by Leah Cook
“Trying to make me laugh?” I asked, a small smile playing at the corners of my mouth.
“Only if it’s working.” He smiled gently at me, I looked up into his eyes and blinked. They were blue, not just blue but a beautiful royal blue. I stood up and grabbed his face as he blinked and looked at me leaning in for a kiss.
“Your eyes!” I pulled away and looked into his now green eyes. This time there was no phone to illuminate them.
“What about them?” He gave me a chaste kiss on the mouth, testing the waters, before going in for a more passionate one.
I turned my head at the last second, deflecting his advance. “They were blue! This time I know what I saw, Scott. Are you even listening to me?” My pulse quickened as he kissed and sucked softly on my neck. He murmured something into the hollow at the base of my throat, I couldn’t understand him and the vibrations of his voice almost had my knees going week. After a few seconds of his persistence I gave in to the passion coursing through my body and closed my eyes, letting the sensations assaulting me take over.
“Are you two love birds coming in here or what? We’ve been waiting for ages.” Mikayla’s voice interrupted the delicious spread of warmth spreading through me.
We pulled apart and as usual I blushed, leaning into Scott for support.
“It’s not even seven Mikayla.” Scott answered the now empty doorway. “Come on, she’s impatient tonight. Let’s go in and unwind.”
I couldn’t even begin to think about how to unwind, my head was filled with too many questions. I had a feeling that Scott hadn’t told me everything he knew, but I knew that I wouldn’t get my answers tonight, not here anyway.
When we walked in the room it was again alight with candles, scatter cushions were everywhere, bean bags as well. Scott guided me gently by my elbow up to the same spot on the little raised floor as we had sat previously, I looked up to see that the speakers had been moved, the beam fixed and I let myself relax.
“As usual let’s begin with a prayer.” Mikayla lit a large black candle that sat on a pedestal in the middle of the raised floor. “Thank you for bringing us all together, we are your humble servants as always.”
The candles flared around the room, no one had moved and no doors had been opened. I watched Mikayla intently.
“If you are happy with the gifts we have provided please let us know so that we may serve you better in the future.” A small pause and again, the flames flickered, the black candle’s flame rising half a metre in the air before returning to its base. I was having trouble understanding what was happening, but I was no longer surprised by it. That didn’t change the fact that it still freaked me out. “Thank you for letting us know of your pleasure Great Star.” Looking up Mikayla spoke to those in the room then looked directly at me. “Please thank our Great Star for the protection and strength He gives each of you. We thank you Great Star, we are your humble servants.”
Feeling completely powerless to ignore her request I joined the rest of the room with a monotone response, Mikayla smiled as she watched me carefully didn’t quite reach her eyes. To me it was more of a smirk. “Thank you Great Star, we are your humble servants.” I felt Scott’s arms entwining around my waist, his hand flicking across my breasts. I didn’t know whether he was trying to distract me but it worked. I gasped and drew in a sharp breath. I turned my head to look into his eyes and flicked my tongue across my lips. ‘Oh my God Ruby,’ I thought to myself, ‘what the hell are you doing?’ I shook my head to try and push away the power of our attraction and when I looked back around the room I realised that everyone had started to talk quietly. All the candles had been extinguished and I could smell their unusual scent floating in the air. I stood up quickly and excused myself to go to the bathroom. Before Scott could react, I took off towards the back of the hall, found the toilets off the foyer and locked myself into the disabled one.
My breath was coming fast, I turned the water on full force and splashed myself in the face. Grateful that I wasn’t wearing any makeup to smear when I looked in the mirror at my pale face. Alarmed I stepped backwards and slipped on to the floor, the mirror smashed loudly above me and I put my hand in front of my face to protect it. When the last piece had fallen, I felt the familiar pull of energy in my hands and I knew that I had smashed the mirror. Looking into the sink I stared at the water that was full of shattered mirror and started picking out pieces. I picked out a few pieces from my hair, hoping I had gotten it all. The water moved around my fingers, I suddenly realised that it was swirling around them, I pushed both my hands into the full sink and pulled them out completely dry. None of the water had touched them.
