In Plain Sight (A Hunted Rose)

Chapter Eleven

When I woke up about three hours later, I took a quick shower and then checked my email.  It hadn’t been very long since I sent the message to Liam, but I hoped he might have replied.  As of four in the morning, I had no messages in my inbox.  After the uneventful email check, I packed a lunch and put it in the fridge. 

I checked my phone and saw that I had one message from River.

River: Ryder told us not to contact you and push you, but I just wanted to tell you that I hope you don’t hate us now. 

When I read the last part of his message I let out a small chuckle.  I mentally thanked Ryder; otherwise my phone would probably have dozens of messages by now.  Over the next few hours I thought about everything that happened.  It shouldn’t be that hard to believe that in a world where vampires exist, there are vampire hunters, but… it was.  Liam had never said anything about them, hell; he might not even know they exist. 

In the end, I thought about the friendship I had with them.  It had been less than a week, but I felt close to them.  But what would happen when they found out I was a vampire?  And I knew it was when, not if.  There was only so long that I could hide it.  They would probably try to kill me. 

With a sigh I began packing up my backpack, but paused when I remembered it was Saturday.  I mentally banged my hand against my head, trying to get some sense in, and stopped.  I decided to try and finish my homework before going to the store.  Today I would get things for cleaning, and more actual groceries, along with some more hair ties. 

After reading some of the novel I had picked up from the school library for English, and doing most of my math assignment, I thought I should go to the store.  I grabbed my wallet and got in my car.  There were a few cars in the parking lot, but it wasn’t that busy.  I parked near the front and went inside, getting a cart and going toward the cleaning supplies. 

I gathered some cleaners and then grabbed some more hair ties before going to the grocery area.  I took a loaf of bread, some peanut butter, and some jelly and put it in my cart.  Once again I passed the book and I couldn’t help but browse.  I didn’t see any titles that caught my eye, so I checked out.  As I was exiting, I saw a black Aston martin pull into the parking lot.  I was fairly certain it was Seth, and I wasn’t ready to face him yet.  I hurried to my car, loaded my bags in the back, and went home. 

The weekend passed by extraordinarily slowly.  I was alone with my thoughts for two days.  All I could think about was my friendship with the guys.  I knew it would hurt them if I stopped being friends with them, it would hurt me too, but if I stayed friends with them, it would hurt me.  One day, I would have to leave or they would find out what I was.

  ¥¥¥¥

When Monday finally came, my feet dragged as I walked around the house getting ready.  I was so out of it I almost walked out of the house in my slippers!  I didn’t think I was ready to face Ryder, River, Cameron, Jason and Seth.  But I had no choice.  With a sigh (it felt like I was sighing all the time lately), I got into my car and drove to school.  I sat down at my desk in English and prepared for Ryder to enter.  Hopefully today he wouldn’t harass me.  It was thoughtful of him to ask the others not to text or call me.  I needed to thank him.

When he sat down I offered a quiet, “Thank you.”

He looked taken aback and said, “No problem.  Um, what are we talking about?”

“Asking the others not to text or call me constantly.” I cleared my throat.  “It helped give me time to think, so thank you.”

 “You’re welcome,” he said.  “I knew it would be hard to accept normally, but with them texting or calling you, trying to find out if you still wanted to be our friend, it would be a much harder decision and it would probably push you away.”