My Night Breeze (The Breeze Series) (15 page)

Her breath ceased
as the undercurrent of feelings she’d been ignoring for the past few weeks plagued her all at once. An urge to be closer to him started to get stronger, but her mind fumbled on how. She couldn’t trust the things seen in the movies or worse, the musicals, because it’s scripted and not at all real. This moment, this right here, could be the step she needed.

Mateo lowered
his face until his forehead lightly pressed against hers. Anxiety and excitement bloomed within her stomach but the thrill trumped both. The feel of his fingers gripping her shoulder caught her attention. He wasn’t pulling her in closer but he was somewhat holding her back. She blinked a few times trying to understand when he sighed softly, the air grazing her lips.

“We can’t…”

“Is it dangerous?” Audra asked.

“Always.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. She wouldn’t leave without telling someone,” Stephen said.

Audra pulled
back quickly, nervous and panicked. The feel of Mateo’s arm slipping off left the tingles but also a strange coolness. She looked around them, noticing that it wouldn’t take long to be spotted and made a decision. She stood, grabbing Mateo’s hand, carefully walking over to the tree swing where she slipped inside. He gently pushed her, but something in his eyes seemed to be off when she glanced at him.

“Audra
?!” Tobias called out.

“Yeah?”
she replied.

“
See? I told you,” Stephen said.

The two mad
e their way over to the tire swing area. Tobias stopped short noticing Mateo out here with her. Stephen shook his head with a chuckle.

“You a
nd this swing,” Stephen commented.

“What are
you doing out here?” Tobias asked.

“Just needed a break from a
ll the people,” Audra admitted.

“
Jim freaked out seeing Stephen without you. Especially after what happened last time,” Tobias stated.

Audra nodded
, catching on, and began trying to climb out of the swing. Mateo held the swing still, giving her a hand that she took gratefully. As the group walked towards the house, she found herself clutching his hand tighter with every step. He rubbed her hand with his thumb soothingly until Tobias opened the door. Stephen stepped in first with Audra behind him when Tobias stopped him.

“Can I talk t
o you for a minute?” Tobias asked Mateo.

“Sure.”

Mateo’s hand slipped from her grasp leaving tingles in her fingers. She looked back towards them, but Tobias nodded for her to go inside.

“We’ll be right in
,” he said.

She bit
the inside of her cheek but went into the house.

*****

Sandwiched between Tobias and Jim wasn’t how she was expecting to enjoy her Saturday, and yet here she sat. The sounds of the engines revving before the car race began echoed loudly around the room. She already declined to play several times, but every few races they still continued to invite her to join with a third controller. If there were any other projects or plans, she’d have gladly left to do them, but her schedule was clear for the weekend. Even the chores were completed. She was out of excuses.

Audra looked
down for the third time at her eerily silent cell phone. The only message in her inbox was from Mateo.

Can’t hang out.
C u Monday.

The fee
ling of being brushed off occurred to her, but this wasn’t the first time he had pulled the disappearing act. She wondered if it had anything to do with his unhuman-ness or maybe he was freaked out by her revelation? If that were true, he wouldn’t be saying that he’d see her on Monday. Her feelings towards him still conflicted between danger and attraction. He’d made it clear on two occasions that it could be dangerous for her to be around him, but there was something there, something she couldn’t put her finger on.

Tobias reached
into his jeans pocket, pulling out his phone. His fingers quickly flew over the keys before a grin reached his lips.

“Leaving?” Jim asked
.

“Yeah. She wants to hang out.”

“Just have her come here. My mom won’t care, and I can wipe the floor with you for another hour,” Jim said.

Tobias laughed and sent
another text. Audra mentally crossed her fingers that Valerie declined the offer but no such luck. With another wide grin, her fate was sealed. Audra went into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water and a sleeve of crackers to munch on. The guys didn’t comment on her escape to her room, and her mother was reading, too busy to notice the panic in her step.

Audra looked
to her backpack, thumbing through the contents, realizing all her homework assignments were not only completed, but there was also a lack of quizzes or tests for the upcoming week. She passed the time by searching the Internet, checking her social media websites and listening to music.

A newer song, encoura
ged and added by Stephen, began to sound over her playlist. The words began to flow over and through her. Expressing the deep-seated attraction for someone that she shouldn’t, for someone who left her breathless as much as full of life. The stormy appearance of his eyes, sucking her into his life whether it was intentional or not. The danger aspect became less of an issue in her eyes; she knew deep down in her soul that she’d never say anything.

Just t
o be wrapped up in his arms, to be warmed by his body temperature alone, excited her fantasies further. She began to wonder the extent of his abilities. He was able to keep her comfortably warm the night before, and it wasn’t the first time he had warmed or cooled her down. And his eyes didn’t change like they had the day the branch came down upon them. Did he protect her for reasons other than being his friend? Maybe he felt the same but was too afraid to admit it?

