Once Again

by Amy Durham

  Driving through town on our way to my house, we noticed The Pizza Place was packed with cars. Luke pulled his Bronco into the parking lot.

  Luke looked over at me and smiled. I shrugged. Why not.

  “Might as well go in and say hi,” he said, shutting off the ignition. “We deserve a bit of fun before we try to have a conversation with our past selves.”

  His caramel-smooth voice held a hint of levity as he said past selves. I liked that. No sense in being über-serious about it every single moment.

  The inside of the restaurant revealed all the major players from Sky Cove Senior High. Apparently the lack of a home football game tonight hadn’t kept kids away from the weekly gathering at The Pizza Place.

  Luke’s cross country buddies, Corey and Will, sat in the far corner of the dining room with a couple of other runners and, to my surprise, Marsha and Jessie. I smiled at the possibility of a potential romance. I’d seen Jessie eyeing Will, and Corey had been flirting inconspicuously with Marsha. The perpetual texters from Lit class huddled together over their cell phones at another table. A group of cheerleaders, Kara included, glared at us with disapproval from their booth, and in the center of the room, where they could attract the most attention, sat Lance, Miller, and a few other “upper crust” boys. Someone at the center table held a cell phone, blasting a ring tone that was the same death-metal, headache inducing music that blared from my radio the day someone messed with my car. I made a mental note.

  Kara’s stare didn’t let up, and Lance popped up from his seat and walked toward us.

  “Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea,” Luke said.

  I almost agreed, until I saw Marsha and Jessie waving at us while Corey and Will grabbed two empty chairs.

  I needed to be able to stand my ground, even if it was only in my own mind, and rise above the pettiness.

  “Don’t worry about them,” I answered.

  “Hey guys.” Lance turned on the swagger as he reached us.

  “Hi Lance,” I said. Luke just nodded.

  “Can I buy you a Coke, Layla?” Lance asked.

  Good grief. How big of a moron was this guy? Rumors were flying at school that Luke and I were an item, and though we hadn’t confirmed it, I’d just walked into the restaurant with him. And Lance was hitting on me. In front of Luke. Geez.

  Part of me wondered if it was some weird, convoluted way of making fun of me. A kind of get-the-new-girl-interested-then-drop-her-like-a-piece-of-trash ploy.

  Whatever. Either way, he was wasting his time.

  “Lance,” Luke began, much calmer than I would’ve expected. “I know I haven’t been exactly clear about this at school, and that’s my fault. But I’m fixing it right now.” He slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me flush against his side. “She’s with me.” He shot his eyes toward Kara, who’d yet to break her stare. “And vice versa.”

  Lance’s eyes narrowed, and he nodded in what appeared to be acceptance. Luke took my hand as we walked toward the table with our friends.

  “Risky,” I whispered, “if what we believe about the villain is true.” Though honestly, I didn’t care. My heart was giddy.

  Luke just smiled. “Maybe I don’t care. I’m tired of pretending. If whoever he is wants me out of the way, then bring it.” He squeezed my hand and brushed a soft kiss across my cheek. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  CHAPTER 37

  Silence filled the house at midnight and seemed almost deafening in the darkness. My parents had finally fallen asleep, and the neighborhood traffic had slowed to almost nothing. Earlier, I scrolled through the library of music on my iPod, searching for something appropriate, but finally decided the silence was better.

  I pulled my chair over to the window, and sat facing the direction of Emerson House. Though I couldn’t see it, I imagined that looking toward it would connect me to them. Closing my eyes, I called to mind the faces of the man and woman from my dreams. My face. Luke’s face. Lillian and Leo. The scenes played in my mind, and I let the images come. Even the frightening ones. They were all pieces to a puzzle that Luke and I had to solve.

  Questions formed in my mind, faster than I could process them. There was so much we needed to know.

  “Please show us what we need to know,” I whispered in the darkness. “Help us find the truth.”

