Nora winks at me before she leaves to work with Sam, a curly haired girl with glasses who Nora is in constant competition with. James and I worked on shielding last week, so we both walk to the mat together. The circular electricity current above us looks powerful with blue and yellow bolts rotating around, reminding me of a merry-go-round.
The colors mesmerize me into a trance until James pulls me back to reality. “You going home for the holidays?”
“Yea, I’m excited to see my mom. A lot of the things that drove me crazy are the things I miss the most about her.”
“I know what you mean, though I kind of wish I was going to Celestial City, so I could just check it out. I hear they have an endless amount of nectar for Celestials during the holiday.” Nectar is a Celestial drink that amplifies our energy. It’s supposed to taste different for every Celestial.
“I’m sorry to miss that, but I’m sure they’ll have some at the New Year’s Eve party.” Wayward is hosting a NYE party, and the entire school is required to attend.
James’ usually lower voice raises as he says, “I don’t know if you have plans, but would you want to maybe go with me to the party?”
My stomach drops, and I reply carefully, “Thanks for the invite, but I’m going with Easton. We are actually spending Christmas together too, which should be interesting.” Without a family he can remember, Easton was planning to go to Verve, the Celestial City, but I couldn’t stand the thought of him all alone on Christmas.
James doesn’t even pretend to be okay with my answer as he crosses his arms and speaks tightly. “I guess even Celestial girls pick the jerk to date.” I feel shocked by James’ response and try my best to search for the right reply, but James stops my words before they form. “I’m sorry. Let’s just practice. I’ll be shield.” He then trudges to the other side of the mat, avoiding eye contact.
I am saddened by our exchange and feel even worse that James’ shield seems wobbly and insufficient to block my energy blast. After about two minutes of struggling, James pulls his energy together into a thin shield of energy and I shout in his direction, “Ready?” He nods his head yes and I try to send a small energy blast his way, but I accidentally send a thick bolt of lightning hurling towards him. James’ flimsy shield is no match for my bolt, disappearing on contact, as James is thrown across the room.
I run to James in a panic. I can’t believe I did that. I may have strong abilities, but I’m completely unable to control them, which worries me. “James, I’m so sorry. Are you hurt?”
His hair is standing up and his eyes are wide as he replies, “It’s okay. I just need a second. “
Blake is suddenly at our side. “James, you should be fine, but I’m going to send you to our healer, Jim, just to make sure.”
James nods in Blake’s direction, grabbing my hand as he says, “I’m 100% okay. Don’t you worry at all.” His words make me feel better as Blake levitates James out of the room. Everyone in the class turns in my direction, looking at me with fear like I’m evil incarnated.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Breaking
Lili - Making Memories
Easton and I arrive to my mom’s house on Christmas Eve. To my surprise my mom is waiting for me inside with a table full of our favorite foods filling the house with the smell of sugar cookies. She has the whole downstairs decorated in Christmas decor—looking like an elf barfed up red and green. Her normally judgmental face has a huge smile on it as she runs to the door and hugs me with all her might.
“Lili!! I missed you so much!” Happiness radiates from both of us as my mom pulls back from our hug and notices Easton standing next to me. “He’s much cuter than you said over the phone. Nice to meet you, Easton.”
Easton seems thrilled by the mention of my mom and I talking about him, but my reddened face is less than thrilled. He extends his hand to my mom. “Hi, Ms. Araica. Thanks for letting me join you for Christmas.”
My mom warmly grins at Easton as she turns to me and lifts her eyebrows up and down in a ‘he’s hot’ sort of way. I instantly look for a place to hide. This is the mom I remember.
After all niceties are exchanged, My mom takes Easton on a tour of our downstairs. “Here’s the living room, the kitchen and the bathroom. It’s small but cozy.” Our house doesn’t need a tour, everything is visible when you walk in, but Easton and my mom seem to enjoy walking around, so who am I to say anything. Easton looks around the space with wide eyes, taking in the red, green and blue Christmas decorations flooding every available space.
