“No problem, kiddo.” he said as he patted her left shoulder. She gulped down the bite of grilled cheese still in her mouth, and then clinched her teeth in an attempt not to scream out in pain.
“You okay, kiddo?” Cal questioned.
She finally choked out an answer. “Yeah, Dad ... sorry ... grilled-cheese, down the wrong pipe ... I guess I was hungrier than I thought.”
“You're alright, now, though?” he questioned again.
“Yeah, Dad ... I'm okay now...” she said clearing her throat, taking another bite, chewing dramatically and noticeably slower.
“Alright, you need to start getting dressed pretty soon, or Mom will have a come-apart...”
“Okay,” she said, pretending to salute an officer, “I'm on it, Sir...”
“At ease soldier … call me if you start choking again ... I know the Heimlich...”
“Okay, Dad ... I think that I'll be fine...”
As soon as she heard his feet hit the bottom of the stairs, she looked back toward the mirror and peaked back at the hideous bruise that covered her shoulder.
She all of the sudden had a sickening thought. Could today have really happened? Could all of this – everything she had experienced in the past couple of weeks – could it all be a reality?
“Coralie ... I don't hear enough movement up there ... is everything okay?” Katelyn called from downstairs.
“Yeah, Mom – In the closet, I'm just picking out my dress...” Coralie walked over to her closet and sighed as she perused through it, trying to find one that would cover her dark, shining bruised shoulder.
* * * * *
“Come on, Cor...” Katelyn called up to her daughter's room, “... let's go ... we’re going to be late...”
“Okay, Mom,” Coralie answered, “... I’ll be right down...” Coralie took one last glance in the mirror. The black dress draped close to her body, flattering to her tall, slender frame. The dress hung to just above her knees. It was sleeveless on one side, and on the other was a flowing sleeve draping across her left shoulder, hiding the purplish-blue mark that covered it.
Descending the stairs, Coralie saw her Mom rushing in one room and out of the other and then back again. “Okay, Cor, let's go ... I cannot be late to my own benefit!” Katelyn called out, as if Coralie was still up the stairs.
Still standing on the last step of the staircase, Coralie answered, “Mom, I'm right here...”
“Okay, Cal, go get the car ... I'll get our coats. Cor, just stay right here and wait for Dad to pull around.”
“Okay, Mom ... I think I can handle it!”
“Okay, then ... and here, hold on to this...it's my speech.”
“Got it!” Coralie said, as she took the slip of paper and walked out onto the front porch.
It was a clear night, breezy and cool. Cooler than the more recent March nights. A shiver ran through her body. But it was not the cool air that made her shiver. It was the sudden feeling of being not-so-alone. Coralie knew that she was standing all by herself on the front porch of her house, but the feeling of someone else standing near, standing close, watching her, swept over her like a blanket.
The only illumination came from a sliver of moon that hung high in the dark sky and the tiny twinkling stars that filled the rest of it. As she stared out into the darkness, her eyes found themselves searching for something, someone. She felt their presence. And she knew that if she could feel the presence, surely there had to be a source from which it came.
Her eyes continued to search the darkness around her, but they saw nothing.
Coralie instantly felt uneasy as she thought that she may have seen something ... a movement, a shadow, in the field of open landscape that rested beside her house. Concentrating on the open field, she seemed to lose sight of ... what? What did she see? Was there possibly someone out there, in the open field, amongst the waving stalks of wheat? Was there someone, out there, watching her?
Honk!
Startled, Coralie jumped at the sound of the car horn, seizing her attention. “Come on, Cor ... get in!” her mother called from the front passenger seat window.
Coralie descended the front steps and strode down the walkway leading to the driveway. She slid into the backseat. Her parents were both turned around and staring at her.
“Honey, are you sure you are okay? You seem a little jumpy tonight...” Katelyn asked her daughter, in a much calmer tone than before.
Coralie looked out of her side door window toward the black, open field. Nothing – no movement, anywhere ... aside from the sea of wheat stalks swaying in a wave-like motion.
What or who had been out there? Watching? Waiting for ... what? Her? She turned around and tried to muster up an easy grin. “I'm fine, Mom ...,” she paused, taking in a deep calming breath, “I’m fine...”
Chapter 6
When they arrived at the Talmedge University Banquet Hall, there were swarms of people. But that was the norm. Anytime Coralie’s parents hosted an event of this sort in the city, it was the most popular place to be. She stood in awe, thinking to herself that everyone inside and outside of the city must have showed. And it was still early.
Though Coralie gave most of the credit to her parents for putting together such a wondrous celebration, she did not want to discredit the University itself. Talmedge University was one of seven very prestige and reputable private universities that her father had been affiliated with. It had been named for Dr. Wade Talmedge, who founded the University in the early 1900s – or at least that’s what the dedication plaque in the quad indicated.
Coralie’s father had been offered the Head of Department position at each of the seven private universities. But for whatever reason, he had decided to stay in Thessla, and took the position at Talmedge.
