Breathless Page 3

  When she was completely satisfied with her masterpiece, she spun around my chair so I could see for myself.

  “Well,” she asked wincing.

  I lingered for a while, letting her stew. Then, I jumped up and hugged her. I knew she would be happy, and truly, so was I. It was fun to look and feel so good. We raced down the stairs, did a quick spin for my mother, and ran out the door before she could tell us what time to be home. She knew I would never stay out past midnight, so she had no need to worry.

  Addie was beyond excited at the promise the night offered. She and Rob were talking again after their latest upset, and she was hopeful that they would patch up their relationship tonight. I was happy for her. She wanted this, and I wanted it for her, too. I could tell she was going to get what she wanted when Rob was waiting out on the porch for us to arrive. It was 7:57 p.m. We were only an hour late, and it seemed the party was just getting started.

  Chapter 5 - The Party

  As we guessed, everyone was already inside. I felt awkward walking through the room. I knew people were staring. All week, I had been a mess. My hair was matted, my clothes sloppy. Tonight, I was a vision in green. We couldn’t take two steps without someone stopping to talk to us. I felt silly, but good.

  Addie was thrilled. Rob couldn’t take his eyes off of her, and they walked hand-in-hand throughout the crowded room. Hannah’s house was huge. Not quite as big as Addie’s, but close. People streamed from the front room through the large double doors leading outside. The weather was nearly too brisk for an outside party, but Hannah’s parents had placed special heaters throughout the yard and around the pool so that we could enjoy the evening.

  Our community was small, so it was clear the entire school must have been invited when I stepped through the doors and saw at least 100 people gathered in groups around the bright blue pool. It shone like the moonlight from the center of the yard; its reflection lighting the nearby cobblestones. It was like a scene from a movie. Twinkle lights and patio lanterns dotted the thick trees that hovered behind the large yard, shielding the view from outsiders. A small group of kids shuffled their feet on the makeshift dance floor. Another group lingered awkwardly by the refreshments.

  My eyes scanned the yard, looking for familiar faces. Immediately, I landed on Chloe and Elliot, Britney and Josh, and Lainie and Zach. Stella was playing the room, trying to get the attention of the basketball team. That girl had gusto. I had to admire her.

  I skipped over to the others, who raved about my new look. I flashed a few model poses for fun before turning again to take stock.

  “Looking for someone,” Zach asked with curiosity.

  “Oh, I can guess who she’s looking for,” Lainie said, shooting me a knowing look while playfully punching Zach in the arm.

  “Huh,” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

  “Sure you are,” Britney winked. I wasn’t sure what had given the others the impression I would be looking for anyone in particular, especially him. But, I couldn’t hide my thoughts any longer. A smile crept across my face.

  “I don’t get it,” Josh said, looking puzzled. “What’s going on?”

  “Sorry to disappoint you, Lia, but I haven’t seen him,” Britney said.

  “Who,” Josh demanded. “Who is she looking for?”

  We all ignored him and went on talking about our preparations for tonight’s events. Just then, the DJ started spinning some great tunes, and we all took to the dance floor. We spent about an hour taking turns getting snacks and drinks while jumping around to our favorite beats. I was having a great time, until I realized that the bodies on the dance floor were suddenly thinning. Stella and I kept the beat with the freaks and geeks, while the couples found their own private places around the garden. Most cooed and cuddled; some kissed passionately. At around 10:15 p.m., I decided I’d had enough. I began searching for Addie to let her know I would be leaving.

  “I wish you’d stay, but I kind of thought this might happen,” she said. “My driver is waiting.”

  Addie never ceased to amaze me. She would never let me down. She had the good foresight to expect she would want to stay longer, but she still wanted to be sure I would get home safely. She was the best friend a girl could have. I gave her a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek before turning to leave.

  “Have fun,” I shouted over my shoulder. I waved quickly to the others who were in various locations around the yard, and made my way down the long winding path from the back garden, along the pool, and back to the main house.

  I was just a few feet from the bright lights of the entryway when a cool breeze swept across my shoulders. I shivered and began walking faster. That’s when I saw him lingering in the shadows behind the trees. How long had he been there, I wondered. He seemed to be alone, watching from a distance. Watching…me. I stopped dead and turned to face him. He stood silent, his head down, eyes staring up from under his brow. I was paralyzed with wonder.

  “Hi,” I heard the word roll gently off my tongue, but I couldn’t recall willing myself to say it. He seemed nearly as surprised to hear my voice. It was barely above a whisper. Breathy.

  He didn’t speak, just took a step forward. I must have been out of reach of the heaters, because I was chilled to the bone. He could see my distress, and he quickly slipped the red velvet coat from his back and wrapped it around my bare shoulders. Such a gentleman. Rare.

  “I’m—”

  “Cordelia,” he finished for me, taking me by complete surprise. “I know.”

