Fated Dreams (Book One In The Affinity series) (7 page)

We were almost
to my locker when I noticed Derrick wasn’t tagging along behind us. “Where’s
Derrick?” I asked, surprised he wasn’t with Emma. They’d been joined at the hip
since their first date.

“He’s sick,
some kind of flu, he was throwing up all last night. It was so gross.” She
scrunched up her face and made a gagging sound. Apparently it was contagious,
first Lucas and now Derrick.

“Eww. I hope
he’s okay.”

“He’ll be fine;
I heard it was a bug going around.” She didn’t seem too concerned.

“I’ll see you
at lunch, Emma,” I said, heading to my first class. It was very quiet without
Derrick there, but since we had a movie, he didn’t miss much.

At lunch, I sat at our usual table in the
cafeteria, reading and waiting for Emma. She was late, which was weird since
she was always the first one here. “Are you hiding from someone?” asked a deep
voice. I could smell some kind of sweet, spicy scent.

I was hunched
in my chair with my book leaning up on the table, my head leaning over it. “I’m
reading, ever heard of it?” I smiled, looking up into the deep hazel eyes of
one of the two best-looking guys in school.

“Nope, never.”
Lucas sat down beside me and placed his lunch and history book on the table in
front of him. We smiled at each other, remembering one of our first
conversations. Why did I feel so comfortable with him?

“Where’s Emma?”

I was about to
answer him when Andy sat on the chair across from mine. “Hey, are we eating
here today?” he asked, looking at Lucas.

“Are we?” Lucas
glanced at me.

“You might as
well; you won’t have to bring me my book back when you’re finished with it.” I
bent down to pull my notebook out of my bag and handed it to him.

Andy grinned at
us, his green eyes lit up with humor. “Cool.” He took his lunch out of his
backpack and placed it on the table.

My cell phone
rang. I reached in my bag to answer it. “Hello?”

“Sarah, I’m so
sorry I left without telling you. But I almost heaved on my desk in math class,”
Emma said roughly.

“You left?”

“Yes, I just
got home. Are you going to be okay by yourself? Who’s that?” She must have
heard Lucas and Andy yelling to Kyle. He was standing in front of their usual
table, holding a tray of food, looking a bit lost.

“Um…Lucas and
Andy.” I heard a squeal.

“Oh, I
shouldn’t have done that, I gotta go. Bye.” She hung up. I didn’t want to know
what she was doing.

“Hey, why are
we sitting here?” Kyle asked when he sat down beside Andy, who was grinning
wickedly, looking back and forth between Lucas and me.

“Lucas is
borrowing Sarah’s history notes, right, Luke?” Andy answered, wiggling his
eyebrows, pale blond hair falling into his eyes.

“Yes, and I
want to copy them before class starts so shut up.” Lucas leaned over his book,
scribbling quickly.

Kyle started
talking to Andy about a project they had together in geography, so I took a
bite of my sandwich.

“Where are Emma
and Derrick?” Andy asked.

I swallowed and
then replied, “Derrick has the flu so he’s sick today and Emma just went home
with the same thing.”

“If it’s what I
had, they should be fine by tomorrow,” Lucas said, in between bites of his
sandwich.

Andy was
grinning at us again. “So Sarah, you should come out with us Saturday night,
we’re going to a party my cousin’s having. Shouldn’t she, Luke?” He finished
off his sandwich by stuffing the rest of it in his mouth.

Lucas stared at
Andy coldly. “I don’t think Sarah would be into it. Your cousin's parties can
get kind of wild.”

Lucas’ reaction
surprised me. He hardly knew me, and yet he seemed to be watching out for me.
“I have to work Saturday night anyway.” They didn’t need to know that I was off
at seven.

“Maybe next
time,” Andy mumbled with his mouth still full of food. He swallowed and turned
to Kyle again, while Lucas copied my notes.

I picked up my
book and began to read.

“Well, you two
are boring. Lunch is almost over. Andy, do you want to go see what Laurie and
Amanda are up to?” Kyle asked Andy, running his hand through his thick brown
hair.

“Sure, see you
later, guys.” Andy stood up and started walking toward Laurie and Amanda’s
table, over by the window.

A few minutes
later, Lucas lifted his head. “Done.” He shoved his book and lunch into his bag
then turned to me. His intense gaze held mine for several seconds. I couldn’t
look away even if I wanted to. “I’m glad you bumped into me, Sarah,” he said
softly, leaning in closer. He lifted his hand as if to touch my face, then
hesitated and instead placed it on mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. I felt an
electric pulse at his touch. “See you in class,” he whispered, his face so
close to mine, I could feel his breath. He stood up and walked out of the
cafeteria.

