Chapter eight
I heard his footstep coming down the hallway and then stopping at my door. I looked up from my book.
“Ready?” I asked as I put in the bookmark and set aside the book. I got off my bed and walked to the door, to him. He nodded. He moved out of the doorway to let me by. We walked down the hallway and down the stairs. I peeked into the living room where the rest of the family was.
“Me and Ethan are going for walk,” I said. Landon turned his head to look at me.
“Alright,” He said as he looked at us. I had the strange feeling that Landon didn’t like Ethan much, but he would put up with his presence since the council sent him. Since we never took off our jackets went we came in, we just headed outside. We walked into the forest. As we walked, the earthy scent hit my nose and I close my eyes.
“Still like that scent, huh? You really haven’t change,” Ethan said beside me. I opened my eyes to look at him.
“You have change very much. I hardly recognize you anymore,” I said as I stepped into pace with his. He shrugged his shoulders.
“I grew up,” he remarked. When I felt we were far enough away from the house, I stopped him.
“So Elizabeth,” he said, using my full name. “Why have the burning desire to talk to me and alone?”
“I don’t want my family to heard the intention that the council haves for me,” I stated.
“You can’t protect them forever, you know,” He said with a solemn face.
“I can try though,” I said. I looked him in the eyes. I was very good at reading eyes. I saw Happiness and Sadness at the same time. “Why are you really here?”
“You know the reason for that. The council sent me to be your mate,” he said as he sat down on a stump.
“But you don’t want to be here, do you?” I asked.
“Well, I do want to be here so I could see you again, but I don’t want to mate with you,” He said as he looked at my face, probably for my reaction.
“Why? Am I undesirable?” I asked curiously.
“No, of course not,” He said with a look of shocked. “You are very beautiful and if I wasn’t in love with someone else, I would mate with you.”
“In love with someone else?” I quoted after him. “Who?”
“Do you remember the girl who was change right before you left England with Landon?” Ethan asked as I walked over to him and sat down on the ground in front of him.
“You mean the blonde hair girl that was change by Catherine?” I asked. Catherine was the head of the council. Before Landon and me left England, a young woman who was stabbed by a footpad was brought before her and she made the decision to turn her.
Ethan nodded. “Her name is Sophia and Catherine ordered me to show her on how to feed and other thing. As we spend more time together, we both fell in love with one other. She is very sweet and kind, the total opposite of you, Liz. The day that I got the order to come and mate with you, I was going to ask her to mate with me.”
“Oh Ethan,” I said as I looked at him. He had a dreamy smile on his face. I suppose he was thinking about her, I thought to myself. “I am sorry you had to come over here. You should be with her and not with me.”
“It’s not like I could disobey a order, Liz. You know what happens if you do,” He said.
“Yeah,” I said with a sigh. “So what are we going to do? I mean I don’t want to mate with or you me.”
“I don’t know yet. I am trying to figure out a way,” Ethan said as he stood up. He turned to me and held out his hand. “ Come on, let’s go back to the house. It’s starting to get really dark outside.” I looked around and admitted he was right. We had been out here a good three hours or more and it was starting to get pretty dark outside. I grabbed his hand and got up. When I pulled my hand way, he gripped it harder.
“No. I want to hold your hand,” he said as he looked at me. I felt a blush come to my cheeks.
“Um…okay,” I said. We walked back to the house and thru the front door. I took off my coat and hung it up into the closet, then turned to take Ethan’s as well.
“Thank you,” he said politely.
“You’re welcome,” she said as she walked to the living room. “We’re back. I am going to head up to my room now.” I turned away from the living room and walked up the stairs to my room. I shut the door behind me and sat down on my bed. I sighed and then took off my shoes and lay down on the bed. I thought about the day and the future to come and my future weren’t looking too bright at the moment.
~*~*~*~*~*
The next day in the Grey household was regular routine but just add another person to the mix of things. I got ready. My outfit of the day was a black t-shirt with a pair of light faded blue jeans. I gathered my stuff that I need for the day, which included my backpack, and fencing stuff for practice.
I left my room and heading downstairs when I ran into Ethan. “Sorry Ethan,” I said.
“It’s okay. I am assuming that you and the others are getting ready for school?” He questioned as he walked beside me as we walked down the stairs.
“Yeah. Aren’t you going with us?” she asked.
“Of course I am. The elders may sure that I could go anywhere with you,” he said as with lightning fast speed, he grabbed his schoolbag from his room and got back in a nano-second.
“Impressive,” I said as I heard noise coming from upstairs. “Ashton and Adelicia are coming.” On cue the pair appeared at the top of stairs and they walked down the stairs.
“I guess you are coming to school with us then,” Adelicia said as she sat her stuff next to mine on the floor. Ashton dropped his stuff as well.
