Chapter 26 - Study Buddies

“Hey man, you sure you want me to drop you off here?”

Isaac flashed his best friend a big grin. “What’s wrong? You think she’s going to throw me against the wall or something?”

Brandon shrugged with a sly grin on his face. “Only if it’s in the heat of passion.” Just as quickly as the deviousness came, it disappeared and Brandon became serious again. He waited for Isaac’s guffawing to subside before continuing, “But seriously, bro… be careful.”

“Yes Dad,” Isaac said as he got out of the car and slung his backpack over his shoulder.

As soon as school let out Monday afternoon, Isaac went straight to the Wrights’ house after gathering Mikayla’s homework, taking James’ invitation to come over any time to heart.

Mikayla was just pulling up on her motorcycle with Aiden behind her as Isaac stepped away from the car and began to make his way toward the front porch.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” she demanded after she turned off the ignition and pulled her helmet from her head.

Aiden looked surprised as he climbed off her bike, but held his tongue as his gaze shifted nervously from Isaac to Mikayla and back.

Isaac stared momentarily at the cascades of thick black hair that fell around her face as she pulled the helmet off. Catching his breath, he held up the latest homework assignments in the air to answer her question.

Looking from the backpack slung over one shoulder and the homework in the other hand, she groaned loudly. “Now? I have training to do.”

“That’s fine,” Isaac said. “I can wait.”

He missed the scowl on her face when he turned back to Brandon and said, “Catch you later.”

Brandon nodded and pulled away from the curb, a trail of blue smoke following him.

“Hey, get an oil change!” he hollered after his best friend.

Shaking his head in humor, he turned back to Mikayla and Aiden.

Mikayla was pushing her bike into the garage as Aiden set his backpack down on the driveway and began to run around the house.

With quick strides, Isaac followed the tall lanky girl into the garage.

“You’re going to be waiting a while,” she said, trying to deter him from his intended goal of “doing homework together.”

“That’s fine,” he said to her back as she kicked the kickstand of her bike out with her foot and secured its resting position.

Met with silence, he licked his lips hesitantly before he followed her inside the house. He tried to catch a glimpse of her face, but she kept her shoulders hunched, her head lowered, and her hair falling in front of her face like a veil.

She immediately went to the cordless phone in the kitchen and picked it up. She brushed a strand of hair from her face then as she began to dial a number on post-it note next to the cordless phone’s base. Her eyes flicked to him quickly before she turned her back again as the phone began to ring.

Isaac listened to her murmur into the phone as his eyes wandered around the kitchen. It was a pretty standard kitchen you could get from one of those cookie-cutter home renovation catalogues. Everything was very white and bright, right down to the white cabinets, walls, and tilted floor. The breakfast table was a small round birch table sitting in the middle of the kitchen. The door in which they had come in through the garage was behind him with a staircase going up along the same wall on his right. The staircase was closed off and the wall was decorated with family pictures of the Wrights. Isaac wondered how long Mikayla had been living with them. Could she have moved in just before starting school?

The wall at the bottom of the staircase contained cabinets, a dishwasher, the sink, and a window over the sink looking out into what must have been the backyard. The wall parallel to the staircase also contained cabinets, the fridge, and stove. To his left was the living room and an enclosed formal dining room.

Mikayla got off the phone when he’d taken in enough of his surroundings.

“Nice place,” he commented.

Mikayla grunted in response as she turned and headed to the living room.

Isaac followed as she went to pick up a television remote from the coffee table and flicked the TV on. She tossed it on the couch and told him he could sit there and wait for her.

“Can’t I watch you train?”

“No!” she barked.

Was there a hint of pink in her cheeks? He grinned at the thought of her being embarrassed in front of him. The dark, mysterious, and disgruntled girl—embarrassed? How interesting, he thought in amusement.

“Fine,” he said, plopping himself on the couch next to the remote and picked it up to change the channel to something more interesting than the weather report.

She left without another word and he heard her return to the kitchen and open the fridge, followed by the scraping of a wooden chair on the tiled floor.

He flicked the channel to the music station and let his thoughts fill his mind as he watched the images on the screen and the music engulf him.

