by J. L. Weil
She opened the DVD case and hit about a gazillion buttons before the movie actually started to play. Her TV and Blu-ray equipment frightened me as much as blood and gore.
She hit the light switch as Austin took the recliner next to me. He handed me a bowl of popcorn with a brownie in the middle. I settled in my seat and waited for the credits to role.
“You better not jump in my lap,” Austin warned grinning. He looked so cute in his Dolce and Gabbana gear and smelled like expensive cologne.
“Funny, just remember you sat next to me. It’s not my fault if you lose an arm.” I was notorious for jumping out of my seat or grabbing whoever was lucky enough to sit beside me. I couldn’t help it, scary movies made me skittish.
“Sometimes you’re more fun than the movie,” he teased, but I’m sure there was truth to it.
I threw a piece of popcorn at his head and then shoved a handful in my mouth.
“You’re going to regret that later,” he threatened. It was only a matter of time that he got me back. “Where’s dark and sexy tonight? You should have brought him along. He could have been dessert.” Austin practically drooled at the prospect and I was right there with him. I hated to admit it, but I missed him – a lot.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t think about it,” I admitted, not completely true. I always thought of him.
“Does he taste as good as he looks?” Austin purred.
“Better,” I assured, amused. Both of us smiling like fools, I refocused my attention back into the movie, which was difficult now that I’d pictured Gavin.
Halfway through the film I managed to only attack Austin once and his arm survived. But he started to lean out of me reach. It was around then that I began to get a chill. Not the kind where I was cold, but the crept out kind. I tried to convince myself that it was just the movie but my body wouldn’t listen. My concentration was blown and I couldn’t shake the ghostly feeling that someone was watching me, like those moving eyes in a painting. The images on the projection screen forgotten, I scanned the candle lit room trying to find the source of my discomfort. I even stared hard at the cinema posters hung on the walls. Mentally I made a note to ask Gavin about ghosts. In the mean time I was going to pretend that this paranormal activity was a hoax.
“Austin, knock it off,” I whispered, even though I knew it wasn’t him.
“What?” he asked, confusion flickering in his eyes.
“Nothing,” I grumbled, incapable of shaking the negative vibes that started to crawled over my skin like centipedes. The feeling of being trapped onto my own horror set. Even scarier, no one else knew it. Now that I knew real evil existed, I was more on edge.
The vibe permeated the air and slithered along the floor, withering between the recliners. There wasn’t anything visible to be seen, but I could picture it all the same. My eyes ran over the row of recliners behind us and I tucked my feet underneath me. No way was that creepy thing tugging on my toes.
“What are you staring at,” Austin whispered watching me.
He rattled me out of my trance. I had to pull my eyes from the floor. “Nothing,” I mumbled, not wanting him to think I was off my rocker – a true possibility.
“Are you sure? No offense, but you look pale and your eyes are weird,” he stated honestly.
Tori leaned out over her chair. “What is going on?” she demanded of the interruption.
A sweeping wind came barreling across the room. I studied both of their faces waiting for the astonished look – it never came. The movement gave me goose bumps and the instinct to run; it prickled at the back of my neck. Moments later the room was engulfed in darkness as the flames from the candles extinguished – that got their attention. I heard Tori’s gasp and Austin prattled, “What the hell.”
“That was bizarre,” Tori complained, hitting pause.
An understatement and she took the words from my mouth. Movie night was over for me. I needed to get out of here before I did something completely irrational and stupid – like tell them I feel ghosts or I am being haunted by some supernatural being or whatever crazy notion my mind could concoct.
“I’m sorry guys, but I think I should go home. I’m not feeling so well,” I admitted, totally true if you considered my mental health.
“You need to get home before your ass faints on us,” Austin proclaimed. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
A hysteric laugh escaped my lips.
“Are you sure you can drive?” Tori asked, obviously thinking I might pass out at the wheel or was delusional.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” I got up to grab my things.
I raced down her driveway and slammed myself into my car. Quickly locking the doors, I turned the key and shifted in reverse. The need to escape was wild inside me. I needed distance from whatever that was. Shoving my free hand in my purse, I dug around for my phone.
He answered on the second ring, “Are you okay?” Gavin asked, pathetic that those were the first words out of his mouth. Was I really that screwed up?
“Are there ghosts?” I inquired immediately, trying to keep my voice even and not psychotic.
“What are you talking about?”
“I don’t know. I mean I do know. It’s just…” I started crazily rambling. Get a hold of yourself. “I was wondering if there are ghosts here… with us?”
He was silent on the other end, not a good sign. “Yeah there are some spirits that walk this plane. Where are you? I’m coming to get you,” he demanded.
“I’m driving, I just left Tori’s and am almost home,” I told him. Actually I had just passed his street.
“I’m on my way over.” He hung-up, never even waited for me to respond.
The dial tone rang in my ear. I looked at my clock. It was late and most likely my aunt would be sleeping. I never snuck a boy into my house before; there was a first time for everything. “Great,” I said to no one in particular. Hitting the gas, I raced to make sure I beat speed demon to my front door. I prayed that he didn’t wake up the entire neighborhood with the sonic boom engine of his.