  ***

  It was like a picture album. Images. Still-shots. Flipping through my consciousness one at a time. The two of us smiling, laughing. Together in our home. Simple, everyday things, like cooking, talking. Faces of others who were a part of my life. Unfamiliar, yet not unpleasant.

  After a moment, I realized it was chronological. The picture album that was playing in my dream actually told the story of their life together.

  I smiled at the picture of the two of us running toward the creek behind the house, holding hands, playful smiles wide on our faces. The next pictures flashed by so quickly my mind barely had time to register them.

  A body, still and lifeless on the creek bank. Long blond hair matted with blood. The remains of her dress ripped and torn, revealing flesh peppered with bloody cuts. The two of us, shocked. Leo, kneeling, looking for signs of life. The eyes of the dead woman staring, cold and blank. The face familiar.

  Kara Jennings.

  ***

  My phone buzzed at 5:45 a.m. As I pushed the button to answer, I unfolded myself from the rocking chair where I’d fallen asleep.

  “Lucas,” I answered, reaching up to rub the stiff neck I knew would accompany me all day.

  “You okay?”

  “Yes,” I answered. “You?”

  “Stunned.”

  I took a deep breath, willed myself awake. “We knew she had to be behind the pictures at school. I guess it’s not such a stretch to think that she’s somehow connected to all this.”

  Luke blew out a breath, frustrated. “We asked them to tell us the truth, and instead we get more questions.”

  “We have another piece of the puzzle.” In truth, I was as frustrated as Luke, but I knew we had to figure out what this meant. “If we follow the idea that what’s going on with us now parallels what happened in the past, then the woman in the dream must’ve been a former girlfriend of his.”

  “Just like Kara’s my ex.” I could hear the wheels turning in Luke’s mind. “Then you moved to town and caught my eye, and squashed any chance she might’ve thought existed that the two of us would get back together.”

  I smiled. I’d caught his eye. I was also pretty fond of the term squashed. He had such a way with words.

  “We’ve wondered if maybe Kara is being manipulated into causing us problems,” I said. “It’s possible that her jealousy was used in the past as well, as a way to try and come between the two of them.”

  “If so, it didn’t work out too well for her.”

  Understatement.

  “So here’s what we think we know so far.” I grabbed my notebook and a pen out of my backpack and began jotting things down. “These two people were married, and someone wanted him out of the way. This fits with what were told the last time we asked them to give us information, and also with the thoughts I’ve been picking up. After what we just saw, we have to assume that the ex-girlfriend was used to try and come between them.”

  “And when that didn’t work, he killed her?” Luke questioned.

  “That’s my best guess. Because she knew who he was and what he was capable of. I sure hope your mom is right and whatever wrong deeds our present-day bad guy does fall under the category of teenage pranks.”

  “I’m going to try to find Brooke McKenna today. It’s about a three and half-hour drive to Boston. Maybe she can help us fill in some of the blanks. Do you think your parents would let you go with Mom and me next Saturday?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Well, don’t say anything just yet. Wait and see if I’m able to locate her. If I do, I’ll call and talk to your mom myself.”

  “Okay.” A smile spread across my face.
Such a gentleman.

  “There’s a home football game next Friday night,” he said. “Will you be my date this time?” Amusement was evident in his voice.

  “I was the fist time, you know,” I answered, laughing softly.

  “Yeah, but I meant officially. Since I went public in a major way at The Pizza Place last night.”

  “Officially,” I agreed.

  CHAPTER 38

  I thought about Lillian all week long. Not that she and Leo hadn’t been on my mind a lot before, but after Luke’s suggestion that Lillian had died in childbirth, thoughts of her never left me.

  The scene in the dream where we’d watched her die played over and over in my mind. As did the happier moments we’d witnessed between the two of them.

  I found myself constantly wondering what it must’ve been like for her, to have been abducted by a mad man, only to realize she was carrying the child of her beloved husband who’d been murdered by the very man holding her captive.

