Chapter 3 ~ Being The Only Girl Has Its Perks
The whole ride home, sitting there in the seat next to him totally quiet, you could have heard a pin drop if one had. He kept looking over at me, but I tried my hardest not to look over at him. He was kind of scaring me being all quiet. Go figure. I wasn’t scared in the least that he was a vampire, I knew he would never hurt me but I was scared of him being quiet.
All of a sudden he slammed on the brakes and turned the car off. Sitting there on the side of the road, he turned to me.
“You’re really not scared of me?”
“ No, I’m not. I was a little at first, but then I thought about all you’ve said to me, about how nice you are to me, and I thought there was no way he could hurt me. You’re too good for that. I love you Caleb, I really do. It’s weird I know, I’ve only known you for a couple of days and already love you, but it feels right to me. Tomorrow though, you’ve got some explaining to do. Like I want to know how you came to be with my father.”
“I’ll explain everything to you tomorrow, love. But right now you need to get some sleep.”
“You know what, if my dad had a girl with him, I mean a girl vampire, I’d probably be so jealous.” I smiled at him and he just laughed. “ He doesn’t does he? That room was a girls room.”
“ No sweet Arabella, he never had another daughter. You’re his only one, that room is yours.” That totally floored me, why would my dad have a room made for me? He didn’t even really know me, he hadn’t even seen me in years.
“ Mine,” I whispered. Caleb was smiling his amazing smile at me, nodding his head at the same time.
Starting the car he pulled out onto the road again and headed towards my house. It didn’t take long before we were already there, I really didn’t want him to leave, but he was right, I did need some sleep.
He pulled up to my house and walked me up to my door, always the gentleman. He kissed me, our tongues dancing together to a tune only we heard in our heads. Before I started gasping for air he pulled away. Smiling at me he kissed down my jaw and up to my ear.
“ Get some sleep, my love. My Arabella. I love you and need for you to be okay. I’ll pick you up for school tomorrow, I’ll see you in the morning, alright?” he whispered
“Alright, Caleb I love you too. I can’t wait to see you in the morning, it’s too long of a wait.” He laughed at that. Reaching up on my tiptoes, I planted a soft sweet kiss to his lips.
“Those four words you said to Jonathan, they meant the same to him as they meant to you.”
Tears came down my face again and I whispered back, “Thank You, you don’t know how much that means to me. I don’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
“You don’t have to.”
With that he walked back to his car opened the door and got in. Then he drove off. I walked in to my house and went to my room. Kylie came in and jumped on my bed.
“So did you have a good time?”
“Yeah, I did. His family is amazing. And no I’m not going to tell you anymore. Please leave my room. Oh yeah, I won’t be riding to school with you anymore.”
“Whatever, enjoy it while it lasts, he’s way too good for you and way too cute. You’ll mess it up just like always.” I threw a pillow at her as she walked out of my room with a smile on her face.
God, I hope she’s wrong. I mean, he is absolutely gorgeous of course, but I hope I don‘t screw it up. What if I did and they all left?
A light tap on my window drug me away from all those terrible thoughts. I got up off my bed and went to my window, it was him. I opened it and he climbed in.
“ What are you doing?” I whispered
“ What your thinking is crazy! I had to come back and tell you that…DON’T LET HER MESS WITH YOUR HEAD! I love you, you can’t mess it up, I promise you that, and you are BEAUTIFUL! And don’t you forget it. You know what, I see what makes you feel this way and I understand. What can I do to make you feel as beautiful as you are?”
“ I don’t know, it might just take a while. I am scared of one thing.”
“What scares you?”
“I’m scared you’ll leave me just like everyone else in my life has done to me. I just got my dad back and you and you both could snap me in two with…leaving me,” I admitted.
Placing both of his cold hands on my face, very lightly rubbing his thumbs over my cheeks, he smiled at me. “ I will never leave you. Do you understand me? No matter what, I am here for you. I. Love. You. I have to go, someone’s coming. I will see you in the morning, no more thinking like that, do you hear me?”
“ Okay, I’ll try. Goodnight.”
“ Goodnight my love.”
He jumped back out my window just in time, as my mom just walked right into my room without knocking…I hated that. They had this rule here and it was the first thing they told me when I came to live here with them. It stated that this was their house and they had the right to just walk in any door they wanted, no matter what. Absolutely no privacy, I hated it here so much. I’m not going to call them mom and dad anymore. They’re not my mom and dad. My dad was back in my life now and I was determined to keep him there!
The next morning I got up and got dressed, then went downstairs to eat breakfast and Caleb was there in my kitchen talking to Stacy, the lady I lived with. When I walked in he smiled at me, I grabbed a granola bar and a glass of milk and we left for school.
“Hey, why don’t you have your own car?” he asked me as I climbed into his.
“Well, I told you they don’t have a lot of money and Kylie turned sixteen before me so she got the car,” I told him
“Hmm,” was all he said, totally dropping the subject. We were at school in a matter of a couple of seconds, he drives like a maniac.
“ Where are the guys?”
I was going to say where are your brothers, but I guess since they’re my dads kids of sorts that would make them my brothers too. That’s so weird, forgetting he could hear me, but he just laughed. Okay that might get a little old!
“Is there anyway to stop you from being able to hear me?”
“They drove Steven’s car today, and yes they could be considered your brothers, but technically they’re not. Let’s just say they’re not because I love you and not in a brotherly way. And by the way, there is no way to stop me from hearing. Don’t feel embarrassed by it. I love to hear your thoughts, they’re cute. Plus, it helps me to get to know you…the real you.”
