Morganville (Justin Bieber)

Chapter 23

Wherever Monica and her friends had gone, it wasn't the way I had ran - and run I did, the whole way to Lot Street. My lungs were burning by the time I turned the corner, and I was nearly in tears with gratitude at the sight of the big old house.

And Justin, sitting in the front steps. He stood up, not saying a word, and I threw myself at him; he caught me and held me close for a few seconds, then pushed me back for a survey of damage.

"I know" I said. "You told me not to go. I'm sorry"

He nodded, looking grim. "Inside" he said.

Once I was in, with the door safely locked, I babbled out the whole story. Monica, the van, the lighter, the church, the vampire. He didn't ask any questions. In fact, he didn't blink. I ran out of words, and he just looked at me, expressionless.

"You" he finally said. "Had better like the inside of your room, because I'm locking you in there, and I'm not letting you out until your parents come to load you in the car"

"Justin-"

"I mean it. No more bullshit, Ana. You're staying alive no matter what I have to do" he sounded flatly furious. "Now. You need to tell me about Micheal"

"What?" I ask.

"I mean it, Ana. Tell me, right now. Because I can't find him anywhere. And you know what? I can never find him during the day- damn! Did you feel that?" He asks. A cold spot, sweeping across my skin. Micheal trying to tell me something.

"We can't get through this if we're not straight with each other" Justin's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "Is he- you know- one of them? Cause I need to know that"

"No" I said. "He's not"

Justin closed his eyes and slumped against the wall, hands both sides of his head. "God. Thank you. I was going nuts. I thought- I mean, it's one thing to be a night person, but Micheal- I was- I thought-"

"Wait" I said, and took and death breath. Cold settle over me again, Micheal trying to stop me. I ignored it. "Quit it, Micheal. He needs to know"

Justin took his hands away from his head and looked around, and frowned at me. "Micheal's not here. I checked. I searched the damn place top to bottom"

"Yes, he is. Cold spot" I held out my hand and waved it through the cold air. "I figure he's standing right...here" I looked at my watch. "He'll be back in about two hours, when the sun goes down. You can see him then"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Justin looks at me.

"Micheal. He's a ghost" I say.

"Oh, come on! Bullshit! The dude sits here and eats dinner with us!" Justin argues.

I shrugged, threw up my hands, and walked away. "You wanted to know. Fine. Now you do. And by the way? I'm fine"

"What do you mean, he's a ghost?" Justin caught up with me, came around me, and blocked my path.

"Sometimes he is, ask him. Better yet, watch him at dawn. And then tell me what he is, because ghost is about all I know to call him. The thing is, he can't leave the house, Justin. He can't help us. He's stuck here, and during the day, he can't even talk to us. He just- drifts" I batted away the cold air again. "Stop it, Micheal. I know you're pissed. But he needs to know!"

"Ana!" Justin grabbed me and shook me out of frustration. "You're talking to thin air!"

"Whatever. Let go, I've got things to do" I say.

"What things?" He asks.

"Packing!" I pulled free and went upstairs two steals at the time. The cold spot followed me into my room, and I shut the door. "Dammit, Micheal, get out of my room, you pervert! I swear, I'm going to start taking my clothes off!"