Half Bitten

The last three days were unbearable, what was I supposed to do? There was no way anyone would believe me. Some might come to think that I was behind the attacks. The hardest thing to do was sit in the house and wait for my dad to get home, at least he could distract me from how insane my life was.
Sitting alone in the kitchen, my eyes pinned to the TV, as I stirred my cereal slowly.
“On the brighter side,” the reporter said with a smile, “the attacks, here in Port Angeles, have seemed to subside,”
I doubted every word. Before I could even have the privilege to speak I needed official evidence. Something that would prove, even to me, that what we were dealing with wasn’t a creation of my mind. “Although police officers have no lead on who did it. They’re beginning think that it was just an animal, and that the people that died were just in wrong place, at the wrong time.”
I rolled my eyes in agony. As each hour went by, I worried that my mind was fleeting away, and no one seemed to care. Kindle was probably spending time every Wednesday with the soccer team. While Amber tagged along, in a futile attempt to keep dibs on Lowlii. I looked down at the cereal sullenly; one cheerio was off to the side of the bowl while the other three spun around happily on the opposite side. It was as if the world was in slow motion and I was frozen solid. Carmine hadn’t even called me back.
“Good morning!” my dad trailed into the kitchen, “I haven’t seen you up this early in a long time.”
I nodded, not bothering to look up.
“Are you okay?”
I shrugged, “better then ever.”
He chuckled lightly, “school stress getting to you already?”
I groaned inwardly. Great, another excuse to having teens parade around aimlessly just so they could be snatched up by this, thing.
“ Awah! Calm down kid,” he picked his cup of coffee and leaned back against the counter, “ at least you’ll make some friends.”
Trying not to remember Kindle and Amber’s violent glares, I smiled sourly. “You have no idea.”
“So? What’s the plan for today,” he paused for a hearty sip, “more investigative work there, Skully?”
“I was never a big fan of the x-files dad.” I contemplated.
He raised his brow up and took a nervous gulp, “well, then I’m guessing you’re still on that break.”
“Not exactly,” I muddled the words.
“What do you mean?” he acquired.
I swallowed hard, trying to gather enough energy to choose my words clearly. If I wasn’t going to tell my own father, how was I supposed to tell anyone else?
“I have a hunch. I’m just waiting for something to tell me I’m wrong.”
His eyes glared frantically, coated with a hint of disappoint, “well, then, tell me.”
“I’m sure Bird knows. Whatever I’d be telling you would just be old news.”
“He didn’t tell me anything but to keep you inside and away from his family for a couple of days.”
I raised a brow, “ why would he not want me to be around his family? He practically raised me.”
My dad paused noticing that the words he wanted to keep concealed had slipped through his lips willingly.
“I just—don’t turn this on him. What did you find out?”
“That Bird wants me away from his family,” I retorted sourly, not wanting to give any information away. I had grown to love Bird, to trust him. What offensive action had I directed towards him?
He let a moment of silence slip, tapping his index finger on the mug that his hands had been hugging. The rhythm was steady; unchanging, as if he was trying to ready himself for what was going to happen next.
“I don’t like this, Jackie?” I did a slow double take, letting my eyes meet his. He fidgeted, trying to force himself to stay in one place. “This, this investigation thing, it’s not good for you.”
“Really? A week ago you said that trying to figure out what this thing was would be smart.” I paused, “being safe.”
“And, what is this thing?” he lowered his voice to an urging demand. As if he knew exactly what I was talking about yet still wanted me to articulate the word.
“That wasn’t part of the deal.”
He inhaled, “deal? What deal?”
“The deal was that I would be given two weeks to figure this thing out, in return I would be allowed to go anywhere I felt the need to go, without you needing to worry. Nowhere in the guidelines did it say that I had to tell you what I figured out.”
He shook his head, trying to keep his feelings from growing angry, “I-I don’t like this. This investigation thing isn’t right for you.”
If only he had said that sooner. I tilted my head back down with no intention of answering.
“ You haven’t talked to anyone for three days, not even Carmine. She called leaving messages, saying that she lost her cell phone.”
I titled the spoon in between my fingers, “oh, well thanks for telling me.”
“This has got to end,” his voice was steady, fighting not to break. “ I thought it was just something you wanted to do, because of pure boredom. But now I could see you—you’re not enjoying this place. Bird said that I should call your mom. She would be more than happy to send the maid to pick you up.”
