Aspen and the Dream Walkers

by Caroline Swart

  Chapter 13

  Ruby Red

  A loud sound woke Aspen up with a start. Slapping the Mickey Mouse ears on her alarm clock, she lowered the quilt and opened her eyes. The small hand mirror on her table jumped as she grabbed it to examine her face.

  "Hmm, no damage that I can see," she mused. After wiggling her toes, she then tested her fingers, stretching them open and closed a few times. Satisfied that all was well, she hopped out of bed.

  Pulling out a sweater, a pair of jeans, and underwear in the darkened room, she tiptoed to the bathroom. Miriam had already come and gone, leaving towels strewn all over the floor. After Aspen cleaned up, she got dressed, put on her watch and ring, and caught the bus to school.

  Sandy and Ginny waited for her in the courtyard.

  "Hey!" Ginny called. Her hair was wrapped in a bun, held in place with a leather hair slide and stick. She raised her hand to high-five Aspen.

  "Way to go." Sandy laughed and slapped her hand as well.

  "What happened? Everything went blank. Did you guys get home safely?"

  "Well, duh. We're here, aren't we?" Ginny smiled smugly. Her dream catcher peeped out through the pink V-necked shirt she wore, and her metallic bangles tinkled as she moved.

  "No, you know what I mean."

  "Yes, everyone is okay. You're the new superstar back home," Sandy said excitedly.

  "I am?"

  "Yes, you're all that anyone talks about now."

  "No way. Really?"

  Ginny nodded her head and laughed while shifting her backpack over her shoulder.

  "Did Dylan manage to make it out?" Aspen asked, and Sandy raised her eyebrow.

  "Yes, he did. But you can find out for yourself in class today."

  Sighing, Aspen looped her arms through theirs and headed for the school building. "Right, let's get the day started."

  - - -

  The first class of the morning was English, but Dylan was noticeably absent. She sat down at her desk and looked up in surprise as Ray and Ruby were escorted into the classroom. Mr. Wright cleared his throat loudly to get the students' attention.

  "Class, we've got new students." He held on to Ruby's shoulder as he spoke. "This is Ruby Firestone and her brother, Ray. They're exchange students from Tuscaloosa High School in Alabama, and they'll be with us for the next semester. Please make them feel welcome."

  The male students were completely captivated as they stared in amazement at Ruby's beauty. And she did look spectacular. Her sweater and short skirt were completely white, and her hair was pinned high on her head in a swinging ponytail. The red tresses dipped and swayed as she moved. White Roman sandals with straps wound up her calves and fastened at the knees.

  Ray stood next to her with his arms folded across his wide chest. He searched the class and as soon as his eyes found Aspen's, he grinned broadly. Striding over to her, he left his sister alone at the front of the room.

  "Can I join you, darlin'?" A small dimple appeared in his cheek as he hovered over her.

  Aspen nodded and he took the desk next to her. His clothing had been freshly laundered and he smelled like fabric softener. Tiny flecks of gold sparkled in his eyes as he studied her.

  "What are you doing here?" she whispered.

  "Ruby wanted to see how Dylan was doing, and I wanted to spend some time with Lanta's new hero." He gave her a lazy grin.

  Looking up, Aspen saw his sister watching their interaction and she lowered her head. "Does Ruby mind that you're sitting with me?"

  "Absolutely not. How could she mind when I'm with the prettiest girl in the school?" He smiled wickedly.

  Heat flared in her cheeks. "Thank you, but I think your sister has officially earned that title right now." She glanced at the smitten faces of the boys around her. Arguments had already broken out over where Ruby should sit.

  "Darlin', you're breathtaking. Don't sell yourself short." Ray's gaze wandered over her body with an appreciative gleam.

  Aspen couldn't help but smile at him. The Southern charm that he turned on was so sweet and engaging. She decided to relax and enjoy his flirting.

  By the time the lunch bell rang, her stomach ached from laughter. Ray followed her around wherever she went. He carried her backpack to each class, and dusted off the seat for her before she sat down. Even though she'd looked out for Dylan, he didn't come to any of his usual classes, and she jerked in surprise when his deep voice called her name in the corridor.

  "Aspen!"

