Obscured (The Obscured Series Book 1) (26 page)

We
got off work at the same time and went to ‘our’ park to eat; it was the third
time that week we had gone there, which had to be some kind of record.

Eli
spread a blanket out on the grass, and as we sat down I reached my hand out to
formally shake his. “Why thank you sir, this here picnic is the cat’s meow,” I
said laughing. I couldn’t contain it anymore.

Eli’s
face broke out in an amused grin as he tackled me in the grass, but his
tickling attack was reciprocated by me tenfold. We rolled back and forth in the
grass laughing, but then our wrestling turned intimate when our faces were
suddenly inches apart. He kissed me sweetly, tenderly. He gently laid me in the
grass, our lips still intertwined. He lowered himself on top of me, and his
hand was on my cheek stroking my hair out of the way. I felt myself wanting
more, but I knew that I wasn’t ready for that step. I pulled away hesitantly,
but Eli took the hint, rolled off, and opened my pizza box for me.   We
sat and talked animatedly about nothing in particular while eating. I was
beginning to love the freeness at that park—it was like our own little paradise
where we were never disturbed. While I almost felt normal again, it hit me that
there were things with Eli that would never be particularly “normal.” I tried
not to let those thoughts enter my mind, but sometimes I just couldn’t help it.
I was a worry-wart, just like my mom, and it seemed to get the better of me
when things were out of my hands. However there was nowhere else in the world I
wanted to be than in that moment with Eli. I cut those thoughts off and tried
to focus on enjoying the present, because I knew it would be over all too soon.

It
wasn’t until we pulled up in front of my house that Eli touched on the Pete
ordeal at all. “I hate the thought of leaving you behind. The elders have
assured me that you will be safe while I’m gone,” he said. “That makes me feel
a little better.”

While
our concerns obviously stemmed from two completely different mindsets, we both
knew that our minds were consumed with the issue. His was mostly, I assumed,
for my safety. Mine was because I hated the idea of being away from him even
just for the night. After seeing him in action with Pete and his goons, I knew
that he would be safe. He was very capable to say the least, and had Ren as
back up. I knew Ren would never let anything happen to him. He was almost like
a second dad to Eli. At least that was comforting.

“The
elders are right you know? I will be fine. I’ll be sad and missing you, but
I’ll be fine nonetheless,” I reassured him.

He
was looking into my eyes with his icy blue eyes, and I felt a jolt through my
body. I knew I had to get inside before I made a fool of myself. I wanted him,
more of him, more than I had ever experienced. I knew it with certainty. His
hand brushed the back of mine and my breath hitched in my throat. It made him
smile awkwardly.

“Glad
to know I am not the only one feeling that way,” he breathed in my ear, sending
fire throughout my body. He kissed me lightly on the cheek. “Bye Abby, I love
you.” He walked away slowly, leaving me standing on my doorstep wanting more.
Before he hopped back in his car, he looked at me once more and winked before
driving away. My stomach did a leap.
What was it that made him so
irresistible?

He
was toying with me, and I wasn’t sure I liked how much fun he was having with
it. I quickly recovered and went inside and locked the door.

“Hi
honey! How was work?” my mom called from the living room.

“Good.
I’m going to take a shower. I smell like pizza!” I said laughing it off as I
jogged up the stairs. I hoped she didn’t notice I was brushing her off once
again.

The
steamy water felt glorious streaming down my body. It immediately relaxed my
aching muscles.

I
knew that I couldn’t hide my feelings from Eli, so of course he had known
exactly what I was feeling. It shouldn’t have surprised me that he knew. That
was how our bond worked. I wouldn’t have it any other way, but I wished I could
hide
some
of what I felt from him. It sure didn’t leave any mystery in
our relationship—at least on my end. Then again, with our connection I felt
like maybe I had a sense about him that I just didn’t understand yet. There
were senses I felt when I was with him that I just couldn’t explain. I would
have to ask Eli about it in the future, or maybe instead I would ask Ren. He
might have more knowledge about it than Eli. After all, Eli was new at it too.

Eli
wouldn’t be able to go home like I did and I felt bad for the position he was
in. He would be at the house with Pete until morning when Ren would take over
again. At least with Pete locked in the room he could still sleep.

For
once when I checked my email there was one from Kelly. I was relieved to hear
from her after so long. I was beginning to worry about her.

Abby,

  
            
I’m so sorry that I haven’t been
better at keeping in touch! I have been super busy with school and work and
CHEER! Yep that’s right, I’m a cheerleader! I know we always said that we would
never, but I couldn’t help it and the crazier part? I LOVE it! It’s so much
fun! So I may have been avoiding your emails because I wasn’t sure if you would
be upset…I hope not. I have a boyfriend too! He’s a quarterback on the football
team! His name is Justin. We’ve only been dating a couple weeks. I guess you
could say it’s a little cliché, but I don’t care! He makes me happy!

