The Violet Hour (The Violet Hour Series) (11 page)

Andrea Wells – The Violet Hour

Chapter 11

I skipped school the next day.  I felt awful when I woke up and there was no way I was going out in public.  I called in, pretending to be Kate, telling the school secretary, “Logan won’t be at school today.  She’s not feeling well and dealing with personal issues.”  The school automatically assumed it had to do with the death of my mother.  Little did they know, the only people I had left in my life, including the guy I was falling in love with, were all werewolves.  Far heavier than personal issues and similar to death.

I didn’t leave my room that day and hardly made it out of bed.  My dad and Kate both came upstairs on numerous occasions requesting admittance, wanting to talk and needing to check in.  My only acknowledgement was that I was still alive, offering them no consolation.  I played music on and off, but only when I needed to drown out the silence.  The one thing I didn’t do was take a nap – avoiding the reoccurring bad dreams. 

Around the time school was getting out, I moved from my bed to the window seat to watch Luke get home.  Too many times I had discovered him magically on the porch outside my second story window or after I was certain I’d locked the door, a note somehow appearing on my bed.  I wasn’t going to let it happen again, I told myself. I waited for him to arrive.

The warm sunshine was overly inviting and I convinced myself to move a few feet further from the safety of my room to bask in it.  Memories flooded every available space in my mind and I felt at any moment wolves would step out of the tree line again. 

I faintly heard the roar of Jesse’s truck turning onto the long driveway, snapping me to attention.  Maybe it was survival instinct, but part of me wanted to run.  However, part of me – the part that refused to back down and give up – knew I needed to make my stand.  That was the part I’d inherited from my mother.  I was in pain, hurt beyond words.  I felt betrayed – no, deceived.  I had opened up to my dad and I had put my trust into Luke.  I gave him every last bit, including my heart.  It had only been a few days, but in those brief moments I knew more about the person he was and the kind of guy he could be for me than I had ever known in the two years I steadily dated Brody.

In only four days, Luke stole my heart.  On the fifth, he crushed it.

Now, I was damaged.  At best.  I knew there would be a way to deal with the whole werewolf thing.  After my mother’s death, it didn’t unravel me as much as it could have.  I’d recently developed a very high threshold for coping with the unexpected – I had no choice but to deal with it.  But dealing with a broken heart was another issue.  All the same, that pain meant my feelings for him were real.       

I watched as they appeared through the trees.  Even under the warm rays of sun, I still felt completely numb.  The truck stopped in the middle of the driveway, not close to the house or the barns, and I stood at the edge of the deck, letting him see me as he emerged.  He stepped out of the truck, forcing me to hold my breath as if to trap my feelings inside.  Luke walked toward the house slowly, never taking his eyes off me and didn’t stop until he was practically underneath me, on the porch below.  Time seemed irrelevant while we stood there, staring at one another.

Finally, I saw his lips move, though I couldn’t hear him.  Not because he was too far away, but because of the noise in my head and heart that drowned out the world.  His lips slowed down enough and I could tell he was saying my name, but nothing more.  I muted my insides as he pleaded one last time.

“Logan,” he said, thick with desperation.  It was as if he was
calling
my name at first because he knew I couldn’t hear him and then
saying
my name to help me focus.  He sensed the difference.  He knew me.

He waited – as if to be sure – before he slowly closed his eyes and dropped his face to the ground.  Defeated. 

I turned around and went back inside, dragging my shattered heart on a chain behind me.

Andrea Wells – The Violet Hour

Chapter 12

I drove myself to school over the next couple of weeks and said little to my dad and Kate who I tried to avoid.  Luke, Jack and Jesse mostly stuck to their routines but spent most of their time, when they were home, in the barn instead.  In our classes, I sat at the front of the room and could feel their eyes watching me from the back.  At first, I kept to myself, but the school was too small to stay completely isolated.  Ashleigh was in a few of my classes and I began sitting next to her whenever I could.  At lunch, she introduced me to some friends, including her boyfriend, Josh, who welcomed me to their table.  Of course, the first time I sat with them, I spent most of my lunch signing autographs for everyone – another reminder that I didn’t really belong.  Only once, a few days after I finally returned to school, did I allow myself a peek at Luke’s table and caught Rachel’s horrifying glare.

As promised, I had the house to myself Thursday nights and Friday mornings while the werewolf family went
hunting
together.  I didn’t allow myself to dwell on what that really meant.  Friday nights were also quiet.  Once back, the werewolves loaded into the truck and went to Jesse’s football game. 

It was surreal to watch them lead normal human lives.  Maybe I’d seen too many sci-fi movies and horror flicks, but it was hard to believe how casual they were about it.  Maybe that was the plan – to convince me they were just like everyone else.  The problem was: they weren’t. 

Of course, I didn’t know the details – the how or why or what made them werewolves and my father would try to point this out during his one sided conversations.  He said he wanted to better explain what was going on and what it meant.  Quite frankly, it meant only one thing to me: I was living with a pack of shape-shifters who turned from human to wolf whenever they felt like it.  What more did I truly need to know? 

