by Lisa Graves
Nicholas caught on to my silence. “What’s the matter? Did you have another flashback thing?”
“No. Actually I haven’t had one since you checked out the books.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s great! Maybe we figured it out together after all.”
“Uh, huh.” I looked out the car window. “Thanks for your help.”
He placed his hand on my thigh. “No problem, Lil. I’m here for you.”
As he parked his car in the driveway, he said, “Oh, I have good news.”
“What?” I was always cautious when he used that tone. Good news for Nicholas usually meant that I had to have my guard up.
“My dad has to go out of town next weekend.”
“Okay.”
“You promised me a hot tub date. Remember?”
“Oh yeah.” Now I remembered. I got out of the car and grabbed my books from the back seat.
Nicholas leaned over the passenger seat as he rolled down the window. “You promised.”
“It’s a date.”
Nothing changed much in the next eight days. Nicholas was always with me. The only times I was Nicholas free was during class, when I had to use the bathroom, and from curfew to dawn for a few hours of sleep.
I was used to him always being around. I even noticed that I was starting to like it. I tried to not fight that feeling.
It still felt wrong every time he held my hand. It felt wrong to have him hug me hello. And the simple kisses goodbye, well, my heart had the most trouble with that.
But something did change inside me.
It happened that Friday night.
It was late, sometime after ten. We were out soaking in the hot tub. Snow was on the ground, but the sky was clear and bright. The stars twinkled vibrant in the dark winter night. It wasn’t the same as seeing the stars on the astral plane, but it was still very magical. There was something in the air.
“Come here, Lil.”
I took my eyes off the heavens and looked at the muscular blond boy in front of me. When did he get abs? “Here, where?” I asked. He wasn’t three feet from me.
He scooped me up in his arms. It seemed a little uncomfortable in my mind, being as how I only had on my little bikini. But it didn’t feel uncomfortable in my heart. There was something different about him tonight.
Nicholas sat me on his lap. He then laid us both back in the recliner seat in the hot tub. His head rested on the head rest. My head rested on his shoulder. Our cheeks touched as we soaked in the heat and watched for shooting stars overhead.
It was nice.
“What are you thinking, Lil?” His fingers drew circles on my bare stomach.
I bit my lip, thinking on how honest I should be. I decided the truth would be best. “I’m thinking that I’m really starting to like you.”
“After all these years, you’re only starting to like me?” he chuckled.
“You know what I mean.”
“Yeah. I’m really starting to like you too.” He only needed to turn his head slightly, and kissed my cheek.
A star shot across the sky.
“Did you see that, Lilly?”
“Yeah.”
“You should make a wish.”
I paused. I wish to be happy, I thought.
“Did you make a wish?”
“Yep. Did you?”
“Nope.”
“No?”
“I don’t need to. The wish I’ve been wishing for years, well, it already came true.”
“And what is that?”
“For me to be with you.” Nicholas squeezed me close and kissed my cheek again.
He was so sweet. The sincerity of his words made my heart swell. I didn’t realize what I was doing at first. I turned my head. I knew what would come, and I let it. I let his lips find mine.
Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned to months. I quite trying to talk to Elliott. He was right. I don’t think that was helping. I did my best to not think of him, but occasionally I would dream of us together. Sometimes the dream would take place in my meadow. Or on the astral plane. Overall though, I was good at keeping him out of my thoughts while conscious.
I tried to focus on school. Graduation was sneaking up on me. I don’t know how. The teachers seemed to think extra homework was going to help us be more responsible adults after we were done with high school. My English teacher, Mrs. Mac, would say the same thing every time we whined. “This is nothing compared to what’s waiting for you out in the real world. Here it’s homework, but soon it will be your job. They don’t give you grades, but that is how you earn a living. If you don’t do your homework, you’ll never make it out there.”
Guilt. Guilt. Guilt. I shoved the evening’s assignment in my bag as the bell rang, releasing us from one teacher’s torture.
The atmosphere in the halls was remarkably different than that in the classrooms. Prom was this coming weekend, and all of the juniors and seniors were looking forward to a night of fun.
Somehow Nicholas had talked me into going. Either he was getting better at offense, or my defenses were getting worse, because I don’t remember putting up much of a fight. At least I didn’t have to do much. Meredith was ecstatic when Nicholas told her I’d agreed to go.
I hated shopping, but having an overly social mother finally paid off. She volunteered to get me a dress, shoes, and even said she would pay to have my hair done if I wanted. Sweet. Nicholas and I didn’t really have a group of friends we could go with. Charlotte was still angry that I’d officially stolen her man, and Drew was ticked that Nicholas had moved back and stolen me. Too bad. It would have been cool to ride in a limo with a big group of friends.
I didn’t even look at my dress until the night of prom. It had been hanging in the bag in my closet since earlier that week. The box of shoes sat on the floor beneath it. I really hoped Meredith had at least bowed down to my request of nothing too dangerous shoe-wise.
I had just gotten out of the shower, and had a little more than an hour before Nicholas would be over to pick me up for dinner, when I finally opened the shoebox. They were green. Huh? Meredith was up to date on all the latest fashion trends. Way more than me for sure, but green?