  I was in awe. In the moonlight, I could see him clearly. Every detail of his face was plain to me now. What had been so obscure in my head earlier was so vivid. I didn’t ask how he knew my given name. No one had called me Cordelia since before my dad had died, nearly a decade ago. I would bet that even my closest friends didn’t know my real name. I couldn’t say anything; I just stared into his eyes. They were the exact same shade as my dress, and I knew that wasn’t a coincidence. Addie would have seen to it, I was sure. She had such a knack for things like that.

  Tousled raven waves swept back from his snow white face, forming a thick mane around his chiseled features. A single frosted lock curved back from just above his brow. A slight flush colored his cheeks, and his jade green eyes glowed bright into my own. Again, I was breathless.

  Before I could say another word, he took my hand in his own and guided me to the cobbled dance floor. He was tall—at least six feet. The top of my head barely reached his shoulder. The music was mellow now, and he enveloped me in a loose embrace. His right arm draped loosely at my waist, while his left arm cradled my shoulder into his chest. We were close, but not quite touching, as we swayed lightly in circles, all the while staring into each other’s eyes. For a long while, no one seemed to notice us, the lone couple making use of the DJ’s skills. Soon enough, I could feel all eyes were on us as we glided gracefully in unison. I didn’t care about anything but that moment with him. Being in his arms felt safe, right—like he was a missing piece to the puzzle that was my inner being. I couldn’t explain or even pretend to understand. We had just met. I didn’t even know his name.

  I was lost in the moment. Totally, completely lost, so it took a moment for me to realize that Addie was tapping my shoulder eagerly.

  “Lia! Lia,” she shouted, pointing at her watch. “I thought you left. Look. It’s after midnight. You’re never late. Your mom’s going to freak.”

  I knew she was right, but I had trouble pulling my attention from him. I slipped my hand from his and started to take off his jacket. But, he stopped me by simply placing a hand on each of my shoulders and shaking his head lightly once from side to side.

  “Take it,” he said. “I’m fine, Cordelia. Please take it.”

  With that, I turned and ran through the main house to the waiting car. I knew that in mere moments, I would be facing my mother’s wrath. The magic of what had just taken place would soon be over. Addie gave Rob a quick
kiss and assured him she would be back as soon as she knew I was safe. The entire way to my house, she kept asking me to explain what had happened, but I had no response. I didn’t know myself; I just knew that I couldn’t wait to see him again. Those few minutes with him were worth anything that would come next.

  Chapter 6 - Late

  “Should I come in with you,” Addie asked warily as we pulled up in front of my house.

  “No. It’s best I face this on my own.”

  Neither one of us knew how my mom would react. It was only 12:27 a.m., and technically, I’d never had a curfew, but I doubted that would hold up as a reasonable excuse at my makeshift trial. I ducked out of the car and immediately saw the porch light come on. The door opened, and my mom stepped outside, her terrycloth housecoat pulled tight across her chest.

  “It’s okay. She’s home now,” she mumbled angrily into the telephone that was glued to her right ear. I knew she must have called Addie’s parents, hoping to hear that we were at their house, safe and sound.

  “Cordelia Lorelei Jameson,” she shouted at me. Twice in one night with my full name. Impressive. Addie winced, watching from behind the tinted window of the black Cadillac. “Get in the house now.”

  Tears stung my eyes as I ran toward the front steps. I brushed past my mother and into the kitchen. I thought about taking the stairs two at a time to my bedroom and slamming the door behind me, but I knew that wouldn’t help my case. After all, I was sort of in the wrong. I owed my mother to have it out with her.

  “Where have you been,” she shouted across the room. “I have been worried sick, young lady. Do you know what time it is? Surely, Hannah’s parents have a phone. Or, how about Addie? I know she has a phone. For crying out loud, you could have just asked her driver to swing by with a message. Do you have any idea how worried I was?”

  She went on like this for at least three solid minutes. I tried to answer a few times, at first, but then I decided it was best to just let her have her say. When she was done, I added my two cents.

  “I’m sorry,” I said softly, looking at the floor and shuffling my gold-heeled foot in a circle along the tile. “I really am. I just—”

  She cut me off then.

  “Things are going to be different from now on. I’ve let this go on too long. You’re grounded.”

  “But, mom. This has never happened before. In fact, I don’t have a curfew, so how can I be in trouble for breaking it,” I shouted desperately. I knew there was no point. The battle was over. “I’m a good student, I work hard. This isn’t fair.”

  I actually stomped my foot. Now, even I knew I was being childish.

  “To your room now. This is not up for discussion. Go,” she said, pointing to the stairwell.

  It was after 1 a.m. when I flopped onto the bed still wearing Chaseyn’s velvety jacket. I kicked off my shoes and coiled my body beneath the comfort of the fluffy down duvet. I had to work at 7 a.m. I hoped sleep would come fast, but I couldn’t stop replaying the fight in my head. My shoulders heaved; sobs escaped my trembling lips. I hadn’t realized how cold the room suddenly felt, and I tucked the quilt tight under my chin. It wasn’t long before I felt my eyelids started to droop. I was thankful, and soon, gave in to the heavy weight pulling them down.

