All Signs Point to You Part Two by Navaura Campbell (books you need to read txt) 📕

Denise raised a brow? "Why?"

"Well, I figure it would be nice to get to know you, since we are neighbors."

Denise sighed, "I don't recall ever seeing you on my street before."

"We just moved in three houses down from yours."

"You and your parents, presumably?"

His warm blue eyes twinkled, "No, me and my oldest brother, Jerry."

Denise swallowed, "Oh, ok." She sighed and turned back around, "If we don't get to walking, we'll be late."

Chuck glanced at his watch, "We still have thirty minutes, you know."

Denise shrugged, "I like to arrive early." Together they walked on toward school, making a right at the end of her block.

"So...Denise, where are you from originally?" He inquired.

"New York."

"Oh, yeah, I've been out there before."

Denise glanced up at him, a twinkle in her eyes, "Beautiful isn't it?"

"Yeah. All the best plays are produced on Broadway."

"You like plays?" She inquired, curious.

"Of course, my favorite play of all time has to be grease."

Denise laughed, "They don't know anything about that down here. I love that play."

Chuck laughed, "My favorite character is Rizzo. I love that chick."

Denise laughed, "Yeah, me too. She's a feisty one." They turned another corner at the end of that block and walked straight. Two more blocks and they'd be at the school.

"So, what grade are you in, Denise?"

"I'm a junior."

"Me too." There was silence. Denise didn't know why, but she felt something was oddly wrong with this picture. Finally, they reached the school building. Sighing, she glanced down at her wrist watch, looked at him and said, "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

Chuck stopped. "We're going to the same place, Denise, if you don't want to talk, just say so, don't make up lame excuses."

Denise stopped in front of him, "I'm not making up lame excuses. I really do need to go to the office before class starts.

They finally ended up in front of the building, "Alright." He stated and watched as she continued on into the school.

Just then, he felt a smack to the back, "Hey cous." Immediately, Chuck's blue eyes became cold. Glancing over at Sherry, he whispered, "What the hell do you want?" She was an annoying pain in the ass.

"So, what's up with you and Jordan's girl?" She teased.

"Nothing." He shrugged her off.

Sherry raised an arched brow, "Are you serious? I've known you all my life, and if there is one thing I know, you usually don't go after some girl with a man, unless she has something you want. She's not rich, like Cari was, and she's definitely not the type you'd settle down with, so...what else is there..."

She let this thought hang in the air till a red blush spread across his cheeks. Sherry rolled her eyes, "Leave her alone, Chuck. Let the bitch go."

Chuck raised a brow. Glancing at sherry, with a know it all look, he inquired, "Dare I detect a hint of jealousy?"

Sherry rolled her eyes, "What the hell ever. I don't need to be jealous, I have everything I could want and more."

Chuck smirked, "Yeah, sure." With that, he walked on into the building, Sherry staring after him, her blue eyes glazed over with rage.

Jordan pushed his bag into his locker, irritated that he'd woken up about an hour later than normal. What made it horrible was that he'd missed the three wake up calls from Lasaire in the guest room, and then the other two from Denise before she left the house. He'd had a hard time sleeping last night, wondering about his mother, hoping she would be ok. The doctor had called and said they'd started her chemo treatments earlier that morning. He'd tossed and turned all night, hoping the treatments would do well.

Pulling out a book for first period, he walked down the hall toward class. As he got to the office door, it opened and Denise just happened to come through. His expression widening into a smile as he greeted her. Denise smiled back. "Hey."

He stopped and grabbed the door, pulling it open for her. "Hey, De-De."

"I tried to call and wake you up this morning, but you didn't budge."

He shrugged, "I know. I had a rough time sleeping last night."

"How's your mom doing?" She inquired as they continued on down the hall to the same homeroom.

"She's going to be starting chemo really soon." He swallowed, nervously.

She nodded, "That's good. Did they find out what type of Leukemia she has?"

"Hodgekins Lymphoma."

"Hodgekins?" Denise quarried.

"Hodgekins Lymphoma is a type of Leukemia that weakens the body's ability to fight Disease."

"Oh, how long has she had this disease?"

"The doctor says about five years now. It started out as a lump forming under her armpits. She finally went to the doctor for it about two years ago, and got it treated. It stayed in remission for about a year and then came back."

"Oh." Denise stated, quietly.

Jordan sighed, "She's being given chemo treatments right now."

"That's good."

"What's the recovery rate for Hodgekins?" She wanted to know.

"I don't know."

Denise sighed as they walked into the classroom and took their seats, farther away from one another than usual.

