7.6 – Endless worries

Result : Just leave and find a place to be alone

James’ POV

I couldn’t stay in plain sight any longer. I climbed to my feet and rushed past my friends, who were still giving me confused looks.

They didn’t try to stop me, and for that I was grateful.

Without looking back, and avoiding any other students, and I ran straight to my room. I knew nobody would be here at this time, class was about to start.

A little out of breath, I sat on Nixanne’s bed and leaned on the ladder railing. I stared at my hands as if they held the answer. The answer to what? I’m not even sure I know the question right now.

What did I do? Because I know they didn’t really leave because they felt like it. It’s obvious Joshua and Jamie too sensed something weird going on.

It must be that. It must be what my mom warned me about. But she said I wouldn’t be able to influence people’s decisions until I was at least a teenager!

…I say influence because that’s the word my mom insisted on, but what I just did right now was control them. I wanted them to go away and they did.

I sighed and dropped my head into my hands. I can’t even tell my friends or else they’ll think I’m a freak. Mom told me it’s not common knowledge that golden-eyed vampires can control people. Making it widely known isn’t the best idea. How am I going to explain this to them? If I don’t tell them something they can believe in, they might start suspecting I’m the killer.

But hey, wait a minute…if I can control people, I can probably make the killer stop killing. I’d just need to figure out who it is first! Let’s hope Nix finishes that list soon.

First things first, I promised mom I’d tell her if anything weird happened, like controlling bullies.

I hopped off the bed and sat in front of the computer. Nix and Alec set up this messenger thing on the computer so we could chat with mom and dad. I’m not sure they had the school’s permission though…

Logging in to my session I had the worrying surprise to find my sister had somehow hacked into my school account and left me a message.

Hey James! I’m too lazy to send it to everyone so I’ll leave you to take care of that ok? 😛

Here’s that list thingy of all the vampires! Also, extra tip I got surfing through the police records (shhh ;)), they said there were no signs of struggle on the victims. Weird eh?

Anyway, howdy!

–Nix the Pheonix

Once I pressed ‘x’ on the message a folder appeared showing pictures of five students: Rosy, Carla, Alec, Me, Chester, and Lottie. One of the other two students was a teen, and the other was still in elementary school.

Leave it to Nix to be lazy without really being lazy. I sent the pictures to my other brothers and sisters and then opened the messenger.

James: Hey mom, are you there?

Normally something like being bullied would be something I’d rather talk about with dad, but I doubt he’d really be able to grasp the situation right now.

It took a few moments, but, true to her promise of checking often, mom replied.

Zyla: Hey hon, how’s it going at school?

James: Its ok, but something happened today.

I had to recheck my grammar twice before sending the message. I didn’t want mom to start complaining about my grammar when there was something else more important to talk about.

James: I think I influenced people today.

It felt weird to write it that way, especially after my first instinct was to write ‘controlled’.

Zyla: I don’t quite understand what you mean by that hon.

James: I mean I controlled a bunch of bullies today. Just like you said I could do.

Zyla: Are you sure you didn’t convince them to leave whoever they were bullying alone?

I took a deep, slightly annoyed, breath.

James: They were bullying me mom and they were about to hit me.

Zyla: And you stopped them?

James: I’m pretty sure I did. I just really wanted them to leave me alone and then they all shrugged and walked away saying they had stuff to do.

I waited anxiously for my mother’s reply. What advice would she give me?

I got impatient.

James: What do I do mom? My friends saw what I did, they think I’m a freak now!

Zyla: There was nothing for them to see James. And from what you’ve told me they probably don’t think you’re a freak. If it is your power showing up, then I recommend you don’t abuse of it. If I hear you’re suddenly getting 100% in everything I’ll know why. 😉

A smile appeared on my face and I calmed down.

Zyla: You can tell your friends if you want. If you think they won’t start telling everyone.

James: Thanks mom.

Zyla: No problem hon. Keep me updated and aren’t you supposed to be in class?

I rolled my eyes.

James: Class is in two minutes.

Zyla: Chop chop then! 😉

***

“Are you listening? You’re not listening, are you James?”

Indeed I wasn’t.