My jaw clenched, I had to figure out why Bird didn’t want me around.
“Sorry.” I intended to sound truthful, “Guess I’m coming to the realization that summer is ending. I wanted to do something big before it that.”
“Well,” he grunted with understanding, “I guess I could see where you’re coming from. How about we do some shopping?”
“S-shopping?” my brows rose in confusion. Shopping with him? “S-sure, where do you want to take me?”

“I want my book bag!” the three year old in the stroller screamed, as we stepped into office supply store. I chuckled at my stupidity, you tell a teenage girl to go shopping and she strangely pictures clothes.
“Huh? Isn’t this a cool place of what?” my dad nudged me.
I scrunched my face, “of course dad. It’s amazing.” Despite the fact that it’s almost packed to the max with restless children and paranoid parents.
“Okay!” he clapped his hands together enthusiastically, “what are you going to need first?”
“A notebook.” I stated the obvious. He rolled his eyes and sighed.
“Are you going to be.” He flicked his hand up in the air, making a circular motion. “Difficult?”
I weighed my words, “seeing as how I am a growing teenager that’s just been off of grounding only to find out that no one wants her here to begin with, yeah. I am going to be difficult.”
He sighed again, trying to keep up with my pace and dodging the oncoming traffic of consumers. “Well, I’m sure whatever you’ll need is here. All we have to do is look hard enough.” I nodded along, looking out to the blockade of people in front of us.
“How about we ask for some help?”
My dad smiled, “I’ll go get a cart, while you try to find someone that wants to help.”
Translation: I’ll wait in the car.
“Mhm, that’s why I call you my dad,”
He patted me on the head, “please, don’t cause a commotion like the last time I left you alone.”
I raised my index finger, “if I recall correctly, you’re the one that called the police.”
He rolled his eyes and started to walk back towards the entrance to retrieve a cart. I looked to the crowd in front of me and sighed sharply. Deciding it was time for a detour, I turned to the right and walked down the isle. If my intuition was right, why was Bird worrying about my actions? If he knew exactly what was going on, he would be able to take matters in his own hands, instead of warning my dad to keep me locked up inside.
“Why does filing have to be so bland?” I questioned myself, letting my eyes gaze at the tedious file cabinets.
“Well, if it isn’t shotgun in the flesh.” I heard a humored voice speak to me. I titled my head up, trying to figure out where the voice materialized from.
“Your dad finally released the reins on you, huh?” Steph sighed, putting down the price-tagging gun in her hand onto the floor. She rolled her head back and closed her eyes, impatiently tugging on the side of her work vest, “I hate this thing.”
“Since when do you work at an office supply store?” I asked dumbly.
She smirked, “ever since boredom occurred. I’m only here till school starts, though.”
“That’s very smart. I should probably do that sometime.”
Steph rolled her eyes and turned her voice into a soft chuckle. “From what I hear, you wont even have the time,” she slumped back down to the ground working on whatever she had been doing before I intruded. “How’s the investigation thing going?”
I mouth wanted to drop open, I hadn’t talked to her in at least a dozen days. How did she know?
“Don’t ask,” she groaned, “ I just happened to find out. So, are you going to answer my question, Shotgun?”
I bit my lip, looking down to the ground. This would be the perfect time to figure out why Bird was suddenly playing the Anti-Jackie card.
“I—I have a couple of theories.”
Despite the heavy black eyeliner surrounding her eyes, they seemed to light up in amusement, “theories? Bird didn’t tell me you were that good.”
I chuckled softly, “sometimes people underestimate others. What else did Bird tell you?”
Her animated voice suddenly seemed to turn into a low drone, “in a sense? To stay away from you.”
Not wanting to give her a hint that my intention was squeezing information from her, I let a moment of silence slide through.
“Oh yeah? My dad’s told me about that. He let it slip this morning during break feast.”
“Mhm,” she hummed, “yummy. Nothing like a glass of hatred with your cereal.”
I chuckled again, glancing to her. Her face was calm and serene; she didn’t seem bothered by my presence at all.
“So, then why aren’t you running away?”
At first, it seemed like she wasn’t going to answer. Checking her price tag-gun for more stickers, she hummed a small tune, seeming as if in her own little world.
“I feel obligated to say, as a senior in high school, we don’t run. We more like, Frolic.”
