by S. J. West
Aiden phases and I start looking through his selection of movies. I instantly see Jess’ influence on the movies Aiden has. There’s a lot of fantasy and sci-fi. I see one classic I haven’t seen in a while and select it to play on his holographic display.
Aiden phases back just as the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring comes on.
He’s holding a black fleece blanket in his hands.
“Lay down,” he instructs.
I prop my back against one of the pillows on the sofa and Aiden spreads the blanket over me.
“Lay down with me,” I say, part request, part order.
Aiden hesitates but I don’t take offense to it this time. He lies down beside me on the inside of the sofa and brings me into his arms so that my head is propped against his chest and shoulder now instead of the pillow.
As the movie plays, my eyelids grow heavy. The warmth of Aiden’s body so close to mine and the trapped heat from both our bodies underneath the blanket lull me into the world of dreams.
At first, my dreams are of your normal everyday variety. But, at some point, they change into something which feels more real than any dream I’ve ever had.
I see myself standing on the side of a hill covered with a multitude of red-orange wildflowers. In the far distance, there are Blue Ridge Mountains standing against a classic sunset. A slight breeze rustles the strapless, white eyelet dress I’m wearing, and I see Aiden walking up the hill towards me dressed in the white outfit he wore that day. He smiles at me and somehow I feel the purity of his love for me as he approaches. He reaches out with one hand and cups the right side of my face with such tenderness it makes me want to cry. He steps in closer to me and rests his forehead against mine, breathing in deeply.
“I love you,” he whispers. “I will always love only you.”
The dream me sighs contentedly. Aiden lifts his head away from mine just far enough to look into my eyes. His passion for me feels like a volcano under intense pressure being held down by only the strength of his will.
In the past, I’ve been able to take control of my dreams on occasion, making them do what I want somehow. I try to do that this time because even if it’s just a dream, I want Aiden to kiss me.
“Kiss me,” dream me begs him. “Please Aiden, kiss me.”
Aiden instantly drops his hand away from my face and lets it fall to his side. He takes two steps back from me.
“Why are you pulling away?” I ask.
“Caylin?” Aiden asks in surprise. “How are you in here?”
“In here?” I say, feeling confused. “Why wouldn’t I be in my own dream?”
“No,” he tells me shaking his head, “this is my dream. But, how are you actually in here with me?”
“Your dream?” I ask, even more confused now. “How can this be your dream?”
“Hasn’t anyone ever told you?”
“Told me what?”
“What Watchers can do with their dreams?”
I shake my head slowly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Aiden steps closer and holds his hand out to me.
“Let me show you,” he says.
I place my hand into his and the scene instantly changes.
We’re standing at the top of a skyscraper. It’s nighttime and the city below us is illuminated with a colorful array of lights.
“Where are we?” I ask.
“Shanghai.”
The scene changes again and we’re standing on the edge of a grass covered cliff. I look to the left and see the white of the cliffs and a red and white lighthouse out in the water.
“The White Cliffs of Dover,” I say. “But how did we get here?”
“It’s my dream,” Aiden says. “I can make it look like anything I want. I can do anything I want in here.”
“Like your own personal fantasy world?” I ask.
Aiden nods. “Yes, we’ve always had the ability to make our dreams anything we want. I’m surprised your dad or Malcolm didn’t warn you about it. Odds are you inherited it from your father since you have some of his Watcher traits. That has to be the reason you’re able to interact with me in mine.”
“So, in the real world, we’re both asleep?”
“Yes, I fell asleep a little bit after you did.”
“I hope I’m not drooling on you back there,” I say, both joking and serious.
Aiden takes it as a joke and laughs. “You weren’t before I fell asleep. But, you do have a cute little snore.”
“Oh great,” I say hanging my head in shame, “just what you want your new boyfriend being witness to.”
“So is that what we’re going to label ourselves as,” Aiden says. When I look back up at him, I see a smile playing at the corners of his mouth and a twinkle in his eyes, “boyfriend and girlfriend?”