I was officially worried as I unzipped the dress bag. It was the exact same dark emerald green as the satin pump heels. Hopefully my mother knew what she was doing.
I put on the dress and evaluated myself in the mirror. To my surprise, it was beautiful, and fit me perfectly. It was strapless with a heart shaped cut. The fabric was ruched and tight along the whole bodice, and then draped out around my knees and touched the floor. Even the dark green was flattering against my pale complexion. Part of me felt like a mermaid complete with fin. I liked it.
I didn’t get my hair done for prom, but I did get it cut last week to even it out. It had been short and spiky for a while, so I had been letting it grow out a bit to switch it up. The uneven and chaotic mess wasn’t going to fly for prom however. I tried to tease the sticky hair products through my black hair and make it sweepy and romantic. It ended up alright, but not nearly as nice as the hairstylist had managed the other day.
Eh. I gave up. Nicholas wouldn’t care.
I put on a colored lip gloss and called it good, then carried my shoes down the stairs. My foot had barely touched the landing when there was a knock on the door.
Weird. Nicholas didn’t bother to knock anymore. Who could it be?
I stood up and walked the three steps to the door and opened it. There on my front porch was Nicholas. He looked all sexy and debonair in a tux. He held a bouquet of flowers in his hand, and handed them to me.
I was still in shock at how good he looked that I didn’t take the roses. I just stood there and stared.
Nicholas laughed. “Did I miss a button or something?”
“No,” I shook my head. “You look good, Nicholas.”
“Thanks.” He softly waved the flowers in front of me, and I remembered to
take them this time. He followed me into the house. “You look beautiful, Lil.” He looked at my bare feet. “Are you wearing shoes?”
“Yes.” I sat down on the stairs and put them on.
Meredith heard us talking and came in to torture us, no doubt. “Nicholas, did you bring Lilly roses?” she gushed.
I answered before Nicholas could say anything. “Yep. Will you please put them in a vase. I don’t want us to be late for dinner.” I handed Meredith the flowers.
“Yeah, we should probably get going. Our reservation is for seven.”
“Just let me take a few pictures first.” Meredith already had the camera close by.
“Mom!”
“Lilly. Pictures are important. Now Nicholas, put your arm around Lilly.”
Nicholas winked at me as he placed his arm around my waist.
“Alright. Smile, you two.”
Nicholas and I smiled, and the camera clicked.
“Let’s go, Nicholas.” I took him by the hand and led him out the door.
Meredith was in heaven. The happiness gushed from her eyes as though she were reliving her prom. “Have fun, you two!” she yelled from the porch as Nicholas held open the car door for me.
“Sorry I didn’t get us a limo,” he said as he started the car.
“It would have been cool, but what’s the point with only the two of us?”
“That would be the point,” he winked at me.
I chose to ignore that comment. “So will you finally tell me where we’re going to dinner?”
“You haven’t guessed yet?” He drove further and further up the mountain.
I looked around for a restaurant sign. There were only fancy houses and pavement.
Nicholas laughed. “If you haven’t figured it out, you’re just going to have to wait a few more minutes and see for yourself.”
He drove on. I watched out the window. When he turned up a private drive, I turned to look at him. He just smiled back as he followed the drive up to an old tan, brick and plaster, house. But this wasn’t a normal home. Nicholas pulled up to the door and a valet guy came out to park the car.
Nicholas held my hand and walked us inside.
“So… where are we?” I looked around. The inside of the unique old house had been turned into a fancy restaurant.
“Seriously Lil?”
I shook my head. “I have no idea.”
A lady brought us to a romantic table for two.
“Only the best for my hoe,” Nicholas winked at me as he looked over the menu. “I’m treating you to fancy french food.”
I looked at him, confused. I couldn’t read anything on the menu. “I’m going to let you order for me, kay?”
“No problem. I hear they even set your dessert on fire. We’re for sure getting that.”
“Whatever you think sounds good.” I was way out of my element.
Dinner was nice. Weird, but nice. Dessert was the best part. I don’t know what it was called, but it was on fire and there were bananas in it. It was delicious. We didn’t have time to walk around the property after dinner, which would have been cool. It looked really pretty. But there was a prom and dancing to get to.
The restaurant was somewhere in the mountains, for it took us almost an hour to get to the capital building downtown, where prom was. Prom was exactly what I’d expected, an overpriced dance in a fancy smancy building. Nicholas seemed to like it. We danced, did pictures, and drank punch. It was a quarter after ten when I could no longer take my shoes digging into my skin.
“Ready to go yet?” I asked.
“Ready to go… make-out?” he countered.
“With who?”
“With me, of course.”
“Of course. How about we go, and we’ll see.”
“Aren’t you having fun?”
“Yes, but my shoes are killing me.”
“Okay. I’ll bring you home.”
We held hands as we walked out of the building. I didn’t mean to, but a resolved whine escaped my lips when we came to the top of the stairs that lead down to the parking lot. I took a deep breath to somehow help me manage the pain as I went to step down. But there was no need. Nicholas scooped me up into this arms and carried me to the car. It was really sweet.
