by West, Shay
The afternoon passed quickly. Karen brought them lunch from the Indian restaurant just down the street. Alex shoveled food into her mouth as soon as it was cool enough to eat.
“Are you going through a growth spurt or something?” Patricia asked.
“In case you forgot, we just spent four hours putting together all that.” Alex pointed to the rows of shiny new clothing racks.
“After lunch you guys can start on the stockroom,” Karen said.
After finishing every last crumb, Alex walked into the immaculate bathroom in the back of the store. As she washed her hands, the mirror shifted and wavered. She sucked in a breath and placed her hands on the edge of the sink, prepared for the disorientation she knew was coming.
Her face changed to that of a woman with long blonde hair. Alex couldn’t decide if the woman was pretty or not. She seemed formidable and strong, with hardened muscles in her neck and shoulders. Her blue eyes had a feverish cast and she seemed to be angry rather than afraid of seeing a strange face in her mirror. Alex caught a glimpse of a shield in the background. Her eyes widened when the woman placed a helmet on her head, as though getting ready to do battle.
What is with this chick?
Alex focused on the helmet, trying to discern identifying characteristics that would help her determine what time period this woman lived in. Not like I’ve been able to figure out much about the reflections in the past. As the woman turned to speak to someone Alex couldn’t see, her heart skipped a beat.
It’s a Roman helmet, I’m sure of it!
This flash of excitement was followed by dread. He’s back at it again.
CHAPTER 21
“A WOMAN SOLDIER? Seriously?” Jennifer laughed so hard Alex wondered if she was about to fall off the bed.
The girls had spent the morning shopping for school clothes. Alex was trying on every possible combination trying to find the perfect first-day-back-to-school outfit. I need to look totally hot for Drake.
And maybe Beau Johnson too? Alex ignored that, doing her best to convince herself she cared nothing for that jock loser.
She tried to ignore the larger pile of bags belonging to Jennifer. Her dad had just gotten a promotion and a large bonus check and Jenifer’s mom had gotten her a debit card to use for school clothes. When Jenifer whipped out the card, Alex had to choke back her anger and jealousy. The little cash she earned over the summer and the even smaller amount her mom had given her meant she had to be much thriftier with her purchases.
Rather than trying on clothes, Jennifer was scribbling furiously in her time travel journal. She wanted every detail about the woman in the mirror.
“I didn’t think chicks fought in battles. Isn’t that what men were for?”
“There were lots of women who fought. Especially the Spartans. They were pretty awesome.”
“Wait, wasn’t that movie 300 about Spartans?”
Alex groaned inwardly. She had tried to get Jennifer to realize that history was so much more than some movie on the big screen. Most of the time, they get that stuff wrong anyway. Alex hated watching movies supposedly based on history. Most of the time, she wanted to stand up and shout out what really happened, and that it was much more exciting than what the movie was able to portray. Maybe that’s why I like action and horror movies.
“Yes, 300 was about the Spartans, but only one small battle they fought. You really should try to read an actual history book someday.”
“Ugh, no thank you! I’d rather just let you tell me all about it.”
Alex glanced at the bag from Barnes and Noble that held a copy of the latest vampire novel for teen girls. Alex couldn’t even remember what the book was called or who wrote it. She avoided those sections of the bookstore like the plague. While Jennifer had been drooling over the vampires, she had curled up in a big chair reading about Charlemagne.
“So what do you think about this one?” Alex asked.
Jennifer rolled her eyes. “It looks about the same as the other four hundred outfits you have put together. I don’t see why you’re trying so hard. I mean, you already have Drake. It’s not like you have to work so hard to impress him anymore.”
“Ummm, hello! There are other girls out there. I have to keep his attention on me or he’ll go find someone else.” Alex turned to check out her backside in the full-length mirror. Maybe these jeans with that purple frilly top. She dug through her pile of clothes to find the shirt she was looking for.
“Will you stop digging already? I need to get all this information down if I’m going to write books about this someday.”
