Scintillate (Scintillate Series Book 1)

by Karen Tjebben

“Oh, look at you.” Maggie slowly shook her head. “You’ve got it bad.”

  “Yes, I do have it bad. I can’t wait to see him tomorrow.” The butterflies in my stomach were calm for now, but I could feel their underlying excitement as I talked about him.

  Obviously, Maggie wanted a word for word replay of everything that was said and done. She even wanted to know facial expressions and intonations of words. This was difficult, but not impossible. I did the best I could, but struggled to relay the effect he had on my nervous and cardiovascular systems. I guess some things just have to remain a mystery.

  First

  Nick leaned against the stair railing by the school’s main entrance reading Pride and Prejudice. The closer I got to him, the more quickly the butterflies in my stomach fluttered. It amazed me how quickly he’d become a part of my life. Significant events do that — bond people together like two metals forged in a fire.

  He looked at me, closed the book, and gave it a shake. “Oh, that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, how will it end?” He winked and took my backpack from me as we headed into the building.

  “You already know how it ends. You’ve read the book.”

  “I know.” He shrugged. “It’s just fun to pretend I don’t know how it’s going to end.”

  “Really? Maybe you need to read more.” His fingers intertwined with mine as we walked down the hall.

  “Believe it or not, I read all kinds of books. I also recommend rereading books. You might catch something you missed the first time.”

  “I’ll try to remember that, Aesop.”

  “Aesop, that’s a good one. Did you think about that all night, or just come up with it?”

  “Ugh, I just thought of it.” I squeezed his bicep, but realized too late it was a bad idea. The curve of his arm tempted me as my hand lingered on his muscle. “You know, you’re a big tease.”

  “I know. It’s one of my charms.” Nick’s eyes looked into mine and captivated me. I couldn’t look away any more than a child could resist a batch of freshly baked cookies. “We’re going to have a lot of fun together, Kate.”

  “Hmm, I like to have fun,” I flirted back. “I just don’t always move at record pace. Sometimes I like to take my time.” I bit my lower lip.

  “Don’t worry, I’ve already figured that out.” We stopped outside my AP biology class. “Slow and steady wins the race.” Nick handed me my backpack.

  “Very good, Aesop.”

  “I’ll see you in history.”

  “See you in history.” I trudged across the vinyl floor because I knew that history would feel like an eternity from now.

  Alisha’s mouth was open as she gaped at me. “I see you and the new guy are together,” she said as I sat next to her. “Go get him, tiger.”

  “Uh, it’s not exactly like that.”

  “Uh-huh, well… it looks exactly like that,” Alisha smirked as she opened her AP biology book. “I heard he even spent the weekend with you?” Her cheeks were redder than her hair. “I bet that was fun.” Her giggle and tone were full of implications that reddened my cheeks.

  Mr. Dobbs began his lecture while Alisha’s presumptions about the weekend got me thinking. Nick and I meshed quickly, and it was amazing that he came to Asheville with us. Rarely did high school students go away for the weekend with their significant other. Of course, at the beginning of the trip Nick and I hardly knew each other.

  This weekend would’ve been so different if he hadn’t been there. Who else could I have talked to about the man in the mirror? What would have happened when we were sledding? Would I have jumped off, or would I have crashed? Looking back, Nick’s presence was critical. I needed him.

  Eventually, Mr. Dobbs interrupted my thoughts and handed us several questions to answer. I finished just as the bell rang.

  The rest of the morning passed quickly as I anticipated my reunion with Nick in history. He was seated by the window and had saved a desk for me.

  “Hey there.” I dropped my backpack beside my chair.

  “Do you know that I actually missed you? I think I got spoiled this weekend being with you so much.”

  I leaned in close to him. “Yeah, I thought about you all morning.” I placed my hand close to his, and his thumb stroked the top of my hand.

  Mr. Parker began his lecture on… who knows what? I didn’t care as long as I was with Nick. Mr. Parker’s low voice provided a gentle hum for my long gazes into Nick’s face.

  After a few minutes Nick nudged me, but I didn’t catch on fast enough.

