Shift (The Neturu Chronicles) (48 page)

               
“What’s wrong?  You have an odd look on your face,” Damien asks.

               
Shaking her head, Kayla smiles, “Nothing’s wrong.  I need to use your
computer.  I want to put this up for
everyone
to vote.” 
Moving away from Jackson, she sits down on the bed.

               
“I think you should put your vote in first,” Damien states, sitting down next
to her.  Kayla takes the computer but doesn’t say anything.  “What,
you aren’t going to vote for me?”

               
“I can’t vote between you two, that’s mean.  Jackson is my friend.  I
can’t hurt his feelings.  I will leave it up to my Facebook friends, which
includes almost every girl from school.  I’ll even make it public, so even
more people can vote.”

               
Jackson laughs. “I don’t know if I want that picture out there for everyone to
see.”

               
“Nonsense, you guys are beyond hot.  This is a good thing.  Maybe a
Neturu will see it and come knocking on your door.”

               
Jackson snorts.  “Yeah, that’s what I want.”

               
She doesn’t say anything back but focuses on finishing the online poll. 
“Okay,” she finally says. “There we go.  We will know the truth soon
enough.”

               
“I’ll rock this.  Watch and weep, Jackson.”

               
“We shall see,” Jackson replies.

               
“I have to use the bathroom, so I’ll be right back,” Damien states, jumping off
the bed.  “Try not to make out with each other, please.”

               
Kayla’s jaw drops. 

“He’s so annoying,” Jackson
grumbles, sitting down next to her.  “It’s not like we do it that often.”

               
She turns to him.  “Umm, yeah we kind of do, but we aren’t going to
anymore, right?”

               
Looking her in the eyes, Jackson replies, “No, we aren’t.  So you friended
him and not me?”

               
“I haven’t gotten that far yet,” Kayla whispers, typing on the computer. 
“Are you friends with Damien?”

               
“Sadly, yes,” Jackson replies.  “I think he has me in the family
section.  I wanted to deny he was my relative, but I get along with his
sisters really well, so I didn’t want to offend them.”

               
“Victoria is really cute.”

               
Jackson nods in agreement. “Yeah she is, sweet as can be too.”

               
She searches Facebook for Jackson
’
s
name. “There you are.  Aww, what a handsome picture of you.”

               
“Thanks, are you going to stalk my page all night?”

               
Kayla sighs. “I don’t have a laptop or I would.”

               
“You can use mine,” Jackson offers. “Whenever you want.”

               
A ding comes from the computer and they both look down.  “Oh no, it’s
Tracy,” Kayla squeaks. 

               
The message says:

You are not sick.

               
“This isn’t good,” Jackson murmurs.  “You have to tell her that you really
are.”

               
“I can’t lie to her anymore,” Kayla whines.  “She’s my best friend.”

               
Jackson looks at her. “You can’t tell her that you’re going through a
transformation because you’re an alien.”

               
“I can tell her I’m going through some family stuff that involves you, and I
just need to be here right now.”

               
“Go ahead, see if she believes it.”

               
Kayla opens an IM window and writes:

Okay, I’m not sick, but there is stuff
going on right now.  I need to be with my family.

               
Tracy replies:

Why couldn’t you tell me that?

               
Sighing, Kayla writes:

                               
It’s secret family stuff that I can’t talk about.  It involves Jackson’s
family, and I’m at his house right now.

               
There is a pause and then Tracy replies:

So you’re too busy taking HOT pictures
of boys to tell me the truth.  And now you’re in a relationship with
Damien.  WHAT HAVE I MISSED?

Kayla snorts and responds:

It’s a long story, but Jackson is
sitting right next to me, reading this, so I’ll tell you later.

               
Turning to her, Jackson says, “Do you want me to leave?”

               
“No,” Kayla replies, patting his knee.  “Stay exactly where you are.”

               
“Okay, if you need a moment to gush over Damien, I’ll gladly leave, so I don’t
barf all over his computer.”

               
Kayla giggles.  “Don’t worry, I’ll leave gushing about you two for when
I’m alone with her.”

               
“Gushing over both of us? What are you going to gush about me?” Jackson asks
with raised eyebrows.

               
“What?  Wait, that didn’t come out the way I wanted it to.”

               
“Mmhmm,” Jackson hums.  “You can tell her how awesome I am all you want.”

               
Another ping alerts her to Tracy’s response.

               
Tracy writes:

                               
When can I see you so you can give me all the dirt?

               
Kayla looks at Jackson.  “How can I answer that?”

               
“Tell her she can come over tomorrow.  We’ll pump you full of Kiej and if
you feel the need to shift, you can run into your room.”

               
“Are you sure?  That could be messy.”

