Chapter Three

   For the next three hours or around that length of time, I just stood at the sidelines hearing the latest gossip and news of the town. In fact, I was sat on one of the swings and Jake stood by me to make me feel not so disengaged. At some point I got a call off my dad. I walked over to the gate to answer it.

   ‘Tiffany, where are you?’ my dad asked, he sounded more worried than he had done the last time I had stayed out this late without him knowing.

   ‘I’m with some friends from school, dad. I’m fine. Please, I’ll be home later.’

   ‘Alright, but next time phone me when you have plans.’ He hung up.

   ‘Who was that?’ Jake spoke from behind me, which made me jump. He noticed.

   ‘Don’t do that! It was my dad.’

   ‘What did he want?’

   ‘He wanted to know where I was. I don’t need to be home, but it is late for me in a way.’

   ‘Do you want to go? You do look a little cold as well. I’ll walk you home, if that’s okay,’ he offered.

   ‘I need to pick up my bags from yours remember.’

   ‘Oh, yeh. Hang on, I’ll be right back.’ He went back over to the group. A few seconds later, he was back beside me and we were walking back along the road to his house. ‘Sorry I scared you. I thought you heard me coming.’

   I shook my head, then said, ‘No, I didn’t. Just don’t do it again. It’s so much colder here than back home.’

   ‘You’ll get used to it, but for now you’ll have to have me for a radiator.’ I felt that he might be hinting at something but was unsure if it was typical talk (for him at least). He wrapped his arm around me again, but this time I shrugged it off and held his hand instead.

   ‘I’m not as cold as before, but thanks.’

   I waited at the end of his drive while he went to fetch my stuff. He walked back down from the house, handed me my bag, and we began to walk up the street when he realised something.

   ‘What street do you live on anyway?’

   ’River Lane. It’s a bit of a trek away, sure you want to come?’

   ‘Of course, you need me with you if you’re walking that far in the dark. It’s a Friday night, so who knows what idiots are out at this time.’

   ‘Good point. I still think my ear’s a little damaged from that whistle of yours before,’ I carried on from his previous, illusive hinting.

   ‘Still need a kiss better then?’ he answered back.

   ‘May be, if it still hurts by the time we get to mine then I might take you up on that offer.’

   ‘Fair enough.’

   ‘Let me guess, that wasn’t your main meeting place?’

   ‘No, we have one main place, but we move around now and again.’ We said no more after that.

   We wondered down the many streets and roads that led from his house to mine. Innocently (as I couldn’t help it), I formed the perfect answer in my mind for when he would ask me again.

   After about the twentieth street or lane, I recognised where I was. I recognised the familiar houses and the cars outside the nearest ones to mine. And, obviously, I noticed the two cars that were parked outside my unfamiliar new home. My dad’s Volvo estate and Tracy’s (my step mum) Volkswagen Golf. When we reached the front door, I faced him.

   ‘Well, this is me,’ I said quietly after I had unlocked the door, slipped my bag inside and shut the door again.

   ‘Does your ear still hurt?’ he asked softly.

   ‘I don’t know, but that kiss would help in the long run.’ I waited for what seemed like hours.

   Eventually, he took my left hand in his right and placed it round his waist. While his other wrapped around my waist. He then gently pulled my body closer to his, before his head leant closer to mine. I shut my eyes and waited again, only I didn’t know quite what to expect. My free hand rose up and onto his chest as I felt the touch of his lips against mine. My body suddenly buzzed with excitement, but I kept calm and unmoving under his touch; except for one thing. His lips opened slightly and I had to copy to make it perfect. Before anything happened beyond the lips, he gradually closed them, again I followed his lead. We did the same for another five times before he pulled away. However, he didn’t remove his grip from around me.

   ‘I have to go,’ he whispered.

   ‘I know,’ I sighed. ‘What about tomorrow?’

   ‘Swap numbers,’ he said as he took out his mobile from his trouser pocket. He handed it to me and I quickly plugged in my number while his arms remained around me. I took out mine and handed it to him so he could do the same. ‘I’ll give you a call. What time do you get up on the weekend?’ he asked still in a hushed tone.

   ‘Depends. Usually ten, sometimes eleven.’

   ‘That’s fine. You should go in; I might get into trouble for keeping you out any longer.’ He smirked wonderingly.

   ‘You can come in for a while, if you want?’ I asked sweetly without any hints.

   ‘I don’t think I should.’ He sounded a little defensive on top of the wariness of his voice.

   ‘Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow,’ I spoke as I reopened the door.

   ‘See you then. Bye.’

