Flight of Life (Essence Series #1)

by E. L. Todd

  “Our dates aren’t even here yet,” Breccan complained.

  “I’m going to the bathroom,” Calloway said as he sprinted into the restroom. He stared at himself in the mirror while he heard his aunt take pictures of his cousin on the outside of the door.

  “That’s enough,” he heard his cousin say. “Mom, you’re blinding me!”

  “Just a few more,” she said.

  Calloway stared at himself in the mirror and barely recognized his own features. His hair wasn’t hanging in his eyes and his face was clean from his recent shower. He usually got soiled or dirty on his bike ride to school. The jacket made his shoulders look broad, and the trimming of the suit highlighted his blond hair. It was the first time Calloway actually liked his appearance—he wasn’t bad to look at. Since he normally wore old clothes that were washed and faded they made him look poor and unattractive, but now he looked eye-catching in his suit. For the first time, he actually felt confident. Perhaps tonight would the night where Calloway could put an end to Hawk’s vicious insults.

  The doorbell rang and Calloway returned to the living room. Easton walked inside first, wearing a slimming black dress that matched the color of her dark strands of hair. She wore high heels that made her appear tall and thin, and her face looked different—she was wearing makeup. Her hair was pulled back in a lose clip and a few strands of hair framed her face. She looked so different that Calloway found himself staring at her. He finally found his bearings and stepped toward her. “You look amazing,” he said.

  Easton smiled at him. “Thank you.” She stared at him for a moment and appraised the sight of him in his suit. “Beatrice is going to be staring at you tonight—and not because you look poor.” She turned to Breccan and waited for him to speak. He stared at her for a long moment but said nothing. Calloway glared at him, silently commanding him to compliment her in some way. Aunt Grace was practically bouncing on her toes as she waited for her son to speak.

  “You—look—yes.”

  Easton raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

  “I mean you look nice,” he said quickly.

  “Nice?”

  Calloway intervened. “He meant to say you look beautiful.”

  “Well, that wasn’t very clear,” she snapped as she walked past him.

  Calloway sighed. He knew he was going to hear them argue all night. Perhaps it wasn’t a good idea they were going together. Breccan always treated her like she was one of the guys because she was cool like one—forgetting she was a lady.

  Weston walked through the door and shattered Calloway’s last thought. She wore a dark blue dress that was imbedded with stones that shined in the light. It fit the curves of her body perfectly and highlighted her blue eyes. Her hair reached across her shoulders in long curls and Calloway felt his throat go dry—he couldn’t believe she was his date.

  Breccan elbowed him in the ribs, trying to snap him out of his stupor. “Aren’t you going to say something?” Breccan whispered to him.

  Calloway realized his mouth was open. He closed it and approached her.

  She placed her finger under his chin and closed his lips. “That’s the reaction I was hoping for.” She smiled.

  Calloway chuckled. “You’re as beautiful as ever.”

  Her eyes softened at his words while she stared at him. She wrapped her slim arm in his. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Yes,” he said.

  “Wait,” Aunt Grace said as she held up the camera. “We need to take pictures!”

  Calloway leaned into Weston’s ear. “I apologize.”

  “It’s cute.” She smiled. She turned to Aunt Grace. “Hello, my name is Weston. It’s very nice to meet you.”

  Aunt Grace circled her arms around Weston and squeezed her tightly. “Call me Grace,” she said. “And you look so beautiful—both you and your sister. I see the resemblance.”

  “Thank you,” she said gracefully.

  “Now stand against the wall.” Aunt Grace smiled. “And smile!”

  Aunt Grace took pictures for the next fifteen minutes. Breccan was getting frustrated with his mother’s obsession with the camera and he tried to walk away but his mother pulled him back. The pictures were becoming absurd when Aunt Grace suggested Weston and Breccan take a portrait together. Eventually, she had Uncle Scott take a picture with Easton and Weston and that’s when Breccan snapped. “That’s enough, Mom!”

  “Just one more.” She smiled.

  “No,” he said as he walked out the door. “We’re going to be late.”

  Calloway grabbed the box that held the corsage and opened it in front of Weston. He placed the corsage around her wrist and held her hand for a moment.

  “It’s lovely, Calloway.” She smiled.

  “I’m glad you like it.”

  “Let me take a picture!” Aunt Grace said.

  Calloway grabbed her hand. “Let’s get out of here—quick.”

  They walked to the car and buckled themselves in their seats. Easton drove them to the campus, and Calloway noticed that she didn’t say a word to Breccan. He just looked out the window and into the darkness, indifferent to the hostility emitting from Easton.

  Calloway glanced at Weston every few moments but didn’t engage her in a conversation—he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to bore her by talking too much but he didn’t want her to think he disliked her by his silence—he didn’t know what to do. Weston was upbeat, vibrant and very compatible but he was always nervous around her—his palms were sweating. When he thought about dancing with her—touching her—he felt his heart accelerate. He just wanted this night to end—he would rather take his SAT again than suffer through this social torture.

  “Are you finished with your applications?” Weston asked.

  Calloway flinched at the sound of her words. He turned to her and smiled. “Yes,” he said. “I just took the SAT today.”

