Diary of An Unnatural (BOOK #2)

Human

Jane's POV

 

            "There you are."

            I turned around at the familiar voice--a voice not lined with age or wisdom. Someone naive and young. Someone who hadn't lived a life not the way the rest of us had. He'd only had his heartbroken once. He'd only known pain few times.

            "Here I am." I attempted to smile up at him, but I couldn't feel it.

            "William took Ava to her room," Luke said sitting down beside me.

             I was out on my balcony looking out at the dark forest without much thought. I just wanted to get away from all the drama downstairs with Ava fainting in the woods for some drug her mother gave her.

            "I never really knew Ava's mom," Luke continued. "Granted, I never really hung out with Ava much. She was always too good for me. But I remember when Ava's mom left and Val had to take care of her. For some reason, I thought I could help her. Be a shoulder to cry on. I thought I might have a chance. But Ava's Ava. She's strong and she doesn't let things get to her. Well, at least she doesn't let us see it." He sighed shaking his head. "I just can't believe her mother would do all that to her. What kind of person would leave her own child?"

            My stomach sank. I pushed back everything in my mind. Some things shouldn't be brought up. Some things were better left in the past.

            I shrugged. "She didn't seem like a pleasant woman, but maybe she had her reasons. Whether it be her looking out for what she thought was best or driven mad by her original intentions. I'm not her. I wouldn't know."

            He glanced over at me. "Since when did you get so understanding? Before you were all 'love is stupid'. But now you seem to be a little more reasonable."

            "Sometimes people change." I looked over at the boy--so human. "Sometimes people change people."

            His lips crooked up in an odd, sort of confused dopey smile. I so badly wanted to acknowledge him in some other form or fashion. Through words or action. But I was never good as absolute stating my feelings. And hugs weren't my thing.

            I placed my hand lightly on his shoulder. "You're one of the good ones, Luke. Don't you dare change."

            Angelina found time to burst out onto the balcony interrupting whatever response Luke worked up. "Oh, sorry," she said, clasping her hands together awkwardly. "I didn't mean to intrude. It's just that...Bernard wants you downstairs, Jane. Your due for another dosage. Your last has probably worn off by now."

            I nodded. "Right."

           

            I walked downstairs with Angelina, Luke following behind with the remnants of that same dopey grin on his face. Everyone sat in casual conversation apart from William and Ava who were upstairs and Bernard and Liv who were doing treatment in the kitchen. Currently, Chris was telling his story.

            "Nothing much to tell." He shrugged. "I was born in Florida, and my parents adopted me not that much later. We moved up here when I was five."

            "You're adopted?" Victor asked curiously. "That's interesting. Did you ever find your real parents?"

            Chris shook his head. "Closed-adoption. I never knew who they were."