Karma Bites (5 page)

“You can’t always protect me!” I yell. It startles her. Startles me. “Getting in the car every day is dangerous, but we still do it.”

She stands. “It’s not the same thing, and I won’t have you talking to me like that, young lady.”

“Pfft. Yeah, I’m sure vampire attacks outnumber car accidents.” I continue before she can call me on my sarcasm, “Look, I’m sorry I got an attitude, but, please, Mom.” My voice is soft…pleading. “I just want to be like a normal teenager. I’ll wear my cross like I always do. I’ll keep my vial of holy water and my pepper spray, for the off chance I get attacked by an actual human. Anything. Just, please?” I walk over to her and this time, I grab her hand. “I need this. I’m asking you to trust me like you want me to trust you.”

My last words hit home. I can see the change in the worn-out features of her face. If she wants my trust, she’s going to have to give me a little in return. Defeated, she nods.

“Okay.”

***

Mom makes me reiterate at least fifty times that I understand the dangers. From there we move to reciting the ways to hurt or kill a vampire, and confirm our hours so we make sure I can use the car. Of course she throws in the whole call her the second I leave work thing, and finally I start to believe this is happening.

I ignore the shake in Mom’s hand as she repeats that we have a deal. My bad daughter hat is in place again, but I can’t help it. I want to hold onto this freedom as tightly as I clutched the letter still sitting in my pocket.

When Mom says she’s going to take a nap, I tell her I’m going for a walk. Even though we just came to an agreement about work, I still let her know I will be home before dark. I’m not surprised when I find myself slipping through the woods, hoping to find Caleb and share my news with him. Which is dumb. I know that. It’s not like we’re friends, but even though our conversation yesterday is the only real one we’ve ever had, he’s the only person I feel I can share this with.

Butterflies dance in my belly, making me feel a tad nauseous. The thing is, I didn’t want it to be obvious I came looking for him. I’m not a total idiot. There’s no way I’m putting myself out there for him to shoot me down, but this means I can’t go to his house. The only thing I can think to do is to go to the tree we met at yesterday and hope my bad luck gives me a break and he shows up. I know exactly where it is because it’s my tree.

The trunk is huge, with knobs and winding paths of bark around it. It looks different, a little older, a little more knowledgeable, which is really dumb. I think Mom's crazy for believing in vampires, but I think a tree is capable of intelligence. Nice.

I move my dad’s letter around in my hands. Since I found it, it’s always on me. I don’t know why I’m scared. It’s still light outside, but the sun won’t last long. If Caleb doesn’t show up soon, I’m going to have to leave. Which I’m sure is better. I’m not convinced waiting for him isn’t the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. What am I going to say?
“Hey, Caleb. Remember me? You look at me a lot, but we never talk. Well, we did yesterday when I was bawling my eyes out. Guess what? I got a job!”

Yeah, now I can see why I don’t have friends.

But still I wait, much too long because the sun is dipping farther and farther into the horizon. The cool late afternoon breeze whispers over me like a gentle caress. I pull my legs closer to fight the chill, telling myself five more minutes. I’ll wait five more minutes before I head home.

The sun sets, dusk settling over the woods around me. As I get up to leave, a branch crunches behind me.
Caleb!
I’m totally embarrassed over my own giddiness. I turn and suddenly I realize,
really
realize that it will be dark soon and I’m alone. Well, alone except for the boy in the woods with me. A boy who is definitely not Caleb.

The boy laughs. “Hi. I hope I didn’t scare you. From the look on your face, I guess I probably did.” He has to be about my age. He has dusty blond hair that sits on the collar of his black jacket. He’s cute. Very cute. If he’s not a psycho murderer, that is.

I frantically scan the area around us.
Oh God. No one will hear me scream out here.
The thing is, this guy is a stranger. I’m not usually all freaked out about the whole stranger danger thing, but I’m also not usually alone in the woods with someone I don’t know. Even being an outcast, there aren’t many people I don’t know in Karma. Especially people who hang-out in the woods. “Um…hi.” I play it cool, wishing I had my pepper spray.

“Hi. Are you okay? You look like you’re about to bolt at any minute.” He smiles. A real smile. A full, ear to ear one. It’s kind of contagious.

“Should I be ready to run?” Now some people might think that is a stupid question, but not me. I figure if he is a crazy murderer, he’s going to have a little respect for me for coming right out and asking him. Maybe enough to tell me the truth and at least give me head start.

This time, he laughs, holding his hands up in feigned surrender. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m just taking a walk and saw you out here. It’s getting dark so I thought I’d check on you.”

Crap.
It’s getting darker. Great, I get Mom to give me a little freedom and I stay out too late. Oh and end up in the woods with a strange boy.

He takes a couple steps toward me. “I’m Gabriel Chambers. I just moved here. I can show you my ID if you want.”

Now it’s my turn to laugh. He’s a cute boy and he’s talking to me. That doesn’t happen too often. Well, except for yesterday. “ID isn’t necessary. I better go, though. My mom is probably freaking out right now." I have no choice but to walk toward him because he’s standing in the direction of my house. I move past him, ready to break into a run if I need to.

“Yeah, I hear you there.” He starts to walk with me. The butterflies are back and I’m not sure if it’s because he’s cute or because I should be scared. “I didn’t catch your name.”

I speed up. Mom is really going to freak if I don’t hurry and get home. But I still can’t help but think,
A cute guy is asking my name! Go me!
Of course, that’s only because he doesn’t know about me, but still. “Abigail, but I go by Abby.”

