Pretend With Me (Midnight Society #1)

by Jemma Grey

  Suddenly, air whipped around me and I was back on the bed with Eric on top of me and between my legs. My brain cells were slowly beginning to steam now. Eric then forfeited my lips and a low, deep growl of annoyance escaped my throat as I wrapped my legs around his waist dragging him closer to me. I felt his breath running along my skin leaving a hot, burning trail along my neck as he kissed his way down. Everywhere he touched burned, like a gentle fire slowly kissing my skin. Desire coursed through me, heating my blood to its boiling point. My thoughts were in disarray, like calm chaos. It wouldn't take much to forget about everything, yet I flipped us so that I was on top. I then pulled back and reluctantly got off him and started for the door.

  “You did that on purpose...” he muttered, swallowing loudly.

  “Yes” I smiled, without looking back at him. “Yes I did.”

  11

  I ran my hand down my body, feeling the material of the school uniform, warm and smooth under my fingers for what felt like the hundredth time this morning. The girl staring back at me through the body length mirror didn’t look like me. Our features were exactly alike, yet there was still an underlying difference. The way she stood and even stared back at me was graceful, almost like an animation on a TV screen. It was hard to think she was me. I could hardly recognize myself.

  My school uniform consisted of a short skirt stretching down my legs, ending inches from my knees and a snug fitting yet comfortable shirt that went to my waist with three-quarter sleeves. It fit me perfectly, like it was made specifically for my body, which in the back of my mind I knew was true; nothing store bought ever looked this good. The uniform was a soft cream color with black swirls twisting and criss-crossing each other to make a pattern that seemed complicated yet simple. The material felt soft and smooth against my sk in. It also felt foreign, but I knew that was only because I was still getting used to feeling things like I was - with everything bare and open to me.

  All my senses were strange and weird. I felt things, materials and fabrics like I never felt it before. The breeze on my skin was almost electrifying. I could hear things from miles away. I was seeing the world in a completely different light and still wasn’t used to it.

  I looked back to the mirror, studying myself intently. I had flat ironed my hair so it w as dead straight and flowing from my head like a black curtain, stopping between my shoulder blades. I had applied a little make up, some eyeliner and mascara to draw attention away from the dark circles forming around my eyes. Overall I looked pretty good but there was something I couldn't quite figure out that looked absolutely beautiful and otherworldly about me. It was unnerving, at the very least.

  All of these I knew were results of the change I'd undergone a few nights ago, however these changes weren't the reason I couldn't look away from the mirror. The real reason I had been staring at my new face for what seemed like forever were the eyes staring back at me.

  They weren't boring brown anymore. Instead they were burning blue bright orbs that were as hot as the heated centre of blazing flames yet ice cold at the same time. It didn't matter that they were contacts, soon this was who I would be I thought, thinking back to when Eric had given the contacts to me.

  Last night I'd gotten all the stuff I'd need for school. It came packed in a cardboard box with the name ‘Jenifer C. Wilson: School’ written on the sides in neat capital letters. I had frowned at the name; I wasn’t married to Eric yet.

  Eric had ripped opened the box and pulled out a clear plastic bag with my uniform hanging from a rack. My frown had only deepened as he’d held it out to me. I’d gone to a pay school in Trinidad - never in my life had I ever had to wear a school uniform.

  “I know,” Eric said, confusing me. “Indirectly I've paid for it.” It took me a moment to realize that he'd been in my head and was answering my thoughts. “Sorry, Jen, uniforms are required,” he smiled looking up from the box to face me. His smile died when he saw the death glare I was shooting at him. “Oh...” he then muttered, straightening as he realized what he’d done.

  “I refuse to let you ruin my excitement so all I'm going to say is get out of my head, Eric,” I sneered through clenched teeth.

