Merely Human

Chapter 15

Even with all their attempts at distracting me, my friends couldn’t keep the depression away all the time and it didn’t help that somehow Caden had tracked down my number. It wasn’t enough that the bastard was invading my mind, he also had to leave me hundreds of voicemails and texts a day as if to constantly remind me that he was now in my life by force. I never listened to the voicemails but sometimes I would read the texts. After a bit I just deleted them right away since they were all along the same vein of begging for my forgiveness and asking to see me. I never replied to any of them.

The one thing I had to be thankful for was that he never came by to see me. He must have known that I wouldn’t take such a visitation kindly, that or he knew that my friends would beat the ever-loving shit out of him if they caught sight of him. To say my friends were upset would be the understatement of the year. Between everything that was happening with Marco the unknown wolf and Caden, they were all acting over the top over protective and I hadn’t left the apartment all weekend because they thought “maybe it wasn’t a good idea right now.”

I was quite sick of it all. The oppressive atmosphere and stress had given me a cold, which had made Jason have conniptions. I guessed it was due to the fact that he hadn’t been around humans for too long of a time that had made him forget how common a cold was for us to catch because he had somehow managed to convince himself I was dying. Andrés had to sit him down and explain to him that I was completely fine and would be better in a few days.

It was a combination of how exhausted I was with all this drama as well as cowardly shrinking away from the thought of facing Caden at school next week that finally convinced me that I needed a vacation and a change in scenery. I quickly went online and bought a plane ticket home after calling my cousin and asking if I could stay with him. I didn’t want to have to face my parents’ scrutiny and have to explain that I was running away from a boy, but if I told them I missed my cousin then they might buy it.

Unfortunately Henry didn’t quite buy it and I had to tell him that I was in a bit of a tight spot with a relationship and needed a break. After that he had been more than eager to welcome me into his home and even helped me find a cheap flight and promised to tell my parents for me that I would be staying with him rather than with them whilst in town.

I had told Trish and Andrés first that I was leaving and they had been less then impressed that I went behind their backs, as they viewed it, and even more wary when I told them my flight was later that evening. But they eventually agreed to drive me to the airport and even helped me tell the others. As I had anticipated, Jason was the most upset that I was leaving, especially while still slightly sick with a cold, but when he realized I was going whether he wanted me too or not he finally gave in.

So that was how at nearly 11:00 at night I found myself hugging my only cousin as he picked me up from the airport in Boston and then driving to his apartment in Salem that he shared with his girlfriend.

“I hope you realize that in the morning you are telling me what’s going on and how you broke your arm.” He told me in a slightly stern face.

“It was an accident, Henry.” I told him shortly.

“Yeah, but who’s accident?” he questioned. When I didn’t respond, he gave a small sigh. “You have to understand how I’d naturally be worried when my favorite cousin calls me saying she needs someplace to stay while she hides out from some guy and then shows up with a broken arm.”

“He just has some issues to work through and I don’t want to be around him until he sorts through what he wants.” I shrugged. “I’m not really hiding from him.”

“You’re avoiding my real question and it’s making me even more worried, Andy.” Henry told me flatly. “Did this guy break your arm?”

“It was an accident, Henry, I don’t want to talk about it. Please? I came here so I didn’t have to think about it. I just want to go to bed.”