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Mistaken Touch

New Chapter

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Ani was excited. School ended in only a month. Her life had never been better. She was passing all of her classes, she was closer with her parents then ever before, and she didn't cut anymore. Mr. C was helping her parents with a new book, though the book was finally second to family time. Everyone was nice to her and she had a lot of friends, though she mostly hung out with David and Luke. Jake still ignored her though he was no longer hostile.

Ani was sitting alone in a hall during lunch, she had told the friends she normally ate lunch with she needed time to think. About what she didn't say.

She knew that David was with his football buddies, so he wouldn't interrupt her, and Luke was...she paused. Ani had no idea what he did during lunch. She would have to ask him the next time she saw him. She’d never seen him at lunch before. Except for that first day when she ran into him.

Ani had a lot to think about. David had asked her out, and it wasn't something small like dinner and a movie. No he had asked her to go to London with him and his father.

Ani shivered slightly. The one time she met David’s dad was after football practice a few days earlier. He had shaggy brown hair like David with hard brown eyes. He had terrified her; he looked like a mobster that just got out of prison. David had laughed when she told him that, he said his dad had never been a mobster. Ani had noticed the way he didn't say anything about him going to prison.

Ani had told her parents what he asked and after a few hours of them discussing it they said it was up to her. Ani would have liked it better if they had said no. It would have made this a lot easier.

Part of her really wanted to go. When was another chance like this going to happen? Plus she’d loved London when her parents took her there during a move. Another part of her was worried though. She would be in London. That was to far away to think about. Then she hated planes, and was terrified of flying. She would be an ocean away from her parents. A whole ocean.

She thought of David. He was kind, sweet, over protective, cocky...she stopped. Thinking about his pros and cons would make this take even longer. Why was this so hard? She liked David…but she wasn’t sure if she liked him that way. She was confused about that part.

Ani jumped as someone sat next to her. "Little jumpy today are we Ani?" Luke asked his voice light and playful.

Ani smiled. Luke was actually a really good guy once you got him to open up. Also once you learned what sets off his temper. He hadn’t been to detention once since they became friends. She was good at calming him down or keeping him calm. He had been really nice to her and was always trying to find a way to make her laugh. Normally his jokes were so stupid that she just had to laugh. "Hey Luke."

Luke smiled back at her. "Hey yourself. So why you are all alone? Do you have some rare sickness?" He pulled away slightly, but he couldn’t hid the small grin on his face.

Ani laughed. "No I'm completely healthy." She laughed again as Luke pretended to be relieved. "I was just thinking about something David asked."

Luke tilted his head to one side, then the other. "Maybe I can help. What did he ask you? Was it for a key to your house? Did he want you to watch over him when he turns into a werewolf? Even better, did he ask to suck your blood?" He asked the last question in a cheesy Dracula voice.

Ani laughed. "It wasn't any of that." Though I wish it was. A voice in her head whispered. "David asked me to go to London with him and his dad this summer." She saw no problem with telling Luke. He was her first best friend.

She watched all the color drain from Luke’s face. He shook his head. "You can't go with him Ani. You can't say yes." All the playfulness from his voice was gone.

Ani became uncomfortable; he seemed a little frightened by the news. "Why not?" She was afraid to know the answer.

Luke ran a hand through his hair, looking agitated. Suddenly he jumped up and started pacing in front of her. "I can't tell you, or explain. You just need to trust me and stay here. David may seem like a nice guy, and I'm sure at times he is, but most of the time he's not. All of it is an act for school. And for you."

Ani was confused, but she was also angry. "I thought you and him were over all you’re fighting. David is a sweet and nice guy. He tried his best to be nice to me on the fist day of school. You didn't even start looking at me until I started hanging out with David more."

Luke stopped pacing. After a moment of internal struggle he turned and looked at her, his eyes desperate. "I was, am, trying to protect you."

Ani slowly got to her feet. She hated it when people tried to 'protect' her. She stood inches from him. "I don't need to be protected." She turned to leave.

Luke reached out a hand and grabbed her arm, trying to stop her. Ani gasped as an electric shock ripped from her chest, down her arm, and into Luke's hand. She heard Luke suck in a breath and felt him rip his hand away.

She turned and looked at him, not knowing what had just happened. Luke was staring at her with a look that was a mixture of horror and fear.

He was about to speak when Jake appeared at Ani's side. Ani took a deep breath, she was having trouble breathing, the shock had left her tired and breathless. What was Jake doing here? Where had he come from?

Jake glared daggers at Luke. "You will not touch her like that. Ever." He growled, sounding pissed off. It didn't make any sense. She thought he hated her. She thought he wanted nothing to do with her. What was going on?

Luke took a step back, his face turning dark. "It’s her. It’s really her." He glared at Jake. "Which makes you her guardian." He took another step back.

A low growl started in Jake’s throat. "I repeat. You. Will. Not. Touch. Her." His voice was a low and menacing hiss.

Ani was starting to feel faint. She had no idea what was going on, or even if any of it was real. The whole word had a dream like quality to it.

Luke stumbled back a few more steps. "I don't have to touch her. All I have to do is tell my father who she is and she'll be dead by morning." He jumped and starting running away as Jake took a step towards him.

Jake shook his head slightly and turned to Ani. Suddenly he was alarmed. "Anibeth? Ani? Are you alright, can you hear me?"

Ani gave a slow nod. "I...I can hear you." She whispered. "I just...I just don't feel to well." Her vision was starting to blur.

Jake watched her for only a second before he lifted her into his arms. Instantly she felt calm and relaxed. Jake looked down at her, a small smile formed on his lips. "Sleep my Anibeth. I shall forever protect you."

Hearing these words Ani fell asleep.