Within Temptation

I walked into the kitchen and turned on the light on the wall next to me and nothing was there. I looked and looked and still nothing. I feel a sudden gust of wind from behind me and turned around. “Hello.”I said in a shaky breathe and nothing. Silence surround all around me until a thud make jump and turned around. I breathe out when I realize it was the leaves of the tree moving against the wind hitting the window.

I smile in relief telling myself that I was been silly. When all of the sudden something cold as ice took a hold of me from the behind bringing me back close to its hard strength body. I tried to cried out but couldn’t when its hands were covering my mouth. I tried to break his hold but it was so much stronger more than humanly possible.

Then I feel something wet caressing my neck that I feel a deep sense of fear underneath my skin. Once more I tried to break the hold somehow I manage but was pulled back once more. Then something deep and pointy bit my neck. I scream in pain under my predators hand as I feel tears flowing out of my eyes. As seconds pass by, something hit me this feel familiar, maybe a little too familiar. I feel the cold gentle lips of my predator sucking my neck.
Then something passed through my mind before I could stop it. What’s this thing sucking my blood?

I brush it off knowing that it wasn’t possible. I mean what kind of creature sucks blood in the first place. I let the creature took a hard hold of me by the waist pulling me back toward it’s hard cold body.

“Please…”I whisper as I started to feel myself faint at the loss of blood.

But the creature didn’t listen instead it continue to suck me as if I was the meal it hadn’t in a
really long time.

“Please…” I said once more beginning him and finally the creature let go and I feel myself falling on the floor. Once I hit the floor, I lay there not having the strength to move much less speak.

I didn’t know how long it was, it could have been hours or days till I left a gentle hand caressing my cheek. Slowly I open my eyes trying to see the person face in front of me but all I could see was a blur.

I open my mouth to speak but I could see all I was able to do mouth the words.

“Everything is going to be okay, now. I am here. I will always be here for you.” The person said a deep heartfelt voice that made me calm.

Then all of the sudden I heard a loud BANG!

I felt myself jump in the chair opening my eyes at once.

“Ms. Nichols, it’s my class too boring for you.” The voice of Mr. Wilson, my European history teacher said as the entire class eyes were on me burst out laughing.

“I am sorry, it won’t happen again.” I said assuring still not believing how I even managed to sleep in a classroom. What was happening to me? This wasn’t like me at all.

When the bell ring loudly signaling that class was over, I walked out of the classroom and bump into someone. Somehow when I looked up I wasn’t very much surprise to see Casey standing there looking down at me with a funny expression spreading across his face.

“So looks like I was wrong, we will never get it right.” He said and I burst out laughing at that.

“I’m sorry; my head is just not with me today.” I confess honestly.

“I know the feeling.” He said in a positive tone that I believe him immediately.

After a few seconds of silence, I started to walk right by him and he walked along side of me, “So did you like school yet?”

“It’s okay. I mean it’s nothing like I am use to but its fun.” He said as he slide both of his hands inside his jeans pockets.

“I am sure you will come to like it.”

“Yeah, maybe by the end of school year.” He said as a joke and I found myself holding back the laughter.

“So where do you come from?” I asked wanting to make a conversation as we continue to walk next to each other.

“Oh I was born and rise in La Crosse, Virginia. It’s a small town, less than thousand people.”

“Wow. What’s it like?”

“It’s quite unlike here, friendly and everybody knows each other so there are like no secrets there whatsoever.” He said looking kind of excited.

“That’s interesting.”

“So, what about you? Where you like born and rise here in Haven Falls?”

“Oh, I…” I started to said then looked at him into his friendly brown eyes and knew that somehow part of me trust him. “I actually don’t know where I was born but I was rise here with my dad.”

“What do you mean you don’t know where you were born?” he asked kind of confused with a frown.

“I really don’t know. I just…forgot, I guess.”

He looked down at me still with a frown look but at that same time more interested.

“Hmm that sucks.” He said and I nodded my head at that knowing that it did suck very bad not knowing where you were born before that night completely made me forgot every single detail about my past life and who I was.

“Yes it does, anyway…I’ll see you later otherwise I am going to be late and that’s not good.”

“No it’s not.” He said shaking his head. “See you later, Hayley. It was good talking to you.”

“Yeah, it was good talking to you too.” I said honestly while smiling at him then wave him good bye and walked toward the other opposite direction of two way hallway that we reached while we were on our conversation.

At lunch time, I sit down on my usual chair along with Melanie, Daren, Reed and most of all Victoria. I eat my lunch in silence as everyone started to talked about the Homecoming Dance which was about to be in a week or so.

“So Hayley, want to be my date for the dance?” Daren asked as he stared at me with a flirtious expression on his face that made my drop my fork into the salad that I was eating since I wasn’t that hungry in the first place.

“I…I…” I started to respond but my eyes betrayed me as they looked at everyone on the table who was eyeing me curiously as to what my answer was going to be. My eyes locked with Reed and I suddenly couldn’t breathe at the hard cold expression he was giving me. “I…no, I am not a very good dancer.”

“What? That’s not possible.” He declared in pure shock.

“It’s not, trust me. I am horrible dancer. I am klutz when it comes to dancing.”

“And what it’s not dancing.” Reed finished with a knowing smile spreading across his face then his eyes turned to Daren. “Besides, aren’t you too old for dances and such, Daren?”

“Me, I am never too old. Are you kidding me? I like to get loose and have fun.” He said.

“Yeah, we all know you do.” Victoria responded for the first time since she was rather quite like me today.

“Oh please spare me the details.” He said rolling his eyes looking and feeling annoyed.

