Witness: See Series (Volume 1)(40)

“I think that it’s good for the both of you.”

“Maybe. Have you talked to mom?” I asked again.

“Yeah, she’s getting ready for a merger. She might have to go to Japan soon.”

“That’s a new one,” I said in the most sarcastic tone I could manage. Mom could hide behind being busy all she wanted, but I knew what she was doing: trying to make the final separation between me and her easier. For her or me, I don’t know, but I took it personally and thought that if she knew there was a chance I was going to leave and not come back for a while - or even at all - that she should spend as much time as possible around me. At least, that’s what I would do.

“Stop, Charlie. She’s dealing with everything that’s happening around you the best she can.”

“Is she coming here before she flies over there?”

“I’m sure she will. The meetings she has today will decide if and when she needs to go....and for how long.”

“She’s going,” I mumbled.

“Becoming psychic?” Kara asked in the light-hearted tone she could manage.

“If you only knew what I could do now,” I answered with a smirk.

Concern filled her expression. “We need to slow Draven down – not speed up his addiction to that world.”

“I’m not an object – a piece you can play in a game. All of you should have told me about this – and don’t say it was my fault for hiding out in my room.”

“Fair,” she said as her eyes searched my face. “Just think for yourself, Charlie. If something feels wrong, don’t do it – stay safe.”

I nodded and smiled shyly to agree. I didn’t matter how mean I was to her…she was always good to me.

I walked down the steps to my car. I got in and honked the horn to get Madison’s attention. I was plugging in my phone when she climbed into the passenger seat.

“Who are you talking to?” I asked, glancing at her. When she didn’t answer, I stared at her and asked the question in my mind once again - and when I did, I heard her side of the conversation with Britain. She told him that she didn’t care what he thought – he was wrong. Then she listened to him speak, and her face fell and fear washed over her. I’d seen that look before – almost every time a boy made a move for her heart.

“I guess I don’t have to worry about Mr. Britain anymore – he’s moved on.”

Madison bit her lip and shook her head. “I swear, I hate him. Why is he in my dreams?”

I shrugged my shoulders as I put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. “What happens in your dreams?” I asked gently, knowing if I pushed her she’d shut me out.

“Insanity,” she answered, rolling her eyes.

“Explain.”

“I don’t know…” she said as she slouched in her seat. “Half the time I spend saving Britain, then the other I’m saving another guy – and the whole time I’m thinking about you.”

“If you’re dreaming about two guys, I don’t know if I wanna be in that one,” I said, halfway joking, trying to keep the conversation light.

She just shook her head from side to side.

“What’s with the ankhs?” I asked when I turned out on the main road.

“I was gonna talk to you about that. This weekend, do you wanna get a tattoo?”

“What?! This weekend?” I asked as I tried not to burst into laughter over that absurd request. I mean, sure we’d joked around about getting tattoos for a while, but never seriously considering it – at least, I was never serious.

“Yeah. You’ll finally be eighteen, an adult like the rest of us.”

I smirked. I was almost two years younger than Draven and Aden and a year younger than Madison, yet I was always the leader of the pack. Well, at least I used to be before all of this. “Right. But an Ankh?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows. It seemed more fitting for her than me.

“Eternal life.”

I nodded, seeing how that would be a pretty cool tattoo; how it kinda stood for what we not only believed, but knew to be true: life is eternal.

“Is that symbol still in your dreams?” I asked curiously, wondering why all of a sudden she was sketching Ankhs like they were going out of style or something.

“You could say that,” she said quietly as she glanced out the window, refusing to look at me.

“Why won’t you tell me about them? Why do I have to pull every word out of you?” I asked as I reached the end of my street.

“I’ll tell you when I understand.”

“I can help you understand,” I promised.

“You have your own problems.”

“Nope – you just took the one with Britain. Now all I have to do is figure out this dream world – oh, and kill Bianca.” I made a confused face. “Not really kill her, but you know what I mean.”

“I didn’t take anything away – I’m a backup plan. He thinks I’m too stupid to know that.”

“I would clarify that before you run off like you always do.”

“Why are you trying to hook me up with him? You realize Draven would go insane at the thought – that everyone would.”

“I don’t care what they think. I want you to be happy. I know my memory sucks, but if I really thought Britain was a bad guy – not someone who needed my help – I’d have run home…not tried to save him.”