Her mind whirled
around with thoughts as the song ended and a sharp knock rapped on her door. Audra turned her music down and was shocked to find Valerie on the other side of it.

“Your mom wanted me to tell you ‘pizza is downstairs
.’”

“Okay
,” Audra replied.

Audra made
a point to close the door behind her before descending the stairs. Valerie already had some weird vendetta against her. She didn’t need further ammunition. Valerie quietly followed her down the stairs, which oddly gave Audra a calm feeling. Silence was better than any compliment the girl could come up with.

Halfway down the sta
ircase the smell of pizza smacked Audra in the face. Her mouth began to water in anticipation when suddenly she lost her balance; free falling down on her backside and skidding painfully down the stairs to the bottom. Any attempt to call out for help was useless as all the wind had been knocked out of her lungs. Taking in any amount of oxygen was difficult and excruciating.

Tears blur
red her vision as the guys came running over to assist her. Jim reached down to help her stand, but a strangled cry escaped out of her mouth. She didn’t attempt to speak or even move. Any thought seemed to be stuck in shock. Mom came running in, stopping at the foot of the stairs with a horrified expression on her face.

“What happened?” Tobias asked
.

Mom kneeled
down beside her, “Audra, what hurts?”

“Everything
,” she managed to whisper softly.

“Good
,” Jim said, but after receiving a few glares continued, “She feels pain, which means nothing is broken.”

“What happened?” Tobias asked
again.

“We were coming down the stai
rs, and she fell,” Valerie stated.

After the initial shoc
k, Audra tried to slowly get up, but Mom pushed her back down.

“No, I’m going to call an ambulance.”

“I’m okay. It hurts, but I’m okay,” Audra said.

“
Did you hit your head?” Jim asked.

“Maybe? My back hurts
…please let me get up,” she begged.

Tobias reached
on one side while Jim assisted on the other, carefully helping Audra from the floor. The pain was still present in her back and caused her to gasp from the amount of it. Any appetite she had vanished along with her good mood. Audra had to lean against Jim, hiding her face in his chest.

“Ice
,” Mom stated.

Then fingers slowly peel
ed up the back of her shirt, gently so as not to rub against her back. Another round of gasps went around the room. Audra was sure it wasn’t the design on her bra straps sending that reaction out. She closed her eyes as tender fingers caressed her back causing her to grit her teeth until she whimpered in further pain.

“Thank you
,” Mom said.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t call an ambulance? I’ve never seen
that color before,” Tobias commented.

“Jim?” Audra questioned
.

“I’ll catch yo
u guys later, all right?” Jim said, dismissing his friend.

“Keep me posted. I ho
pe you feel better, Audra,” Tobias said.

Valerie
kept silent as she walked out with him. Mom placed the sandwich bag filled with ice cubes against her back. Audra cried out, unable to help it. The coldness didn’t feel good nor did any pressure upon her back. Fear began to run through her about the future. She was supposed to play an away game on Monday. There was no way that she’d be able to get through it like this. She bit the inside of her cheek as her back was iced down.

With small steps and
assistance from Jim, Audra lay down on the couch on her stomach. It allowed Jim to continue icing her back while Mom disappeared in the kitchen to call Dad.

“Does it look that bad?”

“It’ll look worse before it gets better,” Jim replied.

“So
, I guess that’s a yeah?”

Jim sighed
aloud. “Kind of. Does it still hurt?”

“Tender.”

“How did you manage to fall so hard?” he asked.

Audra panicked inside
. She thought back, and it was clear as day. Taking each step down, smelling the pizza and then the loss of strength in her left leg. It felt like a force shoved the knee forward. No matter how fast it happened, the clarity of it all struck her as odd. In the moment, she hadn’t been sure of what her own name was, but now in this very moment, the answer was clear. The truth was more than obvious.

“I was pushed.”

With exaggerated baby steps, Audra carefully made her way to her desk in homeroom. She sat gingerly, leaving her backpack down on the floor. The pain in her back had subsided, but there was stiffness in its place. There was a great fear that she wouldn’t be able to participate in the game that night, but she had done everything within her power to appear fitter than she was. She babied her back in every way possible, not rushing to get down the hallway and skipping her usual morning lap.

Audra ma
de sure to take some over-the-counter medicine to help lessen any pain that could appear or linger while she went from class to class. She folded her arms over her desk and lay her head down upon it. It stretched her back slightly, allowing it to adjust to the new movement carefully without any type of aggravation. Stephen was busy with a class field trip for most of the day, giving Audra the needed space to recuperate without having to explain what happened.

