Chomp

Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18:

Mom came home without groceries, nerves obviously on edge. Just watching her move about the house frantically made my frustrations boil up. Theo wasn't home since it was a weekend and Uncle Hector had gone to a sports bar with some friends from work. It was just the two of us once she got home from "the grocery store". I stood at the top of the stairs with my arms crossed over my chest, the emotion raw in my features. She glanced up, finally noticing my presence. 

"We need to talk," I ground out before she could say a word, my feet skipping steps two at a time.

"Leo, can't this wait? It can't possibly be more important than what I'm dealing with right now." Her statement burns and I have to reign in my anger before the argument even begins.

"Is my life not that important to you? Or how about Theo's? You lied to us. Our entire lives have been filled with lies!" I growled trying to control my temper. 

She brushed her auburn hair from her eyes and quirked a brow at me. "Excuse me? I have done nothing but work hard to provide-"

I cut her off waving my arms and shaking my head. "Cut the bullshit! I know who you are. What you are, and now Theo and I are gonna be the ones to pay for it! The Elders summon you Monday. Right?" I paced back and forth rubbing at my temples and watching as her mouth hangs open in shock. 

"Leo, you have to understand that you were never suppose to find out," she said trying to touch me. I shrugged her off, clenching and unclenching my fists. 

"You lied," I said with hurt etching across my face, "You're a liar and you're selfish. I'm not even human and my poor brother still doesn't have a clue . . . How could you do this to us?" 

"I just wanted you to be safe and live a normal life. I did what was necessary to keep you from going mad just like your grandfather, and you are human. Both of you,"she said through gritted teeth. 

"Safe? Normal? I'm not even suppose to be here!" I raged. "You just wanted to be with him! Just admit it already! You're always pushing and pushing to get people to be things they're not . . . I'm not even sure who I am anymore . . ."  I swallowed the emotion back and inhaled deeply, exhaling out slowly to regain my composure. 

We just stood there staring at each other for a long while. Tears ran from her eyes and her voice came in a hoarse whisper. "Hector doesn't know, but . . . Please, just . . . Don't tell Theo?" I nodded numbly knowing that it would probably be best for the moment, but my twin would have to find out sooner or later. 

>>>>>

I was trying to drown my sorrows in video games again, but like always since Ray and the whole magic thing came into my life, I was unsuccessful. It was almost one in the morning and Cole, Steven, Jasper and I were playing online. Deciding that I was getting nowhere on COD, I was calling it a night. Ever since the argument with my mom, I had locked myself in my room ignoring some of her pleas to talk. There was nothing to talk about because what was done was done. 

Just  as I laid down to go to sleep, there was a rapping on my bedroom window. With a groan, I rolled over and ignored it thinking maybe it was that tree scaping against it. The rapping was persistant and I didn't have a choice but to get up and see what it was. Sliding from under my comforter, I trudged toward the window only to find it sliding open to reveal an irratable looking Rayna Belvoir. She sliped through easily and stretched to crack her back. 

"May I ask why you're climbing through my window at," I turned to check the time on my phone, "1:47 a.m.? And where the hell has Celtic been?"

"I told you that I had to keep an eye on you, so I figured I'd spend the night," she replied nonchalantly as though it had already beend discussed and agreed upon. 

"Look," I said running a hand through my hair, "I really don't need a babysitter right now. Not with the way that I'm feeling."

Ray pushed past me and sat on the edge of my bed. I hit the switch on the lamp sitting on the night stand. She began pulling out the basketball shorts and T-shirt she'd hijacked from me, tossing them onto the bed, and then pulled out her own sleeping attire. She laid out a set of bright orange flannel pajamas along with a toothbrush. Too tired to argue or care much since I knew nothing I said would make her leave, I slumped back into bed and pulled the covers over my head. 

"Don't wake anyone up while you're brushing your fangs," I mumbled snuggling into my pillow. 

I drifted into a dreamless sleep, waking up rather early in the morning after tossing and turning. At first, I thought that maybe Ray had changed her mind but then I found her bag resting in a corner of the room by the door and her small form curled up in a blanket from my closet. My cheeks were reddening. I don't know what made me think that she'd just climb in and go to sleep on the bed. Maybe it was because she didn't really respect personal boundaries and it's something that anyone who actually knew her would expect. 

Even in her sleep she looked inhumanly perfect, her chocolate hair braided to the side and her breathing even and shallow. Checking my phone, I saw that it was barely seven which meant that I might as well take Ironman out. Stretching, my feet found the cold floor and I pushed myself up and made my way into the bathroom. After taking care of business, I slipped into my sneakers and grabbed a jacket along with my dog's leash. He was waiting right by the sliding glass door on the patio, his tail wagging enthusiastically. 

"Come on, boy," I called snapping the leash to his collar and scratching behind his ears. We padded through the living room and were out the door in no time. 

It was suppose to rain soon. Angry clouds rolled in shielding whatever sun there was leaving the morning bleak and depressing which was partially how I felt. There was so much going through my mind as Ironman and I walked routinely on the path through the empty park. So trapped in my internal battles, I hadn't even heard her come up behind me. 

"You okay?" she asked quietly. I sucked in a breath trying not to show that I hadn't been paying attention. 

"Yup," I gave a tight lipped smile, "Never been better." Ray quirked a brow. 

"Which is why you're giving me your best constipated face," she chuckled. 

I rolled my eyes in turn. "Sorry I can't be all smiles with what's been going on lately. And my mom isn't helping matters either." 

"How is your brother taking the news? Better than you, I'm hoping," she asked crossing her arms over her chest. She was still in her pajamas with her feet stuffed into rainboots and no coat. I hesitate to tell her that he has no idea that he's half magic or whatever. Ray must have seen it in my expression, her brows drawing together and her eyes narrowing on me. "You haven't told him," she hissed out, "All this time and he still doesn't know?"

"Well, what am I suppose to do? Just go up to him like Hey, Theo! Guess what? You're not a Muggle, you just got a letter from Hoggwarts!" I growled back. How was I suppose to prove that we were half witch or whatever when I didn't have any powers other than healing fast? Our mother would never own up to it at this point because she didn't want us both hating her at the moment. 

"Leo," Ray said with an edge to her tone, "If you won't tell him, then I'll have no choice but to show him." Her words caused a chill to ripple down my spine. What the hell was that suppose to mean? Before I could ask, she was gone at a supernatural speed. 

A/N: Determined to finish this book while slowly working on the others. :)