Pulling up my driveway, I turned off my lights, grabbed my bag from the passenger seat and opened my door. Rummaging for my house key, I turned toward the house and bumped into something solid.
“Shit,” I yelped, looking up into to Gavin’s shadowy face. “You scared the hell out of me,” I accused, hitting him on the arm.
He put a finger to his mouth and hushed me. “Shhh, you are going to wake up the whole block.”
“Me,” I said. Glancing at the rear of my car, I saw there was a little white Jetta parked behind it. “That’s not your car.”
He raised the eyebrow with the silver bar. “I know. I borrowed my moms. My car would wake the dead and I figured that wasn’t such a good idea this late.”
He was killing me here. I ran a hand through my hair and leaned back against my car. “How did you get here so fast?” He didn’t live far, but I literally just pulled in.
“Have you seen me drive? Though the Jetta doesn’t have the greatest pick-up.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever. Let’s get inside.” I was still freaked out but I knew I was safe now.
Cracking the front door, I peered inside checking to make sure my aunt was indeed sleeping. The coast looked clear. All the lights were turned off except for a small one in the kitchen. Motioning with my head, we slowly walked through the kitchen and up the stairs to my room.
I closed the door to my bedroom carefully behind us and turned the lock with a tiny click. He’d been in my room before, but never like this.
The clothes I had on from tonight smelled like popcorn and probably had buttery stains smeared on them. “I need to get out to these clothes real quick. I’ll be right back,” I whispered.
He grinned devilishly at me and I knew that this was going to be a long night.
He was sitting on my bed when I finished in the bathroom, looking sinful. I stood at the door a moment feeling nervous, jittery and energized all at once. He watched me with his eyes as I walked across the room and sat cross legged on the bed next to him.
“Tell me what happened,” he asked keeping his voice low.
The room was dimly lit by my ornate desk lamp. “I don’t know. It’s probably nothing.”
“If it was nothing you wouldn’t be upset and you wouldn’t have called me,” he rationed.
He was right. “I was at Tori’s and we were watching a movie in her theatre room. I started to feel this… presence like we weren’t alone. It’s hard to describe,” I said biting my lip. “I couldn’t see anything, but I knew it was there. Does that make sense?” I asked uncertain.
He nodded his head. “Yeah, it makes perfect sense. You are a magnet for trouble.”
I grabbed the nearest thing I could find and chucked a pillow at his head. He caught it midair and grinned at me. “And then I started thinking about ghosts. Tori had a lit a bunch of candles earlier and they all went out at the same time. It was so strange.” What I didn’t say was how bad whatever it had felt.
“I leave you for one night and you start hanging out with the wrong crowd,” he joked. Though under the teasing tone was caution. “I’m sure it was a spirit. What I don’t know if it was seeking you or something in Tori’s house.”
I glanced down at my hands twining the bedding. “It – it felt personal,” I grudgingly admitted.
“That’s what I’m worried about.” There was a line of apprehension on his brow.
“I don’t understand,” I said frustrated. Lying down on my pillow, I sighed.
He lied down next to me, our faces no more than a breath away. Staring at the ceiling he swirled his hand in the air. “Let’s worry about it later.”
Sighing, I glanced above and watched as sparkling shooting stars beamed across my ceiling. Their tails left stardust trailing behind them and scattering over our heads. He knew just how to distract me.
“Don’t leave,” I said softly. The idea was wild and reckless, but I couldn’t let him go. For reasons beyond my control I needed him. My safety depended on it, my sanity depended on it and my heart depended on it
He twined our fingers together. “I won’t leave you Bri,” he promised.
He opened up his other arm and I moved into his arms. Laying my head on his chest, I listened to the even, rapid beat of his heart. His free hand played with the strands of my hair, sending a different kind of shooting stars down each tendril. There was nothing in my world that even came close to the experience of being in Gavin’s embrace. I doubted there ever would be.
Chapter 21
I CORNERED HIM FIRST THING in the morning at school. “Hey, what happened? You were gone when I got up this morning,” I loudly announced irritated. I knew I was looking for a fight when I woke this morning alone and god dammit he wasn’t going to disappointment me.
He shut the door to his Charger. “Calm down Bri,” he advised in an even controlled tone, so unlike anything I was feeling right now.
The sky had been sunless and gray when I’d left my house. Clenching my teeth together, the surge of anger rushed me. “Don’t tell me to calm down.” Each word layered the streaming heat pumping in my vessels. It was slipping out of my control again and there was nothing I could do about it.
People began to take notice of us in the parking lot, but they were the least of my concerns.
“Okay. I won’t,” he answered too composed for my liking.
“Don’t patronize me,” I hissed, teeth still ground together. The sky darkened and clouds rolled in turmoil above.
A small crowd had stopped and glanced our way. “I think we should go somewhere else to finish this,” he advised lowering his voice.
Throwing my arms in the air the winds started to howl. “I don’t care about them,” I barked.
