by Clark, Bekah
“So what are we doing?”
Kyle laughed, “You didn’t learn after last time?”
“You can’t possibly mean that you’re going to keep me in the dark again?”
“I am.”
“Why?” she whined.
Kyle grinned over at her, “Because it’s fun to see you squirm.”
She huffed, “I am not squirming.”
“Fine. When you’re irritated, it’s cute.”
She rolled her eyes and watched the foliage go by. They were taking Route 62 all the way. The houses interspersed ranged from the more modern to classic New England styles. He probably had no idea, but this was the perfect date and they hadn’t even started yet. Not that she’d tell him now. Tonight, when he brought her home, then she’d tell him. And, if he didn’t try to really kiss her, dammit if she was not going to make sure she kissed him. It was time, time for more than a few soft stolen brushes of lips.
As they entered Concord center, Lyssa smiled. Various shops lined the street, along with cafes. She thought they would stop, but he drove on until he pulled up in front of an adorable boathouse. It was gray with interesting features on either gable where they had attached some of the siding onto the roof’s edge to drop down into a curve.
“What are we doing here?”
Kyle grinned at her, “We’re going to rent a canoe and poke around the river.”
Lyssa’s eyes lit up, “Ooh. Let’s go then.”
As Kyle got them set up with a rental canoe, Lyssa walked around to look at the river and quietly took in the lovely shades of fall. With all the trees, it was going to be beautiful. She sighed softly.
“Please don’t tell me you’re bored?”
Grinning, she turned to raise her eyes to Kyle, “Oh, definitely.”
Kyle hip checked her as he came to her side, “Liar.” He slipped an arm around her shoulders and guided her to the dock, “Your chariot awaits.”
Rolling her eyes, Lyssa let Kyle escort her and once they were settled, with him sitting in the back and her in the front, they headed out onto the Sudbury River. The plan was that he was going to steer and she would only paddle out of the right side.
After a little while, Kyle asked, “Name a song you love?”
Without pausing to think, she replied, “Knights in White Satin. When they get to the whole ‘I love you’ part, I don’t know, my heart does flip-flops.”
Kyle burst out laughing, the canoe rocked a little, “Can you like anything from this century?”
“Undisclosed Desires.”
For a little while, they rowed in silence. After a bit, she asked, “What? No witty reply?”
“I would have asked about a song from this decade but, that song was close and…well I love that song too.”
“Liar!” She laughed and dug into the water, taking care not to splash him.
It began softly, his voice so low that for a moment she didn’t think he was singing. But, as she listened, his voice was stronger, warm and rich and her heart stuttered. By the time he reached the chorus for the second time, she joined in and they finished the song together. Then, silence fell between them.
After a while, Kyle said softly, “You’re a bit of a romantic. You hide under that cold exterior, but I know you are warm. Warm and sweet. Kind and gentle. And, now I know for certain you are a romantic too. I bet most of the songs you enjoy are love songs.”
Lyssa quietly paddled.
“Knew it. Yet another thing to… like… about you.”
“What’s your favorite song?” She asked softly.
“Well you already know I like Undisclosed Desires.”
“Yes, but is it your favorite?”
Kyle was quiet and for a little bit, Lyssa didn’t think he’d answer. But then, he replied, “I need to think about it. I like a lot of stuff. Favorite is a strong word. I’d only reserve it for you.”
Lyssa’s face felt like her temperature had shot up a million degrees. She dared not look back because she was sure he’d notice her blush. Instead, she focused on the various colors of fall along the river as they paddled under a stone bridge.
“Tell me something true?” She asked softly.
“Back to this?”
“Back to this. I like it. I learn interesting quirks you have.”
“I’ll answer, but only because you asked me so sexily.”
Lyssa turned to glare at him, her gray-blue eyes flashing, “I did not!”
Grinning, Kyle stared at her, “No, but I was getting sick of only seeing your back. I had to try to find a way to get you to look this way again.”
Rolling her eyes, she felt her skin heat, but she steadily remained turned to him. She didn’t paddle and he did all the work, but he was grinning as he looked at her.
“Happy?”
With a warm smile he said, “I am now. Hey, I thought of what I’d say is my favorite.”
“Oh? What?”
“Sail.”
“Um, Sail?”
“You know the song Sail. It’s really good.”
Lyssa’s features scrunched up and she turned away, embarrassment flooding her. For once, she wasn’t happy that most of the things she enjoyed were not typical. Kyle laughed softly behind her.
“I love that you don’t know the song. Now, I can share it with you. I’ll play the album when we head home later.”
Shoving the paddle into the water a moment, she dug in for a few strokes. She glanced back at him and smiled, “You really like that I don’t know them?”
