Shift (The Neturu Chronicles) (15 page)

               
Her dad gives her a look.  “When you graduate, my dear.  What do you
need a car for anyway?  You have ours during the evening.  Tracy
takes you to school every day, and you’re with her all the time anyways.”

               
“Fine,” Kayla grumbles.

               
“I did offer my services as a chauffeur while I’m here.  Anytime she needs
a ride,” Damien states nicely.

               
Handing the plate of meat over to Kayla, her mom asks, “How long will you be
visiting.”

               
“There hasn’t been a set time yet,” Damien replies.  “You very well know
what I’m here for.”

               
“What’s that?” Kayla asks curiously, handing the plate to him.

               
Damien smiles and takes it.  “I have some family business to take care of
and honestly, I came to meet you.”

               
“The whole bloodline thing again,” Kayla groans.  She turns to her mom.
“Do you have any idea what he’s talking about?”

               
“Well, if you go back a few generations, our families had almost…arranged
marriages,” her father starts.

               
Kayla drops her fork.  “You aren’t serious.”

               
“Yes, actually I am,” he replies.  “We, obviously, don’t do that anymore,
but we try and keep the families
together.”          

               
“Like inbreeding?”

               
“No, no, no.” Damien laughs. “No relatives, and no arranged anything.  We
just casually meet others our age to see if maybe there’s a spark.”

               
With a dumbfounded expression, Kayla says, “So…you’re here to see if there’s a
spark…with me?”

               
A quirky smile crosses Damien’s face.  “If you want to put it that way,
then yes.  I am hoping there’s a spark.”

               
“I should be totally creeped out by that,” Kayla whispers.  “But in
another way, it’s kind of cool.  I feel kind of special.”

               
“You are very special,” Damien murmurs back, looking into her eyes.  Kayla
feels uneasy but comforted at the same time.

               
The rest of dinner is spent with polite conversation.  Damien talks about
himself a lot, with much urging from Kayla.  She wants to know as much
about him as she can.  When they are finally finished eating, Kayla’s dad
sets down his napkin.  “That was wonderful, dear.  What are you kids
up to now?”

               
“Ugh,” Kayla groans. “I have to do calculus.”

               
“Really?  You’re upset about homework, since when?” her mom asks, slightly
amused.

               
Kayla sighs. “It’s just these equations confuse me.  I know that sounds
crazy, but they do.”

               
“I’ll be able to explain it to you easily.  I promise,” Damien
states.  “Why don’t we go and get started?”

               
“Oh,” Kayla chirps.  “We usually do the dishes.”

               
Her father stands up.  “It’s quite all right for one night.  Go, have
fun, learn things.”

               
Almost excited, Kayla grabs Damien’s hand and pulls him through the
house.  She snatches her backpack as they go up the steps.  When they
walk into her room, she says, “Sorry, I’m kind of a neat freak.”

               
“Yes, but I love neatness,” Damien replies.  “It makes you even more
attractive.  I also like that you have a queen-sized bed; it holds two so
easily.”

               
“Get your head out of the gutter.  We’re going to do homework.  What
kind of girl do you take me for?”

               
Damien smiles. “I have only the highest opinion of you.  I was just
stating a fact.  Go grab your calculus book and show me what you got.”

               
They spread everything out on her desk, and Damien gets to work on showing her
what to do.  He half leans over her as he explains the equations and how
to solve them.  His breath is hot on her neck, and it makes her nerves
tingle.  Kayla tries to pay attention to him, but she can only concentrate
on his proximity.  After a while, Damien laughs lightly. “Are you paying
any attention?”

               
“Yeah,” Kayla squeaks.  “It’s just confusing.”

               
“I don’t mean to sound smug or anything, but am I a distraction to you right
now?”

               
Covering her face in humility, Kayla whimpers, “Yes, please don’t laugh at me.”

               
“I won’t, but I’ll make you a deal.  Every time you stop paying attention,
I’m going to take an item of clothing off.”

               
“No!  You are not!” Kayla
exclaims.          

               
Nodding, Damien says, “Yes, I am.  And even though it bruises my ego, I
know you don’t want me to do that.  So this will force you to do your
homework.”

               
“You better keep your clothes on!”

               
“Then turn around and pay attention,” Damien instructs, pointing to her math
book.  Kayla concedes and they start again.  This time, Kayla makes
it through his explanations without getting distracted.  Finally, Damien
looks at her.  “Do you think you have it?”

               
Smiling broadly, Kayla says, “Yes, thank you very much.”