I just smiled at him, I didn’t know what to say to that. He walked me to my locker and all the boys were standing there. Matthew had something behind his back, I could tell they were up to something, they all had goofy grins on their faces, including Caleb. When I walked up to my locker to open it Matthew walked up behind me and reached his arm around me sticking a long stem red rose in my face. “For our little sister!” he said and they all walked away. It was the sweetest thing ever.
“I guess I just gained three brothers huh?” I said to Caleb
“ I guess so.”
“I’ve never had older brothers, just younger ones.” I laughed.
I got all my books for my morning classes, he took them right out of my hands though and walked me to my first class. He kissed me at the door and walked to his class, turning twice to look back at me. I went in and took my seat, actually being able to listen today. At the end of class Mr. Carson was standing at the door and stopped me as I was walking out.
“I heard you got into Harvard, well done Arabella,” he said to me.
“Thank you Mr. Carson,” I said and walked out to see my angel standing there with a huge smile on his face.
“ Hey.” I smiled at him
“ Hey beautiful, how was your favorite class?” he asked me
“How did you know History was my favorite class?”
“I heard you the first day thinking it at your locker.”
“So what else did you hear that day? Did you hear me when I was talking to Angie at lunch the first day?” I asked him, I was hoping he would say no, but that was a long shot. He just smiled at me and shook his head yes. I blushed and put my head down.
“Do you really think I’m as beautiful as those goofy male models in the magazines?” I couldn’t answer him, I just shook my head and kept it down.
He put his hand under my chin again to coax it up and smiled at me. He grabbed my hand and walked me to my next class. At lunch, we went outside again, but this time all of them were out there with us. Thomas, Matthew, and Stephen followed us out there, smiling the whole way out. I sat down on the picnic table to eat lunch. I had my own little family, mine, not Kylies…
I couldn’t stand them staring at me so I picked up my copy of Romeo and Juliet and started reading it, while I ate. I looked up when Caleb started laughing and Matthew did too. I guessed they where having their own private brain conversation. That was going to get annoying fast, Caleb laughed even louder when he heard me think that. I just smiled at all of them. This was so unreal. I have three big vampire brothers, a vampire dad, and I was in love with vampire. What’s going to pop up next, a witch or something? Oh, I got it, a unicorn was going to walk by.
Caleb just stared at me and busted out laughing and grabbed me, hugging me tightly to his chest. I had to laugh too. Steven asked us why we were laughing so I told him what I had been thinking and they all started laughing. Hey, I could use this to my advantage. Caleb, if I don’t know an answer to the test on Romeo and Juliet, I’ll say the question in my head and you peek in the window and tell me the answers!
“That is so cheating, plus its not like I haven’t heard that one before. You’ll do fine!” he told me, smiling.
We all walked back in together and went toward my locker, when I heard Thomas ask Caleb what I had said to him to make him have that face. And Caleb told him and, of course, that started the laughing again..
After my last class Caleb walked me to his car. We went to my dad’s, I couldn’t wait to see him again. Of course Caleb knew that. He just took my hand, our fingers entwining over the middle console of his car. When we got there, my dad was waiting for me in the living room again. I went straight to him and hugged him. I couldn’t help it, the hug the night before felt amazing, it made me feel complete for once in my life. He smiled down at me and hugged me for a while, it felt like he felt the same as me.
“ In your room, the one you were in yesterday, are some things for you. They are all in that room. Most of them were your mothers. So right now I want you to go up there by yourself and see what you can find,” my dad said still smiling warmly down at me.
I looked over at Caleb and he smiled at me and nodded his head yes, for me to go ahead, he would be up in a minute. Our connection was so solid, even though I couldn’t read his mind I could feel what he was saying to me with that one nod. So I turned and walked up stairs.
I walked into my room again, looking around, nothing had changed, but I really didn’t get a chance to look around yesterday. I saw the huge bed, felt the silk between my fingers, then I saw a picture next to my bed and gasped for air.
It was a picture of a women who had my eyes. She was breathtakingly beautiful. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her and grabbed the picture off the table it was on. I just had to have it with me. I turned around and saw a door and opened it, the sight before me almost making me pass out right there on the spot. I heard Caleb and my dad downstairs laughing and knew they were listening. That door led to a huge walk in closet full of clothes all in my size. I couldn’t breath anymore.
Each outfit had its own pair of shoes. I walked down the aisle running my fingers over each piece of fabric. In the middle of the closet was a huge case with drawers in it. I opened the top one and about collapsed to the ground again. It had gorgeous pieces of jewelry, that looked to be one of a kind.
I didn’t know how much I could take, but I kept walking anyways. I looked to my left, inside the closet still, and there was another door. I opened it and there was a huge bathroom. It had the largest tub I had ever seen. It was also outfitted in baby blue, just like my room. I turned around to see Caleb standing there with my dad and both of them wore huge smiles on their faces. I still had the picture in my hands hugging it to my chest.
“This is her, right?” was all I could say. I knew the answer before he could answer it though.
“Yeah that’s my Kathryn, and your mother.”
“ She was beautiful,” I whispered
“Just like her daughter,” my dad said. Tears came down my cheeks again, he walked over and led me to my bed, he sat me down and held me for a while. “So what do you think about your room?” he asked me.