               
Jackson gives her a soft smile.  “We aren’t trying to shut you out of your
life.  We will slowly ease you back in.  Damien can make you some of
those shakes, and I’ll bake some brownies.”

               
“Thank you,” Kayla exclaims, wrapping her arms around him.  “I can’t wait
to see her.”

               
“Go ahead and tell her she can follow me over here after school.”

Kayla writes: 

Tomorrow after school, you can tailgate
Jackson here.  I will kick him and Damien out.  Oh, bring a swim
suit!  They have a pool and
Jacuzzi.               

               
Tracy replies:

Yay!  So pumped.  Wait, why
are you at
Jackson’s?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                

               
Kayla replies:

Family issues, can’t really talk about
it, but I’m excited to see you!  I have so much to tell you.

               
Tracy messages:

                               
Is it about kissing those two hot boys?

               
Jackson turns and looks at Kayla.  “Yes, what are you going to talk to
Tracy about?”

               
“Kissing cute guys.” Kayla giggles.  “Come on, I have to tell
someone
.”

               
“As long as you tell her about your dream too, and how I rocked your world.”

               
Kayla rolls her eyes and groans. “Whatever, Jackson.”

               
He leans over and whispers, “I know you liked it from the way you reacted in
your sleep, so…you can tell her all about that.  The soft murmurs and
almost ripping the sheets.”

               
“Shut up!” Kayla yells, pushing him away.  Her face turns beet red. 
“I am never going to live that down!”

               
“Nope, but I still have to tell you about my dream.  Maybe I can just tell
Tracy about it.  I think she would get a kick out of hearing it.”

               
She punches him lightly in the arm. “Don’t you
dare!
 
It’s not funny.”  Lowering her voice, Kayla hisses, “Damien will be back
any second and you need to shut up!”

               
Almost on cue Damien walks into the room.  “What have I missed?”

               
“We’re going to pump Kayla full of as much Kiej as possible because Tracy is
coming here tomorrow,” Jackson replies.

               
“Were you going to check with me before doing that, since I’m the one in charge
of her safety right now?”

               
“Fine, Tracy is coming to visit me in
my
house and Kayla will just
happen to be here.”

               
Damien gives a hard look to Jackson.  “Whatever, she should be fine. 
Kayla has gotten very good at sensing when she needs to shift, and she knows
what to do.  I think having a friend over sounds fun.”

               
“Yea!” Kayla squeals, jumping up.  “A reprieve of all this alien stuff and
some normalcy back in my life.  Girl time!  Even better, talking
about boys in the Jacuzzi time.  No better yet, the sauna!  That has
a closed door.”

               
“Oh boy,” Damien sighs sarcastically.  “If I could only be a fly on that
wall.”

               
“Too bad,” Kayla snickers.  She looks back at the computer and writes:

We will talk all about the two hot boys
standing next to me.  I have plenty to dish.

               
Tracy replies: 

So does this mean you aren’t sharing
either of them?

               
Damien looks at Jackson.  “Tracy is all yours if you want her.”

               
That comment makes Kayla’s chest tighten.  “I didn’t think Jackson was
interested,” she whispers, trying to sound cheery.

               
“That’s because I’m not,” Jackson assures.

               
Kayla nervously types:

No, I’m not sharing.  Leave them
be.  Find other boys to kiss.

               
Tracy replies:

But it has to be so much fun to kiss
THOSE boys.  Tell me I’m lying.

               
Both guys laugh at Tracy’s comment.  Kayla groans and writes:

                               
They are both standing right here.  Say hi, Tracy.

               
There is a pause and then:

                               
Hi guys!  I give Jackson my vote, sorry Damien.

               
“Ouch.” Jackson chuckles.  “One down, so many to go.”

               
“Whatever, Jackson,
it’s
one girl.  I have
Kayla’s vote and hers is the most important.”

               
Kayla’s stomach twists with unease. “Yup, I’m the most important.  Okay,
I’m saying good night to her and then to you and then going to bed.” 
Kayla goes back to typing:

                               
I will see you tomorrow.  I’m going to go to bed now.

               
Tracy replies:

Alone or with company?  You are staying
with two gorgeous boys.

               
As her face lights on fire, Kayla writes:

                               
TRACY! SHUT UP!

               
A smiley face appears and then:

Pick one, Kayla, but choose wisely for
you only get one chance.

Kayla rolls her eyes.

Good night, Tracy.  I’m logging
off now.  Hey, bring your laptop tomorrow, okay?  Talk to you later!

               
Tracy writes:

                               
Night!

               
“All right, I’m going to bed,” Kayla states.  “I’ve had enough of today.”

               
“I’ll walk you down,” Damien says.

               
 “Why?
”
Jackson asks.
“
It’s right next to my
room.  She’ll be using
my
bathroom.  Say good night here and
be done with it.”