The second I walk into the dining area I see Sebastian’s curls jumping up and down from a table across the room. My mom and dad are on each side of him. They wave us over and we end up sitting with them for breakfast. To say it’s a bit awkward at first is an understatement. I know my mom is on board with Alec but my dad…well, that remains to be seen. He still doesn't seem too keen on the idea of his daughter dating.
“Mornin’ guys. Did you sleep well?” I ask trying to break the tension.
My dad nods, “Oh yeah.” He gives my mother’s hand a squeeze.
Oh brother. “T.M.I. dad!”
He lets out a small snort.
I introduce Alec to Sebastian whose enthusiasm and joy is so contagious that Alec catches it quickly.
Alec and I sit next to each other and are each handed a bowl of eggs and bacon.
“Wello, lookie, lookie.” Sebastian says. I peer over to the paper and crayons he has in front of him. “I drew our family. So happy daddy’s back!” He says stumbling over his words.
My dad gives his curls a shake and I give him a big grin. “Are you sure some famous artist didn’t draw that?” I tease playfully.
“Noooo, Wello! I's drawed it.” He says giggling.
I see Alec give me a sideways smile before he begins digging into his food.
“So,” I say to the table between mouthfuls of food. “Got any big plans for the day?” I spear a forkful of eggs.
My mother politely finishes her bite before answering. “Not today honey; we usually rest after a big day like yesterday.”
I smile and bite my lip. Yipee! I think to myself. I get to spend my whole day doing whatever I want. I can’t remember the last time I tasted the freedom of a whole day to myself…with Alec of course.
My mother raises her eyebrow at me. “Within reason. You can’t leave the compound or anything, just in case I need you.” She states pointing her fork at me for emphasis.
“That’s fine,” I say with a smile. I reach my hand under the table and squeeze Alec’s leg lightly. “There’s somewhere I want to take Alec; in the compound of course.” I tell her reassuringly.
“Can I go too Wello?” An all too familiar voice asks.
I grimace just a little before my dad saves Sebastian from being hurt. “Actually little man, I have something for us to do together today. What do you say we go fly a kite?”
Sebastian leaps out of his chair jumping around like he’s on a sugar high. “Kite, Kite, Kite,” he repeats over and over. Other people look over from their table but just smile in response to Sebastian’s over exuberance.
I look to my mom because obviously kite flying will have to take place outside.
"Your dad is going to wear sunglasses and of course I will be outside to protect him." She nudges him in the side.
"Of course." I smile at them then I finish my last bite of eggs in a hurry. “Ready?” I ask Alec.
He smiles and nods his head. We stand together and he grabs our dishes up in his hands.
“Thanks,” I say. I didn’t even ask him too. What a gentleman I swoon. We drop them off in the bin and I wave goodbye to my family.
On our way out I find Claire, Connor and Candy sitting at a table with one seat vacant.
“I just got word we have a free day! I’ve got a little something in mind.” I say. I can’t wait to show them the basement.
They begin gathering up their dishes.
“Hey, where’s Tony?” I ask. They all shrug their shoulders.
“Haven’t seen him,” Connor says.
“Yeah,” Claire starts. “I went up to his room to see if he’d like to join us, but he wasn’t there.”
That’s odd, I think to myself. “Well, I guess it’s just us then.” As we leave the dining hall, I notice Sebastian’s still dancing around the room. I take a moment to introduce him to my friends and they ooh and ah over him appropriately.
Leaving Sabby and my dad, I grab a lantern from one of the side tables hoping it doesn’t belong to someone. I test it out to make sure it works before leading our pack down to the basement. I keep looking for Tony along the way, but apparently he’s vanished. No one’s seen him today.
We reach the door to the basement and I grab the handle to open it. It doesn't budge. I sigh in frustration.
“What’s wrong?” Claire asks putting her hand on my arm.
“The key! I totally forgot we had to have a key!” I say resting my forehead on the door in frustration.
All of them begin laughing at me, Connor especially.
“What?” I say irritated. “What could possibly be so funny? I was so excited about this; now we can’t go!” I say bewildered that they’re laughing at me.
They never stop laughing as they grab onto Connor’s arm and walk right past me, through the door.
“Oh my gosh,” I say, banging the heal of my hand on my forehead. I join them on the other side with the lantern in tow.
“Glad you figured that out finally,” Connor jests. “It was getting pretty dark in here waiting for you.”
“Ha. Ha.” I respond feigning annoyance. “Let’s all laugh at Willow at her own expense.”
Alec takes my hand in his. “We’re not laughing at you Willow. However, we should be laughing with you!” Alec says.
I roll my eyes. “Fine,” I relent. “It is kind of funny.” I lead them through the labyrinth of stuff stored down here. Giggles still erupt intermittently even though I don’t think it’s that funny.
We reach the large cabinet and I set the lantern down next to it. I reach up to the handles and pull open the squeaky doors. Another bout of dust unsettles itself permeating the air. We all cough and wave our hands trying to clear the room.
“What is it?” Candy is the first to ask. She reaches in and brushes the dust off some of the boxes. “Mono ly...What’s that?” she asks.
