CHAPTER 3

Sometimes I even got a little worried that she cared too much for adopted sister and brother kind of relationship. Maybe she cared that way because we practically grew up together. “It’s just that I’m so sad, all these things have to happen to you.” She complained lowly almost like a whisper while my hands were on her shoulders. “I know it’s not fair, but there is nothing I can do about it. Let’s go home.” I gently led the way and opened the passenger door for her, she didn’t say a word and quietly got in and put on seatbelt, while I headed to the driver’s side. Soon we were off the school grounds and on the road heading home. I took a pick couple times at Ashley and she was way too sad than I was, but I understood her. She was always very emotional and sentimental. What happened to Veronica must have touched her so much, especially after hearing what people were saying about me. But seeing her that way made me feel quilter because of the situation, so I tried to cheer her up, “It’s not like she is dead. Soo she is going to be fine, don’t be so sad. It makes me feel worse.” I knew she would try to cover her sadness, knowing it will help me feel better. “You are not helping. Don’t you feel anything at all? Your girlfriend is lying unconscious in the hospital for god sake. And here you are making jokes. Yes, she is not dead yet, but she is not alive either.” Suddenly her sadness was changed to fury out of nowhere, and I guess she was right I wasn’t helping. Sadly my method didn’t work, now she was sad and angry. But there was something about what she said, it sent a pang in my mind. She said, she wasn’t dead yet and she wasn’t alive either. As far as I could remember all my friends died and no one survived, could it be possible that Veronica was bound to die as well? I started to remember all the deaths that I’d come across. First, was my best friend in eighth grade, Malcolm, was found in his bed dead without any evidence of struggle or anything of sort. It seemed like he was suffocated, but there was something strange. There was no sign of poison or fingerprints on him. I was young then, and it was too early for people to pin point me. But after that two more of my friends died in the following years. Suspicions started to rise and people started to wonder. Not long enough, my very first girlfriend and my first love died. And she died the same way. That’s when all suspicions were proven true, that anyone who got too close to me die. I loved Clara with all my heart and yet people thought I had something to do with her death. That was ridiculous and unfair. But there was nothing I could do. That was the most painful death of all, well, my parents’ would’ve been painful. But they died when I was too young to recognize them or feel the pain of loss. I was not convinced then, I had anything to do with everything. I kept living my life and soon after I got Sarah. Thankfully it wasn’t that hard to get a girlfriend for me. It’s not that I was too handsome or anything, it was just easy for people to like me. And I didn’t know why until now. I was just an ordinary guy six feet tall with blue eyes and buzz cut hair, and I had a reasonable strong body because of exercises to keep myself in shape. Unfortunately Sarah had the same fate as Clara. She died in her car when she was returning home from some party. She was a party girl, any party in town you would find her. That day she was all alone in the car. She didn’t have an accident or crushed to something at least that could’ve explained everything. But she was found in her car parked, her face was pale almost white as ice and so were her eyes. They were completely white even her irises were gone, just plain white. Somehow everybody got to hear about everything that happened and they started to point their fingers at me. Soon after Sarah’s parents heard about me and they started cursing me and warned me to stay away from their family. And now Veronica was in the hospital. I first saw her in a gas station, and in that very moment we liked each other. I prayed that she wouldn’t end up like my first two girlfriends. But I guess even the gods didn’t give a damn about me after all. It was just three months and that was way too soon for that thing, whatever it was to take her away from me. But at least she was still alive; that’s what I believed. What Ashley said didn’t matter. But then when I came to think about it, seriously, what the hell was wrong with me! First my own parents died leaving an orphan. When I finally got a life everybody around me died except for the two people who were the most important to me. My adoptive mother and my sister, Ashley. She was as much a sister to me as any real sister could be. At least I didn’t get to lose everybody that I cared about. “Steven.” I heard a yell that brought me back to reality from my deep depressing train of thoughts. I turned to look at Ashley who was glaring at me furiously, “Home is few streets back, what is wrong with you?” she kept yelling, “it was like you were completely tuned out, even when I called you didn’t hear.” Suddenly her anger was gone and she was concerned, motherly kind of concern. She did that when I got kind of half conscious. “Sorry, I’m fine, I was just thinking about something.” I didn’t want to say much, then I made a U-turn and headed home. It wasn’t right but I didn’t have time to look for a place to turn. Ashley kept staring at me but she didn’t say a word, maybe because she didn’t know what to say. Not long we arrived home and I parked my car in the garage. I got out of the car and Ashley followed afterwards, close behind with that look she always wore once I got in situations like this. The look which said a lot, speechlessly convincing me that everything will be alright as they always had been. But the problem this time was that I got tired of being optimistic. Because my life sucked and there was no fixing it up. I got into my room passing the hallway and heard some sounds from the kitchen, which meant that mom was home making dinner. I didn’t care, I slammed the door shut and hopped in bed.