“Really? No, I didn’t hear about that. I’m rather glad. There was something about him that I didn’t like.”
“I didn’t know that; we were working on a project with him. Didn’t the teacher assign you as partners?”
Sighing, I turned to look him in the eyes. “I wasn’t assigned to work with him. He was being really pushy with me. I didn’t tell you because there were things going on. I wish that I could tell you everything, but I can’t, Isaiah. Maybe one day I will be able to tell you, but not today. I really care about you, and that is one of the reasons I can’t tell you a thing.”
“What are you talking about? What do you mean there is stuff you can’t tell me? I thought we didn’t have secrets from each other.” He pulled his hand away. “I don’t get you sometimes.”
I could see the hurt in his eyes. I felt so bad, but I had to say something to him that was close to the truth. I wanted to be with someone who could know about me, and I didn’t have to keep things secret from. Dad, are you there? I wish you were here to erase what I just told Isaiah. I hurt him pretty bad.
“What did you do? Listen to me, is he still there with you? If he is, walk outside with him. I will be there shortly.”
He is here, but I don’t know if he will go outside with me. He is angry with me at the moment. I smiled at Isaiah. “Would you please come with me for just a moment? I don’t want to talk with all these people around.”
He hung his head. “I guess I owe you that much.” Looking up, I saw he had tears in his eyes. “Or, should I say, you owe me that much.” He stormed towards the side door, slamming it open.
I followed him with a sinking feeling in my chest. I had never seen him like this before. Please hurry, Dad, I don’t think I will be able to keep him out here for very long.
Just as I caught up to him I saw Jeremiah coming out of the woods. He smiled, and waved at us.
“What is he doing here?” Isaiah asked, looking intently at me. “Is he someone else that you’re not telling me the truth about?”
He was glaring at me. I knew I had to tell him the truth, even though my father would shortly erase the memory of what I was about to say. “I wish I could tell you no. I’m going to tell you something that you’re not going to remember me telling you. He is my real father.” I saw the shock in his eyes.
He turned towards Jeremiah. “You’re her father? What is going on here? What kind of lies have you been telling her?”
Jeremiah looked at me, shaking his head. “What are you doing? I don’t understand.”
“I hate lying to him. I just had to tell him some of the truth, knowing that you could erase his memory. I promise I will not do this again.”
“It would really be for the best if you did not. I don’t want to have to keep cleaning up after you because you feel the need to speak the truth. You should have learned from everything that happened what the possible consequences of such things are.”
“I know, I’m really sorry.” I felt tears running down my face. There stood Isaiah, looking at the two of us as if we had just grown horns on our heads. My father stood, looking at me with such disappointment on his face. “I don’t think I can be with him anymore. I can’t, and not be able to tell him the truth. I need you to take care of that for me too, father, so he can be safe. I want what you had with my mother, do you understand?” I can’t tell him the entire truth to protect him, my family and us. I will never know if he is attracted to me for me or because of my vampire side. Please, Father, take that memory away from him to keep me from hurting him again. Look at him.
He looked at me carefully, nodded his head once and turned. “Isaiah, I can explain what is going on,” he said his voice changing to an almost rhythmic beat. “Elizabeth had an experience over the last few days that has left her very shaken up. She wanted to tell you about it, but I fear she has really overreacted.” He smiled, and placed his hand on Isaiah’s shoulder.
Isaiah looked into his eyes, and suddenly I saw him relax and get a rather confused look on his face. “What did you just ask me, sir? I’m sorry, I don’t seem to remember what we were talking about.”
“I asked if you and Elizabeth enjoyed the game yesterday,” he said, smiling back at Isaiah.
“Yes, I think we did sir.” He turned towards me. “Don’t we have to get to class?” He looked around, as if trying to remember how he even got outside, let alone what we were doing talking to Jeremiah during school hours.
“Yes, I think we do. Jeremiah, thank you so much for bringing those notes that I left at your house. I’m really not sure how I forgot them.”
“It was not a problem, Elizabeth. You both take care and I hope to hear how your report turns out.” He turned and walked back towards the woods.
I walked into school, knowing that I had made a risky mistake today, and vowed that I would never let my father or myself down like that again. Isaiah told me he would see me later, and took off without looking back. I knew, at that moment, that we would never be any more than friends. I thought I should be feeling more from the loss of our relationship, but I knew it was for the best. I never really would have known if he was attracted to me for me, or because of what I am. I also knew that I couldn’t be with him and not be able to share everything about me with him.
After school, Bess and I met with Jeremiah. He explained a little more to her about being my father. We didn’t tell her about the danger I had been in, but we let her know that it would be dangerous for us if others knew about what he was or what I was. We set some ground rules for all of us about what we could talk about, and where it was safe for us to talk after Bess told my father she thought she needed them.
I saw the twinkle in his eyes when she had told him that. He really did like her, and I knew that he trusted her as much as I did.