  Wearing a tight-fitting gray T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans that hung low on his hips, he glared over her head at Ray. She felt guilty that her backpack was draped over Ray's shoulder, and winced when she saw a muscle in Dylan's jaw tick.

  "Hey. I, er, I wondered where you were," she stuttered.

  Ruby appeared behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "There you are," she said with a sigh. "I've been looking for you everywhere." She squeezed him and slipped under his arm. On her tiptoes, she reached up to press her lips against his cheek.

  Aspen's whole body flushed with anger and her eyes narrowed. The two looked so comfortable together, and Dylan didn't pull away from her.

  Without warning, Ray turned her to face him. "Come on, let's get some lunch."

  Aspen looked back at Dylan, but the imprint of Ruby's lipstick was still clearly visible on his cheek. Her stomach churned at the thought of the tiny Fire Walker tucked up against his body.

  She reached out and held Ray's arm, smiling radiantly. "Yes, I think that's a good idea."

  Dylan stared at her for a long moment before looking down at Ruby and giving her his full attention. "Hey, Rubes. You're looking gorgeous today."

  "Mmm, that's exactly why I wanted to find you. You know just what to say to make a girl feel good," Ruby said with a chuckle. "Let's get out of here."

  Aspen glanced over her shoulder as Ray tugged her toward the cafeteria. Dylan had his arm around Ruby's shoulders, and her silvery laughter rang through the air.

  It hurt to think of Dylan with Ruby, and Aspen's heart fluttered as a physical pain gripped her chest. She could hear Ray speaking, but she wasn't listening to a thing he said over the rushing sound in her ears. Her mind raced and her veins throbbed with electricity. Everything was going wrong. She wanted to be more than friends with Dylan, and Ruby was going to ruin everything.

  Dylan belonged to her, not Ruby. She wanted him so badly that it ached. That was it! She closed her eyes as the words bounced around in her mind, over and over. She was in love with Dylan Powers.

  With that earth-shattering conclusion, her mood dipped and she slowed down to think.

  Ruby could have anyone her heart desired, and there was absolutely no reason for her to be with Dylan. Aspen, on the other hand, didn't own anything. All of her clothes were hand-me-downs from Miriam, or thrift shop specials, and she hadn't possessed a thing when she was younger.

  Her bedding was secondhand. The Mickey Mouse clock was something she'd picked up in the dumpster one day. She couldn't even keep her dad. He'd been taken away from her too, and she hadn't had the chance to know him as she grew up. Dads treated their little girls with love and care, and spoiled them as much as possible. Not experiencing that hurt more than words could say.

  Aspen's lip trembled and moisture spiked the corners of her eyes. The dream catcher throbbed softly under her shirt, and she wondered how long it would be before someone would take that as well. She wanted to curse and words bubbled up in her throat, but she bit her lip to keep them in.

  "Hey, you're squeezing my hand. What's wrong?"

  Aspen pulled her fingers back in shock. The tightness in her chest must have spilled over, and she'd squeezed Ray's hand very hard.

  "I'm sorry." She sighed. "I've got to get something. I'll meet you in class after lunch."

  With a disappointed look, he let her go and watched her walk away.

  She ran into the bathroom and splashed cool water over her cheeks at the sink. As she was drying her face with
a paper towel, Sandy walked into the room.

  "Ray just walked away with a lost look on his face." She laughed and dropped her backpack on the counter.

  "Don't lie. Why would he look lost?"

  "Maybe 'cause he has the hots for you?"

  Aspen smiled weakly. "He doesn't have the hots for me. He's just a nice guy." She threw the crumpled paper towel into the trash can.

  "Hah, that's what you think. He's crazy about you." Sandy smiled and leaned back against the counter.

  The door creaked open and Ruby walked into the restroom. Aspen bent to pick up her backpack and stumbled for a second, but then stood upright with her shoulders drawn back.

  "Hello, Halfling." Ruby smiled and faced the mirror. After a quick inspection, she smoothed her red bangs against her forehead. Opening a shiny red lip gloss, she reapplied the color to her lips. Aspen assumed the gloss needed to be replaced because half of it was probably still on Dylan's cheek.

  Ruby met Aspen's eyes in the mirror. "You did okay yesterday, but you've got so much to learn. Power means nothing if you can't control it." She puckered her lips at her reflection. "You need to practice a lot more before you join our hunts. You could have killed us all if we weren't behind you."

