by Suze Reese
“Why would he do that?”
Dad sat down next to me. “Mira, what are you talking about?”
“He…he tried to kill her. The accident. It was his fault.” I pointed across the street, but both Everett and his car were gone.
“That male?”
“Yes. His name’s Everett. And he’s nafarian. I’m sure of it.”
“Ah, yes. The boy. Mom said you’d been making inquiries.”
I wiped my eyes. “I didn’t think it was anything. But I’m sure now.”
“What makes you so…sure?”
“I…he…” I gulped. There was so little I could tell him. “He…he manipulates people,” I spat out. “He won an election when he was new to the school. And he knows things he shouldn’t.” I ran my fingers through my hair. My mind racing. “He knew you were here.”
“And you hadn’t told anyone?”
“Well…” I hesitated. “Only one person.”
He raised an eyebrow skeptically.
“But it was someone who never talks to him. And then he showed up here. Right when it happened!” I couldn’t provide the most damning piece of evidence—that I’d attempted to probe his mind just seconds before the accident.
Dad straightened his legs out in front of him, his wet clothes hugging his body. “Mira, listen, this is what I believe.”
“What?”
“I believe you have developed romantic feelings for this human male.”
“What!?”
He put up his hand to stop me from arguing. “I think you desperately want him to originate from Nreim, in order to justify your feelings for him.”
I sat up on my knees. “No, Dad, please! That is so not right.”
“Mira, sweetheart. Your mother and I can discern that you’ve been withholding pertinent information from us. We are worried about you.”
“No…no…this isn’t it.”
“Sweetheart.” He reached for me.
I pulled away. “No!”
“I sense that your heart is breaking. You are afraid of being separated from him. I’m all too familiar with that emotion.”
“No!” I stood up, holding my head. Covering my ears. “I hate him! He’s cruel! He hurt Becca. Didn’t you see him here? Laughing? How do you explain that?”
He didn’t look up at me. “I believe he was here because you two are involved in a relationship. I suspect he comes here frequently.”
“No!” I stomped my foot, feeling as childish as I looked. This was unbelievable. Of all my fears, this one had never occurred to me. I turned and ran towards the house.
“Mira!” Dad called after me. “Mother is on her way. When she arrives we will discuss having you return home with me…tomorrow.”
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Still dressed in my stupid bikini, I curled into a ball on the couch by the front window. The one where Jesse had once slept, even though his wonderful aroma had completely dissipated by now. I tried to block out the sound of my parents speaking in hushed tones in the next room. Mom tried to talk to me at one point, but I kept my face pushed into the couch cushion. Something soft fell across my back—a bathrobe.
At some point, after the house had become dark, there was a knock at the front door. Dad came in the room to answer. I froze on the couch. I could hear a man speaking from the porch. “She’s going to be fine,” the man said in a soft voice. “She woke up in the ambulance and asked for a popsicle. They just put in a few stitches and she seems as good as new.”
“Is she at your residence?” Dad asked.
“No,” he said. “She’s with her mom at the hospital. They’re keeping her for the night, just to keep an eye on her.” He sounded kind and concerned—not the neglectful father I had imagined. I wanted to get up, to apologize to him, but couldn’t force my body to move. “Tell your daughter I’m grateful to her,” the man continued. “Becca just thinks the world of her.”
A bubble burst from my mouth, releasing a sob. I stifled it, but could feel both sets of eyes move to the couch.
“Is she okay?” the man whispered.
“She’s mildly distressed,” Dad said. “But she’ll recover.”
Dad came to the couch after the man left. I didn’t even try to hide my emotions. “You should retire,” he said. “Tomorrow is a big day.”
A big day. A travel day.
I had to protest. But couldn’t speak.
I let him guide me to my room—the bathrobe draped across my shoulders. I dropped lifelessly onto the bed. I was going home. Tomorrow. Without a goodbye. What would Jesse think? Would he search for me? Would he get into trouble by asking too many questions? And what about Everett? Is this what he wanted, for me to leave? Would he leave Jesse alone? The questions circulated in my mind, giving birth to new ones, until I had an entire colony of problems with no answer.