I could tell she was avoiding the question, “so, why aren’t you frolicking?”
“Cuz, if I did people would think I was on something.” she seemed entertained by her own words, “Tylenol and red bull can only get you so far.”
I could tell that she was unbreakable.
“When was the last time my dad talked to Bird?”
“Four days ago,” she rapidly blurted out the words, “ your father came over, as usual, and they got to talking. Your dad divulged on how you were taking this investigation thing seriously.”
So, Bird decided to hate me?!
“Then what happened?” my voice was surprisingly patient.
“As soon as your father left, I assume Lowlii was warned by Bird not to talk to you. Even thinking about you was out of the question. One thing led to another and Kindle found out and blurted it to my sister, Amber. It was a matter of time before I figured everything out on my own.”
If that was true, why did he make an attempt to talk to me? Four days ago was when I received Lowlii’s phone call.
“If you’re supposed to being staying away from me, why are you telling me this?”
“Because, you asked a simple question.” She sighed and began to pick herself up off the ground, “and because I don’t believe in gossip. What’s written in the stars is what truly matters.”
My face scrunched up in confusion. Stars? Why would she bring astrology into the conversation?
She smirked, “guess you haven’t gotten that far in your theories, have you?”
Before I could question her statement my dad seemed to walk into the isle, “oh honey! You know what I forgot?”
I darted my body away from Steph, she immediately jumped back to work, double checking price tags.
“I forgot to give you some money,”
I smirked sourly, he couldn’t have had this revelation 15 seconds later?
“Thanks dad.”
He dug his hand into his back pocket and stopped, “tell you what? What if I go shopping with you this time?”
“Haven’t found the courage to trust me yet, huh dad?” I raised a brow.
He scoffed childishly, “of course I trust you. What’s not to trust?”
I could hear Steph snicker in the background, as she made her way further down the isle. I fought so hard not to look back. My dad slung one arm over my shoulders and started to walk me back towards the traffic jam. My body effortlessly dragged along with him, seeing as how my shoulders were attached. Why was Steph suddenly talking about the sky? My mind strained, trying to make sense of her words.
“Hey look! A sale on notebooks!” my dad pointed to a stack of notebooks piled up under a sign with bold letters. Although I was lost in my thoughts, a low hum seemed to answer him as I bent my arm out carelessly to grab whatever he had been pointing to. Hopi chiefs would claim that the stars mapped out everyone’s lives. That they weren’t hanging in the night sky just to make the world that much prettier, but to tell us where to go next, to give us faith. The Hopi tribe lived by an anti-war motto; that everything was going to work out on it’s own, as long as the stars were there. It didn’t matter what actions you took because that would be the path we were supposed to choose. Like destiny.
“Look at this!” my dad raised his eyebrows in shock; “ They’re selling pens by the pack these days!”
I gasped, they think it’s my destiny to marry her, Lowlii had mentioned the night of our grand escape.
“Calm down, Jackie. It’s not that surprising.” My dad retorted to the sudden gasp I had released.
Bird was a firm believer in fate; He would do nothing to get in the way of one’s destiny. Which meant that he would be more then willing to do anything to make sure that it came true. He would stop at nothing to get rid of whatever was threatening to stop fate dead in its tracks. I assumed he warned Lowlii; even thinking of you was out of the question.
I quickly corrected myself. It wasn’t whatever. It was whoever, and that whoever was me. I shook my head in disbelief at the childish attempt Bird had made. If what Stephanie had told me was valid, he had only directed his threat to Lowlii. But why? I admit, ever since carmine had talked me out of this investigation thing, Lowlii was lurking in the back of my mind. I closed my eyes, trying to remember if I had made it apparent enough for anyone to notice. I was alone, doing nothing for the past three days but wondering where everyone was. Lowlii was the first person that came to mind, and he never left. It was finally clear on why Bird didn’t want me here.
He thought that I would steal Lowlii away from Amber.
“Go ahead, do it.” My dad’s voice seemed to seep into the gray spots of my mind, “no one’s stopping you.”
My eyes opened and closed four times before I came to the realization that I was staring longingly at the candy placed near the cash register.
“I know how you teens like your sugar. Just pick one.”
I shook my head in astonishment, had I blurted every word out to my dad? His words echoed back to me a few seconds late. My mouth wanted to drop down to the ground. Had he realized what he just said?
