by Rue Volley
Polly grinned and tapped her hand on my Aunts’ arm. “That would be lovely.” She quickly eyed Daniel. “Come along.” She added without missing a beat. I kind of felt sorry for him. My parents barely noticed me while Daniels mother seemed to have a radar system that surpassed anything the military could conjure up.
He looked back at me only for a moment and mouthed the words I’m sorry. His mother called out to him. “Daniel.” He turned and followed them out of my room without saying another word.
I lowered the towel and realized that I had been standing here in my pajamas the entire time.
Perfect.
4
I started to walk down the staircase and made my way to one bend that turned sharply to the left then back the other way. I stopped dead when I almost ran face first into a girl who was my height, with blonde hair, and large blue eyes. Her skin was pale, not unlike Daniels and his mothers, and she had full pouty lips, round cheeks, and a small figure. I stepped back from her and held my hand out. I had no idea that this place would be so busy. She stared at my hand and smiled.
“Oh, okay.” She extended her hand and shook mine as it wobbled my head. She had a firm grip and a mischievous glint in her eyes. I recognized it as well as I recognize myself. Midnight always looked the same way.
“I’m…” I started to say, and she interrupted me. “I know, you’re Echo Midnight Navarri, and Luna is your Aunt. Your parents are archaeologists, and you’ve traveled the world.”
I nodded. “Okay, I guess it’s your turn.” I tried not to laugh.
“I’m Mattie Fitzpatrick, Daniels cousin from Crow’s Landing. I mean, we’ve been together so much that he’s practically my brother, which I love because I have all sisters…five of them, and they drive me crazy.” She held her hand up and extended her fingers. My eyes floated over them, and she continued without taking a breath. “I’m the oldest. The oldest of six. Six girls in one house, can you imagine? There is zero privacy and do my parents care? Of course not, why would they? They just popped us out and moved on with it. Well, they popped four of us out, they bought the last two. Adopted, I mean. Very convenient, don’t you think? May, Mina, Mary, Mia, Margerie, and me. It’s ridiculous. It’s like there are no other letters in the alphabet, just M.”
“They’re gone?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Who?”
“Your parents?” I added with genuine concern.
She sighed. “Oh no, no, my dad is a stay at home mom, and my mom is a business woman who travels, but my dad mostly directs traffic in the house and nothing more. The only thing that saves me from completely losing my mind is hiking in Crow’s Landing. Did I say I was from there? I think I did, if not, I am.”
I perked up. “Crow’s Landing, that’s where the sun is hiding out, right?”
She laughed and gave me a nod while taking a step back. She rubbed the palm of her hand on the side of her leg, and I eyed her dark skinny jeans. She glanced down and then back up at me.
“I can wear these in school, we don’t have a dress code in the landing, but I wouldn’t be opposed to it, I kind of like the whole schoolgirl outfit thing, at least you don’t have to think about what to wear, which can suck, right? I kind of envy you for having a uniform.”
I laughed and tucked my hair behind my ear, giving her a nod. “Yeah, I guess that’s a plus. I just get dressed and go.”
“Yeah, me too. I mean, who cares, right? Clothes are clothes unless it’s a date. You have to dress up for that. Now if you’re talking about coffee or books, ah! Then I have a firm opinion. Speaking of which.” She paused to take a breath during her verbal tsunami.
“Coffee and books, now you’re talking my language,” I said with a little more enthusiasm.
She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “I’m only here for the library, girlie, I really could care less about you.” My laughter was delayed until she jabbed me with her elbow and rolled her eyes. “I’m totally kidding, but I would love to see the library, so please? Pretty please with cherries on top?” She looked upward as she clasped her hands together.
I tilted my head and looked up then back to her. “I haven’t seen it since I was five, so I’m looking forward to hanging out there, too.” She weaved her arm into mine. “Then what are we waiting for?”
We took a few steps back up the stairs, and I heard my Aunt call out to me.
“Echo, honey. We need to go shopping.”
