Remembered

by Krista Street

  Di frowned, her gaze swinging between me and Jet. “I don’t know. Lena seemed to get agitated that Jet wouldn’t get off her and the next moment, he flew into that tree.”

  Flint’s hair was mussed as if he’d been raking his hand through it. His dark eyes met mine.

  My heart pounded. I wasn’t sure if it was from Flint’s look, that strange feeling that had been in the air or Jet shooting off me. I scrambled to my feet.

  “I…ah…”

  Di put her hands on her hips, an excited gleam in her eyes. “Did you do that, Lena?”

  Jet was now standing. He picked leaves from his dark curly hair. A goose egg had formed on his temple.

  My eyes widened. Father wouldn’t be happy. He was always concerned about one of us getting seriously injured. Out here, driving down to the local ER wasn’t an option.

  “Lena?” Di said again. Both she and Flint watched me.

  “I don’t know.”

  I knew Di, Mica and the twins had learned in the last two years that they could do more with their abilities. So far, the rest of us couldn’t. My hands shook when I looked down at them.

  In a flash, Flint was at my side. “Are you okay?”

  My whole body shook. “Did I really do that?”

  “I don’t know, but if you did, that was impressive.”

  “I didn’t want Jet on me…I kept trying to get out from under him…I…” The words stumbled out of me before I had the sense to stop talking. There was no non-embarrassing way to explain to Flint that I didn’t want Jet on me because of him. “I mean…I…”

  Sighing, I clasped my hands.

  A new light grew in Flint’s eyes. “Just as long as you’re okay.”

  “I’m fine.” I glanced at the twin. “What about him?”

  Jet’s bright blue eyes looked dazed.

  Flint shrugged. “He’ll live. Serves him right for pinning you down if you tried to get out from under him.”

  I smothered a laugh.

  Flint smiled.

  My heart stopped as I gazed up at him. Why does he have to be so good looking?

  “We better head back,” Di said. Both she and Jasper flanked Jet’s side. “Father will want to look Jet over, and we need to tell him what Lena did.”

  What I did? Did I really do that?

  Flint pulled out his compass. “Follow me.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  17 years old

  The moon was high in the sky, the forest completely black. It was the night of the lunar eclipse. Father said we couldn’t go out at night, but I didn’t want to miss it. Of course, Mica and the twins had been game when I’d asked them to sneak out with me. Flint hadn’t.

  The air outside was crisp and cold. Winter was definitely on its way. Already, my fingertips were cold.

  “Have you got the flashlights?” Jasper whispered to Mica. Even in the dark, cloudy puffs from his breath were visible.

  “Flashlights?” she retorted. “We don’t need flashlights. I can see in the dark!”

  “Yeah, you can, but we can’t.” Jet fished two lights out of his pocket and handed me one. “Good thing one of us came prepared.”

  I took the flashlight from him but kept it off. “Better wait till we’re in the woods, in case the light wakes anyone.”

  Mica pulled out her compass and got our bearings. Compasses usually worked in the forest but not always. Luckily tonight, it did.

  I switched my vision. The twins and Mica’s clouds appeared. I practiced my new skill as Mica led the way. It was hard. Pulling everyone’s clouds into one cloud usually gave me a headache. Despite practicing daily with Father’s help, I hadn’t been able to replicate the sheer power I’d conjured at the beginning of summer when we’d played Capture the Flag.

  Still, I tried.

  It wasn’t long before dark trees surrounded us. When a pounding headache began at the base of my skull, I stopped trying to manipulate the clouds. My skills weren’t working very well tonight.

  After a while, Mica stopped. She peered intently at the compass. “The cliff top should be this way.” She pointed.

  A sharp crack sounded to our left. I shifted my vision again. An orange cloud appeared. I couldn’t stop my grin. Flint was trying to hide behind a tree about five yards away, but his billowing orange cloud gave him away.

  “Flint!” I tried to keep the happiness from my voice, but Jet still snickered.

