Secrets
XII
I finally reached where I left my bike from when I was watching Jez at her house. I made sure to wait and make sure she got home alright. As I swung my leg over my bike I noticed something near the side of Jez’s house. What ever it was it was quick and moved with grace it flashed up the tree. Jeremy. I crossed the street and stood at the bottom of the tree looking up at him. “Seriously, do you think you’re a squirrel? An invisible squirrel?” He just gave me a smug smile. “C’mon dude what are you doing? You’ve freaked her out enough for one day.”
“I just want to see my old house. That’s all.”
“What if she sees you?”
“She’s in the shower. You’re welcome to come with.”
I sighed and analyzed the tree so I knew how to move. I stepped back and jumped and climbed up the tree with the same grace that Jeremy had. So glad we’re stronger than your natural human. I smiled at the thought of any other person trying to get up the tree like Jeremy and I.
“You gunna come in or not?”
I shook my head erasing my thought. “How did you get in there?”
“She always leaves the window open a little.”
“Oh, well that’s safe.” I rolled my eyes climbing in after him.
I watched as Jeremy snooped around his little sisters room. I made sure not to touch anything, I didn’t feel at all comfortable being in the house when I’m not supposed to be. Eventually Jeremy came across a shoe box under Jez’s bed.
“Well that’s rude! I give her a picture of us and she stuffs it in a shoe box. A box, made for shoes!”
“Uh what’s she supposed to do with it?”
“Keep it out or frame it or something…” His face dropped and he sighed.
“You miss her, don’t you?” I sat on the floor next to him.
“More than you know. She’s my little sister. I hate that we had to leave.” He shook his head. “It just wasn’t fair, to me or her.”
“Well, I’m really sorry Jer. But, I’m kinda happy you did. If you didn’t then you wouldn’t have found me and helped me. I mean, you had your dad to help you go through it all. I had my foster parents, like me, they didn’t even know what was going to be happening soon. But, you and James came along and took me in, prepared me and helped me. We’re here now though. Get back into her life.”
“It’s not that simple.” I watched as he slowly stood, still staring at the picture. “We came back for a reason.” He finally looked away form the old photo and looked at me with sorry eyes. “After Dad and I took you in back in Alaska he tracked down your parents. Your real parents.”
It felt like my heart stopped. I clenched my jaw. “Why? Why didn’t you guys tell me?”
“Logan, please listen. They never meant to have a kid, they didn’t want you to have to go through all that they new you’d have to go through. They heard a rumor that if you weren’t around others, like us, then it would stop it from happening.”
“So it all happened because of you guys! If I wasn’t around you then I’d be able to be just like everyone else?” I was nearly shouting.
“Shhhh! Jez will hear you. And no, that’s what I’m trying to tell you. That’s why Dad and I left. He heard the same thing. We left to find out if it was true. We traveled to some of Dad’s friends and it was all the same, they all had the same answer, ‘it’s not true’. Then we found you and realized you’d be in a lot of trouble since you had no one. Now we’re back here. We’re…waiting.”
“For what? I don’t understand.” I stood up.
“It’s gunna happen… to her too…” He handed me the picture. “I’m going home. Leave that on her pillow before you leave.”
I looked up from the picture and Jer was already gone. My heart sank. Poor Jez, I cant believe she’s going to have to go through all this. I looked back down at the old picture of her and Jer. In the picture she was smiling, a real smile. Not that fake one she wore today. I heard the shower stop and kicked the box back under her bed and placed the picture on her pillow. I took a look around her room, taking in the mood and style.
I stepped out onto the tree closing the window almost all the way. Then I crouched on the tree limb and pounced, landing in the grass below with barely a sound. Not even a second later I felt my phone vibrate, it was a text from Jer asking me to keep watch until Jez’s mom got home.
I sat under the tree in the dark and closed my eyes remembering the look and feel of Jez’s room. Cat. She’ll definitely pick cat…
“I just want to see my old house. That’s all.”
“What if she sees you?”
“She’s in the shower. You’re welcome to come with.”
I sighed and analyzed the tree so I knew how to move. I stepped back and jumped and climbed up the tree with the same grace that Jeremy had. So glad we’re stronger than your natural human. I smiled at the thought of any other person trying to get up the tree like Jeremy and I.
“You gunna come in or not?”
I shook my head erasing my thought. “How did you get in there?”
“She always leaves the window open a little.”
“Oh, well that’s safe.” I rolled my eyes climbing in after him.
I watched as Jeremy snooped around his little sisters room. I made sure not to touch anything, I didn’t feel at all comfortable being in the house when I’m not supposed to be. Eventually Jeremy came across a shoe box under Jez’s bed.
“Well that’s rude! I give her a picture of us and she stuffs it in a shoe box. A box, made for shoes!”
“Uh what’s she supposed to do with it?”
“Keep it out or frame it or something…” His face dropped and he sighed.
“You miss her, don’t you?” I sat on the floor next to him.
“More than you know. She’s my little sister. I hate that we had to leave.” He shook his head. “It just wasn’t fair, to me or her.”
“Well, I’m really sorry Jer. But, I’m kinda happy you did. If you didn’t then you wouldn’t have found me and helped me. I mean, you had your dad to help you go through it all. I had my foster parents, like me, they didn’t even know what was going to be happening soon. But, you and James came along and took me in, prepared me and helped me. We’re here now though. Get back into her life.”
“It’s not that simple.” I watched as he slowly stood, still staring at the picture. “We came back for a reason.” He finally looked away form the old photo and looked at me with sorry eyes. “After Dad and I took you in back in Alaska he tracked down your parents. Your real parents.”
It felt like my heart stopped. I clenched my jaw. “Why? Why didn’t you guys tell me?”
“Logan, please listen. They never meant to have a kid, they didn’t want you to have to go through all that they new you’d have to go through. They heard a rumor that if you weren’t around others, like us, then it would stop it from happening.”
“So it all happened because of you guys! If I wasn’t around you then I’d be able to be just like everyone else?” I was nearly shouting.
“Shhhh! Jez will hear you. And no, that’s what I’m trying to tell you. That’s why Dad and I left. He heard the same thing. We left to find out if it was true. We traveled to some of Dad’s friends and it was all the same, they all had the same answer, ‘it’s not true’. Then we found you and realized you’d be in a lot of trouble since you had no one. Now we’re back here. We’re…waiting.”
“For what? I don’t understand.” I stood up.
“It’s gunna happen… to her too…” He handed me the picture. “I’m going home. Leave that on her pillow before you leave.”
I looked up from the picture and Jer was already gone. My heart sank. Poor Jez, I cant believe she’s going to have to go through all this. I looked back down at the old picture of her and Jer. In the picture she was smiling, a real smile. Not that fake one she wore today. I heard the shower stop and kicked the box back under her bed and placed the picture on her pillow. I took a look around her room, taking in the mood and style.
I stepped out onto the tree closing the window almost all the way. Then I crouched on the tree limb and pounced, landing in the grass below with barely a sound. Not even a second later I felt my phone vibrate, it was a text from Jer asking me to keep watch until Jez’s mom got home.
I sat under the tree in the dark and closed my eyes remembering the look and feel of Jez’s room. Cat. She’ll definitely pick cat…
♠ ♠ ♠
get where this is goin yet??? :D