◇The Hybrid◆

chapter 7

"I haven't seen you in two years" i say, my voice cracking.

we thought that Wren had died or something, cause that's what my mother threatened to do when we last saw him. 

"IF YOU EVER COME BACK TO MY HOUSE AND STOP MY FROM PUNISHING MY CHILDREN THEN I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU! DON'T EVER SHOW YOU UFGLY FACE HERE AGAIN!" i hear her voice ringing in my ears like it was just yesterday when i heard her say it. 

i stare at my uncle, taking all his features that changed over the years. he was growing a little stubble on his jaw line and his eyes were lighter than the used to be. the sparkled more. he looked less stressed. 

"oh, my dear Layla. i know, i am soorry i never came back. i'm sorry i never saved you from your mother. i should've taken her far away from you guys so you would be safe" he says.

"it's okay. i understand. you were afraid of her.. we all were" i look down at the ground. "that's why my father left us"

"i'm so sorry Layla"

"it's okay. i got rid of her, and my dad came back. he's been with us for a year and a half now"

"you got rid of her? how? when?"

"one day, i came home from school and found conner in his room crying with a bloody nose and bloody scratch marks all the way down his left arm. i didn't have a problem with her beating me, i built up an immunity to her damage. i got tougher and didn't let her break me. but the second she laid her hands on conner was the last straw. i got furious and called the cops. they charged her from drinking, drugs and abuse. they sent me and conner to the hospital and got us cleaned up. they stitched up my open wounds and they fixed mine and conner's broken noses, they gave me medicine to rub on our wounds so they would heal quicker. and when they drove us back home, we found my father sitting on the porch steps waitin for us to come home" i say, not letting the raw memory to effect me anymore. 

i look up at my uncle and see tear stains on his cheeks. "how are you guys? how is conner? how is Chris? how are you?"

"conner's good. he started kindergarten a couple months ago and he's loving it.his teacher loves him and she always helps me out with everyth-" i stop and start to panick. "what time is it?" i ask.

he looks at the watch on his hand. "2:30"

my eyes widen and i throw the thin white sheets off my body. i get out of the bed i was settled in and start to run to the door.

Wren catches my wrist and makes me stop. "what's wrong?" he asks.

"conner's teacher said that since i have volleyball practice today, she would drive conner to my school so i wouldn't have to pick him up"

he nods, understanding. and lets go of my wrist. i dart out of the room and run as fast as i can. 

i'm glad they kept my shoes on, or else this trip would be a whole lot more difficult. 

i continue running, but i am stoppedd once more by someone else grabbing my wrist and pulling me to them. he wrapps his arms around my waist and won't let me go.

i struggle to move and he chuckles. 

.. i know that laugh. 

"let go of me Derek!"

"no, way. i told you i would tell you my secret after school. and you're not leaving this spot until you listen to me"

i continue to struggle and hope that his grip with give out... but he only tightens his grip. "stop struggling"

"no! i have to go get conner!"

"you can get him after you listen to me"

i sigh in defeat, accepting the fact that there's no way he's letting me go until he tells me his oh so important secret.

i stop struggling and he slowly loosens his grip.

"i'm guessing Christopher hasn't told you yet" he says. 

how does he know my father?

"told me what?"

"what you are" he smirks.

"what?"

"you're not human"

"then what the hell am i?"

"you're a-" he completely loosened his grip and i took the chance to sprint away.

"Layla!" he calls after me.

i tune his voice out and run as fast as my legs will carry me. the dirt trail i have been running on ends and i enter the street. i run all the way to conner's school.

when i get there i see an empty parking lot, except one car. i see Miss Jenkins and conner walk out of their class room and to her shiny dark blue Prius. 

"Miss Jenkins!" i say loud enough so they can hear me from across he school parkinglot.

they both turn their heads to look at me. "Lawyla!" conner says excitedly and runs to me.

he runs into my arms and i hug him the best i can with his backpack on. 

"Layla. i thought you would be at practice" Miss Jenkins joins us in our spot in the parking lot. 

"i was supposed to, but i had a little accident in math class" i say, showing her my gauze wrapped finger.

"oh dear! what happened?" she asks, worried.

"i wasn't paying attention to where my pencil was and i stabbed myself pretty bad. but i'm alright"

"are you still going to practice?"

"yeah, i'm going to go tell my coach what happened and he's going to tell me how long i'm not allowed to play"

"isn't your doctor supposed to tell you that?" she asks curiously. 

"he didn't mention anything about it" 

"okay, well umm.. i can still drop you guys off. and then i can take you home if you would like"

"its fine. i wouldn't want to bother you any more than i already have today"

"it's not big deal, really. i hate that you kids have to walk everywhere you go. please just let me take you"

i open my mouth to say something, but a strong voice from behind me interupts me. "i can take them. i have to talk to Layla anyways" 

i mentally curse. i grit my teeth, preventing myself from saying something horrible in front of conner. 

i turn around to face him. "sorry Derek, but i already told you. i have no intention of hearing what you have to say"

"but you must hear it. you won't understand anything that's happening until you listen to me" he grabs my wrist and drags me to the car.

i scrunch my face and give him a nasty look. i take my hand away from his and go back to conner and Miss Jenkins.

"i'll see you tomorrow morning, thank you for being so kind" i say with a sweet smile. 

she smiles back and motions to Derek. "is he your boyfriend?" she whispers.

i shake my head and scrunch my nose. she laughs at my reaction. "he should be" she says.

"why?"

"he loves you"

"what?"

"i can tell by the way he's looking at you, he loves you"

i shake my head politely at her. "i'm sorry, but you must be mistaken. you would have to spend some time with him to know that he's not capable of loving anyone other than himself" 

i take conner's hand and lead him to the big black truck. i open the passenger door and step up on the metal bar that helps you get in the truck. i sit down and pull conner up. i set him in my lap and give Derek a blank look.

"are you just going to stand there or are you going to get in the truc ad drive?" i ask.

he snaps out of his daze and climbs into the driver's seat. he looks at me with a certain look that i can't read, but i ignore him. 

he roars the engine and speed out of the parking lot and down the road to our school.