the melodic voice said. She must have been
Iris.
The second thing to register was the
cold air that had turned the tip of my nose to ice. I was still
outside. My eyelids fluttered open to the night sky twinkling with
stars. Around me were concerned faces to match the voices, all of
them looking down at me, studying me. A figure crouched at my side
– Iris. Her bird was eyeing me just as feverishly as the others. I
focused on Iris’ face, her purple eyes. So lovely. I was then aware
she was holding my hand, stroking it sweetly. “My dear,” she
breathed in relief. “You passed out.”
Mortification colored my
cheeks. Great. How embarrassing.
Another figure crouched at my other
side. The nurse, his finger resting on the pulse at my wrist, his
eyes sweeping over me. “You’re okay, Kat,” he assured me. “Take it
easy.”
Gently pulling my hands
from their grips, I attempted to prop up on my elbows. My head
spun, and I rested my hand on my forehead with a groan. Fast as
lightning, someone knelt by Iris’ side. My heart skipped a
beat. Him. The
look on his face was a mixture of awe and agony. Over
me?
I halfway wondered if I was dreaming
again. This felt so real, but all of this couldn’t be real, could
it?
“Let’s give her some space,” Iris
said, standing, and extended a hand down to me.
Backing up a few steps, everyone
obeyed.
I tentatively slid my hand into hers.
“There you go, darlin’,” she soothed, pulling me to my feet. Her
arm wrapped around my waist for support, and she guided me to a log
beside the fire.
My dream boy fought his way in front
of my audience to watch as she helped me sit. My eyes snapped to
him again like a magnet; they didn’t seem to want to rest on
anything else. I didn’t even know what half of these other people
looked like yet. Surely this was another dream. I couldn’t be so
lucky as to actually be with him here in the flesh. Why wasn’t he
invisible like before?
“Piper, get her some water, please,”
Iris ordered, kneeling in front of me again and clasping my hands
in her own.
“Yes, Iris,” a tiny female voice
answered.
“I’m fine…” I said in protest, my eyes
still on him. I didn’t want to be fussed over.
Iris followed my line of sight to see
his eyes on me as well. When she turned back to me, a secret smile
played on her lips. “Kat,” she said again to regain my
attention.
I didn’t want to, but I refocused on
her.
“I know all of this might seem odd to
you, but-”
Interrupting her, a dainty arm
appeared with a homemade clay mug filled with water. I took the mug
into my hands, and my eyes traveled up to the girl who had given it
to me. What had Iris called her? Piper? As she gave me a friendly
smile, her hazel eyes shining, I determined she looked about my
age. She wore her black hair in a stylish pixie cut. Very cute and
complementary to her heart-shaped face. Pixie cut – Piper. That
would be easy enough to remember. “Hey, Kat,” she said.
Confused, I replied. “Hey.” How did
everyone know my name?
Iris shifted to sit beside
me on the bench, the hem of her velvety dress whooshing over the
dead leaves and pine straw. She brought with her the smell of
lavender and rosewood. The nurse rested beside her.
“Everyone, please ,” she groaned, swatting at my audience, “give her some space
for goodness sake.” The dove squeaked to seemingly echo her
request.
Everyone backed up again, except my
dream guy. He wasn’t budging, watching every breath I took and move
I made. I couldn’t decide if it unnerved or flattered me. Oh, who
was I kidding… it flattered me.
Iris nudged my chin to look at her
instead, and I gave a rueful smile. My shameless staring at him was
just as obvious. I took a sip of water, and Iris started in. “I
know this might seem odd to you, Kat, but let me know when you’re
ready for me to explain who we are and why we’re here.”
I swallowed. “And how everyone knows
my name?”
Iris barked out a laugh,
Iris.
The second thing to register was the
cold air that had turned the tip of my nose to ice. I was still
outside. My eyelids fluttered open to the night sky twinkling with
stars. Around me were concerned faces to match the voices, all of
them looking down at me, studying me. A figure crouched at my side
– Iris. Her bird was eyeing me just as feverishly as the others. I
focused on Iris’ face, her purple eyes. So lovely. I was then aware
she was holding my hand, stroking it sweetly. “My dear,” she
breathed in relief. “You passed out.”
Mortification colored my
cheeks. Great. How embarrassing.
Another figure crouched at my other
side. The nurse, his finger resting on the pulse at my wrist, his
eyes sweeping over me. “You’re okay, Kat,” he assured me. “Take it
easy.”
Gently pulling my hands
from their grips, I attempted to prop up on my elbows. My head
spun, and I rested my hand on my forehead with a groan. Fast as
lightning, someone knelt by Iris’ side. My heart skipped a
beat. Him. The
look on his face was a mixture of awe and agony. Over
me?
I halfway wondered if I was dreaming
again. This felt so real, but all of this couldn’t be real, could
it?
“Let’s give her some space,” Iris
said, standing, and extended a hand down to me.
Backing up a few steps, everyone
obeyed.
I tentatively slid my hand into hers.
“There you go, darlin’,” she soothed, pulling me to my feet. Her
arm wrapped around my waist for support, and she guided me to a log
beside the fire.
My dream boy fought his way in front
of my audience to watch as she helped me sit. My eyes snapped to
him again like a magnet; they didn’t seem to want to rest on
anything else. I didn’t even know what half of these other people
looked like yet. Surely this was another dream. I couldn’t be so
lucky as to actually be with him here in the flesh. Why wasn’t he
invisible like before?
“Piper, get her some water, please,”
Iris ordered, kneeling in front of me again and clasping my hands
in her own.
“Yes, Iris,” a tiny female voice
answered.
“I’m fine…” I said in protest, my eyes
still on him. I didn’t want to be fussed over.
Iris followed my line of sight to see
his eyes on me as well. When she turned back to me, a secret smile
played on her lips. “Kat,” she said again to regain my
attention.
I didn’t want to, but I refocused on
her.
“I know all of this might seem odd to
you, but-”
Interrupting her, a dainty arm
appeared with a homemade clay mug filled with water. I took the mug
into my hands, and my eyes traveled up to the girl who had given it
to me. What had Iris called her? Piper? As she gave me a friendly
smile, her hazel eyes shining, I determined she looked about my
age. She wore her black hair in a stylish pixie cut. Very cute and
complementary to her heart-shaped face. Pixie cut – Piper. That
would be easy enough to remember. “Hey, Kat,” she said.
Confused, I replied. “Hey.” How did
everyone know my name?
Iris shifted to sit beside
me on the bench, the hem of her velvety dress whooshing over the
dead leaves and pine straw. She brought with her the smell of
lavender and rosewood. The nurse rested beside her.
“Everyone, please ,” she groaned, swatting at my audience, “give her some space
for goodness sake.” The dove squeaked to seemingly echo her
request.
Everyone backed up again, except my
dream guy. He wasn’t budging, watching every breath I took and move
I made. I couldn’t decide if it unnerved or flattered me. Oh, who
was I kidding… it flattered me.
Iris nudged my chin to look at her
instead, and I gave a rueful smile. My shameless staring at him was
just as obvious. I took a sip of water, and Iris started in. “I
know this might seem odd to you, Kat, but let me know when you’re
ready for me to explain who we are and why we’re here.”
I swallowed. “And how everyone knows
my name?”
Iris barked out a laugh,
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