The Key of Hearts

by Mia Rodriguez

  Chapter 18

  Xavier's whole demeanor changed after his mutual dream with Selena. He smiled brighter and had a slight bounce to his step. Selena was indescribably relieved that he had finally gotten to talk to his mother. She hadn't known how much more she could take with all the agonizing stress in her life at the moment.

  A few days later, Mrs. Spinoza had called loudly to her daughter to come outside with her. Selena didn’t know what the fuss was all about. But as soon as they reached the outdoors, the answer squarely hit her between the eyes. Selena had never seen such a sunset. If possible, it was even more remarkable than the sunrise she had witnessed a few weeks ago. The shimmering oranges were brighter, the pretty pinks with sharper brilliance, and the endless ocean-blue sky cradling the many complimentary hues within itself.

  Even her animals had stopped what they were doing to look at the sky. What’s going on? wondered Selena. She no longer took these strange happenings for granted.

  “Isn’t this beautiful?” asked Mrs. Spinoza, out of breath with emotion.

  “Yes, beautiful,” mumbled Selena, not being able to help the insecurities from bubbling inside of her. This sunset has to mean something, she said to herself. And it may not be something good.

  It was with that thought that she went to bed and tossed and turned until finally arriving at a deep sleep.

  When seeing Xavier at a distance, Selena rushed towards him. It quickly became obvious to her that she wasn’t in the same place as before and that Clara was nowhere in sight. This time, Selena and Xavier were on a mountain and as she neared him, she saw what he was so enthralled with—the most immense weeping willow tree she had ever seen. The branches, the size of small tree trunks, nearly reached to the ground with bright yellow-green leaves spreading in the sunshine.

  “What a tree,” she gushed, reaching Xavier.

  “Selena,” Xavier announced, happily. “You’re here.”

  Then Selena noticed what was in his hands and stared wide-eyed at the object, not blinking even once.

  “What’s that?” she asked.

  “Some sort of a key,” he answered.

  She stepped up to him in awed reverence and touched the magnificent, crystal clear key the size of a new tube of toothpaste. Rainbow colors shimmered inside of the translucent object. The key had a life of its own, and Selena could feel its vibrant energy.

  “What’s it for?” she asked.

  “I don’t know,” Xavier responded.

  Selena woke up to what appeared to be a normal day. Her animals acted as usual and nothing gave the appearance of being out of place. Yet, her world may not have seemed different but it felt different nonetheless.

  As soon as Selena saw Xavier coming towards her at the bus stop, a relief spread through her like margarine over toast. She waited patiently as he gracefully made it to her, his form as confident as always.

  “Hi,” he said, his fluid eyes raking over her face.

  “Hi,” Selena answered, struck by his presence as she usually was when first seeing him for the day.

  “How were your dreams?” he asked, his eyebrows up and voice in a serious tone.

  Judging by the intense look in his face, Selena knew what he was actually asking. “A tree and a key. How were your dreams?”

  “The same as yours,” he answered, going deep in his head. “What did it mean?”

  “I don’t know,” Selena sighed. “But we know who to ask.”

  All throughout the morning as Selena went from one class to another, she expected a change in climate but instead, the day stayed sunny and warm—no harsh winds let loose. Windows didn’t unexpectedly open, light bulbs didn’t shatter, and bookshelves didn’t fall on students. The beautiful sunset the night before hadn’t brought anything with it as the radiant sunrise seemed to have done a few weeks ago. The ghost in the library all but forgotten with the resilient student body. During lunch, Moonflower still sat with the mega-uglies, but she was much quieter than the day before.

  “All this calm makes me nervous,” Xavier whispered to Selena during Science class.

  “Something’s off today.”

  “You feel it too?”

  “Yes.”

  “What’s happening?” Selena asked anxiously.

  Xavier’s dark eyes gazed at her with a grave undertone. “My guess is that it’s the calm before the storm.”