He took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to best handle me. “Look Bri, I had a good reason. I was looking out for you.”
“How was that looking out for me?” I yelled at the same time the sky opened up and crackled with lightning and exploded with thunder. The oncoming storm fed the anger I was feeling, feeding it with its electrifying currents.
His eyes looked up at the violent show above and took a step towards me. “I thought it would be best if I was gone before your aunt found us,” he explained, his voice stable.
The mention of my aunt weakened a chip in the wall of fury I’d been building. In the rational part of my mind I knew he totally had a point. But that still didn’t absorb the illogical disappointment turned insane rage I felt at waking without him. I was treading on dangerous ground and becoming irrationally dependent on him. The one night with him had spoiled the rest of my nights forever. His scent still lingered on my sheets and would taunt me for nights to come I was sure.
“You said you wouldn’t leave,” I argued, the root of my hurt.
His arm reached out tentatively for my hand.
Lighting lit crazy patterns in the sky. “Don’t touch me,” I yelled and stepped out of his reach. The haze had not yet entirely receded. I was afraid I would hurt him. And hurting him would kill me.
“I’m sorry Bri,” he professed.
The last bell for first period rang and the parking lot was mostly empty now except for a few stragglers who were hurriedly trying to seek shelter.
Tears started to burn my eyes, spilling over my flushed cheeks. They were washed away by huge raindrops that began to pour from the ominous clouds. Wiping away the tears and rain with the back of my sleeve, I shook my head unable to speak. I was feeling ashamed of this out of control violence in me, ashamed that I was crying, and most of scared that I loved him. I turned and walked away.
“Bri,” he called, and I knew it was only seconds before he caught up with me. I wasn’t really prepared to go up against a witch, but I had to get away from him. Taking off at a full run, the rainfall pelted me in the face. My own tears drenched and blurred my eyes.
Defying the elements and any reasonable explanation, I made it to my car and fumbled with the lock.
“Bri,” my name sounded behind.
Slamming the door shut, I revved the engine and pealed out of the parking lot. My eyes were glued to his as I approached him. They were glowing with magic. I knew that there was only a very slim window of opportunity to escape what he was brewing, but I had to try. Pressing down hard on the gas, I floored the poor aging mustang. Please let me through, please let me through, I repeated over and over again. Once I reached the main road, I eased up on the gas and took a much needed breath. I hadn’t the foggiest idea what just happened, but I wasn’t going to look a gifted horse in the mouth.
Now that I had ditched school again just where the hell did I plan on going? There was only one place I really wanted to be right now. I thought it was pretty good idea to hurry. There wasn’t much time before Gavin would be following me in his extremely faster Charger. This car had no hopes of out running that, not in its present condition and there was no doubt in my mind that he would be at my wheels.
Every few minutes I would check in my rearview mirror expecting to see his black muscle car trailing me. My face was salt streaked from my dried up tears and the storm looked to be passing on, but still left the sky darkened from the aftermath. It wasn’t until I pulled up to a secluded section of Topsail Beach that I relaxed.
Getting out of the car I was hit with my favorite smells and sounds. The crisp, clean ocean air and the gentle lulling waves, the sound itself was enough to bring me peace. Walk
ing down the wood planked boardwalk, I was glad to see few people wander the beach. If there was anything I wanted right now it was solitude. Pesky seagulls bomb dived the churning waters in attempt for a fresh catch.
Finding a spot just far enough from the shoreline to not get wet, I sat down hugging my knees to my chest. I lost myself in the rippling of tides washing over the sand, uncovering seashells from the depths of the ocean floor. As a little girl, my aunt took me here every week in the summer. We spent hours gathering shells, playing in the unpredictable waters and making up stories about the mermaids who lived below those rapid waves. I always had a fascination with mermaids as a kid, thanks to Ariel.
Right then that memory made me missed my aunt in a way that I hadn’t in a long time. An ache bloomed in my chest. No longer wanting the solitude I original sought, I wished she was here. Closing my eyes I laid my chin on my knees, basking in the sounds. I don’t know how much time past when I felt him.
“How did you find me?” I asked before he made his presence known.
He sat down beside me in the sand, his shoulder touching mine. “Magic.”
I hadn’t thought about him being able to track me. The idea was both disconcerting and relieving. He’d always be able to locate me. “I bet you’re no fun to play hide and seek with,” I said. My heart swelled that he cared enough to look for me.
His lips upturned at the corners. “Sophie never thought so,” he replied.
“It isn’t something Sophie can do?” I wondered aloud, more than willing to avoid what had driven me here in the first place.
“No and it drives her nuts.”
“How does it work?” I asked.
He shrugged. “It’s part of a defense spells. Easier when it is someone I care about,” he explained.
I swallowed thickly.
“It’s a locating spell. The closer I am to the person the faster I can locate them, but I can find anyone if I have something personal of theirs. Though that spell takes time,” he finished.
That had me thinking. “How long have you been here?” I asked holding my breath, waiting in anticipation.