“I’ve seen everything I need or want to know, Dad,” I finally said one day to put an end to his explanations.

Admittedly, he was right.  I didn’t know anything other than what I saw and the few facts they had given me the evening they put photograph of my mother from 1881 in my hands.  My days of thinking in silence began to add up and I ran out of reasons to avoid the truth anymore. I started to question what Luke had really done wrong and maybe I owed him the chance to explain.    

The last Friday before my birthday, the halls were buzzing about Homecoming.  Bright colored posters covered every door in the building, reminding everyone there was a parade downtown after school and then the big game followed by a dance.  I had to peel a poster off my locker just so I could get my books.

“Hey Logan, are you sure you’re not coming to the Homecoming dance, tonight?” Ashleigh asked while I picked at the tape.  Even though I wasn’t talking to anyone at home, I’d done a pretty good job of hiding that fact from everyone at school.  Even Ashleigh, who had asked me any and every question she could think of about my life, was clueless to the turmoil in the Keller/Callahan dwellings.  With all the Hollywood experience I had, it was easy for me to not come off as awkward or make it obvious in public our house was divided: Werewolves – five, Humans – one. 

“I don’t think so, Ash.  Don’t you take a date to those kinds of things?” I asked, uninterested.  I wasn’t going no matter what she said.

“Usually, but you could go with us.  It’ll be fun.  Please come?”

I turned around to confirm the “us” she was referring to included her boyfriend.  Josh stood patiently beside Ashleigh holding her hand.

“Thanks for the invite, but I don’t want to be the third wheel.  It’s your senior year, go have fun, I’ll be fine,” I lied.

“It’s
your
senior year too!  You need to go!”

Sure, it was my last year of high school, but she had no idea how disappointed I was.  Lindsey and I had spent countless hours researching spring break, prom, graduation, colleges and even how we would celebrate our eighteenth birthday – over the past decade.  Nowhere in those plans was the Sheridan High School Homecoming Dance.  I wasn’t adding it at this point.

“Josh can find someone to go with you,” Ashleigh pleaded.

Josh perked up, “I know plenty of guys who would take you,” he confirmed with a grin.  Ashleigh shoved her fist in Josh’s side.

“That’s really nice of you guys, but really, it’s no big deal.  I don’t want to go.”  I said, finally getting a little more assertive before the conversation dragged on all day.  It worked because Ashleigh’s smile faded to a frown and the couple headed off to class. 

When I got home from school that afternoon, I wasn’t surprised no one was home.  I went upstairs to open the boxes that had arrived in the mail from Neiman Marcus and Hermes.  With all my newfound free time, I’d finally opened a bank account and deposited some of the cash Richard had given me.  Then, I’d proceeded to spend it on things I really didn’t need but couldn’t get in Sheridan.  It gave me something to do, I suppose.  Inside one box was a pair of the latest designer skinny jeans, Chanel jacket, gray top and Louboutin heels and in the other, a brown Hermes handbag.  Fall officially began the day before my birthday, which was four days away, but the air was already filled with the chill and smell of the seasonal change, giving me an excuse to spend a few thousand dollars. 

I cleaned out my Gucci purse and put all my things into the new handbag.  At the bottom of my old bag was the cell phone I hadn’t used since the last time I talked to Brody.  Desperate, I had called him one day while locked in my room avoiding everyone.  I had needed someone to talk to, though not necessarily about the werewolves.  It was the first time we’d spoken since the harsh ‘truth’ between Lindsey and him had unfolded, but that wasn’t the reason for my call either.  Or, at least, that wasn’t my intention at first.  Of course, one thing led to another and the conversation went south.  The next thing I knew, we were screaming at each other.  He admitted he and Lindsey were still seeing each other, and I yelled, “If I never see you again, that’ll be too soon,” before hanging up. 

I turned on my phone to call Ashleigh. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to move on yet, but I finally needed to get out of the house for an evening. 

“Hello?”

“Ashleigh?  It’s Logan.” 

“Hey!  I wasn’t expecting a call from you, what’s up?” she asked, excited but cautious.

“I don’t know… I was wondering what the plan was for tonight?”

“Well, I’m still going to the football game and then to the dance afterward.  Did you change your mind?” she asked with growing excitement. 

‘No’ I thought to myself, but avoided the question hoping she’d let it go.

“It’s gonna be so much fun,” she added.

“Well, no one’s home and I have nothing to do.  Maybe I
should
get out of the house and see at least one football game this year.”

“YES!” she yelled, “I’m excited!  Do you want me to come pick you up early?” 

“No, I can drive.  Plus, you’ll be at the dance after the game.” And I wouldn’t be.

“Well, you could go to the dance too.  Josh could still…”

“That’s okay, Ash, let’s just stick to the game for now,” I interjected.  “I’ll meet you at your house and follow you there so I don’t lose you.  What time should I come over?”

“I’ll have Josh drop me off at your house instead.  He has to leave early for the game.  I can ride with you and then he could take me home afterward,” she suggested.

“That works for me, what time?”

“I can be there by five-thirty.  Is that good?”

