How Dark Is the Night?
A Wedge Between Us
I woke up realizing that it was almost daylight. I needed to get Kat to help me carry Pete upstairs. He couldn’t stay on the couch for the windows all around on the first floor let sun through. That was why Pete and I liked this place was because the sun could come through. Pete didn’t want to put curtains up. There is only a couple and you can see through.
I ran upstairs and woke Kat up who helped me carry Pete into my room. I thanked her as she left heading back to bed. I pulled the curtains to. I then crawled up on the bed beside Pete facing him. I touched his chest where his heart is and cried a bit. Pete started to wake up.
“Amanda?” He asked coming out of his deep sleep.
“I’m right here.” I said sitting up.
“I feel different.” He said sitting up.
“You have a bite mark.” He said raising his hand to touch my neck.
“It didn’t heal, yet.” I said remembering when he bit me for the first time. Something happened when Pete touched my neck. I closed my eyes at his touch, to feel him again after thinking I lost him.
He started to remember everything that happened to him. And I saw everything in my mind. I saw him watch Erelin be forced to turn and I saw him be turned. I felt his emotions and knew every thought that went through his mind. I saw his confusion waking up in an alley alone and then he remembered now, biting me again.
“No. Amanda I am sorry.” He said letting go of my neck and backing away from me.
“Hey, it is ok.” I said.
“I could have killed you.” Pete said.
“But you didn’t. Pete I saw it in your eyes. You didn’t want to hurt me. You were scared, confused, and didn’t remember anything.” I said trying to reach for his hand.
“This was different then when Beckett bit me. I awoke knowing what happened and who I was with him. This new guy, I don’t know. Everything is different.” Pete said not letting me touch him.
“Pete we have been through this before. We can deal. Why would you do this all over again for?” I asked already knowing the answer but wanting to hear it from him. He was acting different around me.
“I did it because…” He paused. “I did it because I love you. I don’t want to see anything happen to you. I wasn’t strong enough to protect you and now I am.” Pete said looking at me.
I got up and walked over to him for he was standing in front of his hoodie rack. “If you did this because you love me then why won’t you touch me? I need to feel your touch right now Pete. So much had happened last night. I thought I lost you. I felt you die. It was like a bad dream and now you are here standing in front of me telling me you did this because you love me and you can’t hold me? Screw you biting me, Pete! We’ve been through all that before in the past. I think I am going to be sick.” I said running into the bathroom to puke.
When I came out of the bathroom Pete was packing a bag. I stood at the bathroom door watching him. I then rubbed my stomach like an instinct. I was starting to become protective of this child I may be carrying. There is no doubt about it. I have to be pregnant.
“So you are just going to leave me?” I finally asked.
“I am guessing everyone is coming over tonight, right?” Pete asked.
“Yes.” I replied.
“Well I figured that I’d ask Patrick if I may have my old room. Amanda, we know I can’t stay here. This place has windows everywhere. I can’t see sunlight again or I am toast.” He said still packing.
“Yes but I can buy curtains; really dark ones.” I said trying to grab his arm but he pulled away again.
“I think it best if I leave.” He said facing me now.
I ran out of the room and downstairs. I heard Pete yell, “Amanda, wait.”
I didn’t care though. I grabbed my purse and my keys and flew out the door. I got in my car and went to the nearest drugstore.
Once I was there I went to the aisle that had pregnancy tests and bought one. I went to my car and cried. How can I raise a child in this mess?
I grabbed my cell and called up Bev. I knew it was seven am now but I didn’t care. She would answer.
“Hello.” Bev said all sleepy.
“Bev, I need your help. I need to come over. I may be pregnant and I have much to tell. I could really use my best friend right now.” I said crying.
“Well do come and please be careful.” She said.
I ran upstairs and woke Kat up who helped me carry Pete into my room. I thanked her as she left heading back to bed. I pulled the curtains to. I then crawled up on the bed beside Pete facing him. I touched his chest where his heart is and cried a bit. Pete started to wake up.
“Amanda?” He asked coming out of his deep sleep.
“I’m right here.” I said sitting up.
“I feel different.” He said sitting up.
“You have a bite mark.” He said raising his hand to touch my neck.
“It didn’t heal, yet.” I said remembering when he bit me for the first time. Something happened when Pete touched my neck. I closed my eyes at his touch, to feel him again after thinking I lost him.
He started to remember everything that happened to him. And I saw everything in my mind. I saw him watch Erelin be forced to turn and I saw him be turned. I felt his emotions and knew every thought that went through his mind. I saw his confusion waking up in an alley alone and then he remembered now, biting me again.
“No. Amanda I am sorry.” He said letting go of my neck and backing away from me.
“Hey, it is ok.” I said.
“I could have killed you.” Pete said.
“But you didn’t. Pete I saw it in your eyes. You didn’t want to hurt me. You were scared, confused, and didn’t remember anything.” I said trying to reach for his hand.
“This was different then when Beckett bit me. I awoke knowing what happened and who I was with him. This new guy, I don’t know. Everything is different.” Pete said not letting me touch him.
“Pete we have been through this before. We can deal. Why would you do this all over again for?” I asked already knowing the answer but wanting to hear it from him. He was acting different around me.
“I did it because…” He paused. “I did it because I love you. I don’t want to see anything happen to you. I wasn’t strong enough to protect you and now I am.” Pete said looking at me.
I got up and walked over to him for he was standing in front of his hoodie rack. “If you did this because you love me then why won’t you touch me? I need to feel your touch right now Pete. So much had happened last night. I thought I lost you. I felt you die. It was like a bad dream and now you are here standing in front of me telling me you did this because you love me and you can’t hold me? Screw you biting me, Pete! We’ve been through all that before in the past. I think I am going to be sick.” I said running into the bathroom to puke.
When I came out of the bathroom Pete was packing a bag. I stood at the bathroom door watching him. I then rubbed my stomach like an instinct. I was starting to become protective of this child I may be carrying. There is no doubt about it. I have to be pregnant.
“So you are just going to leave me?” I finally asked.
“I am guessing everyone is coming over tonight, right?” Pete asked.
“Yes.” I replied.
“Well I figured that I’d ask Patrick if I may have my old room. Amanda, we know I can’t stay here. This place has windows everywhere. I can’t see sunlight again or I am toast.” He said still packing.
“Yes but I can buy curtains; really dark ones.” I said trying to grab his arm but he pulled away again.
“I think it best if I leave.” He said facing me now.
I ran out of the room and downstairs. I heard Pete yell, “Amanda, wait.”
I didn’t care though. I grabbed my purse and my keys and flew out the door. I got in my car and went to the nearest drugstore.
Once I was there I went to the aisle that had pregnancy tests and bought one. I went to my car and cried. How can I raise a child in this mess?
I grabbed my cell and called up Bev. I knew it was seven am now but I didn’t care. She would answer.
“Hello.” Bev said all sleepy.
“Bev, I need your help. I need to come over. I may be pregnant and I have much to tell. I could really use my best friend right now.” I said crying.
“Well do come and please be careful.” She said.