DEMON SENSE (Completed)

Chapter 8

 ***NOTE*** Due to some technical difficulties CHAPTERS 1-7 UNGROUPED themselves, so you'll have to search for and read them separately. Sorry about the inconvenience y'all! But I'll see what I can do to get that fixed :) Anyways, hope you enjoy! Happy Reading!

                                 

                                       DEMON SENSE

                                          Chapter 8

We made the trip back to Austin without incident, and when we were finally back at his place, I took the opportunity to phone Aunt Nadia. She had called and left a voicemail on my cell while it had been off during our flight back. Her message had sounded urgent telling me to call her back ASAP, although she hadn’t said why.

I sat on the black leather sofa in Nathan’s living room with my cell pressed to my ear, while Nathan occupied himself in the kitchen. It rang several times, and just when I thought it would go to voicemail, my aunt answered. Before I could even get off a salutation, she started blundering away.

“Sweet Jesus, Viky, where in the blazes have you been? Dan told me you’d called in sick—just imagine my shock when I went to your place to drop off some of my homemade vegetable soup to find you weren’t even there, and neither was your car. I’ve been callin’ you all day—”

I cut her off to give her a chance to catch her breath, “I’m fine Aunt Nadia. I’m with a friend. He’s, uh, been taking care of me.”

There was a momentary pause. “He?”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes.”

“As in a gentleman friend,” she asked, her interest piqued.

“Is it so hard to believe that I have guy friends?”

“Of course not, sweetie,” she responded with overcompensating enthusiasm. “It’s just, well, I’ve never known you to stay with one…or a lady friend for that matter. You’ve always sorta kept to yourself.”

She had a point. All my life I’d been somewhat of a loner. It was easier that way. From the time I started kindergarten I knew I was different. My classmates could sense it, too, probably on some subconscious level. They all were careful to keep their distance. They hadn’t teased me or anything, like most of the other kids who didn’t fit in. Instead, they acted like I didn’t exist. To me, it was almost worse being invisible. I’d have preferred a little taunting. At least then, I’d have been acknowledged. It took a couple years, but after some coaxing, I’d finally convinced my parents to home school me. I hadn’t liked it, but I hadn’t hated it either.

Even still, people tended to avoid me, or most often than not, regard me with apprehension, like most of the patrons at Dan’s diner. With the exception of Danny, Summer, Shawn and Naomi, the rest of the staff only approached me when they had to.

“Yeah, well, guess I figured it was time I changed that,” was my lame response.

“So, tell me about him, hun—oh wait, is he in the room with you?” I could hear it in her voice. Aunt Nadia was itching for gossip.

“Not at the moment,” I admitted against my better judgment.

“Perfect!” She plowed on, “So, is he cute? Are you interested in him?”

I smiled despite myself. “Cute? Try gorgeous. Am I interested?” I mulled that over. Good question.  “More like, I find him interesting. He’s very…mysterious.