“Thank you Elane my sweetling, you're a life saver,” I said, already leaving her shade of blue room.
“I know,” she said jokingly.
I smiled and backed out her door. It was even weirder that Jane, Elane and I could wear the same clothes, but it did come in handy a lot. Elane was just a bit shorter than me and Jane was shorter than her, so it sort of made it harder to wear certain pants of Janes because her legs were shorter than mine. All in all though, we could all wear each others clothes.
I turned the knob for the guest room and went in there to get changed because the upstairs bathroom was all the way at the end of the hall. I figured it would be easier just to go to the next room over.
When I was getting changed I couldnt help but think of what Thora was doing out in the guest house. Since we had taken her she had been placed in the guest house out back. Everyday someone like Peter or Summer would go out there to keep an eye on her and take care of her, but she had never escaped luckily enough. I did hit her with the cut off venom bullets but surely the venom would be out of her system by now.
I finished getting dressed and remembered that luckily I left my bag here yesterday or I wouldve had to go back home to get it, wasting valuable time.
I stood in front of the vertical stretched mirror on the back of the door and looked at myself properly. My face had some of it's usual colour in it today, my hair wasnt as messy as I thought it would be, and for once my eyes didn't have that twinge of fear in them. They were just my normal chocolate brown, as dad would call them when I was littler. I remember when Adam and I were little, dad would chase us around saying he wanted to eat my sweet chocolate eyes and Adams delicious blue M&M eyes.
I smiled in the mirror, and for the first time I did look happy to myself, it was an improvement compared to how I looked at the start of the year. Not including the burn scars that were nearly completely gone, you could only see a light faded shadow of them now and soon that would be gone as well. I quickly brushed my hair, leaving it down today, then I turned my back on the mirror triumphantly and walked out of the guest room door.
I got downstairs and walked towards the kitchen where I could hear the noises of forks scraping plates and people laughing. I walked through the arched kitchen doorway and saw James and Hunter sitting at the table, leaning over their plates and shovelling food in their mouths.
“What's going on?” I asked in amazement.
Elane, who was laughing her arse off, looked at me and signalled for me to come over to her. I walked over to where she was sitting and sat down, keeping my eyes on Hunter and James who were right in front of me.
“They are still being competitive,” Elane informed me between laughs.
“I wonder how long this will go on for?” I asked with a giggle.
“Who knows, it provides entertainment for you though,” Jane said from the head of the table. “But Im staying clear of the food landing zone,” she said with a laugh.
I shook my head and saw Sam come into the room shaking, his head with an incredulous smile on his face. He walked over to me and sat down in the seat closest to mine, but also watching James and Hunter in shock and amazement.
It was looking pretty even, they were both nearly finished their bacon and eggs. Then, almost like it was planned, they both threw their forks down and raised their hands in the air.
“Finished!” they both said, downing the last of their food.
The whole room went into an uproar of laughter and they did too. I assessed their faces and they had managed to stay squeaky clean, not even their uniforms had a speck of food on them.
“It's a tie,” Elane said, a huge grin on her face.
“Damn it,” James said.
“Damn,” Hunter said mockingly with a grin.
I started laughing but looked down so I could eat the food Summer had placed in front of me. Summers food was always good, especially when you could feel it go down your throat and fill up your stomach.
“I'm gonna go watch the footy before we have to leave,” James said, standing up and rubbing his stomach.
“I'll beat you there,” Hunter said, bounding out of his seat and speeding through the kitchen towards the living room.
“Oh no you won't,” James said with a smile.
Then he disappeared and we heard Hunter sound from the living room.
“Hey, you cheated,” he said in a whiny voice.
I smiled and turned my attention back to my bacon and eggs, they smelt so fresh I was practically drooling over them. The gate receiver sounded from the kitchen wall and Peter got up to answer it.
“It's Rosetta,” he informed.
My heart missed a beat and I literally froze, in that same second Sams arms were around me, his warm lips to my ear.
“It's okay remember,” he whispered in comfort.
“I know,” I choked out, my eyes wide with fear.
It's just even the sound of her name brings fear into me, it's really ridiculous. We talked it out, I shouldn't be like this.
“Do you want to leave early?” he asked.
I nodded and he kissed my cheek. “Let's go.”
He got up and I stood with him, forgetting about our food. He did'nt let go of me once as we walked into the living room and gathered our bags. As we got up though, I took notice of Elane, Summer, Fredric and Janes curious glances, but didn't say a word.
“Well meet you at school. Bye Summer,” Sam shouted so Elane, Fredric and Jane could hear from the kitchen.
“Okay, bye” they shouted back.
“Are you two leaving already?” James asked from the couch, turning his head towards us.
Hunter did the same and looked at us curiously.
“Yeah, we'll see you at school,” Sam answered, still walking towards the internal garage door with me in his arms.
“Alright then,” James said, turning his attention back towards the TV.
“Okay, ah… Bye guys,” Hunter said, turning towards the TV.
“Bye,” I mumbled.
“Goodbye Peter,” Sam said as Peter walked over to open the door.
