Breathless (27 page)

“
Where’s here,” I asked, glancing around for clues that would indicate any form of information about the site.

“
The zoo. Your grandma said you like animals, so I thought we could spend the day here. We can go someplace else if you would prefer.”

“
No. This is great—I just couldn’t tell where we were—literally,” I explained, noting the disappointment in his voice at the suggestion that I might be unsatisfied with his plan. “I have a cat.”

I have a cat.
The words circled inside my head. Did they sound as foolish to him as they did to me? I hoped not, but then, why should I care. Though Eli seemed nice, I doubted I would see him again after this week.

Eli and I spent hours strolling through the exhibits staring at the animals. From watching the Bengal tigers rest in the African exhibit to performing our own goofy gorilla acts during our search for the disappointingly nonexistent monkey display, we had a blast, and I barely thought about all that I had left behind—namely, Chaseyn.

For lunch, we dined on foot-long hotdogs and super-sized slushies. Later, we plucked fluffy chunks of spun sugar from bags packed tight with pink cotton candy. At the end of the day, we took the long way home—meandering through side streets so Eli could point out local attractions and landmarks. We laughed and talked the entire way. Just one day earlier, I could barely fathom how I would survive the week away from home, but now, I was having such a good time that I barely wanted it to end. Part of me felt guilty for feeling this way.

As expected, Mr. Bethsby was keeping my grandma company, so Eli and I offered to get take out from the Chinese restaurant up the street. Approaching the counter, I was taken aback by the vision of a hauntingly beautiful girl—about my age—placing an order just ahead of us.

“
Hi,” the raven-haired beauty said shyly when she saw Eli.

Eli was clearly oblivious to the fact that this stunning creature was carrying a torch for him.

“
Hey,” he said, turning back to me for clues to my favorite dishes.

“
I’m Frost,” she said, holding out her delicate hand. “Who are you?”

Suddenly, she seemed much less shy.

“
Frost, this is my friend Lia,” he said. “She’s visiting from Evergreen for the week.”

“
Well, I’m sure I’ll see you again,” she said, taking her order and dashing for the door.

Before Eli had even finished the last part of his sentence, Frost had taken out her cell phone and was frantically dialing a number. She was talking at such a rapid pace when she left the restaurant that it was impossible to make out anything she was saying.

“
She seems…”

“
Eccentric,” Eli finished for me.

“
I was going to say quirky, but eccentric certainly fits the bill,” I said laughing. “I have this eerie feeling that I’ve met her before. Does she live nearby?”

“
Not likely,” Eli said. “She just moved here a few months ago.”

“
Well, she’s most certainly set her sights on you.”

“
Aw, shucks, Lia. You’re embarrassing me,” he said sarcastically. “She’s always nice enough to me, but I can’t shake the feeling that there is something she’s hiding—some sort of secret.”

“
What do you mean,” I asked curiously.

“
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly,” he said. “She’s so elusive and mature. She holds herself with a grace that is uncommon to other girls. At first, I found her enchanting, but now, she just gives me chills. Besides, she’s hardly my type.”

It happened so quickly that I nearly missed it, but as Eli said those last four words, he stared me straight in the eyes—a look of intrigue and allure clear across his sweet face. Sensing he was about to reach for my hand, I shifted my weight slightly, hoping to buy enough time to formulate an appropriate escape.

“
Next,” the pimple-faced tween behind the counter called in an effort to capture our attention.

“
Hello,” he said in a second attempt to break our entrancement. Uncertain how to react, I stepped toward the till and glanced up at the menu hanging overhead. “Look, if you’re not ready, step aside so someone else can order.”

“
Do you know what you want,” I forced out despite the awkward events that had just unfolded.

“
Yeah, I’ve got it,” Eli said casually, suddenly alert to the scene we were making and the line forming behind us. “I’ll have the usual.”

We placed our order—lemon chicken, ginger beef, mushroom fried rice, chicken chow mein, and sweet and sour ribs—which was ready in next to no time, thankfully. Our once warm conversation had quickly turned cold, and I was anxious to rejoin the others. Within minutes, we were back at the house, spreading the array of tins filled with savory sensations across the kitchen counter.

“
Dig in,” Eli said, passing out plates and placing a large silver spoon in each container. He winked once in my general direction as he handed me a large dish. I pretended not to notice and instead took one of the stack he had placed next to the food.

“
So kids, tell us about your day,” my grandma said, putting one arm around each of our shoulders and forcing us closer together than I thought comfortable. I knew it was no accident.

Politely twisting away from her grip by feigning an unnatural amount of enthusiasm for a packet of plum sauce on the other side of the room, I began regaling her and Hank with tales of black-footed ferrets and hissing cockroaches.

“
Sounds like you had fun. So, would it be safe to assume you already have plans for tomorrow,” my grandma asked a little bit too enthusiastically, and it suddenly dawned on me that she hadn’t invited me here to make amends—she was trying to divert my attention from Chaseyn and hook me up with a partner that she deemed acceptable, safe.

“
Oh. Eli probably has better things to do than hang around with me all day. I’m sure there are tons of people hoping to get even five minutes of his attention this week,” I said sheepishly, gazing in his direction.

“
Actually Lia, a couple of my friends were thinking about going to Wonderland tomorrow, and I was hoping you would join us,” Eli said shyly. Until now, he had seemed so strong, confident, but I could see the fear of rejection in his eyes as he put his emotions on the line by posing the question.