“Is this a dream? Is this all really for me?” I didn’t know what to do or say.
“Of course it’s all for you, you are to use your room whenever you are here or just need to get away. We know, well Caleb told me, that you don’t have privacy where you live now, and a young lady needs privacy,” he paused. “Did you look at anything else or did you go straight to the closet?”
I smiled and blushed at that, after the picture I had gone straight to the closet. He laughed.
“Just like your mother, clothes first, everything else later,” he said in a mocking tone.
After he said that I started looking around. There were more pictures on the walls and on the tables next to my bed. They were of my mom as a cheerleader, with friends, with dad, then one caught my eye and I couldn’t look away, it was of all three of us. Another tear slipped down my cheek. My dad came to stand beside me.
“One of the most happiest days of my life. The other day was when I married your mother. The day you were born and that day is a tie in my book,” he whispered.
I just turned around and hugged him again and whispered, “Thank you daddy!”
When we got done hugging I walked over to a desk area, there was a brand new laptop computer sitting there. Caleb came over, he put down my book bag and said he was going to leave me alone to work on my homework. He told me he would bring me a snack in a while if I wanted. I kissed him and told him that would be great.
I couldn’t believe all of this was for me. I felt like it would all just disappear if I looked away. I set the picture of my mom, that I still had in my hand, down on my desk next to me and sat down in my desk chair. I pulled out my books and started my homework. I got it all done in no time and looked around the room again.
I took a deep breath and smiled to myself. I was going to get so spoiled if they kept this up. I wasn’t used to having anything that wasn’t Kylies first, even my clothes. Thinking about clothes and that these were all mine I had to walk back into my closet again to look at them. I found the cutest outfit that I wanted to wear tomorrow. I grabbed it all and took it back into my room.
It was a purple halter top and a pair of Faded blue jeans, I even grabbed this really cute darker purple jacket to go on top. I fount the cutest shoes too. I smiled to myself when I saw it all together. Kylie was going to die, but then I quickly wondered what would I tell her. How would I explain how I got this? Thinking about that made me almost put it all back in the closet but I heard a knock on my door and it was Caleb.
“You can tell her I bought it for you. Tomorrow morning I’ll wake you up around five in the morning and we will come here so you can get ready here. You can just leave your books and stuff here tonight…You can even get in the tub that I know you’re just dying to try!” I had to laugh when he said that because I really wanted to get in for a long soak. “How about a snack?”
“How about we go downstairs and hang out with everyone? I’ll eat that down there,” I said. I was the happiest I had ever been.
“I’m glad you’re happy. I can’t wait to see that color purple on you.” He walked into my closet and went to the jewelry cabinet and pulled out a necklace with just one jewel. It was a purple heart that would hang down to my collar bone. It was a perfect match to the purple shirt, he came back out and handed it to me. “You should also wear this,” he told me as I took it from him. I laid the necklace down on the nightstand next to the bed as he took my hand and led me downstairs.
When we got to the living room everyone was there and they all smiled at me when I plopped down on the couch in between Steven and Caleb. They were watching a movie and I got into it with them. It was about a girl who feel in love with a vampire. It was called “Twilight” or something like that and I loved it, for obvious reasons. When it was over Caleb looked down at me and smiled.
“I think it’s time to take my love home,” he said
“Oh man, do I have to go?” They all laughed at me, even my dad.
I walked over to tell my dad goodnight; I hugged him and kissed him and told him I’d see him tomorrow. I told him I loved him and when he said it back to me, I beamed.
“Have a good night my beautiful daughter.”
“Thank you daddy, you know I’m not used to being the only girl. I might just get used to this. But your going to spoil me.”
“That’s the whole point, you deserve it and I love you. And I am going to spoil you. Oh, wait, I have something else for you before you leave.” He held his hand out to me, in it was a small silver cell phone. “ If you ever need me or the guys you call us. Even if you just want to talk to us. We all love you.”
“Spoiled remember, daddy I love you all too!” I hugged him again, I just couldn’t help it.
“Good night guys,” I called over my shoulder as I started to walk out of the house.
“ Good night lil’ sis,” Thomas, Steven, and Matthew said at the same time.
“Oh I almost forgot, I’ll meet you in the car.” I ran up to my room and grabbed my picture of my mom. I wanted something of her with me. I went back downstairs, my dad saw it and smiled. “Is it okay dad? I just want something of her with me.”
“Of course it’s okay, it’s your picture. I love you! So does she!”
I ran out the door to meet Caleb in his car. Caleb drove me home and sooner than I’d hoped, we pulled into the driveway, a sigh escaping my lips.
“What’s wrong?” he looked down at me and asked.
“It’s just, I wish I could live with my dad. With you all…not here. I want to be with dad.” I told him with tears in my eyes. He reached over and held me.
“ I know. Maybe soon, okay? But for now you have to stay here. You can just spend most of your time with us, alright? I love you,” he said to me. “You better go in they’re waiting for you.”
“Is it bad?” I asked him.
“No, they just got a letter today from Harvard telling them that your tuition was paid in full, that’s all,” he told me.
“I still owe you for that.”
“NO! You don’t owe me anything,” he said looking straight into my eyes. Every time he did that my heart skipped a beat. “ Go on in, I’ll see you around five. Get some sleep.”
“Okay Caleb, Goodnight.”
