Equilibrium (11 page)

“Did you come through the portal, David?” I persisted.

“Poppet, I can’t talk about that,” he sighed.

I could feel frustration rising within me again. “I hate all these secrets!”

Kevin nodded, “Secrets are a fact of life. Everyone has them.”

True, but still annoying. I would get to the bottom of this. “So, even if I wanted to go back, there is no way at the moment because of the portal?”

“Well, I’ll see what I can do with it after I have examined the data,” Kevin replied.

“So, how will you get a message across to Mom? By a time-traveling messenger pigeon?” I added sarcastically.

“Something like that,” he laughed.

“Very funny. Not,” I retorted.

“It’s fairly clear that we need more information before we can determine what would be the best thing to do. I’m going back to Ames to try to get some. David, will you come with me? Arizona, you’re fine here with your dad, aren’t you? What have you told him?” Kevin asked.

“Well, he’s not actually here,” I replied sourly. “But, yes, I’m totally
fine
here.”

“You should go and stay with one of your friends or with the Goldens until he gets back,” David said.

“Oh, I’m used to it. I’ll be fine.”

“Arizona, do you have money for essentials? I’m not happy with you staying here on your own, especially after what you’ve been through,” Kevin said concerned.

I was touched. And tired, which made me overly emotional and a tear escaped down my cheek. “Ignore me, I’m just tired.”

“Dad, I’m going to stay here until her dad gets back. I’ll come see you after that.”

“Good. Walk me out?” Kevin asked. “It was really nice to see you, Arizona. Try not to worry. I know that’s hard under the circumstances, but try. I’ll be back tomorrow night with more news, I hope, and we’ll take it from there.”

I nodded. I was very grateful. I didn’t feel as lost as before. I was very worried, though, especially for Ella. And Harry. They were still missing.

“Be back in a little while, Poppet,” David assured me, before he walked outside with his dad. I sat down and cuddled into my blanket.

~

“Dad, it’s going to be so hard not to tell her about the Wanderers,” David said, as his father stepped into the car to head back to the airport.

“I know, but you absolutely can’t. You understand that, don’t you,” Kevin said firmly.

“Yes, I do,” David said reassuringly. “I’ll try to keep her calm and safe. I’ll head back to Mom to try to get some more information before you get back here tomorrow. I’ll meet up with you before you see Arizona again.”

“Sounds good, Son.”

David watched his father’s car drive into the distance before he headed back to watch over Arizona.

I
woke up to the impatient toots of a car. The TV was still on and I was still sitting snuggled in David’s arms. We must have fallen asleep watching
True Blood
. I carefully stretched out my legs trying not to disturb David, who looked so peaceful. The doorbell sounded twice–very impatiently. So much for trying to let David sleep.
He was wide awake, sitting up with his brows shaped into a questioning furrow.

“Wassup?” he mumbled. The doorbell sounded again. This time in a long, uninterrupted assault.

“Okay, okay! I’m coming!” I shouted and ran to open it. “Hey,
M
! A fire somewhere?” I asked an impatient Monica whose finger was still on the doorbell.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said and punched my shoulder. “What took you so long? We have school, come on!” Then something caught her attention behind me and her expression completely changed to one of amusement. “Stevens, what’s this?”

I felt David’s hand on my shoulder. “It’s a boy,
M
. That’s what it is.

“Really, not a camel then?” she mused cheekily.

“Oh, give it a rest, get inside,” I said, and shut the door before Mrs. Golden popped her head out to see what was going on. “This is David, an old family friend. He’s moved into the area and has just started at our school.” I couldn’t help but wonder where David had moved, which address is he using? “Give us five minutes and we’ll be ready to go,” I said, pointing David to Dad’s bedroom to freshen up. I jumped into the shower. It took me fifteen minutes–so Darley! My old self would have been ready in five. Monica didn’t look the least bit pleased.

