Consumed By Fate

Chapter 4: Thee Mysterious Francesca O'dare

"So, how do you like it here in Peck?" Jace asked while he ran his fingers through his silky hair. "I lived here already. It was like being in Hell, Michigan, only hell is better than this place- or so I've heard" I answered. "Ouch." Jace said in response. "I can't believe you're dissing my hometown like this, Rem." I laughed. It was the truth. All this town did was bring back bad memories.

"So you used to live here? I've never seen you before?" he asked as he offered me some of the chips that he was casually munching on. "Oh, I lived on the crappy part of town. No where near this fabulous place." I responded as I took a few Cheetos to nibble on. I don't really enjoy hot cheetos. Jace stopped to tie his shoe. I watched as he slowly tied his shoes. He starred at mine, then glanced up. Peering ever so slightly into my eyes with his gorgeous, myseterious eyes. "Can I ask you something, Remi?" he asked. "Umm, you just did." I said as I began to walk, again. With one swift motion Jace got up, grabbed my wrist, and turned me around to face him. "That wasn't the question." he said in a growl. He startled me. "Calm down. I wont hurt you, silly girl. I just want to ask you a question." he said palativily. "Shoot." I declared.

"Do you trust me?" he asked with a serious tone, and serious expression, but with a coy smile. "The reason I am asking is because I know that none of your friends do." he paused, waiting on a response from me taht didn't come right away. "So," he continued, "why associate with any of you if none of you trust me?". He was misinterpreting my silence. "I don't have a reason not to trust you, yet, Jace." I said in a small voice.

I thought he'd be content with that answer, but by the look on his face it he wasn't. At all. And I didn't know why. That seemed like a legitimate reason. It was also the truth. It's not like I said no. "Well,okay."he said. His face now bright. "When you lived here did you ever go to the beach?" he asked. "Erm, no." he smiled. "Well, today seems promising." he uttered.

Soon we were back at the house. Josh was sitting on the porch reading a book with a red X on it. When Jace set foot on the first step of the porch Josh slammed the book shut. Jace raised an eyebrow and Josh glanced at him. "Well, alrighty then. Remi, just ask your friends, okay, and I'll come and get you guys later." Jace said with a wink, and strolled away.

"Erm..ask us what exactly? If you're planning on going any where with him I'm sure Kevon would be against it." Josh said, seeming uninterested. That made me bridle just a litte. "Since when is Kevon in charge of me?" I asked a little too loud. Kevon stood in the doorway. "Since he was assigned to watch you." Josh replied- opening the book and flipping through pages.

I'd forgotten that Kevon was assigned to watch me. To protect me, but that was beside the point. Kevon is my boyfriend now, and I am an adult. He doesn't tell me what to do and what not to do.. all of the time. "We, as in Jace and I, are going to the beach later. You guys are welcome to come." I gestured to Kevon, "Or watch over me and whatnot." I said, questioning where my attitude had come from. Kevon just looked at me with him mouth open slightly as if he wanted to say something important. Then, he slowly closed his mouth and backed away from the door frame. Josh closed the book again and looked at me in the eyes. "What's your deal?" he asked as he stood up. "You're acting unlike yourself. Jac- um, Nick is a bad influence on you." he continued as he brushed past me. "This is just a suggestion, but I think you should stay away from him. You don't know what he's capable of."

I was still going to the beach. I needed to relax, and I hadn't done that in a good minute. I grabbed my coat and sunglasses, then headed for the door with this odd feeling that I was being watched. I walked down to Jace's house and saw the girl that I had seen earlier walking out of his house. She looked at me and smiled as I was walking up the stairs to Jace's front door as she was walking down them. I got to see her face this time. I didn't think she was Jace's sister anymore. The structures of the face wasn't similar to his and her features were different. Her her was long, black, and silky. Her eyes were an olive green. Her ears were pointy. I stared at her. Then I realized that her mouth was moving.

"Pardon?" I asked, because I wasn't paying attention before. "Oh, I said that Jace is on his way outside right now, so there's no need to go in." I just nodded, planning on going in anyway. As I started to continue walking she grabbed my wrist and continued to talk, "I'm Francesca. Francesca O'dare. You?" I looked at my wrist that she had a hold of, and then I looked into her olive green eyes, then back at my wrist. She let out a sigh and released her grip. "I apologize" she said sincerely. "Remi." I answered. She looked lost. Her eyebrows furrowed. "My name. Remi." I said again. She smiled. "Oh, Remi? Remi, nice to meet you." She uttered then embraced me. I stood with my hands at my side as the hug lasted longer than it should have.

"Francesca! Stop it." Jace commanded as he opened the door just wide enough for him to get out, then closing it abruptly. When Francesca released me I felt weak, and I was barely holding on to reality. The last thing I heard was 'Why did you do that?" before I slipped into unconciousness.

When my eyes opened I was on a queen-sized bed in a room I didn't recognize. I lifted my head and tried to make things out, but everything was blurry. Theni heard footsteps. I grabbed the nearest heavy thing. Armed and dangerous. Ready to throw this clock at the next person who walked through the door. The handle turned, and I tossed the clock at the figure and dodged the blurry figure in attempt to run out of the fuzzy door. "Ouch! Remi! What the hell are you doing?" the figure said. I stopped in my tracks and turned to face the figure. I rubbed my eyes, trying to restore my vision to its usual twenty-twenty eyesight.

The figure then grabbed me. "Let go of me, Jace!" I screamed. "Jace? Remi, look at me. Its me, Kevon." he pleaded. I rubbed my eyes again trying to bring them into focus. With my success I saw Kevon's face. His lip was bleeding. "Wha-" I began, but he cut me off. "What did he do to you? Why are you so afraid of Jace?" Then, the rage kicked in. "I'll kill him!" he blurted, then headed down the hall. I raced after him and hugged his waist in attempt to calm him down. It worked.

"How did I get home?" I asked unknowingly. "What do you mean? You walked home yourself." he answered. I thought back, but I didn't remember walking home after I met that girl. Francesca.

I didn't ask another question, I just sat back down on my bed and rested my head on the backboard. Kevon laid down next to me and I looked at him questionably. "What? We share a room." he said.

"Just because we share a room does not mean we share a bed."

"Well, alright you can sleep on the floor." he said then turned away from me.

"Why are you going to sleep now anyway?"

"Um, its 11:30pm. I'm not surprised that you aren't sleepy. You've slept for hours on end." he said as he got comfortable in the bed. Now I was really confused. How had the day gone by so fast. What happened at Jace's house. I had to find out what was going on without drawing suspicion to myself or Jace.