               
“It’s been my pleasure.  Now what?”

               
“Now, I think it’s time for you to go home.”

               
With a playful frown, Damien exhales. “Fine.  I see how it is.  Use
me and then throw me away.”

               
Kayla giggles. “That’s not it.  I have to take a shower and then go to sleep. 
I’m really tired from getting up so early this morning.”

               
“Okay,” Damien replies, sticking his hands in his pockets.  “Will I see
you again?”

               
“Yeah, definitely.  Tomorrow is Friday and I have school, but this weekend
I’m open.  If you’re bored, we can definitely do something.”

               
“Excellent, then it’s a date.”

               
Turning red, Kayla murmurs, “I don’t know if you would call it a date.”

               
“Well, you can call it what you want and I’ll call it what I want.” Damien
laughs.  “So does this mean I can have your number?”

               
Smiling, Kayla grabs her phone.  “Yes, give me yours too.”  They
exchange numbers, and then Kayla says, “You should probably go.”

               
“I’ll see myself out.  I want to say good-bye to your parents.”

               
“All right, thanks again for your help,” Kayla says happily, walking him to her
door. Before he leaves, Damien turns to Kayla.  She looks at him and
gulps.

               
He carefully looks at her and then bends down.  Damien isn’t as tall as
Jackson, but he is still a few inches taller Kayla.  Kayla’s pulse races
when he brings his lips lightly to hers.  It’s quick but sweet.  When
he pulls away, he whispers, “I’ll see you soon,” and with that, he turns and
leaves.
               
Kayla stands in her doorway for a minute, totally stunned.  Finally, she
turns and nearly skips to her closet.  She grabs her pajamas and a
towel.  When Kayla walks into the hallway, she hears hushed voices downstairs. 
Carefully and quietly, she creeps down the steps.

               
“I do not agree with this,” Damien hisses almost at an inaudible tone.

               
Straining, Kayla hears her dad murmur, “I’m sorry, but that is our decision.”

               
“This is going to come back and bite you, and you’ll regret your
decision.  When it happens, I’ll be here.  You can guarantee
that.  You can’t stop it forever.”

               
“We can try,” her mom whispers.

               
There is a growl and Damien says, “You are fools.  I’m leaving for now,
but I’ll be back later.  I will protect your daughter.”

               
“That is what we are trying to do,” her father replies.

               
“That’s your opinion,” Damien retorts quietly.  She hears him walk to the
front door.  Kayla darts back up the stairs.  She goes into the
bathroom and shuts the door.

               
Breathing heavily, she says, “What in the world was that about?”  She
peers out the window.  Damien looks up and she quickly jumps to the
side.  Kayla hears his car start and then pull away.  She puts her
hand on her chest.  “This is so weird,” she murmurs to herself. 
Totally confused, she starts her shower.

               
Kayla’s alarm wakes her up the next morning.  She knocks it off her
nightstand again and goes back to sleep.  A little while later her phone
starts to ring.  She reaches across her side table and grabs it. 
“What,” she mumbles into the phone.

               
“I’m coming to get you this morning,” Jackson declares.

               
Groaning, Kayla replies, “What…who says?  Tracy is coming to get me.”

               
“I called her and told her I was.  I want to talk to you.”

               
“Too bad. I have no interest in discussing your insane rules.  I’d rather
listen to Tracy talk about her romantic conquests 24/7.”

               
Jackson sighs. “Kayla, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to hurt you or make you
angry.”

               
“Are you sure?” she asks, throwing back her covers.  “You seem to be
really good at it.”

               
“I want to be friends. I do.  You’re incredible.  We just can’t get
romantically involved.”

               
Rolling her eyes, Kayla snaps, “So you’ve stated…repeatedly.  I’m not an
idiot, Jackson.  You can stop apologizing.   It’s starting to
lose its effect.”

               
“It’s just that…it’s not like I’m not attracted to you, I am, but we just can't
be...a couple,” Jackson mumbles.

               
“Whatever, Jackson, you aren’t the only guy attracted to me now, so you can let
yourself off the hook.  It seems Damien is interested in me.”

               
There is nothing but silence on the other end of the phone for almost a
minute.  “Are you interested in him?” Jackson finally asks.

               
“I don’t know,” Kayla moans.  “I just met him.  He did kiss me and
that was nice.”

               
“He what!”

               
Kayla sits up, surprised.  “You kissed me the day after we met. Twice.”

               
“True, but…nonetheless…ugh, this is stupid.  If you’re interested in
Damien, then knock your socks off.”

