Flame (Fireborn)

by Arden, Mari

  She eyed me. “My house. You have no fashionable clothes. I’ll need to dress you.”

  “Great,” I said, with false enthusiasm.

  She laughed and danced away calling, “Ta, ta,” over her shoulder.

  “Come on kiddo,” dad said, and slung his arm around me. “Let’s get rid of this thing,” he tugged on my blue gown, “and get something to eat. I’m starving,” he patted his stomach.

  I laughed. “Sounds like a plan. Why don’t you go wait in the truck and I’ll meet you there?”

  “Alright, kid,” dad said and left me.

  I followed the mass of student into the school to the gymnasium where we would return our gowns. I found myself unconsciously looking for the mysterious dark haired boy. I’d have to remember and ask my dad about him during dinner.

  Once in the gym, I had to wait in line to return the cumbersome gown.

  “Hey, Mara?” said a voice behind me.

  I turned around. Eli stood behind me. Eli was a football player, tall, broad shoulders, brown hair, green eyes, and the school hunk. But he liked me for whatever reason. Maybe it was because I was ‘hard to get’ when really I just wasn’t interested. I mean, Eli was a nice guy, especially for a popular football player, but he wasn’t my type. In fact, I wasn’t sure I even had a type.

  “Hi Eli,” I said.

  “Man, was it hot outside or what?” he said.

  “Yep,” I said, nodding my head. I tried to send out not so subtle go away, vibes.

  “Uh-” he glanced around nervously. “Are you going to Jules’ party?” he asked and rubbed the back of his head.

  Apparently, my vibes weren’t working.

  “Yeah,” I said.

  He smiled. “Me too. Maybe I’ll see you there?”

  I was saved from answering by one of the teachers calling me over to take my gown. I handed the blue fabric to her, she checked my name off the list, and I dashed out to the parking lot before Eli could find me and continue our conversation.

  Dani thought I should just go for him. But I didn’t see the point in wasting my time or his.

  Dad’s old Ford Ranger idled outside the front of the school. The old red paint was more of a brown color now thanks to rust and chipped paint.

  He had the windows rolled down and a country song playing on the radio. I opened the door and climbed inside. “Where to kid?” he asked putting the truck into gear.

  “How about Mammies?” I asked, naming off a local diner.

  He grinned. “You read my mind.”

  He finagled his way into the line of exiting vehicles and honked his horn and stuck his head out the window to yell at various drivers that he deemed either too slow, too fast, too arrogant, or too something.

  My dad’s driving antics always made me laugh. It was always and adventure when he was driving.

  “I declare,” my dad said, now safely cruising down a main thoroughfare, “people do not know how to drive these days.”

  I laughed. “Dad, maybe it’s you who doesn’t know how to drive.”

  “Nonsense,” he waved his hand. His gold wedding band reflected in the sunlight.

  My mom had been dead for almost eighteen years and in that time my dad had never dated anyone. Whenever I asked him why, he would look at me thoughtfully, and say, “Your momma was the love of my life. I’ll never find another love like hers.”

  Sometimes I wished he would date; get any kind of social life, so he wouldn’t be so involved in mine. But other times I was thankful that my dad was so present in my life. We were close and had an unbreakable bond.

  As the truck cruised down the road my hair swirled around my face. I had to keep batting it away and pulling it out of my mouth. My dad thought it was funny.

  He pulled into Mammies and parked the truck. He took up two parking spots, but in dad’s book that was okay. I hopped out and followed him inside. He picked our usual booth and didn’t even bother opening a menu.

  Jessica, the lone waitress, came over and leaned against the booth.

  “The usual?” she asked.

  My dad grinned. “Of course.”

  Jessica grabbed the menus off the table and disappeared into the kitchen. A moment later she returned with a Dr. Pepper for me and a Bud Light for my dad.

  I slurped the brown liquid down. I was so thirsty from sitting out in the Arkansas heat for the last while. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and secured it with a band off my wrist. Little wisps of hair still managed to escape and hang in my face. Oh well.

