by Debbie Kump
“I love you like a sister,” I continued in earnest. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
But Skye stared into the distance through blank eyes. No flicker of recognition remained. Not a single smile painted her lips, recalling the many times we’d fished together and gathered fruits. Nothing remained to show she ever knew me at all.
Nothing…because the spirit of Skye was dead.
So instead of mustering a verbal response, I spat in Hydros’s face. In retrospect, a more civilized response might have spared other innocent islanders their lives. Then again, maybe not. Like Skye, Hydros’s temper flared quickly.
Hydros wiped my spittle from her eye, her face flushing red with mounting fury. Nearby, I heard the loud rush of water from the sea, swelling far beyond its normal limits. The surge pushed inland, flattening everything in its path. Frightened, the islanders dropped their hold on my arms and their torches as they fled.
“Idiots!” Gaia exclaimed as their forgotten torches fell about my feet, lapping my heels with fiery tongues that quickly grew with my aid until they consumed my entire body in an agonizing inferno.
Soon, the receding wave encircled the village men and dragged them out to sea. Their drowning cries echoed in my ears as I left that world for another, fearful of what The Three might achieve…now that they had united against me.
I might have lost a friend that day, but I’d gained an enemy. And a powerful one at that. Which left only me to stop them from annihilating mankind.
I shot up in bed, shivering with sweat. Glancing around the room, I struggled to make sense of my surroundings. The red glow of the clock read 11:15 but meant nothing to me until the familiarity of the walls and furniture settled my racing heart. I’d suffered another nightmare, that’s all. Only someday, the nightmare would undoubtedly come true.
Even once my arm completely healed, I’d never be enough to stop them. I could only run away so many times before they’d win.
So why stay here? I knew I wanted stability and a family again. I felt like I had that now, especially with Micah acting nicer toward me.
But at what cost?
Outside my window, I heard a car pull into the driveway. Only this time I didn’t panic because I recognized the rumble of Tessa’s engine pulling to a stop and the tinny sound of her doors slamming shut.
She and Micah walked to the front door, speaking in hushed tones, too low for me to discern. Periodically, Tessa would burst into a muffled fit of laughter, then for a long time I wouldn’t hear either of them at all. I guessed his lips had silenced her voice.
Why does this bother you so much? They were together before you even arrived. Besides, even if she wasn’t around, there’s no telling he’d pick you.
Not when he had the lot of the junior class to choose from.
“It’s not that,” I told myself.
Then what is it? What do you want?
“To be normal.”
That’s it? Well, don’t get your hopes up. It’ll never happen.
I envisioned Tessa and Micah standing on the stoop, wrapped in each other’s embrace as they shared a passionate kiss good night. I heard the door close before Micah locked the dead bolt behind him. He tiptoed across the kitchen floor, and then Tessa’s car backed down the driveway.
I rolled over in bed, pulling my covers tight under my chin. I had a family and shelter. What more did I need?
“Okay, it’s not just that,” I whispered to myself. “I want to be loved.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The next day after gym class, I passed Karli, Tessa, and Isa in the locker room. Karli gave me a wave, but her face had a phony smile written all over it. Whatever, I shrugged and stopped at my locker in the next bay to change out of my sweaty gym clothes. Spinning my combination lock, I overheard Karli grumbling to the other girls. It took me a minute to realize she was grumbling about me.
“She’s a real piece of work,” she muttered. “Where’d Micah find her anyway?”
I heard Tessa give a reply, too soft to catch her exact words.
Then Karli let out a forced laugh. “Get real. So she’s like what…homeless?”
“Why do you think she’s always wearing Micah’s old clothes?” Tessa chuckled. “Like her hoodie…did you know his mom pulled it out of the donation pile? He hasn’t worn it since like freshman year.”
“So sad,” Isa commented, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
I bit my lip, restraining the tears that instantly welled in the corners of my eyes.