These last few weeks I had felt so out of sorts. Everyone around me had been getting on with their normal lives. Isaiah still sat at the table with Stacy and I, telling jokes and laughing with everyone. At first, it seemed like I wouldn’t get over the hurt of him not remembering how in love we had been. He was my first boyfriend; he would never remember, and I would never forget.
I sat down at the table next to Stacy. She smiled at me. “Hey, Seth asked me if he could sit at our table today. I told him he could. You don’t mind, do you?”
“No, of course not. He seems like a really nice guy. How do you know him?” I was wondering how, and when he approached Stacy, I had assumed that he was supposed to watch me but not really get involved in my everyday life.
“Oh, I see him in the hallway every day on my way to math. He always smiles and waves at me. Hey, did you know Isaiah is talking to Julie now?”
I felt the slightest stab of regret tug at my heart, but it didn’t hurt as much as I’d thought it would. I guess I was starting to move on. I really was happy for him that he was going to start seeing someone. It was what he deserved, and I hoped that he would be very happy with her. I just wished that things could have been different for us.
“Daughter, don’t be sad. You did what you thought was best. I want you to have a love like I did. I want you to have someone that you can be yourself with.
“I thought it was going to be him. If Victor had not interfered, things may have been different. I’m so sorry. You will find love one day.”
How can you be so sure of that, Father? How do we know that he was not my true love? He stood beside me through so much.
“I know, Daughter, and you were so unselfish to take his safety and the safety of his family, and put it above your feelings for him. I just think that you will find your true soul mate one day, just like I did.”
I hope you are right. You found yours but now you are alone, and I think that is really sad.
“Don’t be sad for me. I would never change anything, Elizabeth. It means so much to me that I had your mother, even though I lost her.”
I heard the sound of a throat clearing. “Hello, Elizabeth. Do you mind if I join you and y
our friends?”
I looked up. Seth was standing there, smiling, holding his lunch tray. “Sure, sit down. Stacy said you had asked her if it was okay.” I glanced over at Isaiah, who was looking over his shoulder at Julie.
“Thanks.” He sat down, and easily joined the conversation. I watched him for a bit, marveling how he seemed like a normal high school kid.
Stacy kicked me under the table. “What?” I asked her, reaching down and rubbing my shin. “Why’d you kick me?” I whispered.
“He seems really nice. I think he might like you,” she whispered back.
Stacy, always the matchmaker I wondered what she would say if she knew he was my bodyguard? “I don’t think so, Stacy. I think he just wants to hang out with all of us.”
“Oh Elizabeth, you kill me sometimes. You always seem blind to the fact that guys can like you. Stop being so uptight, and enjoy life for a change.” She giggled at the look on my face.
“Maybe you’re right Stacy. I’ve spent so much time worrying about things that I have no control over, maybe I need to take charge of who I am.”
“Now that sounds like a good idea to me.” She reached over and grabbed my hand, giving it little squeeze. “I think you will be much happier.”
I joined in the conversation, and found myself laughing and relaxing for the first time in longer than I could remember. It felt good to just act like a teenager. Seth turned, winked at me, and smiled. I could see that he approved. For some reason, that made me feel really good. I still had some doubts about what might happen in the future, but I knew I would have to figure things out in time.
The day went by very slowly. I felt myself drifting from time to time, thinking back again about everything that had happened to me over the last few months. How was I supposed to go back to living a normal life now? Had I done the correct thing, telling Bess, or had I put her in danger now? So many thoughts were going round and round that when the bell rang, I jumped, and a small squeal flew out of my mouth. Of course, everyone turned, looking at me. I shrugged my shoulders, grabbed my book bag, and hurried from the classroom, my face turning red.
I was moving so quickly that I almost ran Seth over. “Whoa, Elizabeth, slow down. Where are you going so fast?” He was smiling so hard that I saw he had dimples.
I think I was seeing him for the first time, really seeing him, as something more than just a vampire who was my bodyguard. I looked up, and realized he was rather handsome, with really pretty brown eyes. I guessed I hadn’t noticed that while everything was going on. Why would I?”
“Sorry, I didn’t see you there. Gosh, are you hanging around waiting for me, or were you passing by?” I couldn’t help but smile back at him.
“I just thought I would walk you to class. I sort of missed you,” he replied, shrugging his shoulders and looking a little embarrassed.
“That is cool. I think I missed you too.” I bumped him with my shoulder. “What have you been doing since lunch?”
“You know, the same old boring school stuff. The English teacher just assigned us another novel to read and do a report on. You would think that they could come up with more interesting reading. Classics, they say, as if no one has written an interesting book in centuries.”
“I know what you mean. Last year we had to read a book that I never thought I would get through, and I love to read just about anything! So, what are you doing today?” It felt so nice to be talking easily to someone again.
“I guess that depends on what you are doing. Remember, I promised Jeremiah that I would watch out for you.” He sighed when he saw the look on my face. “Hey, I like being around you, really. Don’t take that the wrong way, please.”
I glanced at him, and tried to smile. “I’m sorry. I just forgot for a minute that you are sort of my bodyguard now, aren’t you?” I started walking, feeling strange about talking to him now.
