Beautiful Souls

by Mullanix, Sarah

  Leo sat very still. We were incredibly close, face to face, reading each others' expressions. We gazed into each others' watchful eyes.

  He was awaiting my response. I visibly watched relief flood through his tensed muscles, releasing his tight lips into a grin when I finally said, “I love you too, Leo…always and forever.”

  “Forever and ever, babe.”

  At that moment our lips locked, and nothing else had ever felt more right. I ran my trembling fingers through Leo’s short, blonde hair as his hands worked their way under my/his baggy shirt and they sizzled my nerve-endings along the small of my back. I inched closer. Nothing I did felt like I could get close enough to him or take in enough of him. Leo seemed to take his cue from me, and while one warm hand remained pressed against my back, his other found it’s way into my hair, pressing my head closer to his, deepening our kiss.

  Leo broke the kiss and breathed in deeply. “Only one problem.”

  I didn’t want to stop kissing him. “What’s that?” I asked, as I attempted to pull his head back toward mine.

  He gave me one more kiss to appease my wants, “It’s time to go back.”

  “Back where?” I was still lost in Leo, my head too foggy to clearly process his words.

  “I’ve arranged a little surprise for you back at your house.” Leo still panted with each word.

  The fog began to clear. “But, Leo, you know I hate surprises,” I protested.

  “No, you don’t.”

  “Okay, no I don’t. I love surprises!”

  I giggled in anticipation and Leo laughed at my giddiness.

  “How are we getting back to my house, again?”

  “These.” Leo grinned mischievously and held up something dark that he had grabbed from underneath the chair --- our flying cloaks.

  “Really?” I asked excitedly. I loved to fly. “Are we allowed?”

  “Allowed, schmowed. We’re the family Wizards now and it’s our decision to make.”

  I had a feeling my parents wouldn’t have approved, but Leo had a way of talking me in to just about anything. I simply couldn’t tell him ‘no’.

  “Here you go,” Leo tossed me the cloak and a pair of boots that had been sitting on the rug next to the front door. “Let’s get going.”

  We both pulled on our boots and slipped into the silvery, black cloaks. Leo glided over to the stone fireplace, his cloak flowing gracefully behind. He bent down, blowing his breath toward the licking flames still spiking from the hearth. The fire was snuffed out instantly, only smoldering embers and curls of smoke where left as evidence of the roaring blaze that existed mere seconds before.

  “You have to teach me how to do that.” I shook my head, baffled and impressed.

  “One thing at a time.” Leo grinned. “Right now, it’s surprise time.” Leo’s eyes danced in anticipation.

  “You’re making me crazy. You know that, don’t you?”

  Leo shot me his crooked grin. “I know.”

  “Good or bad?” I asked even though I was ninety-nine point nine percent sure of the answer.

  “Huh?”

  “The surprise…good or bad?”

  “Oh Becca, Becca, Becca,” Leo laughed. “You’re not going to get any hints out of me…but it’s good, of course. Now, no more questions.” He caressed his lips lightly over mine. “You’re going to make us late, and I really don’t think that you’ll want to miss this.”

  “Really?” I asked excitedly. “What is…?”

  Leo cut me off, “Ah, I warned you no more questions.” He grinned wickedly. “Now, you must pay.”

  I let out a squeal as Leo hastenedly grabbed me around my thighs, lifted me off the ground, then swung me over his shoulder. I protested loudly, but of course to no avail. I eventually gave in to his antics and laughed uncontrollably while I enjoyed the ride.

  The flight home didn’t take nearly as long as I had expected, and it passed even more quickly than the run out to the cottage in our shift-forms. Once we had landed, Leo took my cloak and we lazily walked hand in hand across the cornfield toward my house. I wasn’t aware whether our slower walking pace was due to exhaustion or simply a result of the relaxed atmosphere, but I savored it just the same.

