Redheads are Soulless

by Redheads are Soulless (epub)

  Calm down, I told myself. She lives close to here too. She’s just here to have fun on a boring Sunday afternoon, that’s all.

  I took a deep breath, but I still couldn’t slow my ever quickening heart rate.

  Her icy blue eyes met mine for a second, and she half waved at me. I forced a smile and waved back. I then looked down at the table. I was scared that if I looked up, I would meet her eyes again.

  Robbie finally came back and sat down the tray of food. I made small talk while we ate, but I couldn’t get my mind off of Adrianne. There was something off about that girl.

  Throughout the rest of the day, I saw her periodically. I didn’t know if it was because I was aware of her, but every time I looked up, she was always there looking back at me. Even though it was quite possibly one of the best days of my life, I couldn’t help the feeling of relief that washed over me when we finally left to go home.

  We left about 7 o’clock that night, it was already dark. We stopped at a gas station and grabbed a couple energy drinks for the ride home.

  “Did you have fun today?” Robbie asked.

  “That was amazing,” I answered before taking a drink of my Nos. “I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun.”

  “The park is a little cheesy, but it was the closest amusement park I could find open this time of the year,” he said. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

  “It wasn’t cheesy. It was a lot fun.” I hesitated before adding, “You’re a lot of fun.”

  Robbie’s smile made my heart race. “So are you.”

  On the ride home, we were just as talkative as we were that morning. We talked about some of the coasters at Zombie Land, he asked me more questions about myself, and I even asked a few questions about him. It was a very light conversation until we got about thirty minutes from the house.

  “How was your childhood?” he asked.

  “It was amazing. My mom and dad both loved me a lot. I feel very blessed that I had such loving parents.”

  “I mean after your dad died.”

  I sighed, not sure how to answer. “Well, to be honest, it sucked. Having to pick up my drunk, passed out mom from the bar at 10 years old is not the best circumstance. But, it’s the past. There is nothing anybody can do about it now.”

  “I’m really sorry about your father. If I could go back in time, I would have done everything differently.”

  “Why did you do it?” I asked.

  “I told you why… the curse.” I could tell there was a lot more to it than a curse. He was holding back a lot from me, and I didn’t like it.

  “I’m serious Robbie. I know that there is more to it than just a curse. I know you wouldn’t have killed my father for no reason. Why did you kill my father?”

  “I had to kill him.” His eyes were pleading with me. “There was nothing that I could do about it. Just please don’t ask me. I can’t tell you.”

  I half nodded. “I’ll let it go… for now.” We both knew that this conversation was far from over.

  He sighed with relief. “I can’t tell you anymore, and for that, I’m sorry. You just have to trust me right now.”

  “I do trust you,” I admitted. It was true. I trusted him with my life, or else I wouldn’t be here with him.

  The conversation was dropped, and we rode the rest of the way in silence. I was so comfortable with Robbie. I truly didn’t feel the need to make conversation. I needed the time to process what he said to me. I silently wondered if it was the hortribue that made him kill my father, but I was too scared to ask out loud.

  A part of me knew that the same person who wanted my father dead also wanted me dead. I was scared for not only myself, but for Jason and Robbie, too. I didn’t want either of them dying for me.

  When we got home, Jason came and apologized to me for overreacting that morning. I told him it was fine. I shouldn’t have expected any other reaction from him. I hated that I was hurting him.

  That night, I slept on the couch. I waited for both Robbie and Jason to go to bed before I laid down. I wasn’t being fair to them, and I didn’t want to hurt either of them. In all reality, I knew I shouldn’t get involved with either one of them, but for some reason, my heart just wouldn’t listen.

  …

  Monday morning, I woke up to Jason gently tapping my shoulder. “Sofie,” he said sweetly.

  I opened my eyes. “Hey,” I greeted him groggily.

  “It’s time to get ready for school,” he informed me.

