by Nate Johnson
She spent the next three rolls dreading his retaliation, then just as she thought he had decided to let it go, big arms wrapped around her stomach and lifted her off the floor and twirled her around. She squealed at the surprise, and melted inside at the warm embrace.
Nolan laughed and took her place in front of her machine as he bowled a ball, purposely missing, scoring only ten points. She scowled at him with her hands on her hips then laughed.
“It doesn’t matter, you’re still going to lose.”
He laughed and nodded in agreement. The game ended with her kicking his ass.
“This isn’t my first rodeo,” she said with a smirk. He laughed and bowed in admiration.
“You hungry?” he asked.
Marla nodded her head, unable to talk. She was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of rightness. She felt like her heart was going to pound out of her chest. Everything seemed brighter, louder, and the world was full of wonder.
“Come on,” he said taking her hand in his again. Marla wondered if she would ever get used to the way it made her feel. Please God, she thought, don’t let me get used to this, keep it this special always. They left the Arcade hand in hand and were walking towards the food court when they were surprised by Cindy and Jess linked arm in arm, walking towards them. Smirks spread across their faces.
“What are you guys doing here,” Marla asked, very aware that she was still holding Nolan’s hand. She grew hot as a flush spread across her face.
“Oh, hi Marla, imagine running into you here,” Jess said, looking at Nolan like he was a double mocha and she needed a caffeine fix.
Marla’s hackles started to rise, how could her friends do this to her. The evening had been going great until now. Both girls looked at her with raised eyebrows, obviously looking for an introduction. Sighing in defeat, Marla introduced Nolan and her friends.
“Ladies,” Nolan said, smiling. For a split second, she expected them to curtsy like they were in a Regency romance novel. Instead, they both giggled.
“Excuse us, but we really must borrow Marla for a second, it won’t take long,” Cindy said, trying to pull her away from Nolan.
Marla blanched, what were they up too, she wondered? Her friends could be real pests at times. They seemed to think the world revolved around the three of them, and anything that interfered with that was obviously not that important.
She looked at Nolan and raised an eyebrow, silently asking for his acceptance of this hassle. He laughed and told her he’d meet her by the fountain. Nodding to the two other girls with a smile, he dropped her hand, sending a sharp sense of loss to replace the electric buzz.
He looked her in the eyes as if he felt it too, then left them and made his way to the waterworks at the center of the mall. Marla watched him walk away, admiring his wide shoulders and narrow hips. She had to shake her head to clear it of carnal thoughts.
“Boy, you’ve got it bad,” Jess said with a laugh.
Turning to her friends, Marla put her hands on her hips and stared at them with her sternest expression, the same one her mom used when she was pissed off.
“Why are you guys here?” she asked again. There was no way she was going to let them hang out with Nolan and her, not tonight. It was a little shocking that she was already thinking of Nolan and her. Did that mean they were a couple, did she want to be?
“We’re here to save you,” Jess said, looking disappointed that their rescue didn’t appear to be needed or wanted.
Marla’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “Thank you guys, but I don’t need rescue.”
“Is everything going okay?” Cindy asked with concern.
“Yes, or at least it was until you sent my date off into the night,” Marla said, shaking her head. “And, I’m going to go join him before he decides I have crazy friends.”
Both Jess and Cindy looked hurt at the idea that they were crazy. Marla realized that they both truly had wanted to help her, that this hadn’t been some crazy way to embarrass her. But they had genuinely been concerned.
Reaching out she gave them both a hug.
“Thanks, guys, really, I do appreciate it, but it’s not necessary, really. Things are going great,” she said, trying to keep a huge grin from her lips and failing miserably. Then she turned and walked away, waiving once over her shoulder and laughing at their stunned looks.
She found Nolan at the fountains with his hands behind his back. His eyes were staring into the water like he was trying to locate the answer to some unanswerable problem. Once again, she wished she knew what he was thinking. Reaching out, she gently touched him on the shoulder. He jumped as if prodded with an ice pick, and turned with a surprise.
“I’m sorry about all that,” she said, leaving her hand on his arm.
“No problem. You like pizza?” he said, seeming to shake off whatever massive weight had been troubling him.
.o0o.
Having paid for the pizza slices, Nolan led the way to an open table. His heart skipped a beat as he watched Marla sit down. She had to be the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her smile could melt an iceberg.
It took every effort not to peek into her mind and see what she was thinking. He believed she was enjoying herself. It would be so easy to know for sure. But he kept his barriers in place.
It would feel like a betrayal if he violated her privacy. And, what if he was wrong, what if she was just tolerating him? A shiver ran up his back at the terrible thought.
He had purposely not scanned her friends in case she had told them some awful truth about him that devastated his evening.
“You first,” he said before taking a bite of pizza. She raised her left eyebrow in question. “You know, the bet, one secret each,” he continued.
She smiled and asked, “What would you like to know?” looking a little worried.
He laughed and said, “I don’t know, tell me something about your last boyfriend, hopefully, something about how bad a person he was.”
Marla scrunched her eyes together and looked like she was terrified of something. She took a bite of pizza, obviously trying to delay things. Finally gathering her courage, she squared her shoulders and looked at him.