My dad picked up the butter finger stacked at eye level, “it’s fine Jackie. I’m growing to like these too actually.”
My throat suddenly had caught a lump, to the best of my ability I was only permitted a nod in response.
“You okay? You seem out of it. Do you want to wait in the car while I pay for this?”
“N-no im fine.” My voice was more hoarse then I had ever heard it, “ I’ll be okay.”

What was I going to do? I had clearly developed a reputation as a man stealer. I felt like a forty year old hag who had just hired a seventeen-year-old pool boy for the week, because her husband was on a business trip. I grimaced as the feeling became more and more clear. Pulling my legs towards my chest, I placed my head somberly on my knees.
“You okay there, Kiddo?” my dad let his eyes look to the rear view mirror briefly, to meet gaze with my reflection.
“Yeah, why not?” I my voice mumbled, on the brink of almost breaking.
“Really? You don’t seem like it.” He went on with a sigh, letting his eyes gaze back to the road, “cheer up. There’s no time to sulk, schools just around the corner. You can even drive this car, if that’ll make you smile.”
I chuckled lightly, “ I’m fine dad. I guess,” with that, I sighed, “just a little anxious.”
He nodded his head understandingly, “well, if it matters… I think you’ll fit in perfectly.”
I groaned inwardly at the ironic humor suddenly revealing itself. Soon enough, the air fell silent again as the car pulled into the backyard with more of a stutter then usual.
“Seems like im going to need to fix that.” My dad mumbled. I rolled my eyes in response; he would completely forget the second he walked out of the car. I lugged the bags of supplies into the back door of the house. Dropping them down as soon as my feet hit the kitchen floor, I headed towards the fridge.
“My body needs happy food.” Making an excuse to stuff my face, I whined.
“Easy! Easy, Bird said he would be coming over tonight. He’s bringing popcorn shrimp.”
Suddenly, my body seemed to revolt. My stomach churned in anger as I let the door of the fridge slowly close itself, “I’ll be upstairs. Call me when he’s gone.”
“Oh,” he raised his eyebrows apologetically, “C’mon. He’s just trying to keep everyone away from trouble.”
Which meant that I was trouble? I wanted to scream. I made my way up the stairs and swung the door shut, with so much force that it rattled the four walls of my room. I plopped down onto to my bed, which happened to be full of papers that decided to fall to the ground one by one.
Calm down, maybe there is another reason, the angelic voice seemed to whisper in my ear.
There is no other reason, you should’ve just gone to live with your mother. The intriguing voice answered back with a sneer, at least then you would’ve be able to cause all the drama you wanted and no one would have cared.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Just stop it, Jackie.” I whispered, breaking the dead air lingering over me. Even if I had gone to live with my mom in Italy, I still would have been seen as a scandalous whore here in Port Angeles. I agreed with myself that it would be declared as running away, and I was not one to run.
Fine, the sneer had turned into a low hiss; leave all the Italian boys for your mom, loser.
I growled, pushing myself off the bed. The ground was completely cluttered with piles of newspaper cutouts. I looked at the blank wall in front of me with a smirk. Propelling myself to the ground, I tried to search for the tape. As my hand scrapped over it, I grabbed random cutouts, and pinned them to the wall. I ordered them from latest attacks to the newest, more recent attacks.
Susan, Taylor, Max, then Ashley, I mentally noted. Half an hour later my body was stretched over the floor, turned to the newly covered wall. The articles seemed to pile up high enough; they seemed to tower over me. I groaned again, turning onto my stomach, suddenly feeling a bump under me. My hand yanked out the red journal I had mysteriously found my first day here. Something still attracted me to it. As empty as the pages were, there was still life in it. I glanced back to the wall and winced. I had promised Carmine not to continue on the investigation.
I gasped; suddenly jumping to my feet, I dropped the red journal. I plopped back onto my bed, flipping over my pillow. My cell phone had been staring back, waiting patiently for me to dial Carmine’s number. I quickly typed in my speed dial and waited for the ringing to stop. Carmine would know how to handle this situation.
“Hello?” there was a knock at the door. I suddenly hung up the phone.
“Come in.”
The door gently swung open and the image of Kindle holding a liter of Coca-Cola stood behind it. I blinked aimlessly, why was she at my bedroom door?
“My dad’s forcing me to ask if you want some shrimp.”