Laughing softly, he said, “You can’t know everything, Lyssa. Otherwise, you’d be boring. Plus, your reactions are always stellar.”
They played their little game of “something true” for the rest of the time they were on the water. Every once in a while, Lyssa would stop and take pictures with her camera. She never took them with her phone. Then again, she also had location services turned off on her phone. Though she doubted that the Hunters would track her phone, she didn’t want to risk it. Kyle had laughed when she pulled out her big camera, but she didn’t care. They were having fun and they were together.
Eventually, they made their way back to the boathouse and Kyle helped her out of the canoe. She didn’t really need help, but she liked the opportunity to hold his big warm hand. Also, the fact that his helping her was a bit of pampering was nice too. Earth women’s liberation was great and all that, but having someone help you out of a car or a boat was nice. Just as nice as having someone open the door for you. In Lyssa’s opinion, it didn’t make you less powerful. Also, what Kyle didn’t know was that when he did little things like that, they endeared him to her.
Draping his arm across her shoulders again, he headed to the car, “Hungry?”
“Starving. Are we going to eat here?”
“Nope, I’m taking you over to Walden. They have some picnic tables in there and we can walk around.”
“Walden Pond, hmm? With all that forestry around? Do I have to worry about my body never being found or a long discussion about Thoreau?”
“Neither, you goofball. But there is a nice place to sit near the pond. We can eat there. We’ll just make sure we pick up our trash.”
“Oh! How environmental of you. I like it.”
“You know me, attracting women with the power of conservation.”
Lyssa giggled and he opened her car door. He paused in front of her, so she couldn’t get in. Looking up at him, she smiled brightly, “What?”
He seamlessly slipped his hand into her hair and pulled her close. His lips fell on hers and she melted in his arms. The kiss was warm and vibrant, full of promise. He was just starting to deepen it when they were startled back to reality.
“Woo! Kiss’er dude!”
Blushing, Lyssa looked aside. Laughing, Kyle moved out of her way and let her slip into the car. He shut her door and made his way around the car. They left the parking lot and drove on. Once they arrived at Walden Pond, he took her soft-sided cooler and hoisted th
e strap across his chest. Then, having locked up the car, he took her hand and they headed for the path.
“First picnic table we find, we should sit. I know that’s heavy.”
Squeezing her hand, he grinned, “Oh don’t be ridiculous. Let’s find a nice spot first.”
“Yeah, well I’m hungry and you know how I eat.”
With a chuckle, he led her to a table and pulled out the food, “Sandwiches and fried chicken? What’s this canteen?”
“Cranberry juice. I know you like that. So do I.”
Kyle grinned and poured himself a cup, “Did you seriously make all of this?”
Embarrassment stained her cheeks, “No. I mean, I put the sandwiches together, but Lexa made the chicken. And the roast beef in the sandwiches for that matter. I… Well I can’t cook. Except pancakes. I thought I told you.”
Grinning, he kissed her brow, “I love how the girl who can do anything can’t actually cook. It makes you more human.”
Fighting the prick in her conscious about her lack of humanity, she looked away and asked, “You can swim at this pond, huh?”
“Yeah. How about this summer we go swimming here?”
Looking at him, Lyssa’s heart ached. He was planning on them being together in the summer. Lyssa would be looking to move by the time it was hot enough for them to go. She suddenly wished she were a normal teenage girl. That she had living parents and that the boy she liked truly knew her. Instead, she was keeping the most important part to herself.
“What?”
“Hmm?” She was pulled out of her own little world to find him stroking back a stray lock of her hair.
“What are you thinking about that has you looking so sad?”
Lyssa sighed and looked out in the distance, “You know my family moves a lot. I’m just worried I’ll be gone.”
“You’ll be eighteen, right? Why don’t you stay?”
“And leave Lexa?”
It was the wrong thing to say and she saw his eyes shutter just a bit. Sighing, she looked away, “I’ve always looked after her. Branching out on my own is… hard. I’m sorry.”
“Hey, we only just started dating.” He said quietly.
“Technically, it’s been a month and half.”
“Technically, I’ve been too busy for proper dates.”
Grinning, she replied, “We’re both right. Okay, let’s just see where this goes.”
Packing up their remains and trash, they put everything in the cooler and Kyle strapped it on again. Taking her hand, they started walking along the path and Lyssa found the place amazingly tranquil. Inhaling deeply, she smiled because she loved the way the air was tinged with the sweet woodsy scent of decaying leaves. There was something about that scent that she just adored. The colors of fall had changed the trees and it brought back memories of her home. Here, the trees were always green in the heat of summer. At home, they were so many shades throughout the year. Maples whose leaves had turned a brilliant red reminded her of the row of eltean trees, which had lined her back yard. Trees she would never see again, now that the girls had long since destroyed their only means of getting home.
