by Irene Kueh
"Are you crazy?" I asked.
"Don't get me wrong. I hated every second in the forest, but now that I'm out here, I would like to do it again."
"Are you serious?" I stopped walking and stared at my friend, wondering if she was okay. "Did you hurt your head or something?"
"Think about it," said Juliana. "You and Andrew in the woods. I noticed how you two grabbed each other's hand when the Zombies appeared."
"We did?" I asked. "I didn't realize I did that."
"I doubt he did either," said Juliana. "You two look cute together."
"Did you forget about Lady Marian?"
"She left him and drove away as soon as she got out of the woods."
"Wow," I said. "How did you know?"
"I asked Andrew while we waited for you." Juliana pressed her key fob to open the trunk. "And he didn't sound too concerned either. I bet you have something to do with it."
"Don't be silly," I said, as I dumped my overnight bag into the trunk and grabbed my purse.
I closed the trunk, and someone honked at us. We turned. A shuttle van stopped. The door opened.
"Greetings," said the driver.
"Jesse!" I sprinted up the stairs and hugged him. "Am I glad to see you!"
"Good to see you too, Elrenia, and you too, Juliana."
"Glad you're in one piece," said Juliana.
We took a seat behind Jesse.
"So what happened when we split up?" asked Juliana.
"First of all, I'm sorry," said Jesse. "I felt like such a loser when I split like that. After a few seconds, I realized you guys weren't with me. I turned and Sonia leapt past me like a reindeer. I tried to go back, but the Zombie got me." He snapped his fingers. "I was out just like that."
"You're the lucky one," I said. "Did you hear about Michael?"
"What happened?" asked Jesse.
"He broke his arm," I said. "And Juliana hurt her ankle."
"Oh no," said Jesse. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," said Juliana. "It's Michael I'm worried about."
"Where is he?" asked Jesse.
"The paramedics drove him to the hospital for X-ray," said Juliana.
"That's why you're lucky, Jesse," I said.
"I thought so too. Then, a lot of the folks said they had a blast although the Zombies beat them."
Juliana smiled at me. "At least someone agreed with me."
I thought for a while. "I guess you two are right now that I'm out of the woods. It was fun."
"Let's ask Jon to organize this game again," said Jesse. "I want to help the team to win next time."
"We did," I said. "So your sacrifice was worth it."
"You found all five bottles?" asked Jesse.
"Yes," said Juliana.
"We rock!" said Jesse, as he stopped in front of the house.
"Are you driving all night?" I asked.
Jesse glanced at his watch. "I'll be done for the night in an hour. I'll find you guys later."
"Great," I said. "I'll give you the Rum."
"Yummy," he said.
We thanked Jesse and got off the bus. Juliana's cellphone rang.
"Unknown number," said Juliana.
"It could be the hospital," I said.
Juliana pressed the green button. "Hello," she answered. After a few seconds of silence, Juliana asked, "Is he okay?" Juliana nodded. "I'll be right there… No, it's your birthday. I'll drive Michael home." She ended the call and sighed.
"Is Michael okay?" I asked.
"Doc wanted him to stay, but the stubborn guy said he'll rest at home. I told Michelle I'll drive him."
"Then, what are you waiting for?" I asked. "Go!"
"I can't leave you here. Let me see if Michael left his keys in the car."
As she turned to leave, I grabbed her arm. "No time for that. I'll call a cab."
"Are you sure?" asked Juliana.
"Yes, I'll be fine. Now go."
"Thank you." Juliana kissed my cheek and ran the way we came.
"Is everything okay?" asked Andrew.
"Juliana's driving Michael home," I said.
"Well at least, he doesn't have to stay at the hospital."
"True," I said. "Oh, I need a cab. Any suggestions?"
"Why?" he asked. "Tire problem again?"
I grinned. "Not this time. Juliana drove her car. I came with her."
"Aah…" He nodded. "Stick around for a bit. I'll drive you home."
Did he just say he would drive me home? The handsome Angel, Andrew Gritt, is going to drive Elrenia Kitrusen home? I needed another shower to cool myself down.
"Is that okay?" he asked. "Or we can leave now."