               
Oh
Abbs
, I
hope that things are going as great for you there. I miss you! When are you
coming to visit me and your dad? I saw him the other day by the way. He’s
looking thin. I think he misses you a lot. Well, I should go, homework, you
know the drill!

                                                                               
Love
you,

            
         
 
Kelly

My
heart ached to be back in California. I was supposed to be a part of all of the
things she was doing! I felt a stab of jealousy. I didn’t mean to, but I
couldn’t help it. Her life was so
normal.
There was that word again. How
many times I used to say that my life was too normal, too boring, and now all I
wished for was normal. She didn’t have to worry about things like crazy
troublemaking immortals. Her biggest worry was homework, as it should be. I
craved a little of the light-heartedness that was radiating from Kelly’s email.

I
thought of her comment about my dad looking thin. I had noticed it too the last
time I’d seen him. I wondered if it was because he missed me, my mom, or if it
was because there wasn’t anyone to cook for him. He sounded like he’d been
pretty busy at the store since we left and maybe he didn’t have the time to
cook. Either way, it made me sad to think that our move had such a big impact
on his lifestyle.

I
couldn’t find the courage to write her back. I had to digest her words first. I
was happy for her and I couldn’t be more grateful that she had found someone
that was making her happy for the moment, but I needed some time.

Bing!
A little box popped up on my
screen.

Eli: Hey, You
okay? I’m sensing some weird feelings from you.

Man!
He was too in tune with me. I grumbled a bit as I typed a response
. 

Abby: I’m fine.
Just feeling a little regret after reading my friend from California’s email.

Eli:
Regret?
Why?                               

Abby: That I am
not there, where I should have been. I miss her.

Eli:
Oh…

Abby: I wouldn’t
change moving here, I wouldn’t have met you if I hadn’t. I guess I’m just
missing Kelly. We're

growing apart.

Eli:
Oh I get it.

Abby: Wait, you
didn’t think I regretted meeting you did you?

Eli:
At first. I should have known better…

Abby: I would
never regret meeting you. You’re my everything Eli. Don’t ever think anything
but that.

Eli: I guess I
still need to fine-tune these feelings, I thought I was feeling jealousy.

               
I felt a surge of frustration.
How could I explain the situation without making Eli feel responsible?

Abby: Well… I was
feeling a little jealous, but not in the way you may have been thinking. I am
jealous that our

relationship is…
complicated, and Kelly’s relationship with her boyfriend is normal. She doesn’t
have to worry

about their
future. I love you Eli and I would never leave you, but I worry about our
future.

It
took a few minutes for him to respond. I didn’t blame him. I was sure those
thoughts had crossed his mind though.

Eli: I worry too. I’m sorry. I love you.

Eli
has signed off.

Before
I could respond he signed offline. Why did this have to be so complicated? I
never meant to make Eli feel bad. I was sorry I even said anything.  I
decided to go to bed. It had been a long day and I was ready for it to be over.
‘Stressed-out’ didn’t even begin to cover what I felt. After reading Kelly’s
email and talking to Eli, the progress my hot shower had accomplished was wiped
out. I was drained.

CHAPTER Seventeen

           
Eli’s trip to Colorado was scheduled
for the very next night, a lot faster than I had anticipated. I guess the
elders didn’t need as much time to discuss options as they originally thought. Eli
and Ren were given eight hours notice before they had to leave, and they were
set to meet with the elders at 6 in the evening on Thursday.

               
I was sad that Eli was leaving,
but glad at the same time to be getting the whole thing over with sooner rather
than later. We would finally be able to move on. Maybe then we could get a
taste of ‘our’ new normal.

               
They were taking
Ren’s
car and set to leave an hour after school got out.

               
The uneventful day went by
quickly, but I was on the verge of a breakdown thinking of Eli leaving. One
more problem could very well send me toppling over the edge. I tried to think
about how once he left the countdown would end and be replaced with
anticipation for his return.

               
I helped Eli pack before he left.
It was the first time I was in his bedroom since I became his girlfriend. I was
nervous. My eyes first went to the picture on his nightstand, and I thought of
where his dad might be at that point in time. What would he think of what his
son was going through? What would he think of me having started it all? I
couldn’t help but worry that his dad wouldn’t like me, and now that things were
going in a completely new direction for Eli and I, I wondered what his mom
thought of me as well.

 My
eyes kept darting to the bed and it made my stomach feel fluttery. After that,
I couldn’t stop. Finally, I walked over and nervously plopped down it. At least
that way I wouldn’t have to look at it anymore. I had sat on that very bed
countless times before perfectly fine; what was the problem now? I folded my
hands in my lap and watched Eli pack. He caught my eye and smirked at me.

