by M. H. Soars
I bristled at the description. I knew exactly who the bartender was, which complicated things for me because it would mean involving Julian in our investigation. I also had the feeling that Matthew would probably think that Julian was involved somehow. I didn’t know Julian that well, but I really didn’t think he was capable of such a thing. He was a jock, I couldn’t believe he took any drugs. I would have noticed if he did during the brief time we’d dated. There had been that weird incident in his car, but that was just as much my fault as it was his.
The drug dealer was quiet for a moment. Johnny broke the silence. “Can I have some of it now?”
“No.”
“But you promised me you would sell me some if I gave you information!” Johnny whined.
“Listen, buddy, and listen carefully. Consider this a favor. You will forget about buying drugs from me or from anyone else, you will not accept any drugs from strangers, friends, or even your parents. Got it?”
“Y-yes.”
“You will also forget we ever had this conversation. You will forget about me altogether. When we cross paths, we will be complete strangers. Do we have an understanding?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now get out of here.”
What kind of drug dealer would tell that to a potential buyer? This conversation didn’t make any sense. Unless he wasn’t a drug dealer.
“Come on. Let’s go find out who our neighbor is,” Matthew whispered and slid over to the door. I opened my door, careful not to make any sound. I took two steps toward the trees before I stopped. I realized that I couldn’t move forward anymore. It was as if there was an invisible shield preventing me from it. Matthew reached my side and also stopped.
“What the hell?” he asked in frustration as he tried to push through.
We heard the drug dealer get into his car and drive away. The moment we could no longer hear his car, the invisible field disappeared, and Matthew and I stumbled to the ground.
“Are you okay?” Matthew asked. He offered me his hand and I gladly took it.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a few scratches from the fall.” I wiped off dry leaves that had gotten stuck to my skin. “Matthew, that invisible field -- it can only mean one thing.”
Glancing at his profile, I could see how distressed he was. His jaw was set and his forehead wrinkled. “Come on, I want to check something.”
We crossed the line of trees easily now that the invisible barrier was gone, and came to another small opening. There were tire marks in the dirt. Matthew crouched near one of them, examining it in deep concentration.
“Can you tell what kind of car our fake drug dealer was driving?” I asked, but my heart sank once Matthew shook his head.
“No. I was hoping that I could, but I’m no expert.” He got up again. He ran his hand through his hair as he turned to look at me. “I’m intrigued about Johnny’s story, though. I remember the bartender he described. You do realize we'll have to ask Julian about it, right?”
“I figured that. But before you say anything, I really don’t think Julian is involved.”
Matthew crossed his arms in front of his chest and gave me a serious stare. “So you’ve dated the guy for, like, two seconds and you think you know him?”
I didn’t miss the icy tone in his voice. “It was a week. And no, I’m not an expert when it comes to Julian, but I know him better than you do.” I could see that Matthew was ready to argue, but I continued. “Matthew, you never liked Julian, I know. But don’t let your prejudice taint your objectivity.”
He was silent for a moment before he replied. “You're right. I’m going to do my best to ignore the fact that I can’t stand Julian.” I looked at him suspiciously. He continued. “Cross my heart.” He did just that with his finger. He grinned at me before growing serious again. “You do realize that the fake drug dealer was probably one of Durgin’s operatives, right?”
“If the odd conversation between him and Johnny hadn’t clued me in, the invisible force field would have. Damn, I really wish I could have taken a quick peek at him. Durgin is always so secretive. It would have been nice to be one step ahead of him.”
An exasperated look came across Matthew’s face. “Sam, you're worrying about the wrong thing here.”
I gave him a puzzled look. Matthew walked over to me and placed his hands on my forearms. “We almost got caught by one of Durgin’s operatives. He's not supposed to know we're together, remember?”
Understanding dawned on my face, and I felt myself blush in embarrassment. The corner of Matthew’s mouth twitched a bit, like he was trying to suppress a smile, and I had the sense that he was laughing at me.
