Breathless (6 page)

“
Who is it,” my mom called. I could hear both curiosity and annoyance in her tone. I’m sure she thought that it was Addie or one of my other girlfriends and that I was hurriedly trying to get her to leave before she could cause more trouble for me. But, she couldn’t have been more wrong. I stood silent. Breathless.

“
Hi,” Chaseyn said, a shy smile stretching across his crimson lips.

“
Oh,” was all I could manage in response.

“
Lia,” my mom called as she walked down the hall and around the corner to where I was standing at the open door. She was drying her hands on an old tea towel. It was a brisk night, and the cool air blew into the warm room, breaking the tense silence. “You didn’t tell me you had a new friend. Please, come in. You’re going to catch cold waiting for Lia to remember her manners.”

Suddenly, my mom was warm and friendly. She was a different person altogether. As Chaseyn walked through the solid oak doorway into our cozy living room, he first handed my mom a small bouquet of wildflowers before presenting me with a single white carnation. I was taken aback by the act—so thoughtful, unexpected. Boys my age never made such grand gestures. My mom’s eyes shone bright, and I could have sworn I saw her wink at me. Chaseyn clearly had a way with women. He’d captured my attention the moment I first laid eyes on him, and he was well on his way to winning over my mom.

“
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Chaseyn began. “I just started at Evergreen High this week, Mrs. Jameson, and Cordelia offered to help me get caught up in a couple of classes.”

Impressive, I thought to myself. Not only could he charm his way into my house, my mom would be hard pressed to deny Chaseyn the opportunity to enhance his academic experience. Either way, I was baffled by his presence, but happy no less.

“
Don’t be ridiculous,” my mom replied. “You’re just in time to join us for dinner. Lia, why don’t you take your friend’s jacket? Do you have a name, dear?”

Despite all that had happened the night before and my mom’s numerous warnings that I was not to speak to or see any of my friends all weekend, she seemed excited to have Chaseyn join us.

“
Chaseyn,” he said quietly, extending his hand. “Chaseyn Lear.”

The fact that his last name perfectly complemented my first name did not escape my notice. Cordelia Lear…Shakespeare’s tragic heroine. Hopefully, this wasn’t foreshadowing.

“
Well, it’s lovely to meet you, Chaseyn,” my mom continued, rambling on about our informal plans for the evening as she led him to a chair in the kitchen. “Have a seat while we finish up. Can I get you a drink? Water? Milk? Pop?”

He just shook his head and sat down slowly.

Suddenly cold, I was on my way to grab a sweater when I remembered the cut on my finger. By now, the blood had trickled down my finger to my wrist. My mom took note, and grabbed a wet cloth, her nursing instincts kicking into gear. A low gasp—a sound I had heard a half-dozen times over the past week—whispered like a breeze on the night air. It was only because I had been looking at Chaseyn that I had seen his lips move, releasing the barely audible murmur. How could that be, I wondered? How could he be responsible for that sound?

“
Allow me,” Chaseyn said, rising from his chair and leading me to the sink. My mom went back to work, chopping the last few peppers into bite-size chunks and tossing them into the wok. She was trying hard to give us a few minutes alone—keeping her back turned—but I knew she was eager to learn more about my new friend and put her medical skills to use.

Before I could stop him, Chaseyn pressed my gnarled finger to his full lips and licked the open wound gently. I shuddered and pulled away, shooting a look of fear into his mesmerizing eyes.

“
I’m sorry,” he mouthed, clearly hoping not to draw my mom’s attention.

For some reason, those two words were enough to calm my nerves. He lifted the tap and tested the water before holding my hand beneath the cool flow. It felt good, tingly. I couldn’t help but notice that the gush of blood had nearly stopped. A bandage would no longer be necessary. Just a few moments ago, I thought the steady stream would never stop. Now, it was a faint memory as a scab began to form over the gash. Confusion and awe set in, but I managed to motion for Chaseyn to return to his seat.

The room was silent except for the sound of the wok sizzling over the red-hot element.

“
I hope you’re hungry,” my mom said to Chaseyn, breaking the silence.

He just nodded and smiled. His teeth gleamed white in the dimly lit room.

I grabbed three plates and glasses from the China cupboard and began placing them neatly around the dining table. We rarely had company, but when we did, my mom liked to make a show of it. I made sure to use all the best dinnerware and that each piece of cutlery matched. Chaseyn didn’t seem the type to be impressed by material possessions, but I knew my mom would be pleased. And, I needed to take every step I could to get on her good side.

It was awkward, at first. My mom filled our glasses with iced tea and then proceeded to pile our plates with heaping helpings of noodles and vegetable stir fry. With Chaseyn there, my nerves had got the better of me, and it was all I could do to eat a few mouthfuls. I played with the food on my plate in an effort to disguise the fact that I was barely eating anything. Chaseyn ate every morsel. Between bites, he was subjected to at least a million questions from my mom.

We learned that he was originally from London, but his family had moved to the United States when he was eight. Like me, Chaseyn’s father had died a few years back. He’d left them with a healthy endowment, meaning his mom could focus on her music. She was a talented jazz musician who had played in venues around the world. Now, she wanted a safe place to raise her son. It helped that Evergreen was known to have a healthy jazz scene. They’d lived in four states prior to settling in Evergreen this past week.

