Appleberry(Completed)

Ch. 7: Lunch

When the bell rung for lunch, everyone scattered. I guess they were just as hungry as I was. I slowly made my way out of the classroom. I wasn't for sure where the lunch room was.
I stopped by my locker to put my things away. Bodhi and Jett came up beside me. "Where is the cafeteria?"
"Oh, newbie, you'll learn fast. We don't eat here at school. I mean they have a cafeteria. But some of us don't eat there. We go to each other's houses and grab a bite then come back." Jett hugged onto Bodhi.
"That's how it was at my last school. I just figured since the town was small, you just all ate here." I leaned against my locker.
Bodhi shook her head. "Are you still hungover?"
I rubbed my face again. "Yes. I already had medicine and downed a bottle of water this morning. But the after effects are there. I just want to go to bed."
They both laughed this time. "Next time, you need to take it easy. If it wasn't for Phoenix last night, you would have drowned yourself with beer or got alcohol poisoning."
I gave them a befuddled look. "Phoenix? The guy who is grumpy about everything helped me out."
Jett shook her head yes, but Bodhi answered. "He came over to you last night wrapping you in a blanket and took the bottle away. He told me to take you home. For someone who is a grump, he was sure taking care of you last night. It was weird. He has never done that."
"Maybe people shouldn't judge a book by its cover." I eyed them.
Jett put a hand on my shoulder. "You are right, but you haven't known Phoenix since you were small. We have. He is usually mean and grumpy. The only reason he comes to anything is because Gwendolyn makes him."
I looked from Jett to Bodhi. They were right. I didn't know him for as long as they had. "You two ready for lunch?"
Jett's hand went straight to her stomach. "Gosh, I thought we'd never leave for lunch. I'm starving, I could eat a whole cow."
We all left. On the ride over to Zeke's house, it was non-stop talking about the Appleberry's. They were one of the oldest families here. Which I already knew. But I let them talk.
Bodhi was waving her hands around while driving. "You do know that people say they have powers."
Jett grabbed one of Bodhi's hands to hold it. "I heard they sold their souls."
Bodhi looked in her rearview mirror. "What do you think Sloane?"
I looked out the window, watching the trees pass by. "I don't know. I don't know them or anything about them. They seem like snobs. At least Gwendolyn does."
They chuckled. "If you think Gwendolyn is bad, you haven't meet her mother. Their dad is okay. He is the mayor and usually all smiles. But their mom, different story. Just get Zeke to tell you about everything. He is like the town historian."
The rest of the drive was silent. It took almost twenty minutes to get to Zeke's house. He along with the Barlow's and Hardy's lived along the woods. The Appleberry's lived on the west side of the town. My family lived on the east side of the town. Each house just as big as the other, I was guessing. Everyone else lived in between.
There were only two grocery stores, a coffee and book store that was together. There was a library, the post office, court house, and fire department. The elementary school and middle schools were together. The high school was one big building. Other than that, the town was pretty much empty. I mean with one hundred and twenty-three people, how much should there really be in a town?
We came to a stop in Zeke's driveway. There was some motorcycles and a few trucks in the driveway. Along with a couple of jeeps. I was sure some of those transportation vehicles belonged to some of the teens that were having lunch at Zeke's.
Bodhi opened the door and walked in. "Hey, guys, we are here."
It sounded like a heard of elephants running upstairs then down the stairs. "Hey girls."
We waved. "Take your coat off, come in a while. The maid cooked lunch for all of us."
Zig and Ziv came over putting their arms around me. "Hey Sloane."
"Hey guys. How are you?" I smiled at each of them.
"We are just grand." They led me into the dining room.
When we were all settled. I was first to speak. "Whose motorcycles, and other vehicles are out there?"
Zeke straightened up in his seat. "The motorcycles are Ozzi and Bowie's. The one truck is the twins. One of the jeeps is mine. Of course, the car, is Bodhi's. Jett rides with her or they ride on Jett's motorcycle. What kind of vehicle do you have Sloane?"
"I drive one of the trucks my dad has. He traded in the cars for the trucks since we moved here." The butler came around sitting our plates in front of us.
The twins spoke in unison. "What kind of trucks?"
I grinned. "They are old Chevy trucks. I think they were made in 1970's. I love them. My sister, she isn't a fan. She rather have a jeep or something else."
Zeke was digging into his food. "Your sister and I would get along great. I love jeeps."
"She's a bit young for you Zeke." I stabbed the chicken on my table.