“I’ve already told you everything I remember. Hopefully, I’ll see her again before I have to go help her. Now, what do you think of this one?”
It took nearly another hour for Alex to settle on an outfit. It was only Thursday and school wasn’t starting until the following Monday, but she wanted to get everything planned out well in advance. No sense waiting till the last minute.
After dinner, she excused herself, grabbed her laptop, and settled on the bed. Drake was going to be online soon and she wanted to log in and be ready. It had been several weeks since she had seen Drake and she longed to see his smile, his beautiful eyes, feel his lips on hers, hold hands.
He had asked her out several times but with school just around the corner, she wanted to work in her aunt’s store as much as possible to get money for clothes. Alex was startled to notice that he called and sent her text messages much more in those two weeks than he had most of the summer.
She stayed up chatting even after her mom ordered lights out. It wasn’t hard to type in the dark. Alex was sad when she had to turn Drake down for a date that weekend. Her Uncle Mark was home for the next month and Karen had booked them all solid for the whole weekend.
-Well, I’m at least glad your mom gave in on the whole no-having-a-boyfriend thing, typed Drake.
Alex smiled. It had taken a lot of pleading on her part and reminding her mom that she hadn’t missed curfew once, that Drake always came to get her, and that she would be sixteen in only a few months. But it felt good to be able to admit that she and Drake had moved past the dating stage and had moved into exclusivity.
-Me too. Why don’t I see if you can come for dinner at Karen’s? Alex finished typing and hit enter, hoping he would say yes. Best hope Karen says yes too.
-Sure! That’d be great. Just let me know what time.
-K.
Alex yawned and reluctantly chatted to Drake that she needed to sign off. She quietly closed the computer and laid it on the floor next to the bed. As she drifted deeper into sleep, all thoughts of the evil time traveler were forgotten.
CHAPTER 22
“THEY’LL BE HERE any minute! Hurry with that banner.”
Alex shared a glance with Drake and hid her face so her mom wouldn’t see her smiling. Karen had left to pick Mark up from the airport an hour ago, leaving the three of them in charge of finishing with the decorations. C.C. was busy putting the final touches on dinner.
“That’s great right there, guys. Thanks!”
Alex and Drake jumped down off the folding chairs and took them back outside to the patio. People milled around, sipping drinks out of plastic glasses and eating appetizers.
Rather than mingle with the grown-ups, Drake and Alex headed over to the guesthouse. Alex hadn’t been inside since the day they moved out into their own house. It looked exactly as she remembered that day they first arrived in Grand Junction. Seems like more than just a year. As they made their way back to the main house, her mom waved at them from the kitchen door.
“They’re here!”
Alex and Drake followed Patricia into the house, where they hunkered down behind the couch. Alex’s heart raced. She didn’t know her uncle Mark all that well, but surprise parties always got her excitement going. Wish someone would throw a surprise party for me.
She gave Drake a small smile, trying to put him at ease. It was obvious he felt a little out of place at a surp
rise birthday party for a man he had never even met. She couldn’t remember ever seeing him so unsure, so nervous. Alex bit her lip, hiding a smile. God, he’s so hot! She liked seeing this side of him; it was so adorable.
Alex clamped a hand over her mouth when she heard the jingle of keys at the front door. Her uncontrollable giggles threatened to give away the whole surprise, but she couldn’t help it. It was even harder to control the fit of hysteria when she noticed Drake’s red face with his hand clamped over his mouth. She hit him and rolled her eyes when the people around them whispered “Shhhhhhhh!”
She heard Karen and Mark moving through the living room from her vantage behind the couch. Alex looked to her mom, hidden behind a large chair. Patricia nodded once and mouthed the words “One, two, three!”
“Surprise!”
Alex clapped her hands and laughed at the look of utter and complete shock on Mark’s face. She and Drake held back while the adults moved forward to welcome Mark back from his long tour overseas. Now that the big surprise was over, she wanted to go somewhere private where she and Drake could be alone.
