been a moment of shivery breathlessness, yet I only felt… betrayal?
Wait. That can’t be right.
Ben tilted his head down, and I said the first thing that came to mind. “It was a gift.”
He paused, and smiled. “Oh, yeah? From who?”
“Kristen.”
As soon as I said her name, I knew
that
was where the feeling was coming from. I was betraying Kristen. Or more so, I was betraying the fact that Ben once had a crush on Kristen, probably still
did
to some extent, and if I kissed him rightnow it would be like kissing my dead best friend’s almost boyfriend.
Not cool.
Ben stiffened and jerked his head back, almost like he was thinking the same thing. Then he ran his fingers through his hair, a gesture I found oddly familiar but couldn’t place. “Abbey,” he said suddenly. “It’s getting late. I should go.”
Could he tell what I was feeling?
“Okay,” I said. “Well, um, thanks for coming and all that.” Now it was going to get awkward.
Clearly, he didn’t know what to do either, because he kind of leaned in for a half hug and patted me on the back. “So, happy birthday. And I guess I’ll see you at our next science session.”
“Yeah. Thanks for coming, Ben.”
He nodded once and then turned back toward the house, disappearing inside. I headed to the porch and sat down again on the second step next to what was left of my birthday cake.
“That was weird,” I said out loud. “Really weird.”
Overhead, the distinct rumbling sound of thunder broke through the distance, and seconds later a jagged piece of greenish lightning lit up the sky. The loud boom that came after the lightning made me jump, but I stayed where I was.
I wasn’t ready to go inside yet. I had more cake to finish.
˜ ˜ ˜
I stared out my bedroom window, watching sheets of rain cascade down the glass pane. Mom and Dad had said good night an hour ago, with Mom tipping slightly to one side, and I’d been getting ready to change for bed when the lightning had lured me over.
There was something strangely beautiful about this storm. The trees outside were swaying in the wind, dipping low as they bowed to one another. A scattering of leaves lay on the streets, and every now and then one got caught up in the current of shallow runoff and went dancing merrily along its way. Although it was pitch-black in the yard below, I could almost see the wet, spiky blades of grass and new flower buds turning their faces up, eagerly soaking in the moisture.
I needed to create a perfume that evoked a summer storm. Cut grass, frantic wind, the heady scent of rain… with just a touch of fresh sheets drying on the wind. And I needed something powerful and strong, a dry scent to mimic thunder. Perhaps vetivert or fennel?
A yawn interrupted my thoughts, and I stretched my arms over my head. The soft pounding of rain on the roof was like a soothing melody, something rhythmic and primal. I gathered several pillows, moved them to the end of the bed, and lay down with my headwhere my feet should go. I could watch the storm better that way.
I felt safe and warm in my little cocoon. And when I closed my eyes, lightning still played behind my eyelids. Dancing and leaping in strange, crackling patterns…
Thunder rolled and echoed all around me, but I knew I was dreaming, because the storm was inside my room. White forks of lightning crackled and spread across the ceiling, and climbed down the walls like vines. Every time the thunder sounded, it spread through the vines with tiny pulses of electricity.
Then I noticed a cloaked figure sitting on the edge of my bed. It was Kristen.
“Take a walk with me, Abbey.” I could hear her voice as clear as day, but her lips weren’t moving. “Let’s take a walk.”
And suddenly we were in the cemetery. On the far side. Away from the main gates.
My feet were moving even though I tried to stop. The tips of my toes dragged along the hard ground as I floated along. Hovering, just above the bare earth,
Wait. That can’t be right.
Ben tilted his head down, and I said the first thing that came to mind. “It was a gift.”
He paused, and smiled. “Oh, yeah? From who?”
“Kristen.”
As soon as I said her name, I knew
that
was where the feeling was coming from. I was betraying Kristen. Or more so, I was betraying the fact that Ben once had a crush on Kristen, probably still
did
to some extent, and if I kissed him rightnow it would be like kissing my dead best friend’s almost boyfriend.
Not cool.
Ben stiffened and jerked his head back, almost like he was thinking the same thing. Then he ran his fingers through his hair, a gesture I found oddly familiar but couldn’t place. “Abbey,” he said suddenly. “It’s getting late. I should go.”
Could he tell what I was feeling?
“Okay,” I said. “Well, um, thanks for coming and all that.” Now it was going to get awkward.
Clearly, he didn’t know what to do either, because he kind of leaned in for a half hug and patted me on the back. “So, happy birthday. And I guess I’ll see you at our next science session.”
“Yeah. Thanks for coming, Ben.”
He nodded once and then turned back toward the house, disappearing inside. I headed to the porch and sat down again on the second step next to what was left of my birthday cake.
“That was weird,” I said out loud. “Really weird.”
Overhead, the distinct rumbling sound of thunder broke through the distance, and seconds later a jagged piece of greenish lightning lit up the sky. The loud boom that came after the lightning made me jump, but I stayed where I was.
I wasn’t ready to go inside yet. I had more cake to finish.
˜ ˜ ˜
I stared out my bedroom window, watching sheets of rain cascade down the glass pane. Mom and Dad had said good night an hour ago, with Mom tipping slightly to one side, and I’d been getting ready to change for bed when the lightning had lured me over.
There was something strangely beautiful about this storm. The trees outside were swaying in the wind, dipping low as they bowed to one another. A scattering of leaves lay on the streets, and every now and then one got caught up in the current of shallow runoff and went dancing merrily along its way. Although it was pitch-black in the yard below, I could almost see the wet, spiky blades of grass and new flower buds turning their faces up, eagerly soaking in the moisture.
I needed to create a perfume that evoked a summer storm. Cut grass, frantic wind, the heady scent of rain… with just a touch of fresh sheets drying on the wind. And I needed something powerful and strong, a dry scent to mimic thunder. Perhaps vetivert or fennel?
A yawn interrupted my thoughts, and I stretched my arms over my head. The soft pounding of rain on the roof was like a soothing melody, something rhythmic and primal. I gathered several pillows, moved them to the end of the bed, and lay down with my headwhere my feet should go. I could watch the storm better that way.
I felt safe and warm in my little cocoon. And when I closed my eyes, lightning still played behind my eyelids. Dancing and leaping in strange, crackling patterns…
Thunder rolled and echoed all around me, but I knew I was dreaming, because the storm was inside my room. White forks of lightning crackled and spread across the ceiling, and climbed down the walls like vines. Every time the thunder sounded, it spread through the vines with tiny pulses of electricity.
Then I noticed a cloaked figure sitting on the edge of my bed. It was Kristen.
“Take a walk with me, Abbey.” I could hear her voice as clear as day, but her lips weren’t moving. “Let’s take a walk.”
And suddenly we were in the cemetery. On the far side. Away from the main gates.
My feet were moving even though I tried to stop. The tips of my toes dragged along the hard ground as I floated along. Hovering, just above the bare earth,
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