by Willow Rose
"Duncan," I said.
"What?"
"Why would you say that? You made him mad at me."
"So what?"
"So…so…"
He leaned over. "So…you love him?"
"I do."
Duncan shrugged. "You know you can never be with him. The both of you might as well start realizing it. You're only making it worse for yourselves when you have to split up. You might as well do so now."
I got up from my seat.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Home," I said.
"But…Robyn, come on. I’m only joking around. I’m sorry if I made your hairy friend upset, but I mean what I say. He's not worthy of you. This can't keep going on, and you know it. When are you going to wake up, Robyn? You can play around all you want to, but it is time to grow up soon and face reality, Robyn. "
He grabbed my hand like he wanted to pull me closer. I pulled it out of his grasp.
"If you are part of that reality, then I am not sure I want to," I said and walked past him. I rushed outside where it had started to rain, then stormed into the rain, crying.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jazmine stayed in her room when she heard her mother come home from work. She had avoided her in the morning when she left and stayed in her bed till she heard her leave. As she heard the door slam shut and her mother announce that she was home, Jazmine knew she couldn't avoid her any longer. It would seem suspicious. And right now, all she needed was for her mother to believe that everything was normal between them. Jazmine was terrified that her mother might find out that she had seen her.
What would she do to her?
Adrian was sitting on her bed, playing PlayStation. She had asked him to come over, but not yet told him what had happened. She hadn't told anyone. She didn't dare to. She had been close to telling when Jayden had started to ask questions, but she simply couldn't get the words across her lips. She had to give it time to settle, to figure out what she was going to do. Going to the police simply wasn't an option. She would end up as an orphan and become a foster child like that kid Kipp, constantly moving from place to place. But could she live with her murderous mother? Robyn did. Robyn knew her mother drank people's blood and still lived with her. Because she had to, because there really wasn't anything else she could do. Jazmine knew Robyn was constantly afraid of her mother and what she might do to her. Was that going to be Jazmine's life now too? Did she have to fear her? Probably.
Jazmine had thought it was so cool when she had found out she was a witch and that her parents were too. She remembered thinking that at least they weren't killer vampires like Robyn's parents were. She remembered thinking how horrible it had to be for Robyn, and she remembered how embarrassed Robyn always was because of them. Jazmine was more than embarrassed by her mother; she was terrified by her and so incredibly appalled by what she had done. She couldn't stop thinking about the earring and then about the other killings. Had her mother also killed Natalie Jamieson and Blake Fisher? Had she killed Mrs. Sharpe?
The thought made her sick to her stomach. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see those kids in the car. See their ripped up bloody faces, and she felt like screaming.
"Earth to Jazmine, come in?"
She looked at Adrian. "What?"
"I said it was your turn." He held out the controller toward her.
She shook her head. "I'm not….you go for me."
He shrugged. "Okay."
She was getting upset with Adrian. When he had arrived earlier in the day, she had tried to talk to him, but all he could babble about was Harvard and how he was looking forward to going there after the summer.
"I can't wait," he kept saying.
Jazmine couldn't blame him. He was getting out of Shadow Hills, and that was all she could dream of right now. The thought of him leaving her here with that mother of hers was devastating.
There was a light knock on her door, and Jazmine held her breath as it opened, and her mom peeked inside.
"I thought I heard someone," she said. "I didn't even know you were home. Can I fix you two anything to eat?"
Jazmine shook her head. "N-no."
"I could eat," Adrian said.
Her mother threw him a smile. "I'll fix you a plate of lasagna, then."
"I love your lasagna, Mrs. J," Adrian said."
"I know you do. What about you, Jazmine? You want some lasagna?"
Jazmine shook her head while images of her mother killing the two kids flickered before her eyes. "I…I’m not hungry."
Her mother gave her a suspicious look. "You sure everything is all right?"
Jazmine cleared her throat to try and calm herself down. Her hands were shaking so badly she had to put them behind her back. Her mother stepped closer, her eyes scrutinizing her.
"You look pale, sweetie. Are you coming down with something?" her mother said and put a hand on her forehead. Jazmine pulled away, shaking her head. "I'm fine. I just…I’m probably just hungry." She forced a smile while images of the two kids’ terrified faces emerged.
"Maybe I will have some lasagna after all."
Her mother chuckled. "That's my girl. I'll call you when it’s ready."
Chapter Twenty-Six
I ended up taking a taxi back to the TV station where my car was still parked before I drove home in the rain. By the time I reached my house, my crying had turned to anger. I was so incredibly furious with Duncan I could hardly contain it.
I walked inside just in time for dinner. My entire family was already sitting at the table, my stupid cousins giggling and fooling around as usual. Adrian was the only one besides me who wasn't there.
"Oh, honey, that hair," my mom said as I stepped into the living room. She got up from her seat and rushed to me, then started to correct it. I stared at her. What did she think she was doing?
"Mom,” I said. "Please, stop."
"But you look awful, Robyn. You really should look in a mirror every now and then. Did you wear that outfit to work today?"
