Change of Heart

Chapter 52

What's gotten into Alex? I don't understand...today he's like a whole new person. Even when he comforted me, it didn't feel natural for him. Now that I think about it, it was almost as if he was forcing himself. What happened to him to make him change this way..?

"What the hell just happened?" Jake shouted breaking my train of thought. "Last time I checked, people don't suddenly disappear, and we sure as hell don't teleport through time and space to a different location."

Even though I wanted him to stay out of all this, he ended up getting involved in the end. Why bother keeping the truth from him now at this point? "Jake, before I explain everything to you, I want you to tell me one thing." He slowly began to calm down. Looking at me with raised eyebrows, I suddenly felt nervous to ask..

"What did Alex...need to tell you?"

"I, I'm sorry, I can't say..." Jake's expression changed, completely turning away from me. I pulled on his shoulder, forcing him to face me.

"Jake, please. Tell me!" I wanted to know...I had to know.

Jake pushed his lips together and jerked his shoulder away. "That's not my decision to make." Looking away again, he finished. "Besides, I swore to him I wouldn't say a word."

Clenching my fists, I felt aggravated for some reason. I didn't even understand why myself. Was it because he told Jake what ever it was instead of me? Or could it have been.. "Then tell me this...was it about me?" For a split second, I noticed his body tense up and my heart sank.

"If I told you that, I would still be breaking my word." After he said that, I thought about telling back in contradiction. It's never stopped you before. But, when I think about it...he actually had kept his word to me. Even so, his reaction to it already gave me the answer.. Jake spoke up again, a bit angrier this time. "If you really want to know, talk to him yourself. It's not my job to speak for him." He started towards the door, ready to leave.

I leaped for his arm pulling it back. "Wait, where are you going?"

"I'm going back to my nonexistent home in the streets. It sure beats everything going on here. At least there, I know what to expect."

My grip around his arm tightened, and I began begging like a dog. "Please, Jake. I can't be alone right now." With Alex gone, he's the only one around. "I'll explain everything from start to finish, just please don't go...at least not until Alex comes back.." If it weren't for the possibility of Zander still being around, I wouldn't have minded being alone right now, but, I just can't handle it. He gave me a cold stare, just a glance made me shiver. Giving in, he let out a sigh.

"Fine." Jake jerked his arm away, and threw himself on the couch. "Then, first. Explain how the hell we went from your room, to, this place?"

"First off, this is Alex's house." I paused for a moment. I actually didn't know to answer his question. It never really occurred to me to ever ask Alex how he transports us to places at times. Sure, I was curious, but I just wasn't able to put the words together. He hasn't done it very often, so I kind of just brushed it off, I guess.. "Second, I honestly don't know how Alex brought us here, but-"

Butting in, my words were cut off. "You're dating him, yet you don't know he had the ability to freaking transport people?"

"Would you let me finish?" I asked abruptly. "Look, I don't know how he did what he did to bring us here, but it's unique to him, I guess you could call it-"

Again, I was cut off as Jake clapped his hands shouting out an answer as if this were some kind of game show. "Like a super power right?"

Shaking my head, I didn't bother commenting on that. "Sure, let's call it that." Taking a seat next to him, I had second thoughts about telling him the truth about Alex being a demon. Should I? It's like what Jake was saying before, it isn't really my place to say...I guess I understand why he got all defensive earlier. Being in his shoes, I can understand now. "About Alex...he-"

My mouth was covered, a hand from behind wrapped over my lips. My heart raced like the wind. Jake widened his eyes a bit. A whisper echoed in my ear and the weight on my shoulders lifted. "Don't bother finishing that sentence." My lips were released, but my arm was held captive as I was being dragged away into Alex's room. Shutting the door behind me, Alex revealed himself. "What were you about to tell him?"

I didn't even know myself...the three words just slipped out of me, like I was thinking out loud. "I don't know, I thought about telling him the truth...then I thought about it again, that I shouldn't, and I guess I just started thinking out loud to myself. He kept asking about how we got here, so..." I stopped myself thinking back to before. "Why did you run off like that? What was that got you so worked up?"

Alex just looked at me with empty eyes. What was wrong with him? He seemed so uneasy, so unfocused, so...different. Looking away, he shook his head. "It was nothing. I sensed another demon approach. The presence was there, but not the physicality of it. I went back to check but it was already gone by the time I searched the entire place."

"I see.." My mind began to drift again, thinking about his conversation with Jake. If you want to know, talk to him yourself. Jake's words burned in the back of my mind, and I suddenly felt scared to ask. "Alex, about earlier, you and Jake-"

"What I talked about with Jake is none of your concern." He urged with contempt in his voice. Alex started past me, and I took a hold of the side of his shirt. Stopping beside me, we faced opposite directions.

"Why can't you tell me...do you not trust me enough?"

"Serine, that's not-"

Cutting him off unintentionally, I continued. "I asked Jake about it after you left, he wouldn't say anything either, but..." I shut my eyes, and envisioned Jake's slight reaction to my question. It was very minor, but it was definitely noticeable. "..I asked him if it was about me. Naturally he denied that too. Even though he denied it, his reaction was plain as day." I grabbed his shirt tighter as if I were never to let go. "With that slight tremor, it gave it away. So tell me, Alex...was it really about me?"

Nothing but the sound of crickets in the air.

I should've expected this.

"Alex, if it is, then I-"

Taking a hold of my hand, he pulled it away from his shirt. "Serine, let's not have this discussion right now."

My hand was released. I was left there standing alone with only my unprocessed thoughts. I didn't even know what to think right now. For some reason, I just felt so betrayed...untrustworthy. Only just yesterday we spoke as if we were closer than ever. The words he spoke to me are still running through my brain, and right now, they only feel as if they were just a dream.