“Man,” I whispered. Mattie leaned into my side. “Well, it’ll still be there.”
“Yeah.” I took one last look up and then my aunt called out again.
“Echo?”
“Yes, coming,” I yelled down.
Mattie smiled while she studied me. “You have great hair, good God. Mine is a hot mess. What’s your secret?”
I shook my head while she turned and led us down the stairs, walking right next to me.
I answered without hesitation. “Eggs.”
“What?” She sounded skeptical.
I swallowed hard and repeated what I said, only this time I elaborated. “Eggs, it was a thing that my sister did, to make her hair shine. I didn’t believe her until she started doing it and I noticed the difference, but it works, so I still do it.”
Her eyes softened. “You mean, Midnight, your sister that…” she trailed off.
I didn’t respond. She cleared her throat. “The whole egg, then?”
I took a breath. “Well, egg whites for oily hair, egg yolk for dry hair, or you can use the whole thing. I use all of it.”
“Listen.” She murmured.
I stopped, and she turned to face me. “I’m sorry about…you know.”
I did know, and I didn’t want to talk about it. I nodded, just to show that I appreciated the fact that she mentioned it.
We reached the bottom of the steps, and Polly approached us, giving Mattie a once over. “We need to go; your Uncle will be comin’ home soon, and I need to get dinner on the stove. He has a ferocious appetite if ya know what I mean.” She nudged her, and Mattie groaned.
“Yes, I get it, he loves you. Thanks for rubbing it in, Aunt Polly.”
Polly grinned as she touched Mattie’s face. “Such a beautiful girl, you’ll find love.”
“Yuck, no. I’ll pass.”
I looked down and then glanced over at Daniel, who was now standing by the front door. He smiled ever so slightly, just enough for me to notice. I cleared my throat, and Mattie bumped me from the side. “We’re scholars, aren’t we, Echo? There’s no room for all that boy stuff.”
I licked my lip and then bit into it, hesitating and waiting entirely too long to respond. Mattie sighed. “Oh no, you too? Fine.” She rolled her eyes. “Everybody go fall in love and waste your time.”
My nose crinkled, “No, I’m not looking for a boy.”
“Good, because romance is dead.”
“You don’t believe in romance?” My aunt asked her and she placed a hand on her hip. “I did, but not anymore.”
Polly put her arm around her waist and shook her gently from the side. “Mattie is nursing a broken heart.” Mattie pushed her away. “Am not.”
She turned to face me and her expression had changed. “Boys are not worth the trouble, trust me.”
My eyes floated over to Daniel for only a split second, and then I nodded to her and shoved my hands in my back pockets. “Yeah, I totally agree.”
She nodded to me and held her hand up waiting for me to high five her. I did, but it was awkward. She laughed and leaned in, giving me a hug. I had never met anyone who could make you feel like you had been friends forever, but she could.
She released me and stepped back. “Okay, well, we have to go make some elaborate stew or something,” Mattie said as she turned and walked toward the door. Polly rolled her eyes. “Perhaps you can be in charge of dinner this evening.”
She strolled out the front door, followed by Polly, and finally Daniel joined them, pausing for one moment as if he wanted to say something to me, but didn’t. I held my hand up.
“It was nice to…” and the door closed. I was left there with my mouth hanging open. My aunt reached out and gently placed her fingers under my chin, shutting it for me.
“Daniel is a very attractive boy.”
She walked past me, and I followed, protesting her assumptions.
“He’s okay as far as boys go, ya know? But man, Mattie is something, isn’t she?”
She stopped and pulled a wide brimmed hat from her tall wooden stand. She adjusted it on her head and wrapped a white scarf over the top of it and tied it under her chin. I studied her until she turned and smiled at me.
“She is, and she likes you. I think maybe he liked you, too.”
I blushed. It didn’t bother me that Mattie was so chatty with me, but Daniel, he couldn’t possibly like me. I shook his hand and got him in trouble.