"No, I'd like to stick around," I said. "Do you have extra vehicle here since Sonia took off."
"We drove in separate cars," said Andrew. "She has plans with her sister tomorrow."
"I see."
"Let's enjoy the evening." He offered me his arm. "Shall we, My Lady?"
I curtsied as I took his arm. "Certainly."
Chapter Fourteen
Andrew gave me the tour of the inside of the ranch house. The wet bar near the living room was every bartender's dream. People filled up their drinks like water. To my surprise, Andrew didn't touch a drop.
Andrew opened one of the bedrooms at the far end of the house. "This is where I sleep whenever I visit Grandpa."
His bed had a black and white striped sheets and pillowcases. The dark brown curtains also portrayed his masculinity.
I stepped inside. An opened door revealed a beautiful marble tiled bathroom. "Nice."
Andrew smiled. "Yes. I would have offered it to you if someone occupied the other bathroom."
How considerate. The thoughts of Andrew slipping into the bathroom while I showered entered my head. I groaned.
"Are you all right?" asked Andrew.
"I'm fine," I said. Before I did something I'd regret, I stepped out of his bedroom. "Show me the backyard," I said.
We walked in the garden and looked at the goldfish. Although I had seen them earlier, I wouldn't mind staring at them over and over again. As long as Andrew stayed beside me, we could do something, everything, or nothing at all. I meant in the cleanest and well-behaved way possible. After a few minutes, he led me to the only swing in the garden and helped me get on it.
"This is paradise," I said. "So calm and peaceful. Not like L.A."
"I like it out here." He sat next to me. "But I miss the ocean."
"Of course," I said. "You love to surf."
"How did you know?" he asked. "My surfboard was in my car when I helped you with your tire."
Oh no, what should I say? I opted for the truth. "I saw you surfing that day."
He turned to face me. "You mean the day…"
"Yes, the same day you saved my life."
"Wow, I didn't notice you."
Of course not, I thought. "I was sitting under a tree. Actually, I didn't watch you surf. I saw you walking toward the beach." So were many other girls, I wanted to add.
"Aah…" He didn't elaborate.
"Is that good or bad aah?" I asked.
He chuckled. "I like you," he said. "You speak your mind, and are full of surprises."
"I like you too," I said. "I'm so glad we're on the same team."
"Same here, Elrenia. You're my Angel."
"No, Andrew Gritt, you're my Angel," I blurted.
For a few seconds, we stared at each other. He leaned closer. I dared not move or breathe. He lowered his face toward mine. A melodious strumming sound of guitar broke the spell. He jerked back and pulled his phone from his pocket.
He looked at the Caller ID and sighed. "I'm sorry," he said. "I have to take this." He slid off the swing and took a few steps away from me.
Since I didn't like people listening to me talking on the phone, I decided to give him some privacy. A wooden bench under two lamp posts at the edge of the garden caught my eye. I headed toward it, but not before I heard Andrew raise his voice.
I hurried toward the bench and sat down. Andrew shook his head. The light from the lamp post dimmed. I glanced up. It brightened. Spooky. Sitting not far from the entrance to the Forgotten Forest gave me the heebie-jeebies. The rectangular lamp with frosted glass looked enchanting. The images of the Elf, the Angels, and the Zombies came to mind. Okay, enough of this. I power-walked toward the fish pond.
"Sorry about that," said Andrew. "That was Sonia."
Ah, my arch-enemy. "Is everything okay?"
He shoved his hands into his shorts pockets and nodded a few times.
"Do you need to leave?" I asked.
"No," he said. "Do you?"
I shook my head. "You can go if you need to be with Sonia." The name left a bitter taste in my mouth.
"She'll be fine," said Andrew. "Hey, how about tasting some of Grandpa's homemade wine?"
He hadn't touched a drop of beer or wine when we were together and suddenly he wanted to have some of his grandpa's home brew. That phone call must have made him mad or gotten on his nerves.
I nodded, as I needed something to numb this strange feeling inside my soul. "I'd love to."
"Let's head inside. The wine's in my room."
His room? He invited me to his room again? I better behave, I told myself. One of the twins met us at the door. Without the paints on their faces and the distinct colors on their hair, I couldn't tell them apart.