I started clearing the table while my mom continued the grilling. When the last plate had been loaded in the dishwasher, she excused herself to the living room. I motioned for Chaseyn to wait at the table for a moment, and I walked into the other room.

“
Mom,” I started. “I’m sorry. With everything that happened, I totally forgot that Chaseyn was coming over.”

She simply waved her hand in the air, brushing away any negative feelings.

“
He’s lovely, sweetheart. He can come over any time,” she said.

“
So you don’t mind if we study in my room,” I asked surprised.

“
Not at all, dear. Have fun.”

With that, I signaled for Chaseyn to follow me up the stairs. Upon entering my room, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Suddenly, I felt self-conscious. In all of the excitement, I had forgotten what I was wearing. Chaseyn looked the picture of perfection in a blue button front shirt and khaki pants. I looked like a slob.

“
Um, I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t know you were coming. I’m a mess.”

“
You don’t need to apologize for being yourself, Cordelia,” he said sincerely. “People always try so hard to please others. I find you refreshing. You don’t care what others think.”

That was the most he’d ever said to me. It made me feel completely at ease, and I flopped down on the edge of the bed. He sat in the papasan chair across from me, sinking into the fluffy cushions so deep that his head could barely be seen above the puffs of thick fabric. A giggle escaped my lips, and he smiled shyly.

“
What was that,” I asked seriously. “Earlier. Why did you do that to my finger?”

I knew he understood, that I didn’t need to say any more for him to know exactly what I meant. Still, he didn’t answer. He just shrugged.

“
It was seriously weird,” I said.

“
I couldn’t help myself.”

That was all he said, and I didn’t ask for more. For some reason, that was enough for me.

We sat in silence for a while. Using the remote on my bedside table, I turned on music low in the background hoping to create ambience. I wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted, so I decided to let him make the first move.

“
You said I could see you later,” he started.

I nodded.

“
It’s later.”

Chapter 9 - The Next Day

“
Why are you here,” I finally asked. I had been fighting the question for so long that it was hard to contain any longer.

“
Honestly,” he asked rhetorically.

“
Honestly,” I said, nodding.

“
I was compelled,” he said. “That first day, in the hall, the way the light reflected in your eyes and your hair wisped across your cheek…”

My heart skipped a beat, and my cheeks flushed. I looked down at my hands that were fidgeting with the edge of my duvet. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. In fact, I was fairly certain that no one had ever really taken notice of me before. There were so many beautiful girls in Evergreen that I was never a consideration. Especially not for a specimen as stunning as the one before me now. I felt particularly self-conscious as he stared at me in silence. He was examining my every movement as though he were dissecting the finest thread in a cashmere sweater.

“
Is this really so hard for you,” he asked. “To hear that you can inspire even the coldest heart to beat a little bit faster?”

I nodded and jumped up from the bed. Grabbing my biology textbook, I sat back down at my desk and turned to the chapter on fungal anatomy.

“
Where should we begin,” I asked.

He looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“
I’m not sure I understand what you mean,” he said, seeming genuinely confused. “I thought we were going to talk.”

“
I thought you needed help getting caught up with your classes,” I replied, pointing at the book spread open across the desk. “Biology seems as good a place as any to get started.”

Chaseyn stared up at me through his heavy brow, he shook his head once and grinned slyly. Standing slowly, he walked two paces to where I sat anxiously awaiting his response. Gently, he flipped the book closed and looked at me curiously.

“
I wanted to see you, but I don’t need any help in school.”

With that, he turned and walked to the door. I stared blankly in Chaseyn`s direction as he placed his hand on the knob and began to twist his wrist lightly to the right.

“
I should leave, but I’d like to see you again.”

I nodded, and he was gone.

I sat for a long time just looking at the empty hallway. Moments before, a strange boy had occupied that space, and now, it was as if he had never been here at all. His steps were silent as he walked down the stairs. If I hadn’t heard him thank my mom for the lovely meal, I would have thought he was standing in silence just past my line of sight.

“
Lia,” my mom yelled. “I just started watching a movie. Do you want to join me?”

My mind was racing, and I thought it would be better for me to put my brain to use in a way other than to stew over the evening’s events alone in my room. I had finished my homework earlier in the day while I was waiting for my mom at the clinic, and I was banned from using the phone, so I decided to cut my losses and join my mom in the living room.

A cool breeze blew through my bedroom window. To avoid returning to an icebox at bedtime, I sauntered to the open pane and started to shut it tight. That’s when I noticed his green eyes glowing in the dim moonlight. Chaseyn stood beneath the streetlamp looking up at me. A weak smile drew across his full lips, and then he turned on his heel and walked away, looking back once quickly. So quickly that, had I blinked, I may have missed it. He was an enigma, and I was determined to crack the code.

I skipped across my room and flew down the stairs, my feet barely touching the steps as I made my way across the dark room to a reclining chair in the corner. Nothing had changed in that room since my father’s death. Only, when he was alive, that chair was always occupied by him. Now, it was my safe place. I curled up in a ball on the soft fabric and wrapped a flannel blanket around my body. I started to doze off almost immediately.

As I lulled in and out of sleep, I imagined Chaseyn here with me, his arms wrapped tightly around me. It felt nice to have someone hold me so close and keep me safe. Not that I felt in need of protection, but safe in the sense that I would always have someone I could turn to during hard times, someone who wouldn’t judge me and would care for me unconditionally. I awoke with a start during a musical number in the film, jumping slightly.