“We’re not gonna have time to stop for coffee. I’m gonna be a grump for the rest of the day,” she warned.

“Rest of the day…,” I chuckled.

She rolled her eyes and punched me again.

“Can David ride with us?” I asked.

“Of course. I want details. Get into the car and start blabbing.”

Good luck with getting David to blab, I thought to myself. I climbed into the front with Monica while David sprawled out on the back seat. He looked pretty awesome for someone who hadn’t showered. Down with the hormones, Stevens!

“Start talking or I’m not driving,” Monica threatened.

“What do you want to know?” I asked.

“Everything! After all, I just picked up my BFF from her house where she spent the night–I presume–with the hunk in the back. Right?
Who
is he?”

“I told you already,” I sighed. He’s a family friend.”

“Family friend!” Monica practically snorted. “I don’t think so. I know all your friends. Hey, you!” she said, looking at David through the rear-view mirror. “Where are you from?”

“Ah,” said David, his face breaking into a smile.

I so hoped he would keep it simple.

“I’m from Mountain View,” he replied.

“Mountain View? In California?” Monica asked.

“Yup, that’s right,” David nodded.

“Isn’t that where Ariele moved? And your Mom’s there, too, isn’t she,
A
?” Monica inquired.

I nodded. “Yes, that’s right. I sort of know David from there.”

“But you’ve never been there!” she exclaimed incredulously.

I did some extra fast thinking. “Well, that’s where I went over the weekend.”

“Oh, why didn’t you just tell me that in the first place?” she demanded.

“Because I didn’t tell anyone, I just went. Even Dad doesn’t know.”

“Did you suddenly miss your mom and sis?” she asked sarcastically.

“I guess,” I mumbled and she laughed. “I saw Ariele.”

She looked over at me puzzled. “Why on earth didn’t you tell me? You even asked if
I
had talked to her. Geez, Arizona!”

“I’m sorry. I should have.”

“No kidding,” she said angrily. “Well, so spill now or I’m going to flatten you.”

No harm in telling her a bit about my visit, I could leave out the new brother and new dad bit…and the time travel. “
M
, I was at Mountain View visiting with Mom and Ella.”

“Did they have something to do with the ridiculous new look?” Monica interrupted.

“I guess. I thought you liked it?”

“I like it,” David offered from the back.

“I’m sure you do,” Monica scoffed. “Did you have anything to do with it?”

“Of course not,” I interjected. “Look, I woke up with blond hair, I’ve no idea how it happened.”

“Priceless!” laughed Monica. “Your mom and Ella gave you a makeover when you were sleeping?”

I pulled a face at her and looked out the window.

“Oh, all right. I’m
sorry
,” she said. “David, are you a
family
friend from Mountain View?”

“Yup.”

 “What were you doing over at Arizona’s house?”

“My family is moving up here, so I came to check it out and enroll in school. I’m hanging out with Arizona until our house is ready.”

We arrived at school and Monica parked the car. “Guys, this doesn’t quite add up, but I’ll let it slide for now. So you guys are just friends, not hooking up or anything?” she asked pointedly.

“Nope, just pals,” I replied hurriedly and rushed into the office for our late passes with David and Monica at my heel.

“Not so fast,” said Monica, grabbing my elbow. “You
will
tell me the rest, right?”

I nodded and turned to David as she hurried off to her first class. “Do you need me to show you to your class?” There was no way he was going to be able to get there without some direction.

“I signed up for all the ones you’re in,” he winked. “So, lead the way.”

I was kind of relieved. Yesterday had been an awful day at school. I felt so alone. Having David in my classes would certainly help.

“Poppet, I’m coming to the first class and then I’m cutting the next few. I have some things I need to do.”

“What?”

“Tell you later,” he said infuriatingly, as he led me through to our first class.