  “Why did you sleep on the couch?” I heard Robbie’s voice. I looked up to see he was standing beside Jason.

  “I just thought it was for the best,” I said, not meeting either of their gazes.

  “I would have slept on the freaking couch! You didn’t have to!” Robbie sounded angry.

  “But it’s your house,” I insisted.

  He rolled his eyes. “I don’t care. I am not having you sleep on the couch.”

  “It was comfortable,” I joked trying to lighten the mood. The look on Robbie’s face told me he wasn’t amused. “Sorry,” I finally said.

  I got up off the couch and got ready in lightening speed. Would I ever remember to set my alarm clock?

  I quickly ran the brush through my hair. I had straightened it yesterday, and it still looked good. Pleased with my look, I walked out of the bathroom.

  Jason, Robbie and I all drove together to school. It was awkward to say the least. Jason was being overly friendly, while Robbie was still mad at me for sleeping on the couch. I sat in the backseat alone and didn’t say a word the whole way there.

  Once I got to school, I got out of the car as quickly as possible. I wanted a moment to myself to think. It seemed like an almost impossible task with the two of them, so I did what any girl would do – I went in the bathroom.

  I leaned up against the bathroom sink for support. Frustrated, I ran my fingers through my hair just so I had something to do with my hands.

  “Hey,” I heard a voice from behind me and jumped.

  I looked up to see a pair of icy blue eyes staring at me. “Hello,” I said back. I was suddenly regretting my decision of coming in the bathroom.

  “I’m Adrianne,” she stuck out her hand. I accepted her shake to be polite. Her hand was as cold as ice.

  “I’m Sofia.”

  “Oh right, you’re the one with the alcoholic mom,” she said in an almost teasing tone. “Aren’t you like dating twins or something?”

  “Umm, no, I’m not dating anybody.” I kept my voice at a calm level.

  “Certainly looks like it. Those two are constantly by your side,” she laughed. “It doesn’t look like you mind much.”

  I chose to ignore her comment.

  “I’ve heard about your mom, though. She’s the town slut. Looks like you’re following in her footsteps.”

  I couldn’t help feeling angry at what she said. The bathroom mirror in front of me shattered, glass blew all around the room. I grabbed my bag and walked out the door quickly. Thankfully, Adrianne didn’t follow.

  Of course, Robbie and Jason were both standing outside waiting for me.

  “What happened in there?” Jason’s voice was full of concern, as usual.

  “Nothing,” I lied. I walked fast, making sure they were always two steps behind me. There was no point in telling them what happened. I didn’t want them getting involved. It was my fight.

  “Sofie stop,” Robbie said as he stopped in front of me. “Tell me what’s wrong. You don’t just break things because nothing is wrong. What happened in there?”

  “Nothing,” I told them both again. “A girl just was making fun of my mom, and I got mad. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t let it get to me, but I can’t help it.”

  “Who was the girl?” Robbie pursued.

  I sighed in defeat. “I don’t know her. She’s new, her name is Adrianne.”

  Jason and Robbie both looked at each other, and then back at me. “What does she look like?”

  “She has super ligh
t colored blonde hair, she’s really pale, her eyes are this really light color of blue – sometimes they almost look white like ice. Her skin is really cold.”

  “You’ve got to stay away from her,” Jason demanded.

  “It’s too late,” Robbie began to panic.

  “Who is this girl, really?” I asked. Neither of them said anything, but they didn’t have to. I realized exactly who she was. “She’s a hortribue… The last one…”

  “We need to get her out of here,” Jason told Robbie as if I wasn’t even there.

  “It’s too late,” Robbie insisted. “She will just follow us wherever we go.”

  “Then we will leave again! We have to keep her safe!”

  I stepped between them. “I’m not going anywhere. I don’t want to show her that I’m scared. Let’s just figure this out together, ok?”

  Jason sighed. “She’s right. If we leave, it will just make things worse.”