  Flint stepped out from behind a thick tree trunk. He only wore a light fleece. Jet, of course, shone his light right at Flint’s face.

  “What are you doing out here?” Jasper asked.

  Flint cleared his throat and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

  I smiled brightly. “Did you change your mind about seeing the eclipse?”

  He shrugged. “Something like that.” His voice was steely, cool and sent shivers down my spine.

  I continued smiling, like an absolute idiot.

  “Are we gonna get going?” Mica asked, her tone irritated. “If we don’t get moving, we’re gonna miss the beginning.”

  Flint fell into step beside me as we resumed walking. Every now and then, his scent drifted my way. Spice, wood and tangerines. I leaned a little closer to him.

  “Almost there,” Mica said.

  A few steps later, the trees parted and the rocky cliff appeared. At its ledge, it plummeted hundreds of feet. The expanse of the entire forest shone from this high up. It was one of my favorite places since it was one of the areas where we were able to get out in the open.

  “Grab a seat.” Jasper rubbed his hands together. “It should start soon.”

  Jasper, Mica and Jet walked to the edge and sat, their feet dangling in the air. Flint still stood by the tree line.

  I shuffled my feet. “Um, where do you want to sit?”

  When he glanced at me, I swear my heart stopped beating. His eyes were dark in the night. “Should we go to our usual spot?”

  “Yeah, sure.” I swallowed the nerves that bubbled up in me and followed him.

  We stayed well away from the ledge. Walking behind him, I admired his broad shoulders and lean build. I almost tripped since I wasn’t watching where I was going. Luckily, I caught myself before I fell.

  “Are you okay?” He glanced over his shoulder.

  “Yeah.” I berated myself internally.

  Flint stopped when we reached a large rock that jutted up from the cliff. It was the perfect height to hop onto, rather comfortable for sitting and was well away from the cliff’s edge. All criteria that made Flint happy. He jumped easily onto it, but I had to prop my hands behind me before using my triceps to wiggle up.

  “Do you need some help?” I heard the smile in his voice.

  I gritted my teeth and shimmied back. “No, I’m fine.”

  Once I was seated, we both leaned back on our elbows. The rock was ridiculously cold through my jeans.

  “Are you warm enough?” he asked.

  As usual, he seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. “Yeah, I’m good.”

  We tilted our chins up and watched the moon. In no time, the eclipse started. The moon turned to an orange hue as the earth moved steadily between it and the sun.

  “Here we go!” Jet called.

  Jasper laughed, and Mica made some comment I couldn’t hear. It was followed by another laugh from one of the twins.

  I cleared my throat and tried to watch the moon but was acutely aware of how close my and Flint’s thighs were. One little nudge to my right and we’d be touching. My gaze dipped to our elbows. Only inches separated us. As sneakily as I could, I glanced at Flint.

  His dark profile appeared chiseled in the night. He seemed completely oblivious to me, his gaze fixed on the moon. But then a corner of his mouth tugged up.

  I snapped my gaze away from him.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” He didn’t look at me, but I again heard a smile in his voice.

  A blush furiously stained my cheeks. “Yep!”

  The eclips
e lasted a few hours. I didn’t look at Flint again. He seemed perfectly relaxed and content to stay silent.

  Each minute for me, however, was agony and rapture entwined into one. I loved that I was able to share this magical experience with him, but at the same time wished we enjoyed it as a couple, his arm around my shoulders or me leaning against his side. Instead, two inches separated us all night.

  Two inches had never felt so big.

  On the way back, everyone hiked quietly. I think the late night was catching up with all of us. It would be dawn soon, and we’d have to get up at the same time as everyone else to avoid Father’s suspicion. My eyes were heavy as I followed Mica. When we returned to the cabin, I could barely keep them open.

  “You look tired,” Flint whispered when we crept inside.

  I raised my eyebrows. What does that mean? Tired as in, I look bad? Or tired, as in he feels sorry for me? I wasn’t sure I liked either option.

  “I’m fine,” I replied haughtily.

  He chuckled.