I was fixated on my older brother. He was worrying me. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but something definitely feels wrong about him.

During the whole lunch hour he isolated himself, rejecting anyone who wanted to sit at the same table as him. No matter how many times I glanced at him he always seems deep in thought, and for my brother who’s normally so carefree, to suddenly see him with a dead serious face, makes me worry a lot.

“He’s not listening or looking, Joshua make him look!” Jamie demanded.

“Me? Why do you want me to do that? It’s not like I’ll smack him on the head…” Next thing I knew, Joshua’s hand had collided with the back of my head.

I gave him an annoyed look.

“What? I didn’t do anything…” Joshua said avoiding my eyes and sounding very suspicious.

“I have some really nice gossip guys…” Jamie said with one of her scary faces. She leaned in. “First off, some kid got suspended for using magic.”

“Eh?! Who?” Joshua asked, instantly interested.

Jamie gave him a sour look.

“I’m talking here. That detail isn’t even important.”

Joshua let out a sigh of exasperation. Jamie was always like this when it came to ‘gossip’.

“That kid helped our informant get some new info.” Jamie continued, checking around to make sure no one was listening. She kept talking, looking mighty proud of herself. “The reason why the police haven’t caught the killer yet is because the cameras in the school corridor were messed with.”

My eyes widened, the cameras were tampered with? Someone was really intent on covering their tracks.

“There’s also talk that they’ll close down the school because they can’t find the killer. So I came up with a plan, where we catch the person.” Jamie said giving me us sly looks. A bad feeling settled in my gut. “We’ll have James use his power on the person. We’ll use Joshua as bait since he’s the only natural of us three and then James can control the killer.”

I sighed and exchanged a look with Joshua.

I knew it was a mistake to tell Jamie. I struggled a while with it, before I decided to tell my friends. Jamie was a little too enthusiastic about it, but at least Joshua had taken this seriously. I’d made it clear I didn’t want anyone to know, and I knew they’d respect that. Jamie liked to gossip, but the moment I told her it was something special I’d never told anyone else I knew she’d feel special enough to keep it secret.

However, I’d also tried to stress the fact that I didn’t want to use it. Mom had told me not to abuse of it, so I wouldn’t.

It’s not even worth talking about that ridiculous plan of hers. As if that would ever work.

Joshua looked at Jamie with a serious look and opened his mouth to speak.

Jamie jumped in surprise as a scream echoed through the hallways of the school.

Another corpse had been found.

***

“No. I’m not okay.” Raphaele mumbled an answer to a question I hadn’t yet asked.

After the third corpse was found (thank god I didn’t have to see that one), Raphaele was the one who decided to isolate herself. Unfortunately, she was the one who’d found the corpse. I found that out when I went to ask Lance what was going on with him. He avoided the question and instead pushed me in the direction of Raphaele’s room.

I didn’t mind trying to comfort her. I knew what it was like.

“And no. I don’t want to talk about it.” Raphaele grumbled.

I smiled. It didn’t have to be vocal.

Raphaele caught my sneaky smile. “Not funny.”

It didn’t take much silence before Raphaele cracked.

“Okay fine.” She exhaled sharply and changed positions. “That dead corpse…was actually my boyfriend’s ex.” She paused, probably for some sort of effect. She’d tried to make it sound light, but her expression quickly grew heavy. “And…he felt guilty for some insane reason…and decided to dump me. I know I sound mean and egocentric, but I honestly don’t care that she died. I never even talked to her before, I’d only ever seen her once.”

She scoffed solemnly.

“Look at me. I’m not sad because some poor girl was killed, I’m sad because I got dumped. So pathetic.” She said, mumbling the last part.

I leaned forward and gently touched her knee. Just so she’d know I didn’t think she was pathetic, and that she shouldn’t feel bad about not caring about the person who died. After all, thousands of strangers died all the time, if we took the time to cry for each of them, there’d be no time left to do anything else.

I doubt she caught all that, but the small smile on her lips reassured me that she got the gist of it.

I sighed inwardly. I’m starting to be scared one of my brothers or sisters might be next.

Don’t worry James, you’re siblings are half vampires, they taste about as bad as a werewolf.

Ah James, I don’t want you to change, ever XD