“I am so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Sorry to bother you.” I smiled apologetically and walked away quickly, still a little freaked out by how much he had affected me.
I could have sworn his stunning eyes watched me go.
***
After carelessly crashing into the beautiful-eyed stranger, I forgot all about the bookstore, and without even noticing where my feet were taking me, I arrived home. I realized saving the bookstore for another day was for the best. Finding Zora was important, but I was just too shaky and distracted at the moment to do any real good.
Once I started remembering the scene with the Stranger – my new nickname for him – I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I still felt like a major idiot for what had happened. I hadn’t even introduced myself. His eyes had sidetracked me from remembering the rules of common courtesy.
Had I wanted to meet him and talk to him? Yes. Was I feeling bad about the situation only because I had wanted to meet him? The answer was an even bigger yes. I hadn’t even been able to look at his face. I was so distracted by his eyes….
Why was I so transfixed with this elf? What made him stand out from every other elf in the crowd? As I walked home, I couldn’t get him out of my mind, wondering if I would ever see him again. Ever since the accident on the bridge, I had felt like everything was out of place. But for some reason, I had this strange inkling that the Stranger could change all of that. That he could make everything right again if I just gave him the opportunity to do so.
And looking at him hadn’t made me feel the way I did whenever I looked at Stellan. That day in the cafeteria, I had felt like a giddy teenager with a crush when I saw his face. But I knew what I felt for the Stranger was different…more mature somehow, in a way I couldn’t explain. Almost like our eyes had conveyed a deeper meaning than simple attraction for one another. But how could one look exchanged between two complete strangers determine all that?
It couldn’t, of course. I had to be thinking foolishly. That was the only logical explanation for these bizarre feelings I suddenly had for an elf I didn’t even know. It wasn’t like me to behave this way. The stress and information overload that had recently begun to overtake my life must have messed with both my mind and my emotions. I needed to clear my head, or pretty soon every stranger on the street would seem important to me.
Nothing out of the ordinary had occurred between us. I had to accept that. Sure, he had beautiful eyes, but that was it. Nothing else. I had to believe that…otherwise, I didn’t know what I would do. I didn’t know how I would deal with that sort of situation.
But I couldn’t seem to convince myself to stop thinking about him.
When I arrived home, still confused and frazzled, I opened the door to see a note on the dining room table written on a large piece of paper in elegant handwriting. Even before I read it, I recognized the writing:
I didn’t want to ruin your table by using my power to write on it, so I left this note for you instead. You will be joining us for dinner at seven tonight, so don’t be late!
-A
This meant she had been inside my house while I was gone. I hardly cared, though. If I were still in the Human Realm, I would be annoyed, but things were very different here. I was beginning to understand and accept that. It was barely my house anyway. I had been in it for less than a day.
I knew it was noon as soon as I thought about the word time. I was getting better at knowing what time it was in the Elf Realm, and the realization both startled me and made me smile. Elf stuff was weird, no doubt about that. However, I was glad that I could be a part of it, a part of something.
I had seven hours until dinner. It was just enough time to unwind and relax…well, maybe too much time. I would make do. I would go into my room, look through more of Zora’s things and a little bit through mine, maybe take a nap, find something to eat for lunch, and then try to find a way to kill more time. Why was the day so long for elves? In addition, with no school, no work, and no one to hang out with, I was bored out of my mind. I sighed and walked into my bedroom. I kicked off my sandals, jumped onto my bed, and began massaging my temples. I needed to relax. Maybe a nap should be the first thing on my agenda.
As I began to drift off, I felt an odd itching sensation on my arm. It felt like bugs were crawling all over me, or pins and needles jabbing into my skin. I rubbed my hand over my arm but nothing was there. I continued to itch. I ran to the bathroom and turned on the water over my arm to soothe my burning skin. The cold water didn’t help. Breathing heavily from the painful sensation, I tried to think of another way to get rid of the annoying, painful itch. Before I could dry my scorching hot arm and try something else, I noticed words appearing on my skin. I remembered Addison could write on anything with her mind, even someone’s skin. I gasped in both pain and awe as the sentences formed:
Ramsey, I forgot to mention that Stellan wants you to meet him at his restaurant at one! Hope this didn’t hurt you too much.
I washed my arm again. The words washed away as if real ink was on my arm. I dried it and took several deep breaths. What an experience, I thought. I held my arm close and returned to the bedroom.
I thought about ignoring the message but knew it wouldn’t be right. It would be rude of me not to see Stellan. He had played a huge part in bringing me home, after all. I also didn’t want to hurt Addison by hurting her brother. She was my closest friend in this place, and I didn’t want to lose her. I needed all the support I could get if I wanted to find my sister. I made up my mind and decided that I was going to the restaurant at one, whether I really wanted to or not. But I was still apprehensive about spending time with Stellan. Already his erratic moods weren’t easy to follow, and I hadn’t even known him for very long.