I had perfected the art of the awkward introduction. In fact, if you look it up in the dictionary there’s just a picture of me with a terrified look, missing a high five and smacking someone in face. That defined my social prowess.
She reached up and slid her fingers along the edge of her hat. “I avoid all sun; that’s why I have exceptional skin.” She spoke with pride.
“What sun?” I asked as she made her way to the front door and spun around in a most dramatic fashion, placing on a large pair of Audrey Hepburn style sunglasses. She slung a small purse over her right arm and let it dangle. My eyes followed it as it swung back and forth and then I jumped when the clock chimed behind me. I glanced at it just as the hand clicked into place.
“It’s three o’clock in the afternoon?” I asked in disbelief.
She waved a hand. “It’s actually three thirteen. That clock is a mystery to me. I’ve had everyone in the world look at it, and still, it insists on running thirteen minutes behind. So annoying.”
“Thirteen,” I muttered. Trust me I’m not superstitious by nature, but that number had been haunting me for a while now.
“Come, sweetheart. We have to get your things, or you won’t be ready for orientation tomorrow morning.”
“Tomorrow? I thought school started on Monday!”
She lowered her glasses and winked at me. “Echo, you slept a full day away, it’s Sunday.”
I stared at her in shock. “I slept twenty-four hours? That’s crazy!”
Luna flicked her hand and then pushed her glasses back up her button nose. “I’m sure it was jet lag.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up?” I passed through the front door and out into the dull light. At least it wasn’t raining, but the chill still clung to everything along with a creepy fog-like mist. She closed the door behind us and didn’t even bother to lock it. She stepped up to my side and placed her arm around my shoulder, leaning into my ear. “You needed the rest, and by the way, you snore as loud as your dad does.”
I felt the red color rush into my cheeks. “I do not snore.”
She laughed and gave me a gentle shake. “Now come, let’s spend some money.”
“Coffee first,” I said. “Fine, coffee first.” She replied without any protest.
I peered back for only a moment as we walked down the wide path, constructed of black brick that matched the house. I could see Bela in the window, twitching his tail. He meowed and disappeared from sight as I turned back, making my way through the black gates and out onto the charcoal gray sidewalk. I turned back to ask a few more questions about Daniel and Mattie and suddenly felt myself teetering on the edge of the curb. My arms flailed, but my aunt calmly reached out and grabbed my hand, jerking me forward.
“I see you also inherited your dad’s sense of balance.”
I laughed. “I have no idea how he’s survived so long.”
Her laugh matched my own, and we strolled down the sidewalk, letting gravity do most of the work as we made our way toward downtown Port Royal.
“Luck, we Navarri’s depend on it.”
I silently accepted her statement with a bit of sadness.
If only luck had held out for Midnight.
If only.
5
“No,” I said sternly as I yanked on the bottom of the pleated black and white plaid skirt. I was horrified at the sight of my pale legs. There was no way I could do this. None. I heard a light tap on the door, and I covered my face.
“Echo, let me see.” I could hear the laughter caught in the back of my aunt’s throat. I may die of embarrassment.
My voice cracked. “Nope, I’m good right here.” She let out the laughter that was fighting to escape her lips. “Echo…honestly. Don’t be so damn dramatic, I mean darn…darn dramatic.” Luna lingered and tapped on the door again. “I have coffee.”
I perked up. I cracked the door and snatched it from her hand, quickly shutting it again without allowing her to get a glimpse of me.
“Echo!”
I scowled when I caught my reflection in the mirror. The white button down shirt was fine, so was the tie and coat, but the skirt…my God, the skirt was about to give me a stroke. No one should be subjected to my legs, most of all, me.
I took a deep breath and held it in, expanding my cheeks like a chipmunk hoarding nuts for the winter. I blew it out when I heard another knock on the door.
“Fine, I warned you. Put on your sunglasses because the glare may kill you.”