He kissed me then left, I love you. I knew he’d hear me and that made me smile. I walked into my house and Kevin and Stacey were waiting up for me in the living room. I went in there saying hello and waited for what they would say. They showed me the letter and I told them I had put in for some financial aid and I guessed it went through. I told them I was tired and went up to my room. They didn’t look like they believed me but they let me go without pushing for more answers.
Walking into my small room with my small bed was kind of comical. I wanted to be in my room, at my dad’s house. I was going to find a way to spend the night in that room one way or the other. I went straight to bed, dreaming of sleeping in that huge bed and waking up to Caleb bringing me breakfast in bed.
When my alarm went off in the morning I jumped out of bed, threw on some jeans and a t-shirt and ran down stairs. I barley had time to say bye to anyone as he pulled in a minute later. Jumping into his car with a huge smile on my face, I couldn’t wait to get back to the house and in that tub. He just smiled at me and pulled out and headed toward our house. That’s what it was to me now, it was where I really lived. That’s what I wanted anyway.
“I like the sound of that ‘Our House’. By the way, good morning beautiful…Oh yeah, if you want to stay over we can always find a way.” He got a huge smile on his face and I giggled.
When we got to the house, I ran to my room and straight to the bathroom. I filled the tub and took off my clothes and got in. It was amazing. I had poured jasmine scented oils in it. I couldn’t help but melt into the water, and everything else just disappeared. Closing my eyes I even melted away. I spent an hour in there, but I knew I had to get out and get ready. So I reluctantly got up and out of the tub. Drying off with the luscious fluffy towel, I wrapped it around my body as it caressed my skin. I got over to the sink and brushed my teeth again and fixed my hair, curling it and letting it hang down the middle of my back. I look just like my mom, I thought as I got dressed. Caleb knocked on the door and I told him to come in. I had my necklace in my hand. I asked him to help me and he just stood there smiling.
“Hello? Caleb, could you help me?”
“ Oh, sorry, I was just admiring a beauty,” he said making me blush as I smiled up at him.
He helped me put the necklace on and for once in my life I felt as beautiful as he’d said I was!
“Good!” he said, smiling. “Jonathan wants to see you before you leave for school.”
“What do you mean before I leave for school, aren’t you coming?”
“Of course I am, but just go see your dad. Trust me.”
“Okay, where is he?” I asked suspiciously, knowing they were up to something.
“ He’s in the library,” he told me
“And where is the library?”
“Oh man, we have to do a tour tonight. It’s on the second floor, third door on the right.”
“Thank you!” I told him and gave him a kiss on the cheek, then turned and left the bathroom and headed down to see my dad.
“Hey, by the way, you do look amazingly beautiful, just like your mom today. I love your hair like that,” he said before I could reach the door of my room.
“That is the best compliment I have ever had.”
“What do you mean?” he asked looking puzzled.
“You said I look like my mom,” I told him, smiling and walking out the door.
I went down one flight of stairs to the third door on the right and knocked.
“Come on in sweetheart, he said as I walked in and he looked up and took a double take. “You look just like your mother.”
“That’s the second time I’ve heard that today. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet, come for a walk with me, I have something for you.”
“Daddy, you’ve given me enough. You’re going to spoil me, remember?”
“ Don’t you remember me telling you, that you deserve to be spoiled. Come with me.”
We went for a short walk out of the library, down the rest of the stairs, out the front door to the front steps. All the boys came outside following behind us. Sitting in front of the house was a purple Mustang convertible. My mouth dropped to the ground. My dad laughed at my facial expression, leaned into me and whispered.
“That is for my beloved daughter,” he said smiling at my reaction.
“For me? Are you sure you’re real?”
“Yeah, you need a car and now you have one.”
“It’s gorgeous.” He handed me the keys. I smiled and took them, and slowly made my way over to my new car. Staring at it in amazement. Caleb came over and opened the door for me. I got in slowly but before I did I looked at my dad and mouthed the words “Thank you daddy, I love you.”
“I know,” he said.
I shut the door and lowered the top of the convertible, smiling the whole time.
Caleb leaned over my door and into my car.
“I’ll see you at school. Just wait for me by your car, alright?”
“Okay!” I told him bouncing in my seat.
“ Hey Arabella, can I ride with you?” Thomas asked.
“Sure, lets go,” I told him, laughing. I turned on the car and a big smile spread across my face. I turned the radio on and cranked the volume.
“I love to see that smile on her face,” my dad said to Caleb.
“Me too,” Caleb said.
“LET’S GO SIS!” Thomas yelled.
I left the house and got out onto the highway and Thomas urged me to floor it! So I did. That car was crazy. I loved it so much, I didn’t know how to explain it, but I loved it! When I got to school, every head turned my way. Kylie was standing next to her car and her mouth dropped, just like mine had when I saw this car. Thomas and I were dying laughing. I got out and stood there waiting for Caleb, Thomas waiting with me.
It only took a couple of minutes. I grabbed my bag out of the back seat and walked over to him. Every pair of eyes were on me. It felt so good, weird…different, but good. I reached Caleb and he took my bag. We walked to my locker leaving Kylie there with her mouth still hanging open.
“Caleb how do I explain the car? Clothes are one thing but a car? I can’t say that you bought me a car.”
“You can tell them it’s mine and I’m letting you have it. It’s your car. That way if you want to come to the house you can whenever you want. You‘ll never have to wait for Kylie or me anymore.”
“I love that car!” was all I could say at first. “It’s my car, mine.” Thomas and Caleb both smiled and laughed.