  “And how did that go?”

  “I think it went well.”

  “Good,” she said. “I was very nervous when I took mine.”

  “I felt the same way.” Calloway nodded then looked outside the window. The lights from the businesses on Main Street lit the road and Calloway stared at the buildings as they passed. The windows were starting to frost from the winter air and Calloway wanted to slap himself when he realized something—he never offered his jacket to Easton. She probably thought he was a total jerk. Calloway decided to give it to her when they reached the dance.

  “Are you planning to attend Fresno University?” she asked.

  “Yes,” he said. “It’s my first choice.”

  Weston nodded. “Any particular reason why?”

  “I want to be a member in the White Wing.”

  “But there’s no guarantee you’ll be accepted,” she said.

  Calloway shrugged. “I’ll take my chances.”

  Easton arrived at the high school and parked. There was line outside the gymnasium and the other students were waiting to get in. The girls were dressed in their formal gowns with flashing earrings, and all the guys looked the same in their dark suits. Calloway stared at the girls waiting in line. Even the beautiful ones didn’t compare to Weston. He still wasn’t sure why she agreed to be his date. She outshined everyone in her exquisite gown, and the light in her eyes was brighter than the street lamps. The birds started to sing when she walked by because they mistook her for the morning sun. Artists stared at her perfect face and wished their paintings were just a complex and beautiful as her flawless features. To look at her and not fall under her spell was unheard of. And Weston wasn’t just beautiful on the outside—she was gorgeous on the inside—a mythic fantasy.

  Calloway offered his jacket to Weston when they climbed out of the car. He could see the moist breath escaping her lips and nose and knew she was cold. The redness of her lips was absent in the freezing darkness, turning a pale white.

  “No, thank you.” She smiled. “We’re going inside in a few minutes. I’m sure it will be warm in there
—too warm.”

  “Let me know when you change your mind,” he said. “It’s your when you want it.”

  “I know.”

  They walked toward the line, and Calloway placed his hands in his pockets. Weston wrapped her arm around his and the unexpected touch made his heart race. Breccan and Easton were walking together but neither of them spoke. They stopped when they reached the entrance.

  Calloway looked at everyone in line. He recognized most of the students and he was relieved that Hawk wasn’t standing nearby with Beatrice—they were the last people he wanted to see.

  “You seem tense,” Weston said.

  Calloway smiled. “I hate being at school more than I need to be.”

  “I know how that is,” she said. “I hated high school, too.”

  “I find that hard to believe.”

  “Well, I was bored in most of my classes and the social hierarchy of the students was irritating. I would rather sit in the library and read instead of socializing with others.”

  “You and your sister are more alike than I thought,” Calloway said. “But I find that hard to believe. You just had a party last week.”

  “I’m social now,” she said. “Student life in college is vastly different than high school. You’ll love it, Calloway—no matter where you attend.”

  “That gives me peace of mind.”

  The staff finally opened the doors and let the students walk into the gymnasium. There were Christmas lights across the walls and an assortment of balloons across the floor. There was an area for picture taking along with a few tables to sit at. Weston held his hand as they walked into the room. Calloway wasn’t sure how to act with her—this was novel to him.

  They moved to the opposite side of the room and Breccan and Easton followed.

  Weston looked at her sister. “Are you just going to ignore him all night?”

  “Why don’t you ask him?” she said.

  “He didn’t give you a compliment—big deal,” Weston said. “You look amazing and you know it. Even Calloway said so. You don’t need a guy to say you look great—you know you look great.”

  Breccan sighed. “You do look beautiful tonight, Easton,” he said. “I’m not quick with the words like my cousin.”

  “I’ve noticed,” Easton said.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “Let’s just make the best of the night. You can be mad at me tomorrow.”

  “I’ll probably be mad about something else that you did,” she said.

  Calloway looked at Weston. “It never ends,” he whispered.

  Weston laughed. The stereo started to play and the first song of the night was a slow love ballad. She grabbed Calloway’s hand and pulled him to the dance floor. “Let’s dance,” she said. “I like this song.” Calloway was dragged away before he could even think. He didn’t know how to dance—he’d never done it before. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close to her chest. Calloway moved his hands at his sides, unsure where to put them. Weston read his distress. She grabbed his hands and placed them around her waist. “I’ll lead.” She smiled.

  Calloway moved his body with hers as they danced in the middle of the floor. He avoided direct eye contact with her and looked at the other students in the room. Most of them were staring at him and Weston, pointing at them as they whispered to their neighbors. Calloway knew what they were thinking—what was Weston doing with him? Even though he was incredibly awkward, her tall height was compatible to his. Calloway was almost taller than six feet and Weston’s head almost reached his eyes—it made dancing with her easy. He couldn’t imagine trying to dance with Easton—she was very short.

  The room was dark but Calloway could see the reflection of the Christmas lights in her eyes and it made them shine brighter than he’d ever seen them. The gems in her dress also sparkled in the dim light and made her look like a dancing star. The color of her lips returned to a lush pink from the heat in the building, and Calloway noticed the shine on her mouth. She had a slight freckle near the corner of her lips and he stared at it for a moment. Every inch of her skin was flawless except for this tiny mark, and he thought it made her look more perfect—made her look real. Calloway was thankful his aunt combed his hair and helped him present himself for tonight—he didn’t look as dirty as he normally did.