  Though I slept soundly, my slumber was anything but peaceful. After nights of dreamless sleep, the abstract visions that had clouded my mind for weeks returned more vivid than ever. Still, I couldn’t put my finger on the exact details when I awoke the next morning. There was just one thing I knew for sure. He was there. In the shadows…watching. I could see the glow of his pale skin and feel the heat of his bright eyes. He had always been there, in the background of my dream. I wondered what it all meant. How could he have been at the center of my dream all this time when we had never met before this week?

  I was in a rush to get out of the house this morning; I didn’t want to face my mom. Clearly, she had the same thought. She was nowhere to be seen, but there was a note on the table next to the box of cereal.

  Lia,

  Tell Addie or her driver or whomever is coming to get you after work that you won’t need a ride home. I will be there precisely at noon to pick you up.

  Mom

  “Ugh,” I muttered under my breath. She was taking this grounding thing seriously. I’d hoped it would blow over, but that was wishful thinking. I’d never actually seen my mom that mad before. Then again, I’d never let her down like that before either.

  I hurried through the motions of my morning routine, trying not to wake my mother. The last thing I wanted to do was stare her in the face. She’d had every right to be upset with me. I just wish she had taken into consideration all my good points. Where was my scale of justice? Shouldn’t I get off with a warning?

  It hadn’t always been this way. My mom and I used to get along great. She and I would spend every waking moment together. Shopping, hiking, spa days, and study sessions were all part of our regular routine, until she started seeing Brad.

  It was about three years after my dad died, and my mom’s friend Allison decided it was time for her to get back into the dating game. My mom seemed happy enough to go along with Allison’s plan, but I wasn’t at all happy about it. Allison’s husband was a partner in a law firm at a fancy practice in the city. They set my mom up with one of the other lawyers. At first, Brad really did seem like a good guy. He always brought me a gift, some sort of trinket usually. And, he treated my mom pretty good. Still, I gave them a hard time. I would pretend to be sick so the sitter would have to call my mom home from a dinner date. Once, I threw a horrible temper tantrum and smashed an antique vase from my great grandmother. I still felt badly about that some days.

  After a while, Brad started to show his true colors. I could tell that something wasn’t quite right, but my mom couldn’t see it. He started showing up unexpectedly at unusual times. It was only when he started acting really strange that my mom finally picked up on it. Once, when she and I were dress shopping for junior prom, he appeared in the bridal salon window. He didn’t come in; he just watched for a few minutes and then left. A week later, my mom was out for dinner with friends when he sat down at a table across from her. He watched her eat, waited for her to leave, and then followed her home. She tried to break up with him, but he wouldn’t leave her alone. Finally, she had to get a restraining order. Allison and her husband had been on vacation for three weeks, but when they returned, they had major news. It turned out Brad had been caught in a lie at the firm. He had been let go from his last job because they thought he was stealing from the company. He was using the same sneaky tactics at his new job, and they were taking him to court.

  Though she never said it, my mom felt awful for putting me in such a dangerous situation. At first, she had resented me so much for hating Brad, and later, she was too embarrassed to look me in the eyes. I didn’t help matters. When she told me the truth about Brad, all I could do was say, “I told you so.” I didn’t know any better, and it ruined what we had. Since then, our relationship was strained at best. Sometimes, I felt badly about it still, but most times, I didn’t feel like she really cared. She hadn’t dated anyone since, and I think she hoped I never would either.

  I was killing time reading the newspaper in the kitchen when I heard my mom’s heels hit the floor in her bedroom. I jumped to my feet, kicked the chair out from under me, and ran to the closet to grab my coat.

  “Lia,” she shouted in a raspy, sleepy voice. “Are you still here?”

  I thought about sneaking out the back door, but I could hear her coming down the stairs, and I was sure I wouldn’t make it out before she reached the bottom step. Instead, I waited in silence.

  “Did you see my note?”

  I nodded my head, knowing she couldn’t see. I started to answer, but the lump in my throat had grown to the size of a small orange. I couldn’t manage to get out any sound. My eyes glossed over, and I knew that if I blinked, moisture would seep from their corners. I hate
d this.

  “Mom, I’ve got to go. I’ll see you at noon,” I managed to squeak out before running through the door, across the yard, and into the waiting car.

  Chapter 7 - Lattes and Cinnamon Buns

  Even the smell of warm cinnamon buns couldn’t cheer up my dismal mood. Mrs. Olsen had blackcurrant tea and a sticky bun waiting for me when I walked through the door, but I wasn’t interested. All I could think about was the look of disappointment on my mom’s face last night.

  “Lia? Is everything okay, dear,” Mrs. Olsen asked. She reached for my hand to make sure I knew that she honestly cared. “You can talk to me if you need, sweetie.”

  I’d been working for the Olsen’s since my sixteenth birthday, a little over a year ago, and they treated me like family. Some Fridays, after my shift, I would sit for hours and talk with Mrs. Olsen. She’d never had a daughter, and she wasn’t close with her son. Sometimes, it made me sad that I could be myself with her and not with my own mom. I wondered if that was how she felt about her son.