Lie To Me

Not Such A Bad Guy

“Five years ago, at the Prince’s banquet, my father told me to protect my sisters but I—I couldn’t protect her.” His voice caught in his throat and he paused. For a split second I could have sworn that I had seen his eyes go glossy but they quickly went normal. I placed my hand on his shoulder trying to encourage him.

“What were you supposed to protect her from . . .?”

“Alexiel.”

“So what happened because you couldn’t protect her?” I wasn’t trying to pry or draw him out or anything but his answers just kept leaving me with more questions than before he even started talking.

He sucked in a deep breath. “He raped her.” My eyes bulged at his statement. Alexiel had—so that was why Scarlett—but then why did he come back for her? It made no sense. No wonder Demetrius had done what he did. Scarlet was in the same boat as me . . . he didn’t want it to happen again . . .  “He had his guards hold her down—when I tried to stop them a few more held me down and forced me to watch what happened because I couldn’t stop them. She cried and cried, begging him to stop, screaming for help—I didn’t want her marrying the man that did that to her.” I stared up at him, not sure what to say. He couldn’t have possibly let her marry such a monster . . . his eyes glanced down at mine then he leaned away from the railing. “I’m leaving, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He said.

“Okay.” That was all I could think of to say.

Right before jumping off, he turned and gave me a quick kiss. I didn’t try to stop him; I didn’t want to. It had been a long time since he had and he looked like any further rejection would have crushed him further.

After watching him disappear into the night I decided to head downstairs. I wasn’t tried so I figured I would watch TV or something until the sun came up. Then I would sneak back upstairs and pretend I had slept the night away just to appease Mom. What I wasn’t counting on was her still being downstairs even though it was after midnight. Her eyes landed on me as soon as I hit the final step.

“Jamie go to bed.” She turned completely to me with a look off worry on her face. “Just look, you have shadows under your eyes now.” She complained. Now personally I thought they looked nice one me.

“I can’t.” I whined. She gave me that look that told me to stop. “What, I can’t. It’s almost as if I’ve lost the need to sleep.” I found myself chuckling to myself at my statement.

“What’s so funny?” Mom asked.

“It’s nothing really.” It wasn’t actually all that funny but I had laughed. “It’s just that I kinda remind myself of a vampire—without the craving for blood that is.”

At that moment Mom went into some kind of scary shock. “Don’t ever let me hear you refer to yourself like that again, am I clear?!?!” She exploded. My eyes bulged wide. She seemed a bit edgy. . . “You are 100% human and there’s nothing else to it.”

“Um . . . okay, jeez, lighten up Mom it was only a joke.” I couldn’t believe that she had gotten mad about that.

“Well it wasn’t very funny, now go to sleep you have school in the morning.”

I sighed as I turned to head right back up the staircase. “Okay, I’ll try.” For the millionth time.

Just as expected I sat in my bed and stared at the wall until my alarm went off; nothing new.

Nothing significant happened through the day until French class; or comedy central as it had been renamed. The French woman made it too easy most of the time. We were ignoring her as usual when out of nowhere Kristen just shouts: “Look! It’s Mr. Carlton!”