"What do you think? I just got in. What's wrong with what I’m wearing?" I asked.
"Don't take a tone with me," my mother said.
I exhaled. "Please, stop touching my hair."
My mom didn't stop. She puffed up my wet hair, then pulled it down again, then moved a strand of it toward my face, then a little back again. She looked at my face.
"What on Earth did you do to your eyes? They're all puffy?"
"Leave the girl poor alone," Grandma yelled from the dining table.
My mother scoffed. "Just because you never cared enough to…well, I do. I care about everything when it comes to my daughter," she mumbled, just loud enough for Grandma to hear.
I sighed. "Could we just eat? I’m starving."
My mom let go of me, and we all sat down. Grandma patted me on the back, hard.
"You did good today, kiddo. It's gonna be an awesome piece. I can feel it."
I smiled for the first time tonight. "I think so too. It was actually a lot of fun."
Grandma nodded. She was chewing with her mouth open, and I could tell it greatly annoyed my mother.
"Any more kale, anyone?" she asked.
"Not if I can help it," Grandma said with a chuckle. "You don't have any meat around here?"
There was a silence. My mom snorted. "Meat is not good for you. All those hormones."
Grandma poked me in the side with her elbow. "Maybe you and I should go to a steakhouse tomorrow for lunch, huh? Get some real grub."
I choked a chuckle to not hurt my mother.
After dinner, I was helping clean up when I heard my parents in the living room discussing something with my grandmother.
"You really should do something about it," Grandma said. "I can't believe he is living right here on the street. He won't stop till he has taken all of you down, and you know it."
"But what do you want us to do?" my mom said.
"Get rid of him."
"It wo
n't work," my dad said.
"Why not?" Grandma said.
"There'll be others."
"So, you deal with them too. I’m telling ya', you need to do something. Having one of them here in your neighborhood is only going to end badly. You've got to get rid of him. One way or another."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
"You shouldn't have come."
Jayden stood in the doorway. It was past midnight, and I had run over to him like I usually did at this time. I knew he was going to be mad at me, but this was my only chance to talk to him.
"Jayden, listen."
"No, Robyn. It's too dangerous. My brother saw us and he's…well, I’m not sure he's gonna keep this a secret. I think it is best we don't do this anymore."
"But…"
"Go home, Robyn."
"You're mad at me. I can see it in your eyes, Jayden; please, let me explain. Please."
"What's there to say? I get it," he said, throwing out his hands. "You kissed him."
"It's not like you're not seeing Ruelle too," I said, even though I knew it was a bad idea to bring her into this.
"I went on one date with her. I don't kiss her."
"He kissed me, Jayden. Not the other way around."
"But you didn't stop him, did you?"
"I did," I said.
Jayden's eyes were scrutinizing me. There was a hurt in them that I knew I had caused. It made me feel like the worst person on the planet.
He shook his head. "I…I can't really deal with this right now."
I threw out my hands. "So, that's just it? You're gonna let him win? You're gonna let Duncan come between us and ruin everything? Because that is all he wanted. That’s why he said it out loud like that."
Jayden bit his lip. "Maybe he's right, you know? We're just fooling ourselves here."
"No. We're not. Jayden, don't say that; please, don't. We made a pact, remember? It's only two years. Then we're free to do what we want. Then we can be together."
"Can we? It's not like we'll no longer be dependent on our parents when that time comes, Robyn."
"We'll get jobs," I said, the desperation clinging to my voice. "I can do that. I am already doing it."
"It's an internship, Robyn. One that your vampire boyfriend got you. You think they'll pay you to work for them without an education? Without a degree? You have to go to college, Robyn, and how will you afford that without your parents’ support?"
I swallowed. Tears were piling up in my eyes. I knew he was right, but I refused to believe it, refused to accept it. There had to be a way. There simply had to be some way that we could be together.
"Jayden…I…please, don't…"
"I'm sorry, Robyn. I can't do this anymore. The longer we keep it up, the more it will hurt later. We might as well do it now."
I shook my head, tears streaming across my cheeks. "No, Jayden…I refuse to…I don't…"
"Robyn?"
I looked up. Tears were in his eyes too now. "Go home. Be with Duncan. Have the life you deserve."
"But I don't want that, Jayden…I don't…"
"I'm sorry," he said, then closed the door.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Without a doubt, it was the hardest thing he ever had to do. Closing the door on Robyn, the love of his life like that, simply broke his heart. It was like the floor was pulled away from underneath him. Jayden fell to his knees in front of the door, crying.
He could hear Robyn on the other side of the door. She was sobbing helplessly. Jayden put a hand on the door and wondered if she did the same on the other side.
Thinking of her out there, sad and crying, made him regret his decision and he grabbed the handle thinking he would open the door and grab her in his arms, hug her and comfort her, tell her it was all a lie, it was nothing but a nightmare, that everything would be all right again, then kiss her and hold her tightly, but the hand on the handle refused to move.
It's over, Jayden. It's the right thing to do. For both of you.
