The Crystal's Curse by Vicky de Leo Page A

saw Joshua waiting for her outside the classroom , leaning against the wall. He wore Levis and a powder blue pullover that showed off his broad shoulders and flat abs. While she watched, several girls walked by and tried to catch his eye.
    Great she thought, he looks terrific and I look like a drowned rat . Her hair refused to behave in the steady rain, so she had pulled it into a ponytail. The sides kept escaping. Running late, she’d grabbed the first clothes she could reach, old jeans, a baggy sweater, and an old raincoat she found hanging on a hook beside the door. Now looking down at herself, she felt like a bag lady. What if he took one look at her and decided he didn’t feel the same way about her?
    However, when she met him outside the classroom, he took her hand as usual and gave her a tentative smile. All through lunch, he kept looking at her. One time he leaned over to push a stray lock of hair back behind her ears. He must think I look awful . Maybe he’s sorry about last night and wondering how to dump me, she thought.
    Joshua watched Sara to see if her feelings had changed. He thought she looked even more beautiful today. She had a lock of hair that fell in her eyes. When he reached over and tucked it back behind her ear so he could look at her, she looked down and frowned. Was his touch so different today? He made up his mind. A headache seemed a small price to pay, if it meant holding on to Sara.
    Sara picked at her lunch and worried. She needed to know how he felt. It was Friday. She knew she could not live through the weekend not knowing. She’d waited all through lunch, hoping he’d mention another date. Now as they gathered their things to go back to glass, she made a decision. If she invited him to come over tonight and meet her grandmother, and he made an excuse, she would know.
    “Joshua, my grandmother should be home early today. I’d like you to come over and meet her.”
    Joshua hesitated. It was a good sign that she wanted to see him again, but he wasn’t going to take any chances. He wanted time to go home and get the crystal. He wondered how long it would take before the crystal would restore him. “What time?”
    He doesn’t seem too eager. However, he didn’t say no. Let’s see, I need time to do something with this hair and find something to wear that says sexy but not desperate. “How about seven?”
    “Okay.” That should give me enough time, he thought.
    ***
    Sara washed her hair and let it dry naturally into soft curls. Then she changed into a tan skirt and cream silk blouse. She decided that her three-inch stiletto heels would provide just the right amount of sex appeal. Her grandmother came in five minutes before seven o’clock and went to her bedroom to change out of her work clothes. Before Sara had a chance to tell her that Joshua was coming over, the doorbell rang.
    By seven o’clock Joshua’s headache was back, but he felt confident and sure of himself again. He arrived right on time. Silhouetted in the doorway, the light from behind shining on her, he thought Sara looked like an angel. She even smelled heavenly. He gave her a big smile.
    “Come in. My grandmother just got home. She’s upstairs changing. She should be down in a minute.”
    She led him into the front room. It wasn’t a large room, but it was cozy and comfortable. A sofa sat on one side of the fireplace. Two comfortable chairs separated by a small round end table faced the sofa. An old upright piano stood angled in one corner.
    He caught her and pulled her to him for a quick kiss.
    She responded warmly, smiled, and then asked, “Can I get you a drink while we’re waiting?”
    “Sure, a coke would be good.”
    When Sara went to the kitchen, Joshua wandered over to the piano. Seeing familiar sheet music displayed, he sat down at and played.
    Helen came down the stairs. “Sara, are you playing the piano?” Coming into the room, and seeing Joshua, she stopped and drew in a quick breath.
    Joshua