               
Annoyed, Kayla spits out, “Then I will, happily.   I don’t need your
permission, Jackson.”

               
“Yeah, I guess I agree with you.  Can I still pick you up for school?”

               
“I don’t know,” Kayla replies sarcastically. “I don’t know if I can keep my
hands off of you.”

               
“I didn’t say you couldn’t touch me.  I mean really, you can touch me
wherever
you want.”

               
Kayla laughs.  “What is with your family?  Does perversion run in
your blood?”

               
“Yes, yes it does.  Though I think you bring it out in us.”

               
“What a charming trait I have.  What time are you picking me up?”

               
With a cheerier tone, Jackson says, “I don’t know.  Do you want coffee?”

               
“Oh, you never tease a girl about coffee this early in the morning.  Of
course I want coffee!”

               
“What do you want?  I’ll bring you something.”

               
“Large caramel latte. So bad for you, but soooo good at the same time.”

               
A gentle laugh comes from Jackson.  “All right, see you around seven
fifteen.”

               
“All right, see you then.” Kayla yawns one more time.  “You need to stop
calling me so early.”

               
“Who else would you like to wake up to?”

               
Kayla smirks. “Johnny Depp.”

               
“Oh, spare me, I’m hanging up the phone now.”

               
“No, no, no, Johnny Depp with a cup of coffee and a piece of chocolate
cake…good morning to me.”

               
“Hanging up now,” Jackson states.  Kayla hears the phone go silent, and
she grins to herself.

               
At seven o’clock, Kayla sits down on the bottom step of the stairway and puts
her shoes on.  Her dad comes around the corner.  “Off to school?”

               
“Pretty soon,” Kayla says.

               
“Tracy coming to get you?” he asks.

               
Shaking her head, Kayla replies, “No, Jackson.”

               
“Oh...good,” her dad says.

               
She stops what she's doing and looks at her dad.  “Why are you guys so
happy about Jackson?  I mean he’s a good guy, but he drives me nuts too.”

               
“Your mom drives me nuts.  It happens.”

               
“I don’t plan on marrying someone who drives me crazy,” Kayla declares as she
stands up.

               
Her dad smiles. “It’s a good crazy, though.  I love your mom.”

               
“I know.” Kayla giggles. “No question there.”

               
Her dad studies her for a minute before saying, “Give Jackson a chance.”

               
“I am, just not a dating chance.”

               
“Why not?”

               
She looks at him.  “Really?  You’re asking me that?  Since when
are you interested in whom I date?”

               
“I’m just curious.”

               
Grabbing her backpack, Kayla murmurs, “Jackson has made it pointedly clear that
he does not want to date me.  We’re going to be friends.”

               
“I see,” her dad whispers.  “Well, just…I don’t know.”

               
“Damien is interested in me, if you care.  Not that I mind that at all.”

               
Her dad hesitates.  “Yes, I know Damien is interested in you.”

               
Kayla looks at him.  “What?  You don’t approve?”

               
“Of course I approve,” her dad replies quietly.  He gives her a thoughtful
look.  “Damien would bring a lot to your life.”

               
“He’s so smart, but so is Jackson.  I think it’s cool that they're both
really attractive and intelligent.”

               
Her dad chuckles.  “That is a good thing. We couldn’t be happier with your
choices in friends.  You know we are very fond of Tracy.”

               
With a smile, Kayla replies, “Jackson likes her too, and she will probably die
when she meets Damien.”

               
“Probably,” her dad says with a sigh and a smile.  “Well, you’d better get
your jacket on.  It’s getting cool outside.”

               
“All right,” Kayla says happily.  She grabs her coat off the rack and puts
it on.  Looking out the window, she sees Jackson’s car.  “Okay, see
you later.  Love you.  Bye, Mom!”

               
“Bye, Kayla!” her mom hollers from the kitchen.

               
Her dad waves at her as she bounds outside.  It’s a bit cooler than usual,
so she pulls her leather jacket tightly around her body.  Kayla
practically jumps into Jackson’s car and slams the door.  “It’s
cold
outside.”

               
“It is nowhere near cold.  You’re a wimp.  Here, drink your
coffee.  It’ll warm you up,” Jackson says, handing over her latte.

               
Kayla eagerly takes it.  “Mmm, warmth.”

               
“Watch this,” Jackson says, pressing a button.  “Heated seats.”

               
“Perfection,” Kayla moans happily.  She takes a sip of her coffee and
sighs.  “Oh, so good, thank you.  Remind me to give you money.”