I had about forty-five minutes before I would leave to find the place. I decided to use this time to inspect my room more closely. I hadn’t looked through Zora’s clothing yet. Maybe by knowing her clothes I could picture her better and find out where to find her. It sounded crazy and I knew it was, but I was trying anything I could because I didn’t have anything else to go on. My options were limited.
I opened her wardrobe. Her clothing was startlingly bright, vibrant, and colorful. Zora obviously liked to separate herself from the pack. The elfin pack that is. That was another difference I noted between the two of us. However, I might have enjoyed standing out too if I hadn’t been trapped in a world full of judgmental humans.
I felt each of her shirts, skirts, and dresses. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. What had I expected – some sort of telepathic link just because we were sisters? I searched through the rest of the clothes, not very optimistic. However, while I was feeling around in the dark wardrobe, my hand reached the back and crossed over a rough part of wood. I soon was able to trace the outline of a name: Blaire.
Confused, I let my hand drop and then backed away from the wardrobe and sat down on Zora’s bed. Had my sister done this? Blaire left a strange note for me, and now it seemed as though my sister wanted me to meet with her as well. Was it an instruction or a warning? Was Blaire a friend or foe? I knew I would have to find out for myself. I decided that tomorrow I would visit the elfen who was called “the city’s house cleaner.”
After all, it was my first real lead.
***
For the remainder of my free time, I organized my room and used Zora’s leftover stationery to write down my to-do list. I had several things to accomplish. Organization was a way to half-convince myself that I was being useful, although I felt like a fish out of water and terribly lost, not knowing what to do about my sister’s kidnapping. Store clerks knew more about her than I did, which made self-doubt a whole lot harder to avoid.
Listing the tasks I hoped to accomplish (in no particular order) helped ease my stress:
1. Visit Blaire
2. Speak to others about Zora
3. Find out what the heck was going on with Stellan
4. See what Addison was
up to
5. Get the Stranger’s beautiful eyes out of my head
6. See Aaron again and buy some jewelry
7. OPEN THE TRUNK!
8. Find my sister….
The last one was obvious, but I felt it needed to be there. It was then I remembered the book on locks at the bookstore and quickly added it to the list. That book could possibly help me with number seven on my list: opening the trunk. Hopefully I wouldn’t have anymore strange encounters with the Stranger so I could actually go inside the store this time. With my list written, I was fully organized and ready to go.
After a quick look in the mirror, just to make sure I looked presentable, I left the house. After only one day, the city already seemed familiar to me. I felt out of place at times, but that wasn’t because of where I was. It was because of the lack of information I had about my new situation. I wasn’t used to being an elfen. In time, I would grow accustomed to all of the changes this new life entailed. Other than that, the surroundings called to me. Maybe it was because I had spent so much time sightseeing already. Perhaps my elfen nature was returning. Whatever the reason, the city felt like home. I realized I would be happy to live here for the rest of my life…if I was able to.
I strolled along the streets, admiring the scenery and townsfolk. It felt good to walk from place to place. It felt right. I didn’t miss the busy cars and traffic lights. Many times, I passed elves on magnificent looking horses. The elves riding them appeared confident and content. I wondered if it would take just one horse to make me feel that way. I didn’t know for sure.
I loved animals, because they didn’t judge me for what I couldn’t control. Animals didn’t look at my pointy ears or care who my birth parents were or what they had done.
Horses were especially wonderful creatures. I wasn’t very keen on taking care of them, but I sure loved to ride them. When I was seven, Dina and I went to a horse ranch a few hours from where we lived. There, we rode the horses and brushed their manes until darkness fell, when our parents wanted us in bed. We returned every summer after that because we loved it so much. Even Dina stayed out of the malls long enough to spend time with the horses. Those times at the stables were when we truly connected as sisters. I fought back tears. That would never happen between us again. I had a new sister I had to connect with, if I ever had the chance to find her. Thinking of how I would never see Dina again made finding Zora even more important. I felt that I owed it to Dina. I had left her, and I wanted to make sure my leaving was worth it. It wouldn’t be unless I found Zora.
I found myself wondering whether or not I would have been brought back to the Elf Realm if Zora hadn’t been taken, but I swiftly realized that I didn’t want to know the answer to that question. I didn’t want to keep thinking about the possibility that no one truly cared about my well-being, and that they really cared only for Zora. I definitely didn’t want to cry about it either, so I shoved the depressing thoughts out of my mind. Luckily, remembering the Stranger made the hurt melt away, replacing my sorrow with peace. However, I had a feeling that peace would be short lived, for I had finally reached the restaurant where Stellan worked. How will the elf act this time? I wondered.
The restaurant screamed one word to me as I stood before it. That one word was, weird. It was oval-shaped and green, and looked like a giant egg. The door to the restaurant was also egg-shaped, brown with a large oval-shaped handle.
I opened the door and stepped through the entrance. I felt a lot better inside the restaurant than outside. It looked almost normal. The main area had a high ceiling and oval tables with elves eating and chatting the afternoon away. I looked at the carpets and wasn’t surprised at the design. Several brown and green ovals overlapped each other in various places. The only feature that wasn’t oval-shaped was the bar that ran along the outline of the restaurant. That was a circle, not an oval. Big difference, I thought sarcastically to myself. I walked up to the host elf and asked for Stellan. He told me Stellan would come out soon, but that he was just finishing some things in the kitchen. The host instructed me to take a seat at the bar and wait.
