World Against Us (Unleashed #1)

Chapter 2

Author's Note:

Credits again to ElectrifiedHeart737.
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I slept like the dead. I know this because apparently I've slept through my seven alarms and I'm late for school. Honestly, it's like they didn't even ring. Or I guess I kept pressing snooze. Five seconds turned to five minutes, then five hours. This constant battle between getting out of a warm bed and into a warm shower.
"Rose, get out of bed and do some work!" M shouts, opening the curtains and leaving my door wide open.

"Mom!" I groan. She left the room, carrying things and what not.

I'm not sure if anyone notices, but I hate when someone leaves my door open. There's never a sense of privacy.

My mind drifts to yesterday.

R certainly knows how to disappear - as if he were never there.

He first started visiting me when I was 9. It's impossible for me not to sense him. I'd know if he were close by, whether I was sleeping or not. The longing, the pull to see if he were there is too strong for me to resist.

I had invited him in and it's impossible not to wish I was just normal. Sadly, normal could never describe me. Not anymore.

"Are you up? Don't be lazy, eat breakfast and then help me clean my closet!" Rachel cries out again. I groan again, rolling out of bed. I hate doing work. Just so unnerving. I'm not lazy, I just don't like work. And doing stuff. I get bored easily.

I went to close the curtains and a note was crinkled on the sides - stuck on the frame, caught my eyes.

Unfolding it, I sigh. More instructions: Remember you promised. I'll be back later. Don't wait for me.

As if I did wait, I scoff silently. He was the one who came to me. I didn't have anything to do with it. Wait for him - please. That's the last thing I would be doing. "Rose." Rachel started. "I'm up!" I yell, getting annoyed. "I'm alive, I'm moving, I'm-"

I trip over a set of my reading books that were carelessly scattered on the floor. I went down with a loud thud, my face twisted in searing agony. "Ahh! God...pain!" I cry out, nursing my ankle. "Ohh, pain!" I whine, clutching my foot to cease the pain.

Rachel took that moment to check in, peeking through the space my widened door made. Her auburn hair was cocked to the side, bouncing a little as she shook her head in disapproval. The worst part was when she clucked her tongue, seeing me on the floor. Forget my injury - 'Course. Me on the floor? Red alert, everyone. Red. Alert.

"Didn't you hear me on the first call? Rose, get off the dirty floor! Steven told you to clean your room!" She rolled her eyes, holding her head in mock headache. "I need an aspirin. For God's sake, stop sitting there! Do you not listen?" She picks up a pillow off a chair and chucked it playfully at my head. Clumsily, I wasn't able to catch it in time so it smacked me on the head.

"This shows you are not alive." She says smugly, trying to prove that I was lying before.. "Rachel, get out, I will clean it. Go, before I change my mind." I say, huffily. "Get up, kiddo. I'm serious. We have a big day in front of all of us."

She closes the door and I take the time to face-palm myself. Only me, only me, recalling the idiotic attempt to catch the pillow.

...

I admire my work; the kitchen was spotless. My room was clean...and there was nothing to do. I inwardly groan. "What am I supposed to do?"

5 hours later...

I thump my head against the wall. "I'm so bored!" I snivel. Rachel, on the other hand, huffed. "Rose, instead of grumbling, you can help me out with these boxes."

"Boxes?" I echoed, staring at them for the first time. "Sure, didn't Steven tell you we're moving?"

"Moving." I mouth, repeating it over and over again, testing it on my tongue. Moving was not on my vocabulary. Define moving for me and I'll look at you with a blank expression.

"We're moving?" I ask, jumping up. The word sounded strange on my tongue. I never had to use the word. It was so peculiar, I wanted to stop saying it. Or say it over and over again like it was a bad word. I wanted to get rid of the feeling I got from moving.

"What - I - why?!" I sputter. Rachel flicks out a strand of hair that fell over her caramel face and gave me a hesitant smile.

"Your dad's got a new job and didn't you say you were bored of this town? I thought maybe you needed new scenery."

I'm moving. Moving. I can't believe this. Moving. Away. From. Here.

I flinch away from her. "We can't be moving." I say incredulously, thinking of R. What if one of these days he'll come back later and find me not there. As much as he annoys me, I can't think of my life without him being there protecting me. My life would be boring and I'd be in danger again. What if I die without his protection? What if another vampire comes to take me away?

"Believe it, that's why Steven asked you to clean your room. We're having a going-away party at four." I cannot believe my luck. We're leaving. A party...How am I suppose tell R this? That I can't see him anymore because I'm moving? What will he do?

"Tell me you're joking, Rach. Is there something else, Steven could do?" I ask almost pleadingly. "No, there is not." She snaps, tired of my questions. "Are you going to help me or not?" She asks, blowing out another strand of hair out of her face. Her eyes darted from me and the boxes.

"Not." Wordlessly, I made my way up the stairs and shut the door. It was going to be a long day.