Blood of the Pure (Gaea) (11 page)

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Authors: Sophia CarPerSanti

BOOK: Blood of the Pure (Gaea)
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I stopped a few steps away from him, unable to keep moving forward; knowing that if I walked any closer the fear imposed by his presence would take over me, threatening to overrun my thoughts.

I watched him for a moment, making sure to keep firm control over my breathing. Gabriel was standing in the rain, his face turned upwards towards the gray sky filled with heavy clouds, his eyes closed, a stone statue once again. His expression was surprisingly soft, his black hair trickling water all over his face. His soaking wet shirt was completely glued to his chest. He might as well have just climbed out of a swimming pool.

“What the hell… What the hell are you doing?” I demanded, making sure my voice was heard. Even from where I stood I was well aware of the strength of his presence, but also of the number of eyes watching us from above, feeding my anger.

“Feeling,” he simply answered, moving only his lips that seemed to be kissing drops of rain instead of uttering words.

“What!” I insisted, unable to understand.

“The rain,” he explained, lowering his head to face me and when his eyes opened I couldn’t help step backwards. They were violet again. I looked away, trying to escape that trap, and squeezed the umbrella’s handle.

“You’re drawing too much attention,” I muttered as my courage abandoned me. “Everyone’s talking about you ... upstairs.”

He laughed in a short muffled laughter, and looked up towards the bright windows as if he could actually see the faces of those looking down on him.

“Human Beings. So easily impressed,” he stated with a slight tone of scorn, and his wet steps towards me left me pinned where I stood. He stopped right beside me and the light tap he gave on my umbrella made me jump and almost drop it. “This thing. We can only understand how precious things are after we’ve lost them,” he said in a deep voice and, to my relief, walked away. Even then I only dared to move when I heard the sound of the glass door closing.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

It was still raining when I returned home that afternoon and, before inserting the key in the keyhole, I readied myself for the possibility of finding him somewhere in the living room, or even in my bedroom, but the house was thankfully empty. I sighed in relief, grateful for the few moments of peace and quiet I’d have until the next day, and went for a shower, hoping to release some of the tension I’d built up during the day.

I was setting the table for dinner when I heard a key at the front door. Glad that I’d correctly calculated the time needed for our carrot cream soup to be ready, I waited to see Rachel appear by the door.

“But you didn’t have to go all the way to pick me up,” she was apparently saying on the cell phone. “You’re probably tired. I’m sure you had a long day.” She went on and her high heels echoed in the corridor. I turned to greet her as she walked in to me to give me a kiss. “Hello, dear. It smelled great all the way from the door.” I smiled about to reveal that night’s menu when a shadow filled the doorway, freezing me in place. “Oh, I’m sure you’ve met him, right? Gabriel told me he already went to school today.”

The plate I was holding slipped from my lifeless fingers, exploding into tiny pieces on the floor. He smiled, definitely amused by my reaction, and Rachel said something about how clumsy I was while rushing to pick up the broken pieces.

“Mari! You sure you didn’t hurt yourself?” she asked me, worrying, but her question was lost amongst the deafening sound that was my irregular heartbeat.

“Mariane, your mother asked you a question.” His voice and the sound of my name released my mind from the irrational panic paralyzing me and I looked at Rachel, who was still staring at me.

“Oh ... no ... sorry, Mom,” I mumbled, still shaking. “I’ll do that.”

“No way! You’ll end up losing a finger! Just set another place at the table. Gabriel is staying with us.” I obeyed, trying not to think about the real meaning of those words. I refused to look at him a second time, fearing I might lose the ability to move again, and grabbed two extra plates and a glass from the cupboard. “But do come in, Gabriel. And sit.” My mother disposed of the small pieces of broken glass while Gabriel moved slowly to take the chair on the other side of the table. “Tell me! What do you think of your new school?”