  “Kate Archer,” Mr. Parker’s voice boomed out. “Do you need a new seat?”

  My heart pounded in my chest, but for all the wrong reasons. As everyone stared at me, I prayed that Mr. Parker wouldn’t express to the entire class why I might need a new seat.

  “No, sir,” I replied, looking at Mr. Parker’s laser beam stare. “I don’t need a new seat.”

  “Good, keep your eyes up here,” he demanded.

  I nodded and listened intently for the rest of class.

  “The Battle of Bull Run was the first major conflict between the Union Army and the Confederate Army in which human lives were lost,” Mr. Parker said. “Does anyone know the other name used for this battle?”

  A few hands flew up and pages rustled as others searched for the answer. “Yes, Thomas,” Mr. Parker said.

  “Manassas,” Thomas said with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

  “That’s correct.”

  “Mr. Parker, why did this battle have two names?” Luis asked, his dark brown eyes locked on the front of the room.

  “That’s a good question. The Union and the Confederates named the battles. So depending on which side you were on would decide which name you used when talking about a specific battle.” Mr. Parker paced across the front of the room, as if surveying from the Bridge on a ship.

  “So it’s like the battle had multiple-personalities.” Adit’s shoulders twitched as he tried to hold back his laughter. Snickers arose among the students, and eyes darted around the classroom to see if anyone would come up with a better joke.

  “Absolutely not,” Mr. Parker corrected. He shook his head, obviously unimpressed by the joke. “The Union Army tended to name the battles after the closest body of water, while the Confederate Army tended to name the battle after the closest community. Two different names could still refer to the same battle.”

  Mr. Parker continued his lecture on The Battle of Bull Run. I did my best to pay attention by taking notes. Maps, charts and photos filled the SMART Board at the front of the room. Having Nick sit beside me was the only saving grace during this lecture.

  I started to wonder how long Mr. Parker’s lecture series could drag out covering a four year war. Then it dawned on me that the following weeks or months might be grim.

  Eventually, the bell rang, and chairs screeched across the vinyl floor as everyone hurried out of class. Nick caught my attention as I put my notebook in my backpack. “At least that’s over,” I said.

  “For today. What were you thinking about? You kept sighing and squirming in your seat.”

  “Oh, I was just thinking that the next few weeks might be a little grim for us.”

  He let out a wicked chuckle from between a knowing smile. “I’ll do my best to keep that from happening.”

  “I’m not sure there’s much you can do to stop it,” I replied soberly. “Come on, we better get to lunch.”

  After English, Nick walked me to the car. Reese stood there, waiting patiently. “Hi there, Nick.”

  Wow, he’s actually trying.

  “Hi, Reese,” Nick replied. “It’s good to see you.”

  “Yeah, you too,” Reese said. He gave a quick nod and got into the Mustang.

  Nick opened the passenger side door for me. “I’ll see you later?”

  “Of course,” I said as I sat in the car. Nick closed the door with a thud.

  “Was that better?” Reese asked as we pulled away. “Was I friendly enough?”
<
br />   “Yes, that was much better.” I dropped my backpack at my feet. “I’m glad you didn’t growl and slink into the car.”

  In the distance, ominous gray clouds marched towards us. Their presence threatened to eliminate the light and cheer from our lives. If I wanted to run today I needed to leave as soon as I got home. As soon as we pulled into the driveway, I bolted into the house.

  “Hi Kate. Hi Reese,” Mom called from upstairs. “How was school?”

  “It was great,” I yelled as I took the stairs two at a time. “I’m going to run before it rains.”

  “Okay, have fun,” Mom replied from her bedroom.

  I changed into my running clothes and laced up my shoes. I grabbed my iPod, popped in my earbuds as I dashed down the stairs, and ran out the door. I hit my playlist and began running the two mile circuit around the neighborhood lake. Thick rain clouds continued to darken the sky, blot out the sun, and eliminate the small lake’s mirror effect. The streaks of sunlight that encouraged me to run were replaced with promises of rain. The wind picked up and whipped the ends of my ponytail around my face. I was about half-way around the lake when tiny droplets began their assault. They sporadically splattered my clothes and left tiny wet marks. I ran faster, determined to make it home before the deluge let loose.

