Strained

Chapter Twenty-Four

Hawaii had been amazing! Although, I couldn't deny I had been nervous about leaving Salem. I hated to think something bad was going to happen in my absence, but that was exactly what ran through my mind over and over again. I was terrified to the core at the thought of any of my friends being hurt. They all were so brave, which was why I was so nervous. Each of them a martyr in their own way. Plus, we didn't know if Naomi and Maverick were going to attack again. We were all just waiting for the Solar Eclipse at the end of the year. It felt like so far away, but it was exactly a month away. 

My mom stopped the car and before I knew it we were in our driveway. I stared at the house, inhaling its majesty. This house had stood here longer than I had been alive -- longer than my mom. I wasn't sure when the house was built, but I could tell it was old. It was ominous in a sense, but it reminded me of Gran. It wasn't just because this was her house, but the air around the house.

"It's good to be back," I exhaled smiling proudly at the house. 

"We were gone for like three days," Dara huffed as she struggled with her suitcase. I bent down and helped her pull it up the stairs. "Thanks, dude," she muttered as she passed the threshold. I had a flashback to when we first moved here. I had tried to help Dara then and she recoiled from me. Gran had seen and that was when she gave me a lesson about younger siblings. I missed her so much.

Dara and I headed upstairs to unpack while mom went to her bedroom on the first floor. I was jealous of my mom: she had gotten fairly tan when we were in Hawaii. My red hair made it impossible to get tan, I only burned. Dara had been at the beach every day until the sun went down and her skin was a honey color. I was the only one who hadn't tanned. 

As I unpacked, Phantom jumped into my room from the window. Normally, the movement would have scared me, but I sensed him before I saw him. I had missed him terribly, so when I saw him I scooped him up and held him to my chest. He tried to protest against my hug but eventually gave in. I felt him purring. 

"I wish we could've taken you," I confessed. 

"I don't like water remember? I don't think an island is a place for me," his large orange eyes filled into mine.

"Oh, yeah. I guess you're probably right," I set him down on my bed. I was almost done unpacking. It was about four o'clock, so I was running a little late. Jamie and I had a Skype date. I told him I would Skype him as soon as I got home, but my mom wanted me to unpack and eat something before. It was a good idea because I was starving. 

"So, how was the Tropical Thanksgiving?" Phantom asked with one leg up as he was grooming himself. He had no shame. It must have been a cat thing.

"It was good! My favorite part was swimming with the Dolphins. They're so cute! Plus, it really helped me try and learn how to swim." Going on the lake with Erik and Addie had helped me get over my fear of water. I had never been taught how to swim, but after going to Hawaii I realized it was fairly intuitive. 

"Dolphins? Better than Sharks, I suppose," Phantom was old fashion in some of his thoughts -- this was an example of that. I shook my head at him, wondering how old he really was. Sometimes, the way he talked made him seem ancient. Then, other times I forgot he wasn't a real cat.

"Yeah, they're--

I frowned and looked down at my phone. Was Jamie already calling me? I picked it up after I saw the Caller Id. What was he doing calling me?

"Erik?" He hadn't called me in a long time. We used to talk on the phone quite a bit. 

"Um, yeah," he didn't sound so good.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, genuinely concerned. 

"Not really," I waited for him to explain, but he didn't.