“Where are you?”
Snapping out of old memories, Lyssa turned her eyes up to find Kyle studying her. She smiled weakly, “Old memories. Nothing I want to talk about right now.”
“Sad times?”
Tears threatened to spill, “No, more like good times I wish could happen again.”
Kyle tightened his grip on her hand, and then released it so that he could sling his arms along her shoulders and pull her tightly to his side.
“I’m sorry,” she said in a tiny little voice, “I should be here, now. These are good memories being made and I don’t want to lose them.”
The two of them continued in silence. It took some time, but eventually they walked the entire path around the pond. When they got into the car, Kyle kissed her brow before helping her in. As they drove home, the silence remained. But, it was comforting. His fingers wove through hers as he drove with one hand. She stared out at the passing scenery, squeezing his hand from time to time.
When they got home, he walked her into the house, “Where are you parents?”
“Out.”
“Out? They’re never home. They should be here for you two.”
Lyssa smiled weakly, “It can’t be helped. Hey, thank you for today.”
Kyle gave her a carefree grin, “Thanking me? How about you thank me with a kiss?”
Lyssa laughed.
“You think I’m joking. I’m not. I’d like a kiss.”
“You don’t usually ask.”
“I’m asking now.”
Her breath caught and she couldn’t speak. Instead, she nodded. And barely at that, the moment she had started to nod, his lips took hers. This wasn’t some chaste kiss. It wasn’t even like one of the more intense kisses they had shared earlier today. This consumed her like no other. She squeaked and his tongue slipped past her lips. His arms curled around her waist and pulled him roughly to her.
And then, he was gone. Lyssa opened her eyes and found him walking way down towards his car. She blinked a moment, wondering if she was hallucinating.
She called out to him, “Hey!”
He turned and gave her a devilish grin, “If I don’t stop kissing you now, I’m going to try to get you to show me your room. When I get in your room, I don’t know if I could only kiss you. I gotta go.”
Lyssa watched him leave, her cheeks tomato red, her lips feeling bruised and cold without him, and her heart thundering madly in her chest.
Chapter 14
The moment Lyssa drove off, Lexa’s cell dinged. She hated the damn antiquated thing. Lyssa worried about location services on devices allowing Hunters to track them at some point so Lexa had old style flip phones, no GPS. Lyssa’s was better, but then again, she just needed to touch an electronic device to manipulate it to her will. In the go-bag that Lyss had set up, she also had six burner phones that she had bought with cash. She was always prepared.
Deciding Missy had radar, she checked her message.
Almost there u ready?
“Shit!” Lexa flew upstairs, grateful that Lyssa wasn’t around to chastise her language skills.
Changing into a big oversized forest green cable knit sweater and skinny jeans, Lexa fluffed her hair before putting on a little mascara and lip-gloss. It was going to just be the three girls today. Melissa’s parents were picking her up and dropping them at Anna’s, which meant she was meeting both sets of parents today. Melissa’s would be quick and easy, but being at Anna’s meant she’d have to deal with them more. Lexa had never dealt with parents on Earth before. As for parents not on Earth, she’d not dealt with much more than her own. And they had died four years ago during the incident. It was a lesson for Lyssa because of her lack of obedience. A lesson that would have included Lexa if Lyssa had not gotten there at the right time and saved her. She knew her sister still blamed herself for their parents’ death.
Grabbing her purse, she dashed out just as a nondescript black sedan pulled up. Grinning brightly, Lexa opened the back door and slid into the seat.
“Hi, I’m Lexa!”
A gorgeous woman with brown eyes and pale skin turned and smiled back at her, with a slightly accented voice she said, “I’m Keiko, Missy’s mother and this is John.”
John turned to Lexa then, his skin was a light cocoa that just made the green of his eyes pop dramatically. No wonder Melissa was so pretty, her parents were gorgeous.
“Hi, Lexa,” John said smoothly, “Where are your parents?”
Sighing dramatically, Lexa lied, “Gone off for a little weekend one on one time.”
Melissa’s parents exchanged a look. Obviously, there was much debate about her parents. Looking out the window, Lexa continued, “They work so hard, they deserve time. And Lyssa is so responsible that they know they can leave us alone.”
“You aren’t responsible?” Keiko asked.
&
nbsp; “No one is as responsible as my sister. It’s like living with a nanny.”
“You can’t even swear in front of Lyssa,” Missy chimed in.
“We’d like to meet your parents sometime. We like knowing the families of Melissa’s friends.” John said smoothly.
