Walking Among the Shadows: Awakening: Revised Edition (34 page)

“And then tomorrow bright and
early me and you will get into all of this you talking about right now. But I’m
going to tell you one thing, if anything happens to Sarah…I swear to God I’m
breaking both ya’ll necks. Powers be damned, I’m breaking ‘em.” Tony then
looked at me, shook his head, chuckled, and slammed the door in my face.

Tony was such a downer, but
after walking towards the elevator some of the things he said started to make
sense. Did she play me? Was Jasmine another Asia Radcliff all over again? If
so, that would really suck because I was really buying into the whole “love
conquers all” display we just had in the park. How could it not be real? I had
never felt like this before—ever, not even for Asia and I thought I was on
cloud nine.

Right now this would be cloud
one hundred and nine. If she did play me I knew she wouldn’t let herself become
vulnerable again and our next encounter might be a lot more dynamic. But I knew
one thing—that if she played with my heart like that there would be nothing and
no one that will stop me from snatching her heart out of her chest. Wow, was I
a violent kid back then or what?

Just like all things the party
was over and Sarah and I headed home. I looked for Jasmine but I was told she
left with Brian before I came back downstairs from Tony’s room. I instantly got
jealous and started to worry about what Brian was planning on doing to my girl
or if Jasmine was actually my girl. Would she use Brian to send the message on
a more personal level? Halfway home I got a text message from Jasmine saying
how much she loved me and how tonight changed her life and she couldn’t wait to
get to know me and I to get to know her. If there ever was a message that
anyone needed to ease the storm of insecurity in his heart, that was the
message. I immediately relaxed and leaned back in the driver’s seat after
reading the message. Sarah smiled and asked me if that was from Jasmine. I
nodded and asked Sarah how was she feeling.

“I feel much better now. More
focused and confident in myself. I can now shut this ability off whenever I
want and turn it back on when I need it. Jasmine told me that she could teach
me how to master my ability and enhance it.”

“Enhance it?”

“Yes, she walked up to me in
the ballroom and whispered that in my ear. I was so desperate Aiden, I needed
stability back in my life. I was losing my mind and I felt that even if Jasmine
meant to do me harm death was better than the life I was living.”

“Don’t say that Sarah,” I
snapped.

“I’m just being honest Aiden.
You have no idea how horrible it is to know everyone’s darkest secrets. It’s
not a peaceful existence, especially when those secrets can threaten you.”

“So you actually can talk to
their souls?”

“Now I can, but before my
awakening was completed, no. It was a one-way street and some people’s souls
are dark and evil and the things they say should never be heard out loud.”

“Wow, that’s insane.”

“Yes, it is and to be honest I
would have been happier if I saw dead people walking around. I’ve found out
just how very few good-natured people there are in this world. Now I can relax
and keep people’s secrets just the way they were meant to be…secrets. So when
Jasmine told me that, I was compelled to follow her outside. I’m sorry Aiden, I
should have thought about how you would feel about me leaving alone with a
Shadow but I could see her soul and even though she is a Shadow, she is a good
person.”

“What else can you tell me
about her?”

“That’s all I’m giving you
Aiden; everything else you need to learn for yourself. But I do know that you
have doubts about her feelings and I can tell you that I have never seen anyone
engulfed in so much love for another person before. She really loves you and I
can tell you love her too. But you also hate her for what she is. But that is
something the both of you suffer from because of our bloodlines. Just don’t
give up on her Aiden, you won’t find anyone that involved in you in this life.
It’s very rare for anyone to have that. On one hand I am jealous but on the
other hand I am happy for the both of you. You two have a lot of obstacles you
are going to have to overcome because no one and I mean no one, is going to
understand your love.”

I couldn’t sleep that night
all I could think about was Jasmine. Her smile, her tears of joy, and the way
she looked at me, but most of all the way she kissed me. It was intoxicating.
The sun seemed to take forever to rise but once it did I was up and getting
ready to leave and go spend the day with my girlfriend. Girlfriend—that sounded
strange but it felt right. Jasmine
was
my girlfriend. I wanted to leave
before Tony came over but in Tony-fashion he was there bright and early. He was
still upset with me but eager to understand my insanity. After explaining
everything to him, besides the part about Sarah’s abilities, he just stared at
me. I wanted to tell him that it was okay, Sarah could see into her soul and
she knew Jasmine’s feelings were real but I couldn’t. I made a promise and some
promises, no matter how painful, can never be broken. He still thought I was
crazy and made it clear that he would never trust Jasmine but we both agreed to
give this a chance.

“I’ll always have your back,
dude,” Tony said. “I had your back when we both thought you were a serial
killer and I will have your back now even though I think you are a serial
idiot.”

Tony could tell I was anxious
and asked me what was I so eager about. I told him that I was going to go see
Jasmine and maybe take her to the movies or something.

“Wait a minute, you are going
to
her
house?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“Oh man, I need whatever drugs
you are on because you are blissfully stupid. Dude, it’s hard to believe she’s
in love with you but let’s say she is—do you think the rest of her Shadow
family feels the same way? You actually think they are at their house right now
cooking a ‘nice welcome to the family’ breakfast for you? You are a
Baraqu—wait, you are not just Baraqu, you are a Baraqu warrior, and from what
you’ve told me most Shadows aren’t too fond of your company.”

“Dude, I’m sure she’s told her
family about us.”

“Really? If so, you have no
need to go to her house because all of them would be here by now taking turns
whopping both your asses. So are you going to tell your mom and Manny?”

“My mom maybe but not Manny. He
might try and kill her.”

“Yeah, I don’t blame him.”

“Wait a minute!”