  Aspen gasped. Sandy stood next to Ruby at the sink and reached forward to grab her arm.

  "How dare you say that to our princess? Apologize now, you idiot." Sandy was practically vibrating, she was so angry, and a small bolt of electricity left her fingers and gave Ruby a mild shock.

  "Ouch! Let go of me!" she shouted. Tiny flames licked over the surface of Ruby's skin and burned Sandy's hand, and Sandy dropped her grip instantly. Her palm blistered for a second before the dream catcher around her neck healed it.

  "You little witch. That hurt!" Sandy cried and balled her fist in order to blast Ruby.

  "Stop it!" Aspen shouted. "Stop it right now, both of you. I've had enough of everyone today." Wisps of hair stood up on her neck as power spiked up and down her body in strong currents.

  The two girls stopped fighting and turned to stare at her in disbelief.

  "Okay, Aspen, we aren't fighting now. Just relax." Sandy spoke in a calming voice and watched Aspen anxiously.

  "You started this," Ruby cried out. "I just said she needed more practice, now look what you've done." She stared at Aspen for a second longer and then stormed out of the bathroom as fast as she could.

  "Calm down, Princess, don't get so upset. You can come back down again."

  Sandy's voice rang in the distance in Aspen's head as waves of anger crashed through her body. She was mad at Ruby for being so close to Dylan, the only guy she liked in the whole world, and she was livid that her friend had been burned. The power running through her veins fizzled and popped, and she cursed Ruby in her mind. She was so angry that she barely heard Sandy speaking.

  "Come down, Aspen. You need to calm down."

  It was then that she glanced at the mirror and saw the strangest sight. A blue light flickered around her body like a neon sign, and she hovered in the air about two feet above the ground. Her eyes were silver, and swirled like rough seas. With a cry, she exhaled and dropped to the floor.

  "Sandy," she cried. "What's happening to me?"

  The sound of the bathroom door slamming against the wall made her squeal as Dylan burst into the room.

  "Aspen, are you all right?" He dropped to the floor next to her and pulled her into his arms. The excess electricity that itched up and down her skin arced into his body, and he winced for a second before smiling and closing his eyes.

  "I'm sorry, I don't know what's going on. This hasn't happened to me before." She tried to crawl away from him to avoid shocking him.

  Dylan's grip tightened on her arm. "No, don't move. It's fine." He kept his eyes closed and drew her closer. "Don't worry. You've just had an overload of power. It can be scary, but you'll learn to control it. Let me absorb it for you."

  The heat that radiated between them intensified, and she could feel the tension leave her body as a current buzzed between their arms. After a few minutes, Dylan opened his eyes. A neon glow burned around his pupils momentarily before the color switched back to blue.

  "Let me take you home. I don't think it's smart to stay at school." He helped her up from the floor.

  "That's a good idea," Sandy said. She'd kept quiet while Dylan was holding Aspen, but now she held up her hand to wave at her friend. "See you later."

  Before Aspen could answer, Dylan touched his dream catcher and they were transported instantly to the driveway of her house.

  She took a step back and steadied herself. "How did you do that?"

  "You can do it too. I'll teach you tomorrow. Come on, you need some food and a nice sugary drink." He walked with her along the driveway.

  Her mom's head peered out of the kitchen window. "Aspen, what's wrong?" she called.

  "Nothing, Mom. I just felt faint at school, that's all."

  "Oh, my darling." Norma's blond bob whipped up as she rushed to open the door and let them in.

  Dylan took a second to look around the room, and Aspen looked around to try to see it through his eyes. A big clock hung on the wall above the white fridge, and a small wooden table stood in the middle of the floor with four chairs that were tucked neatly underneath it. Although the kitchen was spotlessly clean, the cabinets were in desperate need of attention; they were clean but unvarnished, and the walls needed a new coat of paint. He probably wondered why Aspen's stepfather hadn't tried to modernize the room.

  "Come inside, honey. I'll make you both a glass of sweet tea." Norma seated her daughter and pulled a pitcher of tea from the fridge.

  "What happened? Are you okay?" she asked as she removed glasses from the cabinet.

