The Crescent (17 page)

“Is this about
Brandon?
” Jillian folded her arms across her chest and tapped her foot on the ground; her hair fell around her shoulders as the sun accentuated her newly faked tan.

“No…” I couldn’t decide whether I should tell her about my dream on Saturday night or not. I don’t really want to hear her opinion right now.

“You don’t sound so sure.” She curled her lip and sneered. “What does this Brandon guy have that Alex doesn’t? I mean seriously- the guy shows up and doesn’t explain anything and then disappears. You haven’t even seen him. I think he’s a loser. Alex is way better for you than Brandon is.”

Her indignant tone rubbed me the wrong way; other than the snobs at school, I had never heard her put down anyone. Before I could tell her I thought she was being a bitch, Alex appeared with a single red rose.

“For you my love.” He kissed my cheek and pulled me into the classroom. He settled his chair in his normal spot next to me at our table. I listened idly as Jillian and Alex chatted about a trip to the San Antonio Mountains over the coming weekend. Alex and Gavin had gone hiking up there before summer and they wanted to go to this ski lodge up there. Alex wanted to make it an overnight trip and Jillian instantly agreed. I felt numb. I shook my head at all the appropriate times, but in actuality I had no interest in going to the mountains with either of them right now. It felt like Jillian was pushing me towards Alex and she didn’t know Brandon well enough to put him down. Then again, I didn’t know enough about Brandon to be imagining my future with him either or jeopardize what I had with Alex for him.

When class was over I barely listened to the two of them as I walked to my locker to put my books away. I pulled out my iPod and untangled my headphones. “Hey, I’m going to walk today.”

Jillian and Alex both stopped their conversation to stare at me. “I thought I was driving you?” Alex said before Jillian added. “I can take you.”

I looked from Alex to Jillian; they didn’t get the hint. “You don’t have your car, Gavin brought you today and it’s a nice day out, I want to walk.” Before either of them could object I shoved my headphones in and headed in the opposite direction.

Linkin Park blared in my ears as I got out the gate of the parking lot and on to the sidewalk. The cheerleaders on the field practiced their routines and football players were suited up running plays. The band students were huddled around Stephen Vinson’s panel van exchanging sheet music. Courtney was in her car yelling at someone on her cell phone. Thomas and Liz were in his car a few spots down making out. I’m sure Courtney knew that they were there. Alex should be with someone like Courtney, not me. She was beautiful and athletic; although she wasn’t the smartest cookie in the bunch. She seemed more his type: needy, slutty and devoid of a mind of her own.

A strong hand wrapped around my elbow and my whole body tensed as I jumped. “Whoa. It’s just me.” Alex threw up his hands, his Camaro parked at the curb. My music was so loud I hadn’t heard him pull up behind me.

I yanked out my earphones and held myself back from yelling at him for scaring me. “What do you want?” I asked bitterly.

Alex didn’t respond at first, he looked at the kids on the field and the people in their cars. “I just… Are you sure you are ok?”

“I’m fine. Stop asking me.” I folded my arms across my chest.

Alex stared waiting for me to add more. But I didn’t.

“Ok, ummm… do you have a problem with people caring for you?”

I don’t know what got into me, but I decided to be honest, brutally honest. “No, but I DO have a problem with people trying to smother me.” Ouch. I shouldn’t have said that and the look on Alex’s face made me instantly regret how insensitive I was.

Before I could apologize, Alex said, “I didn’t realize you felt that way. I’m sorry that I care about you.” He shoved his hands hard into his pockets and turned towards his Camaro. He didn’t look at me as the car roared to life and headed away from school. I watched as the car turned the corner at the end of the road, barely stopping at the stop sign.

I felt miserable for how I treated Alex. I doodled on the desk calendar while Michelle finished reconciling the appointment log from the day. My Aunt was coming over for dinner tonight so I was hanging out waiting for her to drive me home.

“Any calls on Grant?” Michelle asked as she put the logbooks into the filing cabinets.

“No, none yet.” I tapped the pen on the book. I missed Grant. With Jillian being so strange lately and Alex coming on so strong, I really needed an impartial friend.

“I’m sure he went home.” Michelle tried to make me feel better.