Homeroom dra
gged on after the national anthem and announcements droned on over the intercom. Shuffling in the seat beside her caught her attention enough to peek an eye out. Mateo, dressed in his usual black and gray ensemble, appraised her with cautious eyes.

“It’s Monday.”

“And here you sit,” Audra said.

“What’s going on?”

Audra nodded to his seat. “Field trip.”

“I meant with you. Bad night?”

“Slept wrong,” she replied.

Audra kept
up her silence for the rest of the class, making a point to keeping her head on her hands. It didn’t seem to deter Mateo in the slightest. He watched over her, not caring in the least about her quietness. Then again, quiet never seemed to bother either of them, something she treasured especially this early in the morning. They walked to class together, not touching or looking at each other, just keeping within personal space proximity.

After speaking with
Coach, it was pure luck that she was able to advise the needed information without giving away her injury. Mom had suggested that she take the week off from sports, but Audra couldn’t make that kind of promise. This was the only thing she loved beyond reason; the only place where she felt part of a life not kept behind locked doors and secrets. She had no plan of giving it up on Saturday, and any thoughts of giving up now left her sizzling inside.

Walking onto the court with her teammates, a knowing sense
of relief and excitement started to overwhelm her. Her home away from home, her family that depended on each other to get through, a possible future career for them all. She smiled tentatively before getting into position at the net with Molly beside her. It was a double block kind of night especially with Audra being as careful as she was.

The first game wa
s won easily but mostly by serving aces and spikes from the outside hitters. As the second game began, it was clear that the other team had noticed her inability to put force behind her blocks as well as the grimace when landing. She knew that she’d been targeted and made it clear to Molly of the obvious plan.

The whistle blew and the ball wa
s served over the net. A bump, set and spike was sent from her team only to be picked up by the opponent. A quick set was thrown up when the outside blocker approached, slamming the ball fiercely in Audra’s direction. With perfect timing, Molly and Audra went up blocking the ball causing it to lose momentum and slipping down the net to the ground.

On the des
cent of the jump, Molly entangled her leg with Audra’s. Both girls came down with a huff, but Audra’s scream pierced through the air. Landing harshly on her back, all the pain reemerged tenfold as she smashed her lips together to hold in further moaning and groaning. Teammates rushed over just as Coach joined her side. Audra took short breaths as anything deeper caused further pain.

The trainer
rushed over, checking over her limbs, but no words would escape her lips. She couldn’t even begin to explain what happened, how it began, or what specifically hurt. The only thought going through her mind was that she felt excruciating pain. After a few minutes, Audra managed to get up with assistance from the trainer and Coach. Once she was in the locker room and iced down, the tears started to flow freely.

“How did you manage to get around with this?”

“It stopped hurting. I was fine,” Audra said.

“You’ve sprained your spinal cord. A week of minimum stretching and exercises will help but no games.”

Audra wiped the tears from her eyes. “That’s it?”

“It’s only a minor sprain
, but added to the original bruises it’s caused more swelling and aggravation.”

A strained silence befell
the room as the trainer came closer. “What happened to your back?”

The serious
expression upon the face of the trainer made it clear the idea in mind. This day just seemed to be getting better and better. Hopefully, she could clear this up without a phone call being made to the house. The last thing she needed was for her parents to know that she ignored their request of her not playing today and got hurt in the process. She’d be grounded and pulled from the team for sure.

“I fell
,” Audra said.

“Are you sure? You know that you are safe here, right?”

“I was running down the stairs over the weekend. I wasn’t paying attention and lost my balance, falling down hard,” Audra said.

The trainer sta
red at her a few seconds longer but ended up nodding, accepting the statement. Audra stayed in the locker room until the game ended, not wanting to promote more attention to her injury or the mere fact that she was there. The only solace she could be grateful for was the fact that this was an away game. There were no witnesses other than her teammates and less chance Jim would ever hear about it.

Molly wa
s the first to come into the locker room; the conflict of glee and guilt made it clear that they won. Audra took her time getting up but didn’t require assistance to get back on the bus. The bus ride wasn’t too long, but it lacked the comfortableness that Molly’s vehicle gave.

Audra slipped back into her bedroom after a scalding shower. She pulled out her scheduled reading for the week for class just as a tap hit the window. There was only one visitor who came by way of window visits, and she was reluctant to open it; not just because of this morning but the simple fact that she had to get up from the bed. He tapped again just as she slowly crawled over the mattress to the end.

Tugging
up the window caused her to bite her lip hard, the upward motion having a negative effect on her muscles. Mateo slipped inside fluidly but noticed her expression. He reached out to her, but she lifted her hands up in defense.

“Don’t.”

“It’s worse? Did you take anything?” he asked.

“I took two pills a half hour ago
, but I’d rather not risk further damage.”

“Come on
,” he stated, extending his arm towards the bed.