“I didn’t have a boyfriend, not unless you count Keith Rolland in second grade. In fact, I guess you could say this is my first first date.” She looked down at her food, embarrassed at the admission.
Nolan’s mouth fell open as he stared at her in total shock.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. Are the guys around here totally lame or what? I mean, a girl as beautiful as you should have had a thousand guys chasing after her.
She seemed a little shocked when he used the word beautiful. She shrugged her shoulders.
“Thank you. I’m just a late bloomer I guess.”
He had to bite back a smile as her faced turned beat red with the compliment. It was evident to Nolan even without scanning that she had no idea how beautiful she was. But, it was more than that. There was a sweet strength about her. She seemed to be the type of girl that could forgive a guy for being less than perfect.
Nolan finished his first slice and started on his second. Marla had chosen a single slice of cheese pizza and a bottle of water.
“Are you sure that’s enough?” Nolan asked, indicating her plate.
She looked at his four slices and laughed.
“Yes, I’m fine, and thank you again. But no stalling, your turn.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Everything!” she said with a laugh. “How’d you get the scrapes and bruises?” she asked, surprising herself with the question.
Nolan looked across the food court at a woman loaded down with shopping bags, fighting to get two little kids situated around a table.
“I was jumped,” he said around a mouthful of pizza. “I was coming out the back of the 102 club on 2nd Avenue in Seattle. The band lets me sit in sometimes, but because I’m under twenty-one I have to come in and out via the back.”
He shrugged his shoulders, as he peeked over at Marla, her eyes had gotten as big as saucers. He didn’t know if it was due to the getting jumped part or the playing in a band part.
“Anyway, I had finished up a set, and stepped out into the alley when two guys tried to mug me. I don’t think they believed me when I said I didn’t have any money.
“One of them tried to take a swing at me.” He shrugged his shoulders again, a little embarrassed but forcing himself to continue. “Anyway, the security cameras showed that I didn’t attack them, the cops had to let me go. After the ambulance had taken them to the hospital, one of the detectives told me that they should both be okay, and only one of them would need surgery. He also told me that they were both in a gang, and I might want to think about leaving the area. So we worked with my social worker, Mr. Carter, found a new foster home here in Oak Valley.”
He kept his eyes locked on his hands clasped in his lap, waiting for the explosion of hate and disgust, but Marla just sat there looking at him with eyes searching his.
“You’re telling me the truth,” she said in disbelief. Nolan nodded affirmatively.
“Wow, here I was worried about telling you about Keith Rolland.” Shaking her head she reached out a hand and held his arm. “You’re not in any danger here are you?” she asked.
Nolan breathed an internal sigh of relief and shook his head again.
“No, Detective Washington says everything should be okay. But I had to leave Mrs. Simpson and move in with a new family. They’re all right.” He had to fight hard not to show how sad it had made him and wasn’t sure he had succeeded when he saw Marla looking at him like he was a lost puppy.
“Come on, that’s enough secrets for now. You going to show me the rest of the Mall or not,” he said wiping his hands on the paper napkins and taking a last gulp from his coke.
The young couple slowly walked through the mall, joking about the people and the stores. By the time they made it to the end and turned around they had put the uncomfortable time behind them and were once again enjoying each other’s company.
Nolan kept glancing over at Marla. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was, and liked the fact that people were seeing her with him. He reached over and took her hand, watching her face for any sign of discomfort. Instead, he was rewarded with a small smile and a gentle caress as she ran her thumb over the back of his hand.
His chest swelled, and his shoulders straightened. For the first time in a very long time, the world seemed like a perfect place.
His gut clenched when he realized it wouldn’t last, nothing this good ever lasted.
His muscles tensed up when he thought about what would happen if Marla ever learned his true secret. She’d freak out and never talk to him again. He knew she’d hate him. The thought was enough to make him want to pull away now. He let go of her hand and folded his hands behind his back. Marla’s eyes grew big with a hurt look as if he had betrayed her best friend.
He started to take her hand again when a new, strange thought invaded his mind, breaching barriers like a tsunami wave swallowing a wooden breakwater.
Reaching up he rubbed his temple trying to keep the thought out, but it was impossible. Freezing in place, the thoughts filled his mind. It was different than anything he had ever experienced before. Strange and frightening at the same time.
Everyone else thought in horizontal pictures, this was vertical. Blackness on either side.
The picture in his brain showed a weird creature bent over a body on the street - A human body - feeding, with blood and gore dripping from its jaws.
The creature raised his head and twisted it back and forth until he spotted Nolan. Large black eyes bore into his soul and Nolan realized the creature knew it was being seen.
“Are you okay?” Marla asked, placing a hand on his arm, rubbing gently. Obvious concern splashed across her face.
Nolan shook his head, unable to talk, the vision was still there, and he couldn’t keep it out. Where was it coming from? Who? What? Nothing made sense.
His breath raced out of control. He had never been like this, always he could get away, but this monster continued to stare at him like he was his next victim. Nolan put a hand out and slowly made his way to a bench located along the wall. Finally finding it, he dropped onto the bench and put his head between his knees, pressing with both hands, trying to drive it out.