  “Sorry,” he muttered, “I didn't mean to hear you.” Without saying anything I took the cream and black uniform from him and went to the closet to hang it up. “Well everything seems to be here - books, folder, laptop and,” he paused digging into the box only to pull out another, smaller one. “A phone,” he finished tossing the box to me. Awkwardly I fought the natural instinct to bat the box away - like I usually did when objects came flying towards me - and caught it. It didn't take long to figure out the phone was the latest that Samsung technology had to offer.

  I looked up to Eric startled and shocked, not knowing what to say. I couldn't form any response at all. I had thought that Eric was trying to keep me secluded - hide me away from my family and everyone I knew. I mean why else wasn't I allowed to bring my own clothes and things with me - things that reminded me of home? Instead everything I had now had been brought with the Wilson's money or given by them. I was thankful for everything but I wasn't this person. I was usually independent.

  “It was never my intention to take things away from you Jen... but sometimes a clean break is better,” he said studying me intently. Before I could reply he blurted out, “I wasn't in your head, I swear. It was written across your face...”

  I didn't respond to him. Instead I bent down reaching into the box, pulling out six boxes of contact lens wrapped together with rubber bands. “Contacts?”

  “Um... yeah,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You'll need to wear them at school... until your eyes change completely. They're the exact shade of blue so when your eye color does change no one at school will ask questions.”

  I nodded dropping the boxes back where I got them. “And one last thing,” he muttered reaching into one of his back pockets, “money,” he finished, pulling out a credit card, holding it out to me.

  “Where I come from people don’t use credit cards in schools, Eric.”

  “It’s not just for school, Jen, it’s for you, whatever you want...” he trailed off. I still didn’t take the card and after a while he dropped his hand.

  “Aren’t you afraid I’ll buy a plane ticket to Mars or something stupid?”

  He didn’t answer right away. Instead he slowly walked up to me, took my hand pressing the card into it. “I don’t care if you blow the money on random junk or never spend it at all, Jen... as long as you’re safe and always come back...”

  I’d looked up at him and was lost in his blazing eyes for a moment. My thoughts had scattered for a brief second and I’d bit my lips to keep myself from jumping him. “Aren’t you afraid I won’t?” I had asked honestly. Knowing Eric, there’d probably be a lot of money on this card. How was he sure I wouldn’t use it to get out of our marriage? I wouldn’t have given me this card.

  “I trust you, Jen,” he’d said simply.

  Sighing, I ran my hand through my hair one last time then turned the lights off and walked out of the bathroom. When I got to the kitchen, Maria - the chef - was already there with Christy sitting at the opposite side of the counter having breakfast. I greeted them and sat down next to Christy just as a plate with eggs, cheese and bread appeared on the counter in front of me. I wasn't hungry but knowing that Maria had taken the time to prepare the food and not wanting it to go to waste, I forced as much of it down as I could.

  About fifteen minutes later Eric shoved his head through the kitchen door staring at me. “You’ll be late, Jen,” he said and I nodded.

  “Bye, Christy,” I sighed and stood up, kissing her lightly on her forehead. “Thanks, Maria,” I waved and then took off after Eric.

  He led me to the front of the house where a black Porsche was already running, waiting for us. As expected it was the latest model out. It made me wonder just how many cars Eric and his family had, and where exactly they kept it all.

  B
efore I could reach the car, Eric was already in the driver’s seat and from there he leaned across and opened the door for me. I got in and as soon as I shut the door he put the car into gear and we were on our way to school.

  Halfway during the drive to school - I couldn’t say that enough - I got restless; I couldn’t stay in one place. I began to fiddle with the radio and when I found nothing good on I turned it off, putting my feet up on the seat as my fingers started drumming against my knees. Finally when that wasn’t enough to calm me, I began digging through the pockets and glove compartment of the car looking for Eric’s CDs. I was nervous and too excited to stay still. I could hear my own heart flying in my chest as giant butterflies sprouted inside my stomach, accompanying the knots already there.

  “Jen, relax,” Eric smiled and I turned to him scowling. I felt like he had been telling me to relax a lot lately. “Are you that nervous?”