“Ruby!” I heard Scott’s voice as he banged on the door. “Ruby are you okay?”
Pulling myself together I unlocked the door and forced a smile onto my face. “I’m fine, the mirror broke though. Sorry, I threw my shoe at it and smashed it.”
Scott didn’t looked convinced as he looked over my shoulder into the room. “But you’re okay, right? You didn’t get any glass on you, did you cut yourself?”
“I’m fine Scott, really.” I didn’t know why I just didn’t tell him about the water, he already knew what I could do, even more than I did myself. “Come on, let’s join everybody else before I become the new weird girl in town.”
I pulled him along with me, and followed the sound of music into the main hall. I noticed Mikayla in the front corner, she looked at me and smiled. I’m pretty sure I’d never seen her really smile before. This one was different to the others. It reached her eyes, making her look even more beautiful than she already was. Maybe I was growing on her after all.
Scott and I spent the rest of the night talking, dancing and making out. He tried to mention the bathroom again but I managed to distract him with a kiss or by sashaying off to dance. That move had him dancing up behind me, forgetting all about the questions that he had.
I listened with vague attention to Mikayla’s announcements about youth group activities. She reminded everyone about the camping trip at the end of term and that without parent permission slips you couldn’t go. I wondered if my parents would agree to something like that. They had become more relaxed with me going out and I had a later curfew now. But I still wasn’t convinced they would let me go on a co-ed camping trip. I grabbed a form and folded it into my pocket. I could at least put the idea to them and let them decide. At ten we left and I asked Scott to go to the lake so we could talk.
Switching off the ignition, Scott turned on the radio quietly and turned to face me so he was almost sideways in his seat. I did the same and cleared my throat, I was having trouble concentrating on what I wanted to ask him, his smell was everywhere in the car. It surrounding me, capturing my senses in its headiness and nearly taking away all my control.
“Scott, I need to know more. I need answers, I’m scared I’m going to hurt someone.” I reached for his hand and held it between my own.
“Ruby…” His voice trailed off as I played with the pads of his fingers. “I just don’t know enough for you. I only know what I told you.”
His eyes didn’t meet my own and I knew he was lying to me. The betrayal hurt deeply and I withdrew my hand from his.
“You know more Scott. Why are you holding back?” I glared at him in the darkness of the car.
Scott turned in his seat, facing out to the lake, his face a mask of defeat. “Because I can’t tell you anything, even if I wanted to. All I know is that there will be a girl with a gift. Something so special that everyone will want it and do anything to get it. She will be different to anyone else who has similar gifts and talents. I know that I was meant to meet that girl. I know that there are people who have been looking for her for generations.”
“That’s it?” His eyes didn’t look away from the water, he just stared deep in thought at the quiet, calm lake. Then I realised what he had said. “You can’t tell me can you? It’s not because you don’t want to, it really is because you can’t. You sound just
like Krystal did before she died.”
I saw a small smile play at the corner of his mouth for a minute and then it disappeared. He started the car, and it purred to life, rumbling underneath us.
Neither of us spoke as he drove me home both of us locked away in our own thoughts. I wanted to tell him about what had happened in the bathroom but I held back. We shared a passionate kiss in my driveway, and I got out of the car breathless and smiling.
“I’ll see you soon, Rubes.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes, the expression on his face still one of defeat.
I went upstairs grabbing Phoenix from his outside bed on my way. I opened my laptop and undressed while my emails loaded.
I sat at my desk, one leg tucked under me, sure the message that I anticipated was going to be there. I clicked on it when I recognised it. No subject line.
You know more than you realise. THINK about this Ruby. Are you really open to the truth? It was just as cryptic as the previous messages. I sat for a few minutes, trying to word my response.