She seemed back to her old self—barely uttering a word, grunting and barking short responses to questions. Here, however, she seemed almost more hesitant. At school, she walked around like she owned the place with her head held high and narrowing her eyes at everyone she passed by—if she wasn’t shuffling around with her hands in her pockets, looking as though she were in deep thought and shouldn’t be interrupted.

How very interesting indeed.

It wasn’t long before Aiden came in through the front door, panting, and dragging his backpack along the floor.

“Hey,” Aiden gasped, dropping the bag on the floor and taking his shoes off.

“Hi,” Isaac greeted back.

“We’re going to the basement, Aiden,” Mikayla called from the kitchen.

“Okay,” Aiden hollered back as he trudged into the kitchen.

Soft indistinguishable murmurs rumbled from the kitchen before Isaac heard two pairs of feet going down a set of wooden stairs.

Sighing, he reached for his backpack and pulled out some homework.

X

“Why is Isaac here?” Aiden asked in a whisper as he and Mikayla made their way to the basement.

“To do homework,” she growled.

Isaac’s presence was already throwing her off. She didn’t know why he felt the need to just show up immediately after school, but she didn’t like it. It made her nervous. Everything about him made her stomach flip-flop, and for some reason she found that it was hard to even look him in the eyes now. Maybe it had something to do with what Clear Waters told her about him being immune, or maybe it was because of something Clear Waters did during the ceremony; whatever it was, she felt she had to avoid making eye contact.

Even as they went through the motions, she felt distracted and unfocused. She decided to simplify the day’s training and shorten it before she slipped up and accidentally punched Aiden in the face. Pretty sure Anna-Marie would kick her to the curb then.

Hm. That’s not a bad idea, she thought, mentally chewing on the possibility.

“Aw, why are we finishing so early?” Aiden asked, despite being out of breath and wiping the sweat from his brow. “When are you gonna teach me to punch?”

She lunged in for a quick swipe, but he was just as quick to block it.

“Hm,” she murmured, “Seems like you’re ready. Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” he groaned in protest as she turned to the staircase to the main level. “Come on, let’s start now. Please?”

“No,” she growled as she climbed up the stairs with Aiden on her heels like a puppy.

She didn’t want to tell the kid that she was unfocused because of their unexpected visitor. And he just had to show up, didn’t he? Mentally stewing wasn’t going to get him to leave—unfortunately.

Why did he have to be immune to that? Now that she knew she was capable of manipulating people with her mind, it seemed useless if she couldn’t get him to back off. He was the one who needed to be mentally kicked in the other direction, of course.

She groaned as she climbed up the stairs, hearing the front door open and close.

“Hi!” Gracie’s voice boomed with enthusiasm, and added an extra dose of speed to Mikayla’s step.

Mikayla burst into the living room to see Gracie setting her backpack down and joining Isaac on the couch. Her face was glowing like a Christmas tree, while Isaac smiled back at her politely.

He was closing his textbook when he noticed Mikayla stumble into the room, looking almost frazzled. They made eye contact for the briefest second before she quickly averted her piercing gaze. The moment was so short-lived, he wasn’t sure if it actually happened.

MIkayla felt it though, and it only startled her that much more.

She had to regain her composure immediately.

“Mikay, can Isaac play a game with us?”

Gracie looked up at Mikayla hopefully, while Mikyla glowered in response. “No, Isaac came over to do homework, not play games. You can join us if you want, but you have to be quiet and do your homework.”

She thrust her bottom lip out in the biggest pouty face Mikayla had ever seen, earning her an eye roll from the older girl.

“Okay,” Gracie mumbled before turning to Isaac, “Wanna help me with my homework?”

Mikayla rolled her eyes again as an exasperated groan rumbled from her throat.

Aiden followed her upstairs, where he went into the bathroom to shower, and she went to her room to grab her homework.

Pacing back and forth from the door to her desk, she tried to calm her nerves and decide how best to approach the situation downstairs. She had already informed James on the phone that Isaac came over, hopefully he would tell Ann so Ann wouldn’t be upset to find Isaac there.

But how to handle Isaac?

Inhaling and exhaling slowly, she paused in front of her desk. Be cold and distant. Don’t look him in the eye. Avoid talking. Deal with it, she coached herself.

Picking up one of her Greek mythology books and a notebook, she took another deep, calming breath before exiting her room and going downstairs.