“Hey Aiden, I’m just keeping
it real with you bro. Manny has been fighting and killing Shadows for years and
I don’t think he has any reservations about toe-tagging another one, especially
if she’s claiming to be your girlfriend.”

“Yeah you got a point. But
still, it’s my life and I should be able to love whomever I want.”

Tony just gave me a blank
stare and shook his head at me.

“Hey Aiden, the next time you
go to the drug man for that liquid idiot he has please order me a couple of
valves as well.”

“Whatever, dude, you’ll learn
to trust her someday.”

“I think I should learn how to
be with one girl first before I learn that lesson. Anyway, don’t let me hold
you from making a fool of yourself at ‘Chateau de Shadows.’ I’ll talk to you
later bro. Have fun.”

I was on my way out the door
when Sarah stopped me.

“Aiden, where you headed?”

“To Jasmine’s house.”

“Really? Does she know you’re
coming?”

“No, I want to surprise her.”

“I wouldn’t advise that Aiden.
Text her first because you two still have a lot to discuss.”

I didn’t want to text her
first; I wanted to show up at her door with roses in hand and an invitation to
dinner and a movie. But after what Sarah told me about her abilities last night
I decided to trust her insight on this relationship so I sent Jasmine a good
morning text. She responded immediately with “good morning, my love.” Just
reading that sent chills through my body. Man, this girl had me wide open. I
responded concerning my plans and she texted me back saying how sweet I was but
she wanted to talk to me at our spot. Our spot? Yes, the tree where you wanted
to kill me but kissed me instead. She really knew how to put you on the spot;
somehow I felt that I would never live down that confrontation at the tree….ever.
Tony came downstairs and saw me sitting on the couch and asked me why wasn’t I
gone. After telling him what she said he laughed and said,

“I have to give it to her, she
is
a smartass.”

Jasmine wanted to meet at the
park around eleven in the morning. It was eight. I had to wait three whole
hours before I could see her again. But unless I wanted to come off as weird
and a stalker, I decided to wait and not text her until I got to the park. It
was hard but I needed to contain myself before I messed everything up by being
overbearing and clingy.

I got to the tree around 10:45
and much to my surprise and delight she was already there. She wore a yellow
summer dress and matching slippers with a sunflower on the top of each slipper.
Her hair was down and she sat on the grass under the tree smiling at me as I
walked towards her. When I got to the tree she jumped up and leaped into my
arms, wrapping her legs around my waist and kissed me.

“I missed you,” she said.

“I missed you too,” I
responded. “So you wanted to talk?”

“Yes,” and then the happiness
began to leave her eyes. I knew she had bad news but I was not prepared for
what she was going to say to me.

“Aiden listen, as much as I would
love to walk around this world in your arms, the reality of things are we
can’t. It’s not safe for us nor our families and no one we love will understand
how we feel about each other nor will they support it. We have taken a road
very few have traveled and those roads have always ended in disaster because
they all felt that their love could conquer all. The fact is love can’t conquer
all. I wish it could but the reality is it can’t. We are mortal enemies that
have found a reason to love each other and it’s dangerous and I don’t want
anything to happen to you and I’m sure you don’t want anything to happen to
me.”

“So, are you saying we have to
be a secret?”

Jasmine hesitated and then
nodded her head. That yes tore right threw my heart and I started to feel alone
even though she was right there with me.

“Why? I can protect you, I can
protect everyone.”

“Yes Aiden, I believe you can
but my family won’t want your protection and if they found out about us they
would send me away from you.”

“I would find you.”

“You probably would but we are
both teenagers, we are not adults and we should be learning how to be adults,
not thrust into a fight like the one we would face if we made our love known to
everyone.”

The more she explained the
more sense it made but it still hurt like hell to hear her say it. I didn’t
agree with her even though it made practical sense. I felt like it would all be
a lie if we hid how we felt about each other to the world. This kind of rare
love was to be shared, not silenced.

“I promise you Aiden, we are a
couple and we can go out on dates, to the movies, and anywhere else. We just
can’t do it around people we know and even when we are out we have to be
careful not to be seen by anyone we know.”

Tony’s words of “she’s played
you” kept echoing in my head as she spoke about the terms and conditions of our
so called relationship.

“So that’s it?”

“No, there’s more. My parents
think that I am dating Brian and in order for me to get out to see you we have
to keep it that way…for now.”

“Awww, hell naw,” I yelled and
jumped up. The anger and jealously I felt were boiling my blood.

“So not only do I have to keep
this a secret but I have to play along with you and Brian? What kind of fool
you take me for Jasmine?”

“I don’t think you are a fool
Aiden, look at me.”

I couldn’t look at her because
even though I was protesting I already knew in my heart that I was willing to
go along with this charade but I was going to show her that I didn’t like it.

How could I fall in love with
someone so deeply that I was willing to play along in this manner? I mean this
seemed like I was the “side guy” and Brian was the main squeeze. How was I
supposed to deal with him holding her? Kissing her? Bragging about their dates
and going to her house for dinner with the folks.

All I would have were memories
of secret rendezvous that I couldn’t share with anyone, especially those that
believed Brian was the luckiest boy on campus.

“So that means you will be
dating two people?”

“Yes and no. I promise you
that I will not let Brian get past the dugout, let alone first base. I promise
you this Aiden, on my life I promise this to you. But my father isn’t a
progressive man and he likes Brian, so if I say I’m going out with him it’s
fine by him but I don’t think he would understand us. It’s breaking my heart to
tell you this Aiden because I can feel you pulling away from me. I’m not trying
to play with your heart or take advantage of you. I love you more than you know
and I am willing to go through whatever to be with you. But right now, if we
want to spend time with each other this is the only way. Please sit next to me,
please.”