Wingless Book Series (book 1) (30 page)

“
But,” was all I got
out.

“
But nothing Eve. They’re going to
fight like hell to get it back. I’m sorry you don’t want to grasp
that, but just be happy that Evan loves you and he is doing it all
right,” she said, getting up and going inside.

Chapter 30

Sanity

It was morning in Piper;
everything looked so lively and awake. I stared out the kitchen
window clutching a cup of hot tea. This was the first day
officially being here in the house. Evan left earlier to go play
golf with Mark and Kenny. I hadn’t heard from Ari, so I was alone
for the day. There was nothing to clean because the maid kept all
that up. I was starting to feel a little out of place and bored, so
I went out on the front porch to people watch.

Although that was the plan,
there weren’t many people to watch. Thoughts of me losing my mind
started to drift into my head. And the thought that my parents
would probably kill me if they knew I was no longer in town and had
packed up and left without telling them. I felt odd and not
right.

Everything at one time seemed so
simple to me. I felt I was in love with the most amazing guy ever,
and that’s all I cared about. But now I wasn’t sure if it was love
that got me where I was. I was starting to wonder if it was a
destiny of sorts, and I had no way out. I knew Evan was nothing but
good to me. Sure, he had a temper once in a while, but he was so
kind and caring. He did everything to make me happy. He lived to
please me. So what more could I need?

I wasn’t sure I couldn’t wrap my
brain around whether or not my life could still be the way I
wanted, or was it going to be created by a group of the undead? Did
I have the same life still? Was I even the same person? All these
things battered my thoughts. I didn’t know how to word it all to
Evan; he only knew how to love me. He didn’t see those things as I
did. And maybe that was my problem.

The same blonde that I had
seen the day before was jogging along the sidewalk; she came to a
slower
pace as she noticed me. Her
expression wasn’t that friendly or inviting. I caught her glance,
going back to the magazine I had been staring at. I was hoping she
would get the hint and keep walking. There was just something about
her that
made me feel I wouldn’t get along
with her or like her.

“
Hello?” she called out, pulling
her glasses on to the top of her head to get a better look at
me.

I closed my magazine wondering if
it would be possible to pretend I was deaf. At this point, I didn’t
think it would work to well.

“
Hello,” I said. I wriggled my
toes inside my shoes in angst.

“
You’re new here. I’m Jade.” She
extended her hand, her shiny polished nails the first thing I
noticed. I stared at her and she stared at me, neither one of us
knowing what to say next. “How long have you and your husband been
together now?” she asked, looking past me as if she was hoping to
see him.

“
We aren’t,” I said, catching my
words. “We aren’t married yet, just engaged,” I said, flashing my
hand in front of my face. The wind whipped my hair sending it
flying lazily everywhere.

“
Stunning, and congrats,” she
said, nodding her head.

“
What exactly is it you
do?”

“
What is that suppose to mean?” I
asked, sensing her nosiness.

“
Do you work, or do something
during the day to pass the time?”

I tossed the magazine down beside
me getting up; I had enough of this trivial
interrogation.

“
I’m sorry, my friend is expecting
me,” I said walking down the sidewalk.

“
Oh, well you never said your
name,” she said, astonished that I had been so quick to jet
off.

“
Eve,” I said dryly, running up
the steps to Ari’s. I banged my fist against the big red door. Ari
came quickly looking half asleep.

“
Morning sunshine,” I said coming
in, feeling as if I’d just escaped the enemy.

“
Morning,” she mumbled, setting up
the coffee pot.

“
I don’t know how I feel about all
of this. I think I am going crazy,” I said, pulling my hair up in a
messy self-made bun.

“
How so, and why so early?” she
said coughing. Now that I looked at her, she didn’t look so
good.

“
I was sitting outside trying to
enjoy myself and right off the bat, I had someone bombarding me
with all these questions.”

“
That’s how humans get to know
each other,” Ari suggested.

“
That’s not me though. And she
didn’t seem like a good person,” I said.

“
Who was she?” Ari asked, pouring
a cup of coffee.

“
She said her name was
Jade.”

Ari nearly spit her coffee out.
“Oh yeah, your best bet is to keep doing what you’re doing. She’s a
little wacky.” We both laughed.

“
See, I knew I was right,” I said,
staring off.

“
She is with Guy. Total meathead.
Not that bright. I don’t know, very materialistic and shallow is
how I peg her,” Ari said with an amused look.

I decided to hang out with Ari for
a little while. There was no sense sitting at my house with no one
there to talk to. Just then, my phone buzzed in my pocket, bringing
me back to reality. It was Vanessa. I hadn’t talked to her since
the shopping trip. I hadn’t even called her back that night, and I
felt bad about that.

“
Hello?” I asked, hoping she
wouldn’t lash out at me.

“
Hey there.” Her tone was her
usual.

“
What’s up?” I asked, feeling
paranoid that Vanessa knew I had moved away.

“
I was wondering what you were
doing tonight. I kind of wanted to hit up a party and it’s been
awhile since you came along. Evan wouldn’t mind would he?” she
asked teasingly.

I didn’t think he would, but I
wasn’t sure how trusting he was of me going off alone to a social
gathering such as a young group throwing a party.

“
I will talk to him about it. I’m
sure it’s fine. Besides, I’m not a kid,” I said half laughing. I
bit my lip, looking at Ari who cast me a worried look.

“
Alright, well meet me at my house
at seven then,” she said hanging up.

As I put my phone away Ari came
closer. She obviously thought something weird was going
on.

“
What was that all about, and why
do you look so worried?” she asked, taking a seat at the
table.

