Enigma (20 page)

This behavior was totally out of character for Lena, considering she despised losing, even if it was a game I really was never even playing. I felt like she was waiting for me to mess up somehow or get obsessed with the feeling that she fed from when she was in the limelight. The problem is that I had no feeling at all. I was never trying to be noticed or gain self-empowerment, so I had no idea what she felt when she was on top,
per se
. All I knew was that her unusual behavior made me nervous. She had resorted to not coming into my room since she returned home, and though she pretended all was well, I could tell something was different about her.

I hated it when my birthday fell on a school day just as much as I hated when it fell on a Saturday. February 14 on a school day served one of two purposes. (1) It caused people to spend every red cent they had on delivered presents to their significant others. (2) It made single people feel unwanted and sad that they wished all day there would be a delivery for them. Even though it was my birthday, for the past three years it had made me feel lonely and alone. Sure Lena and her dad had always bought me a gift and I always ended up going out to dinner with her, but it would never replace my parents.

Up until now, I had always known just what to expect on this day. When my parents were alive, we always celebrated as a family. My dad and I would take a special trip to the jewelry store, where I would get an addition to my charm bracelet before meeting my mom at my choice of restaurants for a birthday dinner. When we got home, my mom would always have a homemade strawberry birthday cake with strawberry icing and
Happy Birthday, Mattie
written on top.

When I would go to blow out the candles, they would always relight! I could always count on Dad to buy trick candles! After singing “Happy Birthday,” they would give me my gift, but it never compared to the celebration itself.

Once I moved in with Damien and Lena, my birthday lost the special feeling. Dinner and a material gift that had both Lena and Damien’s name on it, though he was usually away for work, followed by a cake Lorenzo made. The cake from Lorenzo was the part I enjoyed most. Though he could make everything under the sun, he always made sure to make my cake just like my mom had. He even put on the trick candles my dad had bought every year. This year I would be missing Lorenzo to add the special touch to my birthday that I used to fill the hole in my heart left on my birthday every year from the absence from my parents.

I also no longer had my charm bracelet to remind me of the tradition of going to the jewelry store. The one thing that was very different this year, besides the fact that Lorenzo would be absent, was that Avan would be right by my side. On the way to school this morning, he told me that today was going to be very special for a special angel. I liked the way he used the nickname my parents had for me. It made me feel like their memory remained alive. I had no idea what Avan was up to, but I had a feeling he had something up his sleeve.

I was sitting in Ms. Greer’s class behind Bradley, copying the notes off the board, when I noticed he could not manage to keep a straight face. Bradley was smiling as he chewed on a piece of gum while he kept turning around looking at me. I just knew Ms. Greer was going to tell us to gather our things and leave any second. My first attempt to thump him in the back of the head and telling him to stop only made him laugh harder, so I was not about to try that again. He obviously found this all very amusing, because the more flustered I got, the more it seemed to inspire him to continue the behavior. Everyone knew Bradley was a class clown, so no one else paid much attention to him, aside from the teacher, who kept looking up from her desk, giving us the evil eye.

“What did you smoke before class?” I asked in an irritated whisper as I tried to copy the notes word for word.

“Not a thing. Today is just an exciting day,” he replied through a snicker.

“Bradley, you are going to get me kicked out of class if you do not turn around and stop!”

“Nah.”

Without another word, the classroom door opened and my jaw hit the floor. Declan, Trev, Alex, and Dorian all walked into the room wearing tuxedos. Alex winked at me with a huge smile. I felt myself sliding down into my chair, wishing I could disappear under my desk, while Ms. Greer looked up and took off her glasses. I knew whatever they were doing here had something to do with Bradley’s over-the-top snickering and distracting behavior this morning.

“Hello, ma’am. We are here to deliver a singing telegram. Is Mattie Holland in class today?” Alex asked, addressing Ms. Greer as if he had not seen me when he walked in.

Everyone turned to look at me and then back to the quartet in tuxedos standing beside Ms. Greer’s desk. They all knew them from Spirits being the most popular place in town. It was not hard to spot a staff member from Spirits, even if you had never been there, due to the way they looked. I felt my face turn red as Bradley laughed out loud, popping his gum behind his teeth.

“I’m going to kill you for not warning me about this!” I whispered to Bradley, who just winked and smiled in return.

“Why yes, Mattie is here. Mattie, raise your hand please,” Ms. Greer said in a tone that said her icy heart was melting.

Within seconds all four of them had strategically placed themselves around me. Trev pulled me out of my desk and onto his knee, where he knelt beside me.

“Mattie Holland, this is a singing telegram from Avan Rork to his special angel!” Declan announced loudly enough for everyone to hear, causing the guys to snicker and the girls to grab their heart in a collective “Aww!” that filled the room.

With that they performed an acapella version of “Hooked on a Feeling” in perfect harmony, ending with all four of them presenting me with a red rose and a kiss on the cheek. I could have died! The idea was one of the sweetest I’ve ever heard, but being embarrassed easily, I would be a permanent shade of red today.

“That is the sweetest thing I have ever seen! Mattie, you are such a lucky girl!” Ms. Greer said, wiping happy tears from her eyes when they were finished with their presentation.

“Thank you. Happy Valentine’s Day!” Dorian said as they exited.