  Weston stared at him for moment. “You look very nice tonight, Calloway,” she said. “You clean up good.”

  Calloway smiled as he felt his cheeks redden. “Thank you,” he said. “You look amazing as well.”

  “I hardly recognize you,” she said. “You look like a whole new person.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “It was meant to be one.” She smiled. She rested her hands on the back of his neck and Calloway felt his spine shiver. She studied him for a moment. “Why are you so nervous around me?”

  Calloway halted momentarily before he continued to sway with her. He didn’t realize he was being so obvious. “I just don’t want to embarrass you,” he said quietly.

  She raised an eyebrow. “How could you embarrass me?” she asked. “You’re great, Calloway.”

  “Well, I’m the biggest loser in school and I’m the poorest kid in the city,” he said. “I think those are good reasons.”

  “I don’t agree at all,” she said. “That means nothing to me. You’ll realize that when you graduate. No one cares if you’re poor—especially me.”

  “That’s good to know.” He smiled.

  “Wealth isn’t measured in money—but in happiness.”

  “Good luck explaining that to my classmates,” he said. Calloway moved his hand up her waist and felt a strand of hair grace his fingers. It was smooth like a curtain of silk and the touch distracted him for a moment. “Thank you for coming with me.”

  “Of course,” she said. “And thank you for having me.”

  “I think I got the better deal out of this,” he said. “My date is the most beautiful girl in the room.”

  She smiled. “And my date is the most handsome.”

  Calloway felt his cheeks redden again. He was thankful the gymnasium was so dark—he probably looked like a fresh tomato. The song ended and he dropped his hands immediately, thankful that the dance was over. An electronic dance song played over the sound system and he walked with Weston back to the wall where Breccan and Easton were still standing. When they approached them they realized Breccan and Easton were still arguing, so Calloway steered Weston away. “Let’s get some punch,” he said.

  “Are they always like that?” she said over the music.

  Calloway rolled his eyes. “Like you wouldn’t believe,” he said.

  “I think Easton likes him.”

  “I don’t,” Calloway said quickly. He grabbed two cups of punch and handed one to Weston. “Easton is very companionable and caring but she’s never like that around Breccan—she hates the guy.”

  “There’s a thin line between love and hate,” she said.

  “I really don’t think so,” he said. “And I know Breccan doesn’t like her anyway.”

  “Then why would he go to a dance with her?” Weston asked.

  “He had no one else to go with.”

  “I’m still not convinced,” she said as she drank her punch.

  “He doesn’t,” Calloway said.

  “And why are you so sure?”

  Breccan always spoke about Weston in a positive way and he even wished he was going to the dance with her instead of Easton. It was obvious he had feelings for Weston. “Believe me, I just do.”

  Calloway took a drink of his punch and looked over Weston’s shoulder. He saw Hawk holding hands with Beatrice and he was surrounded by his friends and their dates. Hawk was wearing an expensive suit and Beatrice was glowing in an olive green gown that matched her skin tone perfectly. Her curled hair framed her face, and she looked more beautiful than he’d ever seen her. Calloway didn’t understand why she wasted her time with a complete jerk—she could have whoever sh
e wanted.

  “So how’s the portal hunting going?” Weston said.

  Calloway looked back at her. “We haven’t discovered anything,” he said. “We don’t have any resources—we’re going to have to use the White Wing.”

  “Let me know when you want to go—I’ll accompany you,” she said. “What else have you been working on?”

  “What do you mean?” he asked as he slid his hand in his pocket. He refrained from touching Weston at all times because he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. She agreed to accompany him as his date, and he didn’t want to make her regret that decision. If she wanted to touch him she could, but he wouldn’t make the first move—ever.

  “If you killed two Hara-Kirs, you must have some idea of what you’re doing—as foolish as you may be—and I want to know what you’re trying to achieve.”

  Calloway shifted his weight. “Well, we realize the three of us can’t make a difference—a substantial one—so we decided to kill as many Hara-Kirs as possible. Even if we only kill two, that means there are two less in the world.”

  “What you are doing is very dangerous,” Weston said. “Please be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to my sister.”

  “I would never let anything happen to her,” Calloway said.

  “I would ask you to stop but I have a feeling that isn’t going to make a difference.”

  Calloway smiled. “No.”

  “I just hope you understand what you’re doing.” She sighed. “It’s very dangerous. You aren’t just risking your life but your after-life. It’s a very serious manner.”

  Calloway nodded. “I’m obligated to try my best to save the world. To do anything else is unthinkable.”

  Weston stared at him for a moment. “I feel the same way.”

  “I assumed.”

  Calloway heard the sound of laughter from the area where Hawk stood. He knew who he was laughing at—him. Weston caught his saddened expression. “Is that him?” she asked.

  Calloway nodded at her. “Don’t worry about him,” he said. “I won’t let him bother you.”

  “I can take care of myself,” she snapped. “Don’t ever worry about that.”