But it turned out there was a solution. It came to me at 4:56 in the morning. My lids popped open, the digital clock the only light in the room.
My parents knew I was in love. They just had the wrong boy.
I wanted to run into their room and explain everything to them. I suspected they’d be awake, holding hands, chatting, and enjoying what would be their last few hours together. But I forced myself to move slowly and think it all through.
By six-thirty I was dressed as if I were going to school as usual. I tiptoed down the hall to my parents’ bedroom, paused in the doorway and listened. Soft whispers floated in the air, then a giggle, followed by a sniff.
“Mom?” I called in a whisper. “Can we talk?”
Mom sniffed again. “Certainly my girl. Come on in.”
My parents were sitting up in bed, just as I’d imagined, holding hands. Mom was usually gone by this time, but was apparently staying home to see us off. Her eyes were as swollen as mine, which was a good sign. I sat right on top of both their feet and crossed my legs. All my varied and intense emotions flowed freely.
“I regret this is so difficult for you.” Dad said.
“It’s okay,” I said. Mom reached out and took my hand. I didn’t pull it back. “So we’re really going home today?”
Mom nodded. “You and Dad. I have to stay and continue investigating the senator.” She was in mourning, I could tell, at losing her husband again so soon. Maybe even at losing her daughter. Which was perfect.
“And did you tell the agency why we’re going home?”
“Not yet,” Mom said. “I just arranged for the transport to leave a little early. But everything will come out in the debriefing.”
My hand quivered. “Listen, I really didn’t think I was in love with Everett. And I’m still not sure I believe it. But since I don’t know much about these things, I guess I can’t argue.”
My parents both gave me an encouraging smile.
“But…” I sat up straight. “I honestly believe there’s something not right about him. I think he’s one of us. And I need you to believe that.”
“Honey, we’ve been through—”
“I know…I know.” I interrupted her, squeezing her hand. “I just need you to believe that I believe it. Can you tell that much? Can you tell I’m being truthful about that?”
“Yes,” Mom said, stroking my fingers. “I believe that. But it’s just wishful thinking. He couldn’t possibly be one of us.”
I felt a surge of frustration, but steadied myself. Too much rode on this to lose control of my emotions. “I know the odds are really slim. But they’re not impossible. Maybe he doesn’t even know. Maybe he was abandoned here by accident. Maybe there’s a whole group we don’t even know about. I mean…there are a ton of maybes. He looks just like one of us.”
“Oh Mira, you’re just kidding yourself. Lots of humans look just like us. Brown hair, brown eyes, no distinguishing features. We’re the epitome of normal.”
“Maybe I am wrong. Maybe I’m certifiably insane. But listen…Keddil told me over and over that it would be horrible, for all of us, if I had to come home because of a ma
le. Wouldn’t it be better if we had a major discovery like that to take back with me? Wouldn’t that be better than sending me home disgraced?”
“Mira—”
“It would be better, wouldn’t it?”
“Well, yes. But—”
“Then just give me two weeks to figure it out. Just until Dad would have gone home anyway.”
Mom shook her head. Dad looked like he was considering it.
“I promise—” I quickly added— “I won’t go anywhere near Everett. Ever.”
Mom at least stopped shaking her head.
“And if I haven’t learned anything by then, I’ll go home without complaint. Maybe I’ll even learn something about the Stones.” I studied their faces. It was time for the final blow. “You know you’re not ready to say goodbye to Dad. He just got here.” Mom didn’t have to say anything. I could feel it. I threw my arms around her neck. “Oh thank you!”
“I’m not promising anything. I might not be able to change the schedule again.”
“But you’ll try?”
Mom waited with her answer long enough for me to squirm nervously. “One week,” she finally said. “If it’s not too late already.”
