I’d never talk to Tammie again. I don’t want the same thing to happen with us. I couldn’t stand it if I had to leave you.” I sighed and fell backwards so that I was lying on Alex’s bed. I didn’t realise that she had stood up until her face appeared over me. She put her hands either side of my body and leant over me so that her face was just above mine.
“I don’t care if your aunt lives in England,” she said. “I just found you. I’m not giving you up. I will follow you to the ends of the earth.” The tears that I’d been holding back slipped from my eyes. Alex, who was now lying beside me, pulled my head into her chest.
“Thank you,” I said when I regained control of my emotions. “I don’t know what I would do without you.” Alex stood up and put her hands either side of me again. Leaning down until her face was an inch from mine, she gazed into my eyes before she pressed her lips against mine. Our eyes closed as I reached up to cup her face. Lost in the kiss we didn’t hear the footsteps coming up the stairs until it was too late. The door flew open and I looked over to see my mum staring at us in horror.
“Selena Avery Harris!!” she cried. “What the heck are you doing?” I started to get up as Alex moved away from me. I walked towards Mum but before I could say anything she fled. I turned to look at Alex as tears gathered in my eyes.
Alex quickly moved across her bed to hug me but I pulled away. As she looked away I saw the hurt in her eyes.
“So I guess she’s suspicious about the amount of time we’ve been spending together,” Alex said, just barely keeping the hurt out of her voice.
“I have to go,” I said. I ran down the stairs and out the front door, pausing to look up at Alex’s bedroom window. She was looking down at me as I took a deep breath.
“Forgive me for what I am about to do,” I mumbled to myself. I walked home quickly and went straight upstairs.
There was only one place that Mum went when she was upset. I headed to the third floor of the house, a place I hadn’t been in three years. I found Mum in a bedroom looking at a photo on the bedside cabinet. The photo was of a couple smiling into the camera. The handsome man had his arm around the young woman’s shoulder. The man looked to be about twenty-three and was attired in a suit with a tie that matched his penetrating green eyes. The woman at his side was beautiful, aged about twenty-one, the simple dress she wore highlighted her beauty. In her arms she held a baby girl who had the same brown hair and green eyes as her father. The picture had been taken just after my first birthday; it was one of the few family pictures we had.
“You promised me, Selena,” she said, while still looking at the picture. “You can’t help looking like him but you promised you would never become like him.”
“Mum, I can’t help this,” I sobbed. “I didn’t choose to be like Dad. It just happened.” Mum turned to me with her eyes flashing.
“Don’t lie to me!” she cried. “You obviously weren’t trying hard enough. You could have stopped this.
“Think what you want, Mum,” I said. “I’m telling the truth. “Mum turned back the picture.
“I called your aunt,” she said. “And I’m booking you on the first available flight to Perth tomorrow.” It was a second before my brain fully processed the news but as soon as I realised what she meant the room started to spin. I just stood and stared at my mother.
“Please,” I said. My voice sounded distant. “I’ll do anything; just don’t send me to Auntie Emma.” Mum looked at me, her face expressionless.
“I’ll go to boarding school in Toowoomba,” I said. “I’ll cut contact with her. Just please don’t send me to Auntie Emma.”
“What about holidays?” she asked.
“I’ll stay at the school,” I replied. “If I have to come home, I won’t go out. Please reconsider, Mum.” Mum stared thoughtfully into the distance while I hovered impatiently, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. I loved my Aunt and would have loved to live with her but the thought of being so far away from Alex killed me inside. If I had to I could put up with boarding school knowing that Alex would only be a few hours away.
“This is your last chance, Selena,” she said, looking me directly in the eyes for the first time since she had caught me with Alex. “I will choose the boarding school and if you so much as text her, you can expect a one way ticket to my sister’s.” I nodded.
“I won’t mess this up,” I said.
“There’s only three weeks of term left so you’ll have to stay at your school but I will be checking up on you so don’t bother trying to talk to her at school. I will find out. Got it?” she said.
“Got it,” I agreed. Mum turned to look at the photo of her and Dad again.
