Ghost Child - Chapter Four
I turned off the faucet and stood, “Aright. In you go.”
Heath was about to just step into the tub with his clothes on. I groaned.
“Not like that you idiot!” I whacked his good arm.
“Well okay.” He started to undo his belt and I groaned some more.
“No! Transform into a wolf,”
“Oh,” suddenly there was a white-blond wolf in front of me. I pointed at the tub. He hopped in and rolled over in the warm water, getting soaking wet. I put some shampoo into my palm and started to lather his fur. He barked happily and rubbed his head against my hand. I scrubbed behind his ears and got his neck and kept scrubbing until he smelled like lilacs. His fur had a glossy sheen to it when I started draining the tub. I wiped my hands on a towel and stepped back.
“Okay, done.”
Water drops splattered my clothes and got my hair as he shook off. I yelped from the sudden water attack and he did a dog laugh. He jumped out of the tub and knocked me to the ground, wrestling with me. Suddenly it was Heath lying next to me and not the wolf. He smiled and shook his wet hair.
“Um Heath?”
“Yeah?”
“Clothes,” I mouthed.
He rolled away and stepped into the boxers and pajama pants I’d set out for him. His bandages weren’t three anymore and I got the bandaging tape out of my closet in the bathroom. He jumped onto the counter and sat with his feet dangling off. He waited patiently as I did his bandaging. Finally when I had finished he said, “I’m sorry.”
“For?”
“Pulling you away from your home. I brought you here and I didn’t mean to.”
I looked to see if he was joking but his eyes were cast on the floor. I put my hand on his chin and he looked at me.
“Heath, bringing me here was the best part of my life yet.”
Heath snorted, “Only because you precious Lex lives here.”
I shrugged, “Sure, but there are other people here that I like a lot too.”
Heath raised an eyebrow, “Oh really?”
“Yup.” I should have figured what was coming next.
Heath took my face in his hands and kissed me. I got away a second later and started to say, “Heath you know I love—“
“Good excuse Rina.” Snarled someone behind me. I whipped around and saw Lex crouched in the doorway.
“Lex! I swear I didn’t—“
“Nice try Ri. I was coming to ask if you wanted to spend the night in my room, instead I see you lip-locked with Heath,” He turned and ran.
Now was my turn to be mad, “Heath!” I screeched, “Why’d you kiss me?!”
Heath got off the counter, “I thought we had something, you and I. Whatever.” He walked to his room.
I only had one person left to talk to. Brad. I cracked opened his bedroom door, “Brad?”
He walked out of his bathroom, his wings folding into his back, “Hey Rina. What brings you here?”
I hesitated in his doorway but walked in and sat in a chair.
“I’m here because Heath and Lex hate me.”
“Ohhh, is this about the bathroom thing?” Man, new traveled fast around here!
“Yeah.” I told him how I saw it and how Lex looked and exactly what he said to me.
“But you still care for him?” Brad asked me.
“Of course I do! I care a lot!” I sounded shocked.
“Then I’d go see if he’s still offering for you to spend the night with him,” he winked but grew serious again, “Of course, talk things over too.”
I nodded and gave Brad a quick hug, “Thanks for you advice.” I got up to leave and Brad said, “Rina, wait.” I turned around.
“Be careful.” He said.
“Got it.” And I left. I slowly made my way to Lex’s room and knocked. No answer. I opened the door and saw Lex lying on his bed, throwing a ball in the air and catching it. He barely even glanced at me as I shut the door and walked to him. I sat on the edge of his bed, crossed my legs and cleared my throat. No reaction from him.
“I was wondering if I could still take up your offer?” I asked him.
He grunted and shrugged. I sighed and crawled to him. I leaned down and put my arms around him and pressed my lips to his neck. I inched my way up his neck and kissed his jawbone, then cheek. He moaned and I caressed his face and traced his lips with my fingers. Finally I hovered my face only two inches about his.
“I love you,” I whispered.
“I know,” he answered and pulled my face to his. We kissed for what seemed like forever and I laid my head in the crook of his shoulder.
“By the way, I didn’t kiss Heath.”
He sighed and repeated, “I know.” But continued with, “I’m sorry though that I lost my temper. I shouldn’t have.”
“Yeah, well I forgive you. And I’m sorry too.”
“Why are you sorry?” he asked in a surprised tone.
“Because I was so dumb to let Heath trick me.” I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep in his arms.
Surprisingly, I slept soundly and peacefully. I guess my father had nothing to tell me that night. But honestly I was okay without him appearing. He had only caused me pain and confusion anyway. My eyes fluttered open and I blinked a couple times to clear the fuzziness around my eyes. I looked around and noticed I was much too comfortable than I would be in my usual bed. My eyes flickered up and Lex kissed my head.
He helped me sit up and I sagged into his arms. He clenched my arms only a little to tightly and I looked at his eyes, which flashed red.
“Lex,” I squeaked, “Let me get you some blood.”
I could tell it took a lot of effort on his part to let my arms go and when he did, I scurried away. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a blood bag and ran back upstairs. I threw it to him and he started sucking it down. I watched him by his doorframe abut left to go change. Today I had gotten into a soft yellow camisole, bright red shorts and yellow flats. I put on red earrings and two yellow bracelets on each arm. I skipped into Lex’s room where he was throwing and catching the tennis ball he was using last night. His blue eyes shone and he smiled his beautiful smile when he saw me.
He jumped from the bed and walked to me, “Hey gorgeous.”
“Hey,” I laughed and took his hand and we ran to the kitchen. Brad and Heath were packing black bags, “What’s all this?” I asked.
“We’re going to the IAL meeting, remember?” Heath rolled his eyes.