If I were any more open I’d be a 7eleven, I wrote, sniggering at my lame attempt at humour. I only had to wait a few seconds before I heard the soft ping of an incoming email.
Then you don’t need me do you?
You haven’t actually been any help! All you’ve done is give me more questions than I have answers. The only thing you really showed me was that my best friend and my ex are screwing, and probably were behind my back. I responded and sat back and waited, agitated that no one would just come out and tell me what the hell was going on. Ten minutes later I’d hit the refresh button almost every thirty seconds. I gave up, reading, replying and deleting my other emails.
Closing the laptop I crawled around a very sprawled out Phoenix and fell asleep on top of my bed.
CHAPTER 11
Saturday morning Phoenix woke me at six, we played for a few minutes before he whined at me to go outside.
“Okay Phoenix, let’s go, I think I’ll go for my run now that you’ve woken me up so early. Clear my head for study today.” He took off down the stairs, making me laugh as he miscued the last four and ended up rolling down.
After I settled Phoenix I changed into my running gear and grabbed my iPod, I scrolled through until I found Lady Gaga and pumped the volume up. Once on the street I plugged in my ear buds and started off on the usual slow jog.
I knew where I was headed, where the street lamp had crashed down onto the road the night before. After about a kilometre I picked up the pace, breathing deep into my lungs and out again in time with my pace. Born This Way came on and I could see the lamp come into view so I pushed my body to its limit, my legs and lungs burning for me to stop.
When I got the broken lamp I slowed and put my hands behind my head taking in deep breaths. The part of the pole that had broken off and the shattered glass had been moved to the side of the road.
Looking up I noticed for the first time that there was actually char marks at the broken end of the street lamp. I went over to look at the pieces on the ground and squatted to touch the blackened end. The metal had melted in several places, I hadn’t seen any fire the night before. Thinking back I realised that when my lamp had blown it had caught on fire as well.
The bricks that had fallen at the school though didn’t quite fit, but I also couldn’t remember the whole incident and I hadn’t gone back afterwards because Scott had insisted it wasn’t necessary.
I started walking back towards home, still as confused as I was before but slowly putting more pieces together.
The rest of the day went just as the previous Saturday, I studied, did some work on an assignment and organised my calendar. Mum brought my lunch up for me so I didn’t need to come down. The house was quiet when I finally pulled my ear buds out at three o’clock. I grabbed a shower to refresh myself and dressed in my baggy comfy pants. Looking around for my favourite bra, I realised it was probably in the spare room, where my mother left the washing that needed folding or ironing. I went in and picked through the pile, when I stood up I went to the window and looked out. I’d never seen the backyard from this angle. My mother was pottering as usual and looked content and happy. She was planting in the new area that Scott had dug for her. She had built up a new bed with her own compost and had selected her new seeds for Autumn. I watched her for a few minutes, she looked so comfortable. Just as I was about to leave I noticed her waving her arm over the row of newly planted seeds. In seconds the seeds had grown to small seedlings, picking up the watering can she froze, and I hid behind the wall as she turned her head to look at the house, taking in quick breaths. I wasn’t sure if she’d seen me or not, but I got out of the room and finished dressing.
My mother could make plants grow? I started trusting my instincts, this hadn’t been a trick of the light or a fleeting thing. I wandered down the stairs and made two cups of strong coffee and took one out to my mother.
“Hi, Honey.” She said smiling at me, I instinctively smiled back. When she smiled it lit up her entire face, her eyes shining brightly.
“Hey Mum, how’s the garden growing?” I handed her a cup of coffee and sat down on the grass in front of the new bed.
“Really good actually, the new seeds have taken off well.” She looked from the garden bed to me and I noticed a small film of sweat on her upper lip.
“Considering you only planted those ten minutes ago, I would say their absolutely thriving. You should have full grown plants by Wednesday.” I looked at her watching her olive skin pale and her smile fade from her face. Her eyes were wary, I could see her battling with what to say next.
