by Kristie Cook
“It’s ok, Clara Belle. I’m right here with you.”
Chapter Five
“How do you know my name?”
“I’ll explain it all tonight. Promise.”
“Is your family going to be there?” I said, feeling suddenly way more anxious about that than I felt for this cafeteria right now.
“No. I live alone.”
“Live alone? At eighteen? But I thought you said you live with your parents?”
“Sweetheart,” he crooned and my heart jumped. No one had ever called me that before and it did funny things to me. I bit my lip. He groaned and pressed his face to my hair. “Clara, you’re killing me,” he whispered.
“What do you mean?” I whispered, confused.
“Nothing.” He took a deep breath. “I’ll tell you everything. I’ll answer every question … tonight. Ok?”
“Ok.”
“But promise me something.”
“Alright.”
He hesitated and looked at me seriously and for long seconds.
“Promise you won’t hate me.”
He’d said that in a Reverie once too.
“Why would I hate you? Eli, you’re scaring me. What, do you have a wife and kids somewhere?” I joked and he laughed sadly and pushed my hair back from my face.
“I only wish it was that simple. Don’t worry, it’s nothing like that. I have faith that you’ll be able to handle it … I just can’t lose you. Not after only just finding you.”
“I have no idea what that means, but I promise to keep an open mind.”
“That’s all I can ask of you,” he said and took my bag from my shoulder. I followed him as he set our stuff at a table and then pushed me from behind with his hands on my sides to get in line. “I’m starving.”
“Me too. What are you getting?”
“Hmmm. So many choices,” he mused sarcastically.
I looked it all over. The lunch lady, who’d I’d never met before because I never ate school food, gave me a foul look as I left a gap between me and the guy in front of me in my indecision.
“I’ll take the chicken fingers. Please.”
She slopped them on my plate and I trudged down the line, after grabbing a juice and honey mustard sauce. Then I remembered that I had no idea what lunch cost and I had no money on me. Eli skipped me at the register and said he was paying for both. He smirked at me and we made our way to the table. Tate was already seated with everyone else and they stared at me in disbelief. Tate’s face was tight, his fist balled up on the table and he stared me down all the way until I sat down. Dee looked like she was about to explode but then made her way over to Tate. She rubbed his shoulder but he threw her hand off and glared at her before looking back at me.
I sat with my back to them and looked at Patrick tentatively to see if he’d object to my sitting with them. He saw me looking and winked. I smiled and tasted my chicken. It was pretty good and tasted nothing like the feet everyone claimed. All the guys talked about this club they’d been to the night before. Monoxide. It was supposed to be an everything club, different nights for different tastes. Like Monday was chick rock night, Tuesday was Goth and Pain night (I didn’t ask him to further that explanation) and Thursday nights were rock night and they had live bands there.
Today was Wednesday so naturally they asked if we wanted to go with them tomorrow night. Apparently it was a weekly ritual for them. Eli looked at me and shrugged but then his expression changed and he cleared his throat.
“We’ll let you know tomorrow,” he said carefully and I realized he thought there might not be a tomorrow for him and me.
He was worried about whatever it was he was going to tell me; that I’d want nothing to do with him. That frightened me a little but I knew it was possible for him to go into my subconscious. I was already believing and open minded to the supernatural at this point. What was he going to say? He was an angel or something?
When the bell rang I turned to see Tate already gone. Good. Eli walked me to class and later in Art, we had to do a sketch portrait of our desk partner.
“Oh, I can’t wait to see this,” Eli snickered as he posed, his head on his hand, looking at me.
“Don’t move. That’s perfect,” I said with a hand up.
I started on his hair and outlined his face. His nose and lips were next. I lingered on his mouth, getting the shape of his smirk just right. His eyes and his eyebrow ring. His ears and neck. His arm holding up his jaw, lean but muscular and sinewy. The bell dinged to tell us it was time to switch.
