Mirror in the Forest: Book One (32 page)

Jessica started to get up and he coaxed her to sit back down. “Please, sit. I am not going anywhere yet.”

“Okay” she said sitting back down. “That will probably delay my parents coming home.”

“Don’t sound so disappointed,” Mark said, laughing.

Jessica shrugged and asked, “May I have something to drink?”

“You didn’t even need to ask. If you don’t mind helping yourself, I want to keep listening,” he answered.

Jessica got up and went to the refrigerator. She frowned when she opened it, and shook her head. Yes, he definitely was a bachelor.

“Mark?”

“Yeah!”

She turned and asked, “How old is this butter?”

She grabbed a soda and heard a loud chuckle as she went through the back door and sat down again smiling at him. She popped the can, and took a sip.

“I try to be somewhat domestic,” he answered.

They sat there in silence as Mark listened to the scanner. Then Jessica heard something that made her ears perk up.

The escapees were heading north on Highway 97. They were coming this way.

“I guess they think they are going to cross the border,” Mark said, more to himself than to her.

Jessica stared at him in concern, and Mark gave her a reassuring smile.

“Jessica, I wanted to ask you a few things,” Mark said, suddenly looking over at her.

“Don’t you have to go?” She asked confused.

“Not yet,” he answered.

“Okay,” she said waiting for him to ask her whatever it was on his mind. She was feeling a little dizzy from anxiety, because of what he wanted to ask her. She wondered what he could possibly ask her. Was it about The Spirit of the Mirror? Sara Miller? Rick Tanner? What did she know? How she was able to change so much because of The Spirit of the Mirror? She felt that familiar lump in her throat forming again, but tried to swallow it.

Mark was about to say something when the phone rang. Jessica almost cried out in relief, and she sat there taking deep breaths to calm her nerves as Mark quickly got up and answered the phone.

She got up and watched his facial expressions. He was giving short answers, but confirmation.

She walked in and asked, “Do you have to go?”

He hung up the phone and sighed. “Yeah, I do.”

He put his arms out for her, and she rose from the chair going into them willingly. “Be careful,” she said lowly.

He kissed the top of her head, and said, “I will.”

Jessica changed back into her street clothes, watching Mark put on his uniform, a bullet proof vest, and his belt. She could not help but think how handsome he looked in his uniform.

She hugged him fiercely, despite the vest getting in the way. “Please be careful,” she said again.

“I promise,” he said, smiling down at her.

“Okay, I would help if I could,” she said.

Jessica realized the double entendre with her statement, and her eyes widened hoping he didn’t catch it. She was referring to The Spirit of the Mirror, but if she asked it for help then he would want something in return.

“What I mean is…”

Mark laughed and said, “Don’t worry. I think I am more worried about how your father is going to react to me than two fugitives right now.”

Jessica almost sighed in relief when she realized Mark didn’t catch what she really meant.

She giggled and said, “I will have a talk with him.”

He looked down at her again and his eyes softened. “When is your next game?”

“This weekend. It will be our first playoff game,” she said proudly.

“I will be there,” he said firmly.

Jessica smiled at him, and said, “I’m glad.”

“Good,” he said, kissing her again.

“I know I said this twice already, but please be safe,” she repeated.

“Listen, I will call you when I’m done, okay? Does that make you feel better?” He asked giving her a cocky grin.

Jessica was serious, and he stood there like it was no big deal. “Yes, please!”

“I promise.”

Jessica rushed home. She was so worried about Mark helping with the two fugitives, she was almost sick to her stomach. All the euphoric feelings she had from her first sexual experience were gone. She kept trying to convince herself not to worry so much, because he was a professional, and knew what he was doing in these kinds of situations.

She knew whom she needed help from, and whatever gift he needed, she would do in order to keep Mark safe, no matter what it was.

She inhaled sharply, trying not to hyperventilate from worry. She pulled into her driveway, and was relieved that her parents were not home yet. She did listen to the radio, and found that traffic was delayed from the state roads being shut down to the find the armed fugitives on the loose.

She still wondered what Mark wanted to talk to her about, but decided to put it in the back of her mind for right now.

She didn’t even bother going into the house yet. She practically ran into the backyard, and through to the path that led to The Spirit of the Mirror.

She frantically pushed brush back, panting as she was hit with humid air.

She found the mirror exactly where she left it.

“Spirit?” She asked.

She was surprised when the familiar swirl did not appear to her right away.

Puzzled, she yelled, “Spirit!.”

She looked around wondering where the spirit could possibly be. She made her way further down the path, and looked around to see if the spirit was in another location for some reason. She made her way over to the old ski resort that sat quietly in the wooded area. The little abandoned cabins always creeped her out, so she stayed away from them most of the time. She looked to her left, and gasped when she caught the old police tape blowing softly in the breeze. She walked towards the glowing yellow tape, and then looked up a little. She could see the remnants of Rick Tanner’s last moments still in the area.

She stood there gazing at the scene, and wondered again if this would be her fate if she got in too deep with The Spirit of the Mirror. Shaking her head, Jessica tried to put those thoughts aside while she searched around the area for The Spirit. She really needed his help, and she was upset that he was not there this time.

She made her way back to the little open area where the mirror was located and tried calling for it over and over again. She began to question her own sanity wondering if she had imagined The Spirit of the Mirror all along. Yet, the memories of these last months played over in her mind, and she knew she couldn’t have imagined him…could she?