The rest of the class period was pointless, as Ms. Greer joined in conversation with all the other girls in class, asking me if Avan was always this charming or if this was a first. I had no idea how to answer or comment as they all started talking about how good he looked and how dating him must make me feel like a princess in a fairytale. Stealing a look at Bradley, I noticed he was laughing so hard he was shaking. I wanted to punch him in the arm, but I controlled myself. The rest of the guys in class were busy defending themselves as some of the other girls in class were accusing them of being unromantic turds because all they bothered to get their girlfriends was a teddy bear. I was just counting down the minutes to the bell.

After leaving Ms. Greer’s class and walking to second period, the red on my cheeks did not get much better. Every girl from first period hit the hallway in a frenzy, telling everyone about the singing telegram Avan had sent me, which spread like wildfire! All eyes were on me before too long as Bradley escorted me to my next class. I threatened him the entire way for not warning me about that little surprise while he laughed with amusement.

Bradley was the guy who loved every second of his high school experience. He was never stressed about tests or assignments that were late. He could care less who he got as a lab partner, if he got detention, suspension, or anything else. He was the class clown in every class he had and lived up to the reputation.

Another thing Bradley could care less about was how girls drooled over him. He just walked down the hall as if he never even noticed that girls were commenting on his sea-green eyes and light blond hair, which he kept short and parted on the right side. Unlike Avan, Bradley preferred athletic wind pants and tennis shoes with his white t-shirt for comfort measures, throwing a pair of jeans on at Spirits before his shifts.

Though Bradley was not involved in any of the sports teams at school—due to the way he dressed and how he drove a Jeep with a soft top that removed easily for a day at the beach—nearly everyone in school assumed he was really into sports in his free time. I knew better but left everyone to his or her speculations that were way off.

When we got to my second-period class Bradley gave me a smile and waved with a couple of fingers as he walked on down the hallway, his hands grasping the straps of his bag that were on his shoulders. Walking into second period, I made my way to my seat and took out a notebook and a pen. Another lecture on geometry had started, and I was listening intently while people in class whispered about my singing telegram during first period. I tried to ignore the whispers and pretend that they were talking about someone else. We had just gotten our assignment when I heard the door open. I did not intend to look up since students would probably be receiving flowers and balloons from their parents all day. I wanted to get all my work done in class today so that I could at least have the evening free of homework on my birthday.

“Mattie Holland?” my geometry teacher called out.

“Yes sir?” I said, directing my attention to his desk. Then my eyes nearly popped out of my skull.

“I believe these belong to you!” he said with a smile from ear to ear.

Standing in the front of the room was Dorian in his tuxedo. He held a vase with a bouquet of more than three dozen roses with little white accents of baby’s breath through them. As they had before, my cheeks started feeling warm. Before I could open my mouth, Dorian walked to my desk, presenting me with a card. Everyone in the room had stopped what they were doing, and every eye was locked onto me in anticipation. As Dorian peeked around the roses, he flashed a smile that exposed his perfectly shaped, white teeth.

“You should open it,” Dorian said, enjoying every minute of his escapade at my school.

“I’m going to kill you!” I mouthed with a smile.

Not to my surprise, he just smiled more as he placed the card in my hand. I slowly opened the card, scared of what I might find as I slid it out of the pink envelope. The card was silver with two red hearts on the front. Inside there was a message inscribed in what I could tell was Avan’s handwriting.

Mattie,

I know how easily embarrassed you get, but you’ll just have to bear with me today. The first thing I want to say is happy birthday! I know I told you this morning, but I want you to know how happy I am that you were born! You are amazing! I thank God every day for allowing me to be a part of your life! The second thing I want to tell you is that I’m making you a promise that I will never leave you. I will be here with you forever, and trust me, that’s a long time…I know! But with that promise it also means that I will protect you from anything that ever threatens to harm you. I want you to know that when I make a promise it is impossible for me to break. I am so in love with you that words cannot be used to describe my feelings. I can tell you feel the same every time you are near. I also wanted to let you know I intend to make this the most memorable and best Valentine’s birthday you have ever had.

I love you with all my heart and soul,

Avan

Everyone in class was staring as though they thought I might read the card aloud. I smiled while the tears rolled down my cheeks; I felt so overwhelmed with emotion. Dorian looked at me with a smile and a wink as I smiled back. I knew he could tell the tears were because I felt so loved. No one had ever gone to this much effort for me before. I was having a hard time believing anyone could care for me this much! I was so touched and moved by how much Avan obviously cared. I moved back into my seat, still feeling everyone’s eyes on me.

“It’s a good thing, guys. They’re happy tears. Get back to your assignment,” I snapped, hating all the unwanted attention.

“Miss Holland, would you like me to have these delivered to your home for you?” Dorian asked professionally.

“Yes, I would. Thank you very much,” I said, acting just as proper as he had.

Giving me a nod and a wink, Dorian exited the classroom as everyone else still stared at me from every direction, making me more and more uncomfortable by the second. I put my card under my book and finished my assignment with ten minutes still left in class. Pulling the card back out, I read it over and over again, falling more in love with Avan each time I read the words he had written inside.

I really felt as if I found Mr. Perfect, even though I had just turned seventeen. I was always told when you find “the one” you just know. As of today, I was beginning to think I understood the feeling that phrase described. I could not wait to see Avan during my next class period to thank him for everything.

Once the bell rang, I exited the classroom to find Bradley waiting to walk me to third period, as usual. Sometimes with all the escorts and doors being opened all the time it made me feel like the president or something. I pretty much had my own private security detail with me most of the time, unless I went home or snuck to the mall while Avan was busy with work, but that was not a very common occurrence. Making our way to my third-period class, Bradley still had that look on his face that told me he had a secret that he had no intention of sharing.