It wasn't just the kiss that had pushed him to make this decision. It was just as much the fact that he had come to realize there was no way they could keep seeing one another. His brother knew about them, and it was only a matter of time before he would tell. He would keep blackmailing Jayden till Jayden couldn't stand it anymore, and then he would tell anyway. Because that was who he was. He couldn't trust him at all. And if he told on them, then Robyn's mom would find out too and then Robyn could get into trouble. There was no way he was putting Robyn in that kind of danger. Besides, Duncan was probably better for her in the long run. He was scum, yes, but he could offer her a future that Jayden couldn't.
But why does it have to hurt this bad?
Jayden put an ear to the door and listened to Robyn as she finally gave up and walked away. He listened to her footsteps as they disappeared and wondered if he would ever get over her or if he would ever stop loving her so deeply.
Everything inside of him was screaming that this was wrong, that there had to be another way, some way for them to be together, but Jayden couldn't see it; he couldn't picture them together anymore. All the thoughts and dreams he had for their mutual future were gone. He had to let them go.
Gone was Alba; gone was Andy. Those were the names of the kids they would have had one day in Jayden's dreams. A boy and a girl. One would be red-haired like Robyn the other had brown hair like him. Together, they would all live in the countryside and raise horses. Jayden had always wanted to have horses for some strange reason. And a farm. A farm where the kids could play outside and have a tree house in a big oak tree.
Jayden chuckled at the thought, then exhaled. He got up from the floor and walked to the kitchen, where his mom had hung up a picture of him and Ruelle from the last time they went to their house for dinner. He stared at the beautiful girl at his side, then couldn't hold back as more tears rolled across his face. Ruelle was perfect for him, yes, but did he love her?
He didn't know her enough to know. He didn't even know if he wanted to get to know her. Part of him did, but he also knew she would never be her. She was never going to be Robyn.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
"Your eyes look all puffy again. What's going on with them?"
My mom looked at me the next morning when I came down for breakfast. I hadn't slept at all, and I felt terrible. All I wanted was some coffee, but my mom never had any in the house.
"I have to go," I said and rushed past her. "Jimmy and the cameraman are waiting for me at the circus. We’re doing the interviews today."
"Oh, I see. You're not even having your smoothie, then?" she asked, but I had already gone out the door.
I drove across town, trying hard to hold back my tears, especially when driving past Sophie's Diner where I knew Jayden would be working all day. I hit a hand on the steering wheel, deciding not to throw myself a pity party today. I had promised myself to do the best I could today at work, even though I felt crushed inside. This was no time for me to crack. If I wanted a good recommendation from Olivia, one that might open doors for me in the world of journalism later on, then I had to impress her. And this was my chance. If this was a good piece, I would get to be in on other stories and not just answer phones.
My grandmother was standing in front of her van that I had learned she also lived in. It was one of those old hippie Volkswagen Bus Campers with a pop-top and curtains in the windows. It was orange and had flowers painted on the sides. It was absolutely lovely. She drove it when she came to visit us for dinner and then drove back to the circus and slept in it afterward. I had asked her about it and whether she didn't want to live somewhere a little more comfortable, but she had told me she couldn't dream of living anywhere else.
"Just think of it. Any day, I can just pick up and leave. I’m never tied down to anything. No chains of a mortgage holding me down. It's absolute freedom. And I like my freedom."
I had to admit, she had me intrigued. I had been among some of the wealthiest people around here, and
they didn't seem nearly as free and happy as my grandmother.
Maybe she was onto something?
"Oh, my, you look terrible," she said as I stepped out of my car.
"Not you too," I said.
She had dressed in her colorful clown costume. The eyes in her painted clown-face examined me closely.
"This looks like it calls for a bucket of coffee. Luckily, I just made one. Come."
I looked at my watch. There were still twenty minutes till Jimmy and the cameraman arrived, so I had time. I had lied to my mother and said I was in a hurry because I couldn't really deal with her today. She was, after all, the real reason Jayden had broken up with me. If it wasn't for her and all her plans for my future, we would still be together.
"Come inside," Grandma said and opened the door to the minivan. I was surprised when I looked in. It was so cozy. It was like stepping into a real living room. The smallest I'd ever been in, but still. I sat down on the bench that could turn into a bed and Grandma served me a cup of steaming coffee. I sipped it and closed my eyes, letting the caffeine do its job.
"That bad, huh?" she asked.
"Worse," I said.
"So, what's going on? It’s a boy…I take it?"
Chapter Thirty
"You've got to be more careful, Amy."
Amy stared at her parents over breakfast. She had made bacon and eggs. Melanie was the only one eating, shoveling it all down, starving after a night of running in the mountains.
"It's all over the news," her dad said and pointed at the local newspaper where they had printed the bad drawing of the creature they believed was killing people. There was also a picture of Mr. Aran claiming to have seen it crashing into his home.
"I am sorry," she said. "I had to do something. Melanie was in trouble. I couldn't just let him hurt her."