  Jessica came back to the table with a refill of Dr. Pepper and a basket of fresh rolls. I grabbed one up and slathered it with butter, before devouring it. I hadn’t realized I was hungry until we got here.

  “Slow down, Mara. You’re going to choke yourself,” dad chuckled.

  “Hungry,” I mumbled around a mouthful of roll.

  Dad laughed. “That’s very ladylike Mara,” he said.

  “Bite me,” I growled.

  “Girls,” he muttered. “Why couldn’t I have had a son?”

  “Because I’m awesome and way better than any boy,” I swallowed. I added a flip of my hair for emphasis.

  My dad laughed. “Mara, Mara, Mara,” he sighed.

  “Oh,” I said, swallowing a bite of bread. I took a swig of soda for good measure. “Did you know that guy, the one with the dark hair and clothes, leaning against the bleachers?”

  “I didn’t see anyone,” he said, way too quickly.

  I narrowed my hazel eyes at him. “Really? I saw you looking at him.”

  “No,” he said, “I saw no one.”

  I swallowed some more soda and stared at my dad. I knew I saw the boy, and he had definitely been looking at him too. So why was he acting like the guy didn’t exist? It was peculiar to say the least.

  Jessica came out with our food. A B.L.T. and fries for me and an artery clogging cheese burger for my dad.

  My dad bit into his burger, chewed, and said, “I don’t know what I’ll do with you off at college next year. I’ll sure miss you baby girl.”

  “Dad,” I whined. “Don’t make me cry. I have all summer with you. Don’t say goodbye yet. Besides,” I added, “I’m still going to be living at home and working around here. I’m only taking one class.” One class was, sadly, all I could afford.

  My dad patted my hand. “It’s never too soon to say goodbye. Remember that, Mara.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  He swallowed. “I just mean that. Sometimes you don’t have a chance to say goodbye.”

  “You’re talking about mom aren’t you?”

  He sighed. “Of course… among other things.”

  His eyes kept darting around the restaurant. It was strange behavior for my father. He wasn’t normally so jumpy. I found myself constantly looking over my shoulder, expecting some kind of trouble.

  Jessica came by with the ticket and dad couldn’t get it paid and out of there fast enough.

  On the way home he kept glancing in the rearview mirror. But I never saw anything.

  The Enchanted

  Micalea Smeltzer

  Coming Soon

  C H A P T E R O N E

  Years.

  I had waited years for this moment.

  For this one perfect moment that was supposed to somehow complete me.

  Now, that it was here, I found that it was lacking something. The royal blue graduation gown was rough against my skin and kept making this weird swooshing sound anytime I moved. I was itching like crazy in this heat. I wanted to fan myself but I was sure that Ms. Jones, the Assistant Principal, would cut off my arms if I attempted to. Matthew Pierson, who sat next to me, kept wiggling and trying to talk to Eddie Ralston on my other side. Ms. Jones shot daggers at Matthew while Mr. Taylor droned on and on about our futures.

  Sweat trickled down my brow and into my eye, stinging it.

  I’m on fire in more ways than one now; I thought glumly.

  Wasn’t graduation supposed t
o be this amazing day? Our lives tied up and shipped off to various colleges and universities? Parties? Fun?

  Instead, I was spending the accumulation of the last thirteen years of my life drowning in my own sweat. When Mr. Taylor handed me my diploma I was going to find the nearest pool, lake, pond, river, sink, just the nearest water source would do, and drench myself with its coolness. I could just envision the cool water pouring over my skin. Maybe if I visualized hard enough I wouldn’t need the pool.

  “You have all worked hard to reach this day,” Mr. Taylor continued. “Thirteen years-”

  Matthew leaned across to me and snorted at Eddie. “It’ll be another thirteen years before this speech is over.”

  “You’ve got that right,” muttered Eddie.

  Close but not quite. It was another thirteen minutes. By this point there was a puddle under my seat composed of my salty sweat. My makeup had long ago melted off.

  Mr. Taylor smiled at us all, sweeping his arms in a grand gesture, and began to call out the names.

  At least the graduating class was small.