  Nick ran towards me as he rounded a finger of the lake. “Hey there,” he called out.

  “Hi,” I panted as we approached each other. “Please tell me you’re just starting. You aren’t even sweating.”

  “I’m just starting. You look like you’re running for your life.”

  “You could say that. I’m trying to beat the storm.”

  He turned around and jogged with me. “Can I join you?”

  “Of course.” The raindrops quickly increased and soon became an icy downpour. I shivered as my soaked clothes stuck to my body. Heavy winds shook the few remaining leaves and ripped some of them from their branches. The usually calm, reflective lake was now rough as the winds blew over the water.

  After running for a few minutes in the downpour, we came to the path along the lake that led to Nick’s house. “Come to my place?” he shouted over the constant drum of the rain.

  “Sure,” I agreed, grateful that refuge was close at hand. We took off down a slippery red clay and mud path. A thin layer of branches and leaves covered the path and provided traction and protection from the icky mess.

  Within minutes we were at the back of his house. He opened the deck door and stepped onto the hardwood floor in the kitchen. I followed him in, and we immediately removed our wet shoes and socks. I wrapped my arms around my chest to fight off the chill.

  “I’ll get some towels.” Nick quickly strode through the family room and disappeared up the stairs.

  I waited in the spotless kitchen. Nothing cluttered the cream and brown veined granite countertops and island. They sparkled as the recessed can lights shone brightly on them. A dark wooden trestle table that seated six also filled the kitchen space. As I glanced to my right, into the family room, a huge television hung on the wall. The opposite wall was full of windows and looked out onto the backyard. The wall perpendicular to the windows featured built-in bookshelves that were lined with books and interesting odds and ends. I wanted to check them out, but I didn’t dare walk on the light tan carpet in the family room while I was still wet. A large “L” shaped sectional sofa lined the wall of windows and faced the bookshelves. An irregular shaped coffee table made from thick slabs of highly polished wood accented the room.

  To the left of the kitchen were the dining room and his father’s office. His father’s hushed voice talked on the phone, but I couldn’t make out what he said. The French doors leading to the office were closed. I couldn’t see him because of the angle of the room.

  Nick breezed down the stairs in dry running pants and a fresh long sleeve t-shirt. He handed me a towel, a pair of draw-string sweatpants, and a sweatshirt.

  “Wow, you changed and found all of this that quickly,” I said.

  “I guess you could say I was a man on a mission.” He led me down a short hallway off the kitchen to the powder room. “You can change in here. I’ll get you something to drink. What would you like?”

  “Water would be great, thanks.”

  I closed the door and placed the dry clothes on the marble vanity. I sighed in humiliation at my reflection. My mascara was running, and the wind had even blown tiny pieces of debris into my hair. Nick didn’t need to see me like this. I needed to leave as soon as possible.

  I stripped off my wet running clothes. As I stood there in my wet underwear and sports bra, I contemplated my options. If I kept them on, I’d just end up with wet marks on my dry clothes, which would look really stupid. If I took them off, I’d be going around braless in front of my boyfriend. Was I ready for that? Not in summer weight clothes, but winter weight clothes, he’d probably never notice. I slipped out of my wet underwear and put on the sweats. I cinched them up tightly and knotted the drawstring to keep them from falling. The crotch hung low between my legs, but as long as they didn’t fall off and kept me warm, I’d be happy.

  With great difficult, I peeled off the soaked sports bra and pulled the bulky sweatshirt over my head. I looked at myself from several angles in the mirror. It wasn’t obvious that I was braless; of course, being the opposite of well-endowed helps. Hopefully it wouldn’t get freezing cold in here all of a sudden.

  I removed the ponytail, grabbed the towel, and squeezed as much water out of my hair as possible. I ran my fingers through my hair and pulled out a few pieces of tattered leaves. After I redid my ponytail, I balled up my wet clothes and walked into the hallway.