I shrug. “I’m not sure what we are, but that seems like the simplest way to put it for now.”
With one swift jerk of my arm, Aiden brings me up against him. I marvel at how real he feels here in this fantasy world of ours. The warmth of his body, the feel of his breath against my face seems real enough to me.
“Kiss me,” I tell him. “This is a safe place. If you lose control here, no harm is done.”
Aiden’s eyes narrow on me like he’s considering my request seriously but he ends up shaking his head.
“No, I couldn’t cheat you like that,” he tells me. “I want your first kiss to be a real one. If we did it here, it might feel real but it wouldn’t be. And it would be selfish of me to use you in such a way. Just have a little patience with me, Caylin. That’s all I’m asking for, a little time and patience.”
“My patience is in danger of running out,” I warn him. “If you don’t do it soon, I might just take my Aunt Tara’s advice.”
“Oh?’ Aiden asks tilting his head. “And what advice might that be?”
“I’ll just jump on you when you least expect it, and you won’t have a chance to over think this whole kissing business.”
Aiden laughs. “I think I like the way your aunt thinks.”
“She’s a wise woman, and I’ve always listened to her, just so you know.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
I sigh, knowing we can’t stay here forever.
“So how do I end this trip to fantasy land?”
“Wake up.”
When I open my eyes, I feel one of Aiden’s hands traveling up and down my exposed arm. I tilt my head up to look at him and see that he’s smiling down at me.
“Hi,” he says, an easy, happy smile on his face.
I lift my left hand and glide it down the side of one of his cheeks. Aiden closes his eyes, seeming to enjoy the feel of my gentle caress. I let the tips of my fingers drift over to his lips and trace the outline of them. Without really thinking about what I’m doing, I rise up and straddle Aiden’s body with my own until I’m straddling his hips.
Aiden’s eyelids fly open at the unexpected movement.
“Caylin,” he says, a warning in his voice.
“Shh,” I say, placing my index finger against his lips. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to kiss you.”
I lean my body forward until I’m lying on top of Aiden, our faces barely an inch apart.
“Then what are you doing?” He asks, his breathing becoming shallow.
“Yes,” I hear Uncle Malcolm say behind me, “inquiring minds want to know what the hell you think you’re doing Caylin Rayne Cole.”
I instantly feel like a kid whose been caught doing something wrong by their parent.
Aiden phases out from beneath me and is now standing at the head of the sofa to face Uncle Malcolm.
“Don’t be mad at her, Malcolm,” Aiden says. “Coming here was my idea.”
“And was her crawling all over you your idea too?” Uncle Malcolm says, knowing full well that part of it was completely my doing.
I stand up. “I’m not a child anymore, Uncle Malcolm. Why are you even here anyway?”<
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“I came to get the doll,” Uncle Malcolm says. Even to me it sounds like a lame excuse to come check up on me. “Your assignment is past due. I’m glad I showed up when I did or lord knows what might have happened.”
Uncle Malcolm looks me up and down. “And what are you wearing beneath that t-shirt? It doesn’t look like much of anything.”
“It belongs to my mom,” I say. “She said it was a souvenir from a beach day the two of you had.”
“The yellow bikini?” Uncle Malcolm roars. “That barely covers anything, Caylin!”
“It covers the important parts.”
“I think it’s time for you to go home now,” Uncle Malcolm says to me. “Grown-up playtime is over.”
“I’m not playing at being a grown up,” I say, letting the heat of my temper get the better of me. “You just need to stop thinking of me as a little girl. I’m not, Uncle Malcolm. I’m a woman.”
Uncle Malcolm’s expression is completely blank, and I have no idea what he’s thinking.
“Caylin,” I hear Aiden say behind me.
I turn to him and see the concern he has on his face as he looks away from Uncle Malcolm to me.
“Maybe it’s a good idea for you to leave now. I’ll see you later tonight at the wedding rehearsal and dinner.”