“Perfect!  I’ll see you soon, Ash.” 

I had already started taking off my jeans to try on my new clothes before I even finished the call.  The jeans fit perfectly and I decided to wear my new outfit to the game.  I actually smiled when I looked in the mirror, something I hadn’t genuinely done in a while.  I wasn’t positive if it was because of the clothes or my evening plans. 

Ashleigh wasn’t due at the house for two more hours, I had no homework and there was nothing else I needed to do.  With a nap completely out of the question, I decided to make another phone call.

“Logan?”

“Hey Brody,” I sighed, second guessing myself. 

“I can’t believe you called.  I thought you were never going to talk to me again?” 

“I wasn’t,” I said flatly.

“Well, you called.  What changed?”

Everything had changed.  And that’s all it took for me to breakdown.  I wasn’t in the mood to cry, but I did.  There was a lot I couldn’t tell Brody.  The last time I partially listened to my dad talk about werewolves, he swore me to secrecy.  So, I told Brody I missed my mom, I missed my friends and I missed California.  He listened but had little to say, seeming semi-occupied with whatever he was doing.  I felt better for having gotten a few things off my chest and stopped my banter to ask him what he was up to for the night.

“Well, I was just getting ready to go out,” he started, with a great deal of hesitation.  “It’s Friday.  We had made plans to celebrate tonight, remember?” 

A bullet to my already broken heart.  It hurt, but didn’t have the stinging affect it might have had two weeks prior. 

Linds and I had stuck to our senior year plans, one of which was both our birthday parties would be amazing.  As gifts to one another, I threw her party and she organized mine.  I had spent a lot of Richard’s money planning her birthday celebration at the Skybar in L.A.  The only thing I knew about my party was the date and location: the weekend before my birthday at Club Area. 

The fact they were still going out for my birthday without me made me regret calling.    

“Well, there was no sense in throwing all that money and planning away.  Sorry, Logan, it’s not like it’ll be with your birthday stuff.  We’re just going there to hang out,” he said as if that was going to make me feel better.  “Did you forget about your birthday?  You seem pretty out of it,” he asked.  Now I really regretted calling him.

“I guess,” I answered neutrally, trying to disguise the hurt in my voice. 

“What are your plans for tonight?” he asked. 

“I’m going to a Homecoming football game with Ashleigh, a friend of mine.”

“Football?  You don’t even like sports, Lo.”  He was the only one besides my mother who called me that. 

“Nobody’s called me Lo in a while.”

“God, I miss you so much.  I wish you were here instead of at some high school football game,” he whispered.

“Why are you whispering?”  I asked, remembering the last time I’d asked him that.

“No reason.”

“Brody,” I paused to collect my thoughts, deciding I wasn’t going there with him.  “Brody, I can let you go.”

“No!  It’s okay,” he pleaded. 

I changed my mind.  I
was
going there with him.

“Brody, if Lindsey is there with you, then I can let you go. I’m not playing these childish...”

“But, I’m not playing…” he cut me off.

So, I cut him off.

“I’m not finished!  You play games!  There’s a reason why we’re not together anymore.  So, if Lindsey is there with you and you’re trying to hide the fact that I’m talking to you from her, then I’m hanging up the phone, Brody.”

“But Logan, I still love you.  It just wasn’t going to work.”

“Why?  Why wasn’t it going to work, Brody?  Because my mom died and I had to leave California for a year?”

“Logan, that’s not fair.” 

“Fair?  Brody, I gotta go.  It was a joy talking to you,” I said sarcastically.

“Wait!” he yelled.  I paused, as if I was going to wait, but it was only for dramatic effect.  Something his acting skills could appreciate.

“Brody,” I whispered, “You wouldn’t wait for me.  Why should I wait for you?”

The conversation hadn’t gone as planned; however, I did feel better.  I got to vent some frustration, get a few things off my chest and release some anger.  It was enough to make me feel pretty good and I was almost excited about going out for the evening with Ashleigh.

A few minutes later, Brody texted me trying to work things out so we were at least friends.  He claimed I was important to him and it would mean a lot.  Translation: he wanted me around as a backup plan, needed to have the “Logan Keller” name available to him, and didn’t want people, girls specifically, to know his dirty secrets – like that he was a cheater.  As much as I would’ve jumped all over the opportunity to oust him to the paparazzi, I wasn’t in L.A. anymore and no longer cared.   

I opened my laptop, clicked the internet and for no apparent reason mapped directions from Sheridan, WY to Laguna Hills, CA.  I had no plans of making the twenty hour drive to California and it only upset me to think how far away my old life really was, both physically and mentally.  Thoughts of Brody still tormented me.  I knew I shouldn’t have called.  I also knew that while things would never work out between us, they might work for a little while.  That seemed crazy, but it also seemed worth it compared to my other options.  The word ‘options’ shifted my thoughts to someone else.  Maybe I was foolish for giving up so easily. 

The doorbell rang downstairs, startling me back to reality.  I shut my laptop and bounded down the steps.  Ashleigh was peering in the windows when I unlocked the door.