The Veil

Chapter Five

That night Jade sat with me in the living room and we watched crappy reality TV, Tom and Drew kept coming in and out from Tom's car in the garage. 

Jade asked if I wanted a drink while she stood up.

"Coke please." I smiled up at her and she rolled her eyes at me, she didn't enjoy sugar the way I did. 

She was back in no time, dumping herself back on the sofa, I didn't look away from the screen, I just held my hand out for the Coke, ready to thank her. 

When she didn't say anything or put the Coke in my hand I glanced sideways to see that nobody was there. 

I gasped loudly, it felt like my breath had been taken away, the sofa had definitely moved, I'd felt it. 

I stood up quickly, looking around myself, I didn't see anyone and just as I was about to sit back down, realising I'd been overreacting I felt something brush the length of my bare arm. 

I felt my eyes grow huge, I couldn't breath again, I could barely move, but I managed to turn my head slowly, there was nobody there, there was still nobody in the room. 

I felt my hands start to shake, my mind was swimming. 

"Where are you going?" I almost screamed when I heard Jade's voice at the kitchen door, it seemed so loud and close. 

When she saw me jump she rushed towards me, "Hey, Lil, what's wrong?" She placed my coke and her water down on the coffee table and put her arm around me, pulling me back to sitting on the sofa. 

I shook my head, not able to say what was wrong, I didn't even know myself what was wrong. 

"I don't know, I just felt really weird." Was all I managed to tell her. 

"Ew, like you're getting ill, stay away from me I can't be ill again this year, I'm such a baby when I'm sick." She started to laugh as she pulled away from me, jokingly shoving herself further from me on the couch. 

I just laughed slightly, unable to correct her. I wasn't ill. There was something in this room with me. 

For the rest of the night I couldn't concentrate on anything, I was watching the room, watching the dark corners, every time Andrew or Tom opened the front door, letting the draft in I'd jump just a little bit. If Jade noticed, she didn't say anything. 

Jade was good at distraction though, even when she didn't know that was what she was doing. 

She had me smiling soon after, commenting on everything that was happening on screen, pulling me back into the present with her. 

Tom and Andrew eventually stopped messing with the car and when they came inside to stay, Jade and Andrew went upstairs to their room. 

Tom replaced Jade's place on the sofa and he grabbed the remote, I'd normally make a fuss about it, but I was still too spooked. 

The glow of Jade's presence wore away soon after she left was replaced again with the worry and fear. 

If Jade had noticed my distraction she hadn't said anything about it, Tom wasn't going to let it pass though and after ten minutes of sitting there he turned the TV down and asked what was wrong. 

"I don't know, I just feel-urgh I don't know." I shrug and push myself back into the sofa. 

Nothing had happened since that feeling, not even a little breeze out of place. 

I gave up, I must have been imagining things yet again, my talk with Judy freaking me out. 

I saw Tom watching me out the corner of my eye, a concerned look on his face but I ignored him.

It was midnight before me and Tom got up from the sofa to head upstairs. 

I went into the kitchen first to get Sky in from the garden and lock the door. 

She came bounding in when she spotted me, I heard the kitchen door swing open just as Sky stopped at my feet and growled. 

I gasped and turned around, there was nobody there. 

Sky kept growling as my breathing picked up to near hyperventilation. 

Before I could freak out too much Tom walked in making me jump, sky immediately stopped growling, pushing her muscled shoulder into my hand to try and calm me down.

Tom wasn't looking my way at first, concentrating on juggling his mug, my soda can and Jade's glass that we'd left on the coffee table. 

When he looked up he started to smile but took in my expression and pushed the things in his hands down onto the kitchen table next to me.

"Hey, Lil, what's wrong?" He held the tops of my arms and bent his head so he was making eye contact with me. I hadn't stopped staring ahead. 

"I don't know Tom." And before I realise what is happening I burst into tears. 

Tom looked worried and wrapped his arms around me, I gripped him around his waist and cried into his chest. 

I couldn't explain the feeling that passed through me or why I was crying so much. 

Tom didn't say anything, just let me cry into his chest as Sky pushed her body against our legs.  

Eventually the feeling passed and I pulled back from Tom's chest, embarrassed. 

"I'm sorry." I wiped under my eyes with my sleeve. 

"What's going on? You've been jumpy all night?" 

"I can't explain it Tom. I'm not sure myself" I shook my head at him. 

He didn't look convinced but he dropped it, pulling at my t-shirt to get me moving out the kitchen. 

He walked behind me up the stairs, turning the living room light off as he passed, making it almost pitch black. 

I felt along the wall to my room and Tom whispered goodnight as he slipped into his own room. 

I slid my jeans off and climbed into bed, making Sky sleep in the bed with me. 

'anything I can do? I feel bad just leaving u? X' I read Toms text three times before replying. 

Was there anything he could do? 

Probably a lot her could do, all too dirty to even think about let alone to suggest to this man that was just my friend. 

I laughed to myself a little bit before replying 'no thanks tho. I'll be fine :) x' 

I couldn't sleep and I couldn't keep my eyes closed for long before I started to panic. 

The only thing that kept me from a full blown panic attack was Sky's big head on my stomach, slowly moving with every breath I took. 

An hour later, and still wide awake I couldn't tell if I had actually fallen asleep and I was dreaming or if Lindsay really was leaning against the windowsill. 

"You need to go back home." She whispered. 

"I'm already home." I whispered back to her, my voice shaking. 

Was I dreaming? I had to be, a girl I'd met just once wouldn't have broken into my house to tell me to go home. 

"Go home." She whispered again, I blinked and she was gone. 

I dug my fingers into Sky's fur and tried again not to panic. 

What was happening to me?