I’d completely forgotten about Faison’s wedding rehearsal and dinner later that evening. We have to do it today because neither Leah nor I would be available the next night. We had a Valentine’s Day dance to go to after all.
“I didn’t know you would be there,” I say.
Aiden grins. “Since the ban against us was lifted, Zack asked me to be a groomsman. So, yes, I’ll be there tonight. We can talk more then.”
I hear my Uncle Malcolm grunt as if he imagines Aiden and I will be doing more than just talking.
“I’ll see you tonight then,” I say to him and phase to my home in Lakewood right beside my car.
Uncle Malcolm immediately follows my phase trail.
“Where’s the doll?” He asks tersely.
I open the driver’s side door and reach into the small cubbyhole behind the seat, yanking out the doll and holding it up to Uncle Malcolm for him to take.
“I figured out what you did,” I tell him.
Uncle Malcolm takes the doll, and I can tell he doesn’t really care about what might be in its memory core.
“Caylin,” he says in a gentler voice than he’s used thus far that day, “what were you thinking crawling all over that boy like that?”
“I was thinking I wanted my first kiss from my boyfriend,” I tell him, suddenly seeing no reason I should feel ashamed at being caught in a compromising position with Aiden, someone I was destined to marry one day and start a family with.
“The boy hasn’t kissed you yet?” Uncle Malcolm says in astonishment. “I thought that would have been something he took care of the first night you were allowed to see each other.”
I sigh and lean back against the side of my car.
“No, he’s scared he won’t be able to control himself if we start to become physical.”
Uncle Malcolm doesn’t say anything, just looks contemplative.
“Well, I’m sure he’ll know when the time is right,” he finally says. “I should be going. I have something to take care of. I probably won’t see you again until tomorrow morning.”
“Are you going to tell my mom what you saw me doing?” I ask.
Uncle Malcolm shakes his head. “No, I don’t see any need. Nothing happened. But, if I were you, I would wash that bikini and put it back where you got it before she gets home. I assume she doesn’t know you wore it today.”
“Well, no,” I say, “but why would she get mad about it? I thought she wore it to the beach when she went with you?”
Uncle Malcolm chuckles. “No, she most definitely did not wear it. She thought it was too indecent. So, I would advise you to put it back before she knows you wore it on a date with Aiden. She’ll have a cow if she finds out.”
I suddenly feel bad. “Ok, I’ll wash it and put it back.”
“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow, Caylin.”
Uncle Malcolm phases. When I look at his phase trail, I can tell he’s gone back to Aiden’s place on the island.
Why would he do that?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
I take my Uncle Malcolm’s advice. I wash the bikini and put it back before my parents get home. I have a couple of hours before we’re supposed to go to the wedding rehearsal so I decide to go out back to my art studio to do a little work on my gift for my mom’s birthday.
I’ve been in there for about an hour when I hear an unexpected knock on the door of the boathouse.
“Come in?” I call, not sure who it would be this time of day.
The door opens and Hunter peeks his head around the corner.
“Hey Cole,” he says, stepping inside my studio.
“Hunter?” I say, knowing it’s him but not understanding why he’s at my house. He’s never been to my house before. I’m surprised he even knew where it was much less that I might be back here in my studio.
Hunter steps further into the room quietly surveying my personal sanctuary.
“Why are you here?” I ask, putting down my paintbrush and wiping my hands on a nearby towel.
“Thought I’d come check to make sure you were ok,” he tells me, coming to stand beside me. “Wow, you’re a really good painter, Cole.”
“And why are you checking on me?”
“Missed you at school today. Plus, I thought I would ask you to the dance one more time just in case you might have changed your mind or dumped that boyfriend of yours.”
“No, we’re still together,” I tell him, feeling uncomfortable having him in my private space.
Involuntarily, I start fiddling with Jess’ bracelet around my wrist. She said it would grow warm if anyone around me meant me harm. Since it’s not warm, I have to assume Hunter is there for the reasons he says, yet, something just seems off. I just can’t quite put my finger on it for some reason.
