Cursed (Old Version)

Cursed: Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Explaining why Asher should spend the night at our house to both of my parents went over smoothly...surprisingly, but considering the circumstances, I suppose they just figured that something like this would happen too. I mean, this is ME we're talking about. As if I didn't attract enough trouble all by myself, this curse has magnified everything by a tenfold, at least. Before I know it, the government will start coming after me too or something.

As I said, it was all understood by everyone rather easily...save for my brother, who, even when presented with the fact that a crazy vampire now had killing me on the top of his to-do list, still found Asher staying with us an idea that he couldn't hide his disdain for. Caleb wouldn't budge, even when Dad tried to calm him down too. Asher assured Caleb that he would just be guarding the door, but in order for Caleb to join the bandwagon, he insisted that he guard the door with Asher.

And even though I love to argue with my brother, especially when he decides to be silly like this, the weariness in my mother's eyes makes me cut my argument short by making it nonexistent. My mother, who has always looked just barely older than me, suddenly seems to be years older than she ever looked. All this worrying has drained so much of that beautiful and kind energy that's always circling around her, replacing it with bags under her eyes and a body that suddenly seems so frail.

So I sigh and hug my parents before going up into my room. Of course I have to glare at my brother as I walk away, but I do make sure that I do it from an angle that our parents can't see. Once I get into my room though, I plop on my bed, sitting on my knees and drumming on my bed with my fingers until finally the tension leaves me enough so I can grab my phone and quickly dial Nene's number to fill her in.

“Hello?” Nene asks, not really in a questioning way, but more so in a routine like way.

“Nene!” I exclaim in a whisper, “Are you okay?”

Nene sarcastically laughs over the phone, “I'm not the one with a PSYCHO vampire wanting to make me his play thing, soooo yeah, I'm pretty good. My back hurts a little bit, but that's about it.”

“From the fight?” I ask, worrying and feeling a bit guilty instantly.

“No, more so from the reading,” Nene admits with a short, high pitched giggle.

I nod and laugh a little bit with her, “Well so faaaaaaar, no sign of mister crazy here. Oddly though, I feel pretty safe because Asher's here,” I add absently.

“ASHER'S THERE?!” Nene exclaims, and I can hear a faint, annoyed voice in the background of Nene's mother telling Nene to talk a bit quieter.

I giggle so loudly that I drop the phone because I have to clap my hands over my mouth. I can hear Nene huffing over the phone though, so once I finish smothering my giggles, I scramble to pick up the phone and start talking as if nothing is wrong, “Yeah, he said he wanted to protect me. He's guarding our front door...with my brother too, actually,” I say, starting it all off nonchalantly, but ending the sentence with twinges of annoyance in my voice.

“Is your brother safe like that, I mean, guarding and stuff?” Nene questions quickly.

I nod, “Sure, I mean my brother is actually a full blown witch technically...or warlock...or well whatever. Basically, he's got waaaaaaay more training than me.”

Nene pauses for a second, “Well I'm sure he's okay with Asher...who's at your house! Wow, what are you going to do about that?”

“Stay in my room because my brother is really actually guarding Asher from me,” I admit blatantly while I stare up at my ceiling and make mindless pictures with the strange patterns on my ceiling until Nene's voice snaps me out of it.