Isaac and Gracie had moved themselves to the kitchen table, where they worked in silence except for the scratching of Isaac’s blue pen and Gracie’s pencil. They both looked up in unison when she entered and dropped her mythology book loudly on the table next to Gracie. Sitting across from Isaac at the round table was safer than next to him—the more distance, the better.

“Greek mythology eh? You know, you’re kind of like Artemis,” he said, looking at the book’s cover.

Mikayla scowled to herself, but refused to look up and acknowledge him.

“I would say Athena, but you’re not that wise.”

That earned him a harsh glare, but he got what he was looking for, and that was a response from her.

She could tell that her response was just egging him on. She reached over the table and snatched his collar firmly. “Got any more wise cracks, Mr. Smart-Ass?”

“Always.” He grinned back.

Her eyes flicked to Gracie, staring at them with wide eyes. She lowered her gaze as she released him, denying the real reason for the sudden blush in her cheeks.

Turning her attention back to her paper, she tried to put words down between the pale blue lines, but found it hard to concentrate. Looking up, she caught him still looking at her like she had a giant pimple in the middle of her forehead.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Liar. You can’t lie to me and expect me to believe you,” she said.

“Good to know,” was all he said as he lowered his gaze to his homework.

An awkward silence fell over them and Mikayla tried to ignore it, and him, until she felt his scrutinizing gaze again.

Curling her lips back, she looked up and snarled, “Would you stop staring at me?”

“Yup, like a wild animal. Do you protect women during childbirth too?”

She slammed a clenched fist on the table. “Goddammit! Would you just shut the fuck up already?”

“I might if you behave the way you did with my brother.”

“I don’t see your brother around, do you?” she growled between clenched teeth.

“Believe me, if I can handle him, I’m sure I can handle you too.”

“What the fuck is your point?”

“Relax.”

She looked away, but could still feel his eyes bearing into her, as if he was searching her soul for answers.

Relax?

“I can tell you’re just putting up a front. I’m not blind.”

Looking up at him again through narrowed eyes, she said, “I think you’re over-analyzing me.”

He leaned forward. “No, I think I’m right. You know why I think I’m right?”

She could feel sweat beginning to collect on her back. Her armpits felt damp and she struggled to maintain her unflinching glare. He was testing her, she knew, and she wasn’t about to back down and show weakness.

Finally, after a few tense seconds, he broke the stare-down and turned his focus instead on his homework.

Relief washed over her then and she held back a sigh. Her heart was pounding in her ribcage and she suddenly felt light-headed and dizzy. It must be because of his immunity that he made her sweat with anxiety and cause her pulse to race.

A part of her within stirred, but she pushed it down and swallowed hard.

He alone challenged her without fear, and he would continue to do so unless she could change his mind.

“Are you sure you two are friends?”

Mikayla answered Gracie’s question negatively while Isaac answered positively at the same time.

Mikayla kept her gaze lowered though, avoiding eye contact with either of them, in hopes of warding off more undesirable discussion.

The quiet of a hundred miles of desert inundated them as they returned to their homework, interrupted only by the whisper of questions Gracie posed to Isaac.

Aiden came down, but he went into the living room and turned the TV on to watch a cartoon. The silly opening theme song broke the stillness, the sound drawing Gracie into the living room as well, leaving Mikayla alone with Isaac.

Gracie’s parting made Mikayla’s heart race. Trying to calm herself, she closed her eyes, her head still lowered over her homework, and tried to not let Isaac’s presence overwhelm her.

He was quick to take advantage of their privacy.

“You wear those gloves here too?”

Her brain shut down for a moment, but she refused to look up from the five sentences she managed to write in the last fifteen to twenty minutes. Squeezing her eyes shut, she pushed the panic that resonated over her down into her gut.

Ignore. Ignore. Ignore.

“Come on, Mikay.”

Jeez, he’s pitiful. Already begging me.

The scrape of a chair against the floor caused her to look up quickly as he took Gracie’s former seat and pulled it close to her.

Instinct told her to pull away quickly, but her head told her to fight, not flee.

Shooting him a dark look as he leaned in closer, she gripped her pen tightly in her sweaty hand, pressing it hard onto the paper, and possibly leaving a mark on the table.