His face lightens with humor as he turns to my mom. “Very Christmassy.”
My mom stares at him laughing at his remark. “I went a little overboard. I just wanted Lili to have a great Christmas. I haven’t seen her in forever, and you two are staying for such a short time.”
My mom’s thoughtfulness sends a warmth through my body. “Thanks, Mom. I love it. Is it okay if we get settled in upstairs? Did the Christmas elf decorate my room too?”
“No. I left your room exactly how you had it.”
I start to head up the stairs when I realize I’ve forgotten a very important question. “Mom, where should Easton sleep?”
She responds with mischief, “Oh yea. Follow me.” She leads us to my room smiling deviously as she continues to talk, “I’m well aware that you two have probably already slept together, and as long as you’re safe, I have no problem with you both sleeping in Lili’s room.”
My mouth hangs open as Easton quickly responds, beating me to the punch. “Thanks, Ms. Araica. I’d love to sleep in Lili’s room.” Easton enters my room as I slowly follow behind, glaring in my mother’s direction.
My mom notices my stare and quickly returns downstairs yelling as she fleas, “I’ll be downstairs if you guys need me! Dinner will be at seven.” I slowly enter my room, watching Easton walking around taking in my belongings. I stand silently, refusing to give him a tour like my mother did.
He slyly arches his eyebrows as he sits on my bed bouncing up and down, smirking in my direction. “Now that I’ve met your mom, I understand you so much more.” His hand pats the spot next to him on my bed as he adds, “The bed’s comfortable. Perfect size for two.” He smiles at me then adds, “I’m just kidding. Don’t worry about the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor.” His offer puts me at ease, and I sit next to him on the bed.
I speak with confidence, though all I feel is fear. “What about my mom makes you get me more?”
“I see where you got your sense of humor. I also understand why you hide aspects of yourself that you shouldn’t.” Easton stands up and walks over to my dresser to pick up a silver picture frame with my dad, mom and me inside posing for our traditional yearly family photo. “Is this your dad?”
The mention of my dad feels like a punch to my gut and I turn away from Easton, attempting to hide my reaction. My glance shoots to the Star Wars movies in the corner of my room. Easton places my old family picture down and walks over to my Star Wars movies, smiling as he looks through them.
I attempt to explain their reverence to me as Easton’s eyes softly listen. “My dad and I used to watch the whole collection every year. It was our thing.”
My voice waivers, imploring Easton to move closer as he asks, “I’ve never seen them. Are they good?” His question is ridiculous.
“Are they good? They’re only the best cinematic masterpiece of all time.”
“Oh, really? Is that all? Well, maybe you’ll let me watch them with you.” A memory of my dad regurgitates in my mind. I remember him telling me that I’d have to continue the Star Wars tradition with my husband and our kids, making sure it was passed down.
I feel worry coming from Easton as he grabs my hand. “Did I say something wrong?”
I shake my head no as tears stream down my face. I try to explain my reaction to Easton, but I feel as though he gets it and me. “I’m usually fine, but being here brings it back.” Easton lets me go and stares at me with tenderness, propelling me
to continue talking. “I had a dream about my dad’s death, and I tried so hard to stop it. So hard…but I couldn’t. He died in a car and I experienced his death twice.”
Easton’s eyes furrow as I feel empathy radiating from him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had dreams like that. How long has that been happening?”
“For my whole life. My dreams are difficult to interpret and prevent. I know it’s a gift, but sometimes it feels like a heaviness I can’t get rid of. I don’t know if I’d rather know a disaster is coming and fail, or never know and live happily.” It feels so freeing to release my thoughts to Easton. For years I’ve been bottled up, afraid of rejection, but I’ve never felt that way with Easton.
Easton’s silent as he takes in everything I’ve told him. After a minute he says, “I guess I’d rather know. At least you have control of your destiny.” I’d never thought of my premonitions that way. I look at Easton, realizing he’s right.
As the time creeps closer to seven I hear my mom yelling, “Dinner is ready!”