  “Quiet you two!” Mica hissed.

  We stood in the entryway. Sounds were known for carrying from this area. I gave Flint another subtle glance.

  Jet and Jasper elbowed one another. I eyed them suspiciously. They snickered a few times at Flint and me. Jet winked knowingly when our gazes met.

  My eyes widened, and I dropped to unlace my boots.

  Flint cleared his throat. I peeked up just in time to see him eyeing the twins sternly. Jet and Jasper stopped snickering and took their jackets off.

  My eyes dropped back down.

  My breath caught.

  I suddenly couldn’t breathe.

  If Flint had the awareness to make Jet and Jasper stop making fun of me, then he obviously knew how I felt. Oh crap! I hastily stood, kept my eyes down and mumbled a goodnight before darting for the ladder. My stomach sank the whole way.

  I was halfway upstairs when hands enclosed around my waist. If a hand hadn’t clamped over my mouth, I would have shrieked.

  “Quiet,” Flint whispered in my ear. He pulled me off the ladder and in a blur of movement we were in the basement at the entrance to Father’s lab.

  “What the…” I managed at the light speed departure. A roll of nausea swept through me.

  Flint frowned. “Are you okay?”

  The nausea slowly passed. “Yeah.”

  I waited for him to explain.

  “I told the others I was going outside to check something, but instead moved toward you. I did it at my speed so no one would see.”

  When Flint moved at his speed, he was a blur. “Why did you bring me down here?”

  His eyes softened.

  Is that pity in his gaze? My stomach lurched, and it had nothing to do with my previous nausea. I quickly glanced away, remembering the knowing expressions on the twins’ faces and the stern responding looks from Flint.

  He’s here to set the record straight. He’s going to let me down easily without everyone listening.

  It wasn’t the first time relationships had gone bad in our group. Jet had messed around with both Jacinda and Amber. Jacinda had been the one to break it off with him, but Amber had cried for days after Jet dumped her. Now, Flint was doing the same to me. The most humiliating part, however, was that Flint was doing it before we’d done anything.

  We’d never been anything but friends.

  “You don’t need to say anything.” My voice sounded almost robotic. “I better get to bed.”

  His hand shot out when I tried to pass. “Lena, stop.”

  Something in his voice made me pause.

  He raked a hand harshly through his hair. “I just…I wanted to…” He wouldn’t meet my gaze.

  With each moment, my heart sank more. I knew what was coming. I knew what he was going to say.

  He took a deep breath. “I know how you feel about me.”

  My stomach plummeted.

  There it was.

  The harsh truth.

  “Oh.” Tears stung my eyes. He had brought me down here to save me from embarrassment. “Yeah, well…” I didn’t know what else to say. There was no point in denying it. Apparently, it was obvious to everyone. How humiliating!

  “Lena, please don’t cry.” He stepped closer.

  Flint seeing me cry only made it worse. I never cried. I could probably count on one hand how many times I’d cried in my life, but this…I wanted it too much. I wanted him too much. He was breaking my heart, and he knew it.

  “I’m fine,” I whispered as another tear streaked down my cheek. “Really, I am.” I faked a smile through the tears.

  He abruptly pulled me to him, crushing me against his chest. “It’s just that…Lena…you’re so young, and–”

  “I know. I know!” I pushed him. “Really, you don’t need to say anything else.” I tried to pull back so I could run away, but he wouldn’t let me.

  “No, I do. Please don’t push me away.”

  I stopped fighting, but the tears kept coming. I bit my lip hard to keep from making a sound. For a few moments, he didn’t say anything. He ran his hands up and down my back. I tried not to notice how hard his arms felt or how wonderful he smelled. How long have I wanted him to hold me? Yet he held me now for an entirely different reason than what I’d always dreamed of.

  “Lena…” he said in a strange, aching voice. “I don’t want to hurt you, but you’re only seventeen, and I’m a legal adult–”

  “I know, Flint.” I cut him off. “You don’t need to explain. I get it.”

