Catastrophic

Chapter 13

I was amazed, yet highly confused. "How do you have bunny ears?" Chris sighed and turned away from me. "I'll... tell you about it later. Anyway, let's do this." He grabbed my hand, and we headed inside. I stared in awe at his lengthy ears the whole way that we walked to my house. I noticed everyone staring at not only me, but Chris as well and whispering about us as we passed them.

I could make out what some people were saying as they whispered about us. "Isn't that...?" "Jade and Chris?" "Why do I recognize that boy?" "He's Paine's son!" "Isn't she dead?" "Wait, I watched that girl die." "Jade's back again?" "Was she/he resurrected?"

Chris stared at my house in astonishment. "Your house... is this big?" His face was full of wonder as he watched the sunlight bounce off of my house in beautiful shines and shimmers. "Yep! C'mon, peasant." I joked as I tugged his arm to make him follow me inside my house.

I led him inside as he slowly entered my house behind me. "I feel like I'm not supposed to be here." Chris whispered to me as we quietly walked to the living room. My parents were crying over a picture of me. "Surprise!" I yelled, holding Chris's hand as he gasped and stared at my parents, who stared back at us. My father and mother started crying and hugged me as fast as I could blink.

Chris backed up as we let go of each other's hands. After a minute or two of hugging each other, me and my parents backed away from each other as we spoke. Right after the hug had ended, I'd noticed Chris had left. I left the living room and checked every other room. Finally, I saw Chris laying facing the wall on my bed.

I heard quiet and muffled crying coming from him. I sat on my bed, next to Chris, which had frightened him. He jumped and gasped. "O-oh... it's only you." He sighed as he sat, hugging his knees on the edge of my bed. I heard another gasp from my door frame. My father stood in the hallway in utter shock.

"You! It... it's you." James (My father) looked at Chris and slowly approached him. Chris backed up on my bed, extending his hand to signal to my father to stop moving. "N-NOT ANY CLOSER! STAY AWAY FROM ME, DAMMIT!" He yelled, sitting against the wall on my bed, clearly frightened by him. My father sighed and I looked at both of them, confused.

"Wh-what's happening?" I raised my voice, nervous due to the situation. Chris quieted his voice. "Tell this man to leave me be!" Chris seemed to cry more, seeing my father. I looked at James, signaling to him to leave us alone.

James did not want to leave. "Jax- Jade... I want to speak to him. Please." I looked at him more sternly, showing that I will not back down. "Fine then." My father was clearly unsatisfied with my actions. After he left, I noticed my mother still standing in the doorway. "Jade? Please let your father in here. He regrets what he-" I screamed at her. "Chris is scared! Don't you see that? Leave. NOW." My mother left and shut the door before I asked Chris what was going on.

Chris looked at me with his sad, watering eyes. "You want the truth?" I nodded genuinely, deeply concerned for him and what he was about to say.