Shift (The Neturu Chronicles) (40 page)

               
“Damien isn’t going to anymore,” Kayla tries to reassure him.  “The next
thing he’s going to do is teach me how to shut people out.  I promise,
either you or Damien will be there with me.  I won’t go alone.”

               
Jackson wraps his arms around her.  “Please, just be careful.  I
don’t like the sound of this guy.”

               
“Neither do
I
,” Kayla mumbles into his shirt. Kayla
rests her head on his chest as he holds her.  “I think in some weird
twisted way he was trying to proposition me.”

               
“For what, sex?”

               
Kayla laughs.  “No, for marriage. He kept going on about how there were
more
options
out there for me.  This whole getting married and
having
babies
thing is a little much to digest at the
age of seventeen.  I mean, really?  I want to go to college and live
my life.  I want kids, but not now.  It’s like I’m suddenly being
thrust into this adult life.  I’m a teenager; I want to do teenager
things.”

               
“Like stay out past curfew?”

               
“Yes.” Kayla giggles.  “I guess it doesn’t matter.  As long as you or
Damien are there with me I’ll feel safe.”

               
Pressing his lips against her head, Jackson murmurs, “We’ll protect you.”

               
“Yeah, but who’s going to protect you?”

               
“From what?”

               
Getting a wicked smile, Kayla says, “Who’s going to protect you guys from the
thorough mental ass kicking I am about to unleash on you?”

               
“Ass kicking,” Jackson snorts.  “Sister, you don’t stand a chance.”

               
“I have to think of the best question to ask you.  It has to be something
really private and embarrassing.”

               
“Whatever.” Jackson laughs.  “You will have to answer my question, and I
will make it
super
embarrassing.  It will be so embarrassing your
parents can’t be around.”

               
She rolls her eyes.  “Yeah, yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah.  Let’s get
the game, so I can rejoice at your failure.”

               
“Oh, you are going down,” Jackson retorts, walking to his closet.  “I’ll
give you a tissue when you’re tearing up in shame.”

               
“We’ll see who comes out on top.”

               
Jackson turns around and gives her a look.  “Why, Kayla, I like being on
top, but if you want to give it a try, I won’t stop you.”

               
Kayla gapes back at him.  Jackson laughs and grabs the game.

               
“Okay,” Kayla’s mom says. “If you get this question right, Kayla, you get a
piece and tie with the boys.”

               
Kayla claps her hands and rubs them together. “Bring it.”

               
“All right, the category is people and places. What natural wonder did the
Navajo call the house of stone and light?”

               
“Oh, that’s easy, the Grand Canyon.”

               
“That’s like the easiest question,” Damien scoffs.

               
She sticks her tongue out at him.  “It was a fair question.  I still
get a piece.”  Kayla puts a wedge in her circle.  “Now, I have all
six pieces, you know what that means.”

               
“Whatever.” Damien laughs.  “You still have to get to the center and
answer that question right.”

               
“Watch me,” Kayla retorts.  She nudges him with her shoulder since he’s
sitting next to her.  He nudges back.  Kayla picks up the dice and
rolls.  Moving her piece, she says, “History.”

               
Her dad takes a card out.  “All right, Marco Polo questions.”

               
Turning to Damien, Kayla giggles. “If that isn’t appropriate.”

               
He laughs back. “I’m never going to let you live it down if you get it wrong.”

               
“What is so important about Marco Polo?” Jackson asks.

               
Damien replies, “Nothing, just a little competition.  Okay, Miss Kayla,
let’s see what you got.”

               
Kayla’s father looks at the card and reads, “What Asian island nation did Marco
Polo know as Cipangu?”

               
“I have no idea.  Ummm, well it’s an Asian island, so I’ll say…hmm…” Kayla
tries to remember everything she knows about Marco Polo, trying to see if
something triggers an answer.

               
Damien leans over. “Do you want some help?”

               
“NO,
”
Kayla snaps.
“
Be quiet.”  Damien smiles and sits
back up.  “I’ll say Japan,” Kayla finally answers.

               
“Correct,” her father chirps.

               
She throws her hands up. “I rule!”  Kayla picks up the dice and rolls
again.  “Oh yeah, who’s in the center, yeah, that would be me.”

               
“Stop boasting and get the question right.” Damien laughs.

               
“What category do you want?” Kayla’s dad inquires.

               
Thinking about it, Kayla finally says, “People and places.”