“Oh, okay. Goodbye Samuel, goodbye Layla. Have a pleasant day at school,” he said in his well mannered formal tone.
I think that was the way people spoke back when he was young, and even now when he speaks it always stands out. Sam, Jane, James and Elane were also raised like that and they're well mannered too... most of the time. I kind of love how they speak, it makes them different. Though every once and a while they switch between speaking like they were back in the 1800s, to speaking in now days speech.
We walked into the garage a mille second before I heard Peter open the front door and greet Rosetta. That was a close call, my heart was thumping a thousand miles a minute. I could barely walk.
Sam opened the Hummer door for me and I grabbed the handgrip, hoisting myself up into the huge car with his guidance and throwing my bag over into the backseat. He jogged around to the drivers side, chucked his bag over the backseat and jumped in, starting the engine with a loud roar. The huge garage door opened in front of us and the Hummer rolled out slowly but built up speed and sped down the long drive.
“Sam,” I whispered.
“Yeah babe?” he said earnestly.
Did I hear that right? Did he just call me babe?
“Babe?” I asked him curiously, becoming sidetracked.
He looked over at me and smiled. “Yeah, I have to start talking 21st century style sometime, so I'll start with this.”
“I like the way you talk, you don't need to change,” I said softly, looking back towards the house.
“What shall I call you then?” he asked teasingly.
“I'm not sure,” I answered.
“Hmm, how about sweetheart?”
“No, dad calls me that,” I said with a smile.
“Honey?” he asked.
“Umm…”
“Well looks like Im sticking with babe... babe,” he said, acting like a smart-arse.
I smiled but let it go. I turned my head to look out the window and see my house pass by, and as it disappeared out of view I turned back and faced forwards.
“This is ridiculous,” I said when we slowed and neared the front metal bared gates to leave the Archer property.
“What's ridiculous?” he asked, glancing over at me while waiting for the gates to open.
“This... me running from Rosetta. It's just so…” I just couldnt finish my sentence, it was too hard.
Sam reached his hand across and grabbed my hand, kissing it softly and briefly.
“It's okay, I'll stay by your side until you are ready to face her,” he said sweetly.
I stared at his face as we drove off the premises. He was the most sweetest, kindest, adorable and charming person I had ever met. And yet again I am grateful that I have him, he is mine and always will be.
“Where do you want to go to waste time?” he asked, interrupting my ogling.
He glanced over at me and I looked straight ahead embarrassedly.
“Ah, I don't know,” I answered, fiddling with my necklace.
“Do you want to take a walk?” he suggested.
“Okay, yeah. Where to?” I asked.
“How about… if you don't mind, but how about to see your mother?” he asked quietly.
I blinked in shock. “Why would you want to go there?”
“Well, it's only if you want. Just wait, let me rephrase. I would like to meet your mother, even though she has passed on I would like it much better if she knew you were with me,” he blurted out.
I'm surprised he could say all that in one breath.
“Ah…”
“Only if you would like to, I mean,” he stuttered out.
Hmm, I guess it couldn't go wrong in any way, and theres no harm in it after all.
“Alright then,” I murmured after a minute.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, absolutely,” I said, nodding my head and looking out the windshield again.
“Hey,” Sam said, grabbing my hand again and claiming my attention.
I looked towards him and he squeezed my hand softly, giving me a reassuring smile. “I love you,” he said.
“I love you too,” I retorted as he started stroking the side of my hand with his smooth thumb.
“Mei animus,” he said.
Mei animus; those words are inscribed on his ring he let me keep, I remember what he told me it said. My soul.
Sam drove us to the French Forest Bushland cemetery. It was a short but quiet ride, even with Sam only holding my hand most of the time I felt I could do this.
Sam eventually pulled the Hummer up in the dull parking lot. I saw the sign for the cemetery and my heart sped up. Memories of the day she was re-buried here and all the times I had visited her, when I came here that night after Adam left... they flashed back to my mind.
Sam turned the ignition off and pulled the handbrake on so we sat in silence for a few minutes.
“Are you ready?” Sam asked intently, breaking the silence within a matter of minutes.
I looked over at him and he was processing my expression anxiously. I took a deep breath and nodded my head, then I opened the door and got out of the warm car to stand in the coldness. I wrapped my arms around myself and slowly walked in front of the Hummer with Sam meeting me there. He enclosed me in his arms and I instantaneously felt safer in his warm guarded embrace.
“Come on,” I said into his neck.
He let all of me go except my hand and we walked slowly through the cemetery gates with me leading the way to mums grave. I walked slowly and Sam didnt argue with my pace, but I kept my eyes down. My hands were shaky and my palms were slick with sweat. I didnt understand how I could sweat this vigorously when it was at most 20 degrees Celsius.
We finally reached my mums gravestone and I stopped right in front, my eyes still on the ground. I heard a humming sound come from next to me and when I looked over, Sam was mumbling something softy, his head down and his eyes closed.
“What are you saying?” I asked softly, watching his face.
I saw his green eyes flash open and he slowly raised his head. “I was just talking to myself,” he answered.
“What were you talking to yourself about?” I asked again.