I paced in the living room for the next half hour while Mom negotiated with the agency. I pictured Jesse in his first class, wondering where I was, worrying. I kept my eye on the road outside, just in case he drove by.
“Okay, you have one week,” Mom finally said.
“Oh, thank you!” It wasn’t two weeks like I’d hoped, but it was much better than the alternative. I snatched up my backpack and started for the door.
“And where are you going?”
I pulled open the front door. “To school.”
“Mira. No. You said you’d stay away from Everett.”
“And I will.”
Mom’s foot tapped impatiently. “How many classes do you have with him?”
“I…uh…” My shoulders slouched. There was no way to lie, it would be too easy to check. “All of them…but I will stay away from him. I won’t go anywhere near him.”
“Honey, no. You can’t go.”
“Then how will I learn anything about him? It won’t do any good to just sit around here.”
“I don’t know. Come inside and we’ll think about it.”
I stayed in place, my hand on the doorknob, my brain scrambling for another argument, but I could only think of one. “What about work? Can I at least go to work?”
“He won’t be there?”
“No,” I said firmly. “It’s after school is out.” Though he could be, he was always hanging around after school. But it was close enough to the truth.
“Then you can go to work. When it’s time.”
I stepped inside and dropped my backpack, deflated. Jesse would be worried sick by the time I got to the school. And I’d miss seeing him in all the hours until then. Not that I saw him much. But still, I had choir and art history. Two precious hours stripped away. I went back to my spot on the couch and curled up with my head on the backrest. Nothing but my eyes moved as I watched Mom’s Saab pull out of the garage and onto the road. Dad came in and offered me some sliced cucumbers for breakfast, but I shook my head.
After what felt like hours, a car pulled into Becca’s driveway next door. Becca jumped out of the car as enthusiastically as ever. The only sign of nearly drowning the day before was her hair, cut close to her head. But even the relief of seeing Becca looking so well didn’t ease my anxiety. I had a week to figure out a way to prove that Everett wasn’t what he seemed, or I would be out of options. I’d be forced to say goodbye to Jesse without any assurance that he was safe. I wasn’t sure exactly what danger I feared…maybe that Everett would tell the Stones about my relationship with Jesse, or that he’d cause an accident similar to Becca’s. I just knew that something bad felt imminent and I had to stop it.
At some point during the eternal day Lacey sent a text.
>>Everett told me about your little neighbor. So sad.
Seeing the name Everett in print made me want to chuck the phone across the room. But I held onto it and typed a reply:
>>Have you noticed how Jesse is today?
>>Not sure. As moody as ever I guess. lol
Yeah. Hysterical. I studied the message before asking my next question.
>>Could you ask him if he has a phone number yet?
The reply came back almost instantly.
>>No way toots. I love you, but he scares me.
I felt a swell of anger at Lacey. Then realized I should feel sorry for her. If Everett was using some kind of mind control, as I suspected, then maybe Lacey couldn’t control the way she felt about him.
Ten minutes before the final school bell was set to ring, I jumped off the couch and headed to the door. “Bye Dad,” I called. “It’s time for work!” I slammed the door closed without waiting for a response and walked as swiftly as my legs would carry me to the school.
When I could see Jesse from a distance, I increased my speed. He was outside the door of the janitor’s closet, scanning the parking lot. I pushed through the busy parking lot, my gaze on nothing but his distant form. A car honked when I stepped in front of it.
Jesse looked in my direction at the sound.
I kept moving, faster, my urgency mounting.
His face lit up, flushed with relief. He started to wave, but then his face registered concern. I moved undeterred towards him, not slowing as I drew near. Tears pooled in my eyes. My throat felt tight and swollen. My chest heavy. One week. My victory suddenly felt so shallow. Even in the best of circumstances it had only gained me one more week with Jesse. I stepped into his embrace, still moving forward, pushing on him, until his back hit the wall behind him.
