However way he says it, I’m still offended because I have given both assignments my all. I’ve been working till the last minute because there is always something that can be approved on. The other students have stopped working the minute they have accomplished the task.
“Of course I try,” I say indignantly.
He shakes his head, ignoring the tone in my voice he tells me, “I walked by this drawing fifteen minutes ago and thought it was perfected then, but now, it’s like I can reach out and feel the petals.” He touches the drawing like he can do just that.
“Thank you.” I blush at his compliment. As much as it creeps me out that he keeps popping up when I least expect him and that he has a painting that disturbs me on a very deep, personal level, he is a really good artist so a compliment from him means a lot. I warm up to him and ask, “How did your art show go?”
He smiles. “Very well. I sold out and the museum is keeping one to add to their halls.”
“That’s great,” I tell him. “So, why are you teaching here? I mean, I got the impression from Cole that you didn’t live around here.”
He continues to smile at me like my question doesn’t bother him when I was attempting to catch him off guard. “I didn’t, but I decided if Cole was going to settle down around here then it would be a good idea to do the same.”
I nod my head in understanding, but I don’t understand. Why would he feel the need to live close to Cole if Cole, apparently, doesn’t want to be around him? Cole is an adult he doesn’t need a daddy figure hanging around. Maybe Edmund is trying to make up for some grievance he made in their past? What if Cole decides to move because Edmund is around? Should I not tell Cole? No. He’ll eventually find out and then he’ll be mad at me for not telling him.
Edmund moves away from the table and declares to the students that class is over and to turn in their sketchbooks for grading. I put the tools I used back into the art closet and bring my sketchbook over to his desk where he is waiting expectantly. I add my sketch book to the top of the pile and turn around to leave when Edmund says, “Tell Cole I say hi, will you?”
I nod my head and walk out the door.
*
“I did some research on that name you gave me,” Alex tells me when we are on our way to the astrology meeting on Friday.
“Oh, yeah.” I perk up. “What did you find?”
“Where did you hear the name?” he asks me instead of answering my question.
“That guy, who I told you looked just like you. It was his last name,” I tell him.
“So what’s the interest?”
“Why are you asking me so many questions now? You didn’t ask me any questions when I asked you to look it up.”
“Sorry,” he huffs. “Just what I found out has perked my interest.”
“What did you find out?” I’m about to jump out of the car seat, I’m so tightly wound up.
“The name was given to a supposed fallen angel. It means the ‘star of God’. This angel supposedly commanded an army of spirits.” He shakes his head at the irrationality of the information. I reach up and fondle the angel winged pendant on my necklace.
“Did you find the name mentioned anywhere else?” I whisper. Hoping he did.
“No, and that’s what really bothers me. I can’t find a surname, except for some artist.” Alex glances over at me.
“Do you know if he’s an artist?”
“Yeah, I do. He’s the artist that was featured when Cole and I went to the museum last week. And he’s my art teacher.”
Alex parks the car and looks at me. “I have to admit that it is a little weird. The artist even has a tryptic painting called ‘Kakabel’. One scene depicts an angel’s wings being ripped from his back by an avenging angel and then another scene shows him compressing it into a stone, which Kakabel molds into the shape of a crescent moon. Really a fascinating picture. You would like it.”
“I’m sure I would,” I say more to myself. Still fixated on playing with the pendant sitting on my breastbone.
Ollie comes up then and opens my door for me. I automatically paste on a worry-free smile. “How are you?” I ask him with a little too much enthusiasm. Thankfully he doesn’t notice.
“Good and you?” he asks.
“Good,” I reply. We’re still stuck on small talk I see.
Ollie has so much positive energy surrounding him. It’s hard not to like him. But it’s still awkward to talk to him, especially after the last incident. I haven’t been able to talk to him much since the first day of school but I have noticed that he is fitting right into our school. The girls love him and follow him around everywhere. I hope he finds someone soon so I can stop feeling guilty about leading him on.