  "It's all right, Mom," Aspen replied. "It happened a while ago, and I feel a lot better now, thanks. This is Dylan, by the way."

  "Nice to meet you, ma'am." He greeted her with an outstretched hand. "I think Aspen needs a sandwich with that tea, if you don't mind. It'll build up her strength."

  "I couldn't agree more. Why don't you wait with her in the living room, and I'll call as soon as the food is ready."

  Dylan helped Aspen out of the chair and walked with her to the living room. Again, the room was tidy but threadbare, and she was embarrassed as he stared at the peeling wallpaper and old furniture.

  "I'm just going to dump my bag in my room. I'll be back in a second." She spoke softly as she gripped the handrail.

  Dylan put his hand on her shoulder. "I'll take it up for you, you still look tired."

  "It's not the best room you've ever seen. It needs work."

  "Don't worry. I'm not here to judge," he said with a smile.

  Sighing, she handed him the bag and climbed the staircase. It was rickety and old, and she glanced over her shoulder to make sure he was behind her. Her bedroom was as small as a closet, and she could see the look of horror on his face as she led him into the tiny, dark room. Huge trees outside blocked the light from the window, and the air smelled musty and stale.

  "Where is the light switch?" he asked.

  "No, don't switch on the light, my stepfather doesn't like it. I'm just dropping off my bag. Give it to me, please."

  Holding out the backpack, Dylan rubbed the fingers of his free hand together and produced a ball of electricity that glowed on his palm. The blue light illuminated the tiny room.

  "Wow, that looks pretty," she exclaimed.

  He placed the light on her chest of drawers, and it glowed in a perfectly shaped circle.

  Aspen caught a look of pity in his eyes as he turned to watch her, and she straightened her shoulders. She was the king's niece. She didn't need anyone's sympathy.

  As though he could read her thoughts, he smiled softly and stepped closer to her. "You can do it too. Just concentrate on the ends of your fingers and mold the power into a ball."

  Aspen stretched out her arms and flexed her fingers. Instantly, a ball of blue engulfed her hands. It
ran up her arms and covered her body in a pulsating strobe of light.

  "Oops, I think I overdid it." She smiled for the first time.

  "Pull it back, remember the tap. You can cut off the flow by closing the valve."

  Her eyes scrunched up and she wrinkled her nose in concentration. The blue light dribbled back down her body and stopped at her fingertips. Once she'd stopped the current, she spun around, smiling.

  "Mold it like putty, turn it into a ball," he instructed.

  She pretended to play with a mound of dough and within seconds, a perfect ball of luminous blue hovered on her hand.

  "Good girl!" he exclaimed.

  Aspen's chest jutted out in pride. With her hand outstretched, she aimed a beam of light toward her bed.

  "It's a shame you didn't teach me this earlier," she mumbled.

  "Huh?"

  "Nothing." She smiled wanly. "Let's go back."

  Dylan touched the ball of light on the dresser and it was absorbed back into his body. He followed her downstairs and they entered the kitchen just as Norma placed a plate of sandwiches on the table. Two glasses of iced tea sat next to the plate.

  The pair sat down and ate the food silently. As they finished the last of the sandwiches, high heels clacked on the pavement outside, which meant that Miriam was home.

  She entered the kitchen and stared at Dylan. With an exaggerated eye roll, she dumped her bag on the floor and Norma rushed to pick it up.

  "What's he doing here?"

  Dylan reached into his pocket, grabbed a small card, and pressed it into Aspen's hand. With a tilt of his head, he leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Call me if you need me."

  Standing up, he faced Miriam squarely. "Nice to see you too." Then he nodded at Aspen's mom as she took Miriam's lunchbox out of her bag and placed it in the sink. "Thank you for the sandwiches. I'll talk to you all soon."

  Miriam glared at him as he walked past her and out through the door.

  Watching his tall, lean frame leave the house, Aspen had to fight the anger from whipping through her body again. Her stepsister had forced Dylan to go after he'd been so kind to her. She conjured up a small, marble-sized ball of energy and rolled it steadily between her fingers under the table while her mother began to make food. It was warm and tingled in her palm.

  Miriam was clearly impressed that she'd made him leave and gave her stepsister a self-satisfied look before flouncing out of the kitchen.

  Aspen fumed as she helped her mother wash the dishes.