Feathers, page 4
I eventually did drift off, but awoke right at two a.m. Lying there, I felt my heart racing a little. I didn’t know why, but I had the distinct feeling that I wasn’t alone. I curled up a little tighter, and let my eyes wander around the room. I strained my ears to hear anything out of the ordinary. But only silence remained. Am I losing it? I thought. Normally, I didn’t have such trouble at night, or in the dark. But for whatever reason, I felt absolutely terrified. I worked hard to control myself and figure out just where this feeling of terror was coming from. Slowly, it began to dawn on me that I wasn’t exactly feeling it in the room. Instead, it seemed like that feeling of being watched from coming from one of my windows.
The one right over my bed.
I curled myself up tighter as I realized this. Even though I knew it was completely stupid, I was certain that something was watching me from that window. I closed my eyes tightly. Please go away, please go away, I prayed. Sadly, it didn’t for a long time. And I ended up spending most of the night lying there in terror before sleep finally overcame me again.
Three
The sound of my alarm going off was what brought me out of my sleep the next morning. I have to admit, I felt a little more then exhausted. Slowly, I sat up and looked around. Bright sunlight was pouring thru my curtains now, and the feeling of being watched was completely gone. I couldn’t help but rub my head. I felt exhausted. But then again, I’d been awake for most of the night when I awoke to that. I eventually made myself move to stand on my bed and moved the curtains aside to take a look for myself. But as I suspected, there was nothing out there. I even opened the window to look. Still, there was nothing out of place. I couldn’t help but sigh. This had to be stress. I’d let stress completely freak me out the night before. How pathetic.
After forcing myself up, I took another shower to wake myself up before getting dressed and heading downstairs. I found Michael in the kitchen already, looking over the paper with a cup of coffee. He was already dressed, and I had the feeling he was heading out to work soon. I mustered my best smile as I walked in there. “Good morning.” I said, trying to sound cheerful.
Michael looked up and smiled back at me. “Good morning. How was your night?” he asked. It was the usual morning question. In fact, I think he’d always asked me that since I was a little kid. Guess it’s a dad thing.
“It was okay.” I lied. I walked over and quietly fixed myself some toast for breakfast. “Early morning today?” I continued.
“Yes. I have a few meetings today that are down in Easton, so I’ll have to leave shortly. I’m not sure of when I’ll be back this evening.” Michael admitted.
“It’s okay. I think I can take care of myself until then. Besides, I have Raziel around if anything happens.” I said, still trying to sound cheerful.
“That’s true. And I know you can take care of yourself.” Michael agreed.
A part of me felt a little guilty for not telling him about the night before, or the whole thing at school for that matter. But still, it seemed dumb at the time to trouble him with those kinds of things. So I just acted normal. But as I climbed into my car to go to school, I couldn’t help but glance around me. I even checked the back seat like a scared moron. I was so glad Raziel wasn’t there to see that one. I’d never have heard the end of it. Note to self: make sure to keep car locked.
The drive to school was a quiet one, and I ended up getting there early. Getting out, I grabbed my back pack from the passenger’s seat and locked the car. There weren’t many cars there, but that was okay. I’d wanted to get there early and get some studying done. Being the new girl, I had a lot of work to catch up on in my classes. So I made my way to the cafeteria and found a seat there after stopping by my locker to put away my coat. I actually enjoyed the silence of the place then. It was much easier for me to study in that. Occasionally, I heard some students joining me. But the chatter was still quiet, beings they were studying too. I guessed that was what most of the early birds did there.
I was working on some Algebra problems when I heard a familiar voice behind me. “Good morning Mia.” Anna chimed as she sat down beside me.
I couldn’t help but smile as I took in her appearance. Anna Smith was a very pretty girl, with long strawberry blond hair and light brown eyes. She always dressed really nice too. That day, she had on a pretty long skirt with a red sweater. But perhaps the greatest thing about Anna was her personality. I had slowly begun seeing it the day before when we had our first two classes and lunch together. Anna was a very open and sweet person. Although she did tend to be a bit of a busy body at times. She knew everything about everyone. I truly believed that. And she’d made it her business to tell me all about some of the other girls.