               
Her mom takes out a card and reads, “For the win, what state is the top United
States honeymoon spot?”

               
Kayla groans and puts her head on the table. “What kind of question is
that?  Ugh, I don’t know!”

               
“Guess,” Jackson retorts.

               
She sits back and glares at him. “Of course you want me to guess.  It’s
your turn next.”

               
He wiggles his eyebrows. “It’s who is smarter; guess, Kayla.”

               
With a heavy sigh, Kayla winces. “California?”

               
“That’s your guess? California?”

               
“Yes,” she snaps.

               
Her dad exhales. “No, I’m sorry. It’s Florida.”

               
“Knew it,” Jackson quips.  Kayla scoots under the table and kicks him in
the shin.  He grabs his leg and glares across the table at her. “Ouch,
sore loser!”  She sticks her tongue out at him.  “Real mature,
Kayla.  All right, let’s see who the winner is.”  Jackson takes the
dice and rolls.  “Five. Oh what, does that take me to the center? Why yes
it does.”

               
“Cheat!” Kayla shouts.

               
Jackson sticks his hands out.  “How am I cheating?”

               
Crossing her arms, Kayla mumbles, “You suck.”

               
“What category do you want?” her mom asks Jackson.

               
Jackson pauses and turns to Kayla.  “I’m going to win,
but
I will
let you pick the category.”

               
“He’s going to get it wrong,” Damien whispers. “So don’t worry about it.”

               
“That’s what you think.  Pick the category, Kayla.”

               
She leans forward. “You can have people and places, so I’ll feel better when
you get it wrong too.”

               
Her mom says, “Okay, whose Missouri national monument was first named after an
African-American?”

               
“Ha!  Try and get that one right,” Kayla jeers.

               
Damien laughs. “See, he’ll fail, it will be my turn, and I’ll win, because I’m
obviously the smartest one here.”

               
“Shut up, Damien,” Jackson snaps.  He taps his chin and sarcastically sighs.
“Wow, whatever could the answer be?  Hmm, I don’t know.  This is a
tough one.”

               
“Guess,” Kayla snaps mockingly.

               
Jackson looks at her and answers, “George Washington Carver’s.”

               
“Correct,” her mom yells.

               
“NO!” Kayla screams, slamming her hands on the table.  “He cheats!”

               
Tilting his chair back, Jackson puts his hands behind his head.  “I don’t
cheat, I win.  So you won the bet, and I won the game.”

               
Damien grumbles, “This is ridiculous.  I go to Yale.  I’m a disgrace
to myself.”

               
“Ooh, poor baby, someone is smarter than you, who would have thought that would
ever happen?”

               
Scowling, Kayla says, “Whatever, boooo!”

               
With a cough, Jackson says, “Sore loser.”

               
“All right, we have to go home and unpack.  You kids should do your
homework.”

               
Jackson sighs. “Yeah, I have some to do.  Good game, good pizza, but I
have to be responsible now.  Kayla, we can do our homework together. 
You have new calculus equations.  I told your teacher I would show you.”

               
Damien snorts.  “I am more than able to help her with her homework.”

               
“You’ll probably be a distraction,” Kayla’s dad replies.  “Kayla needs to
take her studies seriously this week, since she’ll be gone.”

               
Damien looks at her dad. “I know that.”

               
“No, seriously, Damien, I probably should study with Jackson.  Our story
is also due this week, so you
’
ll
have to stay occupied until later,” Kayla states.

               
“Fine, I’ll watch some movies.”

               
Kayla nods as she stands up.  Looking at her parents, Kayla says, “We’ll
see you guys tomorrow then?”

               
“Yup,” Kayla’s dad replies.  Kayla walks over to them and gives them each
a hug and a kiss.  “Be safe.”

               
“I will,” Kayla promises.  Her parents leave and then she turns to
Damien.  “You have to swear, no distractions.”

               
“I won’t interrupt you,” Damien states, holding his hand up. “But you have to
give me a kiss before you go.”  Kayla goes up on her toes and gently
presses her lips to his.  “I expect for you to at least come and say good
night before you go to sleep.  Oh wait, did you want to call the council?”

               
Shaking her head, Kayla says, “No, maybe tomorrow.  I believe you.”

               
Damien sighs. “You can trust me.  I trust you completely.”  He puts
his hand on the side of her face and traces his thumb across her cheek.