“Hey, don’t think of me like that! I told him that I would keep an eye on you because I want to be around you. I like you, Elizabeth.”
I stopped in my tracks. “What did you say?” I looked at him closely. The expression on his face told me that everything he had just said was true. “How can you like me, Seth? We hardly know each other. We have only spent a few days together, and not in very good circumstances.”
“I know they were some pretty intense days. You also have to remember I have been watching over you for Jeremiah for a while now, ever since I started school here. I feel bad telling you that. I don’t want to creep you out or anything.”
“It doesn’t, I don’t know why it doesn’t, but it doesn’t. I guess, after everything that has happened these last few months, not much would surprise me.” We were outside of the school now, walking down the sidewalk. I looked around, and noticed how lovely the day was. There was a slight breeze blowing, the sun was shining, the sky was a lovely shade of blue, and the weather had cooled just a bit. “It’s really pretty today, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is. I love days like this.” He turned a little towards me and leaned closer, stopping me. “You know, we can talk about anything, Elizabeth. You can ask me about things you need to know about, like what is going on with you. You don’t have to keep secrets from me. I thought that would be important for you to know.”
“Remember when we were in the cave, and you told me the one thing you hated more than anything else was lying to everyone around you?” I nodded my head, yes. “You don’t ever have to lie to me.”
I looked into his eyes. He was telling me the truth. “I do remember. I think I am going to like having a friend I can be honest with.” I felt myself relaxing for the first time in months. “I told Bess some of what happened, you know.” We started walking again, following the curve of the sidewalk.
“I know. Jeremiah told me that he said it was okay to do that. I think he is right. She’s a nice girl; you are lucky to have her as a sister. You know she asked me about the fae.” He smiled. “She picks up on a lot, doesn’t she?”
“Yes, she does. She has always felt like I do, that there must be magic in the world. I think she wants to believe that faeries exist. If someone would have told me that this time last year, that it was possible that faeries existed in our world, I would have laughed. But now, I guess if you were to tell me they do, I would think it was pretty cool.”
“I can’t wait to see her face when we tell her there are some of them left in this world.”
I felt my mouth drop. “What? You’re pulling my leg, right? Faeries don’t really exist, do they?” I stopped, and looked up at him. “Don’t you play with me, Seth.”
“Yes, they do. They are here, just like we are. Of course, they’re not how the humans describe them, and they are not enemies with us. Actually, we have some that own businesses, and work daily with some of our kind.”
“Wow! Bess is going to be so excited. You know, back when we first met Isaiah and Samuel, she asked me if I thought they could have fae in them.” I leaned closer, and looked him the eye. “Do they?”
“You know, I’m not supposed to talk about this with anyone. I could get in a lot of trouble. If Jeremiah finds out I told you . . . ”
“I’m not going to say anything to him, Seth. I would never tell anyone, except Bess. She can keep a secret, you know.”
“I know she can. I’ve been watching you guys for a while now. But I’m not sure if it’s safe to tell her, now that I think about it. Not because she will tell anyone, but of what could happen to her if someone finds out she knows.” He shook his head. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I guess I wasn’t thinking. I don’t think any of us want a repeat of what happened.”
I looked at him, the realization hitting me hard when I realized what he was saying. “Okay, I understand. We can’t do anything that would, or could, get any of us in trouble. I don’t want to go through what happened ever again. I just got excited because I know how much it would mean to her.”
“I agree. I was worried for a while that none of us were going to m
ake it out of there, especially Jeremiah.” He looked down at me. “I really do like you. I have for a while now. I’m glad that I know your secret.” He was trembling.
“I’m glad you do too, Seth. Can I ask you something?” I looked deep into his eyes.
“Sure, whatever you want. I told you, you can ask me about anything.” His eyes held mine.
“Can you tell me more about yourself? I want to get to know you better. If that is okay with you.”
“I think I would like that, very much. No one has ever wanted to know anything about me, or my story.”
“Well, I do.” We started walking again, and I quietly asked him, “Do you really think everything will be all right now?”
He smiled, and took my hand. “Everything will be fine now. I promise you, Elizabeth.”
Grandmother’s Fried Chicken recipe
(This is our version, since she never gave us her recipe)
* * *
2 cups of flour
2 to 4 tablespoons of Old Bay seasoning (adjust to taste)
1 to 2 pounds of chicken pieces
Cast iron chicken fryer or deep pan
Baking dish
¼ to ½ cup vegetable oil
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of milk
Heat oven to 325 degrees
* * *
Heat oil in cast iron skillet or chicken fryer over medium-high heat.
* * *
Mix flour and Old Bay seasoning, and place in a deep dish.
* * *
Beat egg with milk in wide bowl.
* * *
Place chicken, one to two pieces at a time, in egg wash, and dredge in flour mixture.
* * *
Place chicken in hot oil, and brown on all sides until golden.
* * *
Magic and Shadows: A Collection of YA Fantasy and Paranormal Romances Page 195