Immortal Awakening

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Hours later, I was lying under my cool sheets in nothing but my undergarments that consisted of a strapless bra and boy shorts. I didn't even bother picking out a change of clothing to how tired I was. My feet hurt, my arms were numb, and there was a dull ache in the back of my head. I couldn't fall asleep.

I rolled over onto my stomach and tucked a hand under my pillow while I fiddled with my locket with the other. A heavy sigh escaped my lips and I let my mind wander to the new outfits I had gotten today to add to the many I hadn't touched yet. The first outfit consisted of a grey cotton mini dress with black lace and mesh at the end of the short skirt. It was sleeveless with a sweetheart neckline and fit spectacularly. The second consisted of black leggings with yellow 'police line do not cross' written all over it and a long black top with a large tiger on it.

A loud sound echoed from downstairs and I sat up quickly. At the same time, my window slid open and a figure dressed in all black climbed through. Glancing at my alarm clock sitting on the bedside table, it was 11:46. Grabbing the sheets and holding them tightly around my half naked body, I watched as a seemingly drunk Daniel stumbled into my room.

The smell of alcohol hit me like a truck as I got up and made my way towards him, still holding the sheets to my chest. "Daniel?" I said softly. All he did was grunt and then decided to walk over to me. After what looked like he was going to give me a hug, he put his head on my shoulder and turned his face to my neck so that every exhaled gust of carbon dioxide brushed against my neck, making me shiver. Before I could move or tell him anything, the previous noise resounded from downstairs, calling my attention. "Daniel, get into the bed and don't move until I come back," I ordered.

Daniel eased up off my shoulder and fell onto my bed. I went to the bathroom, put my robe on and made my way quietly downstairs. It was only after I had reached the top of the stairs that I actually heard the voices.

"-the hell could you forget to tell me, Diego?" someone said in a harsh whisper.

"I'm so sorry, Leanne. I don't know how I forgot to tell you. I'm so sorry," came a reply.

I crept closer to the steps, parts of my robe illuminated by the dim light coming from downstairs. After the first time I heard them speaking, I've started to wonder what they had going on. The first time, they made sure that Cris and I were not in the room before they started talking, and now they were up in the middle of the night.

"Damn," Leanne said, her voice piercing my thoughts.

"I don't think there's anything either of us can do. If she's coming, we can't stop her."

I stooped down to look into the kitchen. Leanne leaned against the island with her elbows, her hands covering her face. "She just does whatever she wants just like-"

I turned my head only to hit it on the edge of the railing. "Nina!" Diego exclaimed suddenly turning towards the staircase where I was now sitting. "What are you doing up?"

I got up and started descending the staircase, neither frightened nor surprised that he knew I was there. I hadn't exactly been spy-like in my eavesdropping. "What were you two talking about?" I asked, ignoring Diego's question as I reached the last step and crossed my arms in front of my chest.

"Nothing," Leanne said quickly. "I was just coming from work." It was then that I realized her attire. She was dressed in a sleeveless top, faded blue jeans, and beige sandals. The brown leather jacket she supposedly had worn with her outfit lay on the counter beside her hand bag.

"Dressed like that?" I asked. "You work in a hospital, Aunt Leanne," I said. Was she lying to me? No, she wouldn't.

"It was a casual day," she said with a tired smile.

"In the middle of the week? At a hospital?" I asked and walked into the kitchen to the pantry where boxes of macaroons that I craved were. Taking out two boxes, I made my way back into the kitchen still waiting for Leanne's reply to my question. Diego was gone when I went to stand beside Leanne again, and it took a few long seconds before she finally turned to face be.

"I wasn't at the hospital but I was working," she admitted.

"Whatever. I just didn't know when we started lying to each other," I said nonchalantly and took the boxes upstairs, back into my room.

Daniel was sitting on the bed in his boxers alone and staring out the window. I placed the boxes of macaroons down on the bed beside him and felt the cold breeze from outside blow in. Walking over to the window, I shut it and pulled the curtains closed. "Daniel, are you okay?" I asked, turning my attention back to him.

He didn't say anything but he shook his head as a response to my question. I watched him wrap his arms around himself as if protecting himself from something unseen. "I brought something for you to eat. It's not much but it tastes good," I said.

He didn't look like himself. The Daniel I had gotten used to always had something to say. He usually held my hand, too. I was beginning to worry, especially since he reeked of alcohol. I sat on the edge of the bed and hesitantly placed my hand in his. I expected him to pull away but he laced his fingers through mine and squeezed lightly. I picked up one of the boxes, opened it and handed it to him. After staring at the French desserts for a few seconds, he took one. Pretty soon, we had gone through both boxes of macaroons.

Daniel shivered and I looked at the sheets I had previously been covering myself with. If he was going to stay over, that thin sheet wouldn't do to keep us both warm. I started to get up to find a thick blanket at the back of my closet but he held me back. He didn't look at me but he refused to let me go. "Fine then, come with me." He got up and followed me inside the closet where I found my big, thick, white blanket.

A minute later, we were both snuggled underneath the blanket holding hands. He closed his eyes and kept moving his thumb over my knuckles. The thought that I was half naked in a bed with a guy who supposedly disliked me didn't set off any alarms.

Why was he drunk and out this late? I wondered if he had a disagreement with Damian or Leah. She looked like someone who had a talent in getting under people's skin.

By now, he was staring at me as if trying to read my thoughts. "I'm worried about you," I said, voicing them.

"Don't be," he said softly but hoarsely. "Go to sleep. I was never here."