“Don’t you dare laugh at me, Matthew. I’m entitled to some blonde moments, especially after all that kissing.” I pouted my lips for extra effect.
Matthew laughed and kissed the tip of my nose.
“Sam, can I ask you a question?” He turned serious and I hesitated.
“Sure.”
“Why do you keep calling me Matthew?”
I exhaled in relief that his question wasn’t something too troubling. “Old habit, I guess. Why? Do you want me to call you Matt instead?”
Matthew looked thoughtful for a moment before he replied. “You can keep calling me Matthew if you want. I just needed to make sure the reason wasn’t that you were still mad at me.”
“Trust me, I haven’t been mad at you for the longest time. But calling you Matthew was just my way to protect myself. However, I did slip sometimes and called you Matt.”
“That you did, and I loved when it happened. It gave me hope that I could win you over again.”
“Oh, Matt. You never really lost me.” I caressed his face.
He leaned down and his lips found mine again, making the rest of the world fade away.
Alexia
I looked at my phone and wondered why Ethan hadn’t responded to my text message yet. I tried to exert some self-control when it came to him, and I hadn’t sent him a text until ten in the morning. Now it was eleven-thirty, and still no word from him.
The house was eerily quiet, especially when compared to the mess earlier this morning. I was still feeling pretty embarrassed about Sean’s comment, but I couldn’t let him see it. I wouldn’t have any peace otherwise. I went outside to the pool area where the gang was hanging out, with the exception of Matt and Sam. Before any of them noticed me, I overheard Mia’s question to Sean: “How did you know about her secret, though?”
Sean shrugged before he replied. “I accidentally overheard a conversation between her and Sam. It wasn't hard to put two and two together.”
Sean’s answer piqued my interest. Were they talking about me?
“And what is two and two together, Sean?” I asked as I approached them. Mia and Sean looked startled, and Zach clenched his teeth. Melanie seemed to be asleep on her lounge chair.
“Nothing, just some silly Sean business.” Mia was quick to dismiss my question. Now I knew they were talking about me. I was going to press further, but just then I received a text. I was relieved to see it was from Ethan, asking me if I could talk. I walked away from my cousins and called him. He answered on the first ring.
“Hey, are you busy right now?” The tone in Ethan’s voice and the directness of his question raised a thousand alarm bells in my head.
“Not really. What's going on? Are you all right?”
“Yeah, sort of. I’m at Santa Barbara Hospital. Could you meet me there?
“Of course. Are you sure you're okay? You sound strange. Is it your dad?” I could hear the panic in my own voice as I started to pace back and forth. I could also feel my cousins staring at my back, probably wondering what the problem was.
“No, it’s not my dad and I’m not hurt, it’s just…I just need to see you. Can you come?” I didn’t know what to make of Ethan’s voice. My brain was telling me that he was fine, but my heart had constricted in pain.
“I’m leaving the house right now. I'll see y
ou soon.” I ended the call and turned to face my worried cousins. Even Melanie was up and aware that something was amiss.
“Ethan okay?” Mia walked toward me looking ready to catch me in case I collapsed. I couldn’t blame her. From what they’d heard of my conversation, I would also be thinking the worst had happened. Suddenly the bright sunny day didn’t feel so bright anymore.
“I’m not sure. Ethan is at the hospital, but he said he isn't hurt. He just asked me to meet him there. I don’t know what to make of it.
“You can’t drive like that. I’ll take you,” Zach told me as he put on his t-shirt.
“That’s a strange request. Let’s all go,” Mia said as she walked into the house. She seemed deep in thought. The last thing I wanted was to arrive at the hospital with an entourage, but arguing was going to take too long, and I couldn’t waste the time. I needed to see Ethan immediately.
We arrived at the hospital twenty minutes later. I went straight to the emergency room, but I was informed that they hadn’t admitted an Ethan Lancaster. I was about to go outside to call Ethan when a nurse stopped me.