“Dude, that car is fast, we had some fun in it on the way here,” Thomas said. Caleb didn’t look too happy about that though, he just gave Thomas the evil stare and kept on walking, his arm wrapped around me, holding me close to him.
All of a sudden he slammed on the brakes and turned the car off. Sitting there on the side of the road, he turned to me.
“You’re really not scared of me?”
“ No, I’m not. I was a little at first, but then I thought about all you’ve said to me, about how nice you are to me, and I thought there was no way he could hurt me. You’re too good for that. I love you Caleb, I really do. It’s weird I know, I’ve only known you for a couple of days and already love you, but it feels right to me. Tomorrow though, you’ve got some explaining to do. Like I want to know how you came to be with my father.”
“I’ll explain everything to you tomorrow, love. But right now you need to get some sleep.”
“You know what, if my dad had a girl with him, I mean a girl vampire, I’d probably be so jealous.” I smiled at him and he just laughed. “ He doesn’t does he? That room was a girls room.”
“ No sweet Arabella, he never had another daughter. You’re his only one, that room is yours.” That totally floored me, why would my dad have a room made for me? He didn’t even really know me, he hadn’t even seen me in years.
“ Mine,” I whispered. Caleb was smiling his amazing smile at me, nodding his head at the same time.
Starting the car he pulled out onto the road again and headed towards my house. It didn’t take long before we were already there, I really didn’t want him to leave, but he was right, I did need some sleep.
He pulled up to my house and walked me up to my door, always the gentleman. He kissed me, our tongues dancing together to a tune only we heard in our heads. Before I started gasping for air he pulled away. Smiling at me he kissed down my jaw and up to my ear.
“ Get some sleep, my love. My Arabella. I love you and need for you to be okay. I’ll pick you up for school tomorrow, I’ll see you in the morning, alright?” he whispered
“Alright, Caleb I love you too. I can’t wait to see you in the morning, it’s too long of a wait.” He laughed at that. Reaching up on my tiptoes, I planted a soft sweet kiss to his lips.
“Those four words you said to Jonathan, they meant the same to him as they meant to you.”
Tears came down my face again and I whispered back, “Thank You, you don’t know how much that means to me. I don’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
“You don’t have to.”
With that he walked back to his car opened the door and got in. Then he drove off. I walked in to my house and went to my room. Kylie came in and jumped on my bed.
“So did you have a good time?”
“Yeah, I did. His family is amazing. And no I’m not going to tell you anymore. Please leave my room. Oh yeah, I won’t be riding to school with you anymore.”
“Whatever, enjoy it while it lasts, he’s way too good for you and way too cute. You’ll mess it up just like always.” I threw a pillow at her as she walked out of my room with a smile on her face.
God, I hope she’s wrong. I mean, he is absolutely gorgeous of course, but I hope I don‘t screw it up. What if I did and they all left?
A light tap on my window drug me away from all those terrible thoughts. I got up off my bed and went to my window, it was him. I opened it and he climbed in.
“ What are you doing?” I whispered
“ What your thinking is crazy! I had to come back and tell you that…DON’T LET HER MESS WITH YOUR HEAD! I love you, you can’t mess it up, I promise you that, and you are BEAUTIFUL! And don’t you forget it. You know what, I see what makes you feel this way and I understand. What can I do to make you feel as beautiful as you are?”
“ I don’t know, it might just take a while. I am scared of one thing.”
“What scares you?”
“I’m scared you’ll leave me just like everyone else in my life has done to me. I just got my dad back and you and you both could snap me in two with…leaving me,” I admitted.
Placing both of his cold hands on my face, very lightly rubbing his thumbs over my cheeks, he smiled at me. “ I will never leave you. Do you understand me? No matter what, I am here for you. I. Love. You. I have to go, someone’s coming. I will see you in the morning, no more thinking like that, do you hear me?”
“ Okay, I’ll try. Goodnight.”
“ Goodnight my love.”
He jumped back out my window just in time, as my mom just walked right into my room without knocking…I hated that. They had this rule here and it was the first thing they told me when I came to live here with them. It stated that this was their house and they had the right to just walk in any door they wanted, no matter what. Absolutely no privacy, I hated it here so much. I’m not going to call them mom and dad anymore. They’re not my mom and dad. My dad was back in my life now and I was determined to keep him there!
The next morning I got up and got dressed, then went downstairs to eat breakfast and Caleb was there in my kitchen talking to Stacy, the lady I lived with. When I walked in he smiled at me, I grabbed a granola bar and a glass of milk and we left for school.
“Hey, why don’t you have your own car?” he asked me as I climbed into his.
“Well, I told you they don’t have a lot of money and Kylie turned sixteen before me so she got the car,” I told him
“Hmm,” was all he said, totally dropping the subject. We were at school in a matter of a couple of seconds, he drives like a maniac.
“ Where are the guys?”
I was going to say where are your brothers, but I guess since they’re my dads kids of sorts that would make them my brothers too. That’s so weird, forgetting he could hear me, but he just laughed. Okay that might get a little old!
“Is there anyway to stop you from being able to hear me?”
“They drove Steven’s car today, and yes they could be considered your brothers, but technically they’re not. Let’s just say they’re not because I love you and not in a brotherly way. And by the way, there is no way to stop me from hearing. Don’t feel embarrassed by it. I love to hear your thoughts, they’re cute. Plus, it helps me to get to know you…the real you.”
