Midnight Memories

Chapter 16

Harry was right. Rebecca whipped up a batch of her special "curing ankle" potion, or at least that's what I called it, and my ankle healed in a matter of minutes. The ride with Louis and Harry had been more uncomfortable than the sprain. Louis acted like I didn't even exist, which would've been great except for the fact that he started to drive before I fully got into the car.

Now it was just Rebecca and I in the kitchen. Harry left with Louis, Anastasia was still out, and Jo wasn't home either. I was surprised that Rebecca happened to be home.

"Not a lot of errands today?" I asked her, sipping the cure tea she had made me. It warmed my throat.

She smiled and started to make me a sandwich.

"Nothing until later tonight." She replied. "How was your little outing with Harry? Are the two of you getting along?"

I shrugged. "Yeah. It turns out he's not as heartless and annoying as I thought he was."

Rebecca laughed, she gave me a knowing look as if she knew something I didn't.

"Harry is a good person." She said. "But he just brings out the worst in Jo."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Then I immediately felt guilty because I knew that Rebecca saw. I was surprised when her smile didn't fade.

"I know what you think. But Jo doesn't hate you, Annabeth."

I scoffed. "I honestly don't know how you and Anastasia are these amazing people and then there's Jo who wants to rip my throat out if I attempt to breathe."

Rebecca placed her hand on my arm. "If anything, I believe that Jo feels threatened by you. I'm not sure why, but maybe just try to get to know her a little better. She might surprise you."

I sighed and smiled. "That sounds like something my mom would tell me."

She gave my arm a squeeze and went back to finishing the sandwich.

"Speaking of," Rebecca said," how are you doing? Have you talked to Sam or Dean lately?"

I shook my head. "They haven't been answering my calls. I don't know if I should be worried or not. If I'm being honest, I just feel really bad lying to everyone. I genuinely like a lot of people here and I feel like such a fake. I mean, I understand why I have to do this, for my safety and everything. It just feels wrong."

"I understand." She nodded. "But as you just said, it is for your safety. Perhaps one day you'll be able to tell them, but there's no telling how far away that day is from now. As for Sam and Dean, I know they're working hard to find your parents. If they aren't answering it probably just means it's not safe enough to contact you yet."

I nodded. "Yeah, maybe. I feel like I'm betraying my parents in a way. Like I feel like I shouldn't be..." I trailed off.

"Enjoying yourself?" Rebecca finished, looking up at me with her kind eyes. "I don't know your parents, Annabeth, but I do know that they wouldn't want you to worry too much. Worry like that is consuming. Trust me, I would know."

I sighed and leaned my head against my hands. "This is just so hard."

"I know sweetheart." She said, setting a plate in front of me. On it was a freshly cut turkey sandwich with salt n vinegar chips and left over asparagus from the dinner last night.

I took a bite and as usual it was delicious. I decided to confide in Rebecca about something that had been bugging me since I arrived in Lupus Falls.

"Can I tell you a secret?" I asked her.

"Of course."

"My parents and I did a lot of moving around." I started. "Now I know it was to keep monsters off our trail, but I hated it. Right when I would make friends and start to settle in, we would leave. Nevada was the place I had been the longest. It just feels like I don't have a home anymore."