“Good morning. Early today too?” I asked, sitting up and stretching a little.
“Yep. I had to finish up my notes for this English report.” Anna said, pulling out a notebook and novel from her pile.
“Cruel Intentions?” I guessed.
“Yes.” Anna moaned. “I really hate this book too. It’s boring.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You sound like Raziel.”
Anna laughed too. “Guess we’re more alike then we thought.” she said.
I ended up debating on asking her about Sean then. A part of me actually feared getting her started and having Raziel walk up on it. As it turned out though, he was pretty late that day. We didn’t see him before our first class. But he was waiting there at lunch for us.
Of course, Anna’s reaction was immediate. She walked over and smacked him on the back of the head. “Ow! Cut it out!” Raziel complained.
“That’s what you get for not showing up on time this morning!” Anna declared as we sat down.
I laughed in spite of myself. No doubt Anna had him good. Raziel wouldn’t have let just anyone get away with that stuff. “Sleep in this morning?” I asked him.
“Kind of. I was tired.” Raziel said, shooting Anna a look.
“So, did your dad go with Michael this morning? I’m guessing he did if you got to sleep in.” I said.
“Yep. But I still made it here by the end of first period.” Raziel said.
“Bet you got a write up though. You are in Mr. Jacobs’ class, right? He loves sending notes home.” Anna said.
“Wow. Two in one week.” I added.
Raziel shrugged. “It’s not like it hasn’t happened before. Dad knows what to expect.” he said.
Anna looked around for a moment. “By the way, where’s Sean?” she asked.
I felt myself tense up a little, but thankfully, neither noticed. “How the hell should I know? He wasn’t in class, so I guess he’s sick.” he said.
“That’s unusual. Sean’s never sick.” Anna noted.
“He’s just another guy. Of course he can get sick.” Raziel countered.
“I guess you know him, huh?” I said, trying to act casual.
“Who doesn’t around here? Sean’s one of the hottest guys in school. Not to mention he’s a genius. He even beat out Raziel in our mid terms a month ago.” Anna said, grinning at Raziel.
“Shut up.” Raziel muttered, putting his head down. “I just slipped up, that’s all. It’s your fault you know.”
“It is not. I didn’t ask you to stay out all night with me, now did I?” Anna countered.
“Too much information.” I interrupted. “Anyways, I was just wondering. I saw him yesterday and he helped me in the office.”
“Oh, really? And here I didn’t think Sean really liked helping others that much. Especially new kids. Guess it must be because you’re pretty. Maybe Sean does like pretty girls after all.” Anna mused.
I felt myself blush. “I’m not that pretty.” I managed to say.
“Are you kidding? You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen!” Anna declared.
I lowered my head to hide my face. I was sure people were looking at me now. Beside me, Raziel sat up again. “Anna stop. You’re embarrassing her.” he said quietly.
“Opps. Sorry.” Anna said, smiling sheepishly.
“Anyhow,” Raziel continued, “Sean’s out and we’re not worrying about it. We got enough to worry about around here, so leave it alone.”
I tried to take his words to heart, but I had to admit that I was still thinking about it all as the day went on. A part of me was kind of hoping to run into Sean after class. I didn’t know exactly why. I just really wanted to see him again. But then again, I was also beginning to wonder if I was losing my mind anyways. I still felt a little paranoid. Standing at my locker, I actually found myself taking my time to sort my things. I didn’t really want to go home yet.
By me, Raziel tapped his foot impatiently. “You coming yet?” he said.
“All right, all right. Just hold on while I make sure I have everything.” I replied.
“You can’t have that much.” Raziel said.
I sighed, closing my locker. “All right. Let’s go.” I said. I was giving up hope by now. Sean wasn’t there. And he wasn’t coming. I had to go home now, or Raziel would suspect something.
The two of us walked out to the parking lot together and to our cars. Raziel had parked by me, and quickly tossed his things into the backseat. I secretly looked at my own backseat as I put my things into my car. Nothing there. Good.
