Enjoy chapter twenty four.
Chapter twenty-four
“Come on baby,” I whined, tugging on his arm, my red silk glove sliding against his shirt. “You promised me we'd go out tonight!”
I took a long drag on my cigarette, blowing the smoke into his face. I knew it infuriated when I smoked, and even more so if I blew the smoke at him, and maybe if I could get him angry, I could move him toward the door. I could hear the sax music from the street below the apartment flooding through the window, and it made me itch for dancing, but not only that, I wanted to have fun.
“Everard, you promised!” I pouted as he glared through the smoke.
“You gotta call me Everett babe, someone might hear and think we're gangsters or something, and we don't need trouble.” he chided. Always so uptight. “I just don't feel right about going out tonight.”
“You always say that when I bring up the speakeasies.” I walked over to the window, playing with my string of pearls while looking out at the band of black men below, wailing away on their instruments making beautiful jazz music. “I know you're worried about him and all, but I can't spend my life hiding from him. We don't even know if he's in New York yet.”
“We'll only run as long as we can't fight him. You're not powerful enough yet, Laelais.” he replied.
“So you can call me Laelais, but I can't call you Everard?” I was changing the subject purposefully. He knew it.
“I know you're angry. I want to go out too, but remember all the raids last week? Bootleggers are getting caught left and right, doll.”
I tapped my foot against the wooden floor, taking another long drag. “ Oh, applesauce! So we can magic ourselves out of there. What good is our power if you're too afraid to use it? The Everard I know wouldn't worry about something so small as that.”
There was a knock on the door. I hurried to get it, the tassels on the bottom of my dress bouncing up and down as I shuffled across the floor. I threw open the door. Standing outside were Daisy and John from the apartment across the hall. He was dressed in his black zoot suit, and she wore a black tasseled flapper dress to match. He was a gangster, and a real powerful one to boot—and Daisy was head over heels for him.
She was all smiles, “Hey Lila, Everett. John an' I were gonna go out dancin'. Wanna come?” her voice was shrill and nasally.
Before he had a chance to reply I spoke up. “Sure thing!” I turned and grabbed Everett and dragged him out the door.
We followed the two down the stairs and out onto the street. Music roared around us, and many people crowded the streets, dancing to the music, and bustling around to get to one of the many night clubs. I knew our plans for dancing would involve the speakeasy that John's gang ran, and sure enough as we entered the morgue, I knew exactly where we were going. John approached the receptionist, looked her straight in the eye and said,
“We're here for Mr. Lovegood's funeral.”
She smiled. “Mr. Lovegood's family will be so happy to see you.” She said, pointing down the hall.
We walked down the hall, and as we reached the last room, a door slid away on the wall, and I could smell the smoke and alcohol. We quickly made our way down the steps and into the commotion below. The gang and their girls were all over the place. I smiled as Daisy pulled me to the dance floor. Together the two of us danced while our boys watched from the bar. Soon enough they joined us, and we danced for hours before everything fell to pieces.
I had excused myself to use the ladies room, but as I was turning the corner, a tall blonde man approached me. My stomach turned icy cold, and a chill ran over my skin. He smiled at me, putting his arm around my waist, pulling me into his body.
“Hey doll, what say you and me get a wiggle on?” He winked.
I glared at him. “Sorry, but you're all wet, and the bank's closed.” My voice was venomous.
He leaned in, kissing my neck as I tried to push away from him. “Laelais, don't be this way.”
“Scram, Phoenix.”
His blue eyes sparkled under his blonde mop. “One day you'll be mine forever.”
My body felt like it was on fire in his grip. I pushed away from him, and fell into the wall, crying out as my back struck the corner and I fell to the ground.
I sat up, gasping for air, and covered in a cold sweat. My sheets stuck to my body, which was odd. I lifted the covers and looked at myself. I was in my bikini. Furrowing my brow, I stared at my exposed flesh, trying to remember what had happened last night. It was all a haze, a smoky blur of colorless memories. I remembered coming home from the hospital with Stitch, and going to my room. What had I done next? I paused to ponder, and then there was a warm feeling on my lips and a flutter in my chest.
I had kissed Stitch last night. It was like the stars tilting, gravity shifting, and all I could think was “Hello Sexy,” and then everything had gone dark. I couldn't remember anything else, but somehow I felt different. I couldn't explain the feeling, but I felt stronger, more—I don't know—powerful. I slid out of my bed and walked across the room, staring at myself in the mirror on my dresser. Taking a deep breath, I stopped at the dresser, putting my hands on the surface and staring sternly at myself.
“You will have a good day today, Laela. You're going to take your friends to your favorite places, and you will not think about Tony.” I told myself. “You're going to move forward. Last night was amazing, and you need to talk to Stitch about it. Ask what it means. But don't be clingy. Only stupid girls are clingy. Explore other options. It's been years since you were single, don't jump into something you aren't ready for.”
“Morning pep talk?” Asked Kitty from my doorway, hiding a giggle.