“Can I see it?”
“Sure,” I slid it towards him, “but it’s not that good.”
He pulled it to him and looked at it. His smile was genuine, I could tell, as he glanced between me and the drawing.
“It’s really good, CB.”
“CB?” I asked, amused.
“CB for Clara Belle,” he said and smirked. “I didn’t know you could draw like this.”
“I can’t draw. That’s just playing around.”
“Yes, you can, I’m looking at it.”
“Whatev. How do you want me?” He raised his eyebrow at that I felt my cheeks heat. “You know what I mean.”
He cocked his head looking at me and thinking.
“Ok. How about you turn away from me and look over your shoulder.” He took my shoulder and turned me on my stool, then pulled my face to look over my shoulder at him. “Just like that.”
He immediately reached for his pencil, without looking away from me, and started to draw. He’d focus on me and then back on his paper. He squinted and furrowed his brow in concentration. It was adorable. After less time than it took me, he was done. He didn’t wait for me to ask to see it, he just pushed it in front of me.
It was beautiful. The edges were faded and smeared looking and then clear and focused in the middle. Especially my eyes. He made them darker and bolder lines than anything else to make them stand out. I was in complete awe. I looked up to see him watching me.
“Eli, oh my gosh,” I gushed.
“I’ve had a lot of years to perfect it,” he said softly and rubbed a finger over the cheek of my picture.
“Eighteen?” I said in jest.
He just smiled and put a hand on mine, rubbing my knuckles with his thumb … and studiously avoided my question. I gave him a look that told him I knew exactly what he was doing and he chuckled silently.
“Ok, class. Now I want you to all display your work on the wall. Just hang your portraits from the clothes pins and after a week of viewing you can take them home. Now before the bell-” The bell rang. “Wait! I want you to all bring in something you do overnight. Anything you want to do and we’ll discuss the different types of art, drawings, painting, and brush strokes tomorrow.”
I got up slowly, waiting for Eli. I wondered if I was going to his house right then or if he wanted to wait until later. He took my bag from me once again and led me from the room and down the hall to the door, then through the parking lot to the road. I noticed how he knew just where to go where we’d miss Tate’s truck in the lot.
“Do you need to let them,” he motioned towards my house, “know you’re going to my house?”
“Yeah, I do.” I looked at him. “Come with me.”
“Are you sure? They won’t mind me just coming unannounced?”
“No. He’s a Pastor,” I laughed. “We have people in and out all the time.”
“Alright.
We walked across the street and I called out when I opened the door.
“Hey, I’m home.”
“Clawa!” I heard and then the patter of swift, small feet.
“Hey.” I snatched her up and hoisted her to my hip to keep my balance. “Hannah, hey, this is my friend, Eli.”
“Hi, Ewi,” she chimed. So frigging cute. Eli laughed too.
“Well, hello there,” he said and reached his hand out to shake hers. She took it and as he shook it gently and when he smiled she turned bashful and buried
her grin in my neck. “Aww. Did I make you blush?” he crooned and smiled at me.
“And this is Josiah,” I said as I felt a small hand tugging the hem of my shirt back.
“Hey,” Jo said.
“Hey, sport,” Eli said and held his hand out for a low five. Josiah slapped it eagerly and grinned. “How are you, man?”
“I’m good. How are you? Man,” Josiah said awkwardly, trying to play big boy.
“I’m awesome,” Eli chuckled.
“Where’s your mom, Jo?” I asked and followed his point to the kitchen. “Mrs. Ruth, hey. This is Eli, the guy I told you about.”
“You talked about me, huh?” Eli whispered in my ear behind me before making his way around and smiling as he said 'Hi' to Mrs. Ruth.
“Hi there, young man. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too.”
“Are you staying for supper?”
“Actually, I wanted to ask if you minded if I took Clara out for dinner. And then go back to my house for a little while?”
“And where do you live, Eli?”