Marla sat down next to him, rubbing his back. “Nolan, tell me, what’s wrong. What can I do?”
“I’ll be all right in a minute,” he hissed. “Sorry, just give me a second,” Nolan whispered between clenched teeth, focusing on the feel of her hand rubbing his back.
He was scared. Why now? This wasn’t the way it should be.
The creature threw his head back and let out a scream like no sound ever heard by modern man. It reminded Nolan of a cross between a werewolf’s bay and a Grizzly’s roar. It sent a deep shiver through every one of Nolan’s bones. A feeling that he knew would never be completely gone from his memories.
He had almost succeeded in blocking it when just as quick as it came, it was gone. There was nothing left to block. How? Why? Where did it go?
Slowly he raised his head and gave Marla a gentle smile. “Sorry.”
“What happened?” she asked.
Nolan was lost. How do you explain something like this? He couldn’t risk ruining everything by telling her the truth. It was sure to come back and haunt him, but he was just as sure that he had to lie. A guilt like none other tore into his stomach, but he it had to be done.
Sitting up straight and rubbing his temple he said, “Sometimes I have migraines. They don’t last long.”
Marla let out a huge sigh of relief. A migraine was understandable. It was obvious that seeing someone as big and strong as Nolan brought low by a simple migraine was disconcerting. She reached over and hugged him. It was obviously the only thing she could think to do to comfort him.
Chapter Four
Marla’s insides were all tingly as the truck pulled up outside her house. Mom had left the porch light on. She turned to look at Nolan. What now. Would he walk her to the door? If so, would he try to kiss her? Did she want him to? Who are you kidding? she told herself. It would be the perfect end of a perfect evening.
Swallowing, she started to reach for the door handle.
“Here let me get that,” Nolan said as he jumped out and ran around the front of the truck. He opened the door and held his hand out to help her down. He continued to hold it as they walked across the grass to the front door.
They stopped and turned to face each other. Marla’s insides felt like a butterfly factory. She looked up at him and waited.
“I really had a great time. Thank you for taking me,” Marla said. She wished she knew what he was thinking.
Nolan's eyes softened, as he smiled. “Same here, thanks for showing me around.”
Reaching out he gently took her head in his hands, leaning down, he kissed her. A firm yet gentle kiss. The kind of kiss a girl would remember for the rest of her life. Her heart race and an electric shock sent tingles across her lips. He tasted like a man should taste. Strong, and bold, with a hint of pizza.
She melted into his embrace and reached up to put her arms around his neck.
The porch light flickered off and then back on. He smiled as his eyes shot to the front light.
“I think your mom is trying to tell us something,” he said.
Marla felt like she might faint, her eyes were glazed and a little lost.
“Yes, of course. Thank you again. I need to go, or she’ll never let me out of her sight again,” she said before turning and going inside. It felt like she was walking away from a warm, comforting fire, out into a blizzard.
Marla stepped into her house in a daze, not really aware of where she was. Her mind raced with the thought of Nolan’s kiss. Was it supposed to be like that? Or, was it only like that because it was Nolan.
Her mom was standing at the end of the hallw
ay with her arms crossed over her chest. She looked like the first time Marla had ridden a two-wheel bike. Standing back watching, but worried out of her mind.
“Did you have a good time?” her mom asked.
Marla nodded and headed towards the kitchen in the back. She knew she wasn’t going to put this off. Better to get it over with.
She was going to have to tell her enough so that she could stop worrying. If she didn’t, then her mom would pick at it like a scab until Marla spilled everything. Filling a glass of water from the tap, she turned and leaned against the sink.
“We went to the mall, played arcade games, had some pizza, and walked around. We ran into Cindy and Jess,” she added, hoping that might make it better.
Her mom poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table. She stared into the cup as if she was trying to discover the meaning of the world.
“I’m glad you had a good time, really honey, but I’m worried,” her mom said. “How much do you know about this boy, his family?”
“Oh mom, you don’t have to worry, we just went to the Mall,” Marla said.
“Honey, I swore that I would never be like your Nanna …”
“Mom, Nanna is one of the coolest people I know.”
“You didn’t know her during the dragon years,” her mom said shaking her head and shuddering. “I’ve got to ask Marla, do we need to discuss birth control.”
“MOM! We just went to the mall.”
“You don’t understand. Not yet. But I worry.”
“Why? Is it boys in general? Or is Nolan in particular?” Marla asked, still unable to believe they were having this conversation.
Her mom looked off into the distance and said, “He reminds me of your father.”
Marla gasped in shock, her mother never talked about her dad.
“What do you mean?” she asked, desperately wanting to know more about her father, afraid that her mom would change the subject. She held her breath waiting for an answer.
Her mom continued to look off into the distance but seemed to hesitate. Finally taking a deep breath she said, “Let me guess, he either has a motorcycle or plays in a rock band. His family is dysfunctional, but he is able to rise above it. No one understands him but you. Am I right so far?” she asked raising an eyebrow.