“Hey, man,” Alex greets Ollie and then they do some male bonding hand shake. I guess Alex has really taken to him too. “Anyone else here yet?” Alex walks back to the hatch of the car and pulls out his telescope.
“Naw. You two are the first,” Ollie answers.
Ollie and Alex chat away as we walk around the side of the school towards the dark football field. They are talking about some star charting program for the computer while I pretend to be interested in their conversation. I’m really lost in thought, thinking about Edmund. Wondering if he had changed his surname to Kakabel for artistic purposes. The guys start setting up the focus on the telescope and I notice a few more people showing up. I can see their silhouettes outlined by the parking lots lighting. One of them is carrying another telescope and he has the same swagger as Cole.
I’m so surprised to see him there. When I had asked him before if he would come he hadn’t answered me. I have to keep my excitement in check though, so I don’t tip off to the other students that we’re dating or interested in each other. And I can tell the other female students don’t know because they are totally flirting with him as he walks up with about five of them surrounding him. He winks at me conspiratorially before walking past me, making sure to ‘accidentally’ brush his fingers against mine. I bite my bottom lip in an attempt not to smile.
“Awesome, Mr. Astaroth,” Alex addresses Cole formally to play his part in the ploy. “Your telescope will be a huge asset to our club.” Cole smiles and starts to set the telescope up but then his smile disappears as he sets his eyes upon Ollie.
I look over at Ollie and he has nothing but pure hatred written all over his face as he looks at Cole. Ollie mumbles an excuse about needing something out of his car and he quickly walks away to the parking lot. Cole returns his attention back to the telescope and smiles as Alex starts boasting to the other students about how cool the scope is.
I don’t think anyone else noticed the hostile look Ollie gave Cole. Or the look of surprise and recognition Cole gave Ollie.
Ollie doesn’t return from his car.
Chapter 10
I keep everything that has been bothering me in notes on my laptop.
Metallic Angel wing pendant similar to painting of Kakabel with wings torn and smashed into metallic moon?
Cole control will?
Never talking about past?
The dream?
Ollie and Cole’s reaction to each other?
Edmund’s name connection with fallen angel leader?
His similar paintings?
No past last name?
Him and Alex look alike?
Connection between Edmund and Cole?
None of what I think or have seen makes sense. I can feel there is a connection with everything but I don’t know what it is. I just keep tallying up the evidence in the hopes that I’ll gather enough that will piece everything together and the story will unfold.
Ever since the night of the first astronomy meeting I’ve kept away from Ollie. The look that had come upon his face frightened me. He might be nice and is really easy to get along with but, Cole for some reason seemed threatened by him. That incident flared up some possessive, protective reaction out of me. And now, I don’t want Ollie anywhere near me or Cole
. And while I can’t always avoid Ollie, he and Cole don’t ever cross paths, that I’m aware of.
I run into Ollie in the halls of the school constantly, but I don’t say much other than ‘hi’ to him. Alex has invited him to the house often as they are quickly becoming friends but I feint busy in my room or leave to go to Cole’s. At school, Cole is always in the music room and since Ollie isn’t a part of the band or orchestra, he has no need to go in there.
Cole never told me what happened that night between them. He pretends there was nothing. I had asked Ollie too, right before I chose to avoid him. But he is good at acting like nothing happened and he pretends not to know who Cole is. I’m told I must have imagined it.
I know what I saw and they can pretend there wasn’t any look of hatred or fleeing from the scene, but I’m not naïve. So instead of getting answers I add another note to my ‘weird happenings’ list. One more piece to the ever growing list:
Connection between Ollie and Cole. They know each other
I continue on with life normally, on the outside. By the fourth week of school, Cole and I have started to cool down in our relationship. We’re not spending every second of our free time together, just like Alex had predicted. Though, we still do see each other every day, I have been making an effort to hang out with Kaitlyn and my other friends more often.
