Plagiarist
Chapter 4
by
SelinaSeo
(Note from the Archivist: English is not the authors first language. So be kind.)
Amanda signed and looked around. It was getting dark. She threw a glance at her watch -- it was half past nine already. Time to leave. . . she sighed again. The last thing she wanted to do was to leave this handsome stranger, so attractive and strong, such a real man.
The forest near the road turned into a dark threatening wood, and Amanda didn't feel enthusiastic about going along it completely alone as well. But there seemed to be no reason for her to stay. He said there was one -- an accident, however, she had already declined it. Stupid girl! Less then an hour ago she was eagerly looking forward to going away. *Now you've got a perfect opportunity* - she thought sarcastically and glanced at Logan.
Her voice was uncertain as she spoke, "You know, I'm grateful for everything you did, really grateful, but I'm afraid I have to leave now. Soon enough I won't be able to find a free room in any hotel, and you know, it's getting dark, and there might be predators in the forest. . . *Stop it, Amanda! Don't make him let you stay. You were going to leave -- so LEAVE! Damn you-* . . . so I'd better leave right now," she made a step towards the door but he laid his hand on her shoulder.
He spoke in a quite voice: "You don't need to leave. I mean it. It'd be nice if you stayed."
She couldn't believe her ears. "Really?"
"You won't be a problem. Besides, it's really too dark outside for little lady to travel on a skateboard."
It felt like a gigantic rock fell from her shoulders and she was able to breathe free again. She wasn't leaving. Amanda felt like jumping on the roof of the truck and dancing something extremely animated.
Then his low hoarse voice came into her ear. "Do you usually use the skateboard while moving from town to town?"
"Yeah! I like it. I've been doing it for nearly two years already. (*So she's 18* - Logan thought) Skateboard doesn't require license, it's compact and it doesn't weight a lot. It's also better then skates because I can always get on my feet if necessary; I don't have to stop and take my skates off."
"Clever girl" - Logan took another cigar out of his pocket and clenched it between his teeth not lighting it yet.
"You know what, I think it's time to have supper, or? I've got some sandwiches can share with you."
Logan smiled. She knew he must have something better than sandwiches in the truck, though she decided to rely on herself. To make him see how independent she was and that there were really gonna be no problems with her. And she did it so naturally he was almost proud she was like this. Like him.
"No, I'm not hungry. I'll just smoke", he realized he was still holding a cigar in the corner of his mouth and finally lit it.
By the time he exhaled, the girl was already in the truck. with his keen ears he heard her rooting in her bag. A minute later she came out with a big sandwich, lettuce dangling on its sides. She went to the edge of the road and sat down on the grass facing Logan. She took a bite of sandwich, chewed and nodded with satisfaction. *That's what I needed!*
Amanda was admiring Logan. She had never ever talked with anyone she had plagiarized before, not counting curses. To run away as quickly as possible -- the end of conversation. And here was he, calming her when she was shaking like a leaf with fear and panic, teaching her what to do with all the powers she had gained. . . He must have been angry with her for copying him, who wouldn't be? Though he wasn't. He helped her and let her stay. Amanda remembered abruptly all she had said to him while changing. < I hate it! I hate you!> oh. . . how could she? Stupid girl! Amanda was sitting on the grass admiring the handsome man leaning against the truck until she realized she had already eaten her sandwich and was no longer being subtle about it, but openly staring at him.
Logan smoked and watched the girl out of the corner of his eye. So childlike, so innocent. . . how did she survive in this world? How was it even possible? He felt that the thick concrete wall separating him from the other people broke between two of them. She brought a strange relief and serenity into his soul, feelings he had already forgotten about. Strange girl. Very strange. She was throwing glances in his direction for some minutes and they got more and more open until she end up staring at him. Suddenly he turned his head and smiled to her. She blushed and turned her hear away immediately. Logan chuckled.
They both stayed outside for a long time: she -- sitting on the grass, he -- leaning against the side of the truck. Each of them had much to think about, too many things had happened in the last two hours.
Logan first got back to reality and noticed it had gotten really dark. Sometime about 11pm or so. Not wanting to distract Amanda from her thoughts, he opened the door of the truck and got inside. After some time the girl joined him. She looked around and the problem hit her. There was only one bed there. She didn't look forward to share it with this man: though he was definitely amazing and sexy, she wasn't eager to go that far. However, she didn't see anything else like another bed, couch or at least some clean rug to sleep on. It was time to solve the problem. She cleared her throat and asked about it.
"No problems," Logan smiled, "You take the bed and I'll figure something out."