Everyone made "Ooo" sounds and laughed. Zeke gave a playful look. "We will see."
I stabbed my chicken again. "You come around her Zeke, I'll cut your balls off."
All the guys made a face and hands went down to their genitalia. I laughed. Zeke just shook his head. "I am so happy we have another girl who can keep up with us guys. The other girls at school either fear us or can't handle it."
I was addled. "Why would people fear you guys?"
They all looked down at their plates. No one was saying a word. "Oh, come on. Things can't be that bad for them to fear you guys."
Zeke sighed, putting his fork down and getting up. He came over to me. "Let's go to my office. I will let you in on some things."
Bowie barked. "What? You can't do that Zeke."
Zeke looked at him. "I can, and I will. She deserves to know everything. It's her right."
I was bewildered. I had no idea what was going on. "What are you guys talking about?"
Bowie got up. "Just don't tell her too much. It could be dangerous for her to know the whole truth."
Bowie went to walk out. Zeke yelled after him. "She has to know Bowie. You know that."
Zeke looked back to me. "Come on."
I got up and followed him upstairs. He opened a door to his office. Literally, he had an office in the house. He took the chair in front of the desk and drug it around to sit it beside his own chair.
"Sit down." He went to his book shelf and looked through gathering the books he needed.
He plopped them down on his desk and took a seat. "Now, the reason I am telling you some of this, is because it is your birth right. All of us know about ours."
"Can't my dad just tell me my birth right?" I looked at him.
"Has he even said one word about anything in his past since you've known him?" Zeke's eyebrows raised waiting for an answer.
I swallowed the spit that rose in my mouth. "No. He just told me everything here was the past."
"Look, there is a reason you guys moved back here. I know your mom passed away which I am so sorry about that. But your dad had a gut feeling to move back here. He knows he did. I just don't think he would want you to know." Zeke opened one of the books.
"Then why? Why move back?" I was getting annoyed. It wasn't like they knew about me or my family.
He pointed to the book. "That's your dad when he was our age. Him along with our parents, they were in this clan."
I didn't say anything. "You can believe me or not. But this is how it is. Our families have been around for generation after generation in this town. We each take over after our parents die. Like me, when my grandparents die, I am going to be this town's historian and look after it. I will also take on the principle position. That is my birth right. I'm what they call the Guardian."
"Okay, what does that have to do with me?" I snapped.
Zeke smirked. "You have no clue about anything do you?"
I shrugged. "Sloane, your family is the oldest bloodline of witches and warlocks."
I laughed. "What? You are joking, right? We aren't witches. My dad sure isn't a warlock."
He shoved the book towards me. "Look."
I looked down at the picture. The picture read Ashby Coven 1970. My dad stood there along with his parents, their parent's and another girl.
Another picture showed the Ashby Coven 1920 with wolfs. They were surrounding someone. They all looked like they were at war and trying to protect something.
I looked up at Zeke, he was studying me. "You have to be shitting me? This shit isn't real, Zeke."
"I know you have thought things are weird around here. The whole town is radiating weird. If I didn't think you could handle it, I wouldn't be pulling the band aid off. I would have just let you figure it out on your own. By then, it would all be too late." Zeke got up pacing back and forth in front of his desk.
I looked back down at the pictures. "How far does all this go back?"
Zeke stopped looking straight at me. "These covens, my family, and the fleet; we have all been here since the beginning when the pilgrims came over and took the land that didn't belong to them. The 1620's. Maybe even before then. But I have no records from Europe to know."
This was all too much. I shut the book and got up. "I've got to get out of here."
I opened the door, Bowie was leaning against the wall by the door. I looked at him. His eyes changed from green to yellow. I almost stumbled over my feet going downstairs. I ran out the door. I needed air.
Bodhi and Jett came out behind me. "Are you okay, Sloane?"
"Just take me back to school. I want to leave." I walked over and got into the car.
Bodhi and Jett drove me back to school. They never once asked if I wanted to talk. They stayed silent having little glances back at me. I guess they thought I was going to just combust or be outraged.
I was just confused. I didn't know what to think. How did this all happen? I just wanted a normal life. Yeah, Appleberry was weird. But I just thought it was the charm of the small gothic looking town.
I didn't think it was because there were covens, the fleet, or guardians. They just seemed like normal people. What was I going to tell dad? What was I going to ask dad? He is going to flip. But then again, I was pissed. If he did know, then why didn't he just tell me. Why wouldn't he just tell Frankie and me?