Chapter 8

JOSIE

Sitting out here with Daniel is cool. I shock myself by using his first name. I feel like I have known him forever. While we talk, I can't see the clouds anymore in his eyes. His brown eyes are warm and friendly. They make me think about puppies.

"Josie" He calls. His voice is very small, yet deep. I look up to see him fidgety.

"Done the couple dance thing before? "

" Uhm, no why? " I ask, genuinely surprised.

"Come. " He says, standing up to his feet. He stretches his hand towards mine. I think it's the timbre in his voice that does it. It calls me to him, it's beyond the simple command. It reaches out to my soul. I stand to my feet.

" Do you like the Judds? " he asks, wrapping his hand around my waist at the same time. I feel his hand snaking it's way up my bare back. My thoughts are jumbled up.

"Uhm, I think so. I do not know much about country music. " I say and swallow. I haven't been this close to a man before, so the sizzling on my skin is new.

"So, what kind do you prefer? " Daniel asks tangling his fingers mine. This alien feeling is almost too much for me to bear. He's teasing m, This slow movement of ours.

"No kind"

"How so? "

"I am not a music person. "

"Really Josie?  So, what do you do for fun? "

"Cook. " I think my reply takes him aback. He steps back a bit and looks me steady in the face.

"Wow. That's why you work in a kitchen. "

"Your guess is good. Dad wants me to go to college and then medical school. "

"What do want, Josie? " The way he says my mind further drives the burning on my skin to an intensity I do not understand. Heat pools between my legs.

"I wanna own my own place like Patty does. "

"That's cool too. "

I am caught up in this slow dance of ours. The music is no longer audible to me. I can only hear the beating of Daniel's heart against mine. I look up at him to find him starring down at him. The chestnut brown of his eyes had gone shades darker and now looks almost black.

"Have you ever been kissed before? " He asks

"No" My voice is small and shy.

"How old are you Josie? " He seems surprised.

"Nineteen. Last summer. "

"Mmmh" Daniel gives a low grunt in his throat. It's rumble is audible to my ears on his chest.

As if on impulsive thought, Daniel leans his head down towards mine as he's quite taller than I am. With his index finger, he tips my chin towards his, running a finger over my glossed lips, he wipes it off.

"I want this off your lips. I am going to kiss it off, should I? " He asks.

I am shivering in his arm. My promise to dad from earlier seems so distant. The only reasonable right now is letting Daniel Winchester kiss me.

"Yes. " I say gently.

My next breath is swallowed by his lips over mine. Biting, sucking and teasing, demanding that I let him in. When I finally relax in his arms, I let him into my mouth. The heat of his mint spiced breathe is tantalizing. My blood shoots further up. The heat below my abdomen is over powering. Daniel's tongue is exploring every angle of my mouth and I cling to his sweet mouth like my next breath depends on it. I let his hands caress my waist. I think he's being a gentleman as he does not overstep his bounds.

Daniel Winchester is kissing me. That's the only thought on my mind right now. Slowly, he snatches his mouth away from mine, bringing me back to earth as the music from the gym finally gets to me this time. I utter a small cry of disappointment. Daniel gives a satisfied chuckle.

" 'Twas good? "

"Yeah, " I reply shyly and look down at the floor.

He understands my shyness and chuckles again. Snatching my hands from behind my back, he takes them in his and plants a kiss on each wrist.

"Thank you. " He says

"For? " I am confused

"Silence. Thank you for silence Josie. Come let's get you home. It's almost midnight.” *          *         *

DANIEL

Randy is standing next to the fridge, a can of beer in his hand. Mom is doing the dishes in the sink. He holds a leather belt in his hands. I am sitting I'm my room and watching through the window.

"Tell your bastard where you got him. I am not his father! "

"Don't say that Randy. The kid is yours as he's mine. "

"The bastard isn't mine. Does not look like me in any way. "

"Don't say that, he can hear you. "

"Who cares? Your child is cursed Julie. You are a whore! "

"Don't speak to me that way Randy! "

The sound of the leather belt swooshing in the air reaches me in my bedroom. Randy is going to hit mom again. I don't wait another second. I grab the switchblade I got from the pawn shop and run to the kitchen. Randy is upon my mom again, certainly hitting her. I move two steps forward, bend over and plunge the small blade into his right leg. He lets out a yell and turns on me. I am still scared. There is fire in Randy's eyes and that second, I think I see Lucifer face to face. I drop the blade and let out a scream.

I jerk awake in my bed, heart thumping as usual. The screaming died in my throat before I woke up. My hands are shaky. The pain in my head is splitting. I place my head in between my palms and try to silence the whining in my ears. Seems the Song of the deep is calling out to me again. Frantically, I reach for my sketchbook again, desperate for relief from the pain and noise. I find my pencil and sketch whatever comes to my fingers. I let the pencil take control. I feel the pressure lessening with each deft stroke of my pencil. At last, I am done with this ritual that has become my lot. Perfect silence.