"Hey, Andrew," she said.
"Hey, Michelle," said Andrew. "I don't know if you two have met. This is Elrenia."
"Hi," I said, unsure what else to say.
"Hi," said Michelle. "My brother introduced us earlier. Congratulations, by the way. You guys kicked ass."
"We were lucky," said Andrew.
"Your grandpa's a gem," she said. "He cleared his sparkling garage for us to crash for the night. He even moved some futons in there and gave us blankets."
"Nobody needs to sleep in the garage," said Andrew. "We have enough rooms for everyone in the house."
"You know Marilyn," said Michelle. "I'll be calling it a night soon. Some of us want to crash early, but Marilyn wants to keep partying. She'll stay out there."
"You ladies know how to party," I said. "Today's a memorable one."
Michelle grinned. "The game was fun. Hats off to your team again!" She gave Andrew's arm a playful slap. "Lucky you. I'm jealous."
"What can I say?" Andrew cleared his throat. "I was with the best."
"Yes, you were. Oh, sorry about Sonia," said Michelle. "What a spoilsport."
Andrew laughed. "She's mad at me, said I left her when the Zombies attacked. I reminded her she took off like lightning, leaving us all behind."
Michelle laughed. "She's so silly. Don't worry. She'll get over it. Well, I'm going to find my evil twin. Thanks for coming." She turned to me. "Nice meeting you, Elrenia."
"Same here," I said. After she left, I turned to Andrew. "How did you tell the twins apart?"
"It was hard at first," said Andrew. "After hanging out with them, I can tell the difference. Michelle's the mellow one. Her twin's the social butterfly."
"Ah, that's why Marilyn painted a butterfly on her face."
"You got it."
We entered his bedroom. The cobalt blue bottle of wine sat on his pillow. He jumped on the bed and picked up the bottle. I stood in the middle of the room, unsure what to do. Should I join him? Should I sit on the loveseat? Before I could decide, he wrinkled his brows and leapt off the bed. Great, did I do something wrong?
"I better give you the wine since I'll be driving tonight."
Guilt gnawed at me. He planned to spend the night. I had just ruined his weekend. I remembered he mentioned something about enough room for everyone.
"We can stay," I said. "I'll sleep on the couch."
"No!" he said. "Yes… I mean, you can stay. But you're not sleeping on the couch. You can sleep in here."
"I'm not sleeping in your bed." I touched my lips with my fingers. "Sorry, that didn't come out right."
He laughed. "I can sleep on the couch. You can sleep in my… I mean you can take the bed."
I joined his laughter. "I can't steal your bed," I said.
He snapped his fingers. "Do you want to crash in the loft? It's big enough for both of us."
"There's a secret loft in this house?" I asked.
"It's in the attic. I call it the loft. Sounds cool." He grinned. "So, what do you think?"
"I want to see this loft."
"All right." He put the wine on the table and handed me his two fluffy pillows. He peeled off the comforter and grabbed the wine. "Come with me."
We headed toward the back patio. Instead of walking outside, he turned toward the bay window. He pressed on a round brown thing behind the curtains. A low buzzing sound from above my head made me look up. A metal ladder unfolded and slowly descended from the ceiling.
"Watch your head," said Andrew.
I inched close to him. "I didn't realize there's an attic… I mean a loft from the outside."
He smiled. "The attic is grandpa's least favorite place. He can't find the right staircase. Until it's done to his liking, he won't announce its existence."
A white light shone from the square hole in the ceiling. "I'm sure it's lovely like the rest of the house."
"It's my favorite," said Andrew. "Do you want to go first or you want me to lead?"
"You go first," I said, fearing of Zombies.
Andrew ran up the stairs. When I reached the attic, Andrew stopped by the rectangular window and pressed on the same round thing on the wall. The ladder folded and rose back up. I scanned the area. Apart from the thick burgundy carpet and two fluorescent tube lamps hanging from the ceiling, the attic was bare.
Andrew opened the tinted window. "I'm glad Grandpa installed this awning window. At least fresh air can flow inside. If it's too hot, I can get a fan."
I sat and looked out the window. "The breeze feels good."