  Robbie nodded his head. “Fine, but what are we going to do? Fight her? She will eat us alive before we even get close to her.”

  “If you have a better idea, please share.” I put my hands on my hips. “Seriously, I’m going to continue my day as normal, if you’ll excuse me.”

  I walked away without looking back, but I was sure they were close behind me. Only this time, I didn’t mind having them close.

  Fourteen

  I belong with you

  It’s amazing how quickly life can change. It had been about 4 months since I first met Jason, and since then my life has been complete chaos. I used to think it was for the better, but now I’m thinking not so much.

  I met Robbie 3 weeks ago. It’s crazy how much my opinion of him has changed. Everything that he has done, he has done for love. He may act tough on the outside, but on the inside he’s really kind-hearted.

  I know it hurt him to kill my father. If he had it to do over, he wouldn’t have done it.

  I sat on Robbie’s bed, just thinking. He and Jason were in the other room cooking dinner. It was nice seeing them actually get along. Before me, I know they must have been close. Even with all the tension, I can see that they still truly care for each other. I am the one coming between them, and I hate it.

  I wish I could just walk away. My chest tightened at the thought. I have grown so close to both brothers, it would be impossible now for me to leave.

  Earlier tonight, my mom actually called me. I couldn’t help but be worried about her. She’s already spent the money from our house she sold. She bought her fiancé, Steve, a boat. I tried to be optimistic. Maybe Steve is truly a wonderful guy, and my mom seems happy enough, but I still think my mom is acting very hasty about the whole thing.

  Maybe I am too quick to judge her. It seems like I’m doing the same things that she is. Sure, I haven’t given up a house for Jason and Robbie, but I have moved in with them, and practically given up my life... But my circumstances are different. I’m here for safety reasons… and I’m not “shacking up” with them. That’s definitely not going to happen, no matter how good Robbie looks without his shirt...

  Finally, I decided to leave the comforts of Robbie’s bedroom. I can only sulk alone for so long before it becomes depressing. When I walked into the kitchen, both Jason and Robbie were laughing about a joke. Robbie was shirtless and leaning against the counter. I forced my eyes to look away from his perfectly shaped abdomen.

  “Sofie, you’re just in time,” Jason greeted me.

  Apparently both brothers are good at everything. Robbie made a homemade pizza, and Jason made a wonderful salad with homemade dressing. Really, I should be the one cooking for them, but I didn’t mind being pampered.

  After eating, Jason showed me some more chords on the guitar, and I practiced them for an hour. I thought I was getting better. Whenever I strummed they were actually starting to make noise instead of sounding mute, but then Jason started playing and I knew that I still had a long ways to go.

  “He’s had a lot more practice than you,” Robbie whispered in my ear. I jumped, startled. “You’ll get there.”

  “I hope so. I suck,” I said laughing.

  He started to say no, but then stopped. “You kind of do, but that’s what practice is for.”

  I hit his arm playfully. “I’ll never be a rock star god like you.”

  He shrugged his shoulder playfully. “Everybody sucks at first – even Jason. He was terrible. It took him about 10 years before I could tolerate listening to him.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded. “Yep – some people have talent, other people practice a lot. He wanted it bad, so he worked hard until he got it.”

  “He’s very persistent.”

  “Yes he is,” Robbie’s voice sounded annoyed. He looked me in the eye, and a serious look came over his face. “I want you to sleep in my bed tonight. I will take the couch.”

  “That doesn’t sound fair. This is your house. I’m merely a pest,” I reminded him. “Besides, your couch is really comfortable.”

  “Why don’t you just sleep with me?” he flirted.

  “I don’t want to hurt him.” My voice came out in a whisper.

  “Do you love him?”

  “I don’t know,” I answered honestly.

  “Do you love me?”

  I kept my mouth shut.

  Robbie’s face lit up, and he raised his eyebrow at me slightly. “I thought so.”