“Why don’t you two help C.C.?” Patricia asked.
Alex sighed. Not exactly what I had in mind. She and Drake snuck past the mingling adults and made their way to the enormous kitchen.
“My mom would kill for this kitchen,” said Drake.
“It is pretty awesome, isn’t it? Wish ours in the new place was this big.”
“Meh, seems kind of a waste for just a couple people. I mean, it’s not like they have a ton of kids and need all this room.”
Alex frowned as they helped C.C. carry out trays of miniature sandwiches. Alex almost dropped the tray when she saw miniature cucumber sandwiches with the crust cut off.
“Was it something I said?” Drake teased as he helped steady the large tray.
“No, just wondering why Karen and Mark never had kids.”
“Well, it’s not like the guy is ever around. Kind of hard to have kids, if you know what I mean.”
Alex blushed. She and Drake had never come close to talking about sex. She couldn’t even look Jennifer or Amy in the eye when they whispered together. As soon as one of them would mention anything connected with sex, she would stammer and blush, her pulse racing a mile a minute. Jennifer and Amy would tease her endlessly.
“Geez, Alex, you act like some old grandma! Don’t you watch MTV or VH1? The Bachelor? They talk about stuff way worse than this all the time!” Jennifer would say, rolling her eyes at Alex’s prudish behavior.
She had seen those shows a few times but only when over at her friends’ houses. Her mother had a strict policy about what channels Alex was supposed to watch. Although she snuck a few times to catch the latest reality show on MTV, she adhered to the rules most of the time. It was too ingrained in her to be good.
“Guess some people just don’t want to have kids,” said Alex, hoping to stop any further talk of having kids.
She was spared any further talk by the arrival of the adults. Alex and Drake once again stood off to the side, watching the adults swarm the table.
“Hey, you two ran off before I got a chance to say thank you.”
Alex smiled up at her uncle, clearing her throat. She barely knew the man and didn’t quite know what to say.
“You guys did a great job. We didn’t suspect a thing.”
“Mom and C.C. planned the whole thing. We just helped a little.”
“So this must be Drake?”
Alex blushed. “Uh, yeah, this is Drake, my ummmmmmm… boyfriend,” she muttered.
“Drake. Pleased to meet you.” Mark shook Drake’s hand like a real grown-up.
She wanted to grab Drake’s hand and pull him away from any further conversation. Her uncle seemed harmless enough but she barely knew him; the last thing she wanted to do was subject her new boyfriend to lame adult questions.
Alex stared at her feet and mumbled answers to Mark’s questions about school, their summer, her aunt’s new store. She was surprised to find herself relaxing a little. Mark seemed really nice and genuinely interested in hearing about their activities and even promised to talk with her mom about letting her get her driver’s license before her junior year of high school.
Warmth suffused her body and she answered in more than a single word. Even Drake seemed to be enjoying himself. Alex pictured her friends having talks like this with their dad’s around the dinner table or while watching TV at night. He cares about me more than my own dad. Tendrils of guilt wormed their way through her belly, making her feel queasy.
Since her mom was staying to help after the party, Drake offered to drive her home. Alex stared out the window, chewing on her lips, trying to rid her mind of thoughts of her father. Part of her was angry at Drake for being completely oblivious to her foul mood. But she didn’t feel like talking about her dad either. Her emotions were such a jumble that she didn’t know what she wanted to do. Or say for that matter.
Drake and Alex stayed in the living room. Her mom had a strict rule of no boys in her room. What does she think we’re gonna do anyway? Alex flipped through the channels until she found some mindless show on A&E.
Although he didn’t say anything, Alex knew Drake must think she was so lame for following the rules so much. He had asked her several times to ditch school with him but she was too scared of the punishment she would face if she did. His parents didn’t care if he watched MTV or VH1 or R-rated movies. Alex could watch certain R-rated movies, but only if her mother approved first. It was maddening. She hated having to say “no” to all the cool stuff everyone was else was allowed to do.