  Mr. Taylor soon made it to the P’s and I breathed a sigh of relief. Not much longer now. I could hear the shower calling my name now.

  “Matthew Arnold Pierson,” he called. Matthew bound onto the stage, creating quite a show, much to the delight of the other football players.

  “Mara Hadley Pryce,” he said next. I breathed a sigh of relief. Me.

  I walked up to the stage, much more graciously than Matthew had, although I had to keep telling myself not to run. Mr. Taylor shook my hand, handed me my diploma, and said, “Congratulations Mara.”

  Thirteen years for this, I thought. It was so… so… so anticlimactic. I mean, come on, give us some fireworks, some strobe lights, something!

  But no.

  All I got was sweat, cheap polyester, and “congratulations Mara.”

  I heard the sound of my dad hollering and whistling in the crowd. I would have been embarrassed if other parents hadn’t made a bigger deal out of it.

  I shook my head and shuffled off the stage where Ms. Jones moved my tassel over.

  As I was walking back to my seat I noticed a guy leaning against the bleachers. I had never seen him before and this was a small town where everyone knew everyone.

  He was tall and lean with dark wavy black hair and tan skin. Despite the summer heat he wore a black t-shirt and black jeans. It looked like he had a few tattoos. He wasn’t smiling. In fact, he didn’t seem happy at all. And his bright, gray eyes were staring right at me. Through me. It was like he was eating me alive. His eyes narrowed.

  I blinked and he was gone which left me believing he had been a figment of my imagination. And I might have believed that, if I hadn’t chosen that moment to glance at my dad. He was standing. Stopped mid-clap, and looking at the empty space by the bleachers, with a horror stricken look on his face.

  I shook my head and all but fell into my chair. I tried to forget about the dark haired boy.

  Mr. Taylor went down the list and finally called the last person.

  Before I knew it our caps were flying in the air.

  Thirteen years of schooling over in a matter of minutes.

  The class cheered and we all stood in a collective burst of royal blue and bright sunlight yellow.

  “Mara!” cried Dani crashing into me.

  “Whoa!” I said, steadying us before I fell into someone, and started a human game of dominos.

  “It’s over!” she sobbed, and I realized she was crying. “We’re all going our separate ways! What if we never see each other again! Mara, please tell me that won’t happen!” she pulled on my gown and I worried she would rip it. It was a rental and there was no way I could afford to pay for repairs.

  “Dani,” I said, in a soothing voice like a parent would use with a child. “That’s not going to happen. We’ve known each other since kindergarten. I’m not going to throw all those years away. Besides, I’ve tried to get rid of you before. You’re not easily thwarted,” I joked.

  She smacked me on the arm and wiped her face free of tears. Her white blond hair was long and straight and hung down her back like a curtain. She was small and pixie like. Her face was narrow and pointed but she was beautiful. I never understood why she wanted to be friends with plain old me.

  I had light, fly away, brown hair. Freckles dotted my nose and my upper lip was bigger than my lower lip with a partial gap between my two front teeth. Dani thought the gap was very vogue. I thought it was annoying. I was average height, five foot six, and hippy. Not tall and slender like Dani. Even though I was almost eighteen, I still had a child-like quality to me and I hated it.

  Dani could have hung out with the popular crowd but instead she stuck by me. I had yet to figure out what was so great about me.

  “Are you going to go to Jules party?” she asked.

  “I don’t want to,” I whined.

  “Pretty please?” she pouted. She had been pestering me all week to go to Jules’ graduation party tonight. I wasn’t the party type but Dani enjoyed them and always wanted me to go with her.

  “If I give in will you leave me alone?” I asked.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she squealed and hugged me.

  “You owe me,” I laughed, her good mood rubbing off on me.

  “I know! But I’m too happy to care!” she cried clapping her hands.

  The parents were now making their way down to us from the bleachers. Many of them were fanning themselves with programs. I could feel my hair fuzzing around my head from the humidity.

  I saw my dad heading towards me, and Dani’s parents were behind him.