   ‘Bye,’ I finally said before closing and locking the door to his back. As soon as the click sounded, I stealthily ran up to my room to reminisce. Technically, I went up into my room to lie face down on my bed and half-scream into my pillow with thrilled disbelief. What kind of problem had I got myself into? Or was it even a problem? I was grateful for it being a Friday. Now I only had to concentrate on fitting in with school, and keeping a low profile with the sixth formers. Just then I felt my mobile go off in my pocket. I tensed my body and looked up blankly at the wall. I slowly reached into my pocket and pulled my mobile out. I concentrated on the flashing lights around the edge to keep me from noticing the recipient. I flipped the screen open and pressed ‘read’.

   Tomorrow, 12, at the park X. I read it over again twice to check that I wasn’t seeing things. I flipped the screen shut and placed it on my bedside table. Deciding that I was still hungry, I went downstairs. Keeping a soft tread, I made my way down the hallway.

   The kitchen was empty and I quickly micro-waved a pizza and went back upstairs. Unfortunately, it was without being heard.

   ‘Tiffany, come here please.’ I stopped on the first step, sighed and headed to the lounge.

   Nearing the door I heard more than my father’s and Tracy’s voices. My hearing intensified (another strange ability I seemed to have). One voice I could easily recognise, but there were another two that I didn’t. As far as I could decipher, from the few seconds I had, they were discussing some important affairs.

   I pushed the door open and stood within the frame. I took in the faces; which was a relief for once; that I didn’t have to bare seeing the eyes anymore (something I was free from thanks to Jake). I leant against the doorframe and took a bite out of my pizza.  I carefully watched one of the visitors closer because of the connection I had with him. He wasn’t exactly untrustworthy, just misleading. He must have noticed my starring, as he slowly turned his head to face me. Then I glared into his eyes and challenged him to try.

   ‘Are you not going to join us, Tiffany?’ I heard my father’s voice but what he said didn’t really sink in. So I turned to face him.

   ‘Sorry, what are we discussing?’

   ‘Don’t say you’ve forgotten. Honestly, remember the last meeting?’ I thought back and quickly everything became clearer again.

   ‘Oh, yes. Now I remember. Are you still bothered about that? I mean, it’s not as if they’re going to show themselves anytime soon, not without unleashing a large conflict,’ I stated my point of view strongly. Why couldn’t they just let it drop? Bringing it up every month isn’t going to solve or help anything.

   ‘Tiffany,’ the familiar one said, bowing his head.

   ‘Andrew,’ I said, returning the gesture.

   ‘Tiffany, as you know, your abilities have far exceeded the boundaries we judged they would reach by your age. It’s about time we put them to good use.’

   I rolled my eyes with disbelief. I should have realised that they would come for me anytime soon. ‘Yes, they have. And as much as they are a nuisance untrained; I’ve told you once, I’m not going off to get trained. I’ve only just moved here. Can’t you give me another year or two?’ I asked pleading, but just the moving part wasn’t the only excuse for me wanting to stay (not after my incident ten minutes ago).

   ‘No, it’ll get dangerous for you and everyone you know. Plus, there’s more behind them than you appear to believe. We still have many things to teach you and we don’t mean the controlling of your powers.’

   ‘Then tell me know while you have my attention.’

   ‘We can’t, it’s too private for us to speak of it in such places.’ His eyes trailed once around the room.

   ‘If you want it that way?’ I shrugged my shoulders. ‘But I’m not coming and that’s my final answer and it’s not going to change.’

   That really angered him. He bared his teeth and clawed his hands beside him. In response I bared my teeth back, nothing more. I was far too weak compared to him, and he also had his companions on his side. I eyed them, then backed down. However the fight would have turned out, I wasn’t leaving with them.

   ‘Andrew, let her be. She alone knows when she’s ready for your tests and training. None of us can push her or force her into doing either,’ my father finally intervened. ‘Tiffany, you can go back upstairs now.’

   ‘No, I want to hear all they have left to say to me.’ I thought being stubborn would release my inner authority at them like a dagger.

   ‘There is nothing more to say. All we came here for tonight is to recruit you.’

   ‘I cannot be called a recruit. Everyone of our kind knows very well the blood I carry within me, all I need is the information and time to cope with the load,’ I stated my mind to them.

   ‘Unfortunately, that happens to be the case.’

   ‘That refers to what?’ I asked, again baring my teeth. ‘If needs be I can kill you now if I put my mind to it, so I suggest you leave.’ The tension in the room now had mounted. As though it was balanced on a knife edge, an imbalance will send the scene in one of two directions.

   ‘I think that’s for the best, Andrew,’ Tracy added. ‘You can let yourselves out.’ She walked out the room into the kitchen. I quickly followed suit, only to go up to my room.

   When I entered, I heard the vibration of my mobile against my bedside table wood. I rushed over and answered the flashing. It was another text, only this time off a friend from my old home. After checking the number, I quickly read and responded to the message, unenthusiastically. I finished my pizza (which had now grown cold) and got ready for bed. I couldn’t sleep that night; I was too excited and frustrated; neither helped with my already messed up mind. Too many things had happened in one day, but I focused on the brightest of them all before actually falling to sleep.