“What?”

It came out low and cold, the warnings an animal gives before it attacks.

Isaac acted as though he didn’t pick up the iciness in her tone, and if he did, he did a damn good job of ignoring it.

“See, this is what I’m talking about,” he said, leaning on his elbow on the table. “You don’t want anyone to know who you really are. You’re hiding behind a mask. You cover yourself up from head to toe in trippy black clothing, you put way too much black makeup on—I don’t know whether it’s to hide your face, or look scary, but my guess is that it’s both. The real question is why you would want to hide behind a scary façade.”

She knew he was right; every single word he said was spot on, but she couldn’t admit it, and she hated that he had figured it out.

The only question for her, in her mind, was why. Why was he so keen on trying to solve the riddle of who she was?

But the trick now, for her, was how to distract him and avoid answering his prying inquisition.

“You’re fucking retarded if you really think that. I’m not hiding anything. This is just how I am. If you don’t like it, then you can go fuck yourself.”

“Ah yes, here comes the foul language. Do you have any idea how predictable you are?”

“If you’re looking for an ass-kicking, you’re two second away from one,” she growled.

“Really? With your foster siblings in the other room?” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “You don’t have the guts.”

Gritting her teeth, she knew he was right. He was always right. She detested that he was always right. How did he become so smart?

A smirk pulled the corners of his lips up as her silence proved his point. “I thought so. See? You’re not as big of a mystery as you think you are.”

“What makes you think you know everything?” she growled,

“Because, I’ve seen it all.”

“And why the fuck are you so hell bent on trying to figure me out, huh? I didn’t ask you for help, nor did I invite you over to my house,” she said under her breath. “I think a better question is, why are you so keen to know all about me when I don’t give two shits about you?”

“Really? You don’t give two shits about me, huh?” He reached for her hand holding the pen and pulled it towards him in a tight grip. “You’re lying.”

Snatching her hand away, Mikayla could feel her face growing hot and she tried to mask the fluttering of her heart with anger.

“Don’t touch me! What the fuck is your problem?”

“Out in the field, something changed—you changed—admit it,” he said, moving his chair closer so that it was right next to her and his leg was grazing hers.

She could smell him again and her shiver. Her heart began to throb and fear washed over her. She could envision him leaning over and brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, and she flinched from the thought.

Her breaths were coming in short quick gasps and she fought against the urge to touch him. Instead, she shoved him with both hands pressed against his shoulders. He almost fell off the chair, but he proved to be stronger than she had anticipated.

He met her eyes and she glared back at him in an attempt to conceal her growing fear.

She stood up, keeping her chair between her and him and pointed towards the living room and front door. “Get out. Go away, and leave me alone,” she growled under her breath.

He scowled at her, but she could see the laughter in his eyes. “Is that any way to treat your guests? How rude! Has your mother taught you nothing about manners?”

“My mother died when I was five!” she barked.

Immediately, she clamped her mouth shut and tried to hide her horror at spilling such sensitive information. Turning away, she tried to divert her attention on something, anything, to maintain her self-control.

Isaac had already noticed though and he stood up, came around the chairs, and stepped up to her.

She backed away immediately and turned her back to him, leaning against the counter and staring down at it. She already had a lie prepared, but even then, the lie held some truth that admitting was still difficult to this day.

“Mikay, I’m sorry. I was just joking.” He came up behind her, his voice gentle and regretful. “Really, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

He tried to reach out to her, but she brushed him away. He was too close, much too close. The pounding of her heart was so loud, she feared he could hear it. She had to keep him away. She used her fear to project an image of intense grief in hopes that he might leave her alone. “Just go. Get out. Go away.”

“Mikay, we can talk about it—”

“There’s nothing to talk about!”

“Mikay? Are you okay?”

All of the blood drained from her face when she looked over and saw Aiden and Gracie watching from the doorway to the living room. Aiden had a protective arm over his sister as she chewed on her bottom lip and wrung the hem of her shirt between her fingers.

Holy shit… they didn’t… did they?

Push them all away, a small voice in her head told her.

She realised she had been holding her breath. She released the air in her lungs before she spewed out her last attempt to push them all away before running up to her room.

“Fuck off!  All of you—just fucking leave me alone!”