  “Congrats kiddo,” dad wrapped his arms around me. His brown hair was receding from his forehead leaving a bald patch and his brown eyes sparkled with happiness.

  I had his light brown hair; it was the only piece of resemblance we shared but I still wished I had my mom’s beautiful auburn locks.

  “Thanks dad,” I said.

  “I sure wish your momma coulda’ been here to see this.”

  “Me too,” I said, even though it didn’t make a difference to me. My mom had died when I was a baby. All I had to remember her by was one lone picture and a mysterious box I wasn’t allowed to open until my twentieth birthday. It was all very twilight zone to me.

  “She’d be so proud of you, baby girl,” he kissed my forehead. “I know I am. I’m proud of you too, Dani,” my dad called to my best friend where she stood a little ways over with her parents.

  “Thanks Mr. Pryce.”

  “How many times have I told you, Dani? Call me Steven,” he said. “Mr. Pryce makes me feel old.”

  “Dad, you could never be old,” I said.

  He chuckled. “That’s what you think. You’re young,” he said. “Where do you want to go for dinner?” he asked me.

  Before I could answer him Dani came over. “Uh- Mr. Pryce, I mean Steven, Mara and I are going to a party,” she said sweetly. “We could really use this time to get ready.”

  My dad sighed. “I get it. You don’t want to be seen with your old man. It’s okay, Mara,” he said.

  I glared at Dani and turned back to my dad. “I have plenty of time to eat and get ready. I don’t take five hours like some people,” I pointed over my shoulder at Dani.

  My dad instantly perked up.

  “Good, good,” he said. “Shall we go?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “Dani, do you want to get ready at my house or do you want me to come over?”

  She eyed me. “My house. You have no fashionable clothes. I’ll need to dress you.”

  “Great,” I said, with false enthusiasm.

  She laughed and danced away calling, “Ta, ta,” over her shoulder.

  “Come on kiddo,” dad said, and slung his arm around me. “Let’s get rid of this thing,” he tugged on my blue gown, “and get something to eat. I’m starving,” he patted his stomach.

  I laughed. “Sounds like a plan. Why don’t y
ou go wait in the truck and I’ll meet you there?”

  “Alright, kid,” dad said and left me.

  I followed the mass of student into the school to the gymnasium where we would return our gowns. I found myself unconsciously looking for the mysterious dark haired boy. I’d have to remember and ask my dad about him during dinner.

  Once in the gym, I had to wait in line to return the cumbersome gown.

  “Hey, Mara?” said a voice behind me.

  I turned around. Eli stood behind me. Eli was a football player, tall, broad shoulders, brown hair, green eyes, and the school hunk. But he liked me for whatever reason. Maybe it was because I was ‘hard to get’ when really I just wasn’t interested. I mean, Eli was a nice guy, especially for a popular football player, but he wasn’t my type. In fact, I wasn’t sure I even had a type.

  “Hi Eli,” I said.

  “Man, was it hot outside or what?” he said.

  “Yep,” I said, nodding my head. I tried to send out not so subtle go away, vibes.

  “Uh-” he glanced around nervously. “Are you going to Jules’ party?” he asked and rubbed the back of his head.

  Apparently, my vibes weren’t working.

  “Yeah,” I said.

  He smiled. “Me too. Maybe I’ll see you there?”

  I was saved from answering by one of the teachers calling me over to take my gown. I handed the blue fabric to her, she checked my name off the list, and I dashed out to the parking lot before Eli could find me and continue our conversation.

  Dani thought I should just go for him. But I didn’t see the point in wasting my time or his.

  Dad’s old Ford Ranger idled outside the front of the school. The old red paint was more of a brown color now thanks to rust and chipped paint.

  He had the windows rolled down and a country song playing on the radio. I opened the door and climbed inside. “Where to kid?” he asked putting the truck into gear.

  “How about Mammies?” I asked, naming off a local diner.

  He grinned. “You read my mind.”

  He finagled his way into the line of exiting vehicles and honked his horn and stuck his head out the window to yell at various drivers that he deemed either too slow, too fast, too arrogant, or too something.