“Your mom said he was up to half a pound of hamburger a day! I wouldn’t think he’d want to go anywhere.” My Aunt laughed as she put on her jacket and picked up her purse. I guess she didn’t realize that Michelle was trying to make me feel better. “You ready?”

“Yeah.” I grabbed my backpack and my iPod.

“I’m sure Michelle is right. He probably went home.”

“Are you still calling the shelters for me?” I asked her as we climbed into her car.

“Yes, but still no luck. I’ll keep calling for you though.”

Mom and Dad were both in the kitchen when we got home. Mom took out a small package and handed it to me. “Alex came by today.” She sounded concerned. Dad and Jamie both turned to look at us, gauging my reaction. Mom noticed immediately and led me into the living room away from their prying eyes. I’m sure she knew I’d shut down with the audience. “So do you want to talk about it? Did something happen on Saturday that we need to know about?”

“No, mom nothing happened with him. It’s just…” I glanced towards the kitchen and looked at the small package in my hand. “He already told me he loves me and I just think he’s smothering me.”

Mom gave me a knowing smile. “Honey, first loves are always hard. Do you love him?”

I considered her question for several moments before answering. “Yes.”

“But you hesitated. What is it? Are you scared that you are moving too quickly with him?”

“Sort of. I mean… it’s like we met and BOOM we’re in love.” I couldn’t believe I was confiding in her, but at this point I really had no one else.

Mom laughed. “Sometimes there are just people that come into your life that you are going to have an instant connection with, then there are others that you have to work on. Alex and I spoke for a few minutes when he was here; he is a very worldly, knowledgeable boy.” Mom sat on the couch and I claimed the spot next to her hanging on her every word. “Alex has already had a lot of experiences in his life that you haven’t even dreamed of yet. I think he has already been able to hone in on the qualities that he is looking for in a person, in a partner. He is looking for the long haul.” She smiled. “Give him some time.” She encouraged. “He needs to be patient with you. If he loves you he will step back and take his time. I told him you were new to being in love and being intimate.”

“Mom- please tell me you didn’t tell him that.” I felt flushed.

“What? It’s the truth isn’t it?” I wish she hadn’t told him that.

Oh god. We were going to have THE TALK. “No mom. It’s not. I’m not a virgin anymore.”

My mother’s face turned ghostly white. “You haven’t even had a serious boyfriend yet!”

“Mom- it’s not like I’ve slept around, it was one time with a boy in band. I just wanted to know what the fuss was about.” I waited for her to go ballistic.

Mom’s knuckles turned white as her fingers tug into the pillow on her lap. “I thought I raised you better than that. You didn’t love the boy?”

Averting my gaze I answered. “No.”

Instead of becoming enraged, it surprised me that she seemed relieved as she rubbed my hand gently with hers. “I’m glad you told me, but not glad that I’m finding out this way. You should’ve come and talked to me.”

“Mom- how was I going to tell you that my first time was horrible and I regretted it?”

She let out a small laugh, “Baby that is how most people’s first time is.” She hugged me tightly. “Give Alex some time. He genuinely loves you and he is at his wits end.” She pointed to the gift. “I’m sure I know what is in there.”

I pulled at the large red bow and slid the top off with shaky fingers. Inside was a single red rose and my bracelet wrapped around a small satin white pillow. She leaned over and looked in the box. “I told him we would allow you to keep it- unless you break up. Then it goes back to him. He seemed ok with that.” Looping her tiny fingers around the bracelet, she pulled it from the box and clasped it onto my wrist. Mesmerized by it sparkling in the light, I wondered what else mom had told Alex, or worse yet, what he had told her. It was blatantly obvious that mom’s decision had been made- her choice was Alex. She probably already bought wedding books and stashed them somewhere. I’m sure she thought Alex would be a way to keep me from moving to San Diego… she was wrong.

NINETEEN

By Friday I was exhausted. My nightmares grew more intense and more detailed of my day at the stream with Brandon. Watching his body painfully thrash and turn into a ferocious wolf had soaked deep into my brain and couldn’t be erased. Every night I woke up covered in sweat and screaming. At least when Grant was here I could snuggle against him and pet his soft fur until I was asleep, but now the only comfort I had was my big empty bed and the blanket my Aunt made me.