“A couple streets over. At the bed and breakfast.”
“Oh, I love that house! Are your parents renovating it?”
“Sort of,” Eli answered and quickly changed the subject. “So I can ask your husband for permission to take out Clara if I need to,” he said respectfully.
“Oh, he’s at the church tonight. He hosts the AA meetings so he won’t be home. But if you’ll write your cell phone number on the fridge right there on that pad, them I’m perfectly fine with Clara going with you, if you bring her home by midnight.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said smiling and went to do what she asked.
I debated going to change my clothes but didn’t want Eli to think I was more shallow than he already did, so I just said goodbye to Mrs. Ruth and we were gone. We walked to his house, the street was loud and noisy from school traffic, and he opened the passenger door to a black ‘69 Chevy Chevelle in front of his house.
“This is your car?” I stopped in awe.
“Yep.”
“Why don’t you drive it to school?”
“Because I can walk, it’s so close. Plus,” he swept his arm for me to enter, “I don’t want to answer questions about how an eighteen year old kid can afford a car like this.”
“I see,” I said, though I really didn’t, as I climbed in and he shut my door.
Once he jumped in his side and started the deep rumbling engine, he pulled out and started down the street the opposite way.
“So I’m assuming this is a classic or something?’ His face was quite funny when he looked at me, like I was a totally clueless girly girl, so I forged on. “Where are we going?”
“Do you like pizza?”
“Sure, who doesn’t?” I said laughing. “What kind of question is that to ask a teenager?”
“The times have changed.”
“You are very cryptic, Eli.”
“I know,” he muttered through a chuckle. “I’m sorry.”
“You can’t tell me what’s going on first and then take me to eat?”
“No. I want you to enjoy your meal.”
“Eli, please,” I said, turning to him. “You’re really freaking me out-”
“Hey, hey,” he said sweetly and reached for my hand. “I promised didn’t I? I will tell you everything, but you can’t be scared. Ok? I know I haven’t earned your trust but I need you to trust me for tonight.”
“Eli, really, this is …” I sighed.
“I know. Please, Clara? Please trust me.”
I sighed again and said nothing, just looked out the window. It was strange how I felt so at ease with him but I didn’t really know him. Something was definitely happening. I mean the Reveries … they were real. It was real. I was confused about a lot of things but the fact that he didn’t just walk into my life by accident was evident to me. So I sat and waited and tried to be patient.
We arrived at the pizza place and he came around to open my door. I took his offered hand and let him pull me up but after he shut the door he stopped. He looked at me and his face almost looked regretful as he pushed my hair back from my face. He leaned closer, putting his hands on the car on either side of me, and hovered there, just beyond my lips. His eyes pleaded with me. He was waiting for me … to inch forward and meet him, to say I understood even though there was no reason for me to trust him.
I lifted up on my toes and bunched his shirt front to steady myself as I pressed my lips to his. He hesitated at first, waiting to see if I was just humoring him or if I was for real. After feeling his warm lips on mine, I was definitely for real. I felt too warm all of a sudden and opened my mouth under his. That was what he was waiting for and he leaned against me, kissing me deeper. I felt his small groan as his hand moved to my cheek and my pulse banged behind my ribs. My breaths were practically non-existent by this point.
I pushed him gently away to catch my breath and his lips released me but barely. I could feel his breath on my face as he pressed his forehead to mine.
“Clara.” He released a ragged sigh. “You’re too much,” he groaned.
“What?” I whispered.
“You’re just so …” He shook his head. “You’re everything that I …” He sighed harshly and leaned away from me, holding his hand out to me. “Come on. Let me buy you a pizza.”
I went willingly and followed him to a table. He ordered us a large pineapple and ham because I told him that was my favorite.
“So … you don’t have any other family other than a sister?” he asked.
“Well, I have a couple uncles. Why?”
“I just wondered why you lived with the Pastor and his family instead of your own family.”
