Because You Exist(26)

Uncle Rick slapped me on the back. “Seriously. Don’t let the girl rush out on my account. I’ll even call before I come home. Give you two some time to work on that project.”

He was even starting to creep me out. Not at all helped by the fact that he threw me a wink as he walk towards the door.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Josephine,” said my uncle before he scurried out the front door. Gone just as fast as he came in.

I turned to Josephine, hoping I was quick enough to think of some clever way to explain my uncle’s behavior when I noticed how pale Josephine’s face had become.

“I gotta go,” she whispered.

“All right. Let’s go.”

She shook her head. “No. I’m gonna walk. It’s not that far.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s barely even light outside.”

“I can handle myself,” she snapped.

Her mood swings weren’t one of her best qualities.

“Fine. I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” I replied.

“All right.”

Before I could ask her if she was sure she didn’t want me to drive her back to the school parking lot, Josephine had slammed open the front door and disappeared.

I wasn’t surprised by her erratic behavior, but something about her exit left me feeling unsettled. I was halfway through a pizza when it hit me—I had introduced Josephine as Carrie. When my uncle left he most certainly called her Josephine.

It wasn’t easy for me to believe in coincidences anymore.

My uncle knew who Josephine was, and he knew her for a reason.





Chapter 14





“You can’t be here.”

“Oh, come on. Isn’t this supposed to be really romantic?” I whispered, wrapping my arms tightly around Jenna’s windowsill. I was five minutes from falling, breaking my arm and ending my football season. It’s not like I was a wimp or something. My body was still sore from the day’s time traveling.

Damn that Romeo for making this look easy.

“My father catching you and chasing you down with his gun doesn’t sound particularly amorous,” she replied, looking back towards her bedroom door.

“Crazed man chasing me down in order to kill me? Nothing out of the ordinary. I can handle it.” My arms were starting to shake.

Jenna sighed. “Seriously, Logan. You can’t be here.”

I locked my eyes to hers. “I really need to talk to you, Jenna.”

I don’t know what Jenna saw in my eyes, but after a moment she lifted her window up higher and took a step back. As I climbed into her room, Jenna rushed to her bedroom door and locked it.

Jenna leaned against her bedroom door and watched me as I took a seat on her bed. When I got in my car I knew I had to see Jenna. When I first shifted all I could see every time I touched Jenna was her destruction, but now all I felt was the need to touch her, to be with her. I don’t know what caused the change, but I wanted to fall into her and never find my way back home. It seemed insane that I wanted to run from her; she was the only thing I understood.

“Come here,” I said softly.

Jenna rolled her eyes and took a seat next to me on her bed. “You never called me,” she replied.

“I did better than calling you. I came over.”

“Is Jo all right?”

I shrugged. I took Jenna’s hand in mine and ran my fingers up and down her palm. “Would you believe me if I said that it’s not my secret to tell?” It wasn’t just my secret. It belonged to both Josephine and me.

“Yes, I would believe you. I know you wouldn’t lie about anything to do with us.”

I placed my hand against her cheek. “No, I wouldn’t.” I moved my hand to the back of her neck and pulled her closer. I hesitated only for a moment before kissing her, one brief second of fear that the moment my lips touched hers I would be reminded that I was running out of time. When my lips touched hers I didn’t feel fear. I only felt escape.

I let the kiss deepen. When Jenna tried to pull away I gently pulled her closer. “Let me stay with you,” I said.

“My dad could hear us.”

I laughed quietly. “Come on. We both know I won’t take very long,” I said, pulling her shirt over her head.

Jenna brushed her bangs out of her face and rolled her eyes.

“Better stop. Your eyes might get suck like that.”

She hit me playfully in the chest. “You’re so stupid.”

“Good thing I’m so cute,” I replied, pulling off my shirt as well. I moved and began to kiss her neck. Every second I was touching her loosened whatever had caused my chest to tightened, a feeling I hadn’t been able to shake since the incident between Josephine and my uncle.