Descended by Blood (3 page)

Kaitlynn looked back at me and my cheeks flushed.

Jaren punched the side of David’s seat. “Hold up. It’s not my fault you’ve got lead feet.”

“Bro, I’m so much faster than you. You’re just too chatty. Kinda like a girl that way.”

We all laughed. Jaren shook his head.

David parked, and Kaitlynn hopped out of the Mustang.

Jaren climbed out first, gracing me with the view of his athletic butt.

Kaitlynn noticed what I was gawking at and snickered.

“What?” Jaren asked, adjusting his sweater as he turned back. Virginia had eased into the beginning stages of fall, so it wasn’t quite cold enough during the day for a jacket.

“Nothin’. Brooke was just making faces at me,” Kaitlynn lied. I tried to hide the red in my cheeks as I scrambled out of the car.

When we got inside, we were escorted to Shannon’s section. She’s a good friend of Kaitlynn’s mom, so we always sat there.

“Hi, kids!” Shannon greeted us with frosty glasses of water. “Good to see you guys hanging out,” she said, looking over at me. Kaitlynn must have told her mom about my date, and then her mom must have told Shannon. Word traveled fast around here.

Kaitlynn and David flirted nonstop. He was funny and had us all laughing.

“Hey, you gals want to come running with us in the morning?” David asked.

“Isn’t it cold? Why would you go running so early?” Kaitlynn asked.

“Off-season training,” David said. “And it’s not bad once you get going. You in or are you gonna be a baby about it?” He raised a single eyebrow and smirked.

Kaitlynn laughed, then looked at me.

“Sure. I’m in.”

“Me, too, then.” Kaitlynn smiled.

* * *

“I will not be held responsible for you guys missing second bell,” David said as he ran his Mustang through the red light and into the student parking lot.

“No, but my mom
will
hold you responsible if you kill me,” I pointed out.

Jaren laughed.

“That would never happen,” David said. “I’m an excellent driver.” He swung the car around and slid it into a tight spot near the school’s entrance.

We all climbed out, and David looked back at his car with a proud grin. “See ‘Exhibit A,’” he said, pointing to his parking job.

“Second bell. Remember?” Jaren grabbed David by the shirt, and we hustled through the doors.

Kaitlynn and I shuffled to our lockers, while Jaren and David separated from us to go to class. I let my gaze linger on them. I noticed Tiffany stood at the end of the hall, and upon her first glance at Jaren, she turned around, flouncing away from him.

“Ice witch much?” Kaitlynn whispered.

“I can’t believe I just stood there when she spoke to me like that.”

“Aw, don’t beat yourself up over it. She’s seriously not worth it.”

“True,” I said. “And you know, I don’t like how rude she is to Jaren, but I think I might prefer this behavior over her pining to get him back.” It was easier for me to put up with a rude ex-girlfriend than it was to put up with a rude ex-girlfriend who fought with me to win the boy.

I grabbed my copy of
To Kill a Mockingbird
and then we hurried down the hall toward our classes. I had English for fifth block, and Miss Andersen didn’t tolerate tardiness.

“Well, does he want her back?” Kaitlynn asked.

“He said they were done this time, and he was ready to move on.” I stopped in front of my class.

“That’s good,” Kaitlynn said, hugged me, and then left for her class.

I plopped down into my seat on the far side of the room as the second bell rang. Carley Daniels and Bri Walters dashed through the door to their seats. Both of them had become popular with the seniors, but stayed cliquey when it came to us juniors.

They were the first girls I tried to befriend freshman year when I moved to Buena Vista; however, they weren’t much of the befriending type. They tormented me about the flannel shirt I wore that day because it was a regular button down and not a fitted, designer one. They cackled and teased that I would get along great here, in the hills with all the other hillbillies brewing up their moonshine. That was when Kaitlynn stepped in and rescued me. She’s had my back ever since.

“All right, students, hand up your assignments from chapter thirteen, and let’s begin chapter fourteen,” Miss Andersen said to quiet the after-lunch chatter.

I liked Miss Andersen. When we struggled to understand a concept, she would explain it until she felt certain that everyone grasped the lesson. I appreciated her efforts because I never had enough bravery to speak up if I didn’t understand.