Hunter shrugs. “Well, can’t blame a guy for trying.”
Hunter doesn’t say anything else, just keeps looking around the room at my pictures.
“Was there something else you wanted, Hunter?”
“Nah, I guess I’ll leave you alone. You skipping school tomorrow too? You and your dad still have that standing Valentine’s Day date?”
I nod. “Yes, I’ll be spending it with my dad.”
“Surprised you don’t want to spend it with your boyfriend.”
“I’ll be going to the dance with him tomorrow night. He’s fine with that.”
“Oh, so I get to meet Mister Wonderful in the flesh?” Hunter asks surprised.
“Yes, you will. Why do you look so surprised anyway? Did you think I made him up or something?”
“Well,” Hunter says, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand, “the thought did cross my mind. I thought maybe you were just getting tired of me hounding you and conjured up a fake boyfriend to get me to back off.”
“I’m not sure if I’m more offended that you think I would have to make up a boyfriend or that I would lie to you.”
“Sorry,” Hunter says sheepishly. “Probably just my wishful thinking that he was a figment of your imagination. Now I know there’s no hope.”
Now I feel bad. Hunter is a friend, even though he’s been my faithful stalker for the last couple of years.
“I try not to lie, Hunter,” I tell him. “It’s just not my nature. If I tell you something, it’s the truth.”
Hunter nods. “Yeah, I can see that about you. I think that’s one reason I’ve always had a crush on you. Guess I just need to lick my wounds and move on though.”
“If it makes you feel any better, the guy is my soul mate. There’s no one on this Earth who can come between us. Not even the cutest, most popular guy in school.”
Hunter smiles. “You think I’m cute?”
I laugh. “Take the compliment and run, but don’t get your hopes up because of it. My heart belongs to someone else, always will.”
“Wow, he’s a lucky guy, Cole. Can’t say I’m not super jealous.”
“Don’t be jealous. You just need to meet your soul mate. It’ll happen one day, Hunter. I see a bright future in front of you.”
Hunter’s smile changes to a knowing one. For some reason it sets me on edge because it doesn’t quite fit his face.
“Catch you later, Cole. I’ll see you at the dance tomorrow night. Think Mister Wonderful will mind if I have one dance with you?”
“No, he won’t mind. It’s just a dance. He knows he has my heart.” I tell Hunter, realizing that’s exactly what my dad said about my mom. That he would always have her heart. That’s the way I feel about Aiden. He will always be the man I love no matter what might happen in our lives.
“Ok, well, see you tomorrow night then.”
“Ok,” I say as I watch Hunter walk towards the door. “See you tomorrow.”
Hunter gives a short wave goodbye and leaves, shutting the door behind him.
Even after he’s gone, I feel like something is wrong. I try to shake off the feeling but can’t.
I just wish I knew why I felt like I was missing something important.
The members of my family are all home by four o’clock that afternoon. My mom comes to my studio to get me when it’s time to leave for the wedding rehearsal. Thankfully, I had the foresight to arrange my easel with its back facing the door so that whoever came in wouldn’t be able to see what I was working on.
“How did your day go?” My mom asks as soon as she walks in the room.
“Not like I expected,” I tell her, grabbing a white sheet to hang over my easel before I walk around it to stand in front of her.
“A good unexpected or bad?”
“Both.”
I go on to tell her about not being able to see Aiden until lunch and our contest to the island his house is built on. When I tell her the reason Aiden hasn’t kissed me yet, she looks troubled.
“Should I have kept that part from you?” I ask, worried now that I might have shared a bit too much with my mom about Aiden. “I don’t want you to think badly of him.”
“No, I don’t think badly of him,” my mom says. “I feel sorry for him. He was one of the few Watchers to take God up on his offer of forgiveness after the Tear was formed. They were a special group to me because I felt like I helped them find a way to regain who they were. But, they all had to do a lot of hard work to finally earn that forgiveness for themselves.”