  The closer we came to my yard, the more I noticed something was off. I could see, by the yellow glow, there were lights on inside the garage. That fact wouldn’t have necessarily been strange except coupled with the glare from each and every flood light illuminating my backyard, and the fact that both my parents were waiting for us on the back steps, it made the scene downright peculiar.

  “What’s going on?” I asked Leo.

  My parents waved cheerfully, relieving some of my anxiety.

  “Ah, I said no more questions. You do remember the consequences for that, don’t you?” Leo smirked.

  “No…not here.” I panicked.

  Leo laughed, “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

  My parents walked down to the driveway and greeted us.

  “Everything set?” Leo asked, as my parents nodded.

  “What…?”

  “Ah,” Leo interrupted me and I closed my mouth, shooting him a frustrated glare. “Stand right here.” He held my shoulders and squared me off in front of the closed garage door. “Now wait. Don’t move an inch.”

  Leo took off through the side door into the garage, and I heard clattering and rustling echo out into the night from somewhere inside. I turned to question my parents --- Leo couldn’t hear me or threaten to throw me over his shoulder now --- but the surprise of seeing Leo’s dad next to my parents held up my words. Mr. McMyllin grinned toward me and held up one hand. I waved and smiled in return.

  I turned back toward the garage when I was startled by the clanking and rumbling wheels of the garage door ascending along their metal tracks. The vinyl door lifted, spraying light out into the open air. The sight revealed to me was both unexpected and completely hilarious.

  Four boys --- Will, Justin, Luke, and Leo --- stood on the forefront of my garage floor all dressed in jeans, tennis shoes, and black suit jackets with t-shirts underneath. They all grinned from ear to ear.

  That was when the music started.

  Chapter 15.

  Dream Come True

  dream

  /drem/

  Noun

  A series of thoughts, images, and sensations

  occurring in a person’s mind during sleep.

  Verb

  Experience dreams during sleep.

  Background music played from Leo’s iPod docked in a station and plugged in over my dad’s workbench. The tune was familiar and after a moment passed, I’d placed it --- ‘Little Darlin’’ by The Diamonds. I shook my head in disbelief. Leo never forgot a single thing, did he?

  Leo’s dad used to have an old table-top record player that he kept in the barn. He always insisted that the horses enjoyed the music; it made them relaxed and content, he’d said. Leo and I used to dig through those old records and dance around the barn to the music when we were younger, probably around the ages of about eight or nine.

  Our favorite record --- though we had no idea what it was at the time --- happened to be ‘Favorite Doo-wop Songs of the 50’s & 60’s’; ‘Little Darlin’’ was one of the songs on that record. How did Leo do it? How could he have brought to life my perfect dream.

  I felt a hand grab my arm. I looked over to see Emmy standing by my side, bouncing with excitement and wearing a toothy grin full of anticipation and eagerness. I was so happy to see her next to me that I reached over and gave her a big ol’ bear-hug, probably messing up her perfectly styled hair which I knew she’d hate, but I didn’t care. I looked back to see Emmy’s parents standing twenty feet behind us, next to my mom, dad, and Mr. McMyllin.

  “Will told me to be here no later than nine o’clock. Your parents made me wait inside the house. They told me under no circumstances could I come out until I heard music. What’s this all about? Why is everyone here?” Emmy babbled on.


  “I don’t know,” I answered with a laugh, still baffled.

  The music grew louder and we all stared, unknowing what was about to happen next.

  All four boys lined up, side by side and shoulder to shoulder, looking slightly nervous. They started shuffling their feet, settling into their assigned places --- or purely from their nerves, I don’t know. Perhaps both. All four heads bowed in unison, their hands placed behind their backs. I couldn’t unlock my eyes from this once-in-a-lifetime sight or wipe the cheesy grin from my face.

  Singing started from the speakers. The boys’ heads lifted, then they all began to shuffle to and fro, snapping their fingers in unison. What in the world was going on here? All four guys started moving their mouths along with the words of the song, lip-singing while they danced out the choreographed steps.