Before I knew it we were back home. He pulled into my driveway.
“Are you up for a movie, honey?”
“Sure, but I get to wear pajamas.”
“I insist. Your pajamas are hot.”
I laughed. “Sweat pants and a tank top turn you on, huh?”
“Definitely.”
I looked at the door handle. Cringing at the thought of walking up to my room. “Would you mind carrying me inside?”
Nicholas smiled. “Not at all.”
I ended up falling asleep on the couch watching whichever movie Nicholas had picked out. I was too tired to even notice. I was asleep before the previews were done.
Then next week was hectic. Graduation was days away, and everyone was tense, trying to get in last minute late work, extra credit, anything to boost grades; and in some cases, so they could even graduate. I’d already picked up my hideous silver graduation cap and gown. I did it after turning in my last assignment in photo.
Graduation was boring. Meredith made me go. She guilted me with some nonsense about it being an important event I shouldn’t miss, and blah blah blah. At least I got to sit by Nicholas while our fellow classmates and principle gave long and uninteresting talks about the future. I was so caught up in the dot game we were playing on a scrap piece of paper I snuck in that I didn’t hear my name when it was called over the intercom to go up and receive my diploma. I managed to stumble up to the podium a little late. I could hear Meredith and Sophie hollering for me from somewhere in the back of the room. I smiled, got my picture taken, and it was done.
I hadn’t expected to feel any different, but the reality of graduating hit me as I left the podium. I was done. I was an adult. Weird.
Meredith, Sophie, Louis, Nicholas and myself all went out for dinner afterwords to celebrate. Louis was trying to ease up on the rules now that Nicholas was both eighteen and graduated. I could tell it was difficult for him. Nicholas just looked thrilled at the newfound freedom.
It was a few nights later that we decided to sleep out under the stars in the meadow. It was a full moon. Each of us carrying a sleeping bag, we walked along the hidden path in the trees that led to my meadow. There was always an easy, comfortable atmosphere around Nicholas. We laughed and walked, walked and talked until we broke free of the forest and found ourselves in my meadow.
Chapter 22. Moonlight
“Do you want to sleep out here so we have a clear view of the moon?” Nicholas asked, walking to the center of the clearing and leaning against one of the old tombstones.
“Hmm? I dunno. I really like my hidden nook too.”
“It’s not like anyone’s going to bother us here, Lil. It’s a cemetery.”
“Good point. I’ll let you decide then.”
“Let’s set up somewhere around the middle here. We can always move later if we want.”
I walked closer to him. “Alright.” I sat my sleeping bag down.
It was growing progressively darker by the minute, but the moon would rise soon. It would be our nightlight. I looked up and saw a big black bird fly overhead. The warm breeze felt nice on my face. The crickets began to chirp.
I sat on one of the forgotten stones and watch Nicholas rig our sleeping bags together, so we could snuggle. It wasn’t long before I was tucked under his arm, looking up, watching the bright moon rise above us.
It was nice in the safety of his big loving arms. Nicholas kissed my forehead and whispered, “I love you.”
“I love you too.” At that moment in time, it dawned on me. The way I felt about Nicholas had slowly been changing, but it had changed. I really loved Nicholas. The pounding of my heart in my chest only confirmed what my mind had just figured out.
There was no
way I could leave him now.
I was torn. My heart didn’t know what to do. A few silent tears ran down my cheeks as I fell asleep in Nicholas’s arms, the scent of lavender in the air.
The next thing I remember was the sound of footsteps. I opened my eyes to a maze of archways and stone passages. I was carrying a torch, and the fire lit up the forgotten city I called home. Someone squeezed my hand. I looked back and it was Elliott, following me through the underground.
Somewhere in my mind I realized I was dreaming about my past life in Napoli. It was always a surreal experience, seeing memories of my past lives play out like movies. My hair was long back then. I wore a floor-length grey dress. Elliott looked like he just stepped out of a Jane Austin novel. It was hard to take my eyes off him. But he didn’t know where we were going. It was I who lead us through the tunnels.
“It’s this way,” I said.
“What is? Where are we going Lillianna?”
“You’ll see in a moment.”
The fire flickered as we walked on through the dark stone tunnels.
“Here. We are close,” the past me said. “Will you hold the torch?”
Elliott took the torch from me with his left hand. His right hand still held my own. I ran my free hand along the coarse stone wall. I was feeling for something. Our pace slowed. I could tell we were getting closer to something, but what?
“I know it’s here somewhere,” I said.
Elliott stood there listening, as my words echoed around us.
“What are you looking for?”
I pushed against a large square stone as tall as me. And it moved.
“Set down the torch and help me move this, Elliott.”
Together we pushed the stone back, recessing it about an arm’s length into the wall. I picked up the torch and led us into the secret space.
“Help me push the stone back.”
As the past me and Elliott pushed the stone back, I realized that it wasn’t the massive boulder it appeared to be. Rather it was less than a hand width thick and had a hidden support made out of wood. It was a secret door.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s down here,” I replied as a hidden staircase formed out of the darkness in the fire’s light.