“Did I hear you say you were looking for Ethan Lancaster?” she asked me. She had kind eyes and a friendly face that you rarely saw in health care workers these days.
“Yes. Do you know where he is?”
“Oh, yes! The miracle boy. He’s been the talk of this hospital since he arrived early this morning. You can find him upstairs in the orthopedic department. You’ll need to go the hospital’s main entrance to access that.”
I quickly thanked her and almost raced to the hospital’s main lobby. My cousins weren’t far behind. When I got there, a heavy-bosomed receptionist said that Ethan was expecting me, but she frowned at my cousins. I was about to ditch them, but Sean’s charms convinced the receptionist to let all of us go up.
Nothing could have prepared me for what I witnessed the moment I stepped out of the elevator. At the end of the hall, I saw Ethan standing on his two perfectly good legs, talking to a doctor. I barely registered the sharp smell of disinfectant and hospital food. All I saw and cared about was him. I didn’t want to be one of those dramatic girls, but I couldn’t help but scream his name. He turned to look at me, and I was rewarded with one of his dazzling, breathtaking smiles. I ran to him and hugged him like my life depended on it. I didn't realize that I had been holding my breath until that moment. I couldn’t have borne it if something had happened to him.
Ethan pulled back slightly from my bear hug so he could see my face. “How is it possible?” I managed to get the words out even though I was still numb with shock.
“It’s a miracle. You are my miracle,” Ethan answered before he leaned down to kiss me.
Our kiss was cut short by Sean’s loud exclamation. “Holy cow! What happened to you, man? Did you find a fairy godmother or a genie? If so, can I have one of your wishes?”
Ethan broke our intimate hold but kept his arm around my waist, keeping me tight next to him as he greeted Sean and Zach with “bro hugs.” To my surprise, even Mia and Melanie exchanged chaste cheek kisses with Ethan. Everyone was looking as bewildered as I felt.
At some point, the doctor interrupted and explained how he had no clue what had caused Ethan’s disability to reverse completely. He said he had never seen anything like it in his entire career. I didn’t doubt him, but the “hows” and “whats” didn’t really interest me. I was just too drunk on Ethan’s own happiness.
I only realized after we left the hospital that his dad hadn’t been there. Though it was definitely strange, I decided not to worry about it. The doctor wanted to keep Ethan there for a few more hours to conduct more exams, but after Ethan promised to return later in the week, we’d managed to drag him along with us.
Per Ethan’s request, we ended up at the beach. The first thing he did as he got out of the car was run to the sea. As I saw him jumping waves and playing like a kid in the water, I realized how much I loved him. The thought didn’t scare me one bit.
CHAPTER 19
Alexia
After Ethan’s miraculous recovery, the rest of summer vacation went by in a flash, and I found myself in a cold sweat in Mia’s car as we approached the imposing Leopold James Mackenzie Preparatory School. It looked more like a mansion inspired by Greek architecture than a place for learning. The steps of the impressive stairs were white marble, and the front of the school was supported by four massive Greek columns, also in white marble. Between the columns was a striking bronze statue that could only be Leopold James Mackenzie, the founder of the school and Julian’s great-grandfather. The gigantic structure was surrounded by beautifully manicured lawns, trees and gardens. I’d never attended a private school before, and I was completely impressed so far.
I kept fidgeting in my new school uniform and wondering for the thousandth time why in the world they would force students to wear wool in California. They should have had two uniforms: one for spring and one for fall. To add insult to injury, girls were required to wear stockings. Talk about overkill. I would probably spend my entire allowance replacing those damned things. I had three extra pairs in my bag, and I was sure I would run through them before the day was over.
We parked and Mia turned to me. “Ready?”
“Not really. I hate being the new student,” I said.
“Do you want cheese with that whine?” I heard Melanie say from the back seat. “It’s not like you don’t know anyone.”