That was too much. Letting her stay was really very kind of him, but that was wrong. Amanda shook her head. "No, I'll be the one to figure something out. I'm used to sleeping in different places, really. I can sleep on the floor, or. . . "
He cut her off with his gaze only. All English words left her head immediately under the stare of those hypnotizing hazel eyes, so deep and wise as if they'd seen everything in the world.
"I mean what I say," he said in a low voice and added, "Besides, I'm not going to sleep much this night, so you be comfortable."
She didn't answer, there was no need no do it. Instead she took out a sugarfree chewing gum she used when there was no chance of brushing her teeth. "Want one?"
He shook his head and twisted his nose, "Don't like that stuff."
Amanda shrugged her shoulders and threw the bubble-gum in her mouth. Then she sat on the edge of the bed and looked around. "Looks cozy."
Logan couldn't help but chuckled quietly *Marie thinks so too, though you don't know her. *
"You travel often, don't you?"
"Why do you think so?"
She paused. "This truck looks inhabited. Practical furniture. Everything needful and nothing unnecessary. Or maybe I'm mistaken?"
Logan gave her one of his warmest smiles, one that had nothing to do with his usual smirks and feral snarls. She didn't try to hide what she knew and what conclusions she made. So unbelievably open. He met a few such people in his life, but almost all of them either tried to hide their real nature or were stupid or simple. But not her. She was clever in spite of her age, independent, and self-confident. Her life obviously wasn't an easy one but it didn't seem to influence her character much.
"No, you made no mistake, I travel a lot. Do you always judge people by their things?"
She nodded. "Every thing depicts it's owner perfectly and can tell much about him." she glanced at him with innocent look in her eyes.
Logan curled his lips in a sneer. "So what else can you tell about me?"
She looked around thoughtfully and said, "You travel alone as a rule. . . you're used to it", she paused, "You have been using this truck for a long time," she posed wondering whether she should tell him the next thing, though she continued, "You're kind of loner and you don't care what other people think about you", she turned to him and added certainly, "you're a fighter."
His eyebrows rose involuntary and she explained, "You're built like this. And the way you move, I could tell right away."
Logan grinned still surprised, "Most people don't notice."
"But it's obvious to me", she smiled as if apologizing, "as if it was written on you with big red letters."
"Interesting. . . " he murmured. *I'm in beat up jeans and a leather jacket. How did she manage to see exactly how I'm built? It'd be obvious if I were big tall guy like for example. . . * He shook his head roughly. Those green eyes were definitely going to spoil the evening. *I'll kill you, Sabes. At the very least 'cos your image pops into my mind at the worst moments*
"What's wrong?"
She must have noticed his expression changing.
"It's ok. Just unpleasant memories."
She rose on her feet, walked to the door, opened it and spat bubble-gum on the ground. Then she returned to the bed and glanced at him uncertainly.
"I still can sleep on the floor. . . "
Logan cut her off lowering his head and rising his eyebrow. She was surprised the way he could make her shut up immediately with nothing but his gaze. Nobody did it to her before. Abruptly she realized she liked it. She liked his hypnotizing stare that made any words empty and senseless. However the moment she heard his voice she understood that his words still were clear and meaningful.
"I meant what I said," he said slowly.
She shrugged her shoulders and lay on the bed curled with her hands pressed tightly to her chest. In a minute she was asleep. Logan sat on the floor his back next to the wall. He didn't feel like sleeping now. His gaze slid involuntary to the girl. Strange warmth in his chest grew. She looked so defenseless being placed face to face with this wild world. She was so childlike but so shrewd at her young age. She could tell so much about him, though she didn't know him at all. He sighed. She told him everything about herself and didn't ask shit about him. Careless. But he liked it. He liked everything about her: tossed hair, big innocent eyes, sharp chin, soft hands. . . again a flash of guilt shot through his brain the moment his gaze stopped on the weird bulges between her knuckles. Then the guilt was replaced with amusement. The claws were not natural part of his body; he was enhanced with them. How could she copy them, then? It seemed that her ability had no connection with DNA-copying, though that made things even more complex. He let out an exhausted sign and decided to rely on Jean completely on all the medical stuff. She always had explanations; she'd obviously make the situation clear this time too. Logan thought about it for sometime until he felt like going to sleep. He always traveled alone so there was nothing left to sleep on. However this fact didn't bother him much. Without hesitation he rolled his jacket into some kind of pillow and laid on the floor, putting the jacket under his head. However the moment he rested his head on it the weird uncomfortable prominence appeared to be right under his ear. Cigars. Of course. Logan unrolled the jacket, took the cigars and lighter out of the pocket and put them on a little low table near him. Then he made a ball again and in a minute he was asleep.
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