Chapter 21
Dreams and Nightmares
Two days have flown by, and it’s already time for the winter formal. Constance and Matilda help me get ready, because they love to dress me up like a Barbie doll.
Matilda curls my hair in loose ringlets. “Sophia, will you stop fidgeting? I don’t want to burn you!” Matilda demands.
“Who cares? It’s not like it would hurt!” I joke back.
With slight annoyance, she responds, “That’s not the point.”
Constance brings in the outfit I asked to borrow, along with an amazing tiffany headband. She volunteers to do my makeup for me.
“Thank you so much, Constance and Mati. I have the best sisters.”
Suddenly, I hear a slight gasp, followed by Florence announcing, “Oh, Sophia! You are stunning, absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. I always knew it. You shouldn’t try so hard to hide it.”
“Thanks. I guess I’m trying to just be myself and not hide my true personality anymore,” I defend myself.
“Don’t forget your day crystal,” Florence reminds.
Matilda grabs my necklace off the vanity and assists me in putting it on.
“I guess we are all ready. Shall we go?” I ask.
Alexander, Matilda, Danika, and I all jump in to Isaac’s sports car, a beautiful black Jaguar with tinted windows. Alexander told Nathanial he’ll drive all of us, since Nathanial’s house is on the way to the school. That way, Nate won’t have to borrow his mother’s car. We pull up in front of the McCord house, and Nathanial comes running out.
“What a sweet ride!” he announces, admiring the Jaguar.
“It’s our uncle’s,” Alexander explains.
We all get out and head up the walk toward the house. Once Nathanial catches a glimpse of me, he stands motionless, like a deer caught in headlights. If I could blush I would at this very moment. He looks so handsome in his tuxedo; once again, I am stunned by his perfection.
Nathanial finally catches his breath and stutters, “I have never seen such a beautiful sight in all my life. You are much more beautiful than all the stars in the heavens.”
I gasp, wondering how he can think so highly of me. I am nothing more than a murderous animal that could easily take away everything as he knows it. “Thank you. You look amazing too,” I say and run into his arms.
“Come meet my parents. I’ve told them all about you,” he encourages.
As we approach the door, Nathanial’s parents greet us. “Please come in from the cold, kids.”
We all smile at each other before entering, and Alexander telepathically adds, “Thank God they asked us in. I hate that we have to be invited before we can enter another’s dwelling, and it’s always hard to make excuses for it. I’m glad Nathanial and his family are so polite.”
The McCord home is very modest, but warm and inviting. I feel so much love within these walls.
“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. McCord, my name is Sophia, and this is my brother Alexander and my sisters Mati and Danika. It’s nice to meet you.” I am glad Danika’s date just lives a few houses down, so he’ll be meeting her here to escort her to the formal.
“The pleasure is all ours. We’ve heard so much about all of you, and it is nice to meet teenagers with such wonderful manners,” Mrs. McCord replies. “Nate speaks very highly of you, Sophia. It is nice to see him so passionate about something other than football and school,” she adds.
“Mother, do you mind?” Nathanial blushes.
“Sorry, love. You kids have fun tonight and be safe. Please call if you need a ride home or anything,” she offers.
“Thank you. That is very kind of you, ma’am,” Alexander replies.
After a few pictures, we say our goodbyes and head back to the car. Danika’s date is waiting for her on the front walk. She introduces everyone and hops in her date’s car to head to the formal. Nathanial opens the car door and helps me into the back seat. Alexander follows suit and assists Matilda into her seat, then gracefully shuts the door. The two of them walk around to the other side of the car and hop in. Alexander drives cautiously to the school, so as not to alarm Nathanial with his usual speed-demon driving skills.
S S S
Once we arrive, I observe the beauty around us. We proceed to walk under a canopy of white lights that looks like stars. It is enchanting, and every couple pauses for a portrait lit by the hanging lights and the full moon that hangs perfectly in the horizon of the night sky. Nathanial and I pause for our portrait, followed by Alexander and Matilda, and then the four of us together. It is perfect. I know I will never get to see heaven, but this is what I imagine it would be like if I did.
Matt and Ebony arrive just after us, in Matt’s ’69 Shelby Cobra GT 500. It belonged to his grandfather, and Matt rebuilt it by himself, something he is extremely proud of. He did an amazing job, as if the car was rebuilt by Foose himself. He even thought of entering it in a car show, and now that I see it, I understand why and think he most definitely should.
We all enter the gymnasium under an archway wrapped in spruce branches and accented with white roses and red berries. Inside, thousands of little white lights twinkle, and lighted snowflakes hang from the ceiling. A disc jockey is playing a variety of music that almost everyone is dancing to. Throughout my years, I have seen many dances, formals, and proms, but nothing has ever compared to the perfection of this one. I wonder if it is because of the scenery or the company I am sharing the evening with. I now understand that love does brighten the world. Everything is better when you have love.
Nathanial guides me to the dance floor; it is like the parting of the red sea, as everyone moves to either side to make room for us. The music slows, and Nathanial extends his arm, offering me his hand. “May I have this dance?” he requests.
“You may.” I smile as he places one hand on the small of my back and raises our joined hands up. I place my other hand on his broad shoulder.
Just when I’m thinking this is a perfect first dance together, I realize what song is playing, and I look at him in amazement.
“I told you I would remember.” He smiles.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “I can’t believe you got them to play good old Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra, for me!”
“This is beautiful. I think I have even heard it before. But it is not nearly as beautiful as you are. I understand why you like it. Maybe it can be our song now?” he suggests.
“Hmm. That would be okay, but I heard another song that suits us much better,” I reply.
“Really? And what song is that?”
I wink at Alexander, and he goes to request it.
Seconds later, Nickelback’s “Never Gonna Be Alone” begins to play, and Nathanial smiles at me. “This is perfect. It describes exactly how I feel, especially if I were to lose you.”
“I feel the exact same way. I could’ve written the song lyrics myself.” I lean in and give him a small kiss, happy that we have found our perfect song. I can’t stop myself from looking into his big sapphire-blue eyes as the song ends and he embraces me in his arms so tightly. The music picks up again, and everyone begins bobbing to the beat and cheering. We decide to escape and go for a walk in the park to be alone. We can never get enough alone time. People still stare at us, shocked that Nathanial finally has a girlfriend.
I look over at Alexander to tell him our plan, and he nods in agreement. I know he’ll be listening in at least a little; he is very protective of me. It’s like he doesn’t think I can take care of myself, but I know he is really just concerned that I can’t control myself. Sometimes I worry too. Nothing has ever appealed to me with such force and strength before. I refuse to give in to the temptation, no matter how hard I have to fight myself. I would rather leave him and know he is safe than to harm him with my love and desire. For that reason, though, I am grateful that Alexander will be close by. I want to taste Nathanial’s blood. I crave it. But even more than that, I want to be with him. That is the main thing that keeps me fro
m going on a complete and utter feeding frenzy. This man means everything to me, and over the course of just a few months, I have found everything I have ever wanted, and I found it in him. I don’t mind the extra precautions, though, I’d rather be safe than sorry.
After losing Caspian everyone is secretly concerned about my relationship with Nathanial. They know he appeals to me even more than Caspian’s girlfriend had to him. They feel my pain and torment when Alexander connects us all. I will make them understand. Nathanial is the only one for me, and now that I have accepted him as my soul mate, I’m comfortable letting myself go, knowing that he will never let me fall. With Alexander close by, I feel even more confident with that fact.
Immortal Embrace Page 21