“What?”
I asked blushing.

“Nothing,”
he laughed, breaking eye contact as he reached into another drawer.

I
threw a pillow at him, knowing exactly what he was smirking at. He caught the
pillow and threw it back as he launched himself at me. I fell back against his
bed and he landed on top of me with a thud. He kissed me playfully, but his
kiss slowly changed to more sensual, more heated, more needy. The heat was returned
like a fire smoldering deep inside of me. I had to extinguish it before it took
over. I pushed him away and then sat up myself, feeling childish.

I
wouldn’t look at him.

“Abby,
as much as I want you—and believe me it’s hard for me to stop, too—I would
never do anything that made you uncomfortable.” He sat next to me on the bed
and put his arm around me. “The best thing about our bond is that I can always
tell exactly how you’re feeling. If you start to feel like we’re going too far,
I can feel that. You get anxious and nervous inside. It definitely puts me at
an advantage,” he winked. “You can trust me. I promise.”

I
hadn’t thought about it like that before then and I knew he was right the
minute he said it. I would trust him with anything and everything. Why hadn’t I
trusted him with this? I kissed him softly and rested my head on his shoulder.

“Thanks,”
I whispered.

“All
packed,” he said softly.

“Already?”
  

“Chin
up, I’ll be back before you know it.” He held me close for a minute before he took
a deep breath and stood up. “Ren is picking me up at your house in 10 minutes.”

We
sauntered out of his house and to Eli’s car hand-in-hand. My feet felt heavy
and didn’t seem to want to move. I shuffled them on the ground all the way to
the car.

Ren
was waiting for us when we got to my house. I could see Pete in the back seat.
He didn’t even look at me. Maybe he was ashamed, but I was glad. I didn’t want
my eyes to meet his today or any other day for that matter. I’d be thrilled if
I never had to see him again for the rest of my life.

They
left as quickly as they had come and I was alone once again. Unfortunately, I
didn’t have to work, but Bailey did. When I talked to her at school earlier she
was very apologetic that she wouldn’t be able to come over later. In fact, she
was scheduled to work every day for the next five, so our plans for lots of
girl time were stomped out. Fortunately, I was scheduled to work two of the
next four days that Eli would be gone. Eli was supposed to be home late Sunday
night, possibly sooner depending on what the elders had to say. I was keeping
my heart set on sooner and I hoped it wouldn’t be broken.

I
went inside and started a dinner of cheese tortellini with
alfredo
sauce and broccoli, and threw together a salad too. It felt like it had been a
long time since my mom and I had dinner together, so at least that was
something to look forward to.

Mom
walked in the door just as I finished setting the table. We sat down at the very
same time and immediately started dishing up. We ate quietly, savoring the food
in front of us. The food was delicious and we finished quickly.

I
had to admit; it was hard not to think about Eli, but it was easier with my mom
there. She helped distract me as she talked animatedly about work and her
friends after dinner. She had finally found a place where she thoroughly
enjoyed working.

I
decided I would tell her that Eli and I had officially become a couple. I knew
she would be thrilled. I hadn’t really had a chance to tell her yet, and I
realized that I was suddenly excited to tell her.

“Eli
and I are together…” I blurted out, but mid-sentence got nervous and trailed
off. I let it sink in and waited for her excitement.

She
squealed. “I knew it!”

I
couldn’t help but laugh. “Mom!” I exclaimed sarcastically.

“So
when did you two make it official?” she asked.

“Monday.”

I
felt like my mom was just as excited as I was about Eli being my boyfriend.

We
plopped ourselves in front of the TV to relax together for a while until I
decided I should get my homework done. Before I headed upstairs, I checked my
phone. There were two new messages, both from Eli.

I
miss you already.

I
love you. I’ll text you when we get there.

I
texted him back.
I miss and I love you too, I’ll be waiting for your text.
Xoxo

As
I thought about him, I felt a pull at my heart. It amazed me how much he had
become a piece in the puzzle of my life. I actually felt incomplete without
him, and I wasn’t sure if it was normal for it to be so serious so soon. I’d
never been in a serious relationship before, but then again there was nothing
about us that was normal anyway.

I
went to bed feeling exhausted. I hadn’t heard from Eli yet, but I knew that I
would have a text waiting from him in the morning. I was looking forward to it.

It
worried me when there wasn't a text waiting for me when I awoke. I sent Eli a
quick one to make sure he was okay.

Are
you okay? I haven’t heard from you, I’m worried…Text me.

I
showered and was downstairs eating when I finally got his response.

Sorry
sweetie, I was so tired when we got here I forgot. We made it and we’re doing
fine. Have a good day at school, be careful. I love you.

Thank
goodness! I felt so much better. I could breathe again.

