help you focus , ” s he ordered , then closed the door.
Olivia and I locked stares. “Is it her?” she whispered to me .
“Do you think she looks like me?” I asked , turning to the mirror. My skin was pale. Dark circles were under my eyes. I could see white lines outlining dried tears that weaved to the base of my neck , looking like traces of ash. My hair was tangled as it lay across my shoulders. My eyes , which would normally be a bright emerald green , seemed dark . L ost. Around them , there was a deep red color from the tears that had fallen. I almost looked demonic. I felt grateful that Charlie and the others hadn ’ t fled the moment I appeared.
“She looks healthier, that’s for sure , ” Olivia said , reaching her arm into the shower and turning it on.
“Seriously , though,” I asked again.
Olivia came to my side and ti l ted her head as she gazed at our reflection. “It’s not goin g to matter what she looks like. A ll that matters is how he will feel about her or whoever else passes his path… I remember.” Her words began to quiver as she leaned forward and looked down. “I remember when I first met Drake, when h e saved me from that raging sea. H e wanted to see something in me, he really did. H e craved the feeling he felt when he looked at you, but he couldn’t, he couldn’t because I was not her. I already belonged to Chrispin , even though we had never met. Drake understood that ; you need to understand that.”
“Understand what?” I asked , laying my head on her shoulder as memories of every time I’d broken Drake ’ s heart came to me.
“That you can’t make you r heart feel something it won’t. If this is her…don’t say a word. Not to her. Not to him. L et them see each other that way.”
I had no doubt that both Madison and Drake would argue with me if I pointed out their fate. Didn’t matter, though. I was right. He’s been in love with someone else this entire time. I ignored the guilt that rumbled in my core when I thought of every time his lips had touched mine.
“I think Charlie knows something – Draven and Aden…they were blocking Madison , ” I said as I tr ied to clear my thoughts. T o replay what had just happened – how easily they understood who I was, how easily they expected me to understand who they were. I t w as like they had been waiting. W aiting for this moment. And like me, they did not turn from the fate they felt coming, they embraced it.
Olivia let out a deep breath. “Willow, there is no telling what they s aw when your defenses were down. T here is no telling what they already know. T hey are protecting her , and we are going to let them do that.”
I raised my head and pushed my way out of my shoes and unbuckled my belt.
“We are going to let them do that, Willow,” Olivia said firmly.
“Right,” I mumbled as I pulled my clothes off. They needed to protect her from me. I get it.
As I stepped into the steaming water , I fought with grief. G rief for Drake . G rief for the idea that I had found the girl I was looking for. I found her a moment too late.
Olivia was right , though, so was Nathaniel – Preston , w hoever I was with when I was trapped in the Utopia place. I cannot force anyone to love another. I didn’t have time to. Right now , I had to hope against all hope that I loved Drake enough to save him. I knew no matter what , my soul would find Landen’s. I craved his touch. H is voice. H is energy now more than ever.
Chapter Six
Nana had managed to find not only a change of clothes , but also a travel pouch that h eld a few cosmetics and visine . I pulled on the jeans she had left with Olivia. They f it almost perfectly. T he waist was a little loose , but I was sure once I’d eaten that I wouldn’t even notice. There were a few tank tops , one black and one dark purple. I layered them on , then slid my arms through a dark gray ho o die.
Olivia handed me the brush as she sat on th e counter Indian style. She
Olivia and I locked stares. “Is it her?” she whispered to me .
“Do you think she looks like me?” I asked , turning to the mirror. My skin was pale. Dark circles were under my eyes. I could see white lines outlining dried tears that weaved to the base of my neck , looking like traces of ash. My hair was tangled as it lay across my shoulders. My eyes , which would normally be a bright emerald green , seemed dark . L ost. Around them , there was a deep red color from the tears that had fallen. I almost looked demonic. I felt grateful that Charlie and the others hadn ’ t fled the moment I appeared.
“She looks healthier, that’s for sure , ” Olivia said , reaching her arm into the shower and turning it on.
“Seriously , though,” I asked again.
Olivia came to my side and ti l ted her head as she gazed at our reflection. “It’s not goin g to matter what she looks like. A ll that matters is how he will feel about her or whoever else passes his path… I remember.” Her words began to quiver as she leaned forward and looked down. “I remember when I first met Drake, when h e saved me from that raging sea. H e wanted to see something in me, he really did. H e craved the feeling he felt when he looked at you, but he couldn’t, he couldn’t because I was not her. I already belonged to Chrispin , even though we had never met. Drake understood that ; you need to understand that.”
“Understand what?” I asked , laying my head on her shoulder as memories of every time I’d broken Drake ’ s heart came to me.
“That you can’t make you r heart feel something it won’t. If this is her…don’t say a word. Not to her. Not to him. L et them see each other that way.”
I had no doubt that both Madison and Drake would argue with me if I pointed out their fate. Didn’t matter, though. I was right. He’s been in love with someone else this entire time. I ignored the guilt that rumbled in my core when I thought of every time his lips had touched mine.
“I think Charlie knows something – Draven and Aden…they were blocking Madison , ” I said as I tr ied to clear my thoughts. T o replay what had just happened – how easily they understood who I was, how easily they expected me to understand who they were. I t w as like they had been waiting. W aiting for this moment. And like me, they did not turn from the fate they felt coming, they embraced it.
Olivia let out a deep breath. “Willow, there is no telling what they s aw when your defenses were down. T here is no telling what they already know. T hey are protecting her , and we are going to let them do that.”
I raised my head and pushed my way out of my shoes and unbuckled my belt.
“We are going to let them do that, Willow,” Olivia said firmly.
“Right,” I mumbled as I pulled my clothes off. They needed to protect her from me. I get it.
As I stepped into the steaming water , I fought with grief. G rief for Drake . G rief for the idea that I had found the girl I was looking for. I found her a moment too late.
Olivia was right , though, so was Nathaniel – Preston , w hoever I was with when I was trapped in the Utopia place. I cannot force anyone to love another. I didn’t have time to. Right now , I had to hope against all hope that I loved Drake enough to save him. I knew no matter what , my soul would find Landen’s. I craved his touch. H is voice. H is energy now more than ever.
Chapter Six
Nana had managed to find not only a change of clothes , but also a travel pouch that h eld a few cosmetics and visine . I pulled on the jeans she had left with Olivia. They f it almost perfectly. T he waist was a little loose , but I was sure once I’d eaten that I wouldn’t even notice. There were a few tank tops , one black and one dark purple. I layered them on , then slid my arms through a dark gray ho o die.
Olivia handed me the brush as she sat on th e counter Indian style. She
Similar Books