“Ruby…I ….” She fell silent, either trying to find a lie or trying to figure out what truth to tell me. We sat there for ten minutes, neither of us talking, both of us staring at the new seedlings, their little green leaves swaying gently in the breeze.
“When you’re ready to tell me the truth, come and find me.” I got up, squeezed my mother on the shoulder and walked back inside, leaving her staring after me. I chose to walk away, if I’d argued with her, I would only have ended up angry and she would have ended up getting hurt. I felt like I’d chosen the right path even if that meant I would have to wait for answers.
My mobile rang in my pocket, I smiled when I saw it was Scott.
“Hey, Rubes,” he sounded husky and sexy as hell.
“Well hello to you too,” my heart racing hearing his voice.
“I was wondering if you wanted to catch up tonight? If it’s okay with your parents of course.” He asked me like I even had a choice, my hormones were already screaming hell yes!
“Hang on, I’ll ask now.” I put my mobile down and called out to my mother from the back door. She quickly suggested inviting him over here for a movie night. Whilst it wasn’t the worst idea she’d ever had, I realised that it would also restrict our physical contact, both a positive and a negative. Scott agreed without hesitation and said he’d be there for dinner. I let my mother know that he would be eating with us and then went back up to my room.
Laying on the bed, a huge grin that no doubt looked as dorky as it felt was plastered on my face. I knew I was in love with Scott, despite the length of time I had known him. I was drawn to him, physically and emotionally. It was almost like he was meant for me, made for me, already a part of me. Maybe some of his little story was true, maybe he was meant to meet me, maybe we were meant to be together.
I wondered when my mother would come clean about her special gardening ability, if she would tell me the truth or try and blow it off as something less significant, less…magical. I thought about the incident at the hall the previous night with the water and pulled myself off the bed, an idea forming in my head.
I went into the bathroom and put the plug in the sink, filling it with water. I put my hands in and swirled the water around. When I pulled them out they were wet, I dried them off and focused harder on the water. For a full five minutes, I repeated the sequence over and over. I sighed and looked in t
he mirror at myself. Try harder Ruby, you know you can do this! I told myself. After all, I’d done it by accident, without even thinking about it at youth group.
Taking a deep breath I stared at the water and felt the now familiar heat building in my toes, as it moved up into the legs and back I raised my hands above the water and it rippled ever so softly, like a drop of water had fallen into it. I willed the heat within me to push harder, it filled my stomach, my core until I felt it pulsing in my hands. I moved my left hand towards the edge of the bowl and watched in awe as the water gently whirled to the left. Repeating the same action with my right hand, the water changed course and whirled to the right. Concentrating, I felt a larger pulse quicken through my body, and raised both hands up higher. I watched the water rise into a small mound, arching up just as my hands had done. As I slightly lowered them and again the water mimicked my movements and flattened back out.
“Ruby?” I realised that my mother was banging on the door to the bathroom. “Ruby are you in there? Are you okay?”
Immediately I felt that pulse leave my body, bringing me back to where I was. I opened the door and saw the worry on my mother’s face.
“What’s wrong? I was just in the bathroom?” I asked, sounding more irritated than I actually was.
“It’s quarter to six and Scott’s downstairs. What have you been doing in there? You’ve been in there for ages!” She looked into the bathroom behind me.
“Just splashing some water on my face, I fell asleep and wanted to wake up a little.” I gently squeezed past her into the hall heading towards my bedroom. “I’ll be down in a minute, I just want to get changed.” I quickly closed my bedroom door, leaning against it. I could control water, I’d simply asked it to move, and it had. I was both in shock and impressed at the same time. I took a deep breath, plastered a smile on my face and headed downstairs.
I found my parents in the kitchen talking with Scott. He was helping my mother in the kitchen chopping up onions.