“It’s big and has lots of facilities. Mari was really nice and introduced me to her friends. So, at least I’ll have someone to talk to.” He answered pleasantly and I noticed it was the first time he hadn’t used my full name. Maybe that’s why the shock wasn’t quite the same, I figured ... or maybe it had something to do with the relaxed way in which he had said it. I set the table and ran back to the stove with the excuse of having to stir the carrot cream.

“Really? That’s really nice. I was kind of worried when they told me you were transferring in the middle of the year. It’s good to know you’ve blended in well,” Rachel said to him, as if she really knew him from way back and, half despairingly, I realized that she probably thought she did and that in her mind that that thing was actually from our family.

Before we sat to eat, Gabriel politely asked where the bathroom was and disappeared within the corridor’s shadows. I couldn’t help my anger at how false and deceitful he could be. Rachel, on the other hand, seemed completely enthralled by his open, considerate and polite personality.

We sat at the table and she served our plates. Gabriel praised my carrot cream, which I could hardly taste, and played with the nuts on his plate receiving a motherly reprehension from Rachel. I tried as hard as I could not to throw up.

“Oh, that’s right. Since it was all decided at the last minute there wasn’t enough time to prepare anything special,” my mother said apologetically. “So, I’m sorry, but for the time being, you’ll have to take the couch in the living room. Later I’ll make sure to find you a decent place. Maybe we’ll be able to transform my office into a room.” The fork fell from my hand hitting against the plate.

“What?” I asked in utter disbelief and Rachel smiled gently.

“Didn’t I tell you before? Gabriel is staying with us for a while. Since it’s just the two of us here, there’s no need for him to rent a room.”

I panicked and tried hard to keep breathing.

“But, Mom!”

“What’s the matter, Mari? We must always help our family!” she pointed out as if I were no more than a selfish child.

“I don’t want to cause any trouble.” I heard his voice in a deceiving tone of humility and my mother smiled at him.

“You’re no trouble at all. Mari just isn’t used to having other people around. Isn’t that so, dear?” The anger that filled me inside left me boiling.

“Well then, I’ll accept your invitation. But please, don’t worry about anything else. The living room couch is more than enough,” he replied understandingly and I was sure that if I hadn’t feared him so much, I’d punch him hard.

“No way! A student needs his own space,” Rachel disagreed vehemently. “Right now I’m a bit short on time, but if not until then, we’ll take care of this during the Easter holidays.” I felt like I was drowning. Until the Easter holidays? How was I going to survive until then?

Gabriel thanked her sheepishly and Rachel started asking him about news from the rest of the family. By then I couldn’t feel surprised at how easily he made up things, like he was actually reading someone’s biography.

When we finished dinner Rachel stopped him from helping us in the kitchen, which I mentally thanked her for. At least the distance between us was guaranteed.

I said my good nights as soon as possible and ran up to my room, locking the door. It didn’t take long until I heard Rachel’s high heels on the stairs. She’d probably gone to bed earlier since students needed their sleep and Gabriel slept in the living room.

Needless to say, that night I hardly closed my eyes. I spent the whole time curled up under the quilt, imagining shadows all around me, imagining that he was right there, watching me. But he never even came close to my room. And when the alarm clock rang, I was quick to silence it.

I sat on the bad, tired and feeling my eyes heavy, and wished I had enough courage to skip school.

It was Michael’s memory that finally made me stand up. Seeing him again and, who knew, maybe talk to him some more. It was all the motivation I needed.

Unlike all other mornings, Rachel didn’t call for me to make sure I’d be ready in time, which immediately reminded me of the presence of our newest family member. Most likely she was busy with Gabriel, hence my hesitation as I walked downstairs. And, as to be expected, there he was.

He wore a thin dark-blue shirt and black pants that delineated his long legs. And, in that brief instant, I couldn’t help worrying about a bunch of stupid things: Where did his clothes come from when he hadn’t brought any suitcases? How could he walk outside in that thin shirt and not freeze to death? And what about the notebooks and books I saw on the table? And money to pay for all those things, including school fees?