I just smiled at him, I didn’t know what to say to that. He walked me to my locker and all the boys were standing there. Matthew had something behind his back, I could tell they were up to something, they all had goofy grins on their faces, including Caleb. When I walked up to my locker to open it Matthew walked up behind me and reached his arm around me sticking a long stem red rose in my face. “For our little sister!” he said and they all walked away. It was the sweetest thing ever.
“I guess I just gained three brothers huh?” I said to Caleb
“ I guess so.”
“I’ve never had older brothers, just younger ones.” I laughed.
I got all my books for my morning classes, he took them right out of my hands though and walked me to my first class. He kissed me at the door and walked to his class, turning twice to look back at me. I went in and took my seat, actually being able to listen today. At the end of class Mr. Carson was standing at the door and stopped me as I was walking out.
“I heard you got into Harvard, well done Arabella,” he said to me.
“Thank you Mr. Carson,” I said and walked out to see my angel standing there with a huge smile on his face.
“ Hey.” I smiled at him
“ Hey beautiful, how was your favorite class?” he asked me
“How did you know History was my favorite class?”
“I heard you the first day thinking it at your locker.”
“So what else did you hear that day? Did you hear me when I was talking to Angie at lunch the first day?” I asked him, I was hoping he would say no, but that was a long shot. He just smiled at me and shook his head yes. I blushed and put my head down.
“Do you really think I’m as beautiful as those goofy male models in the magazines?” I couldn’t answer him, I just shook my head and kept it down.
He put his hand under my chin again to coax it up and smiled at me. He grabbed my hand and walked me to my next class. At lunch, we went outside again, but this time all of them were out there with us. Thomas, Matthew, and Stephen followed us out there, smiling the whole way out. I sat down on the picnic table to eat lunch. I had my own little family, mine, not Kylies…
I couldn’t stand them staring at me so I picked up my copy of Romeo and Juliet and started reading it, while I ate. I looked up when Caleb started laughing and Matthew did too. I guessed they where having their own private brain conversation. That was going to get annoying fast, Caleb laughed even louder when he heard me think that. I just smiled at all of them. This was so unreal. I have three big vampire brothers, a vampire dad, and I was in love with vampire. What’s going to pop up next, a witch or something? Oh, I got it, a unicorn was going to walk by.
Caleb just stared at me and busted out laughing and grabbed me, hugging me tightly to his chest. I had to laugh too. Steven asked us why we were laughing so I told him what I had been thinking and they all started laughing. Hey, I could use this to my advantage. Caleb, if I don’t know an answer to the test on Romeo and Juliet, I’ll say the question in my head and you peek in the window and tell me the answers!
“That is so cheating, plus its not like I haven’t heard that one before. You’ll do fine!” he told me, smiling.
We all walked back in together and went toward my locker, when I heard Thomas ask Caleb what I had said to him to make him have that face. And Caleb told him and, of course, that started the laughing again..
After my last class Caleb walked me to his car. We went to my dad’s, I couldn’t wait to see him again. Of course Caleb knew that. He just took my hand, our fingers entwining over the middle console of his car. When we got there, my dad was waiting for me in the living room again. I went straight to him and hugged him. I couldn’t help it, the hug the night before felt amazing, it made me feel complete for once in my life. He smiled down at me and hugged me for a while, it felt like he felt the same as me.
“ In your room, the one you were in yesterday, are some things for you. They are all in that room. Most of them were your mothers. So right now I want you to go up there by yourself and see what you can find,” my dad said still smiling warmly down at me.
I looked over at Caleb and he smiled at me and nodded his head yes, for me to go ahead, he would be up in a minute. Our connection was so solid, even though I couldn’t read his mind I could feel what he was saying to me with that one nod. So I turned and walked up stairs.
I walked into my room again, looking around, nothing had changed, but I really didn’t get a chance to look around yesterday. I saw the huge bed, felt the silk between my fingers, then I saw a picture next to my bed and gasped for air.
It was a picture of a women who had my eyes. She was breathtakingly beautiful. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her and grabbed the picture off the table it was on. I just had to have it with me. I turned around and saw a door and opened it, the sight before me almost making me pass out right there on the spot. I heard Caleb and my dad downstairs laughing and knew they were listening. That door led to a huge walk in closet full of clothes all in my size. I couldn’t breath anymore.
Each outfit had its own pair of shoes. I walked down the aisle running my fingers over each piece of fabric. In the middle of the closet was a huge case with drawers in it. I opened the top one and about collapsed to the ground again. It had gorgeous pieces of jewelry, that looked to be one of a kind.
I didn’t know how much I could take, but I kept walking anyways. I looked to my left, inside the closet still, and there was another door. I opened it and there was a huge bathroom. It had the largest tub I had ever seen. It was also outfitted in baby blue, just like my room. I turned around to see Caleb standing there with my dad and both of them wore huge smiles on their faces. I still had the picture in my hands hugging it to my chest.
“This is her, right?” was all I could say. I knew the answer before he could answer it though.
“Yeah that’s my Kathryn, and your mother.”
“ She was beautiful,” I whispered
“Just like her daughter,” my dad said. Tears came down my cheeks again, he walked over and led me to my bed, he sat me down and held me for a while. “So what do you think about your room?” he asked me.
“Is this a dream? Is this all really for me?” I didn’t know what to do or say.
“Of course it’s all for you, you are to use your room whenever you are here or just need to get away. We know, well Caleb told me, that you don’t have privacy where you live now, and a young lady needs privacy,” he paused. “Did you look at anything else or did you go straight to the closet?”