Easton and I stop our conversation and head downstairs to a taco buffet, our family’s traditional Christmas Eve feast. We hurriedly grab as many tacos as our plates will hold and sit down at the kitchen table.
Easton starts to take a bite of food, when my mom stops him. She turns to me and says, “It’s Christmas Eve. We need to pray before we eat. Go ahead, mija.” My mom grabs Easton’s hand as she closes her eyes.
I haven’t officially prayed to God since my father’s dead. Even after finding out I was a Celestial, which seems odd when I think about it. I used to feel God all around me, and then I didn’t. I try to remember that connection as I close my eyes and begin the pray
“I’m sorry I haven’t talked to you for a while. Thank you for sending Easton, James and Nora to me. Thank you for my mom and my dad, and all of their love. Please help my mom find peace and happiness—she deserves it. Please let me be good. Good to others. Good in all things, avoiding evil. Help guide me when I’m in need of direction. I’ll try to listen. Oh yea, thanks for our food and these delicious tacos. Amen.”
My mom releases our hands and says, “Always a dramatic babbler, this one. It’s a prayer, not a text message.” I shake my head at my mom and then look at Easton who seems lost in thought.
As my mom’s distracted with her food I whisper in Easton’s ear, “You okay?” He nods and takes a bite of food.
My mom’s attention turns to Easton and me as she asks, “Easton, is your family religious?”
Easton takes a telling breath and answers the best way he can. “I don’t really have a family. I’m an orphan.”
My mom nods in understanding as she continues to ask Easton questions. “How do you feel that shaped you?”
“Uh—well I suppose it has made my current relationships all the more special.”
Easton’s answer surprises me. I notice my mom staring at my reaction, as she throws another question out. “What do you think is special about your relationship with Lili?”
“When I first saw Lili, I was in a darker place. I was numb to the world focusing on the wrong things, but Lili came along and showed me a life I didn’t know I was missing.” I forget my mom’s in the room as my face lights up listening to Easton’s description of our weird relationship.
My mom’s half smile lets me know that Easton’s answers pleased her. She turns toward me and begins talking like Easton’s not in the room. “I like him. I’ve heard a lot of answers from Easton, but you are unusually quiet over there. I’d like to hear your thoughts on your relationship.”
I feel the need to hide, but know that would only make it worse, so I hesitantly answer her intrusive question. “I’ve never been in a relationship for a reason, because I never met anyone right for me. I never felt I could be myself—the baggy shirt wearing, freak of nature that makes me, me. Easton, he gets me.” I take the last bite of taco before quickly putting my plate in the sink. I feel Easton staring at me, but I’m too embarrassed to return his glance in front of my mother.
We continue our family traditions after dinner. We all sit on the couch watching Christmas movies and eating junk food until it’s almost midnight. Easton and I sit next to each, sparks fly between us, making me barely pay attention to the movies as we exchange flirty l back and forth. Our relationship feels different, like Easton’s energy has opened to mine.
After our last movie, my mom heads to bed and Easton and I follow her upstairs.
Once inside my room I open the bottom drawer of my dresser, pulling out a Santa nightgown that I wear every year on Christmas Eve. My mom wears a matching gown, and it’s one of my favorite traditions.
Easton holds a pair of soft, black shorts in his hands as he stares at my pajamas. “I usually just sleep in shorts. Is it a requirement to wear Christmas pajamas?”
“You can wear regular old shorts, but all the cool kids wear seasonal PJs.” I turn around and quickly slip off my clothes off and put my pajamas on in a hurry. When I turn back around, Easton’s in his shorts and getting in the bed of blankets I made for him on the floor.
I crawl into bed and shut the light off, wishing we were closer as I say, “I’m glad you’re here.”
“I wouldn’t want to be with anyone else.”
I smile in the dark as I slowly fall asleep.
Lili- More predictions
I’m in a dank, darkened jail cell with only a flickering candle providing light. My energy feels raw and dark, as though it’s been injured beyond repair, unable to process all that transpired to land me here. I feel someone’s death linger in the air, as their memory is too painful for me to think of. Footsteps echo in the room as my eyes dart to the entrance, where my vision is limited by the lack of light.