She hesitated
, but he then pointed with his index finger. She sighed, lying down carefully upon her stomach. Mateo brushed her hair aside, leaning over her back before letting his fingertips lightly skim it. Audra shivered involuntary from the freezing temperature of his touch but then sighed again once it heated up.

“Do you have healing powers?”

“Not for something like this,” Mateo responded.

“Will you ever tell me what you can do?”

“Maybe one day,” he said. “Will you tell me what is going on with you?”

“Minor spinal cord sprain
. No big deal.”

Audra sat
up on the bed, moving the book aside. She made a point of keeping her eyes away from his. He was so selective about what he’d tell her, she didn’t need to be telling him her life story. The conflicted emotions of wanting to be near him and wanting him to leave clashed within her heart and mind.

“I’ll tell you what I can do if
you’re honest with me.”

“You won’t believe me
,” she said.

“Try me.”

She bit the inside of her lip thinking about the options. He had kept his word not to hurt her, had been there to support her and hadn’t once made her feel weird about her strange memory attacks. Should she trust him though? After all, she hadn’t even told her best friend—the only person she didn’t have to hide from but for some reason hadn’t opened up to.

The sheer
curiosity of his abilities made the offer seem too good to be true, and she relented. She told him the truth about what had been going on with Valerie. About why she reacted the way she did at the party as well as what led to that reaction. By the time she finished getting it out, the look upon Mateo’s face was enough to put the fear right back into her.

“And you haven’t said anything? To anyone?”

“I told Jim, but he doesn’t believe me. Stephen pulled some prank on her that I still don’t know about. Maybe this is just payback for that?” she said.

“What about your mom? You have to do something.”

“No, I don’t. It’ll stop on its own. I’ll just be careful,” Audra replied firmly.

Mateo wrapped
his arm around her, allowing his fingertips to soothe her back with pulses of heat. The feel of tingles going down towards her tailbone caused a soft moan to slip past her lips. The tension and stiffness seemed to be collecting there, but the heat released it. She leaned her head against his shoulder prior to him laying his upon hers.

“I promised that I wouldn’t hurt you
, but how could you think I’d allow someone else to?”

Audra did
n’t know how to respond. There wasn’t anything she could say to make him not feel that way. She wasn’t too sure she didn’t want his protection, especially if that meant he’d be around more often. The thought alone made her smile against her will.

“
Okay, now your end of the bargain,” she reminded.

“
I can manipulate the weather and its elements. Use the heat from the sun’s rays specifically to warm an area or person,” he said with a tiny smirk.

“Wow…that explains a lot actually. And not what I thought you’d say.”

“Most of what are in movies and books are wrong.”

“So y
ou made the wind stop blowing the night of the Halloween party?” she asked.

“Sort of. I don’t stop the weather; that would be catastrophic for your planet. I just put up a block, like a wall forcing the wind to bounce off or go around the area.”

“Oh.”

She quieted
for a moment, trying to take in the information. It made a lot of sense as to why he wasn’t affected by the cold weather when walking at night. And it made more sense why she seemed to feel warmer around him when it was cold. Just like he protected her from the branch, he seemed to be keeping her from getting sick, too. Thoughts of the Halloween party sparked a question.

“
What came up on Saturday?” she asked.

The silence would have gone
over her head if the tension in his shoulder hadn’t alerted her otherwise. She leaned away from him to get a better look at his expression, but it was smooth. Too smooth. She narrowed her eyes in response. Mateo glanced around the room quickly, clearly torn between making a run for it and admitting the truth.

“Please
,” Audra said quietly.

“My dad needed me. He wasn’t feeling well.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. He’s lucky to have you taking care of him,” she said.

“Yeah.”

Audra started to question him, but he made a point of standing up, heading towards the window. It seemed the decision had been made. He slipped one leg out just as she approached, placing a hand onto his shoulder.

“Thanks for tonight. I needed someone to talk to and I’m glad that it was you.”

“See you tomorrow, Audra,” he said before slipping out into the night.

*****

“It’s that time again,” Stephen teased.

“Leave
her alone,” Chris chastised.

Audra pulled
out her science book with disgust only to have Mateo wave her over to the empty seat beside him. She didn’t hesitate, bringing her backpack and getting settled. Her back grazed the rough chair back, and she furrowed her brow in irritation. Her back hadn’t been as quick to recover as it had on Saturday, but thanks to Mateo, she had been sleeping better at night.

She sighed
, leaning forward, hovering over the chapter. Mateo unthinkingly placed his hand against her back, gently rubbing it up and down with his fingertips. Exquisite wasn’t even close to describing the amount of relief that stemmed from the heat of his fingers.

He smirked
, whispering into her ear. “Better?”

“You have no idea
,” she replied softly.

Mateo chuckled
, beginning to show her the next paragraph when Molly spoke up.