Why did she always have to come lurking around a corner? Her blue eyes cloaked in that forever ray of hatred for everyone. Denise learned that Sherry didn't just hate her, but she hated everyone, including herself. What made her want to pick on her was beyond Denise's understanding. She would love to believe that after the incident in the hall with her and Candice, that Sherry would just let her alone, and let Denise live out her high school days in peace. A happily ever after. But no, Sherry wasn't that type of girl. Denise likened her to a viper. She circled her prey and then attacked, with a deadly poisonous grasp to the neck. Denise winced at the glare the young girl gave her when she passed her desk. Denise sighed and got out the text she needed for this class. Just as she got the book open on top her desk, a pale arm landed on the page. She glanced up. "May I help you?"

Sherry's red lips were puckered in a scowl, "Actually you can, barracuda."

"What." The word came out forced, full of tension.

"Stay away from my cousin."

Denise narrowed her eyes, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Sherry licked her lips and leaned in close to the desk, her face inches from Denise's. " Charles Anthony is my cousin. I want you to stay away from him."

Denise's jaw dropped, surprised. "You and he are bred from the same line?"

Sherry snarled, "Yeah, and I don't want you anywhere near him."

Denise laughed sarcastically, "I don't need to be told that twice, cause anything related to you can't be that sweet, considering you're so vile."

Sherry rolled her eyes, "What ever, Barracuda. Just stay away from my cousin and you will do just fine." Her tone was so harsh, that Denise had to hold back with all her might the cringe that wanted to surface.

Senior Year:

Jordan closed the door to his mother's room, sighing. She'd been released from the hospital two weeks ago, after the last of several chemotherapy treatments. The doctors had said that they'd done as much as they could to help her remission the cancer cells, but weren't sure if the treatments were enough to bring her health back. He cleared his throat and walked downstairs to the living room.

Denise gnawed on her bottom lip, quarried. Sighing, she stood up, grasped the necklace in her hand and stared at it. It was such a beautiful piece of jewelry. A smile came over her face as she remembered the look on his face when he watched her open it. Sighing, she smiled to herself. Two years ago? Wow. She swallowed and then put it around her neck, clasping it together. Sighing, she grabbed her coat out of the closet and made her way down stairs. On her way out, her mother called her name from the living room sofa. She paused, "Yes?"

Her mother's hair had grown out past her chin now, down to her neck. She had clipped the ends the previous weekend and came home sporting a new look. Today, unlike she used to dress, she wore a pair of sweat pants and t-shirt. Ever since the talk Denise and her mom had had about spending more time outside the office, she'd taken to coming home around five and relaxing to watch a show. "Make sure you're back by midnight."

Denise nodded. "Yes ma'am." She zipped her coat up, put on a beanie and walked out into the cold air. Sighing, she walked down the street to Jordan's house.

Jordan was sitting at his desk in his bedroom, working on a paper for his mystery class. He'd had to research a mystery author and write a thesis on the author and which type of mystery the author wrote. He'd chosen Agatha Christie, because she was actually one of his favorite writers. Just as he was getting into the description of her first novel, the door bell rang, rousing him from his concentration. Sighing, he got up and made his way down the hallway.

Denise stood out there on the porch, silently, staring at the swing that covered his porch. The door opened and he dressed in a knit blue sweater, dark jeans and a pair of tennis shoes, answered. His hair had been cut, spiked with glue. A smile coming to his face, he stepped aside to allow her entrance.

"Hi Denise." He stood there, not really sure what to do. He hadn't really hugged or kissed or even went out with her in a month. Denise licked her lips and pulled her beanie off. She closed the door behind her and glanced up at him. "What's going on?"

He raised a surprised brow. "What do you mean?"

She held the hat in her hands, nervously. "I want to know what's going on with you."

He sighed and shrugged, "Nothing."

His eyes were averted else where.

"Jordan, why are you lying to me? What's going on?" She inquired, her voice angry.

He finally turned his attention to hers. Looking her in the eyes, he felt his heart break. She was so beautiful. She deserved more than what he was giving her.

"Denise..." His tone faded. He didn't know what to say.

"Are you seeing someone else?" The quiver in her lips spoke of her hurt.

"No."

"Are you tired of me?" The sheen in her eyes, spoke of her fear.

"No. I'm just dealing with my mother, ok?" He exhaled.

She stepped closer to him. "Do you have time for me anymore Jordan? Or would you rather I just leave you to yourself?" He swallowed and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "No, Denise..."

A tear trickled down her cheek. Inhaling sharply, she wiped her eyes, "Look, I can understand if you want to devote all of your attention to your mother, and I understand that she's really ill right now. The only thing I request is that you let me know, tell me something so that I won't be left in the dark. I don't like to guess what's going on between us Jordan."

He grabbed her and encircled her in his arms. Grasping her chin, he pulled it up to face him. "I don't want