I jumped, surprised by her voice. “Goodness, Kitty, you scared me.” I gasped, then started laughing. “It's not a usual occurrence—the pep talk.”
She stepped into my room and sat on my bed. “If I heard correctly, you said that Stitch kissed you. Um, details girl! Did you snog, or was it just a polite good night kiss?”
I stared at her. “Snog? That sounds disgusting.”
She laughed. “You Americans are funny. It's a Brit's term for making out. Sooo, did you?” she waggled her thin brows with a smile.
“No, just a kiss. To tell you the truth, I don't really remember what happened. I remember he kissed me, and then I think...” I blushed. “I think I passed out.”
“Talk about swooning over a gentleman!” Kitty started laughing. “Did you really pass out?”
“I think so. I don't remember anything after he kissed me. My memories go from the kiss to waking up this morning, sadly. I wish I could remember what happened. But I was out in the hot tub, trying to force myself to forget about all the crap that happened yesterday, when he showed up and asked if he could join me. I let him, and went to watching the stars. I complained that I couldn't see very many, when suddenly the stars I swear got brighter and I could see all of them. It was like magic, Kitty! And then...” I remembered the shooting star, and the scar on his chest lighting up. “There was this shooting star, and this scar on Stitch's chest lit up when the star fell. I'm not crazy, I know I saw it.”
She was staring at me, one eyebrow raised, a scowl on his lips. “Are you sure that's what you saw?”
“Positive, Kitty. He denied it of course, and then I put my hand on his chest, the scar made my hand tingle, and he shivered when I touched him, then.... then he told me he was falling for me. And we kissed.”
“Do you feel... different?”
“Different? Like I could take on the world? Sure. But I don't think that has anything to do with Stitch. Maybe just a little bit.”
“Take on the world in what way?” She pressed.
“I don't know. I can't explain it but I just feel... powerful.”
“Laelais—Laela, you are powerful. Heck, you're amazing, don't you remember?”
“What did you just call me?”
“Laela,”
“No, you said Laelais. Where did you hear that name?” I stepped toward the bed, and she looked uncomfortable.
“Hey, girls, it's time for breakfast.” Jay's voice floated through the door. “Laela, are you in a swimming suit?”
I turned around, looked down at myself and blushed. “Um... yes. I'll be down in a minute. And Kitty, we are not done with this conversation.”
Without saying a word, Kitty slipped through the door with Jay and went downstairs. I still needed to shower, so I threw on a sun dress over my suit and went downstairs to join the others. My family was still home, which meant one of two things: One, it was before seven thirty, or Two, my brother was skipping school and Dad had quit his job. I went with the first option. Cautiously, I approached my dad, who was brooding over the morning paper, and said good morning. As usual, he glanced up over the top of the pages and mumbled a hello, and went straight back to reading without a word. My mom on the other hand was much more enthusiastic despite the long shift she worked last night.
“Good morning Laela, how are you feeling? How's the finger?” she glanced down at my immobilized finger and smiled. “It should heal fairly quickly since we didn't have to break it again.”
I sighed. Nurses. She was a little too enthusiastic about things like broken fingers. “It didn't hurt before, and it doesn't hurt now.” I said. “What's for breakfast?”
“Pancakes!” she shouted, causing all my friends to laugh. “I haven't had a reason to really cook a meal in the mornings before now, so I figured with your friends here that I should make something.”
“And we appreciate it,” Cam said politely, flashing the smile that I knew my mom couldn't resist. She, like me, was a sucker for a good smile. “So Laela, what are we doing today? You did say that while we were here, we would be visiting your favorite places.”
I sighed, remembering how most of those places had been wiped off the grid after what happened with Tony. There were a few places I could take them, but there was no way I could come up with four places if only one and a half remained. One of them wasn't even a place. It was my car. But a car could be a place if I decided it was.
“Well, I can tell you that I didn't forget that I was supposed to take you to my favorite places,” I said, taking a bite of my chocolate chip pancake. “but I have to tell you that most of those places have now quickly become my least favorite because of Tony. I have one and a half places that I can take you, and we'll just have to go explore for the rest of them.”
“One and a half? Care to explain how that one works, love?”
“Well, I'll have to take you to the first place before I can really explain why the other only counts as a half of a place. But for not, just eat and we'll go as soon as everyone is ready. It's not like we have to go very far.”
My mom smiled, knowing exactly what I was referring to. She still told me that she remembered the day I got that car as a gift from my grandfather. I had coveted that car since the day I was old enough to truly appreciate a good looking car, and this car was hard to come by. When my grandpa had brought it over to the house on my sixteenth birthday with a gaudy ribbon on the top, I passed out in the doorway upon the announcement that it was mine. I came to hours later and nearly hyperventilated when they told me again that it was mine now. Though I was a girl—and if I was playing gender stereotypes, I shouldn't like cars—I was in love. It was my first love, and would probably be my last. I would love it until the day it died, but I wouldn't let that happen for a long time. My car would take me far, and I took good care of it.
