She nodded and calmly walked through the terrace door, though she still felt the presence of eyes watching her every move.
The breeze from outside took one more whip through her hair. Coralie tried to casually flatten her tousled hair, without notice from Court.
No such luck.
When Coralie tried to steal a quick side glance, Court was staring at her with the intensity of his bright blue, beautiful eyes.
This caused a wave of sheer delight to come over Coralie. Court was so beautiful. So refined and proper. So handsome. So wonderful. So charming. Was he really so interested in her?
She shook the thought, as she suddenly caught sight of her parents, who to her surprise were not wearing their usual exuberant smiles. This was a look of concern. The same look she had seen grace the surface of their faces more recently than ever before.
Court led her across the floor. She could tell something anomalous was going on. She locked eyes with her parents and mouthed the words, “What's going on?” The both of them just stared at her.
Cal shifted his eyes to Court. Court nodded, as if to answer some sort of silent question.
Coralie looked around, unable to shake the eerie feeling that something strange was about to happen.
The guests were all still lingering in small crowds around the room. Coralie shifted her eyes from the sea of guests to her parents then back to Court. His disposition wasn't entirely different from the terrace, but not quite the same either. He seemed to bear an incredibly protective gait. Protective of what? Her? Why was he trying to protect her? And more importantly, what from?
She looked at him, as he stared deep into her eyes.
Then, in an instant, the lights went out...
Chapter 7
The Banquet Room of the University was pitch-black. Coralie felt a sense of panic shoot through her body. Sounding shrieks filled the room. She felt a hand grab ahold of hers. “This way...” Court said, leading her through the darkness.
Coralie began to protest. “Wait –”
“No, we have to go ... now, Coralie...”
Coralie began her protest where she left off, “Court, my parents ... I've got to find them...”
“They're fine! We'll find them later ... right now ... we've got to get out of here...”
“I can't just leave ... they'll worry about me...” Coralie pleaded.
Coralie felt Court pull her near him in the dark. “Coralie, you must listen to me ... I promise that your parents will be fine ... my only concern is getting you away from here ... so, you must trust me...” He paused, allowing the only sound to come from their breathing.
“What is going on?”
“Do you trust me?”
“I trust you.” Coralie felt no more need to argue. The sincere tone of his voice was convincing enough. His words made up for the blindness that the darkness had created. She did feel that she could trust him. In an odd sort of way, she just knew that she could. The familiarity had set in again. She felt that she had always known that she could. How was that possible?
Court continued to lead Coralie by the hand through what seemed to match the black abyss. They could hear swift movement and panicked chatter all around them. Yet, somehow, through all of the commotion, even with their swiftness of travel through the room, Coralie felt no one. No one was around them. Of all the unnerved guests flitting around, bumping into one another, she felt no one around them.
Suddenly, she felt a jerk of her hand into an adjacent direction. “Through here...” she heard Court's voice whisper.
She heard the sound of the side door opening. She expected for light from the open door to illuminate the Banquet Room, but there was only more darkness.
She felt another jerk of her arm, “Come on, this way ... we have got to keep moving...”
It felt like they were in a maze. In one door, then out the next. Darting in and out, here and there. Up some stairs and around some corners. Just when Coralie thought they had come to a stop, Court would jerk her in another direction, and it was to do all over again.
Finally, they slowed to a halt. Coralie had almost forgotten the still, darkness that surrounded them. Coralie awaited some sort of direction from Court. But all was still.
Silence.
Court squeezed her hand and turned to face her in the dark. “Coralie, listen to me ... whatever the scene ... when we walk through this door ... just follow me and my lead ... okay?” She stood in silence, not knowing exactly what to say.
“So, you trust me?”
“I trust you...”
Court allowed a fleeting smile to sweep his lips. He gave Coralie’s hand another squeeze, giving her assurance in the dark, and led her through the door.
When the door opened, Coralie expected to see people running around in chaos. Scurrying in madness and confusion. Instead, the door opened to a vacant roof top. Court still holding her hand, quickly led her across the rooftop, to the other side.
“Court...” she started, hesitantly and nervously looking around.
Court leaned over the edge of the building, looking down. He stared straight down to the ground below them. “Okay ... Let's go!”
“Go? Go where?” Coralie asked in a nervous tone, disordered and confused at his request.
Court allowed a smile escape, and said, “Down there...”
Coralie looked over the ledge. “You're kidding, right?!?!”
Trying to conceal the smile on his face, he shook his head.
“No way! You can't be serious...” she continued nervously, afraid that he was.
“You said that you trusted me, right?”
She shrugged.
“Then, let's go!” He said, holding out his hand.
Reluctantly, she took his hand, and let him lead her to the edge of the building's rooftop.
He turned to her and put his other hand on the side of her face. “You'll be fine... just follow my lead...” He moved up onto the ledge, overlooking the three story drop.
Court gave Coralie's hand a tight squeeze and let go. Then in another instant, he jumped.
