Finding You

chapter 9

"You should really think about cutting your lawn," I said when the grass tickled my legs. He only laughed.

We got inside and he plopped on his couch. I didn't sit next to him; I sat down on the foot rest in front of him.

"So?"

He looked over at me and smiled. "You look, beautiful."

Déjà vu. That was the first time he really complimented me, but there were other things I wanted to hear.

"Zyler."

"Ok. What do you want to know?" he said. I felt like laughing. Maybe I was going hysterical.

"What do I want to know? You're the one who wanted to tell me something," I said, irritated.

"Oh. I told you already, he doesn't really like you." Now he was just playing dumb.

"Ok. And?" I said.

"Nothing else, really. You just deserve someone better," he said. He wasn't looking at me.

"Someone like?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Ok. And why did you need to tell me that so badly that you interrupted my date?" I expected him to make up some reason, but what he said sounded pretty truthful.

"Because. I care about you. I really shouldn't, but I do." He finally looked at me. "And to tell you the truth, I didn't want you to go with him at all." His voice was softer than before.

"Why?"

"Amber, I'm sorry I made you think that I hated you. I actually have feelings for you. Very strong feelings. And I'm mad at myself for letting that happen."

"Why?" I said again.

"Why what? Why am I mad at myself? Or why I have feelings for you?" he asked. I stared at him. I wouldn't mind knowing both.

"The first one."

"I promised myself that I wouldn't get involved with, girls. Understand so far?" He looked truly troubled. I almost felt bad for him. But then I couldn't figure out why I even should be.

"Yeah. But you haven't really been involved with me."

"Yet." When he said that, I couldn't help but smile. "What I mean is that I really want to be involved with you."

He didn't continue when he saw me staring at him, and I raised my eyebrows. "You can't because?"

"It's safer," he replied.

I threw up my hands. "And I'm lost again. God, I didn't think that guys could be so confusing."

I was getting uncomfortable sitting on the foot rest so I tried to stop being paranoid and sat next to Zay.

He looked at me in a thoughtful way. For a while he didn't say anything, he just kept looking at me with the same look on his face. I was beginning to feel awkward when he finally spoke.

"You're still not scared?"

"No. And I don't plan to be anytime soon," I said.

"I want to tell you. I do," he said. I had no idea what he meant.

"Then tell-"

I never finished.

Zay's eyes widened and he froze. "He's back," was all he said.

Now, when the toughest guy I know, who just happened to break a car, looks like he's scared, you bet I'm gonna be more freaked out then him.

A second later, a knock on the door interrupted the silence. Zay didn't say anything. Or do anything. He just sat there.

A couple of minutes went by and then the door came crashing down. The front door, which was boarded down.

"Next time you should just open the door. Then I won't have to do that," a guy said. He had blonde hair, and was Zay's height.

This freaked me out. I said nothing. But Zay finally spoke up."I thought it was you." He was glaring at him. The guy looked at me.

"Oh. Is this Amber? Nice to meet you. I don't think I will have to bother you if your boy here cooperates." His voice was rough.

He turned to Zay. "You know why I am here. Where are the rest of us?" I was confused as ever about whoever 'us' was. And I still couldn't talk.

"Get out of my house. Now. I swear, you touch her and I will kill you." Zay obviously didn't like this guy.

The guy laughed. "Protective, are we? But I'm sorry. I can't leave yet. I haven't gotten what I came for, which, by the way, is an answer."

He took a step towards me but I couldn't move out of fear. "I see Zyler here has a good choice in girls."

The guy smiled and checked me out. I might have been flattered if I weren't scared to death. I might have even thought he was somewhat cute if I weren't scared to death.

"The things I would do to you in bed.."

A low sound came from Zay as the guy reached up and deliberately did what Zay said not to do. He touched my cheek and I finally could muster a scream. I only felt his fingers for half of a second because Zay flew at him.

There was a thud. He went with so much speed I hardly saw him. One second they were standing near me and the next second Zay was pinning the guy to the wall. To my astonishment the guy was smiling.

"Oh, wrong choice Zyler, wrong choice," the guy said and pushed Zay off as if he were a fly. His blue eyes were frozen with vengence. He headed to the door, and Zay let him go. "I will be back. But next time I will not be generous with my entering. And keep your girl.. close. We will all meet again."

And he was gone. The assured fact that I would see that guy again chilled me. I absolutely never wanted to see him again in my life.

For a few minutes nothing happened. I just stood there and Zay stood at the wall looking at the wall. But then he punched it, and made a hole.

I slowly walked over to him until I was two feet away from him. I touched his shoulder and felt a shiver go through his body. "Zay?" I said. He turned around.

I will forever remember the scene that was before my eyes at that moment. His eyes were a bright golden brown, and they glowed. His ears poked out between his dark hair, they were a little bit longer and pointier.

"Amber," he said in a low, deep voice. When he opened his mouth I saw that all of his teeth were sharp. They weren't extremely big, and they did make him look hot.

But I was freaked out. I felt light-headed at what I was seeing. "Please listen," he said pleadingly. I tried to listen to him, but I felt dizzy.

"What, how are you, I-," he cut my stuttering off.

"Shhhh." He put his index finger on my lips and I tried my best not to kiss his finger. How I could think of that at a time like that, I don't know.

He trailed a line against my bottom lip with his thumb. "This won't make any sense to you right now but I'm tired of keeping it from you."

I stared at him. I had a pretty good idea what he was going to say, so I tried to brace myself for it.

"Zay, I need to go home."

He shook his head. "I'll never have another chance to tell you this."

My heartbeat sped up. "Please Zay, I really need to go."

"So I'll tell you now."

Before I could move, Zay put his hands on my arms as if to steady me, and whispered the words I knew were coming. His bright eyes bore into mine.

"I'm a werewolf."

Everything and nothing clouded my mind. His figure faded away and mixed with the lazy darkness around me. The last thing I felt were his arms catching my fall.