Witness: See Series (Volume 1)(4)

When he pried about Draven, Madison, and Aden, how they were, I knew he was trying to see if they had tried to wake me, if they had told me what I was capable of doing. I told him that they were old friends and that I liked to play music with them. I managed to change the subject when he brought them up every day…it was like a game – a game of wits. He stopped asking what color Draven’s eyes were a few weeks ago…it was weird how concerned he seemed to be…he would say, ‘are his eyes gold like honey’, or something like ‘did you say his eyes almost glowed’. Both phrases seemed out of character for any guy to say, especially someone like Britain. I told him Draven’s eyes were every color but the one they really were – a mesmerizing emerald green laced in black. One night, I asked him who’s eyes were that color and why he thought Draven’s were…he just changed the subject after mumbling that he thought he saw me with someone that looked like that.

I knew he was testing me right now, hoping that the late - well, early hour - would cause me to be off guard – but I was a sharp as a nail. The dream with my father had every one of my protective senses on high alert. What was my father saying? That something’s happening to Draven – beyond this? I was so confused. My response to Britain was instantaneous.

“No – she’s mad at me that would make it worse.”

“What did you do?”

“Nothing – just told her to leave and she didn’t”

“Wow. Looks like I’m not the only one becoming restless.”

“Stop it – friends remember.”

“Friends see each other – they don’t text at odd hours of the day.”

“I just wanted to know if you were sleeping well.”

“Really.”

I rolled my eyes at his text. I could hear the sarcasm behind it, and sarcasm was becoming my first language. My fingers flew across the screen as I texted, “yeah really – what’s wrong with that NEVERMIND.”

“I love it when you’re mad” was his response.

“Tired – not mad.”

“You didn’t sleep.”

“No –restless roommate.”

He was silent for a few minutes. The last time I saw Britain face-to-face, Madison was with me. It was right after she had told me she had dreams that he was in. When they looked at each other that day, I felt this odd current flowing between them – like they were seeing each other differently, and neither one of them wanted to do that. That look they gave each other – the intensity in that moment when he protected her from Bianca lingers in the back of mind…I know I felt something beyond attraction there – something old, deep, and too complicated to speak into words.

Britain seemed to ask about her more than Draven or Aden. Madison was always talking about Britain, too, but not in an adoring way – she was trying to figure out what he was. She had partnered with Evan, Draven’s dad, on tracing the family history of Bianca and Britain.

Evan had never returned with anyone that could help us. He had found people that could see – but as he got to know them, he realized that we could see deeper than they could, that we were stronger. Six weeks ago, Madison had flown over to the UK to help him. She only stayed two weeks; when she came back, she moved her bed into my room along with most of her clothes. Her parents didn’t mind…I think they knew she was ready to run – and like my mom, they wanted her to feel safe, even if it meant they couldn’t be with her. I’m not sure if they know about the shadows and what we can see or not; they act like my mom…as if we’re just normal teens.

Last I heard, Evan thought he’d found a few people that could see as well as we could, and he was trying to convince them to come here. I know Draven was eager for them to come – he thought if more of us were around that we could control the darkness better, and by doing that I would be more comfortable leaving this dimension, or even just living in this one in peace.

Britain texted back, “I saw her yesterday.”

My heart started hammering against my chest, and my face flushed. Madison never said she saw him, and I only remember her being out of my sight for like ten minutes – the reality of being stalked was hard to handle when it was thrown in my face.

“Where?”

“Gas station – I almost said hi – but she was having a wicked fight with the gas pump.”

“Bad day – bad night for her,” I texted.

“Why?”

“Not sure.”

“Maybe you should ask.”

“I did – no comment.”

“Come now I’ve looked into those tantalizing green eyes of hers – she knows something” was his response.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I read the text. Madison’s eyes were her best feature; they complemented her olive skin and long dark hair. They also looked powerful enough to reach into your soul and read all of your secrets. His compliment of her only fueled the idea that I did feel something between them that day.

I kept my sarcastic, edgy mood and instantly texted back, “Big word – stalking her now???” Tantalizing, really?! Who texts words like that?

His response was instant: “Jealous much?”

I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t jealous; I had no reason to be. “Protective – not jealous” was my truthful response. I wanted him to know I didn’t care - but if he hurt her or anyone else, I would stop at nothing until I got revenge.