Coralie rushed to look over the edge, knowing that she would see a pile of broken bloodiness. Instead, she saw Courtland gracefully land in the grassy vacant lot that ran alongside the building. Court turned and stared up at her, motioning for her to do the same.
Coralie shook her head, no.
Again, he motioned, beckoning for her to jump and join him on the ground below. Coralie back away from the ledge and looked around, her heart starting to race. As the panic of her dilemma began to set in, she moved back to the ledge and took another look down at Court. She looked directly into his eyes. His warm, inviting, trustworthy eyes.
“You can do this...” he mouthed, “Come on, now, trust me...”
Hesitantly, Coralie crawled up onto the ledge. She rose slowly and nervously to her feet, took a deep breath, and looked toward the sky.
Dear Lord, please catch me, don't let me hit the ground ... I'm sure it is awfully hard when hit, trying to defy the laws of gravity ...
“Coralie, Come on ... trust me...” Court called up to her, as quiet as he could, trying not to call attention to the two of them.
Coralie looked down at Court for a single, mere second.
All of the sudden, she heard a sound come from the direction of the escape door. She closed her eyes tight, and then jumped.
She could feel the air engulfing her as she plunged downward from the ledge of the building. A part of her wanted to open her eyes, to see what was beneath her and how close she was to hitting the hard ground. But she couldn't. She couldn't bring herself to open them.
Falling ... Falling ... her arms and legs were attempting to flail about her, but she continued to try to contain them, keeping them close to her body. Suddenly, just as quickly as she had begun her descend to the grassy side-lawn, her body stopped.
She didn't move. She was afraid. Afraid to even attempt to open her eyes. Afraid of what she might see. A
fraid of what she might not...
After much deliberation within herself, she slowly began to open her eyes. She found herself staring into Court's calmingly beautiful, blue eyes. Suddenly, Coralie became very conscious of the fact that she had spent a few too many moments staring noticeably wistfully at him.
Apprehension set in.
She had just jumped from the rooftop of a three-story building. Oddly, she realized that her feet were still not touching the ground. Court was cradling her in his arms.
Had he really just caught her? From a three-story fall?
Court continued to allow his confident leer to show through his lips.
“Nice catch!” Coralie said, unbelieving of what had just happened.
“More like a safety snatch, really...” Court said, smirking. Coralie looked at him with confusion, but before she could say a word, he added, “We really need to work on your form...”
Court gently let Coralie out of his arms. As her feet lightly impressed the ground, she felt his hand take hers. “We're not quite finished, come on, this way...” He led her stealthily down the stone sidewalk that led to the front lawn of the building.
Coralie began to hear voices. The voices were getting louder as the two neared the front of the building.
The Benefit guests, Coralie thought … the vacating guests had stopped their fleet from the building and congregated on the front lawn to discuss the strange event. She quickly scanned the faces for her parents. No luck. Where are they?
Court paused just before they reached the corner of the building and turned to Coralie. “Follow me and act as if you are still attempting to settle from the panic.”
Act? Coralie thought.
Court smiled at her unspoken thoughts. “Come on,” he said, leading her around the corner. Court looked so calm and unshaken. He led Coralie through the crowd of traumatized guests, who were flowing out of the front doors and filling the lawn. The inquisitive chatter surrounded them, as they continued toward the end of the lawn.
“Where are we going?” Coralie asked.
“I'm taking you home.” Court said with such assurance, continuing to make their way afar from the evacuated building.
“But what about my parents?”
“They have already left.”
“Without me?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know that for sure?”
“Look, I've told you before, you are going to have to trust me. And we've got to go,” he looked up, back toward the building, “... like now...” he continued, leading her through the crowd as they all stood, gawking in question at the pitch-dark building. “Through here.”
As Coralie followed Court, through the sea of people, she felt the urge to glance back at the building. Giving in to her sudden urge, suddenly she wished she hadn't.
She saw a dark figure standing in one of the windows. In a moment, it was gone. The figure had vanished into the darkness.
She quickly looked away from the building, and continued to follow behind Court, who was leading her away from the horde of people.
They stopped at the last row of cars in the parking lot. Court let go of her hand and threw his leg in an up and over direction, mounting a stark black motorcycle. Coralie watched him as he reached back into the pack that rested on the back of its seat. He held something out to her, a motorcycle helmet. “Safety first...” he said, with a grin.
“Uh, no, thanks...”
“Well, you're not going to walk home, are you?”
“You cannot expect me to just hop onto the back of this … thing.”
“What? Are you afraid of this?” he asked, playfully patting the handle bars.
“There is NO WAY that I am riding that thing ... are you crazy?”
“Coralie, come on, look at me ... you’re going to tell me that you are afraid of riding a motorcycle ... with me ... but somehow you were able to muster enough courage to leap off the rooftop of a three story building...”
She shrugged.
“How many times do I have to tell you in one night...” he switched the helmet to the other hand and then held out his free hand, “you can trust me...”