“Morning, Mari! Sleep well?” Rachel’s kiss interrupted the flood of thoughts that had me pinned to the ground and I nodded, going around the table to take the seat farthest from him.

The plate she put in front of me left me gaping. A full breakfast, including eggs, bacon, toast and stewed tomatoes. On the table there were two flasks of jam, a jar of orange juice, a pack of cereals and a few different yogurts. To finish it up, she placed a cup of coffee with milk right beside me.

I sighed. She was really trying to impress him.

“Well, dear, don’t forget I have that business dinner today. So just take something from the freezer and eat it together.” She made it a point to look happy that I’d have some company for a change. I had to force a smile. I knew she worried about leaving me home alone when she had to work late, especially at night. However, I couldn’t really see how leaving me with some complete stranger could be any better.

“Don’t worry,” I told her and she kissed my hair caressing my face.

“I hope everything goes well at school, Gabriel. If you need anything, just give me a call,” she reminded him and he nodded, his black eyes showing nothing but pure sincerity.

“I can’t thank you enough. Wish you a nice day.”

“Same to you both,” she replied happily as she grabbed her briefcase and her high heels echoed down the corridor until the front door was closed.

We sat alone with an abundant table between us.

I swallowed my food, reminding myself of the decisions I’d made the day before. No matter how nervous I was, I wasn’t about to stop eating. But when he stood up, I couldn’t help the tension that stiffened my body, leaving me in a state of alert. And I watched him warily as he slowly walked towards the sink to wash his plate and cup.

I’d never felt so annoyed in my entire life. What the hell was he doing? That he tried to keep his human-like act near everyone else was something I had to learn to endure. Sure I couldn’t help feeling irritated when he so easily deceived my mother and friends. Still, being deceived was better than knowing the truth. But now he was also doing it in front of me when there wasn’t anyone else there? Him, washing plates! When he could probably just make them disappear and replace them with new ones, just like he’d done with the window in my room. It was like he was trying to deceive me, too. And that was something I could never allow to happen! Besides, the matter-of-fact way in which he did those things made me sick. As if his presence there in my kitchen was to be expected; as if he really belonged to my family.

“Want me to wash yours?” he asked me in his velvet-like voice, the water still running, and the anger burnt my stomach.

Standing up, I grabbed my plate and dropped it in the garbage bag just before running out of there.

I closed my room’s door, out of breath, and tried to calm down.

Lately my feelings were a complete roller coaster. I, who just until recently could only feel my own heartbeat when I looked at Michael. With him as the exception, the rest of the world had never meant much, everything else passing by me, unable to leave a single mark. Not even when my father had left, and we had moved, had I felt anything beyond a shallow shadow of pity.

I grabbed my things, aware that the one to blame for my current situation was the creature washing plates in my kitchen, and walked down a bit more composed, hopping he’d already left.

I stopped at the bottom of the stairs when I saw him by the front door, like he’d been waiting for me and, before I could come closer, he opened the door and stepped out into the cold morning.

I sighed grabbing the keys and followed him, closing the door behind me.

The sky was clearer than the days before and the sun promised to take a peek. At least it looked like it wouldn’t rain again, but the cold morning wind was as sharp as always. I looked at him from behind and shivered at the sight of his shirt and hair, as the wind tossed them one way and the other. At that point I was sure he was unable to feel cold.

We walked in silence for the most part of the way; him always in front of me, I measuring every single step as to make sure I kept a safe distance. Then I recalled something that had tumbled inside my mind all night and had to swallow before speaking to make sure my voice wouldn’t betray me.

“Yesterday. What did you do to Michael?” He stopped for a moment, making me stop as well, and looked at me over his shoulder. Fear wrapped around my throat. The fact that I couldn’t see his whole face, which meant I couldn’t make out his expression, made him look even scarier.

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