  Though I had no real idea the feelings of protectiveness an expectant mother experiences, there were times when the sheer panic Lillian surely felt crept up inside me.

  It made me angry.

  Which was why, on Thursday morning, I came to school with a scowl on my face.

  I shouldered my way through the crowd in the lobby, not in the mood for anybody’s chit chat, hoping to make it to the chemistry room without having to make nice with anyone. Of course, as soon as I stepped out of the mass of people and into the hallway, I saw Kara Jennings and her two cronies, Erika and Tina, huddled around something or someone near my locker.

  What were they doing in this hallway?

  Good grief, what if it was another sign on my locker?

  A few more steps and I realized just what they were up to.

  “I heard you’re the one who painted the banner for tomorrow’s football game.” Kara’s voice dripped with snottiness.

  She was speaking to Phoebe.

  And I assumed she was referring to the huge banner than hung above the front doors of the school, depicting a football player running down the field as the crowd and cheerleaders urged him on. It was a really good painting, and though I hadn’t stopped to inspect, it looked like each player’s name was listed across the top.

  I’d heard Phoebe had a talent for art.

  I hung back, not wanting to make my presence known just yet, hoping to figure out why Kara had a beef with Phoebe’s artwork.

  “I had help,” Phoebe answered, not seeming too bothered by Kara’s attitude.

  “But you were the one in charge,” Tina snapped. “We heard it from the others in the art class.”

  Phoebe just shrugged. “So?”

  “So, you made the cheerleader on the far left of the front row fat.” Kara spat the last word out like poison. “And everyone knows that’s where I stand.”

  Ah, so that was it. Kara’s ego had been damaged. Well boo hoo.

  “Maybe I didn’t paint that one,” Phoebe offered, grabbing a textbook and two notebooks from her locker.

  “No one else would dare make fun of Kara that way,” Erika said.

  I fought the urge to laugh out loud.

  “You mean everyone else is afraid of her.” Phoebe looked straight at Kara. “Don’t expect me to apologize for the fact that I’m not.”

  “I’m going to the principal about this.” Kara stomped her foot. She actually stomped her foot like a child throwing a temper tantrum.

  “Go ahead,” Phoebe said. “You can’t prove anything intentional was done. And besides that, no one’s going to pay any attention to that little figure on the banner. Despite what you seem to think, you aren’t the center of everybody’s universe.”

  Well, thank you Phoebe whatever-your-last-name-is, for saying what I’ve been thinking ever since school started.

  The threesome of cheerleaders turned to head back toward the front office, and Kara caught sight of me.

  She glared at me, like I was a bug she was about to smash, and for the first time, I felt nothing. Her disapproval didn’t make me feel small or insignificant.

  It was almost like her opinion meant nothing.

  Wow. How nice.

  “I’m sure you just love this,” she snarled as she walked by.

  I just smiled, eyebrows raised. In truth, I hadn’t noticed the fat cheerleader on the banner. But I wasn’t going to let her know that.

  As they breezed past, Tina’s shoulder just happened to brush mine, shoving me into the wall.

  And the only thing that bubbled inside me was laughter.

  Not humiliation. Not the desire to suddenly become invisible.

  Instead, all I could do was laugh.

  And look at Phoebe and say, “Nice job.”

  ***

  Noisy fans made it difficult to talk at the football game Friday night, but I figured that was part of the charm. Bundled in a turtleneck and a sweater, as well as a winter coat, I snuggled close to Luke and felt his arm come around me.

  Marsha, Jessie, and Tiffany sat to my right, and to Luke’s left were Corey and Will. We’d formed our own little tribe, it seemed, and everyone seemed happy and at home.

  After the first touchdown of the game, the loud cheering gave Marsha the perfect opportunity to ask about my status with Luke.

  “So, it’s official now?” She wiggled her eyebrows in that playful way that I’d become accustomed to. “You and Luke?”

  I grinned until I thought my cheeks might split. “Yeah. Official.”