I smiled and blushed at that, after the picture I had gone straight to the closet. He laughed.
“Just like your mother, clothes first, everything else later,” he said in a mocking tone.
After he said that I started looking around. There were more pictures on the walls and on the tables next to my bed. They were of my mom as a cheerleader, with friends, with dad, then one caught my eye and I couldn’t look away, it was of all three of us. Another tear slipped down my cheek. My dad came to stand beside me.
“One of the most happiest days of my life. The other day was when I married your mother. The day you were born and that day is a tie in my book,” he whispered.
I just turned around and hugged him again and whispered, “Thank you daddy!”
When we got done hugging I walked over to a desk area, there was a brand new laptop computer sitting there. Caleb came over, he put down my book bag and said he was going to leave me alone to work on my homework. He told me he would bring me a snack in a while if I wanted. I kissed him and told him that would be great.
I couldn’t believe all of this was for me. I felt like it would all just disappear if I looked away. I set the picture of my mom, that I still had in my hand, down on my desk next to me and sat down in my desk chair. I pulled out my books and started my homework. I got it all done in no time and looked around the room again.
I took a deep breath and smiled to myself. I was going to get so spoiled if they kept this up. I wasn’t used to having anything that wasn’t Kylies first, even my clothes. Thinking about clothes and that these were all mine I had to walk back into my closet again to look at them. I found the cutest outfit that I wanted to wear tomorrow. I grabbed it all and took it back into my room.
It was a purple halter top and a pair of Faded blue jeans, I even grabbed this really cute darker purple jacket to go on top. I fount the cutest shoes too. I smiled to myself when I saw it all together. Kylie was going to die, but then I quickly wondered what would I tell her. How would I explain how I got this? Thinking about that made me almost put it all back in the closet but I heard a knock on my door and it was Caleb.
“You can tell her I bought it for you. Tomorrow morning I’ll wake you up around five in the morning and we will come here so you can get ready here. You can just leave your books and stuff here tonight…You can even get in the tub that I know you’re just dying to try!” I had to laugh when he said that because I really wanted to get in for a long soak. “How about a snack?”
“How about we go downstairs and hang out with everyone? I’ll eat that down there,” I said. I was the happiest I had ever been.
“I’m glad you’re happy. I can’t wait to see that color purple on you.” He walked into my closet and went to the jewelry cabinet and pulled out a necklace with just one jewel. It was a purple heart that would hang down to my collar bone. It was a perfect match to the purple shirt, he came back out and handed it to me. “You should also wear this,” he told me as I took it from him. I laid the necklace down on the nightstand next to the bed as he took my hand and led me downstairs.
When we got to the living room everyone was there and they all smiled at me when I plopped down on the couch in between Steven and Caleb. They were watching a movie and I got into it with them. It was about a girl who feel in love with a vampire. It was called “Twilight” or something like that and I loved it, for obvious reasons. When it was over Caleb looked down at me and smiled.
“I think it’s time to take my love home,” he said
“Oh man, do I have to go?” They all laughed at me, even my dad.
I walked over to tell my dad goodnight; I hugged him and kissed him and told him I’d see him tomorrow. I told him I loved him and when he said it back to me, I beamed.
“Have a good night my beautiful daughter.”
“Thank you daddy, you know I’m not used to being the only girl. I might just get used to this. But your going to spoil me.”
“That’s the whole point, you deserve it and I love you. And I am going to spoil you. Oh, wait, I have something else for you before you leave.” He held his hand out to me, in it was a small silver cell phone. “ If you ever need me or the guys you call us. Even if you just want to talk to us. We all love you.”
“Spoiled remember, daddy I love you all too!” I hugged him again, I just couldn’t help it.
“Good night guys,” I called over my shoulder as I started to walk out of the house.
“ Good night lil’ sis,” Thomas, Steven, and Matthew said at the same time.
“Oh I almost forgot, I’ll meet you in the car.” I ran up to my room and grabbed my picture of my mom. I wanted something of her with me. I went back downstairs, my dad saw it and smiled. “Is it okay dad? I just want something of her with me.”
“Of course it’s okay, it’s your picture. I love you! So does she!”
I ran out the door to meet Caleb in his car. Caleb drove me home and sooner than I’d hoped, we pulled into the driveway, a sigh escaping my lips.
“What’s wrong?” he looked down at me and asked.
“It’s just, I wish I could live with my dad. With you all…not here. I want to be with dad.” I told him with tears in my eyes. He reached over and held me.
“ I know. Maybe soon, okay? But for now you have to stay here. You can just spend most of your time with us, alright? I love you,” he said to me. “You better go in they’re waiting for you.”
“Is it bad?” I asked him.
“No, they just got a letter today from Harvard telling them that your tuition was paid in full, that’s all,” he told me.
“I still owe you for that.”
“NO! You don’t owe me anything,” he said looking straight into my eyes. Every time he did that my heart skipped a beat. “ Go on in, I’ll see you around five. Get some sleep.”
“Okay Caleb, Goodnight.”
He kissed me then left, I love you. I knew he’d hear me and that made me smile. I walked into my house and Kevin and Stacey were waiting up for me in the living room. I went in there saying hello and waited for what they would say. They showed me the letter and I told them I had put in for some financial aid and I guessed it went through. I told them I was tired and went up to my room. They didn’t look like they believed me but they let me go without pushing for more answers.