Her frustration gave way to thrills of pleasure when Drake grabbed hold of her hand. Each time he rubbed his thumb across the side of her finger, she felt the rough callous. Her mind cried out for him to pull her close for a kiss. As if hearing her thoughts, he put his arm around her. Alex turned and looked into his eyes, lips parted, breath coming faster.
When his lips touched hers, her heart beat so hard she feared it would fly out of her chest. His hand moved slowly up her leg, making her heart beat even faster, which seemed impossible. Am I going to have a heart attack? Rather than worry, she moved against Drake’s body, melting against him, losing herself in the feel of his lips and his hands, one of which was moving up her waist. She longed to feel his hands move higher, yet she feared it too.
The sound of the car pulling into the driveway snatched her out of her sweet moment. Drake pulled away and scooted over to the far end of the couch, trying unsuccessfully to act nonchalant. Alex turned back to the TV, trying to pretend she was engrossed with what was on the screen and trying to slow her galloping heart.
“Watcha guys doing?”
“Just watching this show on decorating cakes,” Alex answered.
“Hmmm.”
Alex could almost see the frown she knew would be on her mom’s face. “We were watching this show about these guys that drive around to find old antiques. We just never changed the channel when the show was over.” She hoped she sounded convincing.
“Uh, huh. Well, I think it’s time to say goodnight.”
Alex shared an eye roll with Drake as they stood. She walked him to the door, wishing her mom wasn’t there in the room so she could kiss him goodnight. As she closed the door, she hoped the years until she was eighteen would fly by. I’ll get my own place and be able to do whatever I want.
As she got ready for bed, Alex daydreamed about what her first apartment would look like and where she would live. I’m not staying in Grand Junction, that’s for sure. She thought Denver sounded pretty good: hundreds of miles away from her mom, museums galore, clubs, universities, and a lot more book stores. She pictured her days filled with classes, a cool job in an elite clothing store, or even an independent bookstore with loads of charm. Her nights she would spend at various clubs or shows taking in all the cultural delights the big city offered. Maybe Drake would move with me. That thought filled her with more dread than thrill
s. While she enjoyed his company and enjoyed his kisses even more, she wasn’t sure she should be thinking of moving away together.
She glanced at the mirror and gasped as the image shifted. It was very difficult to see the face of the woman but Alex was sure it was the same Roman warrior from before. She squinted, trying to discern any details that would help her figure out who the woman was.
As soon as she appeared, the woman was gone. Alex hung her head, trying to catch her breath. She had been so focused on forcing the image to clarify that she quite forgot to breathe.
She climbed into bed, grateful that she wasn’t called to travel and yet disappointed at the same time. Jenn’s right. I’m liking this gift a little too much. Alex wished she could travel back in time without having to fight off the evil traveler. There were so many periods in history that would be fascinating to see in person rather than read about. Her mind whirled with the possibilities.
Who says you can’t?
Alex sat up, her heart nearly leaping out of her chest. I can go back to any time I want! She pulled the covers over her mouth to stifle her ecstatic giggling. The possibility of actually meeting Abraham Lincoln in person, traveling back to see Genghis Kahn in action, watching the Great Wall of China rise from the landscape, watching the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, or observing who really shot John F. Kennedy was overwhelming and more than a little frightening.
Get a grip, Alex!
Before she entertained the notion of traveling through time for fun, she knew she had to do the job she was born to do; protect the timeline from the evil traveler.
CHAPTER 23
“YOU GOTTA TRY OUT for the part of Juliet, Alex!”
Alex glanced at Amy. “Well, I figured you would go for that part.”
Amy shrugged. “It’s all right if you want to. I’ll try out for the part of Juliet’s mother or something.”
Amy’s tone didn’t convince Alex. “With all the work at my aunt’s store, I’m not even sure I wanna try out for theater this year.”