“Mira…” Clearly surprised, he hesitated before tightening his arms around me.
I buried my face into the curve of his neck, my body shaking with sobs.
Jesse’s body relaxed slightly and he pulled me in close, rubbing my back. “It’s okay.”
I’d been a fool to think I’d go easily. That I’d just get on the transport because Dad told me to. In that moment I knew that even if I were able to spend a hundred years with Jesse, I’d still fight against my dying breath for the luxury of one more day…one more hour…one more minute in his presence.
I was vaguely aware of Jesse shifting positions, clutching my arms, shaking me gently. “Mira…Mira…give me a minute.”
I was sobbing, I realized—unabashed and loud.
“Mira…I’m going to talk to Leo for a sec. All right?” Jesse’s face was directly in front of mine. He wiped a tear from my cheek. “Just stay here, okay?”
My breath came out in quick gasps. I hiccupped, and looked around, embarrassed. There were more students on the walkways than usual for this time of day. Jesse released me and stepped inside the janitor’s closet. I hugged the wall, swiping at my tear-soaked face. Jesse spoke quietly to Leo. I heard my name, something about my not feeling well. Leo responded in Spanish, too softly for me to make out the words.
“Dejalo en mis manos,” Jesse responded in a sharp voice. I knew the phrase. I’ll take care of it.
I took a step back when he came out of the closet. “What…what’s going on?”
Jesse put his hand on my back, directing me towards the parking lot. “You’re in no condition to work. I just told Leo I’ll do both our shifts later.”
“No Jesse—” I tried to stop walking.
“I wasn’t asking your opinion. It’s just a fact.” He pushed on me again.
I was too weak to protest. “Where are we going?”
“I’m taking you home.”
“No!” I planted my feet. “My parents aren’t expecting me back for a couple of hours.”
He shook his head. “Not yours. Mine.”
“Yours?”
“Yes, I have one you know. And a mom, I believe you’ve met her—in a way—and a dad. Plus a dog, a golden retriever named Butch. And two little br
others.” He grinned, exposing his brilliant, white teeth. “Twin nightmares. But no one’s there right now except the dog.”
I tipped my head and squinted at him. How could I feel such an intense love for a complete stranger? “I didn’t even know you spoke Spanish,” I said.
“Well, only a few phrases.” He continued walking across the lawn.
“And twin brothers?”
He chuckled and nodded.
“How old are they?”
“Ten.”
“How come you never talk about them?”
He touched another tear on my cheek with his finger. I leaned into his touch, trying to push away the thought that we shouldn’t be seen this way. “Neither of us seem to talk about ourselves or our pasts much,” he said.
I nodded. “My past isn’t something—”
“No don’t,” he touched his finger to my mouth. “No excuses. I’m willing to tell you all about mine. But first I want to hear why you missed school today. The whole school’s been talking about Becca drowning. Everett’s making himself sound like he saved her. Which is obviously bogus.” He had steered us off course slightly, away from the parking lot, towards a bench on the lawn. “Mostly I want to know why you showed up a basket case just now. But there’s something I need to do real quick first. Will you be okay waiting here?”
“Sure,” I agreed, though I wasn’t really sure. I never wanted to be away from him again.
“I’ll be right back,” he said in a gentle voice, then broke into a jog towards the center of the school. When he was out of sight, I put my head in my hands and rocked gently in the same motion Jesse had used to soothe me moments earlier.
“Good to see you made it to school,” a deep voice beside me said.
I didn’t have to look up to recognize it.
“It would be even better to see you in that hot bikini again. I’m getting kind of fond of it you know.”
My first instinct was to reach out and slap him a second time. But I remained motionless, focused on staying calm. My next instinct was to get up and leave, to step away from the aura of disgust I could feel even from the far side of the bench. I had told Mom I would stay away. But that didn’t really count, since Mom thought I was in love with him. Besides, maybe I’d learn something useful from him. I decided to take the extra measure of storing a record of the conversation for later review.