She walked to the front of the room, stopping at her desk to grab a new stick of chalk. She preferred the new sticks and kept her chalkboards wiped clean to minimize the dust, but I feared she would always wear chalk fingerprints on her slacks. The other kids mocked her for these chalk streaks.

Not me. I knew the discomfort of being bullied and teased. Big city or small town, my generation could be brutal. I never spoke up, though. I’d always responded the same way I did when Tiffany humiliated me in the parking lot—frozen in embarrassment and stirring in anger at my lack of courage.

Miss Andersen reached the chalk board and slid the eraser along its cradle. She wiped her hand down her slacks and began to write on the board.

As expected, Carley yelled out to Miss Anderson, “Why even bother doing your laundry? White streaks are your signature.”

The class laughed.

Miss Andersen glared at Carley, but then brushed the chalk off in wafts of dust. Miss Andersen would say something if you strolled in late to her class, but she kept her mouth closed in a tight line when students disrespected her in other ways.

I wanted to defend her, but I didn’t have the guts. I could stand against a wild mountain lion, but I folded when it came to teenagers. What did that say about me? Or better yet, about my peers?

I sat there, thinking of all the things I would say if I wasn’t such a coward, ashamed with myself for not speaking any of them.

4

Not Fair

Kaitlynn and I had been researching for our history project for three hours before we started to get giggly.

“You so have the hots for David,” I said.

She grinned, not denying it.

“Well, you and Jaren are gonna get married and have babies.”

I laughed. “No, we’re not.”

“Don’t doubt me on this. I can see it in your eyes every time you look at him. You wanna have his babies.”

“No. That is not an I-want-to-have-his-babies look.”

“Oh, yeah?” Kaitlynn sat up, challenging me. “What is it, then?”

“Infatuation. Attraction. I dunno, but it has nothing to do with wanting his babies.”

My phone rang. I jumped, excited as a five-year-old at a Chuck E. Cheese because Jaren’s number flashed on my caller ID.

I answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Babies,” Kaitlynn said.

I gave her a punishing glare and waved at her to shut up. Jaren could probably hear her.

“Hey, I just got off work, and David is going to give me a ride to your place, if that’s cool with you?” Jaren asked.

“Sure. Kaitlynn and I aren’t getting much work done, anyway, so head on over. Is David planning on staying, too?” I looked over at Kaitlynn. She clasped her hands and looked toward the sky in dramatic prayer that David would stay.

“I don’t know,” Jaren said, and then I heard a muffled, “You want to hang out with us over at Brooke’s?”

“Sure,” I picked up as David’s answer.

“He’s coming, too,” Jaren said. I nodded to Kaitlynn.

She got up and started to do a happy dance, throwing her arms in the air and twisting her hips. It was actually quite ugly. I stifled the laugh that tried to sneak out.

“We’ll be over in about ten minutes.”

“Cool. Come in when you’re here. The door’s open.” We hung up, and I dropped my phone next to my laptop. Kaitlynn ran down the hall to the bathroom, and I followed behind her.

“You’re beautiful,” I told her, leaning on the door frame of the bathroom. I tilted forward trying to get a look at myself in the mirror.

“I only wanted to make sure,” Kaitlynn said, opening her jaw wide and wiping the mascara off from under her eyes. “We were laughing pretty hard there, and I was right. My mascara had run.”

We primped in the bathroom until the Mustang’s engine roared into my driveway. We ran into the living room and flew onto the couch, giggling and slapping at each other.

“Shut up,” I told Kaitlynn.

“I’m trying. You shut up.” She laughed harder.

Footsteps sounded on the porch, and we sobered.

Jaren stepped through the door first. He still wore his Computer Technician shirt. Kaitlynn or I would have changed shirts first, but he pulled it off gorgeously, and I didn’t think he thought like us girls about that stuff.

“Hey,” Jaren said as David closed the door behind them.

“Hey.” I scooted over in the hope that Jaren would take the hint to sit beside me. “So, do you guys want to watch the newest
Resident Evil
movie?” I smiled when Jaren sat next to me. David took a seat on the other couch.

“I saw that in 3-D,” David said.

My shoulders sagged. “So, do you not want to watch it, then?” I loved Milla Jovovich in that series, and it was supposed to be a guy’s movie. All our other movies were chick flicks.