Coralie took his hand, as he helped her climb onto the back of the motorcycle. She gathered the bottom of her dress in her un-held hand and threw her leg over the back of the seat.
Court reached back toward her, helmet in hand, “Here, put this on...”
“What about you?”
He grinned. “I'm not worried about me.” He cranked the motorcycle's engine, revving it a few times. “Put your arms around me...” he said, as he directed her arms, “... here...”
She gently slid her arms around his waist, and then rested her body close against his back. Court smiled. “You ready?”
Coralie shook her head from side to side. No.
Court let a loud, bellowing laugh escape his most perfect lips. “Hold on tight,” he said, revving the engine again, this time letting go of the brake.
Coralie tightened her grip around him and closed her eyes.
Chapter 8
“Cal, I'm worried about her...” Katelyn sighed.
“Kate, you always do. She will be fine.” Cal said, consoling his wife's words.
She looked out of the car window at the dark, moving scenery. “But Cal ... her face ... so filled with confusion and fear ... she must feel so alone...”
“She's fine ... Courtland is with her ... so, stop worrying ... she is not alone...”
“I guess...” Katelyn sighed again, watching familiar trees come into view, as the car turned into the drive. “It's time, Cal. We need to explain – No, we owe her an explanation. Tonight was not planned. She could have been hurt... or worse, she could've been –”
“I know, Kate, and I promise that we will talk to her ... but the time has to be right...”
“The time is right ... right now. Cal, we need to do this, we need to make things right.”
Cal stared out of the front windshield, slowing the car and putting it into park. After those words, he allowed silence to sit in between them. It hung heavy like fog. He knew his wife was right. They had to tell their daughter the truth ... he knew it wouldn't be long until their methods of keeping this life from her would not work anymore. In fact, he could take a good guess that the process of the truth unfolding had already begun.
* * * * *
The wind was cool on Coralie’s face, as the two of them sped through the dark night on Court’s motorcycle. Swiftly passing through traffic lights and bypassing street lamps, at such a pace, they were all start to blend together.
Court weaved in and out of traffic, once coming so close to the edge of a vehicle it caused her to flinch, tightening her arms around his mid-section. She closed her eyes tight, but she could feel the smile resting upon his face.
They slowed to a stop. Coralie opened her eyes, recognizing the circle drive in front of her house.
She unfastened the strap of her helmet, took it from her head, and shook her hair, hoping that it would reshape around her face. She hurriedly tossed and fixed her hair, in hopes, before he looked at her.
Court dismounted the motorcycle casually swinging his leg over the seat so that both legs were now firm on the ground and stepping toward her. He stood, reaching out his hand to help her from the seat.
She took his hand and he pulled her toward him. She stood close to him, nervously. He smiled, and then motioned for her to walk ahead toward the front steps.
Coralie started walking, but stopped abruptly, turning back toward Court before ascending the steps. “So, what was that?”
“What was what?”
“Tonight, I mean ... What happened?”
Court opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the front door burst open. “Coralie!” she heard her parents shout. “Oh, Coralie! Are you okay?” Kate shrieked frantically, running up to her, checking her arms, face, and neck.
“Mom, I'm fine ... really, I am...”
“Thank you, Courtland, for bringing Coralie home. As soon as the lights went out, we got pushed outside with the rest of the frantic guests. We waited on the lawn, but you two didn't show. We knew that you would bring her home safely ... Thank you...” Kate turned toward Court and thanked him again, appreciatively.
“Yes, thank you, Courtland, for bringing our daughter home safely. Your mother, and father, especially, should be proud, of such a fine young man...” Cal added.
“It was nothing, Sir ... I knew that I was carrying precious cargo...” Court said, with a smile. “Now, please forgive me, Mr. and Mrs. Collier, but I must be on my way home...” then he turned to face her Coralie’s direction, “Coralie...” he nodded to her, “... it was quite an eventful and enjoyable evening ... thank you, and I hope to see you real soon...”
Coralie could feel her cheeks fill with heat, once again. “Yeah, me too ... I mean … umm, thank you, too, Court...”
“Anytime...” he answered, with a handsomely confident grin.
Coralie shyly waved to him goodbye, and then ascended up the front steps, turning to look at him once more before walking into the front door.
Coralie walked into the kitchen, expecting that her parents had followed. They didn't.
Odd.
She walked over to the window above the kitchen sink and looked to the driveway from which she came.
Coralie saw her parents still talking with Court. She watched them talk as if they were in some sort of meeting. As if they were making plans of some sort. After a few minutes of conversation, the three of them parted ways with an agreeing nod and a hand shake.
She watched as her parents walked up the front steps and she wondered what sort of words may have been exchanged between them.
Say hello to the family ... nice to see you again ... nice weather we're having ... sort of small talk. Or was it something else? Something secretive? Something more?
But what would her parents, or Court for that matter, feel the need to hide from her?
Empyreal: Awaken - Book One Page 5