*
On Monday, during my art class we had a little surprise that made art class even more enjoyable than before. A local artist came in as a face model for us. We got to ask him questions about his art, like his inspiration, any meanings, favorite techniques, mediums and styles. I had so much fun asking him questions, I asked most of them, and he was really funny to capture. He kept making amusing expressions for us to sketch that had the class roaring with laughter.
I noticed Edmund kept either an amused expression or focused look as he watched me all class. I felt like he was studying me. After class he kept me behind as the other students left the class. I noted every last one of the other students had resentment or curiosity in their eyes as they left the classroom.
“Alexis, I wanted you to have a chance to be personally introduced to Patryck. He is moving on to bigger cities soon and his art will be shared among museums around the world. This is a great opportunity to make friends in the art world.” He looks proudly at me and I feel like he is trying to set me up. I ignore him.
“It was an honor to get to know you,” I tell Patryck. “I really enjoyed having you in the class. You have such a fun personality. It’s nice to know not all artists are serious and depressing.” Patryck has dirty blond hair that he wears short and messy. It looks like he rubs his head a lot and pulls on it when he’s frustrated. His eyes are a true brown with no hint of hazel, they really are attractive. He has a very masculine jaw line and a full, sensual mouth.
He laughs at me. “Thanks. I think. I hope you never see me when I paint. You might change your mind about the serious and depressing part.” We both laugh. I know exactly what he is talking about because I’ve experienced it too many times before.
“Can any artist leave that part out? I mean, you fall so into the art that any disturbance makes you cringe and you just want it to go away until you’re done. People can think you’re depressed but really you’re just angry.” We start laughing again, thinking about all the times it’s happened. Someone tries to speak to you and pull you away and you snap so they’ll back off and let you continue before you lose concentration or the mental visual.
Edmund is watching me interact with Patryck with amusement again. He’s enjoying the conversation even though he’s not in it. I turn to him then and ask, “And you?”
“I hide in a dark place that no one knows of and stay there for days at a time. Interruptions are not possible. But if it was not like that I’m sure my reaction would be a wrath no one would want to behold.” He smiles at us and we all laugh again. I believe him when he talks about his wrath. I don’t want to go anywhere near it.
After talking together for another hour, Patryck gives me his card. “Call me any time you need to vent about the disturbances.” He smiles at me and I can’t help but smile back. “I’ll be in New York for awhile before I set off to Europe but this has my cell phone.” He indicates to the card that has his name, two phone numbers, and an address to a local studio.
“Okay. Thank you. You’re so sweet.” I’m really in awe that he is so forthcoming. I’ve met two great artists and they both seem to take pleasure in helping me.
“I look forward to meeting you again, Alexis.”
“Lexi,” I correct him and extend my hand to shake his. He takes my hand softly and excuses himself. When he’s gone I pick up my bag to go but Edmund stops me again.
“How is Cole doing?”
“Good. Great. Why don’t you know?” I know I’m being obstinate but I can never stop myself.
“I’m just trying to give him space. He knows I’m here.” Like that’s an acceptable answer for someone who was his guardian.
“I think that if you care for him, you would go see him. We can plan to go out. Dinner again?”
“Maybe,” he replies and leaves it at that.
“Good night,” I call to him before walking out the door. I decide right then and there that they need to work out their relationship by themselves.
*
Homecoming is coming up this Friday and I am not excited about it at all. This will be the first dance that I don’t have a date. Not because I can’t get one but because I don’t want one.
I’m sitting on Cole’s couch, pouting with my arms folded when I express to him again how, “It’s not fair.”
“Lexi, I already told you. You can invite someone else. I’m not going to get offended. Jealous maybe.” He smiles at me. “But you’re right; it’s not fair to you that you can’t have a good time because of me.” He’s already told me this a few times before but I’m not giving in. I don’t want to go with anyone else. “I’ll still be there,” he reminds me.