“I’ll be with you in just a moment,” the bartender told me as I sat down.
He came back only seconds later. We both smiled as we recognized each other.
“So you work here too, huh?” I asked.
Cass nodded. “Yes, I met Addison here. She was meeting Stellan and he introduced me to her.”
“That’s so sweet. I always love chance meetings,” I remarked, drawing invisible circles on the bar with my fingertips. The smudges appeared to be more like ovals than circles, proving that the atmosphere of this restaurant was already having an effect on me.
“What?” he asked, looking perplexed.
“When meetings are just by chance,” I said, confused as to why I even had to explain myself.
It bothered me sometimes how simple human words often confused the elves I encountered. I found myself having to explain myself more than I would have liked. After all, I was the one who should be asking questions. I was the new elfen in town with a weird past and even weirder present. I sighed. It was difficult being the new kid, but just thinking about starting over made me giddy with excitement. This was a great opportunity; a chance to reinvent myself and decide my own future, unlike in the Human Realm, where everyone had labeled me from the very beginning. It was my turn to create the image and reputation I would now portray to the world. My frustration quickly changed to enthusiasm.
“Oh, I see what you mean. So, can I get you anything?” Cass asked.
“I don’t know. What kinds of drinks are served here?”
“Well, we have juice and water. We also have wine.”
“How will I choose?” I laughed.
“We don’t have a huge variety. This place may look a bit modern, but it’s still a Magical Realm. Elf magic does all sorts of great things, but it doesn’t really affect drinks, so in that department we are still stuck in the olden days.”
I laughed. “So there aren’t any elves with the ability to create new beverages?”
“Not that I know of,” he said with a witty expression. “So how about it, want anything?”
“Do you have cranberry juice?”
“Yes, we do,” he said, so exuberantly that I had to laugh again. I was beginning to like Cass more each time I encountered him.
“Okay, then I’ll try it.”
“Coming right up,” he said. He grabbed a glass and poured in the juice. Then he handed it to me.
“Thanks.” I sipped it slowly, enjoying the taste. It was sweeter than I remembered, not as bitter. Maybe magic didn’t affect the drinks here, but they were still better than ones from the Human Realm, probably more natural. I doubted that elves knew anything about juice concentrate.
“Why is this place shaped so weirdly?” I asked, speaking my thoughts aloud.
“Oh, yes, I guess it is awfully strange. The owner has a very creative mind. He wanted to build something that would stand out.”
“Mission accomplished,” I said.
“And he does own a bunch of pet chickens, which explains the egg shape.”
“You can’t be serious,” I told him.
He laughed. “No, I’m kidding. Honestly, I have no idea why this place is so bizarre. I just work here.”
I nodded, still smiling and feeling oddly comfortable with the elf that only hours ago had walked into my house in the middle of the night without knocking.
“So how long have you been…courting Addison?” The word for dating still seemed funny to me.
“Actually, for over a year, and it’s been great.”
“I’m glad,” I said genuinely. “Do you think you will marry her?” I asked, propping my elbows on the bar counter and resting my head on my hands.
“What?” he asked, appearing to be a little bewildered.
“Will you ever marry her?”
“I’m only seventeen.”
“I didn’t say you should now. Yo
u could wait a few years.”
“You don’t understand this place very well,” he inferred, putting it as more of a statement than a question.
“I guess not,” I admitted. “It seems like I can’t go a few hours without getting confused about something.”
“Well, elves can get married anytime after they finish their ability school. But it hardly ever happens right away, or even ever.”
“Why?”
“We are basically immortal. We have all the time in the world. Marriage isn’t a huge thing, not for many immortal creatures. I mean, why rush it if we can live forever? What would be the point? Sure, once in a while you’ll find an elfin couple that still goes by the old Human Realm traditions, but very rarely. And in the Fairy Realms, the only marriages between fairies are those of kings and queens.”
“How odd,” I commented.
“Well, that’s immortality for you,” he said.
“So marriage…isn’t a big thing?”
“Nope, it’s not a major concern at all,” he replied simply.
“So you don’t think you will marry Addison in the future?”
“It’s not probable,” he admitted. “I’m happy with the way things are and so is she. Marriage won’t change that.”
“Does anyone ever get married here?”
“Uh…Well…I don’t know anyone in Birchwood who is. The Queen – Queen Taryn – she was married once, but that’s because she is royal. Some of her guards, both elf and elfen, marry because it assures their place together. As long as they are married, they can both work in the same place and avoid separation. Those are the only marriages I can think of. Common elves can be married, and like I said, some do, but I don’t know any.”
“That’s interesting.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Things are just so different here, that’s all. In the Human Realm, marriage is a big deal. Well, for most people, that is. Mostly it’s a religious thing. Marriage is just…normal.”
The Elf Girl Page 13