  She elbowed me and giggled. “It’s about darn time!”

  We laughed and cheered Sky Cove Senior High to victory, and when the time came to head to The Pizza Place Jessie and Will climbed into Luke’s Bronco to ride with us, while Marsha and Tiffany piled into Corey’s truck.

  As expected, The Pizza Place was crawling with people, exactly the way it always was after a home game, except that unlike last time, the cold wind forced everyone inside. Spotting an available table in the back, the seven of us pushed through the crowd.

  Halfway there, words started dropping into my mind. Grabbing Luke’s hand, I stopped where I stood. He motioned for the others to go on. I ordered myself to breathe, then closed my eyes and let the thoughts form.

  In the darkness behind my eyelids the words began to fall into place.

  You belong to me.

  The words reached my consciousness with such malice that I swayed on my feet, Luke’s arm around my waist steadying me.

  “He’s here, Luke,” I said. “I figured he had to be close the other times I picked up on his thoughts, but this time...”

  “What was it?”

  “The words were ‘You belong to me’.” I raised my eyes to Lucas’s. “But I could feel the venom in his thoughts. He’s through waiting. And he’s in this room right now.”

  Luke’s eyes darted around the room, scanning. Trying to figure out who it was would be like searching the beach for a specific grain of sand. Practically everyone was here.

  “Let’s just act normal. We can’t risk having him figure out you’ve been reading his thoughts.” Taking my hand again, he led me over to the table.

  “Headache,” he explained as we sat down. “Let’s get our drinks ordered so Layla can take some medicine.”

  I spent the rest of the evening both hoping to pick up another thought and praying I wouldn’t so I could enjoy the company of Luke and our friends. In the end, I decided to be grateful that nothing else invaded my mind.

  And I managed to love every minute of my first official public outing as Luke’s girlfriend.

  CHAPTER 39

  We left for Boston before dawn on Saturday morning. My parents had agreed to let me go with Gwen and Luke, and I felt better knowing we hadn’t had to be completely untruthful about our reasons.

  Other than seeing Brooke, the main reason for our trip was for Luke to see the course for the Boston Athletic Association 5K, which he planned to run in April, on the same day as the Boston Marathon. H
e’d been planning the run since the spring, before I’d moved to town and the reincarnation insanity had begun.

  Gwen had also promised to take us to a couple of other cool spots, like the Old North Church, and the bar from the old TV show “Cheers”.

  Thanks to the late night at The Pizza Place, Luke and I dosed most of the way to Boston, while Gwen drove.

  Even though I’d grown up in a large city, Boston was different. Maybe it was because I understood and appreciated the historical significance of the city, or maybe because of the mix of modern architecture and historic looking buildings, but I felt like I’d gone back in time.

  Like everything else I’d experienced since moving to New England, it felt new and familiar all at the same time.

  I refused to believe that it had anything to do with the fact I’d been born in this city.

  The next stop was lunch. The Bull and Finch Pub at Beacon Hill had been used for the exterior shots of the “Cheers” bar. I’d seen reruns of the show, and as Luke, Gwen and I walked toward the building, I half expected a Sam Malone and Diane Chambers to appear.

  The inside of the place didn’t disappoint either. Rich wood textures and colors, along with the stained-glass-looking light fixtures that hung over each table, created an inviting, homey atmosphere, totally reminiscent of the theme song’s decree that “everybody knows your name.”

  We all got a big kick out of reading the menu. Gwen ordered Frasier’s Grilled Chicken Panini, and Luke and I both had Sam’s Turkey Sandwich. And for dessert, we split Boston Crème Pie.

  After lingering at lunch for almost two hours, we made our way back to the car, heading in the direction of Mass General.

  ***

  The hospital was huge, which I anticipated, since it’s one of the top ranking medical facilities in the country. The large, white front section looked almost stately, sandwiched between the darker structures on either side. I tried to focus on the appearance of the building, the size, anything except the fact that I’d been born here.

  It was just too weird to think about.