As the steps draw nearer, I feel a darkness enter the room as a malicious slithering voice taunts me. “If you don’t accept your fate, more deaths will follow.”
The threat makes my heart ache. “How can I trust you’ll keep your word? That you won’t hurt anyone else?” The Darkness’ shadow expands on the walls hanging over me as its voice fills the room.
“You don’t, but I’ve proved that if you try to fight, I will kill those you love.” Unable to bear anyone else I love being killed, I reluctantly agree to the terms.
“Okay. I won’t fight the memory eradication. I will go willingly.”
I wake in bed out of breath and panting. My mind circles around the death I felt connected to in my dream. It was someone incredibly important to me, and the first Celestial that pops to my mind is Easton. Did the Darkness kill Easton so I would willingly proceed with the memory procedure?
I reach for my bedside Yoda light, needing to see him alive sleeping next to me.
As the light floods the room, I see Easton walking towards me with concern coursing through him. “Lili, are you okay? Did you have a bad dream?” As Easton moves closer to me, I start to calm my frazzled brain.
I answer him, even though my mind is still recalibrating. “I’m okay. I just need a minute.” I move over in my bed motioning for him to join me. “I don’t want to talk about it. Would you sleep next to me?” He quickly gets in my bed and puts his arms around me. His body knows exactly what I need as his energy calms my fears, becoming one with mine. I take a deep breath as the lights go out and we lay in bed together.
He tenderly whispers in my ear, “I’m here if you want to talk. Whatever you need.”
I’m not sure what this dream means or if it’s related to my last dream, but now I’ve had two dreams with the same darkness within it, and in both dreams Easton has died. I feel uncertain how to even prevent either dream, but I’m sure of one thing—I’ve got to locate who the Darkness is.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Wopnin
Easton - A Bermuda Christmas
I wake peacefully with my arms tightly wrapped around Lili’s petite frame. I lay without moving an inch, not wanting to let her out of my arms. Her skin is soft, and she smells of lilac, which I bre
athe in an out contently.
Lili shifts, turning around to face me. “Were you smelling me?”
I can’t help but laugh in response. “Maybe.”
She teasingly smiles, saying, “Celestials are freakier than I thought.”
“Takes one to know one.” We both laugh from our exchange, laying back down together. I wistfully want to lay here for the rest of the day, but we must go to Bermuda to find Baxoney, and I’m nervous over the danger that awaits us. Lili rolls over me and stares at her Star Wars old man clock in a panic. “Crap, we have to leave to the airport in an hour.” She jumps out of bed pulling me with her. “Time to get up.”
I follow Lili downstairs where we exchange Christmas presents with her mom. The gift swap makes me wonder about my past life and if I ever did something similar. Once the present exchange is over Lili sadly says goodbye to her mom, and we head to the airport in a rush.
The joy from the morning feels forgotten as my head becomes foggy with fear every hour we get closer to Bermuda and Baxoney. Lili and I try to pass the time by watching her mom’s Christmas present to me, the entire Star Wars collection. The movies’ theme is a battle between good and bad, reminding me of the importance of our success in Bermuda.
When we exit the airport, we are greeted by a luxury black SUV waiting to drive us around Bermuda. Adolfo, our large and in charge driver, loads our suitcases in the trunk while I open Lili’s car door. All Celestials have credit cards that are given to them after their memory eradication procedure. This way, we can travel within the human world in ease.
Bermuda is an isolated island with Atlantic views and honeymooners crowding the surrounding pink beaches. The ocean water transcends from shallow teal into deep radiant blue, and the island’s atmosphere amplifies love.
Adolfo looks at us through the rearview mirror, asking me in a metered voice unaffected by the beach’s lustful vibes, “Where to first?” Baxoney is hidden within Crystal Cave, a popular tourist attraction on Bermuda. Because the Cave has tours during the day, we are unable to find Baxoney until the cave closes at five, giving Lili and I a couple of hours before we can search for Baxoney.
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