“Those are Micah’s?” Karli scoffed. “And all this time I thought she was just fashion-deficient. No offense to Micah, of course.”
“None taken,” Tessa sniggered.
Isa chimed in, “Remember what happened in Driver’s Ed yesterday? It was crazy, wasn’t it, Karli?”
“Really crazy,” she said, her laughter coming out like a stifled snort. “She totally freaked out.” Eager for an audience, Karli recounted the details of our harrowing trip through town that ended with Mr. Mendoza making me crash into the hill.
Aside from the minor exaggerations—I believe I only ran one red light, not several, Karli—her accuracy in recalling the order of events surprised me, especially when she had screamed the entire time.
When Karli concluded her tale, all three girls broke into high-pitched laughter…at my expense. And to think I had begun to feel pretty normal around here with a home, family, and friends.
Honestly, how is this any different than when you bump into the other Elementals? At least these girls didn’t intend to kill me.
My lip trembled with hurt. I didn’t care if I got detention for skipping Mrs. Bernard’s French class. They had no idea what I’d been through. And no idea of what I still must endure in order to save their lives…at the expense of my own.
I spent the whole French period hiding out in the locker room, unable to face Micah in front of the rest of our class. At dismissal, I avoided him and chose to walk home alone, taking a long, deliberate detour. The girls’ conversation replayed in my head, making me angrier with Micah, the one who started it all.
When I finally decided to return home, I barged through the front door and flew down the stairs, my face reddening with bottled fury when I found him sitting next to Sully on the couch. “You told Tessa I’m homeless?” I screamed at Micah.
But Micah’s attention remained focused on his Zombie Dominion game. He didn’t bother to respond, like he never even heard me in the first place. Instead, he built hordes of the undead to wage war against unsuspecting bands of pirates, aliens, and politicians. So I tore off Micah’s hoodie and launched it at his face. The sound from the video game suggested I made him lose another life. Big deal, that happened to me way too often…only for real.
“What the—?” Micah said. He muttered a string of curses under his breath, attempting to regain control of his characters.
I moved right between him and the TV screen so he had to look around me to see his game. “How could you?”
Micah glared at me. “How could I what?”
“You told her. And now Tessa’s off blabbing to her friends that I’m homeless. Look, I don’t need any charity handouts. You can have your stupid hoodie back.” I picked it back off the couch and threw it in his face again.
Micah lifted one arm to block the assault when Sully said, “Easy, Jordan.”
What a nice friend to cover for him. Wish I had one too. I glared at Micah. Instead of someone who spreads lies about me behind my back.
“Don’t worry about Tessa,” Sully continued, pushing a few buttons on his controller to maneuver his zombies through the incoming band of senators. “She’s just jealous.”
“Jealous?” I gasped. “What does Tessa have to be jealous of?”
Sully actually stopped playing for a moment to stare openmouthed at me. “How would you feel if someone who looked like…well, like you…moved into your boyfriend’s basement?”
I placed my hands on my hips in
defiance. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Aw, come off it, Jordan,” Sully said from his spot on the couch. “You’re gorgeous. And Tessa knows it.” His gaze quickly shifted back to his video game, sparing a pair of zombies from certain doom.
I opened my mouth, ready to sling back some witty retort when Sully’s words sank in. He really thinks I’m gorgeous? Oh, please.
I glanced over at Micah to gauge his thoughts. Though he refused to meet my gaze, the blush rose pretty darn high in his cheeks.
Gorgeous, huh? That single word magically dissolved my anger.
“Oh,” I said and plopped down on the couch, suddenly feeling a little silly for launching into a tirade. Plus I felt a little chilled having thrown my hoodie—I mean, Micah’s—away. I rubbed my arms for warmth, too stubborn to take the clothes back.
Soon Sully noticed me shivering. “Hey. I’ve got an idea. My sister Vanessa’s off at college.”
“Vanessa? What does she have to do with anything?”