I swung the door open and kept my eyes closed, wrinkling my nose. I heard nothing, but I did detect the scent of sandalwood in the air and a spice that I couldn’t quite nail down. I licked my bottom lip and bit into it, opening my eyes, curious as to what smelled so good.
There before me stood a boy, a few inches taller than me with blonde hair, pale skin, and rosy red lips, plump and inviting. His hair had traces of deeper shades of blonde here and there, highlighting the cut. It was shorter on the sides, longer on the top and his shaggy bangs had slid down, concealing one eye. His hand lifted and he moved them back with grace. I watched his pale fingers glide through his thick hair with ease.
His eyes consumed me. An ocean of mystery. Deep blue, almost black in color. Large, overpowering and nestled in thick dark brown lashes. His stare penetrated me on a level I couldn’t understand. My heart skipped in my chest, and the blood rushed to my cheeks, making them appear pink in color. He noticed and the edge of his full lip curled. His eyes lit up like fireworks on the Fourth of July.
I’m not sure why I was speechless, I’m never entirely that way. I may prefer solitary moments over congested ones, but this stunned me.
He stunned me.
It wasn’t the same as when I met Daniel. My interest in him seemed so tame next to this.
He lifted up a pair of black sunglasses and bit the tip of the arm, grinning at me, which exposed his straight white teeth. They were perfect, everything about him seemed to be.
“Should I?” he asked as he gave the sunglasses a quick shake in front of my face.
“I, who…what?” I stammered, sounding like a complete idiot.
His eyebrow arched and he glanced at the sunglasses in his hand.
“You said to wear these, or I may be killed by the glare.”
I parted my lips and slammed my door shut. Not exactly the smoothest reaction, but it was involuntary. I took a step back and could see his shadow at the bottom of the door. I didn’t realize that I was holding my breath until I heard a female voice call out and he stepped away, freeing me from my awkward prison.
I placed my hand on my chest and could feel my heart pounding.
“What just happened?” I whispered, utterly confused as to why this boy had wrecked me in a matter of only a few seconds. I had to turn and
take a seat on the wooden bench. I placed my hands on my knees and closed my eyes, the scent of sandalwood still lingered in the air, and it was then that I realized it was him. Whatever he wore was, well, it set me on fire. Every part of me. I trembled, then placed my thumb in the palm of my right hand and started to rub it in a circular motion, applying pressure. It was a trick that Molly had told me to use to help calm my nerves. It wasn’t working, so I abandoned it.
I gathered my courage and got up, reaching for the door. My hand trembled and I balled it into a tight fist and then shook it out.
“Come on, Echo,” I whispered to myself. “It’s just a boy.”
Finally, I opened it, poking my head out at first and then drew back, taking in a huge gulp of air. I rushed out into the boutique and stood there, appearing pale and confused. Only my aunt and the lady behind the counter remained. No boy, no scent, no anonymous girl who had called him away. Just us. I probably appeared flustered. My chest rose and fell as I fought to steady myself, but when I realized he was gone I started to relax, and my heartbeat began to slow down. My anxiety was quickly replaced with a sense of disappointment.
I wanted to see him again even though he absolutely terrified me. It was like riding a roller coaster. You knew how that drop would make you feel like it was the end of the world, but once you survived it, all you could think about was getting back in line to do it again.
My aunt turned and grinned at me, but her smile faded when her eyes landed on my legs.
“Oh, dear.” She blurted out, unable to filter her thoughts.
“I told you it was terrible,” I muttered.
My aunt turned to the clerk. “Do you have anything longer, like ankle length?”
I tilted my head. “Aunt Luna.” I had no defense. My legs were a liability. I gawked out the window and spotted two girls, but I didn’t see the mysterious boy who had shown up at my door. My shoulders slumped.
“I like the skirt, a lot.” The whisper came from over my left shoulder. The boy brushed past me and offered my aunt a quick nod. The glass door closed behind him. I took a step forward, smelling the sandalwood again and my aunt spoke up while I held it in my lungs. I needed to desperately redirect my thoughts.