“Nissan and Ashton driving again,” I said, taking control of the situation. I grabbed my stuff and headed out to the car. I open the trunk and put my stuff in there. Everyone else follow suit. Ashton then climbed into the driver’s seat and Adelicia in the passenger’s seat. Ethan and I climbed into the back, me behind Adelicia and Ethan behind Ashton.
He drove to school in silence. When we arrived, kids were hanging around their car in the parking lot. Ashton parked on the far side. As I looked out the window, I saw Adam hanging around his mustang with his two dark-haired friends from before. He was looking at the car as we parked. Adelicia noticed this as well.
“Oh, look, Elizabeth. Your human is staring at us,” she pointed out. Ethan looked at me with an eyebrow raised.
“He is not my human,” I grunted out. I looked at Ethan. “ Come on, I will take you to the office, so you can get your schedule.” I got out of the car and grabbed my book bag from the back. Ethan did the same and we walked to the school. Everyone was staring at us, or rather Ethan.
“Why are they staring at me?” he whispered.
“Well, either they think you are a freak like or why are you with me or are we dating or something like that. I try not to read into those types of looks. Stay aware of girls today, because you are more than likely going to get attack by them,” I said as we walked. He turned his head to look at Adam. Why is he looking at him? She thought. I opened the door and we walked inside. We got the office in a couple of minutes.
“May I help you?” the secretary said as we walked into the office.
“Yeah. My cousin just transfer to this school and we were wondering if you have his schedule ready for him,” I said to her. She looked at Ethan.
“What is your name, sweetheart?” she said.
“Ethan. Ethan Sharpe,” He said. She typed his name into the computer.
“Yep. Your schedule is ready for you, which is surprising because it usual takes a couple of days. You must been planning this transfer before you arrived. When did you arrived?” she said as she looked at him. She had that look in her eyes. Oh no, not this again I thought. She did the exact same look when Ashton came in for his first time.
“Yesterday ma’am,” Ethan said politely.
“Ooh, a British accent. So you are a foreign exchange student. Well, here you are dear, and here is also a map for you, because I am sure your cousin has to get to class,” she said as she handed him his schedule and a map.
“Thank you,” he said as we left.
“You do realize that she was hitting on you right?” I asked him as we walked down the hallway.
“Yeah,” he said as he looked at his map and schedule.
“Think you can find your way around?” I asked as I looked at him. He shook his head.
“Alright, let me see your schedule.” He handed over the schedule and I glanced over it and then return it to him. “We don’t have any classes together, so I guess I will see you at lunch, then.”
“Right,” Ethan said as he looked at me. We said our ‘good-byes’ for now and let the day go on.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lunchtime rolled around as I got my lunch. Ashton and Adelicia had already taken our table in the back of the café. I was making my way over there when Ethan and to my surprise, Adam walked in. Ethan looked at me when Adam was getting his food. I raised an eyebrow. He shrugged, and then I shrugged.
I walked over to the table and sat down.
“What is he doing?” Adelicia asked as she stole some food off of Ashton’s tray.
“No clue, but don’t saying anything because he comes,” I whispered as Ethan arrived with Adam at the table.
“Hello, cousins. I take it you know Adam,” Ethan said as he sat down next to me. Adam sat next to him.
“Sure we do. He made a visit to our table yesterday to talk to Elizabeth,” Adelicia said as She looked at Ethan and then me.
Don’t start I sent to her.
What? She asked innocently. I ignored her after that. I zoned out for a while until Ethan tapped me on the hand.
“Liz…Liz…. Elizabeth,” Ethan toned, getting my attention.
I turned to him, “What?”
“There is no practice this afternoon,” Adam said with a little smile on his face.
“Oh,” I said. The ball rang. Everyone picked their trays and get it to the cleaners. The rest of the days went by fast because my mind wasn’t on school, but on Adam and Ethan. One was my suppose mate who was in love with another and another was the human that was making me feel alive again. School ended and everyone was going home.
Ashton and Adelicia were already at the car when Ethan came up to me.
“I won’t be going home just yet, because in my class, we got a project and then the teacher won’t spare me just because I am new. So Adam is going to take me to the library,” He said.
“Okay,” I said as I headed out to the Nissan. I told Ashton and Adelicia where Ethan was going and who with. Then we went home. Hours later, Ethan came home. He stopped by my room on the way to his room. I plopped my book down and stared at him.
“Well, how is your new best buddy?” I asked. He gave me a look. “What?”
“Don’t be like that, Liz. And beside, I am getting the feeling that he is just using me to get to you,” He said as he walked into the room and took a seat in the chair at the desk. He gave me a bright smile. “Looks like you have a suitor.”
“Great. Just great,” I said as I laid my head down on the bed.
So, how is college going? Finals went well?