“No, it’s fine. It won’t be as good as 3-D, but I’m down to watch it,” David replied.

I got up to put the disc in the player, and Kaitlynn wandered over to sit next to David on his couch. I smirked at her as I grabbed the remote and took my seat next to Jaren. His shirt felt a bit cold from being outside, but it quickly warmed up against my skin.

My mom came home after the first part of the movie. I pressed pause.

“Hi, Naomi,” Jaren said, sitting up straighter as my mom locked the door behind her.

“Hey, kids. Sorry to disturb your movie. Brooke, can I talk to you for a second?” My mom walked toward her room. I got up to follow her since it really wasn’t a request.

“Am I not okay to have them over tonight?” I asked, pushing her bedroom door closed behind me.

My mom moved through her room, gathering her night clothes. “It’s fine. I just needed to tell you that I want them gone and you starting to get ready for bed by ten thirty.”

I checked my watch. “The movie should be over by almost eleven, so can we at least finish it?” That would suck if I had to tell them they had to go home early.

“Fine, but no hanging around afterward. They need to go as soon as it’s over,” my mom commanded.

“They will,” I promised and closed the door after I was out. It was the small victories that made life so sweet. Especially when Jaren was involved.

I strolled down the hall and sat next to Jaren. My mom’s door creaked open shortly after, a sign she must be ready for bed and wanting to hear us from her room.

“Is everything okay?” Jaren whispered.

“Yeah, she wanted to make sure I get to bed at a decent hour, so she said no hanging out after the movie.” I grabbed the remote.

“That’s cool,” David said. He put his arm around Kaitlynn, and she snuggled closer to him.

I hit PLAY on the remote, and ten minutes later Jaren put his arm around me as well. I learned fast, so I snuggled closer to him and held his hand.

My mom came out to get a drink of water, during one of the most intense parts of the movie. I think my mom’s reason for coming out was more to check on us than out of her need to quench her thirst.

A while after she went back to her room, I looked over and caught Kaitlynn and David kissing. Jaren glanced over when their lip smacking grew louder and then looked back at me with a dimpled grin.

I snuggled my cheek up against Jaren’s jaw, hoping he would take that cue from David as well, but he never made the move to kiss me.

When the movie ended, Jaren rose from the couch, and David detangled himself from Kaitlynn. He put her cell number in his phone, and then he and Jaren headed for the door.

I hopped up to walk them out. Jaren grabbed me into a hug and kissed me on my forehead as we stood on the porch. My bare feet were cold standing on the wood planks, but it was worth it.

“See ya bright and early,” Jaren said.

I went inside and waited in the doorway while they got into the car, then I pulled the door shut. I turned around, and found Kaitlynn doing another happy dance, this time more discreet so my mom wouldn’t come out.

I couldn’t hold back the laughter. “You have to go, but call me when you get home and we’ll talk,” I told her so I would be obeying my mom’s wishes, at least as far as everyone leaving after the movie.

She spun around toward the kitchen and snatched her purse from the table. I gave her a hug and peeked between the blinds as she pulled out of my driveway to head home.

After her taillights turned onto Magnolia Drive, I dropped the blinds and sighed. She got a make-out session, when all I got was a hug and a peck on the forehead.

Not fair.

5

He’s Following Me

I shot up in bed from the first buzz of my alarm. No snoozing for me today. Anticipation hummed through my veins at the idea of seeing Jaren. I jumped into the shower and took an extra five minutes of primping to make sure I looked as good as I felt, even though I was about to go for a run.

I sang out loud to Taylor Swift’s
Back to December
on my way to school. I listen to all sorts of music. Living in a small town limits your music choices unless you buy a lot of it yourself.

I pulled into a spot near the track and saw that most of the lacrosse players were there. I took a deep breath and released it slowly in an effort to calm my nerves. I hadn’t done any sort of exercise or real activity, save for hiking, in a long time. What if I couldn’t keep up with Jaren? Would I look like a lazy sissy to all the lacrosse players?

Jaren waved at me from the track, so I got out of my car. Kaitlynn pulled her Jeep into the spot next to me and stepped out.

“It’s cold,” she said. “Are you sure we wanna go through with this? Maybe we could grab a blanket and sit on the bleachers to watch.”