  Oh, this was too much. Hilarious, but too much. Emmy and I couldn’t contain our laughter. My mom quietly sang along behind us while attempting to get my smiling, but stiff, dad to dance with her. She was unsuccessful apart from him twirling her once. He kept her appeased by placing an arm around her waist. Leo’s dad and Emmy’s parents simply smiled, the corners of their lips turned up slightly at the unusual sight displayed before them.

  One voice from the song became more pronounced; while it started in on a solo, the other voices sang back-up. Leo stepped forward, lip-singing the solo, as Will, Justin, and Luke took one retreating step back, still shuffling and snapping somewhat to the beat of the song. At the word ‘you’ in the song, Leo threw forward his arm and pointed directly at me with a big, proud-of-himself grin, then he continued.

  We heard one of the back-up singers in the song ring out in a very high-pitched “la-lala-la-la-la” as Justin ran forward, leaned over Leo’s shoulder, and belted out his little part in this whole charade as if he were actually singing the part himself.

  Laughter, from each and every single on-looker, sailed out into the crisp night air. Justin was really having fun and went all out on his singing and dancing parts. He obviously didn’t mind the attention or making a fool of himself. He was a total riot. Justin had one more “la-lala-la-la-la” during Leo’s solo and everyone giggled and chuckled again as the two boys stepped back in line along with the other two, all

  four shuffling and snapping in unison once again.

  Seconds later, Will stepped forward with a solo of his own. My God, he must be hating every single second of this ordeal, I thought. His solo was more of a lip-singing, speaking role. Will was stiff and red-faced, the same as he’d been since the very beginning of the song, but Emmy gasped when he stepped forward. Her eyes lit up as if he was Don Juan putting the moves on her. I smiled at her, but she didn’t notice. Emmy only had eyes for Will at this moment. I snickered as I visibly watched Will’s shoulder’s relax when his solo ended and he was able to step back in line with the others.

  It was so entertaining to watch all four of the guys’ personalities emerge during the light-hearted lip-singing and their dance moves. Will obviously was the least enthusiastic of the group. He appeared to be in pain throughout the entire ordeal, and I had wondered how and why Leo had ever gotten him to agree to such a thing. Will did make us all laugh more than a few times though, as we took pleasure in his obvious discomfort and pain.

  Justin was just a complete goofball. Not that that was at all a shock since he was incredibly outgoing, popular, and known as sort of a class-clown at school. He wasn’t a bad dancer and could keep the beat without much trouble, but he did all of his moves with such gusto; that’s what gave us all so many laughs. His small but frequent “la-lala-la-la-la” solos fit his personality spot on.

  Leo and Luke weren’t really funny at all; they were amazing. Both glided through the motions suavely and with great ease, not to mention their beautiful and handsome good looks. Either could have blended flawlessly with any boy-band, not that either of them would have wanted such a thing.

  I couldn’t keep my eyes off Leo. I unsuccessfully attempted to hide my awe-stricken face behind my hands to no avail. Any one of the guys could have read the turned-on infatuation in my eyes, and probably did. Occasionally, tiny gasps escaped my lips, and I knew there was no hiding them. Every movement he made had my body tingling and burning with desire. If he touched me right now I’d surely collapse onto the gravel beneath my feet, betrayed by my weak, quivering knees. Thank God the song was not yet over, and I still had time to attempt composing myself.

  Leo stepped forward with one last solo, and with another “la-lala-la-la-la” from Justin the song was almost at its end. After a few final lip-sung words from Leo, he fell back in line with the other three. On the last note of the song, they all clicked their heels together, dropped their arms to their sides, and bowed deeply accepting our cheers, whistles, and applause. Justin bowed a few more times, wanting to soak up every ounce of praise and attention he could possibly hold.

  Leo and Will disappeared off to the side of the garage momentarily, then emerged seconds later, each holding a small bouquet of red roses. Will walked shyly over toward Emmy as Leo took a few steps and a leap, landing directly in front of me. Both spoke simultaneously after sharing a glance.