He smirked at me and arched one perfect eyebrow. “I was actually saying thank you to your mother, without her I wouldn't have you,” he answered softly.
“Is that all?”
“No. I was also telling her that no matter what, her daughter will always be safe with me. I would risk my life for it,” he said, taking both my hands in his. “Did you want to say anything?” he asked me angelically.
I looked towards mums grave and all of a sudden sat down on the damp morning grass, pulling Sam down with me.
“Whoa, are you okay?” he asked, almost toppling over me, but swiftly sitting upright.
“Yeah, just thinking,” I replied emotionless, now staring at the gravestone.
“Next time can you give me a little warning?” he asked.
I nodded but kept my eyes forward. I felt him sweep my hair back behind my ears as the wind was blowing it around easily.
“Mum, I'm doing my best to keep a clear head. When Adam left… I sort of had a break down, but then I met the Bales and Archers and they helped me through, they became my family too,” I said in a murmur. “Sam is right, I will be safe with him and the rest of my family. I hope you see that, but you will always be my mum and I'll always love you,” I finished saying.
Sam kissed my cheek and put his lips to my ear. “That was nice,” he murmured.
I wrapped my arms around him and sighed. He placed his arms around me and I felt his warm breath in my hair.
“What's the time?” I asked with a sniffle.
I heard him pull out his pocket watch and then he answered; it was nearly eight.
“Can we head off now?” I asked.
“Yes, if that's what you want,” he said.
I could smell his soft minty breath and I inhaled the smell. He was too good to be true sometimes, he always smelt like some sort of sweet and flowers. Even his hair smelt like that, yet it was always in his messy style. I had only ever seen him comb it back once and it looked good, yet I liked it better in his natural style. It made him look sexy, but I don't think I'll be telling him that any time soon.
“Do you need to say anything else,” I asked, getting up.
“Umm, yes. One more thing,” he said with a sly smile on his face.
“What's that?”
“Mrs. Atkins, I just wanted to warn you now. One day I may do something pretty drastic, and when I say one day it would probably mean in the near future. I just wanted to warn you,” he said confusingly.
“About what?” I asked as he walked over towards me and took my hand.
“Something,” he said slowly.
I assessed his face but I knew that look; it was the look of secrecy.
“You're not going to tell me are you?” I guessed.
“Nope, you'll have to wait and see,” he said with one of my favourite smiles.
I rolled my eyes and kept walking towards the cemetery parking lot. When we got there, Sam switched the car alarm off and unlocked the doors, so I jumped up in the passenger seat and we drove off towards the school.
Sam and I were the first ones out of the Archers and Bales to arrive at school so we just waited, leaning against the cold bulbar of the silver Hummer. Although I wasn't so cold leaning against Sam with his arms around me, he was the one leaning against the bulbar. I heard car tires screeching and engines roaring from a few streets away but thought nothing of it. Until, all of a sudden James white Dodge viper came speeding around the corner, closely followed by Hunters sleek black Mustang.
My eyes widened in disbelief. This competition between Hunter and James was getting way out of hand. Someone was going to end up getting hurt.
The Mustang started to overtake the Dodge Vi
per but they both entered the car park side-by-side, perfectly pulling in at the exact same time in the parking spaces next to the Hummer.
“Pathetic,” Sam mumbled in amazement.
Hunter got out of his Mustang and James got out of his Viper, both of them ran towards us, pushing each other out of the way.
“Yeah, what are you gonna do now?” Hunter asked rhetorically when he and James stopped in front of us.
I think James couldn't show off in public because there were people around, and what would they think about someone who disappears instantly.
“Hmm, how about beat you,” he answered teasingly.
Hunter looked at him skeptically, then his expression shifted to wry before they laughed.
Eventually the others arrived, and not a minute too soon, Hunter and James had just started a breath holding competition. Both of their faces started turning red and I couldn't help but laugh my arse off at the both of them. It was ridiculous.
Pretty much the rest of the school day went on like usual except I kept my distance from Rosetta who I noticed had taken a liking to James oddly enough. And I did recall James telling me he like Rosetta before we found out she was plotting to kill me.
Then the competitive thing got even worse at lunch, they had a competition of who could drink a 600ml drink of coca-cola faster. Neither of them won because they both had it streaming out their noses before they could finish the bottle, it was really hilarious. I almost forgot to breathe when I was laughing several times.
Sam drove us to his house after school. We left the others in the parking lot because they were going to the Forestway shopping centre to get a few things, so we decided to skip out. Plus Peter and Summer werent going to be back home until later on tonight. They were between organizing yet again another gathering and their actual jobs as a psychologist and wedding/party planner. So it was just going to be Sam and me for once, just a little while to spend with each other alone.
Alone, I thought to myself. I was actually sort of nervous about being alone when I thought about it. It was what Jane said, about females becoming more sensitive to males when we stop ageing. But I hadn't stopped yet so Im sure everything will be fine, after all it was the last night we had together. Every time I thought about us being alone I wanted us to get carried away though, for one simple reason; I loved him.
The Hidden Revelations: First Light Page 45