“
That’s very thoughtful, Eli, but I don’t like rides very much. I wouldn’t be much fun. Besides grandma, I’m here to spend time with you. I would feel terrible leaving you alone again all day.”

“
Don’t be silly, Lia,” my grandma retorted. “Hank will be here. Go. Have fun. I’m sure they won’t mind if you just watch.”

“
She’s right,” Eli said happily. “No one will mind. I swear.”

Times like these, I was glad my inside voice was sheltered from prying ears because it was screaming profanities that I had never actually uttered out loud in all of my life. There was no escape from this game my grandma was playing. Unfortunately, Eli was an innocent, unwitting participant, and I feared his heart would become a casualty of the unspoken war that was taking place between my grandma and I. Realizing there was no point in battling any more tonight, I simply shrugged as a sign of surrender.

“
Great,” Eli said enthusiastically. “It’s settled then. We’re leaving at 2 p.m. Meet me out front.”

“
Great,” I said, trying to mimic his enthusiasm but falling miles short. “I can’t wait.”

After the dishes were cleared and our guests had retired to their own home for the evening, I decided to confront my grandma about her twisted plot.

“
Seriously, grandma, this isn’t going to work,” I said as I kicked back the recliner and settled in to watch my favorite sitcom on TV.

“
Whatever are you going on about,” she asked coyly.

“
Come on, grandma. I know what you’re doing, and it’s not fair to Eli.”

“
Isn’t he lovely, dear,” she changed the subject.

“
He’s very sweet,” I said.

“
And handsome. Isn’t he handsome,” she asked eagerly.

“
Yes, grandma. I’m sure he will make some girl very happy, just not me,” I fiddled with my bracelet as I spoke the words, hoping the gesture wasn’t lost on her. “You know how I feel about Chaseyn.”

“
I know, sweetheart, but he’s your first boyfriend, and I just want to be sure that you are aware of all of your options. You’re a very pretty girl, and you have a good head on your shoulders. There are so many nice young men—men who aren’t cursed.”

“
Please grandma, just drop it. I don’t really want to talk about all of that ridiculousness,” I begged sincerely.

“
I promise I won’t mention it again so long as you promise to give Eli half a chance,” she added.

I thought about it for a moment before realizing it seemed like a fair deal. With any luck, I could avoid what seemed like the inevitable—a series of unpleasant questions about Chaseyn’s origins and intentions—in exchange for spending a few days in the company of a seemingly pleasant and unsuspecting teenage boy.

“
Deal,” I said, holding out my hand to seal the agreement. She extended her hand return, and we settled in for an evening of enjoyable conversation that centered around anything and everything, except Chaseyn.

Chapter 25 - Promises

“
Chaseyn,” I said with extreme elation at hearing his voice on the other end of the line. “I miss you so much. Why haven’t you called before?”

“
I miss you, too,” he said softly, smoothly. He was always collected; his demeanor screamed sophistication. Of course, he had nearly half a century before my birth to perfect his patience. “I wanted to give you some time to settle in. Besides, you could have called, too.”

“
No, actually, I couldn’t,” I told him truthfully. “Despite the fact that she said I could call any time, I know my mom is monitoring my outgoing calls. She wants to be sure I don’t rack up too many minutes and that I spend the majority time taking care of my grandma’s every need. Ugh…there’s so much to tell you.”

“
I have a pretty good idea,” he said laughing.

“
You could have warned me,” I sneered.

“
What? And, ruin the surprise. Never,” he chided. “How’s neighbor boy?”

“
His name is Eli, and he’s very nice. You should be jealous, you know.”

“
Believe me, I know,” he responded sinister. “Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I can hardly wait to see you again. Evergreen is entirely empty without you here. And, I need you to promise that you will be wary of any strangers you meet in Amarillo. Save Eli, of course.”

“
Actually, I was planning on accepting some unwrapped candy from a man driving a minivan and carrying a cocker spaniel,” I teased.

“
I’m serious, Cordelia,” he pleaded. “Be cautious of anyone you meet, no matter how cordial.”

“
Would you mind telling me what this is about,” I asked, uncertain if I wanted to know the answer.

“
I’m not sure exactly,” Chaseyn said. “I have an unsettling feeling, and I want to take every precaution. I need you to let me know if you sense anything out of the ordinary.”

“
I will. I better go,” I said, forcing the words from my mouth. “Eli will be waiting, and I should check on my grandma before I leave.”

“
Be careful.”

“
I will. I love you.”

“
Me, too.”

Chapter 26 - Reflections

Eli was already waiting in the truck, thrumming his thumb across the steering wheel like it was a six string.

“
It’s about time,” he said, his impatience evident despite the teasing tone. “I’ve listened to this song five times while waiting.”

“
It’s not my fault you have limited taste in music,” I chaffed. “See that button? If you press it, you can skip to the next song.”

“
Ha. Ha. You’re quite the comedian,” he said, shifting the gear to drive. “Beautiful and witty.”

I blushed and changed the subject.

“
So, who will be joining us,” I asked.

Eli spent the next half hour enlightening me about the physical appearances, personality traits, and individual quirks of each of the eight people who would be meeting us at the park. For the most part, they sounded as though they would rival Eli in beauty and brains—all jocks and cheerleaders with impeccable transcripts—with the exception of Darcy, the water boy and bearer of the team mascot uniform when needed. Despite Darcy’s lack of inherent external aesthetics, he was always a willing participant, and for that, Eli encouraged the rest of his varsity teammates to welcome Darcy into their inner circle.