Tonight's Event: a Going Green Campaign for the University. For Talmedge and for the town of Thessla, this was a major affair. Cal was the Department Head of Natural Sciences & Research for the University. Katelyn, Thessla’s event planner and coordinator, would ensure tonight's event was a success.
Coralie looked at her parents. She watched her mother, looking so put together and sophisticated. She shifted her eyes to her dad, looking ever so debonair and intelligent. She smiled with pride. Together, they made a great team.
“It's showtime!” Katelyn said, holding her hand out, beckoning her speech, which was written flawlessly on a set of monogrammed note cards.
“Break a leg,” Coralie whispered, knowing her mother would not need the wishing of such luck. Coralie never understood why her mother felt the need for the note cards. She never used them. Never even looked down at them. She always held her audience’s attention with confidence and never once looked away from them.
The night's event would consist of seven speaking parts, five of which would be from celebrities, of some sort. As always, her mother would begin the night with an introductory speech of the campaign's importance, and then introduce Coralie’s father, who would speak on behalf of the night's campaign, cause and foundation. After speaking, he would then introduce the first guest speaker and so on from there. After all of the celebrities have spoken to their audience on behalf of the cause, and the importance of “playing your part” and how to make “healthy contributions”, Katelyn would then return to the stage, giving another heartfelt “thank you all for coming and supporting our cause” followed by the “and please everyone stay, mingle ... we're all family here...” And with that said, the mingling music would begin, causing people to stir with meaningless chatter.
The Banquet Hall was filled with people mingling about. Coralie shuffled through the sea of people, and began to listen to the comments being thrown back and forth from one party to another.
“I plan to write a check for ten thousand dollars,” one would say.
“Hmph ... an insignificant drop in the bucket to my fifty thousand dollar check,” another would counter.
“You're contributions are both sad and pathetic, and will look as
such next to my check for one hundred thousand dollars ... I would think of giving nothing less for a cause such as this...” another countered to both.
Coralie tried to hurry away, hiding her laughter and disgust. This was the same bantering, back-and-forth conversations from the last event, the Save the White Seals Benefit. The Benefit held before that was the Save the Red Oaks Benefit.
But this was her life. And the society that she lived in.
Her parents were not societal and money driven like those that surrounded them. Though, both were from wealthy families, her parents chose to 'give back' and they were seemingly making it a societal trend.
Coralie continued to make her way through the crowd.
Just as she thought that she may make it to the side door, leading out onto the terrace, before being caught up with, Coralie heard someone call her name. “Coralie...” she turned in the direction from which she heard her name. “Coralie, dear...” she looked around casually then turned to be faced with her mother, who was walking toward her, followed by her father and a young man, handsomely dressed. She couldn’t will her eyes away from his. Something about him was so familiar.
“Coralie, I want you to introduce you to someone ... you may remember him from when you guys were just kids ... this is Courland, Courtland Cumberlin...”
Sticking his hand out to take hers, “Just call me Court...”
“Court...” Coralie nodded and placed her hand into his, his touch sending chills up her arm, almost electric.
“Yes, Coralie, you know his sister, don't you? Criston Cumberlin?” Katelyn asked, attempting to provide her daughter with some sort of connection.
Coralie nodded, unsurely. “Oh, yes, of course ... I don’t recall having seen her at all this semester at Chelsea, though...”
“Yes, umm...” Court started, as he looked at Katelyn and Cal, then back at Coralie, “… she's been studying abroad ... Romania ... she loves it there...”
“Oh ... wow ... Romania, that's great ... I hadn't heard...”
“Well, don't feel like a bad friend or anything ... nothing was finalized until the day of her departure...”
“Did Headmaster Norewood have to approve something like that?”
“Umm … Yes, but that was actually the easy part ... Norewood is extremely favorable of learning through different cultures. He highly recommends studying abroad for all of us...”
“It seems that you know him well...” Coralie stated, more as a question.
“Well, yes, of course ... he's a dear friend of our family ... much the same as he is with –”
Interrupting, Katelyn quickly interjected, “Coralie, dear, Court is here visiting for a few weeks ... he's also been studying abroad...”
Seemingly distracted with this, she directed her response back toward Court. “Oh, really ... where?”
“Greece...” he replied.
“Oh, wow... Greece...”
“Yes, well ... luckily, for me, I was given the privilege of choice,” he said with a smile, “... so I chose to study in the old homeland...”
“The old homeland...” Coralie repeated.
Court continued, though, a little confused by her reaction to his choice of wording. “Well, yes, ... and I guess you could imagine my parents were disappointed with me being unable to visit over Christmas break ... but when I got their phone call, explaining the situation –”
“Okay, kids,” Katelyn spoke up, interrupting again, and shooting Court a look that Coralie didn't understand. “... We thought that you two could keep each other company this evening ... maybe do some catching up ... but don’t stay away too long ... and Court,” Katelyn paused eyeing the young man, “ ... stay close to her, okay...”
Cal added, “Yeah, while we old people mingle amongst the swarms...”
“Right, Dad...” Coralie said, appearing only slightly amused, while still questioning the comment of her mother’s.
“Yes, ma’am … Mr. and Mrs. Collier, go enjoy your evening...”