               
She puts her hand on top of his and says, “I don’t plan on ever hurting you.”

               
“I’ve never had a broken heart before, and I don’t think I want to go through
that, but let’s not talk about that.  You should go do your
homework.  Go, study, beat Jackson some more on school stuff.”

               
Jackson snorts. “Yeah, okay.  Come on, Kayla.”  She waves at Damien
one more time and then follows Jackson to his room.  When they get there,
Jackson shuts the door.  Kayla raises her eyebrows.  He laughs. “I
don’t trust Damien to leave you alone, and you need to get this done.”

               
“Okay.” Kayla giggles.

               
Jackson gestures to his desk.  He opens Kayla’s backpack.  “You have
to read four chapters for history, but you can do that tomorrow, because you’re
going to promise me you won’t go anywhere.  Damien is going to have to
train you tomorrow since he didn’t do it today.  I think blocking someone
out of Shima is the best idea.”

               
“I agree.  Okay, let’s do this.”

               
Two hours later, Kayla slams her book shut.  “Had enough?” Jackson asks,
chuckling.

               
“Yes, math done and no more reading, we should work on our story.”

               
“Sounds good. So, obviously, now you know you were picturing our home planet.”

               
Snorting, Kayla says, “Yeah, who would have known.  So we’re an alien race
that was at war and fled from home?”

               
“Yup.”

               
Kayla’s stomach twitches.  “Uh-oh,” she exhales.

               
“Come on,” Jackson instructs. “Sit on the floor.  We’ll go to Shima.”

               
“Okay,” Kayla replies, dropping to the floor.  He sits down opposite her
and closes his eyes.  Kayla follows him and instantly, they are in
Shima.  Spinning around, Kayla says, “It’s almost freeing here.”

               
Jackson nods. “It is.  It balances you out, body and soul.  Where do
you want to go?”

               
Kayla closes her eyes and thinks of their world.  When she opens them back
up, they are standing in a forest of trees that are red with black
leaves.  “This place is so cool,” she exclaims.

               
“It dwells in all our hearts.  I don’t think it will ever be forgotten,”
Jackson replies.  “Do you still want our story to take place here?”

               
“Won’t we get into trouble?  Letting loose our alien secrets?”

               
Jackson laughs. “Unless you were publishing a novel with our exact story to try
and out us, you’ll be fine.”

               
“Okay, let’s see, what kind of story should it be, a suspense, a horror…a love
story?”  She doesn’t turn around to look at him. She just starts to walk
amongst the trees, tracing her fingers over the leaves of the plants.

               
“What kind of story do
you
want it to be?  It has to be fifteen
pages long,” Jackson says quietly as he follows her.

               
Stopping at a flowered plant, Kayla bends over and smells it.  “You can
actually smell the flower!”

               
“Yeah, you can even eat things, it just won’t give you any nutrients.”

               
“It’s like the ultimate diet.”

               
Palming his forehead, Jackson sighs. “Kayla, you don’t need to worry about your
weight.  Your metabolism is too high when you’re shifting.  Anyway,
you’re beautiful, just the way you are.”

               
Kayla smiles at him.  “Thank you.”

               
“So what kind of story do you want to do?” Jackson asks quietly, walking up
next to her.  Kayla fiddles with the weird petals of the flower and
shrugs.  Jackson takes her hair and puts it behind her ear.  “Why
don’t we do a love story? It’s the easiest.”

               
Kayla turns to him.  “What kind of love story?  Two people who can’t
be together?”

               
Jackson looks at her tenderly but doesn’t say anything.  Finally, he
whispers, “Isn’t that very Romeo and Juliet?”

               
“I guess,” Kayla exhales, turning away from him.  She starts to walk
again.  “I say it should be about a guy who is closed off and bitter about
the world and the girl is able to get underneath that and open him back up.”

               
“In fifteen pages?” Jackson asks, with a chuckle.

               
“Okay, smarty pants, what do you think it should be?”

               
Walking past her, Jackson says, “I say it should be about two friends who
realize they are in love with each other.”

               
Her breath stops and she squeaks, “Okay.  What should their names be?”

               
“Oh,” Jackson replies, turning around.  “They have to be ridiculous. 
Like Macon, because it sounds like bacon and Starlight, because Sunshine is not
acceptable.”

               
Kayla bursts out giggling.  “If the opportunity ever presents itself, you
and I should pretend were having a baby and tell our parents we’re naming it
Macon.”