“What I mean is her closet’s still pretty full. She maxed out the space in her dorm, so everything left here she doesn’t really need. Why don’t you borrow some of her clothes? You guys are about the same size.”
I rolled my eyes. “So I go from one charity handout to another?”
Sully shrugged. “Except this time, no one will ever know.”
He did have a point.
“I figure her stuff’s fair game,” he continued.
Still, I shot him a skeptical look. “I dunno.”
“It’ll be fine. I’ve raided it before.”
Though Micah seemed completely oblivious to my complaints, this comment drove him to hysterics.
“Okay. That came out all wrong,” Sully explained. “I was only looking for her—”
Now Micah guffawed even harder, preventing Sully from finishing his sentence.
“Oh, come on. Will you shut up already?” Exasperated, Sully stood up to slap Micah across the back of his head. Keeping his attention focused on his zombie battle, Micah ducked out of the way and missed the blow.
Sully dropped his controller on the coffee table and joined me on the couch. He draped one arm around my shoulder. I felt warmer already.
“C’mon,” he said, giving me a little squeeze. “It can’t hurt to take a look.”
“Why not?” I shrugged, rising to my feet. “And you’re sure your parents won’t mind if I come over?”
“Nah. Besides, Mom’s at her book club tonight and Dad’s in Denver on business. You won’t be bothering anyone.”
I raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Okay, I guess. As long as I’m not a bother.”
“Not a bit.” He placed one hand against the middle of my back, which made me shudder, but in a good way, and guided me up the stairs. I glanced over my shoulder once, noticing Micah intent on his game. At least it appeared like he was playing even though none of the characters actually moved. Almost like Micah stared blankly at the screen. Why did he have to be so irritating and confusing?
When we hopped in his car, Sully said, “You really shouldn’t let Tessa get to you. She probably just feels threatened by you.”
“By me?” I crinkled my nose in confusion.
“Sure.” He started up the car. “Why else would she go out of her way to say those things in front of everyone else?”
While he backed down the driveway, I couldn’t help but think how Sully had a funny way of making me feel better and worse at the same time.
We headed down the darkening road, a part of me thinking I should thank Sully for helping out—again—but I felt too frustrated with Micah and too cold without his warm hoodie to say anything. Sully dished me a few concerned glances. Each time he looked like he wanted to speak, but my defiant attitude seemed to silence him before he could begin.
We pulled up in front of his beautiful stucco home. Funny, for as long as I’d known him, I had never come here before. He unlocked the front door, and we entered his foyer where a crystal chandelier dangled from the lofted ceiling. When he slipped off his shoes and left them on the mat inside the front door, I followed suit.
“Her room’s upstairs,” he said, his eyes flitting toward the upper level. “Come on.” He grabbed my hand, which made my heart skip a beat, and led me up the hardwood stairs. At the top, he turned to the left and entered the first door.
Not that my basement bedroom didn’t seem adequate, because I appreciated Celia’s generosity in welcoming me into their home, but Vanessa’s room looked…well…amazing. My eyes swelled at the sight of her queen-size bed with its fluffy comforter and silky pillows, bottles of makeup lined neatly across her desk, and framed posters of pop singers staggered artistically across her chocolate-colored walls.
Sully, on the other hand, barely seemed to notice. Making a beeline for the closet, he slid the doors wide open and gestured to the contents. “Like I said before, it’s all yours.”
I gasped in astonishment. Clothes filled the closet from wall to wall. How much stuff did she own with her dorm completely packed, too?
Glancing back at Sully, I asked, “She really doesn’t need this?”
He shook his head. “She probably doesn’t even remember it’s here.”
I looked back at the clothing. “Still, I’d feel a little better if we just say I’m borrowing it.”
“Fine. Borrow it.”
“And you promise you’ll let me know if she wants it back.”
A grin lit his face. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders again and gave me a little squeeze. “You’ll be the first one I call.”
“Okay, then. As long as we’ve got that straight.”