  His words stunned me… could it be true? Do I really love Robbie?

  Later that night, I lay in Robbie’s bed alone, unable to sleep. I stared at the ceiling and tried to think about something, anything, other than love and death. It seemed nearly impossible to me.

  The bedroom door crept open, letting light from the hallway shine into the room. My heart sped up, but relief washed over me when I saw it was just Robbie.

  “Sorry if I woke you,” he said, turning on the light. My eyes instantly shut in protest of the bright light. “I just need another pillow.”

  “Robbie?” I asked, timidly.

  “Yes?”

  “Will you stay with me for a little bit?” I felt like a little kid asking him. “Please.”

  He smiled before nodding. He turned off the light and climbed in bed beside me. Once he got in bed, I put my head on his bare chest and snuggled up close to him. For a while, neither of us said anything. I just lay there, listening to the sound of his breathing and steady heart beat. I wonder how great it would feel for it to be like this every night… Feeling like that was dangerous for my heart. I knew that in the end, Robbie would break my heart.

  “What are you thinking about?” he asked softly.

  “I’m thinking about you,” I admitted.

  “I always think about you.”

  Me too, I thought. I wasn’t quite brave enough to admit it out loud. “I don’t understand why. It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m going to die.”

  “I will not let you die,” he promised.

  “I’m scared,” I admitted.

  Robbie pulled me closer to him, and kissed the top of my head. “Don’t be. I’m here, and I promise I’m not going anywhere.”

  His words comforted me more than they should. I have been promised a lot of stuff in my life, and I have always been let down. He seemed genuine and sincere, but what if he changes his mind?

  I felt a tear fall down my cheek, and Robbie wiped it away. “Sofie, I love you.”

  With his words, tears began to fall more freely.

  “You are my life now. Nothing is going to change this,” he vowed. “I’ve waited a thousand lifetimes for you, and I will not screw this up.”

  “But what if I screw it up? What if I do something stupid, and you decide I’m not worth it anymore?”

  “That’s not going to happen,” he affirmed. “You are worth everything to me. Every heartache, every lonely night – it brought me here to you and to this moment. Everybody makes mistakes, after all the bad things I’ve done, I don’t deserve you. I wouldn’t blame you if you chos
e not to be with me. It would break my heart, but I would understand.”

  “It’s me who doesn’t deserve you.”

  He shook his head. “I’m a monster.”

  “I don’t believe it. I can’t fathom that anybody as sweet as you could ever be considered a monster.”

  “Well, believe it,” he said coldly.

  I put my hands on his face and tilted his head so he was looking at me, and then I kissed him gently on the lips. “Will you stay me?” I asked once I pulled back from his lips. “I don’t want to be alone.”

  “I won’t leave,” he promised.

  Robbie wrapped his arms around me, and gently sung me to sleep.

  When I look into your face

  The universe is in its place

  Time with you is so sublime

  You possess the power to stop time

  Ooooh, I belong with you

  Wrapped in your warm embrace

  Your fingers trace along my face

  Your steady heartbeat, I feel at home

  With you, I know I’ll never be alone

  Ooooh, I belong with you

  …

  Today at school, Adrianne winked at me, but not in a playful way – more like a I’m going to kill you way. I pretended to be unaffected by her, but when she winked all the open locker doors slammed shut. There was no way that I could hide my anger.

  In my first hour class, Todd, the football quarterback, tried throwing a crumpled up note at me. I noticed it mid air and immediately tried to push it back towards him with my mind, but I ended up hitting Mr. Franks instead. Todd, with his mouth open in shock, got detention. It served him right. I have no idea what the note said, but I was sure it wasn’t very nice.

  In the hallway, I overheard a few students talking about how the school is “haunted”. I couldn’t help but smile to myself when I heard that.

  After school, Robbie and I went out for a drive. His car is a convertible, so we let the top down. I loved the wind blowing through my hair, and the sun on my face.