"Yes, it does," he said. "Oh, there's a working bathroom at the corner. It's not as fancy as the ones downstairs, but it works."
"That's all that matters," I said.
He spread the comforter on the carpet and placed the pillows against the windows.
My heart and soul stirred.
As long I'm with you, Angel, I don't care if I sleep in the Forgotten Forest.
Chapter Fifteen
I sat on the comforter, facing the window and stared at the garden. The two lamp posts by the bench I occupied a while ago looked so beautiful. They also appeared safe from up here. Andrew opened the wine bottle.
"Oh no!" he said.
I held my breath. "Did you cut yourself?"
"No," he said. "I forgot the glasses."
I blew a sigh of relief. "You almost gave me a heart attack."
"I'm sorry." He stood. "I'll be back in a minute."
"We can drink out of the bottle," I said. "If you don't care."
He said back down. "Not at all." He smelled the wine before handed me the bottle. "Dandelion wine."
"Dandelion… like the flower?"
"Yeah," said Andrew. "I can get another wine, if you like? How about the Chianti?"
"No, I want to try this flower wine," I said as I held the bottle close to my nose and inhaled. "Fruity."
"Grandpa added some lemons and oranges," he said. "Do you like white wine?"
"Yes," I said.
"Then you'll like this one."
I held the bottle to my mouth and hesitated. "You go first."
Andrew chuckled and took a sip. He wiped his mouth. "Wow! If you like sweet wine…"
I didn't wait for him to finish his sentence. I took the bottle and drank.
"Well?" he asked.
I took another swig. "Now, this is the kind of drink that warms your tummy and curls your toes."
"I gather you like it."
I gave him the bottle. "This Dandelion wine beats my favorite Ice wine by a mile.
"
Andrew took his turn and handed the bottle back to me. "I should warn you that all of Grandpa's home brews have high alcohol content."
"Too late." I wrapped my arms around my knees and pulled them up close to my body. "I'm feeling the buzz."
Andrew snorted and splashed some of the wine on me. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to spit on you." He wiped the side of my cheek with his hand.
"Don't worry about it," I said. "Now, we're even."
"Yes, we are." He joined me on the floor and we took turns with the wine. "So what do you do?" he asked.
"I go to school and work part time. How about you?"
"I graduated last year. I help my cousin designing homes now."
"Seeing this house, I'm not surprised to hear that." I lay on my stomach and propped up on my elbows.
My head swayed, but I didn't want to sleep. I plopped my head on the pillow and lay on my side facing him. He looked down at me and for a few seconds, we stared at each other. Sonia came to mind.
I broke the silence. "Remind me to thank your grandpa for this wine."
"Will do." Andrew lay on his side and faced me. "Tell me more about yourself…"
We talked and laughed all night long. I didn't know when we dozed off. But I remembered waking up with a killer headache. When I sat up, I thought a bunch of C4 exploded in my head. Sweat dripped from my hair and face. My shirt stuck to my body like glue.
"Where am I?" I asked myself.
A moan beside me made me jump. I hit my head on the window. "Ouch!" I rubbed the back of my head.
Andrew's eyes sprang open. "Elrenia, are you all right?" He sat up. Strings of curses escaped his lips. "What happened?" He lowered his head back on the pillow. "Why is the floor moving?"
I couldn't answer him. My throat was dry. I stared at the cobalt blue bottle between our pillows. As I leaned forward to pick up the bottle, my hand grazed his pillow. It was wet. What in the world happened? I stared at him. His whole body glistened in sweat. It took a minute for my mind to register that he didn't wear any shirt, exposing his six-pack abs. I looked further down. Thank goodness he had his shorts on.
Andrew squinted at me. "Did we finish the wine?"
I tipped the bottle upside down. "I guess so," I said. "Why are you soaked?" Either the alcohol did the talking or my crazy curiosity took over, I touched his bulging bicep with my index finger.
He stretched his arm and pulled on my shirt. "So are you. What happened?"
"I don't remember." I held the bottle and lay down. "Last night, did we…"
Andrew turned to face me. Our eyes locked. Sonia's face haunted me again. I cleared my throat and looked away.
My head pounded with every movement. "Ouch, why did I torture myself?" I asked.