  “Yes,” I said as soon as he finished speaking.

  His only response was a small light chuckle as he pulled into a car park that was already full and began circling around. Most of the cars looked new and expensive. They were all the latest models out and built mostly for speed. Their owners were nowhere to be seen though, which made me think that I was late.

  “This is the school? You’re making me to go St. Michael?” I blurted out as he found a spot and parked the car. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the giant building rising up in front of us. There were no wired fences or gates or anything to suggest the building was a school. Instead it was all pretty lawns, stone walkways and fancy, expensive glass windows that sparkled in the sunlight.

  Eric only shrugged carelessly at my side. “Are you ready?”

  “No,” I said at once as a new wave of nervousness rolled over me, stronger this time. “I can’t go to this school...” I whispered tearing my eyes from the school, intimidated by just the building. When I asked to go to school, I thought that I was going to end up in some crappy public school with bad cafeteria food and an average grading system. This was not what I was expecting.

  “What’s wrong with the school?”

  He was going to think I was stupid when I explained this. I already felt like an idiot. “This is,” I began staring out the window, “a really good school Eric... Everyone here is probably super smart, like science fair freaks and nerds. And not to mention it’s expensive...” I looked down at my fingers, biting my upper lip. “I won’t be able to keep up.”

  “Jen,” Eric frowned at me, his eyebrows knotting up, “I went to this school... are you calling me a nerd?” Mock hurt and curiosity colored his voice.

  Immediately a smile I couldn't suppress cracked my lips. “You’re a hot nerd,” I laughed.

  “I’ve seen what your grades are like, you’re a nerd too,” he chuckled and then got out of the car. Before I could raise my hand to unbuckle the seat belt, Eric was standing at my side holding the door open for me.

  My heart skipped a few beats and I jumped at his sudden reappearance. I took a moment to steady myself and then got out of the car slowly. My heart was still hammering away in my chest as I stood facing Eric. He hadn’t released the car door yet and slowly he raised his free hand pressing it to the other side of the car, trapping me between him and the car.

  I swallowed loudly as dry electricity coated the air around us, feeling myself stepping backwards until I bumped into the car. In response to this, Eric took a slow step towards me, closing the space between us. “We...” I swallowed looking up at his face and my brain cells instantly fried, all train of thought lost.

  I bit my lower lip, waiting for him to make his move and then finally after slow torturous minutes of having my blood sizzle in my veins, he whispered, “sorry” stepping away from me.

  I closed my eyes utterly confused. My throat had gone dry and my stomach was in knots. I didn’t understand what had happened. Then it finally hit me like an electric bolt to the heart, Eric was still holding onto his promise. It was completely up to me to decide our relationship... only I didn’t know where we stood. I had agreed to try to make our inevitable marriage work, but that didn’t mean I loved him. I cared for him, but love? After Daren, I couldn't love again.

  That thought was suddenly broken when someone standing behind Eric cleared their throat, making us both turn to face whoever it was. I found myself staring at a smiling girl with soft earth brown eyes. She had short, black hair that was cut in a bob, barely touching her neck - something I could never survive because I hid behind my hair too much. She was about my size, but taller, and had a mocha colored skin tone.

  “Emily,” Eric said in greeting as he wrapped his arm around my waist pulling me towards him. “This is Jen.” He was abruptly serious now, all business like.

  “Hi,” the girl, Emily smiled at me as she held out her hand. I hesitated for a second and then took it, shaking her hand. “I’m your close guard.”

  Immediately, I turned to Eric, confused. I had guards now? “You have three,” he told me, his voice firm as he answered my unspoken question. “She’s your close guard, the other two are around but you won’t see them or know who they are.”

  “But-” I started and before I could finish, Eric cut me off.

  “This is not negotiable, Jen,” he said, his tone hard and set, almost ending the conversation. “I won’t be here with you and I can’t leave you unprotected.”