“It’s Monopoly,” I say. “It’s something called a board game.”
Claire scrunches her eyebrows. “How can a game be a board?”
I shrug my shoulders. “I’m not sure, but they are fun! Here, I’ll show you.” We all grab several boxes and carefully place them on the floor. Wiping the dust carefully we examine the titles.
“Chutes and Ladders…Candy Land…Twister…,” Connor mumbles.
“Twister?” Alec questions. “That sounds fun.”
I shrug my shoulders. “Sure, why not?”
Candy helps herself to the box and opens it slowly. She sets the top to the side and pulls out a rubber mat with circles on it and a square with a plastic arrow attached. “Come on Willow, how can this be fun?” She asks.
She has a good point. This is the oddest form of entertainment I've seen yet. “I don’t know this game so I’m not sure. But let’s at least give it a try! I’ve played some of the others and they’re a blast.”
Connor reaches over and grabs a piece of paper in the box. “Ah Ha,” he says. “Directions!” He holds them in the air like he’s won some sort of prize.
We’re all helping unfold the mat and placing the cardboard thingy next to it when Connor starts busting up laughing. I’m not talking about giggling, but some kind of deep guttural laugh. We all stop and stare at him not sure what exactly is so funny. Tears stream down his face as he tosses from side to side unable to control himself.
I know what we’re all thinking: has he completely lost his mind? It takes a while but he finally gets a hold of himself.
Claire’s the first to speak up. “Connor! What on earth could be so funny on that paper! It’s simply directions.”
You can tell Connor is trying hard not to bust out laughing again. “Sorry Claire Bear, it’s just…well, this game is…different.”
Claire cocks her head to the side. “Different, as in how?”
Connor rubs his chin. “Well, here. Let me read the directions to you. But you have to promise me one thing.”
“What?” Claire asks taking the bait.
“You have to promise that you’ll at
least try it once. After I’ve read the directions that is.”
Claire scratches her head in thought. “Okay, I guess. I mean, how menacing could this game possibly be?”
Connor looks at each of us in turn making us promise the same thing. We all agree and sit around the mat as Connor reads the instructions aloud. “Step one,” he announces. “And just so you know, I am going to paraphrase. Some of these things are a bit long winded.”
He takes a deep breath. “Step one,” he repeats. “Take off your shoes.”
We all look at each other but oblige.
“Now, someone is going to have to sit out, because it is made for four players.” Before Connor can finish Candy raises her hand.
“Okayyy, Candy will be our spinner.” He says turning the page. “Now, basically each person needs to be on an end of the mat facing each other. The person across from you will be on your team. Naturally I think it goes unsaid that Claire and I will be on a team and Alec and Willow will be on the other.”
We agree and each claim an end, including Connor. I face opposite Alec. “Okay, so Candy is going to spin the spinner, which is what that thing is called that she’s holding. She will call out what it lands on and then each of us has to place that body part on the colored circle that the spinner lands on.” Connor bites his lip trying not to laugh.
Everyone’s faces are unreadable; we just stare at Connor. “So for example, if she spins a red right hand, you would need to put your right hand on a red circle.”
I wipe my sweaty palms off on my shorts. “Um, Connor?” I ask. “Which body parts are we talking about here?” The question honestly weighing on my mind.
Connor looks over to the spinner. “Hands and feet, nothing else.”
I let out a small woosh of air in relief. That would be awkward if it was right butt cheek on blue or something.
“The last rule is that you cannot move that body part unless the referee, which is Candy, tells you that you can. Also, two people can share a single circle since it’s a four player game.” We all look at one another not sure what to say.
This is about to get as awkward as it gets. “So, how do you win? Or is there a winner?” I ask.
“Good question,” Connor says. “The winner is the last one on the board without falling or hitting their knee or elbow on the mat. On the bottom here it says ‘Strategy for Winning at Twister: Good strategy is to advance toward an opponent in an attempt to keep him in his end of the vinyl sheet. This will give him a smaller area of circles on which to gain each position, without going under or over the advancing player.’”
“Under or over,” Alec replies. “Good cow, this is crazy!”
“Hey,” Connor states. “You guys promised you would give it a try!”
Alec purses his lips together. “Fine,” he relents throwing his hands up in the air. “I just don’t think I’m looking forward to being tangled up, pretzel style, with Connor. With Willow though, we may be able to arrange that.”
I blush from head to toe and wag my finger playfully at Alec ready to get this show started.
“Alrighty then,” Candy says. “Let the game begin.” She spins the little spinning thing. “Right foot blue.” Everyone places their right foot on a blue circle.
“Left foot green,” Candy announces. We all abide.
“Left hand red, right hand yellow, right foot green.” Candy says in turns.
I struggle to get my right foot to green and end up having to shoot it underneath Connor. After a few more spins, grunts and groans, we are all tangled up together. Connor is between my legs and Claire looks like a human bridge over Alec. Jealousy tries to come to surface, but I remember its Claire we’re talking about and relax.
“Left hand yellow,” Candy says.
I shake from being twisted so much trying to get my left hand all the way over to the yellow circle. I end up going with the one that has Connor’s hand already on it. Without realizing it my hand goes through Connors and reappears on the bottom.