“Hey, I got to drop off something to Jameson real quick. Want to meet me and go out for some dinner later?” Raziel asked.
“Sure. Sounds good.” I agreed. I was secretly grateful for the invitation. I didn’t want to be home alone yet.
But as Raziel went to start his car, I found myself waiting. It wouldn’t turn over. I saw him bang the stirring wheel and cuss, then hop back out. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” he complained, popping the hood.
“Is it dead?” I asked, walking over beside him.
“I knew this was gonna happen. I even told that damn people it was coming. They didn’t check the battery.” he complained.
I sighed. “If you want, I’ll give you a ride. Maybe your dad can have it picked up later.” I offered.
“I guess I don’t have a choice, huh?” Raziel grumbled. He slammed the hood back down and sighed. “A bad day just gone worse.” he muttered.
I couldn’t help but stare at him for a moment. Raziel had been in a terrible mood since I’d met up with him at lunch. Obviously, something had him upset. “Hey, are you okay?” I asked softly.
He looked over at me quickly, and I watched him blink in surprise. But he quickly shook it off. “I’m fine. It’s just been a rotten day, that’s all. Come on. Let’s go.” He said, walking back over to the side of the SUV to pull his stuff back out.
I just walked back to my car and hopped into the driver’s seat. In a way, I was secretly glad that this had happened. I really hadn’t wanted to go home alone yet for my paranoia from the night before. As Raziel plopped into the passenger’s seat, I looked over at him. “Do you want me to stop at Jameson?” I asked him.
“Sure. I’ve got to give this to Sara anyways.” Raziel said, pulling out a folder he’d hidden in his back pack. He flipped through it quickly before closing it back up again.
“What is that?” I asked as we took off.
“Just some paperwork my dad said she needed.” Raziel answered.
That was when a thought occurred to me. He’d said Sara. “Hey Raziel, is this woman Sara Morrison?” I said softly.
“Yep.” Raziel muttered. “Why’d he make me do it? She could’ve picked it up. She has a damn car.”
“You really are in a rotten mood.” I noted.
“Sorry. It was just a long night.” Raziel admitted.
“Did something happen?” I asked.
“It’s… not worth talking about.” Raziel replied.
I couldn’t help but wonder about that one. Whenever Raziel talked like that, it usually meant there was something he either didn’t want to, or couldn’t, talk about it. A part of me wondered if maybe Raphael had laid into him about something. But I decided it was better just to let it go for the time being. He’d probably bite my head off if I kept questioning him about it.
It didn’t take us long to reach the small shop known as Jameson. It was a bit of an antique store. Call it one of my dad’s little eccentricies, but he loved old things. Jameson was something that was his hobby when it came down to it. I could recall very well when he’d decided to open it several years before. He’d been excited to tell me about it. And from the first time I’d visited there, I had been too. The shop was full of things that were almost one of a kind. Michael was rather picky about the things he took and sold. And in the end, there was a bit of everything in there, from old dresses to really old restored furniture and art. It was all very neat to see at times.
After parking on the side of the street, Raziel and I got out and headed inside. The shop was exactly as I remembered it. Looking around, I almost felt like I was in my element. By me, Raziel looked around. “Sara! Are you here?!” he called. It was a bit of a big place, so she could’ve very well been in the back.
“I’ll be right there Raziel!” I heard a female voice call back. It was very light and airy. I couldn’t help but wonder about the person attached to it now. Especially when I was given the fact that Michael had said this was Sean’s mother.
Walking over to the glass display, I looked down at the jewelry as we waited. There were many old pieces in there, and a few had expensive price tags on them. But one in particular caught my eye. It was an old necklace with a pure blue stone on it. It was very expensive, and looked very unique.
“Pretty cool stuff, huh?” Raziel commented, leaning on the counter beside me.
“Yeah. I guess Michael’s still got the touch in finding these kinds of things.” I commented as I looked back at him. He seemed to be in a better mood now.
“It’s kind of funny, but I like coming here a lot of times. It’s pretty quiet in here. But then again, most of the people who come in here are. They’re collectors looking for bargains.” Raziel said.
