Change of Heart

Chapter 51

Tears fell out of my eyes before I even realized. My body shook and Jake finally managed to catch my attention snapping me back to reality. "Serine, pull yourself together. What happened? Why..."

I only shook my head. I couldn't tell him the truth, I just couldn't get him involved. Right now though, I had to see Alex. I couldn't be away from him any longer. "I need...to get home.." I struggled to my feet only to stumble back down again. Jake threw my arm over his shoulder holding me up.

"Here, let me help you." Right now, I didn't even have the strength to argue. My entire being just felt so overwhelmed, so engulfed by this adolescent angst.

**

Reaching my house, Jake guided me inside. As the door swung open, I heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. "Hey, Serine. Is that-" Alex stopped when he reached the bottom, seeing Jake holding my limp body. His tone instantly changed from curiosity to anger. "What the hell did you do to her?" As he approached, I managed to throw myself out of Jake's arms and toward Alex who quickly grabbed a hold of me. "Serine, what-"

"Don't blame Jake..." I whispered under my breath. Shaking my head again, I still couldn't believe it. No...I didn't want to believe it. "None of it...was him.." I began crying out even more as the words came to surface. To think that it was Zander all this time.

Alex took a hold of my arms and pulled me away to where he could see my face. "Serine, what are you saying? You're not-" He stopped as his words were interjected.

"I'll explain everything to you." Jake spoke in my place. "I don't know what happened, but after I told her everything about the incident, her body just gave out, and she suddenly became terrified."

"Incident? Do you mean about her brother's room?"

A straight response. "Yes." Alex held my cheeks and looked me in the eyes. A frown was placed upon his face, a bit worrisome. I closed my eyes and tilted my head down, and he wrapped his arm around my head pulling me close. I couldn't tell if Alex understood my fear and uneasiness. Could he possibly understand why I feel so miserable...that the monster he killed could actually still be alive...?

"Tell me everything." Alex's embraced freed my body only to take hold again. This time, he brought his arms around my back and under my legs ready to lift. "I'll take her upstairs-"

"Don't!" I pushed Alex's arms away throwing mine around his waist. "Don't leave me alone...not now...please, Alex, I can't..." My body quaked and I pushed my arms tighter around him. In response, he pulled my arms away. I felt a little crushed. I opened my mouth to speak, but I was caught off guard as he gently placed his hands on my cheeks.

Alex offered a small, kind smile which sent my heart soaring to the sky. "Alright. I'll stay by your side." Placing a soft kiss on my forehead, I gently shut my eyes feeling a spark of bliss travel down my body. As he pulled away, it suddenly vanished without a trace. "But, I do want to speak with him alone for a minute." What did he need to speak to Jake about? And why alone? I felt hesitant, afraid that even in a single second of being away from him, something bad was going to happen. "Will you wait for me?"

Looking back at Jake, he had an unsettling expression almost as if he was imaging Alex beating the life out of him. My face was turned back to face Alex again. Even if it is just being in a separate room, I just couldn't stand the thought of being away from him right now. In the end though, I nodded, and he laid a kiss upon my lips before leading Jake into the kitchen. Already, I felt uneasy. It was as if I was already back under Zander's control again.

I watched as Alex and Jake spoke face to face from across the way. Just from his expression, Alex looked worried, almost restless. What were they talking about? If only I could read lips..

Suddenly, Alex's body stiffened, and he stopped. I began shivering as if a winter breeze just entered the air. Jake narrowed his eyes, looking confused. His lips began to move as Alex grabbed his arm appearing in front of me. "We need to get out of here, now." He took a hold of my arm and transported us to his place.

Jake instantly freaked out from the sudden change in scene...not surprising since I doubt he knows the truth about Alex. "What the hell did you just do? Seriously, where-"

"Just shut up, and calm down. This isn't the time for question and answer." Alex snapped at him, and he released the two of us. "You two stay here, I'm going back."

"Alex, there's something you need-" I started with my voice shattering. He covered my mouth and shook his head.

"I can't have distractions right now." For the first time, Alex's voice terrified me the way Zander's did. It was such a vile tone, filled with aversion. What did he sense back there? Could it really have been Zander? Is that why... "You two just stay put." And without another word, he was gone.