Changed Time

Chapter Ten

I got up as fast as I could and before anyone knew it, I threw open the door and before my eyes stood Paige.

She was wearing the same gray and black striped shirt and black pants. She had a small black duffle bag with her.

I stood frozen in the doorway and stared. She was really there.

"Hi, Drew." She said. Her voice was soft, just like in my visions. "I think you were taller in my visions." She joked.

"Paige." Was all I could get out.

Paige's cheeks flared up. "Yep. Are you going to let me in?"

"Drew, let the girl in." Zach said, walking up behind me. Paige walked into the room past me and I unconsciously closed the door. "I hope he was more of a gentleman in the visions."

Paige looked shy and uncomfortable. "Well, he really didn't have time, since we were a little busy."

I snapped out of my shock and walked between my group and Paige. "Uh...Paige, this is my brother, Wyatt, as you probably guessed, we're twins." Wyatt held out his hand and Paige shook it. "This is my best friend, Zach, who will no get on my nerves right now." Zach smirked and made a dramatic bow. "My cousin, Jessie." Jessie just stared at Paige, made no movements to greet her. "And last, this‒"

"Is Sophia. Jamie's younger sister." Paige nodded. There was something weird in her voice. It was as if she was speaking cautiously. "I know. I recognize her from my vision with Jamie." I looked at Paige, and watched her eyes turn soft. "I'm so sorry, Sophia. This should have never happened."

Sophie looked puzzled. "Uh, it's Sophie." Was all she said.

We all stood there in awkward silence for what felt like forever. Finally, Wyatt broke it. "Why don't we all sit down?"

I mumbled in agreement and ended up sitting on one of the beds between Zach and Paige. Wyatt, Sophie and Jessie sat on the other bed facing us. "So, Paige," Wyatt started. "If you don't mind me asking, when did your vision start?"

Paige shifted uncomfortably and stayed quiet, looking at her feet.

I could tell she didn't want to answer the question. I decided to save the day. "Weren't we talking about patterns?" I changed the subject.

I thought it would be Jessie of all people who would push it, but it was Sophie. "You can't expect us not to ask." Her voice was cold. "If you're going to just show up here, you might as well tell us who you are."

Paige's head shot up. "'Just show up?'" She asked. "Drew told me to come here. From the looks of it, Sophie, you guys need as much help as you can get. And for the record, I don't need to tell you anything about myself."

Sophie glared at her, but Paige shot daggers right back.

"Right, the patterns." Jessie said standing up. She grabbed the paper with the written patterns from the ground. I guessed she dropped it when Paige showed up. "Paige, do you know patterns that Drew doesn't? It seems to me that your visions are stronger than his are."

Paige cut the staring contest with Sophie short and made eye contact with Jessie. "As I said before, both Olivia and Jamie had fathers that left them‒"

"My father didn't leave!" Sophie protested. "Our mom died, and he needed to grieve!"

I stood up. "Sophie, I need to talk to you." I walked toward the door, opened it and walked outside.

I heard the door slam shut and I turned around. Sophie looked mad. "What?" She practically snapped.

"Paige is here to help. She isn't the one who killed Jamie."

"I know that‒"

"Then stop treating her like she is! Sophie, Paige has more information than I have, we need her. What do you have against her?"

"She's a freak."

I actually took a step backward. I couldn't believe she just said that. "She's exactly like me! What's the difference between her and me?" Sophie opened her mouth to object, but I shook my head. "If you think she's a freak, then I guess I'm a freak too. I thought you were better than this, Sophie. I mean, after everything. Apparently it was a mistake to let you come along, you should just go." It was Sophie's turn to step back, now.

"Drew‒" She tried, tears were forming in her blue eyes, but I was past feeling sorry for her, that was why Wyatt told me not to tell anyone. He said that they'd act like that.

"Damn it, Sophie, leave!" I shouted. "Go!" I couldn't look at her anymore. I dug into my pocket, grabbed her hand and shoved a wad of bills into her hand. I softened my voice, but it was just as cold. "Take the money, get on a bus and go home."

Tears were slowly falling down her cheeks and I felt my own eyes burn. Before I started crying myself, I used the hotel key that was in my pocket and opened the door. I shut it behind me and leaned against the it as if trying to keep it closed from an opposing force.

The group and Paige stared at me with worry in their eyes. I took a deep breath, trying to block out Sophie's sobs audible from the other side of the door. "Sophie, uh, Sophie's leaving." I said stepping away from the door. I tried to get as far from it as possible.

"Drew, what did you do?" Paige asked. Before allowing me to answer, she walked past me, opened the door and I watched as it slammed behind her.

"Drew? What happened?" Jessie asked. She used her "Hurt Puppy" voice. I hated that voice. She used it after my parents and Hailey died, she used it every time I got a vision. I was sick of being treated like a wounded animal.

"Nothing." I mumbled. I flopped onto one of the beds and closed my eyes. "I'm going to sleep, you can go back to your room." And I didn't say anything else. I listened as Jessie left the room and I heard Wyatt mumble some things that I couldn't quite catch, to Zach. And before I knew it, I was asleep.