“Well, for one thing I didn’t want to change schools my senior year but also, neither of my uncles wanted to live with a teenage girl so … the Pastor came and asked if I wanted to stay with them until I graduated. So they are my foster family I guess.”
“They seem nice.”
“They are,” I agreed and swirled the ice in my cola. “They’re really great.”
“What are you going to do after school?”
“No idea. You?”
“Depends on some things,” he said vaguely.
“What things?”
“Are you gonna eat that?” he asked and grabbed the rest of my second piece, taking a big bite of it.
“You are such an avoider,” I accused and he laughed. “I don’t get it. You won’t tell me anything? Why?”
“I don’t want to scare you yet with that answer.”
“Ok. Well let’s go then because I’m so very ready to understand what’s going on with you.”
“Ok.”
I heard the excitement and the reluctance in his voice. I followed him to the car and he drove to his house. It was a huge blue house that had been vacant for some time. I loved it because the yard was full of flowers and big green bushes and trees. The owners must have had someone taking care of the yard while they were trying to sell it. The house used to be a bed and breakfast but now …
Once again he opened my door for me and led me up the walkway to the door. I was getting antsy, excited and a little frightened by what he might have to say. He stopped in the doorway, his hand jammed in the doorframe.
“Clara, I told you not to be scared,” he said hoarsely as his mouth opened and he licked his bottom lip.
I looked at him questioningly.
“How do you know I’m scared.”
“I just do. Please don’t.” He took a cautious step towards me. “All this is going to be hard enough and I won’t be able to handle it if you’re going to be frightened of me.”
“You’re not really helping by saying things like that.”
“I know, just please try to keep calm.”
“Ok,” I promised. “I’ll try.”
I saw a cage in the corner with a huge blue and green McCaw inside. Other than the bird, there
was no decorations, just old fashioned furniture that probably came with the place. The bird seemed content to gnaw on its nut so I just focused back on Eli.
“Sit,” he ordered softly, but made no further movements to come near me. I sat on the sofa he directed me to and watched the emotions play over his face as he stood in the doorway. “Please promise me you won’t just run. Promise that you’ll hear me out first and then if you want to leave, I’ll let you.”
I nodded and said, “Yes. I promise.” I tried to be as calm as I could muster and he took a deep breath before speaking.
“Now, I lied to you when we met about my parents living with me. They are alive but I won’t live with them, though I see them from time to time even if I don’t want to. My parents and my brother and sister live a different life than mine. They’re cruel and sadistic. I couldn’t live like that, so I ran away.” He looked down at the floor and then back to me without lifting his head. “I ran away … one hundred and twenty three years ago.”
I gulped and clasped my hands in my lap. Oh boy … He continued.
“I know you can believe in the supernatural. We share Reveries. I know you know that’s real. Well there’s lots of things in this world that you never knew existed. Supernatural things, and I’m one of them. My kind are called Devourers. My family are as well but they choose to live true to their nature and I fight mine,” he spat and I could tell he truly believed what he was saying, crazy as it was. “See … we scare people, in Reveries mostly, and feed off their emotions. I don’t sleep, none of us do, but I can feel every dark emotion that runs through any person I am in proximity to. Hate, jealousy, greed, pain, anger … lust. I have lived and fed on these emotions my entire life. But then you …” He shook his head and took a step forward but thought better of it. “I could feel your sorrow from across the park that day. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt before because not only could I feel your pain at your loss but when I got closer to you, I could feel your calm and contentment too; the way you were just lying there looking at the clouds made you happy. I have never in my entire existence felt those emotions before. I had no idea what was happening but then you glanced at me and looked me over … I could feel your attraction.” I felt my eyes go wide and my cheeks heat but he continued. “Clara, I had to know you. I only planned to stay here a few weeks, like I usually do when I pass through a town. But you … I had to know this girl who was still happy and sweet even though she had apparently suffered so much.”