All eyes were on us, there were a few hushed murmurs. I caught Christian’s look right away and nodded at him. I could only imagine what thoughts were running through his mind as I took my seat. David was naturally affectionate and his hands had been on my shoulders as we had walked into class. Christian had seen me throw
myself at David yesterday. He’d left David and me alone at the rink and now we were walking into class together. Yes, I could only imagine…not that it really bothered me. Or did it? It somehow did. The way Christian was looking at me, I felt a sense of guilt. Can’t imagine why. I hadn’t done anything wrong. David was my friend. I wished that I could remember our history back in Mountain View, but try as I had, I couldn’t. It was clear that David had known Arizona Darley for a long time. I had no idea how long though or if we were even friends. He treated me with familiarity and I felt comfortable with it.

Last night, after his dad left, David had come back inside, plunked himself down on the couch next to me and turned on the TV. He had put his arms out for me to rest on and I had done just that, feeling no awkwardness whatsoever. Then he switched on
True Blood
, a favorite show of mine, and we sat and watched it. He knew
me
. I had fallen asleep sitting on the couch with him and had not stirred until Monica woke us this morning. It had seemed perfectly natural. He didn’t feel like a brother, but not a boyfriend either–I think–although I did find him very attractive.

I glanced over at him. He was unbelievably hot. I noticed the other girls in class stealing looks at him, smiling at him. I didn’t like it.

“Miss Stevens, do you think you could pry your eyes away from Mr. Skoog and pay attention? You’re not exactly acing this class,” Mr. Harvey said sarcastically. I could hear muffled giggling sounds all around me. Well, I thought to myself as I rolled my eyes at Mr. Harvey and got handed a detention slip, maybe I would pay attention if he could stop being such a mind-blowing bore. He had seriously killed biology and my promising career in medicine….not!

I sat up and tried to concentrate through the rest of the class, but my mind kept wandering off. I needed to know if Kellan was okay. I was hoping that David would cut the next class to try to find out. I couldn’t imagine how, though. He still hadn’t told me how he’d come over. He was very cagey and clammed up every time I asked him. It didn’t make any sense. Maybe he came through
another
secret portal. After all, my mom’s couldn’t be the only one in existence. Imagine that, lots of portals around! If he had come through another portal, he could take me back! Is that what I wanted? To go back? I did want to go back to Kellan and I needed to know what was happening to Ella and Harry. If there was another portal, they may have been transported over as well. I felt sick. The thought of Ella suddenly waking up, all alone, not knowing where she was, made me tremble.

“Arizona, are you all right? You look ill,” Mr. Harvey said from above me. I hadn’t even noticed that he had walked over to my
desk.

“I’ll take her over to the nurse’s station, Mr. Harvey,” David said from behind him.

“Thank you, David. Here is a hall pass,” Mr. Harvey said and stood aside, so David could get to me.

I couldn’t help but feel the incredulous looks of my classmates. I was Arizona Stevens, not a flipping Barbie doll. I’d never been taken to the nurse’s office before. That’s for sissies. No, I lie. There was one time, after a spat with Benjamin when I had ended up with a split lip, but I had flattened him. So here I was, Barbie Arizona, off to the nurses’ station with–my knight in shining armor–David. Not cool. I had to get a grip on myself.

“David, I’m fine. Let’s go back to class.”

“You didn’t look fine in there, you were shaking. Probably best to have the nurse take a look,” David suggested.

“No, I’m fine. I was thinking about Ella, wondering if she’s all alone and scared somewhere. This is petrifying. I can’t believe she’s missing! And Harry. Where could they be? David, did you come through another portal?”

David stroked my hair and said, “Something like that.”

“Why are you being so vague?” I hissed angrily.

“Because I have to be,” he replied resignedly. “You have to trust me. If you are feeling up to it, I’ll take you back to class after the nurse signs the form. Promise to only think happy thoughts until I get back. There’s no point in upsetting yourself. There’s nothing you can do at the moment. I’ll be back later tonight, with my dad. Hopefully with some answers,” he said.