I shook my head like a three year old, “I’m not much for seafood.”
“Good,” she sighed and stepped further into the room, “that’s why I brought soda.”
She flopped down onto the bed next to me. A dreadful moment of silence slipped into our lively five seconds of conversation. I looked back to the door with hopeful eyes, waiting for someone to come save me.
“He’s not here.” Kindle sighed, “ Lowlii doesn’t really like get-togethers”
“Huh,” I responded, finally admitting that I had a new object of obsession. “I wasn’t looking for him anyway.”
“Mhm,” she hummed, seeming not to pay attention to my words.
“The only reason I’m up here is because I feel sad for you.”
Gee, thanks for understanding, my mind thought. Failing to let a hint of enthusiasm flow.
“Honestly, I don’t know why Bird wants Lowlii away from you,” she leaned her arms back onto the mattress and shifted her weight. Tilting her head back as if she was suddenly sun bathing, she exhaled. “I just don’t see why Lowlii would want to be around you to begin with. After all, he does have Amber.”
Her words suddenly made my feelings grow angry, yet something told me that was what she wanted to do. I was already strictly banned from talking to Lowlii; she wanted me away from the whole family.
“I totally agree.” I spoke, silently praying that my voice sounded honest.
She cleared her throat, “what—good. That’s good.”
I smirked to myself, “I’m actually interested in someone else right now.”
She suddenly became alert. Straightening her back, she faced me. “Who? I promise I wont tell.”
The gears in my head couldn’t bear to turn. “Alec.”
She snickered back, “Alec? You mean, Alec, Alec?”
My eyes blinked in confusion, “yes, I think so.”
“You realize Lowlii hates the guy, right?”
Slowly recalling the night we met, I nodded, “why would he care? He has Amber right?
Her eyes shifted from mine nervously, “yeah, well—I think that’s a mistake.”
I raised a brow, why would she care about who I liked as long as it wasn’t Lowlii?
“He doesn’t talk to anyone. Not even at school, trust me. I’ve been in high school for two years now.”
Retaking the same classes, I’m sure, the hissing voice turned into a snicker. I had to inhale to keep the voice from speaking again, “well, why do you think that?”
“Because it’s true. Besides, if you’re going to be hanging out with Amber and I you have to know that we don’t talk to him. Or his family.”
I rolled my eyes not bothering to answer. I was sure she was going to let me know why.
“They’re weird people. Sometimes evil.”
I scoffed, “exaggerating a little bit?”
“No, I’m not. There’s a reason why my family hates them so much.”
People of the Hopi tribe were pretty peaceful. They didn’t cause commotion unless there was a good reason for it. My reason just happened to be a stupid one.
“Two centuries ago, their family invaded on our land. We have a right to hold a grudge.”
“Of course you do,” I said, hoping that my words would satisfy her enough to stop talking.
“ Plus, you’re getting your hopes up anyway. He stays to himself and he doesn’t have much family.”
I knew exactly where this was going, “okay I believe you, Kindle”
“Good, so we’re clear, right?”
Suddenly, a new intention had revealed itself. She had come up here to warn me; not just about Alec, but someone else.
“We’re clear as we’ll ever be.”
She perked up happily, “great! We’ll be best of friends, I know it.” I smiled back, trying to seem innocent. Just the way she assumed I was going to do things her way made me furious. I wasn’t going to just give up without a fight. Everyone thought that I was going to steal him away from Amber, yet no one asked him if he wanted to be whisked away by me. I shifted my body away from her, seeming calm. Did he even want to be away from me? Everyone seemed so sure it would be healthy for him, yet he hadn’t spoken a word to me about it. He certainly had the perfect opportunity. That night he called would’ve been the perfect time. He must’ve known I was home alone because my dad was with Bird. The silence in the room urged my mind to think. I tried to hear his warm voice again, trying to let the warmth in the pit of my stomach materialize. But instead there was a chasm of loneliness and guilt. I leaned my head against the wall, closing my eyes. He said he wanted to talk to me about the night we had snuck off, and I rushed off the phone.
“Well,” she held her hands together with an expression that seemed to flow in with pride. “I see my work here is done.”
Shifting off the bed, she seemed to make her way to the door, “my fathers probably leaving. So, I guess I’ll see you in school tomorrow.”
Tomorrow? That didn’t leave me much time to plan anything, did it?