Dark Side (COMPLETED)

C H A P T E R : XV

Chapter 15: Demon Eyes 

Tuesday, October 28

Afternoon

Ashlynn

"SHOTGUN!" Ciara calls as she runs towards the passenger seat of Jade's dark red convertible.

"I still can't believe your parents got you a convertible for your birthday," Ciara rambles as we climb in. "And not just a convertible, but a five seater of all things. I wish I was that lucky."

"Well, get straight A's since freshmen year and a scout coming to your swim meets and then talk to them about it," Jade informs her.

"But isn't your dad always like bugging you to take out your piercings and dye your hair back?"

"Well he also hopes this'll pull me out of my "goth phase", as he dubs it. Then mom explains to him that it's "punk", and they start arguing about how "it doesn't matter what you call it", while I grab the keys and go to the garage laughing."

"Wow Jade," Ciara says laughing, "Well if that's what it takes it looks like I'm not getting a convertible anytime soon."

"Maybe not, but I need them to get you something so I can stop driving you everywhere. Either that or you get a devoted boyfriend."

"See I would, but I've already had my share of the baseball team."

"Then move on to basketball," Jade suggests sarcastically.

"Haha, very funny. But I think I'm going to hold off for a while. I just..."

                Their conversation became a blur of words until they were eventually muted and replaced with my thoughts as I watched the moving cars and let the wind smack me in the face. Jade's dark, navy hair, blended with Ciara's strawberry blonde, and it was a muse of colors, until my eyes closed.

To say I was confused would be a drastic understatement. I still felt Hayden's lips on mine. I felt the way they sparked mine with heat. I felt the way they were so soft but so hot at the same time. I felt the way he kissed me like he couldn't go another second without doing so. So why did he leave?

The question continued to ask itself again and again in my head. I threw answers at it, hoping it would leave, but it stayed like I hadn't yet come up with the right one. I wanted to ask him. The question burned in me like I needed to ask him. Yet as the wind whipped my hair and smacked me, I was reminded that not only to I have a boyfriend, but I'm technically cheating on him, demon or not. As I thought this the only thing staring back at me were Hayden's demon eyes, not Eric's human ones. I saw Hayden's stone cold, cobalt eyes blink at me, revealing all of the emotion behind them. Then I imagined Eric's hazel ones. I saw everything in them. They were almost transparent and I never had to dig for anything. I thought I liked it that way. Hayden's eyes were shielded, but if I looked hard enough I could find the emotion in there and if I dug further there were real feelings. I felt it, but I wished I knew it. Most of all I wished he would straight out tell me. That way I would know exactly what I was walking into and if it would be worth it. Yet, I found myself liking the way I had to look for things in him. It didn't always have to be easy. Hypocritically, I liked knowing too. And the only problem was, with Hayden, I knew absolutely nothing.

"Lynn," I faintly heard. "Lynn!"

"Yeah," I said, looking up and around, remembering where I was.

"You were totally spaced out," Ciara said, looking concerned. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," I answered hesitantly, not quite sure what to say. "Just a little tired I guess."

"Well aren't you coming?" Jade asked, walking away for the for the rest of us to follow. I nod and climb out the car, slinging my purse over my shoulder and closing the car door.

                 Jade, Ciara, May and I walked into the main entrance to Northgate Mall, with Jade leading the way and Ciara's arm loosely linked through mine. Distracted, I barely even noticed.

"C'mon let's go to Forever 21 first," Ciara says, tugging my arm left.

"No, I drove and I say pretzels first," Jade demanded, grabbing Ciara's arm and pulling her towards Auntie Anne's.

"You gonna get something?" May asks me. I shake my head and wave for her to follow Jade and Ciara. I lean against the wall as they order and watch the people walking by to distract myself. I study them. I see groups of teenagers laughing, looking like they don't have a care in the world. I see couples strolling hand and hand; pre-teens embarrassed to be seen with their mothers; baby's asleep in their strollers. I watch as toddlers are overjoyed with their newest Build-A-Bear; groups of girls are out at the mall for the first time without their parents; siblings are nagging each other and would rather be anywhere else. I was kind of like them. Except, the only place I wanted to be was with Hayden. As soon as I thought of his cobalt eyes looking at me, I saw them. Past dozens of people, past the crowds, past the constantly traveling shoppers, I saw his deep blue eyes looking at me. Then suddenly the disappeared. I averted my eyes and tried to convince myself that that didn't really happen, that it was my imagination. I curled my fingers and pushed up my glasses, rubbing my eyes and took a deep breath. I let it out when I saw that no one was there. I turned to see if my friends were done ordering when I saw him again. He moved back and forth, disappearing and reappearing. I knew I was hallucinating, but he looked so real. And when he finally stopped vanishing, he stood far past the crowd on the other side of the building. Our eyes locked and my heart sped up. Instantly I ran for him. I pushed past the crowds of people and ran towards where I thought I saw him. I ignored the way I may have pushed some people and the comments I got and even the way I heard my friends calling my name. I stayed focused on Hayden's eyes. I wanted his eyes looking at me, turning on something only he could. I wanted his nose brushing against mine when our foreheads touched. I wanted his lips kissing mine like his life depended on it. However, as soon as I reached him, he was gone, and I found myself staring into a mirror, lining the mall's walls. I only saw my reflection instead of his and saw my eyes looking sadly back at me. My hair was a mess from running, and sweat dotted my forehead. My eyes were reddened and tears threatened to spill from them.

"Ashlynn!" I heard Ciara yell my name.

"Ashlynn!" Jade's voice repeated.

I looked up and saw a hand on my shoulder. I saw my sister's reflection in the mirror next to mine.

"I found her," she called over her shoulder and in seconds Ciara and Jade appeared in the mirror behind us.

"Why did you just take off like that?" Jade asks.

"Yeah are you okay?" Ciara manages as she places her hands on her knees and leaning over, trying to catch her breath.

I shook my head. "What's the matter?" May asks, concerned. I shake my head again, looking down at my feet on the floor.

"Do you want me to take you home?" Jade asks.

"No, let's go get Ciara's boots," I say with as much enthusiasm as I could muster, and I walked without knowing where I was going and let them follow. As we walked into the store I didn't notice the clothes or the jewelry. I didn't notice the accessories or the mannequins modeling the newest fashions. All I could see were Hayden's stone cold, blue eyes blocking the sight of mine. Those perfect, cobalt, demon eyes.