“You may go to your room,” she said. I backed quietly out and retreated down the stairs to my room.
I was still wide awake at one o’clock when I received the text message from Alex. As I opened it, I was glad I had put my phone on silent. If Mum had heard my phone, she would have taken it in a heartbeat.
Selena, What happened? Is she sending you to your aunt’s? Please text me! I need to know! Alex
I took a deep breath. Every fibre of my being wanted to text her back and reassure her, that I was staying here. I bit my lip and typed a quick message
Don’t text me again. I don’t want to be with you anymore. Goodbye.
My hands shook as I pressed send. My heart screamed to send another message to say that I was only kidding. Instead I flipped my phone over and pulled the battery out, followed by the sim. Using all my strength I snapped the sim and tossed it in the bin followed by my phone.
I spent the rest of the night crying. The next morning, with my eyes red and swollen, I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower. Mum and I were silent as we ate breakfast. As part of the agreement, Mum dropped me at school and promised to pick me up. Alex was in the homeroom when I arrived and I felt her eyes on me as I took my seat.
“Miss Harris,” my homeroom teacher said. “Please remove the sunglasses.” I groaned. My eyes were still red and puffy, I’d been wearing the sunglasses to hide that fact but I didn’t want to argue with a teacher three weeks before I left the school. I reached up and slowly removed them; the teacher took one look at my eyes and gasped.
“Maybe you should put them back on,” he joked. Everyone in the class laughed and although I didn’t look at Alex I knew her face would be as stony as mine felt. I spent the rest of home group staring straight ahead, chastising myself every time I felt my gaze begin to wander. It was the longest fifteen minutes of my life.
“Have a good day,” our teacher called as the bell rang. “Selena, can I see you?” I remained at my desk as the rest of the class left the room. Alex was the last person to leave the room and she paused to stare at me. I saw a thousand emotions cross her face as she stood staring at me until our teacher coughed and then she left. I watched as she disappeared from the room, then standing up and lifting my bag to my shoulder I walked to the front of the room.
“Selena, did something happen at home?” he asked. I shook my head. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure, Sir,” I said. “I have to go to my first class.” He waited until I was at the door before speaking.
“Selena, if you need someone to talk to my door is open,” he said. I looked back at him and smiled. It was the first smile I’d had since leaving Alex’s house of Saturday
“Thank you Sir,” I said before leaving the room.
I went to the music room at lunch time, I was hoping Alex would turn up but at the same time I knew that following my text message my expectations were in vain. I lifted the case covering the piano keys and randomly played keys. Without even realising what I was doing I began to play All Time Low. This time I didn’t sing, I just played the music as memories of my time with Alex floated around my mind.
I looked at the guitar I had been playing the first time I met her and. I thought of the days we’d spent in her room or mine, just talking, just being with each other. I was so lost in my memories th
at I didn’t realise there was someone else in the room until I heard a cough. I turned to see the music teacher, Miss James.
“You’re very good,” she said as she walked closer and stood at the side of the piano. “How long have you been playing?”
“Ten years,” I said. “Music is escape.” She looked at me.
“Is there something you’re trying to escape from?” she asked. “Because I don’t think playing a song by The Wanted will help.”
“How did you know whose song I was playing?” I asked. She laughed.
“My niece is a huge The Wanted nut,” she explained. “I gave her their CD for her birthday and she made me listen to it at least ten times.”
“That’s my favourite song,” I said. “It’s the first song I learnt to play on the guitar.”
“I’m a good listener,” she offered. “And I can keep secrets.” I turned to look at her and she gave me an encouraging smile.
“Have you ever loved anyone?” I asked.
“Did they hurt you?” she asked.
“No,” I said. “I was the one that did the hurting. I love someone but I can’t be with them and I can’t tell them why. And now I’m going to leave.” The bell rang and I grabbed my bag. Miss James smiled at me again.
“True love conquers everything,” she said. “If you really love them, you will find a way.” I sighed and turned away.
“I’m not so
Love & Werewolves: A Collection Of Short Stories Page 3