I look at the paper, trying to figure out what I had drawn. At first the curves are unfamiliar to me, but upon closer look, I see the face of a woman. Taking the paper closer to my bed lamp, that straight dark hair comes back to my mind. I can smell the strawberry shampoo as if she were there with me. The feeling comes back strongly from the previous night.

"Josie" I say silently to myself. I sketched Josie.

Placing the paper on my chest, I lean back in bed. My breathing gradually becomes even again. I close my eyes and let the images of last night flood my memory.

I kissed Josie Geronimo. I wanted her. Damn, I still want her. The fire is lightning in my blood again. I kissed her and wanted her the way I have never wanted any other woman. I can almost feel the weight of her hair in my palms.

I suddenly do not feel like running away anymore. I do not want to avoid her. I want to be her friend. I want to make her mine. But what happens when she finds out I am the much talked about bad child who killed his father? I am certain she would run away from me, leaving my mind in a worse condition than when I left Florida. I fear getting hurt by the ones I love, and it looks like that has been my lot in life. I loved Mama and she died on me. I couldn't save her. The past is not something I love to remember but the future also seems to hold more fights for me.

"I am a sorry story " I tell myself and try to go back to sleep. At least with her picture against my chest, the silence of last night returns to my head as I fall asleep. It's past three in the morning.

*         *         *

JOSIE

"Wake up, you lazy child! " That's Stacey with a toy megaphone in her hands.

"This girl is hell bent on ruining my sleep. " I grunt my disapproval at Stacey who doesn't mind a bit.

"It's past nine, get your ass outta bed" She moves to my line of shirts and begins to try them on.

"Why are you here so early Stace? " I ask running my hands through my sleep tussled hair.

"The news. " came the curt reply.

"What news? "

"Mr. Freaking hot Teacher. " she winks at me. Memories of last night come rushing back. My face goes red with embarrassment.

"What's it? Gimme the news woman " My friend is clearly not giving up yet.

"He kissed me. "

"Waaaht? " Stacey does not hide her surprise. She pounces on the topic with enthusiasm.

"I think he likes you. "

"Hey girl. I don't know about that. "

"He does. It's in his eyes. The man likes you. "

"Stacey please.... " I say to cut her off. Deep within me, I wished it to be true.

"Who is Prom King and Queen? " I ask trying to change the topic.

Stacey makes a face. It's clear she has a feud with whosoever won.

"You can take my guess, Cute Chris and Sassy Lizzie. "

" It was expected all along. "

"At least I beat her at horse riding every year. " Stacey is such a one for small town competitions.

"Saw her hitting on him yesterday, the little brat. "

"Who? " I ask

"Lizzie. Mr. Winchester. "

"It's no business of mine Stace. He can do whatever he wishes to. " I say. It's a lie though. I am a little hurt to discover this. He should have told me. Talking about one getting possessive though.

"One would think you both were warned against taking breakfast today! " That's Dad calling from downstairs.

"Be down in a bit dad. " I yell and jump out of bed. I hurriedly brush my teeth and pad downstairs, Stacey in my wake.

"Morning you both. " Dad greets

"Morning Dad. "

"Morning Mr. Josie's Dad. " Stacey says

"Stacey, I've told you, it's Mr. Mateo Geronimo. "

"Sorry Mr. Josie's Dad. " Stacey replies and pours herself a coffee. Dad simply shakes his head in exasperation. My friend is a handful.

I settle in to eat when Dad looks up like he just remembered something and asks

"Princessa, who drove the car you came home in last night? "

"Oh, that was Mr. Winchester. The new history teacher at the High school. " I reply off handedly.

"Does he own the car? " Dad asks again

"Uhhm, I think so. He drives it every day to school. " This time, I look to Stace for backup and she nods in affirmation.

" I see. " Dad says and falls silent

"See what? " I ask. My interest is beginning to get peaked.

"Do you know where the teacher lives? "

I think Dad is at his protective best this morning.

"No, I don't, why? "

Well, that car belongs to Mr. Jeremy's nephew. The one who killed his father some five years back.

I guess the noise in my head is due to the rush of blood going on in my veins. I put my bowl of cereal down and stare unblinkingly at my father.  Stacey too looks shocked as she's gone white in the face.

"What do you mean Mr. Geronimo? " she's being reasonable for once.

"Well, for three months now during my morning run, I have seen that same Cadillac packed up in Jeremy's driveway on the other side of Riverside. It can only mean one thing since Jeremy is away, it's his nephew's. "

"That means Mr. Daniel Winchester is Jeremy's Huntington's nephew, the one with the curse. "