Gabriel keeps up with me. “Can I walk with you? I’m home schooled so this might be my only chance to meet someone my age for a while.”

I’m not really much of an optimist, but this just might be the luckiest day ever. Excluding my earlier bad luck, that is. This might be my chance to meet someone who knows nothing about me. Someone The LP can’t brainwash with their big boobs and even bigger attitudes. “Sure. It’d be cool to have some company. My house is this way.”
Duh! It
’
s the way I
’
m walking.

We walk in silence for a few minutes. I have no idea what to say to him and, honestly, I’m half afraid if I open my mouth, something really lame will fall out. Luckily, he saves me.

“Lived here long?” Gabe asks.

“A few years. Since right before my freshman year. It sucks.”

Gabriel smiles. “Does it? I moved here from outside Boston. Sucked pretty badly there too, but you get used to it.”

A chill sweeps over me as the wind rustles the trees.
Stupid, cold wind.

“Here, take my jacket.”

I stop in my tracks. He’s offering me his coat. It’s ridiculous for me to take it. I don’t know him, we’re almost to the edge of the woods and to the street that leads to my house, but it’s almost like a movie to me. The loser girl who finds this really hot guy to offer her is coat. It’s too good an opportunity to pass up. I take it, slipping my arms inside the warm sleeves. It smells like cloves, I think. Just faintly. The rest is all boy. “Thanks.”

“Any time.” He shrugs.

I feel a little guilty taking his jacket because he’s only wearing a blue t-shirt, but then I remember he’s from Boston. It gets colder there than it does in Northern California so he’s probably used to it.

His arms are muscular and like the rest of him, pretty damn hot. Can arms be hot? Yes, I think so.

“So,” he says as we walk. “You were saying it sucks here? I actually think I’m going to like it.” Gabriel winks at me and my insides start fluttering. My belly feels light. I’m not sure how to respond.

“How old are you?”

“Eighteen. You?”

“Seventeen. I can’t wait until I graduate. The first thing I’m going to do is leave this town.”

We clear the edge of the woods and step onto the street. “That bad, huh? What’s there to do around here for fun?”

“Fun? What’s that?” I tease, wondering why it’s so much easier to talk to Gabriel than it is Caleb. He laughs. “Um, not much. The typical stuff, I guess. I got my first job today. I’m going to bus tables at Sampson’s Diner.”

Gabriel stops walking. They we’re only a block from my house. “That’s fun?”

My mouth drops open and I cross my arms.

“I’m kidding! Maybe I’ll have to stop in and see you some time.”

Great, I’m blushing. My heart starts to race.
Do NOT have a heart attack in front of him, Abbs!
The first boy to ever show interest in me and I keel over dead when he mentions seeing me again. Sounds about right. “I’d like that.” And then, even though I hate it, I say, “I need to get going though. My house is right up the street. I can make it fine from here.” I take off his jacket. The crisp breeze makes me shiver.

“You can keep it.” He cocks his head toward the coat, but I shake my head. I want nothing more than to keep this jacket so I know he will have to see me again, but the last thing I need is something I’ll have to explain to Mom. “No thanks. I’m almost home and I don’t want you to be cold.”

He takes it from me. “Thanks for letting me walk home with you, Abigail. I’ll see you soon?”

I hear the question in his voice. Is he just as nervous as me? I doubt it, but it makes me feel good to know he at least feels part of the nerves I do. “Sure.” Before I blow it, I turn and walk away. “Bye, Gabriel.”

“Gabe. Call me, Gabe.” he calls after me as I start to jog.

I run the rest of the way home. I skid to a stop in front of my house and look back. Gabe is gone. I smile. First Caleb talks to me, I get a job, and now a new, cute boy that no one else knows talks to me. Maybe my luck is going to change.

“Abby! Dear God, is that you?” Mom yells from the porch, her voice shaky.

There goes my luck.

After my neck check, the yelling begins.
You just asked me to trust you and then you pull this! If you want to keep that job you’re going to have to prove you deserve it much better than this.
Yada, yada until I wanted to poke my own eyes out. Or maybe ears. That would make more sense.

Finally, I make it to my room for a little peace and quiet. My body is all jittery. I pull out my Dad’s letter and wonder if it’s good luck. If somehow, having this little piece of him is making my life better. I wish for more. I want him, but this is at least something.

I grab my diary from under my mattress before sitting in front of my window. It’s always been my favorite place to sit. Like I can look out on other people’s lives and pretend it’s mine. Tonight, for the first time, I don’t feel like pretending. I just feel like living in the moment. In the hope that maybe Caleb and I can be friends. My lips stretch into a smile. Or maybe Gabe. Or both. But mostly, I’m excited for my job. For hope.

Not even the memory of Stacy and her lipstick-wearing psycho friends can bring me down tonight. Actually, I feel pretty sorry for them. If they have nothing better to do than chase me around, they need more of a life than me.

Okay, so I’m stretching it a little bit, but still.

After I scrawl every detail of my day, I close the book and let my eyes find the darkness outside. There’s movement, and my insides freeze as I think I see a figure step behind the trees. Goosebumps spring to life on my arms. I shake my head to toss the vision away, but it's still there. My legs feel heavy, like they’re anchored to the floor. I want to move them, to step away from the window, but I can’t make them work.
No, no, no.