“Cheater!” Connor yells. “She used her powers!”
I let out a snort. “Connor, was that in the rule book?” I ask playfully.
Connor narrows his eyes. “Fine, two can play at that game.”
Oh boy, I think to myself. This round of Twister is about to get more interesting.
“Right foot blue,” Candy announces.
While I’m trying to figure out my next move Alec says, “Hey, where’s Claire.”
I see her giggle above me. She must be using her power of invisibility, so I join in on the fun and go invisible too.
“So not fair!” Alec asserts.
I watch as Connor physically goes through Alec to get his foot on the blue space.
“Really?…” Alec complains. He’s the only one playing like a normal human would since his gift of healing is not useful at all here.
“Ah!” Claire announces.
I watch her knee hit the ground.
Candy calls it before I do. “I saw that! Claire, you’re out!”
Claire’s face turns red. “I forgot you could see me,” she says meekly. She twists and turns back into shape and moves off the mat.
We play a few more turns until Connor and I are literally on top of one another with his face almost against mine. Alec drops immediately to the floor taking him out of the game.
He gets in Connors face and puts his first two fingers to his eyes and then to Connor’s. “I’m watching you,” is all he says in a joking menacing tone.
“Hey, just playin’ the game.” Connor states simply.
I end up the victorious champ when Connor falls through me on a right foot yellow. I raise my hands up in the air and pretend a crowd is cheering me on.
“Alright, Alright,” Connor says after a minute of my end zone dance. “What’s next?” I can tell he’s a bit of a sore loser.
“Oh, I know,” I say. “How about Monopoly? I’ve played it before and it’s really fun.”
Claire gives me the once over. “Are we going to be a piece of the game?”
“Nope, this one is different. No wrestling matches to be had,” I say playfully.
We put away Twister and the other boxes before setting out Monopoly.
I grab the little car again and Alec grabs the dog. Connor is the ship, Claire is the thimble and Candy insists on being one of the little green houses. I try and tell her she can’t but she won't have it any other way.
I go over the rules briefly. We decide that this time whenever someone has to pay taxes or make a payment to the bank, we will put all of that cash in the middle of the board so that whoever lands on Free Parking will get it. Claire goes first and starts the game.
Later in the game, on my turn, I eye the wad of money piling up and look back at my little car, which is visiting the jail. Blowing on the dice, I shake them and toss them down hoping for a ten. "Whoot!" I jump up and start doing the running man dance as my friends grumble. Making equally enthusiastic oohs and ahs as I sit down, grab the money and start counting it.
Consumed with my glorious winning spree I don't hear the footsteps approaching until he's standing at the edge of the room.
"Willow." Tony looks rather peeved. "I've been looking for you for the past half an hour."
Unfortunately I notice more than his annoyance in his gaze, there is hurt there. The high from my winning streak fades so fast that I'm amazed at the feeling of guilt that overwhelms me. This was the place he showed me, the board games that we played. He never told me to keep it a secret, but still. We shared it together. I can see that the fact that I'm down here with my friends and with Alec hurts him but I don't know what to say to make it better. "Oh?" Is all that comes out.
I watch his stare harden with that. "Yes, your mom had us scheduled for training an hour ago."
"Training? I didn't know we had training today." I really had no clue. My mom had said it was a free day.
He looks annoyed. "What, do you think, that just because you've found your friend
s and your boyfriend that you no longer need to learn how to protect yourself? Don't be naive Willow. You know how dangerous it is out there and you are a hot commodity."
Naive! I stand up and thrust my hands on my hips. Oh yeah, and they are facing outwards, that's right! "I am not being naive Tony! Just because I wasn't aware of the training today doesn't mean I'm naive." Just saying the word pisses me off more and more. "I only figured that we would have a break today in light of everything that happened yesterday."
Alec gets up and stands at my side. He looks at Tony and in a calm voice says, "I don't think naive was the right word to use."
Tony ignores the fact that Alec said anything at all. Instead he addresses me again, his face turning red. "In light of everything yesterday, you should want to train even more! If you don't care about learning to protect your own life then you should consider what it would mean to us if a Reaper got ahold of you. Those powers in one of their hands can be detrimental and could costs many lives. Is that what you want?"
"Watch it!" Alec starts moving towards Tony but I grab his hand and yank him back. All the while, I stare at Tony dumfounded. While I know he's taking this to the extremes because I hurt him, I can't help feeling wounded by his words. I never thought of myself as selfish and I certainly don't take this whole situation lightly. I'm hurt by the fact that he could think of me as being so low that I wouldn't care what happens to others or myself. I open my mouth to respond but no words come out. I blink away the angry tears that threaten to overflow.
In that instant I see Tony's face crumble. "I'm sorry Willow." He runs his hands through his hair. "I was just a little freaked out that I couldn't find you and I'm letting those nerves get the best of me."
I know he's letting something else that starts with a 'j' get the best of him, but I don't comment.
Alec puts his hand on my shoulder and pulls me to face him. His expression is serious and his eyes have a worried and angry glint to them. "Are you okay?"
Finding ELE (ELE Series #2) Written By: Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels Page 14