“Did you two have fun last night?” Brad winked at me.
“WELL—“ Lex began.
“Ugh. Save me the gory details,” Brad groaned, “Besides, we have to go now.” He slung a black bag on his back, “We’ll be back either tonight or tomorrow. Be safe and al that jazz.”
Lex cleared his throat and nodded. Heath gave Lex a look and then Brad and he left the house. The door shut behind them.
“Well,” Lex took my hands and kissed them, “What do you feel like doing today?” from the way his eyes lit up, I could tell he had something on his mind.
My stomach growled, “First, food.” I cooked myself some pasta and sprinkled cheese on it. I sat down and Lex sat across from me. I took a bite and made an “Mmm” sound right before Lex grunted.
“What?” I tilted my head to the side.
“How can you eat that?” he asked.
“It’s good. Can you not eat human food?” I asked.
“No, I can. But I think it tastes awful.”
“Try some,”
He took my fork from me and picked up a piece, then plunged it into his mouth. He swallowed and his face scrunched up like he had just eaten something really sour.
“It’s,” he grunted, “good.”
“HA! Nope, you faker.” I stole my fork back and finished the plate of food.
He grabbed my hand and ran down the stairs into the basement; a part of the house that I’d never been to. It was two connected huge rooms. In one room there was a couch, table, giant TV and a bookshelf of DVDs. In the other room there was a pool table, a mini fridge and a rack for the sticks. He pulled me into the poolroom and grinned. Was this what he’d been so excited about? Pool?
He got me a stick and I took it. He walked up to me and said, “Ever played?”
“Help me?” I asked him sweetly. Of course I’d played though, I had a pool table in my old house.
He held up a black ball and said, “This is the 8 ball.”
I laughed, “I know THAT.”
He shrugged, “Okay.” And went behind me and leaned over me and positioned the stick into my hands, “You pull back and then hit the ball into the hole,” he did a rough demonstration then placed the 8 ball in front of me and said to try.
I narrowed my eyes and hit the sweet spot on the ball. It sailed right into the hole and I grinned.
“You’ve played before!” he scolded me.
“Maybe,” I blew him a kiss.
“Alright, I bet we’re evenly matched for kill then. So let’s make this more interesting. For every point you score, I’ll take off something I’m wearing. When I score, you take off something. Deal?”
“Deal.” I smiled. I was so going to win.
He went first and one ball went in. I took off one bracelet. Another two, another bracelet and an earring. He missed so I took over. This wasn’t like normal pool. It had way too many balls than what I was used to. I sunk two. Off came his shoes. Another two for me and he took off his socks.
I missed, he scored one. There went my other earring. He sunk three. My left shoe and two more bracelets came off. My turn. I got one, he lost his wristband. Another for me and his T-shirt came off. His turn. I had to lose my other shoe. Two balls left. He shot it and I was really dreading taking off my shorts or top.
But wait, it stopped right before it fell into the hole and I smiled while he grumbled some curse words. I made a shot and then he was only in his boxers. I was getting ready to hit the last one when he wrapped his arms around my waist.
“Hold it,” he murmured in my ear.
I twisted around in his grasp and he smiled so I asked him, “What?”
“Another idea.” He leaned down and we kissed for only a couple minutes. Something rattled upstairs and a girl’s voice called out, “LEX? LEX-Y! ARE YOU HOME?”
He pulled back and froze. Lex stepped back and I raised an eyebrow accusingly at him. He looked at the ceiling and muttered, “Oh shit. Not now.”
He gathered his pants and pulled those on and took his gray T-shirt too, “Rina, I’ll be right back. I promise.” And he left.
What girl was waiting upstairs for Lex and why didn’t he want me to come up? Both of those questions didn’t add up to something good in my mind. I slipped on my shoes and accessories and walked up stairs in time to hear,
“Um Veronica, this isn’t the right time to—“
“Oh Lex! You have two hearts! You finally realized that I was your true love.” The girl named Veronica sighed happily.
“Veronica, just please let me—“
“Lex we are going to spend our lives together. I guess you were too young before to know that we were meant for each other.”
I stood with my hands on my hips. No one noticed me so I coughed. Both of them turned to me. Lex smiled and Veronica frowned. Veronica had golden blond curly hair and dark blue eyes. She had a crème colored skin tone and was shorter than Lex but taller than me.
“Who’s she?” Veronica asked sharply.
“I could ask you the same thing,” I walked to them and placed a hand possessively on Lex’s shoulder.
Veronica noticed me touch him and her nostrils flared, “I’m Veronica Haze. I’m Lex’s true love,” she retorted tartly.
“Really? Because I’m Rina Carey and last time I checked, I was his love,” I cocked my head to the side.
Veronica laughed, “HA! Lex, tell her that I’m the reason you have two hearts.”
Lex sighed, “Veronica, I’ve been trying to tell you. Rina is my true love.”
Veronica growled, “That’s impossible. This twerp is your love? She doesn’t look important or,” she did a once over of me, “even look like a vampire. What are you?”
“I’m the Ghost Child.” I told her proudly.
She gasped, “You’re the Ghost Child?” in a hushed voice to Lex she said, “You know she’s Xander’s lover so how can she be your love too?”
Lex ran his hand through his hair, “I don’t exactly know, Veronica. But when we admitted our love to each other, my second heart started beating.”
Again I heard Xander’s name. I didn’t even know him and we were supposed to fall in love? Even if he were a Ghost Child version of Lex, I refused to fall in love with him.
Then the realization hit me and I breathed out heavily, “Lex?” I asked.
“Yes?” he asked back.
“Your second heart beats for the one you’re destined to, right?”
“Yes.” He repeated.
“Then how am I destined for two people?”