Walking into my small room with my small bed was kind of comical. I wanted to be in my room, at my dad’s house. I was going to find a way to spend the night in that room one way or the other. I went straight to bed, dreaming of sleeping in that huge bed and waking up to Caleb bringing me breakfast in bed.
When my alarm went off in the morning I jumped out of bed, threw on some jeans and a t-shirt and ran down stairs. I barley had time to say bye to anyone as he pulled in a minute later. Jumping into his car with a huge smile on my face, I couldn’t wait to get back to the house and in that tub. He just smiled at me and pulled out and headed toward our house. That’s what it was to me now, it was where I really lived. That’s what I wanted anyway.
“I like the sound of that ‘Our House’. By the way, good morning beautiful…Oh yeah, if you want to stay over we can always find a way.” He got a huge smile on his face and I giggled.
When we got to the house, I ran to my room and straight to the bathroom. I filled the tub and took off my clothes and got in. It was amazing. I had poured jasmine scented oils in it. I couldn’t help but melt into the water, and everything else just disappeared. Closing my eyes I even melted away. I spent an hour in there, but I knew I had to get out and get ready. So I reluctantly got up and out of the tub. Drying off with the luscious fluffy towel, I wrapped it around my body as it caressed my skin. I got over to the sink and brushed my teeth again and fixed my hair, curling it and letting it hang down the middle of my back. I look just like my mom, I thought as I got dressed. Caleb knocked on the door and I told him to come in. I had my necklace in my hand. I asked him to help me and he just stood there smiling.
“Hello? Caleb, could you help me?”
“ Oh, sorry, I was just admiring a beauty,” he said making me blush as I smiled up at him.
He helped me put the necklace on and for once in my life I felt as beautiful as he’d said I was!
“Good!” he said, smiling. “Jonathan wants to see you before you leave for school.”
“What do you mean before I leave for school, aren’t you coming?”
“Of course I am, but just go see your dad. Trust me.”
“Okay, where is he?” I asked suspiciously, knowing they were up to something.
“ He’s in the library,” he told me
“And where is the library?”
“Oh man, we have to do a tour tonight. It’s on the second floor, third door on the right.”
“Thank you!” I told him and gave him a kiss on the cheek, then turned and left the bathroom and headed down to see my dad.
“Hey, by the way, you do look amazingly beautiful, just like your mom today. I love your hair like that,” he said before I could reach the door of my room.
“That is the best compliment I have ever had.”
“What do you mean?” he asked looking puzzled.
“You said I look like my mom,” I told him, smiling and walking out the door.
I went down one flight of stairs to the third door on the right and knocked.
“Come on in sweetheart, he said as I walked in and he looked up and took a double take. “You look just like your mother.”
“That’s the second time I’ve heard that today. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet, come for a walk with me, I have something for you.”
“Daddy, you’ve given me enough. You’re going to spoil me, remember?”
“ Don’t you remember me telling you, that you deserve to be spoiled. Come with me.”
We went for a short walk out of the library, down the rest of the stairs, out the front door to the front steps. All the boys came outside following behind us. Sitting in front of the house was a purple Mustang convertible. My mouth dropped to the ground. My dad laughed at my facial expression, leaned into me and whispered.
“That is for my beloved daughter,” he said smiling at my reaction.
“For me? Are you sure you’re real?”
“Yeah, you need a car and now you have one.”
“It’s gorgeous.” He handed me the keys. I smiled and took them, and slowly made my way over to my new car. Staring at it in amazement. Caleb came over and opened the door for me. I got in slowly but before I did I looked at my dad and mouthed the words “Thank you daddy, I love you.”
“I know,” he said.
I shut the door and lowered the top of the convertible, smiling the whole time.
Caleb leaned over my door and into my car.
“I’ll see you at school. Just wait for me by your car, alright?”
“Okay!” I told him bouncing in my seat.
“ Hey Arabella, can I ride with you?” Thomas asked.
“Sure, lets go,” I told him, laughing. I turned on the car and a big smile spread across my face. I turned the radio on and cranked the volume.
“I love to see that smile on her face,” my dad said to Caleb.
“Me too,” Caleb said.
“LET’S GO SIS!” Thomas yelled.
I left the house and got out onto the highway and Thomas urged me to floor it! So I did. That car was crazy. I loved it so much, I didn’t know how to explain it, but I loved it! When I got to school, every head turned my way. Kylie was standing next to her car and her mouth dropped, just like mine had when I saw this car. Thomas and I were dying laughing. I got out and stood there waiting for Caleb, Thomas waiting with me.
It only took a couple of minutes. I grabbed my bag out of the back seat and walked over to him. Every pair of eyes were on me. It felt so good, weird…different, but good. I reached Caleb and he took my bag. We walked to my locker leaving Kylie there with her mouth still hanging open.
“Caleb how do I explain the car? Clothes are one thing but a car? I can’t say that you bought me a car.”
“You can tell them it’s mine and I’m letting you have it. It’s your car. That way if you want to come to the house you can whenever you want. You‘ll never have to wait for Kylie or me anymore.”
“I love that car!” was all I could say at first. “It’s my car, mine.” Thomas and Caleb both smiled and laughed.
“Dude, that car is fast, we had some fun in it on the way here,” Thomas said. Caleb didn’t look too happy about that though, he just gave Thomas the evil stare and kept on walking, his arm wrapped around me, holding me close to him.
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