“I’ll just be down the hall if you need me,” Sully said. A wide grin flashed across his face and he readjusted his baseball cap on his head. “Take as much time as you’d like.” Then he gave me a small wave and closed the door behind him.
“Thanks,” I called. And I meant it. Sully had gone out of his way to make me feel comfortable, while Micah didn’t bother to say a thing. Not even an apology for telling Tessa all those hurtful things.
My anger eventually faded while I flipped through coat hangers and gauged the possibilities. Like Sully had guessed, Vanessa seemed about my size. But her clothes looked a little more revealing than I preferred. Her jeans had only a two-inch zipper that rode low beneath my hip bones. Worse, I felt certain my butt crack would show the second I bent down to sit at my desk. I looked for something long enough to cover my waist, but her shirts either had low cuts in the front or accentuated my midriff…or both. Even when I yanked them down, they didn’t hide my waist. I sucked in my breath just to zip the jeans to the top. Why did clothes have to be so complicated? Even though all the girls at school wore stuff like this, I didn’t mean to draw this much attention.
Don’t worry so much. You’ll blend in. Isn’t that what you want?
Yes. Blending in sounded good and made me less likely to spot. Plus the girls couldn’t make fun of me for wearing Micah’s clothes anymore. I posed in front of the mirror, trying to let the self-conscious feelings dissolve.
It didn’t work.
Digging through the back of Vanessa’s closet, I found a zipper-down sweater to cover my waist. I slipped it on and yanked it lower over my hips.
There. That’s a little better. But I still needed a second opinion. Maybe Sully could help me out. I pushed open the door a crack. I didn’t see him in the hall, but I heard music coming from his room, two doors down.
Taking a deep breath, I tiptoed through the hall and knocked on his door, yet received no response.
I knocked again, louder this time. Maybe he couldn’t hear me over all the noise.
“It’s me,” I shouted and cracked the door open. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure. Come on in.”
I pushed his door wide, wincing at the full blast of his blaring rock. Sully lay stretched across his bed, texting on his phone.
Unlike Vanessa’s neat and orderly ro
om that looked untouched for months, Sully’s room looked like, well, like it hadn’t been cleaned in months. Piles of clothes lay strewn across the floor. How he determined which were clean and which were dirty befuddled me. His iPod, car keys, surfing magazines, and other miscellaneous items cluttered his desk. His backpack rested on the chair, probably in the same condition it was when he brought it home earlier that afternoon.
“How can you think when it’s this loud?” I shouted over the music.
“Huh?” he asked. He reached for his iPod and turned the volume way down.
With the music at a tolerable level, I amended my question. “So…what do you think?” I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the doorframe.
Sully slipped his phone into his pocket and sat up on the bed. His blue eyes widened to the point of bulging and his eyebrows rose so high they disappeared under his baseball cap. His mouth opened into a “wow,” though he didn’t say a thing.
“Well? Do I look okay?” I asked, feeling the need for some sort of verbal affirmation.
“More than o-kay,” he confessed. He scooted off the bed to take my hand and led me into his room, then closed the door behind him. He stopped in front of his wall mirror.
“See, wasn’t I right? I told you you’d look great,” he smiled. “No—better than great. Make that hot.”
I blushed. Usually I looked pretty hot right before I perished in flames and reentered this world in another dimension of the time continuum, but I didn’t think he meant that type of “hot.”
“I dunno,” I said, still self-conscious. I ran my fingers through my shiny black hair until it fell straight against my shoulders. I shifted my hips one way, then the other to model in front of the mirror. Everything seemed so formfitting, providing nothing to hide behind. Still, if everyone else wore stuff like this…
Sully squeezed my hand for support. “You look great. Seriously. And no one will ever know. It’ll be out little secret.”
“And Micah’s,” I added.
“Sure. And Micah’s,” he repeated, sounding more than a bit disappointed I chose this time to mention his best friend’s name. Should I worry that he had closed his bedroom door? Or that his mom wouldn’t return for a while?