  “I don’t think you do. You’re so young and–”

  “I know!” I gave him a hard shove. This time he let me go.

  “And that’s why I don’t want to push you into a relationship,” he said quietly.

  I was so intent on getting away that it took me a moment to understand. “What did you say?” I whispered.

  He sighed harshly. “You’re only seventeen. I’m twenty, soon to be twenty-one. I know that’s not a huge difference, but I’m an adult. You’re not. It’s not right to force you into an adult relationship when you’re so young.”

  My mouth dropped. “Wait…what?”

  His gaze softened.

  I stared at him. I still wasn’t sure I’d heard him right.

  “I know I shouldn’t want you. You’re still young enough you could change your mind and decide you want one of the twins, or maybe someday we’ll leave here and you’ll want someone completely different.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I’ve been trying to not want you, but…I do.”

  I wiped the tears from my cheeks as best I could. Is this really happening? I stared at him. It’s all I could manage.

  He smiled awkwardly and tenderly fingered the curls that had fallen in my gaze. He pushed them behind my ear.

  And in his dark eyes, I saw it. All of the emotion. All of the love. All of the pent up longing. Everything I’d felt for as long as I could remember shone back at me.

  “I’ve loved you for a long time.”

  I had to be dreaming. There was no way this was real. “You love me?” I whispered.

  “Yes.”

  My breath came out in a rush as tears stung my eyes again for an entirely new reason. “I love you too,” I whispered. “For as long as I can remember.”

  He smiled and cupped my cheek. It was hot against my cool skin. “I know, but that still doesn’t change our ages or the fact that you’re a minor and I’m not.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “You should.”

  “I don’t and I won’t.”

  He chuckled and shook his head. “Always so stubborn.”

  I licked my lips.

  His gaze drifted down. His irises darkened.

  I licked my lips again. A tingly sensation grew deep inside of me, making me want to squirm. I edged closer to him, tentatively. I glanced up and laid a palm on his chest.

  His breath sucked in, and before I could blink, he pulled me tightly to him as his lips molded over mine.


  I clung tightly to him. Heat exploded within me. Never mind that it was my first kiss. Never mind that I had no idea what I was doing. Never mind that anybody could walk down the stairwell and find us. I was so over the moon by what he’d said that all self-consciousness vanished.

  I entwined my fingers in his hair, his beautiful chestnut locks. They were as soft and thick as I’d always imagined they’d be. His hard chest pressed against my softer one. He lifted me off the floor and pushed me against the wall. I wrapped my legs tightly around him.

  At first, the kiss was a little awkward. Our teeth hit a few times, and I bit him once, but then it changed. He didn’t push his mouth against mine quite so tightly and then his mouth opened. His tongue ran along my lips, questioning.

  I opened my mouth in response.

  His tongue brushed against mine.

  My heart pounded as we found a rhythm and slowly got the hang of kissing and tasting one another. Then, our hands began moving. His darted under my shirt. Mine ran down his thighs. It felt like months and years of longing went into everything. Finally! Finally! It was the only thought my brain clearly registered. Finally, he was mine.

  When he pulled back, we were both breathless. The unforgiving, concrete wall pushed into my back but I didn’t care. Instead, I felt…happy. I grinned, at which he smiled and then chuckled. He pulled me gently back to him and leaned down until our foreheads touched and our breaths intermingled.

  “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” he said quietly.

  “Probably not as long as I’ve wanted to.”

  He chuckled again, and in one of his lightning fast movements, swung me up into his arms. In the next instant, we were on the top floor, in the hallway outside of the bedrooms. My eyes widened when I looked at the ladder behind us. “How did you do that?”

  “I jumped.”

  I almost giggled but stopped just in time. The hallway was already lighting up with morning sun. I knew everyone would be up soon.

  “We better get back to bed,” he whispered.

  He carried me to my room and opened the door quietly. It appeared everyone was asleep, including Mica. Tiptoeing across the room, he lifted me and set me gently in my bunk.

  “Night,” he whispered. He kissed me softly and then was gone.