“That’s going to make it worse,” I tell him. “To be at a dance with you and not be able to dance with you.” I huff out air, aggravated.
He scoots over on the couch closer to me and wraps his arms around me. “You are so adorable when you’re upset.” He kisses me softly starting with my forehead, down to my nose before he kisses my lips. “We could do something else that night. Skip it altogether.”
“No,” I draw out, trying to shake the delicious feelings his kisses bring on. “It’s my senior year. My last Homecoming. Everyone would kill me if I didn’t go. Plus my friends are nominated for Queen and King. I have to see them crowned.”
I really can’t miss Homecoming. Alex, Kaitlyn, Hope, Nathaniel, Clara and Ollie are all in the nominations for Homecoming King and Queen. I really want to watch Alex and Kaitlyn walk on stage and collect their crowns. It’s a given they’ll win. They’ve already been nominated several times as cutest couple in our yearbooks and everyone loves them.
I give up the fight. “I’ll stop pouting about it,” I promise him and sink deeper into his arms. “But I’ll make sure to wear the most sinful dress; you won’t be able to help putting your hands on me.”
“That’s it,” he threatens. He jumps on me and starts tickling my sides until I’m laughing so uncontrollably it starts to hurt. Then we sink into deep kisses that take my mind off everything.
*
After school the next day I pick up Kaitlyn, Hope, and Clara to go to the mall to pick out our Homecoming dresses. It feels so good to be chatting with all my friends again and gossiping about all the happenings at our school. Hope and Clara ask me all the questions they’ve been dying to ask for weeks about Cole and I gladly answer all their questions.
“You guys have kissed, right?” Hope asks.
“Uh, yeah,” I answer in an obvious tone.
“Have you done anything else,” Clara implies.
I blush and they all assume the worse or maybe I should say the best. “Of cours
e not,” I finally say after all their gushing of “Oh, my God” and “Really”.
“Well, how long have you been dating?” Clara asks.
I have to think about it. “Maybe five or six weeks. I can’t remember.”
“And you haven’t done anything yet?” Hope accuses.
“Nope, sorry to rain on your parade,” I tell her.
“Has he said ‘I love you’, yet?” Kaitlyn asks.
“No!” I start to get mad. “Is this how all your relationships have been?” I demand. “By six weeks you guys are all telling each other ‘I love you’ and having sex?”
“Yeah,” they all say at the same time and start giggling at each other.
“Oh, dear God. Are you serious? I’m the only virgin?” I turn to Kaitlyn. “Don’t say anything. I assumed you and Alex…”I can’t get the words out. “But I don’t want to know.”
She slaps her hands across her mouth and tries to hold in her giggling. “This sucks,” I admit to them. I’ve wanted to experience the act of love with Cole but he’s not willing and I never felt that it was time. The right time. I don’t want to do it and then have the relationship end. But knowing all of my friends, and my brother, are enjoying themselves that way… It pisses me off.
“I think it’s cool,” Kaitlyn tells me. “You’re saving yourself for the right person. That’s what I did. I just knew before you who the right person was.” Hope agrees.
“I just like sex,” Clara states matter-of-factly and we all burst out laughing.
It takes us three hours to find dresses. Well, it takes Clara three hours, the rest of us found ours under two hours but then we had to find shoes and jewelry.
The dress I pick out is hot! I held on to my promise to Cole that I was going to find the most sinful dress I could. He is going to get hurt tying to prevent himself from putting his hands on me. The dress is a champagne colored cocktail dress with gold sequins streaking diagonals across the front. It is a one shouldered dress and the sleeve is worn off the shoulder as it strips around the bare back connecting to the other side. The dress is almost sheer and it hugs every curve of my body. I don’t buy a necklace as I never take off the one Cole gave me but I do buy a chunky gold and silver bracelet that goes with the dress.
Lunangelique (The Lunangelique Series) Page 11