Everyone finished their breakfast by the time a horn started honking incessantly in the driveway. Panic took hold as I looked at myself still in my “sleepwear” and I nearly fell off the stool until I remembered that I wasn't going to school here anymore. Thank goodness for that. I don't think I would be able to face the public again after the fiasco with Tony. It would have been tent times worse had I still been here while they were secretly dating. Tony wouldn't be alive, I can tell you that much. I growled, I wasn't a murderer, but he had really pissed me off. I wondered vaguely how he was doing, and how Victoria was handling the whole situation now that everyone knew she was a home-wrecker. I wondered if her friends even cared, with the crowd she associated with outside of my circle, probably not. They'd probably congratulate her for ruining my life, and if she kept Tony, she scored brownie points with them. I bit my lip in anger thinking about Victoria, and what she had done to me, but remembered what I had told myself when I got up. I wouldn't let this ruin me. The boys left for the guest house after they finished eating, and since Kitty was already dressed, she followed them. I excused myself to shower, not that anyone was really listening, and went back upstairs. When I reached my room, I stopped at the linen closet outside the door, and grabbed myself a towel, and proceeded straight to the bathroom. The cool water on my skin made it easy for me to think of exactly what I wanted to do with the others, even if it meant exploring, I could easily make a few new favorite places.
Stepping out of the shower, I dried off, and then rigorously ran the towel through my hair, watching it curl up with the water. Rubbing away the fog on the mirror with the side of my hand, I cleared enough space away that I could see my face. I always had to get my hair combed and parted before it started to really take hold or my hair would be a wild mess all day long. As I stared at myself, moving unruly pieces of hair, I saw something move behind me. I turned around, but nothing was there, and the door was closed. Without thinking too much on it, I turned around again and continued with my hair. A flash of teal caught my eye behind me, and it wasn't my hair, I knew as much. Staring in the mirror, I saw a bright teal butterfly perched on the wall behind me, its wings beating lightly as it rested. I had never seen a butterfly that color in Florida before, and how had it gotten into the bathroom? There weren't any windows. I turned to look at it, but as soon as I had turned, it was gone. I shook my head, dismissing the absurdity of the whole thing, and stepped out of the bathroom, right into Stitch.
In the moment of surprise, I almost dropped my towel, but kept it in place. He was smiling down at me, almost smugly it seemed, that smile that screamed 'I know something you don't know.' I felt my cheeks flare up, and my body felt warm, remembering the kiss from last night. I wondered if he could tell what I was thinking, and by the smile on his face, I guessed he knew as much.
“Hello, Laela.” he said, his voice was soft and gentle. It made me shiver. “Sorry to catch you jumping out of the shower, I really didn't mean to, but I.... I really wanted to see you.” There was something in his voice that suggested that wasn't all he wanted to do, or all he needed to say.
“I... I wanted to see you too, Stitch.” His face fell when I said his name. “But I'd like to get dressed first.”
I stepped around him, adjusting my towel so it was tight around my back, and went into my room. Quickly I picked a pair of brown shorts, an olive colored shirt, and threw them on, ran the towel through my hair again, and went to the door. As my fingers brushed the cool metal of the doorknob, I heard voices outside the door.
“I don't think she remembers,” it was Kitty's voice.
“What did she tell you?” Stitch asked.
“That she remembered you kissed her, and she said something about a scar on your chest lighting up? What's that about?”
“It's nothing, I don't think she was thinking straight. I know I wasn't, watching her stare up at the stars like that. I wished I had my sketchbook.”
“That's not the point, Stitch. She doesn't remember. Something's wrong.”
I opened the door, plastering a clueless face on, and greeted the two in surprise.
“Oh Kitty! I didn't know you were up here. I thought it was just Stitch.” I said, smiling and doing my best to give the impression I had no idea what was going on.
“Oh—I uh, just came to find you and tell you we were ready when you are.”
“Okay, well I just have to do my hair and make up and then we can be out and exploring. I'll meet you in the guest house, okay?” I was looking at Kitty, hoping that Stitch would get the hint that I wanted him to stay.
She looked at Stitch, understanding exactly what I wanted. “Okay, see you in a sec.” She turned around and walked down the stairs.
Stitch made a movement to follow him, but I put my hand out to stop him. Surprised, he looked down at my hand and then at me. I grabbed the front of his shirt and dragged him into my room, closing the door behind us. He stood in the middle of the room, looking anywhere but at me.
“So, last night...” I started, not knowing where I wanted to go with this conversation. “Did I really pass out?”
Stitch smiled. “Yes, you did.” he chuckled. “It was a tad strange, but I managed to get you up here.”
I blushed. “Thanks, um, for getting me here. And sorry I passed out, that really must have killed the moment.”
I had looked down at the floor, and hardly noticed that he had moved closer—that is until his finger was under my chin, lifting it so I was looking at him. There was a shine in his eyes, brighter than usual, that made me shiver. The way he looked at me felt so familiar, as if I had looked into those eyes for thousands of years. You have, a voice whispered to me. I jumped, startled at the voice; it wasn't mine.
No comments:
Post a Comment