  Nick handed me a plastic bag. “I figured you would need this for your wet clothes.”

  “Thanks.” The recycled grocery store bag crinkled as I shoved my wet clothes into it.

  Nick watched me, his hands shoved in the pockets of his running pants. “Those clothes look pretty good on you. I’m glad you were able to get them to fit.”

  “Oh, I cinched the pants up as tight as possible. I don’t think they’ll fall down.” I laughed quietly as I gave the waistband a little tug. “They’re a little long though.” I held out my foot for him to see. Rolls of fabric hung around my ankles because the pants were about six inches too long.

  “I guess I could call you Droopy Drawers.”

  “Ha, ha, ha.” We headed back down the hallway towards the kitchen. “I just hope they don’t actually fall down.” Please, please, please don’t fall down. I hadn’t taken that into account in my decision whether to wear my underwear or not. I inconspicuously checked the knot on my drawstring to make sure they wouldn’t end up around my ankles with my butt showing. That would be a humiliation I could not survive.

  On the way back to the kitchen we passed a picture of Nick and his father. “This is a great picture of you two,” I said. Nick and his father were dressed casually in shorts and t-shirts. Their skin was bronzed by the sun, and the wind tousled their hair. They were kneeling over a large shell on the white powdery sand. The shallow water looked emerald in color but became more turquoise as it deepened.

  “Thanks, that was taken at Balos Beach in Greece.”

  “Your dad looks so young,” I said, shocked.

  “Yeah, I, uh… was kind of a surprise,” he said. “They didn’t really plan on having me.”

  “Oh,” I said, not sure how to reply. “Do you ever see your mom?”

  He shook his head. “No, they aren’t divorced. My mom died a long time ago, when I was very young.”

  What’s the right thing to say when someone tells you this? “I’m so sorry, Nick. I’m sorry I asked.”

  “That’s okay. I should have told you already. I just didn’t know how to bring it up.” He smiled and squeezed my hand. “Do you want your water?” he asked and led me to the kitchen. “Are you warm enough? Would you like me to turn up the heat?”

  He flung the questions at me so quickly I couldn’t re
spond between them. “No, I actually feel fine,” I said with a nervous chuckle and hoped I looked fine. “This sweatshirt is very comfy.” I pulled it away from my body so that it didn’t cling to me. “I should probably call my mom. She’ll be worried about me and wonder where I am if I don’t come home soon.”

  “Of course.” He walked over to the counter and retrieved his cell phone. “My dad is on a conference call in his office. You can use this one.”

  As I took his phone, my fingers lightly caressed his palm. We exchanged smiles. I called Mom and told her that I was safe at Nick’s house and that I’d wait for the storm to stop before coming home. I placed the phone on the island.

  “I’ll drive you home,” Nick said. “You didn’t really think I’d let you run home when I could drive you, did you?”

  I grinned and gave a little shrug. “I guess not.”

  “Is she okay with you being here?”

  “Yes, she said to thank you for taking me in from the storm. I guess she figures I’m safe with you.”

  “You are safe with me. I don’t want you to get hurt.” Nick stepped closer and placed his hands on my hips. “I consider it my duty to protect you from harm of any kind.”

  “You’re so goofy,” I said. “But I kinda like it.”

  Nick’s face twisted up in confusion. “What do you mean, ‘goofy’?” he said with a half-smile.

  “Oh, nothing bad, just that ‘protect you from harm of any kind,’ sounds so serious. Not much happens in Cary. You might get kind of bored if you make it your mission to protect me.”

  “I guess you’re right. That did sound a little melodramatic,” he said. He pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around me. “I guess I’m a romantic at heart.” He kissed my cheek.

  “You’re in luck then, because I love romance.”

  “Then I guess we’re a match made in Heaven.”

  We stood like this for a long moment. He had a strange hypnotic effect on me. When I was close to him, I felt peaceful and calm even though my pulse quickened.

  I looked over at the bookcases abounding with books and trinkets. He followed my gaze. “Do you want to look at those?” he asked.