“Hey Raziel, don’t take this the wrong way, but I have to ask you. Is this woman Sara really Sean’s mother?” I said softly.
Raziel sighed. “Yeah. I guess Michael mentioned it, huh?”
“Just in passing. I just told him I’d seen him in school and he’d told me that she worked for him.” I admitted.
“She’s been the manager here for about three months now. She’s a nice lady. But I still stand by what I said about Sean.” Raziel told me.
By then, Sara was coming out of the back. I was a little surprised when I saw her. She was a very beautiful woman. I could easily tell where Sean got a lot of his looks from. She had the same black hair, which actually fell past her waist, and the same emerald colored eyes. “Sorry about that Raziel. I was just working on getting a few things straight.” She said. But she stopped when her eyes landed on me. “Oh, I didn’t realize you brought someone with you.”
“Well, she’s kind of helping me out. My car died. Anyways, this is Mia, Michael’s daughter.” Raziel told her.
“Oh. So you’re Mia. I’ve heard so much about you. And I have to say, you really are a pretty girl. You look just like your father too.” Sara said, giving me a friendly smile.
“Thank you.” I said, trying hard not to blush. I really didn’t like it when people compared my looks to my dad’s. After all, I still had a hard time understanding how someone like him could’ve fathered someone like me.
“Anyways, here’s the papers Dad sent for you. He said it should be all you need.” Raziel said, handing her the folder.
“Thanks Raziel. I really appreciate the trouble.” Sara said. She then looked back at me, almost like she was studying me. “So are you staying up here now? I’d heard you were only visiting during the summer before.” she asked me.
“I guess so. I just thought living with my dad would be better for me.” I lied. I wasn’t about to tell her the truth of the whole matter.
“I’d imagine it would be. Michael’s a very nice man.” Sara said.
“By the way, where was Sean today? I didn’t see him in class.” Raziel interrupted.
Sara looked a bit surprised by the sudden question. “He wasn’t feeling well this morning, so he stayed home. Did you need to talk to him about something?” she asked.
“No.” Raziel answered. “I was just curious, that’s all. He just doesn’t miss a lot of time unless he’s going away for a while, and you usually mention that.”
Sara just smiled. “That’s true, but even he does get sick on occasion. And he did have some late nights lately. I warned him that he might pay for it later.” She said.
“Well, I hope he feels better. I didn’t get to thank him for helping me yesterday.” I said.
“I can tell him for you, and I’m sure he’ll be there tomorrow. You don’t need to worry.” Sara assured me.
“I don’t think we’re really that worried. Besides, he can take care of himself.” Raziel said. He reached over and took my hand. “Anyways, we’d better get going. We’ve still got some things to do.”
Sara nodded. “Okay. Thank you again Raziel.” She said.
“What was that all about?” I asked as we walked back to the car.
“What?” Raziel asked.
“You were asking about Sean. I thought you didn’t like him.” I replied.
Raziel sat back in his seat. “Just thought we’d find out. Like I said, he doesn’t miss a lot of time.” He told me.
I sighed, turning the car on. “I guess. But you shouldn’t be so rude sometimes. She seemed pretty nice.” I said as we pulled out.
“She is. But she knows enough now.” Raziel replied, closing his eyes.
I just shook my head and let it go for the time being. After all, reasoning with Raziel wasn’t the easiest thing in the world. And besides, I knew now that it was just that Sean had been sick. A part of me actually felt a bit relieved for whatever reason. I knew he was coming back. I would be able to see him again.
The rest of the afternoon and evening passed quietly enough. Raziel and I ended up having dinner at a fast food restaurant, then I made myself head home after I dropped him off. By then, he’d called a tow truck to take his SUV to the dealer to get the battery changed. They said it would be done first thing in the morning, so I promised that I’d pick him up and drop him off to get it. I’ll admit I was in a pretty good mood as I walked into the house. The afternoon and evening out had been nice enough to make me forget my fears. And soon, Michael would be home too. There was nothing for me to be afraid of.