“I rather not they are all so…”

“They are not to be discuss in public.” Reed added then reached out and took the cheery that was on my dessert which was a small piece of vanilla cake. He guided to his mouth and as he hold the stick he bite it off looking ultimately sexy.

“Oh why not? I’m interested as to what fun Daren had before enrolling here?” Melanie asked curiously which to be honest so I was since they didn’t like talk much about themselves.

“Trust me; the truth will kill your buzz.” Reed said smiling as he put the cheery sticky thing to my tray and wink at me.

Daren burst out laughing at that which made me wonder what kind of person was he truly before coming here.

“Oh my god, is it really that bad?” Melanie blurt out.

“Trust me; it’s worse than you think.” Daren confessed truthfully and the table suddenly got so quite that somehow I didn’t like it when I started to feel goose pumps rising on my arms as to what was the big secret?

“Well whatever it was, Daren. I am glad that you here now and the person you are now.” I said honestly as I reached out and patted his hand.

He turned to me with a confused shock expression on his face then smile as his eyes stare at every inch on my face.

“Thanks, Hayley.” He said smiling broadly at me.

“You welcome.” I said then as we continue to eat this time talking about our classes, my eyes shifted to Reed who was staring at me with a hard believe expression that made me thought about last night. I smile at him and he looked away with a cold heartless expression on his face.

Suddenly feeling that he was mad or worse angry with me, I reach out with my left hand and touch his hand, his ice cold hand so much like Daren that made my heart stop. His eyes turned to me and he pulled his hand away from under mine the he stand up from the chair and walked away without looking back. It was almost like he hated my touch, like he didn’t want to be near me but yet part of him wanted to.

“Hayley, are you okay?” Melanie’s voice asked me as I ignore the thoughts running through my head all at once.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” I said while nodding my head half honestly.

“Don’t worry, Hayley. It’s not you, it just Reed is not well adjusted for people to be so close to him in any way?” Daren said as he reached out and patted my head like I was a small
lonely child who needed comforting.

Flashback

“Why?” I asked wanting to know staring up at him.

“Hmm. Let just say that I am not the most scary thing out there.” He said with a dark distant expression reflecting on his eyes.

“You don’t scare me, Reed.” I said positively while walking toward him.

He looked at me and then his eyes locked with mine. His were reflecting confused and disbelieving at my confession and mine where reflecting honesty that much I knew. I reach out with my right hand to touch him and he suddenly move out of my reach. I put my hand down as I feel rejection washing over me then I shook my head not wanting him to looked at me this way.

End of flashback

“Well, I guess that makes sense.” I said as the memory of last night flash before my eyes.

“Just give him time, he will come around.” Daren said in a truthful tone that made me want to believe him but some part of didn’t want to believe at all. Not one bit.

“Yeah right,” Victoria voice said with anger that made me look at her with questioning eyes. “Like he will ever come around, it’s best to leave him alone. Trust me, I have tried. Reed does not feeling anything.”

“That’s not true.” I said suddenly feeling like defending him.

“Yes, it is. Once he knows you have a major crush on him, Reed will pull away from you like you were a disease.” She said still feeling and looking angry at me.

“I don’t…” I started to said but then stop as I tried to figure out my feelings for Reed. I knew that I like him but did I have a crush on him? Did I like more than I ever thought I will like anyone in my entire life?

“Trust me just leave him alone. It’s not worth it. Believe me and like I said before I have tried.”

“But you are not Hayley, Victoria.” Daren blurt out angrily looking at her.
She suddenly cringe back at that statement and looked at me with more hatred than ever before then she stood up from her chair and walked away and I was left wondering Why? Why did she hate me so much?

***

That afternoon after school ended, I walked into the cemetery not knowing why the events that occur today brought me here. I walked into the endless rows of gravestones not knowing where or why I was here? But for a reason I was here. What Daren said made me think a lot? Reed didn’t want to be near me but yet he was. He didn’t want my touch or my feelings toward him for a reason. But why?

My feet suddenly stop after walking what it seem like long hours, and I feel a tear rolling down my left cheek. I reach up and brush it off. Then I looked down and stared down at the gravestone beneath me. I bend down on my knees and pulled the grass that was covering it away. Once it was clear for me to read, it said “Angelica Stonewell.” Even the date of her death was weird and strange “1852” It was just one date. Where was the other date? Was this date of her born and or death I couldn’t help but wonder.

“Find anything you like.” Said a cold heartless voice from somewhere behind me and I turned around and found a guy with golden brown eyes, dark brown hair and pale skin.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean…” I started to said as my lips started to tremble as I was feeling nervous at the sudden feeling of fear surging through me. I looked around and I was here. I was here all alone. “Did you knew her?” I asked wanting to know if he meant to visit this grave.

“More or less, I even thought I did too.” He said as he walked toward me and I took a few steps back. “Don’t worry; I am not going to hurt you? I was just surprise to find you here?”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh. So what are doing here?”

“I was just…” I started to explain when I feel a gust of cold wind from behind me and something told me that I was not alone here with this stranger.

“Hello Reed.” the mysterious person in front of me said to someone who was very clearly behind me.

I turned around and was shock to find Reed standing there. His eyes so cold and lifeless were staring from me to the person behind me.

“What are you doing here, Luke?” Reed asked heartlessly to him.

“Hmm, so you are not surprise to see me. That’s good.” The guy name Luke said in a playful tone so much like Reed.

“I asked you a question.”

“I know you did. But it’s this the way you said hello to your brother after years of not seeing him, can’t say that I am surprise after all knowing you so well.” Luke said and Reed looked at him even angrier than ever.
I was confused but I know what I heard for sure? Brothers! These two were brothers. Reed had a brother. I turned back to look at Luke and he smile at me. Somehow I knew that I was in battle between siblings that will last forever from the way one look to the other?