  “Will you go to Prom with us?” Will asked Emmy and Leo asked me.

  Emmy and I were both presented with the rose bouquets, still wrapped in clear cellophane. I had barely reached for the flowers when I heard Emmy shout a resounding “Yes!”, and I watched from the corner of my eye as she flung herself at Will, colliding with his chest and throwing him off balance a bit. Emmy draped her arms around his neck. Will flushed the color of ripened beets, but must not have minded the P.D.A. too much considering he wrapped his arms around Emmy’s waist and planted a kiss on her that made even Emmy blush. Justin and Luke were still in the garage, high-fiving each other and shoulder-punching over their job well-done.

  “What she said.” I grinned flirtatiously toward Leo, as I motioned to Emmy.

  Leo picked me up and spun me around in his arms. I felt deliriously dizzy and happy. What more could a girl want?

  “Oh,” slipped from my mom’s mouth, and I heard her giggle under her breath.

  “All right, all right…break it up,” my dad said, as he walked toward us. No one was aware whether he had addressed all four of us or just Emmy and Will in their lip-lock, but both boys released their grips just the same.

  Emmy and I shared a ornery look as she wiped her hand across her mouth, getting rid of all evidence of their affectionate display. Will glanced around at all of the watchful sets of eyes as if he’d totally forgotten anyone else had even existed when Emmy threw herself at him. They were really cute together, completely opposites but cute, and it made me giggle.

  Leo reached for my hand bringing my attention back to him. “Good surprise?”

  I nodded. “Great.”

  “All right everybody,” my mom interjected, clapping her hands together. “How about some ice cream?”

  Justin and Luke whooped from the garage and all eight of us followed my mom to the kitchen, happy and content with this moment in our lives. We spent the rest of the evening noisily chatting and laughing around our kitchen table; it felt easy, safe, and utterly normal.

  The next two weeks had been spent preparing a multitude of details for Prom. Emmy, Leo, and I were all on Student Council and spent countless hours calling local businesses for donations --- monetary or otherwise --- to help us put toward decorations and venue rental.

  Our Student Council had already saved a little over eight hundred dollars since last summer to put toward renting out a swanky jazz club for the night, which was located at the end of Main Street in downtown Fairview.

  The Club, as it was more commonly referred to by our town’s citizens, used to be the old Paramount Theater, but when it fell in to disrepair --- a result of business slowing proportionately due to customer’s preferring the newly built theater attached to the mall over the Paramount’s one hundred year old sticky floors and drafty walls --- the b
uilding was bought, refurbished, and turned into a swanky jazz club on weekends.

  The owner made the bulk of his money by renting out the building to almost every school and business event this town had scheduled. We were given half-price due to Prom being a school event --- a deal the owner made years ago to keep our town in his good graces --- which meant only another two hundred dollars and we’d meet the rent.

  A D.J. from Indianapolis had already been secured with the money made by selling concessions during football and basketball games, so now we only needed to secure donations from a few more town businesses that have yet to return our phone calls.

  Emmy and I --- well, mostly Emmy --- decided that our best strategy would be to meet the business owners face to face in order to reap maximum profits. I didn’t argue because anything was better than sitting in a stuffy school making phone calls all afternoon. Emmy’s plan would get us out and about on this gorgeous Spring day, and who knew, maybe she was right.

  “Let’s see if the boys want to go.” Emmy beamed excitedly.

  “I’ll text Leo.” I dug for my cell and fished it out of my side pocket.

  u & Will want 2 go downtown with me & Em?

  A minute later I heard my phone chirp with Leo’s reply.

  sorry, can’t…heading out of locker room to practice right now… meet later?

  Sure!, I texted back and re-pocketed my phone.

  “The boys have baseball practice,” I relayed to Emmy. “Looks like it’s just you and me.”

  Emmy stuck out her pouting lips then bounced up a second later, startling me. “Ah! Let’s, like, run by the dress shop when we’re done. I’m feeling, like, this Prom requires some vintage-wear.”