated with fallen. Fallen that don't age, it tends to rise suspicion.”
“Don't you have Sat Nav?” I asked.
“I don't have a car.” he laughed looking at me.
“Right, no car cause you don't need one. Can't you just pop up at Blue Murder like you did on my balcony?”
“It doesn't work like that. I have to know beforehand where I'm going or I end up in the most random places. Say if I wanted to go to England, I would fade there but I would appear anywhere at random. I need a destination or an address to be more specific. But it looks like I'm going to be hopping from one street to the next to find this place.”
“So we get WI-FI down here?” I asked looking over his shoulder.
“Yes but I didn't tell you that.”
He took one final drag on his cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray on the table. “I take it smoking doesn't affect your health if you're immortal?”
“Nope. It's just a bad habit.”
“Kenzie what are we going to do? How am I meant to carry on pretending everything is fine when it isn't?”
“I don't know but we will figure something out like I keep telling you. You're going to have to carry on pretending everything is dandy until we come up with a plan.” he said hugging me goodbye. He kissed me on the side of my face smiled at me then faded away.
I changed out of my clothes but didn't take them back to the sewing room. I put them in the bottom of my chest under a blanket. I took a shower and washed away the smell of smoke and changed into a clean nightdress. I sat in the dark with my legs pulled up in my bed, expecting Senka to burst through at any minute. The longer I sat there the more agitated I became. The thought of seeing Senka had me feeling like a nervous wreck. I couldn't understand why I suddenly felt like this, like I wanted to hide from Senka. I couldn't face him. I think it had something to do with the way I felt about Jessie. I felt as though something was eating at me from the inside out and I think it was my feelings for Jessie.
I couldn't stay in here any longer. I didn't know what I was feeling but I knew I couldn't face Senka. He'd probably come looking for me first thing in the morning. I grabbed my dressing gown and slipped it on and quietly opened my bedroom door, inching it open. After I was certain it was clear I walked as fast as I could without breaking into a run. The guard at the front door looked surprised to see me so late but he smiled and opened the door for me anyway without saying a word to me. I crossed the gardens, lifting my long dressing gown off the dewy grass and walked along the shingled drive and passed the cottages. A couple of them had lights on inside but most of them were dark. I counted the number of cottages until I came to Kenzie's. I opened the little fence and it creaked loudly. My plan was to sit around until I saw Kenzie's bedroom light on then I would chuck pebbles at his window. I sat down at the patio table hoping he wouldn't be too long. I would have let myself in, except Kenzie didn't live on his own.
The front door opened and light spilled out onto the doorstep.
“What are you doing?” Shasta asked.
She was barefoot and dressed in a hot pink babydoll nightdress.
“I was waiting for Kenzie.”
“He's not here.”
“I know. That's why I'm waiting for him.”
There was a long awkward pause and I half expected her to go back inside and shut the door. “Well you can wait inside.” she said leaving the door open for me.
I followed her inside and she sat down on the couch tucking her legs up and pulling a blanket over herself.
“It's just me here tonight.” she said picking up the remote.
I nodded and sat on the round basket chair. The front room was painted deep red and had all sorts of random things hanging on the walls from tribal masks to a samurai sword. She was watching The Vampire Diaries on DVD. I wasn't sure how I knew what she was watching, but I somehow knew that was what it was called. I recognised it even though I couldn't remember it.
I settled down and watched the programme but I wasn't really paying attention to any of it. “Do you want to talk about it?”
I looked over at her. “Talk about what?”
“Kenzie told me what's happened.”
“How? I thought he hadn't been back here. He's with Em, did he phone you?”
“No. It's a twin thing.” she said reaching for the bowl of popcorn. “Want some?” she asked. I reached over and grabbed a handful of popcorn and sat back in the chair.
“So you talk to Kenzie with your mind?” I asked.
“Yes. He's just filling me in now.”
“Is he with Em?”
“He is. Apparently Em's boring him to death and he wants to know if he can leave yet? He says hi by the way.”
I smiled not to sure how I felt about Shasta knowing everything. But if Kenzie had told her it was because he trusted her.
&n
bsp; “He wants to know what you're doing here?” she asked.
“I don't want to face Senka at the moment. So I'm hiding.”
“Fair enough.” she replied.
