American Asia

Early Goodbyes

I woke to a note on my forehead, fluttering each time I exhaled. I peeled it off my head and read it quickly:Meredith-i had to go. there was an accident. im in deep sneakers. sorry, i hate goodbyes. love you. <3 -Helix Why, that little... um... word please? He left me without saying goodbye! And just to go investigate some "accident". Such air of mystery he leaves behind, it ticks me off. I glanced at the clock and choked on my tongue. It was four in the freakin' morning! I marched down the stairs as quietly as I could and stormed out the front door. Then I came back in to put some more modest clothes on. And then I calmly repeated the exact same thing I'd done earlier. I was wearing black everything-black skinny jeans, shirt, 6 ½ inch heels (which is below standard for me ever since I read The Mortal Instruments series (no less than 8 inches, that's my motto-Isabelle)-with silver studs on the sides. I ran, well, sort of, down the now-empty streets until I arrived, very much out of breath, at the Casias' castle. There was a different guard there this time, so I pretended to be someone of the royal type, and either he was really dumb, or I look like a princess. Not that I don't, heh, I do, he he, oh... never mind. Once past the gate, I slipped through the front door and up the stairs, taking a right at the first landing and rapping on the door to the room that was Carter's. I heard a rustle and a loud thump from inside, swearing, and the footsteps slithered their way across the floor. The door was yanked open, and there she was beautiful as always, silky hair straight hair down to her waist, eyes half closed, yawn dead in her mouth."Asia? What the heck?" she hissed. "Sorry Carter, but Helix is gone and I have no idea where he is. Here, he left me this. So helpful. By the way, my name is Meredith now. Long story," I said hastily, scrabbling to grab the note on my pocket. She snatched it away from me, threw it back at me, and slammed the door. I started to turn around and leave, but the door popped back open, framing Carter zipping up a black leather jacket. We set off toward a place Carter knows that Helix loves, her leading. Sure enough, when we got there, there was Helix, a girl of about eight with a mass of curly black hair, a tall, pretty girl with a short black pixie cut with layers, and in between her and Helix there was the drooping figure of another teenage girl with long hair in a braid. There was a throwing star embedded in her chest, right below her boobs. "Whoah. Did not expect that." Carter whispered. I nodded, mouth hanging open."Have something to tell us, Mr. I-hate-goodbye's?" I demanded reprovingly. He smiled snottily."Took you longer than I expected, princess." he said calmly, making me even angrier at him. I gave a frustrated scream through clenched teeth."Which 'princess' are you talking to, "babe"?" I snapped back, making air quotes. He frowned and almost dropped the girl."You, and by the way, this is Selina," he said, indicating to the younger one with curly hair, "this is Callista," he pointed to the girl with the pixie cut, "and this," he shifted the girl, "is Brei Ida. She had this incident with a guy in a mask. No idea who or where he is, why he did this." Helix explained.Suddenly Selina was walking around me, inspecting every inch."She's a good fighter, I'm guessing, and she has a boyfriend. She lived in the states." she stated evenly. I stared at Helix. He shrugged, looking confused, as if to say, Woah, she can do that?"Selina, what the heck? How'd you know that I had a boyfriend? That I grew up in the states?" I asked, turning as she continued around me."Your ring says 'I love you' in English. It's pretty simple. Either that or I'm a psychic. You could go either way." she said. "I knew you were a good fighter because of the way you're built. Slender but muscular." she explained."Wanna help me out here?" Helix interrupted. I gave him my death glare, but went over to help him anyway. We carried her to a car, a blue Chevy, and sort of tossed her in the back seat. Callista hopped into the driver's seat."Shotgun!" Helix exclaimed, making everyone else roll their eyes. Selina, for some unknown reason, popped open the trunk and crawled in, leaving the back seat open for me and Carter. As soon as my door was closed, Callista gunned the engine and we shot off into the night.