She paced back and forth trying to be patient, and trying to have faith that she wasn’t going crazy and this was just an abandoned mirror in the woods.

She finally turned to look at her reflection, and smiled in relief.

Her two reflections were there of her old self, and her new self. She reached her hand to the old reflection and smiled even broader thinking of the night before of her party, and early this morning. So, everything was true after all. She really did have a great birthday party, she was the star athlete on her basketball team, and she just made sweet love with the Sheriff.

Her hand touched the cool glass, and the reflection of her old self stayed dormant. She began to wonder if The Spirit of the Mirror was away helping other people like her. The ones who were lost, bullied, and had parents who almost pushed them to the edge of sanity. All her life, she had been a quiet little mouse just trying to get through school, trying desperately not to be noticed, so she would not be bullied for her hair, her weight or her looks, or for anything that her classmates could come up with that day.

Now, everything had changed, and even though there had been a few bumps in the road, things seemed to be smoothing out again.

She did heed Amber’s warning, and would be on the lookout for Kelly Martin and what she might be planning on doing to Jessica. Kelly seemed fine at the party, but so did Mandy when she had hers, and then everything fell apart.

She would keep an eye out, and if she needed any help, she knew whom she could turn to.

She thought about going to see Mandy since she heard she was home, but thought better of it. Right now, it wasn’t worth the trouble, and Jessica had games to win, to show the world, and her high school that she was no pushover.

She paced again, and felt these weird feelings coming over her as she thought of what Mark and her did this morning. She never thought she would see the day that she would lose her virginity. She realized that it had changed her, and now she was officially a woman, and high school just seemed so stupid to her anymore. She knew she only had a few more months and she would graduate with honors, but thinking about it now, she was beyond high school drama. She was ready to enter the real world.

It was just sex, but Mark had opened her eyes to so much more than just books, keeping up on her academia, and he didn’t even realize it.

She thought about her handsome Sheriff, and continued to worry for his safety. She knew she was falling in love with him, and wondered if he felt the same about her. She could only hope. She knew she was acting like a starry eyed teenager, but this was different. The feelings she had for him were real and they were making her heart practically jump out of her chest.

All she knew was she wanted more of him, and couldn’t wait to have it again.

Jessica must have waited for The Spirit for almost two hours before she finally gave up.

She began to turn to the path that would take her back to her house, when she heard a slight rustling noise behind her.

She smiled brightly when the glass began to swirl and the mirrored spirit appeared before her.

“Good afternoon, Jessica,” The Spirit greeted.

“Spirit! I was worried that you didn’t want to see me,” she said.

“Nothing to fear, my dear Jessica. What brings you here? I assume, everything has gone your way?” He asked, still smiling at her.

Jessica smiled again and said, “Oh yes! The party was awesome, and after…”

She blushed profusely, making The Spirit chuckle lightly.

The Spirit began to walk around the small area, and said, “I am sorry for my absence. I had something that needed to be tended to.”

Jessica’s eyebrows rose in question, but she did not pry. “Oh, okay….”

She took a breath and started to worry for Mark again. “I need another wish, and whatever the gift is, I won’t argue.”

The Spirit stopped and waited for her to continue.

“The Sheriff had to go and help catch a couple of fugitives, and I’m worried for his safety. Can you make sure he stays safe for me?” She pleaded.

The Spirit smiled again. “It has already been done.”

Jessica had to take a step back for a moment. “Hang on…what did you just say?”

The Spirit waved around a reflective hand and said, “I felt your pain on your way here. I know you had told me that you needed no help with the young Sheriff, however he was forced into a dangerous situation. I did keep him safe from it.”

Jessica almost began to shake in her shoes as The Spirit explained to her that he had helped Mark without her asking. She almost felt tears well up in her eyes as the emotions overcame her.

“Oh, thank you…..thank you……” she sputtered.

She then stopped and waited for what she had to give in return. She knew it would not be good, but she didn’t care. All she knew was Mark was safe.

The Spirit eyed her for a moment, stating, “Jessica, I know you told me that Mark was something you did not need my assistance for. You have proved that to me, so I will not need a gift from you.”

Jessica was taken aback again, and could not believe her luck. She almost jumped up and down.

“Oh my God! Thank you so much! But, there must be something I can do for you,” she squealed.

“Consider this a gift from me to you. I will not need anything in return for now. However, in the future that will change,” he explained to her.

“Are you sure?” She asked, still doubtful.

“Yes,” he said with patience.

She crossed her hands on her chest and practically jumped up and down much to The Spirit’s amusement.

“So, Mark is safe?” She asked, needing to be reassured.

“He is perfectly safe,” he said to her.

Jessica was so happy she could barely make out the words to The Spirit to thank him for keeping Mark safe, and even better she did not have to bring him something in return.

She looked around, and could see the sun beginning to lower in the sky. She knew she would have to talk to Tessa soon, and her parents would be coming home. She had to get back to the house.

“I really can’t thank you enough,” she said, one last time.

“Go child. Enjoy yourself,” The Spirit answered.

She turned and said goodbye. Jessica unlocked the house when she got back, finding out her parents hadn’t arrived home yet.

The phone rang almost making her jump. She almost cried when she heard Mark’s voice on the other side of the line telling her everything was all right, and he would call her during the week.

She then dialed Tessa’s phone number. Tessa would want juicy details, and Jessica was excited to talk to her best friend.