Her cellphone started vibrating on top of the coffee table. She picked it up and flipped it open. “Hi Tal.....just watching vampies,” she said answering her cell.
She stood up and went into the kitchen. I heard the fridge door open and close, then she popped her head round the door.
“Hey are you hungry?” she asked me, with the cell still to her ear.
I wasn't overly hungry, I felt tired more than anything. I shook my head and smiled. I was pleasantly surprised she was being so nice to me and not shouting at me for dragging Kenzie into my secret escape which was what I would have expected from her.
“Kenzie says if you want you can wait in his room or sleep in his bed if you're tired.” “Actually I think I'm going to take that offer up. I'm kind of tired.” I said standing up. “Okay let me know if you need anything.” she said walking back into the kitchen. “Tal you still there?” she carried on her phone conversation and I went up to Kenzie's bedroom. I switched on the green and blue lava lamp next to his bed and climbed in. I laid my head down on his fluffy pillow which smelled of bubblegum just like Kenzie with a hint of smoke but it didn't bother me, I felt much more contented up here. I watched the reflections from the lava lamp dancing on the walls and I soon drifted off.
Chapter Fourteen
The theme tune to Star Wars woke me up. I opened my eyes to see Kenzie's green wall staring back at me. I went to move but bumped into something hard. I scooted over and managed to roll onto my back and saw Kenzie lying next to me with his bare back to me. The sound continued and I saw his cell vibrating loudly around on his desk. I sat up and shook his arm.
“Kenzie your cell is ringing.”
“Ugh!” he moaned stretching his arm out to get it.
Then he fumbled around with it with his eyes half closed trying to press the buttons. After not much success I picked it out of his hand, it was the alarm for 7am going off. I tapped the right button and the noise stopped.
He rolled over onto his back and laid his arm over his face groaning.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“No and it's all your fault.”
“What's my fault?” I asked trying to pull his arm away from his face.
“You. You forced me to hang out with Em.”
“Yes but it was only going along with the story you made up. Why what happened?” “I can't remember anything after the tequila. It's all blurry.”
“You have a hang over?” I laughed.
“I think I'm dying.” he said dramatically.
“Well I didn't force you to down every drink in sight.”
“I had to it was the only way to block him out. All he does is talk. I can still hear him talking.” he whinged. There was a knock at the door and Shasta let herself in.
“Kenzie you need to get up we're leaving in a minute. Do you want me to make you some breakfast or do you want to get something on the go?”
She smiled at me and didn't even bat an eyelid that Kenzie and I were sharing the same bed. Not that I thought there was anything strange about it but someone else might. I never thought of Kenzie like that. To me he was just crazy Kenzie, I loved him to bits but not romantically. I moved over and leaned against the wall pulling my dressing gown off the bottom of the bed and pulled it on. “No I'm staying here today.” Kenzie said groaning again as though he was in pain. “Kenzie you're just hung over, it will pass in a few hours.” Shasta said.
“I said I'm staying here today.”
Shasta looked between Kenzie and I.
“Cam's home today, he'll wonder why you're not with Ryu. You're on the roster for today.” “Cross me off then, cause I'm taking a sick day.”
“We don't have sick days.” she looked over at me again. “We don't get sick. Being hung over is not an illness.”
“Then tell Cam I'm taking some of that holiday time I have stored up.”
“Staying here is only going to make Cam suspicious that there's something going on.” “I'm not going out today.”
Shasta huffed loudly and slammed the door. He sat up and leaned against the headboard. “She really hates me now. You're taking time off work to stay with me.” I said poking him in the side.
“She doesn't hate you. She's jealous.”
“Jealous, Jealous of what? Why would she be jealous?”
“Why do you think?” he asked throwing the covers back.
He walked over to the window only wearing a pair of black Looney Tunes boxer shorts with a picture of Taz on the front. He lifted the window and rolled the desk chair over. I stayed on the bed still trying to figure out what Shasta could possibly be jealous of? He lit up a cigarette and inhaled and blew the smoke out the window. Shasta didn't like him smoking indoors.
“I don't know.” I finally answered him.
“Because of Cam.”
“What does Shasta being jealous have to do with Cam?”
“Because of the way Cam is with you.”
“What are you talking about I still don't get it?”
“The way he treats you, the way he lets you speak to him. The way he is in general with you.” “I hardly see him and he treats me the same as everyone else.”