Through the rearview mirror I could see Sam pinching Melanie’s arm and Melanie giving her the evil eye in return. “I hate to agree with PMSing Melanie, but she’s right. You’ve got us, and you’ve also got Ethan.”
“And Julian.” Mia piped in.
“You guys are totally right. I’m stressing over nothing. Let’s do this.” I put more courage in my words than I felt and opened the car door. As soon as we were all out, I felt several eyes on us. It was bizarrely like those teen movies when the popular kids arrive and the plebe just watches them walk by in slow motion. All we were missing was Lady Gaga singing Paparazzi in the background.
I searched for Ethan in the parking lot, but arriving simultaneously would have been too lucky. I was pretty sure his arrival would incite a much bigger commotion than ours. Some people from school already knew about his recovery, but the majority of the student body didn’t. The boys were also not there yet, but we were relatively early thanks to me and my nerves.
The impressiveness of the school didn’t end with the entrance; inside it was just as grandiose. The Greek theme continued, but that display of magnificence did nothing to make the school cozy. It was actually quite oppressive, but maybe that had been Mr. Mackenzie’s goal all along. The walls were covered with classic pieces of art, and I wondered if they were originals — and if they were expensive. Probably both. I also noticed that there were security cameras everywhere. We walked for about a minute until I saw a group of students ahead of us. To my surprise, they were forming a line to go through a metal detector similar to the ones in airports. I was about to get in line myself, when I felt Sam pulling the sleeve of my jacket.
“We need to get your student ID before they let you in.”
“A student ID?” I asked.
“Yeah, one like this.” Sam showed me hers. It was a magnetic card with her photo, name, and school year. “They sent our new cards to the house last week, but since you're a new student, you have to register at the security desk so they can take your picture.”
Because we were relatively early, the line to get my student card was practically nonexistent. Brand new card in hand, we got in line and quickly went through the security check. After that, Sam and Mia walked me to the administration office, where I would get my new locker password and student guide. Melanie bailed on me even before I’d gotten my card. I had pre-registered online for the classes I wanted to take, so there was no need for me to get my class schedule. Fortunately, I was able to sign up for classes with at least one of my cousins in them.
/> My locker, on the other hand, was nowhere near the girls'. But they helped me find it and showed me how to use it. It was very fancy, electronic stuff. I had to swipe my student card and punch in a password.
The girls left me alone to go find their own lockers. I was sharing my first-period class with Sean and Zach, and I was oddly excited to witness Sean’s antics outside of our family environment.
The girls had promised to show me where my first class was, so I waited for them by my locker. The hallway was getting busier with students greeting old friends, and the uneasy feeling I had earlier returned. My spine went stiff when I noticed some familiar-looking girls staring at me a little bit further down the hall. I recognized them from Julian’s party. The one in the middle — a pretty, tall girl with long, mahogany hair and with legs that went on forever — said something to her friends that made them snicker. Even in her uniform, she looked like a million bucks. Maybe it was her regal look, or maybe it was her designer bag. I felt the urge to find a place to hide from their mean stares when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to find Julian looking like he had just sprung from the latest Polo ad. He was wearing his school jacket, but his tie was loose and the top button of his shirt was undone.
“Hi Alexia, how’s it going?”
Julian stopping to talk to a newcomer definitely drew a lot of attention. I could feel the stares of students, and that made me extremely uncomfortable. I could bet as well that several of those stares had daggers in them.
I couldn’t deny that Julian was smoking hot on all sorts of levels, but I just wasn’t attracted to him. However, I didn’t understand how Sam could say no to him. I knew the effect he had on her, and it wasn’t like she was in love with someone else like I was.
As if I had summoned her with my thoughts, I heard her voice behind me. Julian stiffened and lost his easygoing attitude. He didn’t even say hello to her, just mumbled that he would talk to me later and left.