“Well, then, we'll leave you two to enjoy the rest of the evening, as well ... Come on, Kate...” Cal said, attempting to escort Katelyn away.
“Coralie, stay close, won't you...?” Katelyn said, letting a bit of concern escape her.
“Of course, Mom...”
Katelyn smiled at her daughter, as she allowed her husband to escort her to the other side of the room.
“You were on your way to terrace, I believe...” Court said, jogging Coralie from her inquisitive stare.
“Oh, right...” she replied, grinning shyly, as she passed through the open door leading out to the terrace, being held opened by Court.
“So, your parents are nice...” Court said, seemingly trying breaking the ice.
“Yeah, they're great. It's just that … I guess, I just wish that –”
“They trusted you more?” he questioned, finishing her sentence.
“Well, sort of ... I mean, it's like I know that trust me, you know, I'm their daughter – of course, they trust me – but it's like they don't trust the elements around me. I just wish that –”
“They didn't worry so much...” Court finished her sentence again.
She smiled. “Yeah.”
“She worries a lot ... your mom...” Court said, perceptively.
“Yeah, pretty obvious, huh?” she said, as she crossed the space between the door and the balcony's edge.
“Do you give her reason?” Courtland asked.
Shocked by his brash and honest question, Coralie stood speechless for a moment.
Court spoke instead. “I'm sorry, that was out of line...”
“No, really, it is fine...” she shrugged. “But the answer, to your question, is ... no...” Coralie continued as she stared out into the darkness from her perch on the balcony. “They have always been very protective of me ... maybe because I'm an only child, who knows...”
“Maybe ... or maybe, it could be that they are both just loving parents that care deeply about their brilliant and beautiful daughter. I, myself, would feel very protective of something so special.”
Coralie's cheeks started to fill with bright red heat, as she took in a deep breath.
Court leaned closer to Coralie along the terrace railing, “Too forward?”
“No,” Coralie said, still blushing, “... not at all...” Then she continued, trying to sound unshaken, “I know that it's something that I should be grateful for. I mean, look around us ... I bet you that half of the parents at this event could not tell you where their children are or what they're doing, who they're with ... it's a shame! They probably couldn't even tell you their kid's favorite restaurant or their hobbies or pastimes ... You know; I am thankful. Parents should spend more time, quality time, with their kids ... you know, parents should actually share things with their kids. They should make every attempt to ensure good, open relationships with their kids. You would see fewer troubles out there, if people would take the time to be, you know, good parents ... truthful, trusting parents...” she said, finishing her rant. Coralie looked to her side, noticing the grin that filled Court lips. “What?”
“You sound just like her … your mother, I mean,” Court said, still grinning.
“I shall take that as a compliment...” Coralie said, smiling assuringly.
“You should... also, you may want to think of hosting next month's Event ... I can see it now ... The Parent Project...” Court said, waving his hand in the air, as if he were reading the stars.
“Yeah, I'll be sure to mention that at the next meeting...” she said, prompting them both to laugh, followed by endless smiles stretched across both of their faces.
Coralie looked back out into the darkness, just beyond the terrace. “Look there,” she said pointing, “you can see the park from here ... I've never noticed...”
“I take it that you like it there...” Court questioned.
“Yeah, I guess ... It's nice. I go there just to get away sometimes, you know, just to think.”<
br />
Court grinned. “Yeah, I know what you mean. I have a place like that of my own. Maybe I could show you sometime...”
Coralie's breath caught in her chest. “Yeah, I'd like that ... so, when are you leaving?
“Are you kicking me out already?” Court questioned, jokingly over-dramatic.
Looking into his eyes, she shrugged. “No, that’s not how I meant for those words to come out … I just meant, how long will you be in Thessla? How long will you be around...”
Court allowed the most handsome smile that Coralie had ever seen to spread across his lips. “Time … it's a funny thing, always uncertain ... but I will promise you this...” he moved closer, looking deep within her eyes, “... the time I do have here will be especially accommodating to the schedule of a certain beautiful, young lady.”
Coralie couldn't help but to let her face become flush with a deep shade of red once again. Gathering up some courage, she finally said, “I think I'm going to take a turn at being forward this time ... but I'm really glad that you are here, in Thessla ... and I'm really glad that you came here tonight...”
Court added. “Me, too...” causing another smile to flash across her face, as she turned to look back over the terrace.
Coralie's smile suddenly faded. “What is it? You okay?” Court asked in response to her sudden change of expression.
“I don't know. I thought I saw something...” she said, still staring out into the shadows, cast by the trees, just beyond the University's quad, “It looked like there was someone out there...”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, it looked like someone was standing, right out there, watching us...”
Court's demeanor changed, but not enough to distract Coralie from what she saw. “Hey, it was probably nothing. Look at you, you're shivering. It must be this night air, here, take my jacket.”
“Umm, thanks,” she said, as he placed the jacket around her shoulders.
“Anytime ... Now, let's take a walk back inside...” Court said, holding the door and looking at Coralie, waiting for her agreement.
Empyreal: Awaken - Book One Page 4