“No he doesn't. It's obvious the way he feels about you. You're not just some marriage arrangement to suit his father, to Cam you mean a lot more otherwise he'd have you scrubbing the floors to earn your keep. But instead he treats you like a princess because to him you are his princess. And it makes Shaz crazy jealous.”
“So she's jealous because I don't have to work and she does?”
“No. She's jealous because she's always had a thing for Cam. They had this fling about fifty years ago but that's all it was to Cam. Shaz gets jealous of the way he looks at you and the fact you don't even notice cause you're too busy dreaming about other boys,” he laughed. “Get it cause you actually have been dreaming about another boy.”
“Well she can have him if she wants him that badly.”
“She would if it was up to her but Cam won't have anything to do with her like that anymore. We were on holiday in Thailand all together four years ago and she'd had a lot to drink and got a bit frisky hands on with him....anyway he told her if she ever tried to do anything like that again he would cut off a few of her fingers as a reminder. He's holding out for you. Ever since the idea of you came along he hasn't wanted anyone else.”
“It gives me the creeps thinking he used to come and visit me when I was little. It's weird.” “He was only making sure you were safe. I suppose it does seem sort of weird-ish but he only wanted to keep you safe and make sure you were happy. He loves you, I've never seen him like this before. I know I haven't known him as long as the others, but he's definitely different with you.” “Different how? He hardly talks to me or spends any time with me. Not that I want him to.” “It's the way he looks at you, I can't explain it. I just go on what I see. And as for the not spending time with you, it's not that he doesn't want to, I think it's the fact he already knows you're going to reject him. That and you're into Senka.”
“Cam doesn't want to hurt Senka because of how I feel about him does he? I mean he wouldn't would he?”
“No. That's the proof right there that he loves you. He doesn't want to hurt you or cause you any unnecessary harm, he only wants to make you happy even if that means letting you play house with Senka.”
“So kidnapping me and trying to get my memories erased is all because he loves me?” “He was only doing what he thought was best. Not the best idea I know.”
I slid off the bed attempting to stretch but ended up getting tangled in my dress and falling flat on the floor.
“Ouch!” Kenzie said stubbing his cigarette out.
“You can say that again,” I said rubbing my knee. “Right that's it, I'm not going to spend another minute in a dress or anyth
ing that hangs below the knee. For my own safety.”
I pulled off my dressing gown and lifted off my nightdress and stood in my bra and panties. “Give me something of yours.” I said placing my hand on my hip.
He looked me up and down smirking as the door opened abruptly. Roman's eyes flickered between us.
“I'm not even going to ask. Um just to let you know we're going, give us a bell if you need us.” Roman said before quickly pulling the door shut.
Kenzie scratched the top of his head looking at me. He stood up and went to his closet. “Here,” He handed me a yellow vest with a panda on the front. I pulled it on and looked down at my legs. “Nothing I have is going to fit you right. You have girl parts.”
“Girl parts?” I said laughing.
“I mean your hips. Hang on I have a better idea. Do you know your sizes?” he asked. “Huh?”
“Clothes sizes.”
“Um,” I had to think about it for a few seconds but I somehow knew what they were. “Yeah. Why?”
“Write them down.” he said handing me a pen and his hand to write on.
“And why exactly am I writing these on your hand?”
“You'll see in a minute.”
“Done.” I said.
“Yep that's great.” he said looking at his hand.
“Okay I'll be back in a minute.....Oh clothes first.” he said realising he wasn't dressed. He went back to the closet and pulled out a fresh T-shirt then he searched the floor for his jeans. “Help yourself to anything in the fridge while I'm gone.” he said pulling on his hi-tops. “Where are you going?”
“You'll see.” he said grinning at me as he adjusted his cap. He stuck his tongue out at me and faded away.
I went downstairs and searched around in the fridge. I poured myself a glass of chocolate milk and found a chocolate bar to eat. So it wasn't the best breakfast or the healthiest but seeing as my health wasn't really an issue anymore I didn't think it would matter if I wanted to eat a chocolate bar for breakfast. I sat on the floor in the front room looking through the DVD collection, most of it I recognised and remembered. I found it frustrating I could remember some of these movies off by heart but I couldn't even remember what my own brother looked like.