I sat alone in Jeff's room thinking about what Ben had told me. My humanity? why would he care about me keeping that? Of everything I had learned in the past two days, this shocked me the most. I knew Ben was the biggest perve in the mansion, but I never thought of the fact that he could actually care about somebody...
I stared around Jeff's huge bedroom. I looked across the wall from the bed and saw his various knives hanging on hooks. To the right was a wall of photos, newspaper clippings, drawings, and paintings. His walls were a deep red, and his bed was liek that of a palace; it had deep burgandy silk sheets, with a thin, red fleece blanket on top of a huge silk quilt. I sank into the many pillows and stared up at the white, popcorn-style ceiling. I heard the hallway creak, and the door open. The smell of damp, fresh blood fillled my nose. Jeff must be back from hunting. I saw him walk across the room to his dresser and set down his knife, which was covered in blood, as well as himself.
They must have fought back, I thought, glancing at the blood that was all over his hands, clothes, and even hair.
He stayed silent as he walked across red carpet into the bathroom which was joined onto his room. He never met my eyes with his own. He shut the door and I heard the shower turn on.
"I wonder what his problem is..." I thought aloud.
After he had been in ther shower for about ten minutes, I walked over to the door and knocked.
"What?" he called sounding harsh.
"Can I come in?" I asked cautiously.
"Sure," He replied.
I opened the door and stepped into the warm bathroom. The bathroom was almost as big as my bedroom at Amber's...
"Babe, what is your problem?" I asked, looking into the mirror with my arms crossed.
"I don't have a problem, I just had a rough hunt," he answered from the shower. His voice sounded slightly softer than it had before.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" I asked, dropping my arms. I pulled his hoodie over my head and dropped in on the floor. I stood in my shorts and a tank top.
"No," He answered, his voice going rough again.
"Okay," I said, sighing. I walked back into his bedroom and laid on my left side, my back facing the bathroom. I curled my legs up and laid in a kind of ball. I laid there and thought about different things going on in my life. I thought about my foster sister, Dhalia. I thought of Mrs. Winchester.
Yeah, she was a nice lady, but she could be difficult to deal with. She didn't ever agree with me or anything i said. She gave me weekends free to do whatever I wanted because she didn't want to deal with me any more than she had to. I didn't blame her, honestly. With three young children, the oldest being nine and youngest being 7, she had no time for a 16 year old. Who did though?
I pulled out my phone and decided to sit and play Flappy Bird until I eventuallly got so pissed I threw my phone. That game is so stupid. Why do I insist to be so addicted to it??
I felt someone's weight lay behind me. Their arms wrapped around me. Their skin was damp.
Jeff.
"I'm sorry I snapped at you," He whispered in my ear. He warm breath brushed over my neck.
"It's fine," I answered, snuggling into him.
"No it isn't. I love you, I'm not supposed to be hateful toward you," He said this in such confidence I instantley gained 100% of respect back for him.
I rolled over and wrapped us both in the fleece blanket.
"It's okay. What happened on your hunt to make you so upset?" asked him, concerned.
"I-I just... I hurt someone I didn't mean to," He answered. He did something I never thought he would do; he cried.
I sat up and pulled him up and looked into his eyes.
"Jeff, who? What do you mean?" I asked, my heart racing.
He thought for a moment before speaking very quietly. "Amber."
Oh my God... He killed my foster parent. What about the kids...?
"Jeff, where were the children?" I asked, panicking. I wasn't as worried about the other two, but dhalia was like my own daughter; I'd been with her for five years.
"There were none there... They were all outside. I-I couldn't harm them if I tried... I'm so sorry," He began to shake and a sort of relief washed over me. Yes, Amber had died, but she was 52, and the kids were young. they hadn't had time to live. I was just happy they were possibly safe somewhere.
"Jeff, we have to get Dhalia!" I said suddenly. She would go into another home... I wouldn't ever see her again.
"But... What will we do with her?" He asked, seeming suprised at my response.
"I'll just raise her. I have been since she was two. I can stay here with you, and we can take care of her," I answered calmly. It took awhile, but I convinced him to take me to the overrealm long enough to get Dhalia. I just hoped I had time to get her before the boys saw me...
We walked through the woods in solid black, (except for Jeff's hoodie), and eventually came up behind the foster house. The boys played next to the creek and Dhalia was busying herself by dropping rocks into anthills.
This girl is not normal. I ran over to her and said hey.
Her eyes grew wide. "Addy?? Where were you?" she asked.
"I was at my new friend's house, but listen... Amber... Amber got hurt, so you'l be staying with me and Jeff for awhile, Okay?" I rushed out, jabbing a thumb in Jeff's direction in the woods. Dhalia looked over to him. He did a half smile and waved.
Her eyes were unblinking and she slowly waved back.
"Okay... are we taking the boys?" she asked in disgust.
"No, just you and me," I said, smiling.
"Okay," she grinned and i picked her up.
Jeff carried her back to the house. She already loved him She went on and on about all kinds of things. You would think he'd be one of those people that just kind of ignored her, but he actually talked to her, and laughed and everything.
"Wait, what about my stuff, Addy?" she asked, looing over at me.
"I'l make Jeff come back to get it tonight," I reassured her, smiling at Jeff.
He rolled his eyes, but agreed.
"Yay!" she shrieked, causing Jeff to wince.
We eventually made it to the house. Dhalia just stared at it in awe.
"Woah," she mummbled.
We both laughed and led her up the stairs. We had already told everyone we would have her satying wiht us and to watch their mouths, (this came from me), but i knew this wouldn't happen. When we got into the house, everyone was sitting in the living room, talking and playing Majora's Mask and were completely oblivious to the fact we were there. We introduced Dhalia to everyoneand eventually went to bed. Jeff, Dhalia, and I al shared Jeff's Masive bed. It was actually kind of sweet...
I just couldn't help but think of us as a family.