“
That was Nessa. She asked me to
come along to a party,” I said, looking Ari over for some sort of
indication that I was wrong.

“
Okay. And you’re going?” she
said, tapping the table.

“
I think so. I need to get out and
take a breather from all the newness, ya know?”

Ari just nodded.

“
Newness, eh?” Mark said coming in
the door along with Kenny and then Evan. They all were hot and
sweaty.

“
Hi,” I said, blushing.

Evan cracked open a soda, downing
it, and then staring at me with a concerned expression. “How you
been?” he asked.

“
Fine. I’m fine,” I said, getting
more uncomfortable as the three of them looked at me.

“
What newness? What does that
mean?” Evan asked.

“
Nessa called and asked if I
wanted to go out with her,” I explained.

“
Oh. Well, go where?” Evan asked
me, looking a little uneasy. Kenny let out a sigh and headed out of
the room. Mark followed shortly after.

“
What is all that about?” I asked,
thinking everyone had just become really odd suddenly.

Ari was the only one left sitting.
She caught on finally and scrambled out quietly as well.

“
She wanted to go to a party,” I
said.

“
I don’t think
that’s a good idea. Do you?” he asked me. My face felt warm and I
was ready to blow up. I wasn’t a child. And I truly thought that
Evan would be alright
with
it.

“
I wasn’t asking you Evan, I was
telling you,” I said in a low voice. Low because I was ready to
scream at him.

“
I know that, I just don’t think
it’s a good idea. You shouldn’t be drinking,” he tossed out as if
to make up for what he had done.

“
I didn’t plan on it.” I turned
away, looking out the kitchen window. This place was feeling more
like a jail.

“
Are you feeling trapped?” he
asked, poking into my thoughts again. He had a weird way of doing
that.

“
Sort of. I just wanted to get out
of here and be around the familiar. Is that so bad?” I
asked.

“
Take Ari out. I’m sure you and
her could have fun.” He brushed his hand across my
cheek.

“
Yeah, I guess so,” I agreed. It
was no agreement whatsoever. It was to get him to leave it be. I
wasn’t going to give in, I was still going, whether he liked it or
not.

I turned to face Evan, getting on
my tiptoes to kiss him. I hugged him tightly.

“
It’s the first real day. Things
will get normal after a while,” he assured me, smoothing my
hair.

“
Oh, I’m sure it will. I think I’m
going to head home and take a nap. What are your plans?” I
asked.

“
Mark wanted me to help him with
some yard work, so if you’re lying down I guess I can tell him I
can do it. I told him no because I wanted to spend some time with
you,” he said falling into my trap.

“
Yeah, that’s fine. Mark seems
like a nice guy. I’m glad you get to spend time with him. Have
fun.” I kissed him again, long and hard, knowing doing all this
would leave him to believe that everything was alright.

Evan smiled at me, a strange
expression across his face. “I think so too,” he
laughed.

“
Who thinks what?” Mark said
coming into the kitchen.

“
Eve thinks you’re a nice guy,”
Evan said laughing.

“
Well, what’s so funny about that?
Aren’t I?” he asked, looking concerned.

“
Yeah, of course you are. Who
would think otherwise?” Evan said, raising an eyebrow.

“
Well, I’m heading home now. Have
fun with the yard work guys,” I said turning to head out the
door.

“
Yard work?” Mark
asked.

I stopped in mid stride turning to
look at Mark and Evan.

“
Yeah, I told you I couldn’t, but
she’s taking a nap so it’s cool, I’ll help,” Evan said.

Mark just nodded.

Chapter 31

Window

I stared at myself in the
mirror; the girl looking back at me looked puzzled. Her face one of
worry again. It had been a long time since she’d worried. I took
some deep breaths debating on taking off without letting Evan know.
It was a little upsetting to think about deceiving him, but at the
same time, I needed a release. I had gone
along with so much and I was feeling
suffocated.

I tapped my feet on the
floor as I sat at the edge of the bathtub, nervous. I figured the
best way to make my way out without anyone seeing me leave was out
the bathroom window. And there I sat, waiting for it to
get closer to six so I could head out. What would
Evan even do? Would he yell? Would they send a bunch of goons after
me? I wasn’t sure. I didn’t think it would be something that bad; I
was, after all, coming back.

“
You can do this. It’s fine,” I
said, my heart racing.

I leaned over the sink trying to
catch my breath. It was like escaping prison. And then I started
feeling upset with myself. Why should I worry about going to see my
best friend? It’s not as if I was doing something wrong. I grabbed
hold of the handle, pulling the window open, the warm air hitting
my whole body as I shimmied through. My jacket caught on something,
keeping me from dropping. I sighed, turning to slip halfway in to
undo it. Maybe it was a sign.

“
No, it’s just a freaking jacket,
Eve,” I said to myself.

I got loose, running down the side
street and making my way to the gates. My flip flops making plenty
of unnecessary noise as I kept a quick pace. The man at the gate
didn’t look twice as I headed out of Piper Valley.

I ran down the road some, going
into a group of trees before I pulled my cell phone out to call
Vanessa. I had to tell her to pick me up. There was no way I could
walk all the way back to town.

She agreed to meet me, not knowing
or even questioning why I was all the way where I was. I pulled my
jacket on over my long flowing sundress and sat on the ground
waiting for her car. I was sure no one would see me here. Little by
little, it was getting easier and easier to be free from there. I
already felt tons better. I would have been completely fine if Evan
would have been right next to me. I knew I couldn’t ask him to go
against Carlo or his life, so I was just going to have to find a
way to make mine work with this new one. It wasn’t Evan’s fault we
fell for each other, and it wasn’t my fault he was who he
was.