That
day was only the second time that I walked by myself to school. The other days
Eli had driven me or followed behind me in his car. I wished I had a car
already, and decided on that lonely walk to school that it was time to start
looking. I had almost $2,000, and with my parents’ contribution, I would have a
total of $4,000 towards a new car. My parents had made me a deal quite some
time ago that they would match whatever money I had for a car. I figured that
was a good amount to buy a first car and it seemed like more than some had. I
would to talk to my mom and my dad about it, and once Eli was home I’d get his
advice. It certainly gave me something else to look forward to and bide my time
with until then.

Walking
into first hour I was engulfed in a whirlwind of Bailey excitement. It seemed
like she was trying to compensate for not being available the night before. I
couldn’t help but laugh. It was apparent that she wasn’t going to let me feel
down today. My friends were the best.

Before
first hour began I told her that about my annoyingly boring walk to school and
how I had decided it was time I bought a car. She was so happy for me, and we
began gushing about what kind of cars we wanted and colors we liked.

Then
Bailey surprised me when she had her own exciting news. It turned out when her
dad was out of town, he didn’t like the fact that he couldn’t get a hold of
her. We all knew the real reason why, but her dad thought it was because she
wasn’t home and had been working or sleeping each and every time he called her.
So he bought her a cell phone! The rest of the day we were texting almost
non-stop. It was a good thing be both had unlimited text messaging, otherwise
we would be in big trouble when the bill came.

As
I walked home from school, I was lost in thought until I heard someone walking
behind me. Suddenly alert, I turned around only to be face-to-face with Randy.
I was stunned speechless.

“Well
hello there.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.

“What
are you doing here?” I asked, trying not to show that I was scared.

I
tried to take deep breaths to calm myself. I needed to keep a level head to try
to out-smart, or possibly out-run this thug.

My
phone started ringing almost instantly, and I knew it had to be Eli. My fear must
have been pouring into him right at that very moment. But I couldn’t think
about that right now; I pushed it from my head so I could focus.

“I
have some unfinished business,” he answered.

I
took a step back to get even the slightest gap between us, but he grabbed my
wrists before I could get any further and shoved me into the nearest car.
So
much for out-running him.
My phone was ringing again, and I fought through
my backpack to find it. Before I could grasp it, Randy was in the car next to
me pulling it out of my hand. He threw my bag into the backseat. He clamped a
pair of handcuffs down on my wrists, binding them together. I stifled a sob as
the metal bit into the tender skin on my wrists. I wasn’t sure how this was
supposed to stop me from getting away, but I guess it made him feel more
secure. I felt claustrophobic in his car, the roof seemed to close in on me. I
took deep breaths to steady my mind, hoping to prevent myself from
hyperventilating. He screeched away from the curb.

“This
isn’t your battle,” I whispered as I stared down at my shackled hands.

“Not
my battle? You made it my battle when you and your little boyfriend made me go
in front of the elders!” he shouted. “You can’t just split up friends and walk
away like nothing happened! When you crossed Pete, you crossed me!”

“Where
are we going?” I asked.

“We
are going to Colorado. When Pete is done with his meeting with the elders
that’s when the real fun begins.”

I
tried to calm myself so I didn’t upset Eli even more, but it was no use. It was
happening all over again. I had been kidnapped for the second time. I braced
myself on the dashboard and stuck my head between my knees in an attempt to
keep my lunch down. I didn’t know what to do. If Eli were here nothing like
this would have happened, and I felt guilty for even letting that thought go
through my head. I should be able to take care of myself. I always have, but
there was something different now. I was suddenly a walking target.

“You
are going to drive me, by yourself, to Colorado?”

“That’s
the plan,” he said snidely.

I
sat back against the seat. I had to think quickly. Colorado was more than 15
hours away. This plan was obviously not very well thought out. How was he going
to drive 15 hours without a second person to help take the load off? I wouldn’t
be surprised if he fell asleep at the wheel.

Eventually
I would have the opportunity to get away; at least I hoped I would. When he
turned his back or stopped for gas, his guard would be down eventually,
wouldn’t it? It calmed me that he was alone. It would be me against him this
time, and I knew I was smarter.

I
remembered Eli saying that he got my pictures so clear last time so I decided I
would send him a few now to give him a clue as to what was happening. I didn’t
know if it would make him feel better or worse, but I had to do something. I
obviously wasn’t going to be able to call him. I focused my thoughts and looked
at Randy, pushing the image out with everything I had. Then I repeated the same
with the dashboard. I figured that would be enough to give him the message that
I was with Randy. A minute or so passed and my phone was ringing again. I
guessed it was Eli again. It was killing me that I couldn’t ease his worry. I
knew he had to be going crazy, maybe even as crazy as I was feeling. At least
he had Ren there to help him calm down.