Alex dropped me off at the clinic after school was out. I tried not to let it bother me that he had talked to my mother about our relationship. I wore the bracelet every day and while I thought it was beautiful, it felt like he claimed me every time I slipped it onto my wrist.

Aunt Jamie and Michelle were behind the counter looking through gossip magazines when I walked through the door. They were watching the clock for closing time to come. They definitely did not need my help. I asked to go home and grabbed my stuff together when she said yes. Alex wanted me to call him when I was ready to go, but all I wanted to do was go home and take a nap. I turned down a ride from my Aunt and walked home instead.

The house was eerily calm when I walked in the door. Neither of my parents were home from work. I grabbed a bottle of water from the kitchen and headed up to my bedroom to lie down. I needed to get some rest and figure out how to make the nightmares stop. Jillian tried to talk me into going to the lodge this weekend, but I made up an excuse to stay home.

I used to tell her practically anything, but when I started to tell her issues I had with Alex she became defensive. After I told her that I was upset that he had brought mom into our relationship she asked me what was wrong with me and told me I needed to wake up and realize what a good thing I had going with him. Since then, I haven’t said much to her about Alex and she hasn’t brought it up either. I also hadn’t mentioned my nightmares, it would be my luck they would try to stage some kind of crazy intervention.

I drew the curtains closed tightly; blocking out as much sun as I could from my room. I set my iPod to shuffle and slid in the earphones as I settled onto my bed. I closed my eyes only for a minute when I felt a finger tapping on my foot. I shot up from my bed and watched as my iPod flew to the floor taking my headphones with it.

“Sorry to wake you.” Lily said calmly as she perched delicately on the footboard of my bed. I blinked hard several times and looked around my room. The sun was no longer seeping through the edges of the curtains. I glanced over at the clock, it was 7pm. I had been asleep for several hours, but it didn’t feel like it. I was still exhausted.

“What are you doing here?” I pulled my knees up to my chest. Lily’s eyes were black as the night as she surveyed my room and looked back at me.

“You haven’t come to me, so I had to come to you.” She said as she shifted forward to kneel on my mattress; her doll-like white dress crumpled at her knees. “They’ve taken Brandon. Matt and Trevor have called for reinforcements from the pack. Brandon must be united with you again.” She picked up my hand and turned it over. Her tiny finger traced the small dot of purple that used to be the crescent. Lily turned her palm over to show me a purple crescent on hers. “Most of us have our mate the entire time we are growing. Our marks appear instantly, binding us to our other half for the rest of our lives.” Lily smiled. “Matt is my soul mate, his mark is darker than mine since he has already transformed. He is my protector and my mark darkens and grows the more we are together and the closer I become to my transformation.” She swirled her finger on my palm again. “Yours has faded because your connection and bond with Brandon is being broken by Alex. The longer that bond is broken, the longer it will take for your transformation to occur. Brandon will have to wait for you and the two of you won’t be whole until you transform.”

This had to be a dream. I looked around my room for any indication that Brandon would jump out of somewhere as a werewolf, but there was nothing. “Maybe I don’t want to transform.”

Lily’s eyes widened like her lids would tear apart under the pressure. “You
have
to transform.”

I shifted on the bed and moved towards the edge to get up. “I don’t have to do anything.” I grabbed my robe from the chair and slipped it on. “I know this is a dream and I will wake up from it.”

“This is not a dream. This is the truth.” She said sternly and stood up on my bed.

“Lily, where is Brandon?” I tried to distract her as I moved towards the door.

“Matt and Trevor are looking for him, but Brandon is growing weaker the longer he is away from you.” Lily hopped down effortlessly from the edge of the bed to stand directly in front of me, blocking the doorway.

“This is just a dream.” I repeated to myself and started to pinch my arm hoping to stir myself awake before I had to watch Lily turn into a monster. If this dream was like the others, she’d be ripping apart any minute now. I heard the front door open downstairs.

“If you don’t transform, Brandon will die. You cannot remain a half of a whole. If you do not go to him, he will not be strong enough to defend himself. You must save him.” Her words were ominous as her eyes grew blacker than the night sky.