               
“All right.”

               
“Wow…no arguing about paying for it yourself?”

               
He looks at her.  “Would you be impressed if I bought coffee for you?”

               
“No.”

               
Jackson looks at her.  “You are sort of a feminist, and I respect
that.  It wouldn’t make you happy for me to pay.”

               
“Well…true,” Kayla whispers.  She raises her head to look at him. “But
isn’t that what guys are supposed to do?”

               
“Yes. If we were dating, I would pay for your coffee and dinner and anything
else you desired.”

               
Nodding, Kayla says, “Good point.  We’re not dating, so I’ll pay for my
stuff.”

               
“Sounds good. So how was my cousin? Charming, I’m sure.”

               
“He’s very kind and very sweet.  He also helped me do my calculus
homework.”

               
“I would have helped you,” Jackson offers.

               
“I was going to ask for your help, but you decided to be rude instead.  So
Damien helped.  He did a good job.”

               
“And then he kissed you.”

               
“Is it any of your business?”

               
Jackson tightens his grip on the steering wheel.  “No, I guess it’s not.”

               
“It wasn’t a full make-out session or anything. It was very short and sweet, a
gentle kiss good-bye.”

               
“I see.”

               
They remain silent all the way to school.  Kayla fidgets with her coffee
cup and stares out the window.  She isn’t sure what to say to Jackson, so
she decides to say nothing at all.  Their silence continues as they walk
to their first class together.  When she can’t take it anymore, Kayla
grabs his arm and pulls him to a stop.  “Jackson, this is weird. 
We
are weird now.  I don’t want that.”

               
With a little bit of a chuckle, he asks, “What’s so weird?  That we
haven’t said anything since the comment about the kiss?  I was giving you
time to savor it, because if I have anything to do with it, it will be your
last.”

               
“Oh really?  Have you told Damien this?”

               
“No, but I will.”

               
Giving him a very sweet look, Kayla says, “If he isn’t allowed to kiss me, whom
am I allowed to kiss?”

               
Fighting a smile, Jackson says, “I don’t know.  You’ll have to run it by
me before you do anything.  I have to approve of your boyfriend.”

               
“Isn’t that my dad’s job?”

               
“I know what to look for in a guy,” Jackson declares proudly.  “I’ll watch
you like a hawk.”

               
Kayla bumps into him and asks, “Why do you care so much?”

               
“You need someone strong to watch out for you.”

               
“Oh, my own personal bodyguard, wait…no…knight in shining armor.  He shall
protect me from all the evil in the world.”

               
Jackson nods. “Yup.”

               
They start walking to class again and Kayla is much happier.  The rest of
the school day goes by quickly.  Jackson actually eats lunch with the
girls and their friends.  He is quiet most of the time, but Kayla keeps
catching him staring at her.  She sticks her tongue out at him, which
makes him laugh.

               
At the end of the day, Kayla and Jackson are walking to her locker when her
friend Reana comes running up to her.  “Oh
my gosh
,
there’s the hottest guy on the planet waiting for you by your locker.”

               
Jackson groans.  “He is
not
the hottest guy on the planet.”

               
“You’re a close second,” Reana remarks with a smile.

               
Laughing, Kayla says, “Ouch, second place.  I don’t think you’re second
place, does that help?”

               
“No,” Jackson replies, with a smirk.  “Come on, let’s see what Damien
wants.”

               
When they get close to her locker, they see a crowd of girls.  Most of
them are whispering to one another.  Kayla pushes through them to find
Damien leaning against her locker, one foot up against it.  She raises an
eyebrow.  He is wearing black suit pants and a purple button-up
shirt.  Kayla has to admit, he looks hot.  She puts on a smile and
walks over to him.  “How in the world did you figure out where the school
was and which locker was mine?”

               
“It’s called GPS, and if you hand teenagers money, you would be surprised at
what information you can get out of them.  How was your day?” Damien asks.

               
“Good,” Kayla replies. “Can I get to my locker?”

               
Damien steps away and looks at his cousin. “Jackson, are we done brooding yet?”

               
“Yes, though now that I see you, I have this overwhelming urge to kick
something.”

               
Stepping over to Kayla, Damien puts his arms around her.  “Jackson,
Jackson, Jackson, are we still on that?  I think you made it clear where
you stand, and I have made my intentions fairly obvious.”

               
Kayla turns in his arms and looks up at him.  “Do I get a say as to
whether or not you put your hands on me?”