  “If you’re worried about standing out, there’s no need,” Emily put in and I turned back to her. “I’ve been in deep cover here since you’ve mentioned wanting to finish school. To the other students you’ll just be a new girl I’ve made friends with. I’m not in all of your classes and we won’t be inseparable so it won’t seem odd - that’s another reason why you have far guards, they’ll protect you when I’m not around you. Do you have any questions?” she asked and I shook my head slowly, still in shock that I had guards now. “Okay, then I’ll see you later, Jen,” she smiled and then turned, walking away.

  Instantly I turned back to Eric. “Why didn’t you tell me about this before?”

  “You were so excited about going to school… I didn’t want to ruin that,” he explained and I nodded, still a bit pissed. Eric then took my hand, and without saying anything else he got my folder from the car, locked it and then led me to the main building.

  The walk to the office w as short. It was the first building directly opposite the car park. All we had to do was climb up exactly five steps that took us out of the car park and onto a stone path that ran through the middle of a well-maintained lawn.

  The office was as I expected: big. Chairs lined the wall at the side and there was a long wooden counter stretching across the back of the room. Plants, and pictures of students receiving awards were scattered across the room. There was also a giant glass showcase displaying trophies, awards and medals.

  Eric led me directly to the counter where a young woman in her early twenties was drinking coffee. Her head was barely visible through the high counter. As soon as she saw us, she stood up smiling.

  “Good morning,” she said, her smile brightening. Now that she was standing I could see her features clearer than before. She had curly, black hair that reached just above her shoulders and bright piercing deep brown eyes.

  “Hi,” I said, before Eric could answer. “I’m a new student.”

  She thought for a while, her face deep in concentration, then she brightened up, suddenly more cheerful than I thought humanly possible. “Oh yes, now I remember... err... Jenifer Wilson, right?” My face turned into a deep frown and I turned, glaring at Eric. His only response was a shrug.

  “My name isn’t Wilson, it’s Carson.” I snapped annoyed beyond comprehension. “Jenifer Carson,” I growled and she took a step back.

  “Sorry...” she muttered at once not understanding why I was upset about something that seemed minor. From the corner of my eyes I saw a smile lit Eric’s face and I stomped on his foot instinctively. When he yelled out, muttering something that soun
ded like abuse to me, her eyebrows rose and a puzzled frown plastered her face. “Have a seat, Jenifer, the principal wants to speak to you,” she said after a while. I nodded and went to the line of chairs.

  “You can go if you want,” I said dismissively to Eric as he took a seat beside me.

  “You don’t want me to stay?” he frowned, clearly picking up the fact that I really didn’t want him here. I was used to doing things on my own and I felt babied with him here. I didn’t say anything instead I shook my head slightly. “Okay then, I’ll see you later.” My only response was another slight nod as he got up and walked out o f the office.

  The principal, Mr. Talcott was a round, big man in his late fifties who was slightly balding. I didn’t like him either

  - he asked too many questions on subjects I would rather not talk about. He brought up my attendance record in Trinidad, my latest school and why I was always either late, missing or in trouble. What he liked though, was that I was a straight A+ student besides my bad records. He also asked questions that I thought he had no business asking, like why I moved from Trinidad after living there most of my life, and about my family there. When he was finished grilling me he called the secretary, who was supposed to show me to my first class.

  Somewhere along the line, my excitement for school had turned into something unhappy and depressing. Instead of the butterflies in my stomach, there was now a deep gnawing feeling like my insides were being twisted. Being here only made me miss home, my friends, and my aunt. I missed Daren. Being here brought up memories I had chosen to bury and I found myself remembering, Kristen and my old school.

  Kris had been my best friend for a long while. It was strange, because when I had just started school Kris and I couldn’t stand each other. We couldn’t be in the same room without having some sort of argument over something unimportant and stupid. Then one day, like the flip of a light switch, we became best friends. I can’t remember what caused the change, I just know that at one point Kris and I had been enemies, and then she became the sister I never had.