I was frozen in
my seat. Because of his soft touch and the look in his eyes, I thought for a moment
I’d lost the ability to move or speak. No other guy had ever had the same
effect on me. Sure I’d had others flirt with me. I’d even been kissed by a few
on dates. But after that one touch and soft words from Lucas, I was gone. There
was no turning back.

At home, hours later, I decided to make
dinner to take my mind off a certain twin. Since my mom had left out chicken, I
thought I’d make her favorite, fettuccine Alfredo. She liked to add chicken to
it, and it was the only way I knew how to make it.

When I placed
the chicken in the hot pan, it sizzled and popped. While it cooked, I gathered
the rest of the ingredients and busied myself making the best meal I could.

I was almost
finished when I heard a voice. “You're making dinner?” I turned to see my mom
standing in the kitchen doorway, face flushed, hair messy, as she stared at me
in disbelief.

“Is it still
windy?” I asked, lifting the cooked chicken pieces out of the pan with a fork.

She brushed her
long bangs out of her face with a smile. “Yes, it’s like a tornado out there.
Why are you cooking?” She stripped off her black suede coat and set it and her
briefcase on a chair.

I smiled at her
reaction. It hadn’t been that long since I cooked, had it? “I felt like it. I
needed to take my mind off some things.”

I moved over to
the pot of Alfredo sauce, gave it a quick stir, and then checked on the pasta
that was boiling on the back burner. Steam curled up into the air; I stirred it
to avoid the noodles sticking together. The last time I attempted to make
pasta, I forgot to stir the noodles, and when I finally remembered, they were
all in a big clump. We ordered pizza that night. Maybe that was the reason my
mother was so surprised.

“Thank you;
I’ve had a long day, so you picked the perfect time to help out. If you don’t
mind, I have a few papers to see to. I’ll come back and help you when I’m
done.”

“Mom, I can
handle it by myself.” I started cutting the chicken into chunks.

She grinned,
kissed me on the forehead, and rushed upstairs. “Don’t forget to stir the
noodles.” I heard her yell. Funny, very funny.

The smell of
garlic floated out of the oven, reminding me that the garlic bread I had put in
earlier was almost finished. I opened the door and peered inside. The bread was
golden brown. Perfect. I took the pan out before it burned, and placed the
bread on a plate.

I had just
finished the rest of the dinner and was setting the table when I heard the
front door open and close.

“Mmm, dinner
smells great. Did you make it yourself?” my dad asked from the doorway, looking
as surprised as my mom had been. Maybe I should start to help out more often,
if I shocked them this much.

He walked over
and dipped his finger in the sauce that was simmering on top of the stove. “Oh,
that’s good.”

“Dad, that’s
gross, there’s a spoon right there.” I pointed to the counter beside the stove.
“Will you call Alex and Mom, they're both upstairs.”

“Sure, I’ll be
right back. I can’t wait to eat, that sauce tasted delicious.” He hurried up
the stairs.

I had to admit
it did smell good. While I mixed the sauce, chicken, and noodles into one large
bowl, I heard my family settling down at the table.

“That looks
good, honey,” my mother said when I placed the bowl in the center of the table.
I watched them scoop out their dinner before I took my turn.

We were quiet
while we ate; the only sounds were the scrapes of silverware and my dad’s yummy
noises. “Wow, Sarah, this is really good,” he said, breaking the silence.

“Thank you.
Mom, if you want, I can cook once a week to help you out.”

She glanced up
from her plate, surprised. “Are you sure? You already have work, school, and
piano, I don’t want to interfere with your homework.”

“I always do it
when I get home anyway. I have time after that, and once a week isn’t a big
deal.”

She beamed at
me. “That would be wonderful, thank you.”

“So what’s with
you and Lucas Tate? I saw you eating with him at lunch today,” Alex mumbled
with his mouth full. My mom grinned; my dad looked worried.

“Nothing, he
called last night and asked if he could use my history notes, so I lent them to
him at lunch.” I looked down at my food, hoping that if I didn’t make eye
contact, they would forget about it.

“So why were
you sitting so close and staring into each other’s eyes?” What the hell was
wrong with Alex? Why wouldn’t he let it go? The kid always ignored me, and now
he had a sudden interest in my love life. I narrowed my eyes at him, staring
daggers in his direction, hoping he’d take my hint and shut up.

He only leaned
back in his chair and gave me a lazy smile.

“What’s going
on, Sarah? If things are getting serious with this boy, I want to meet him.” My
father had gone white as he dropped his fork down on his plate with a clang.

 “Oh stop it,
there is nothing going on. If there were, I wouldn’t be discussing it with all
of you.” I spun on my brother. “And Alex, what are you doing watching me at
lunch? Mind your own business.” I was yelling, I didn’t know why, but any time
Alex looked at me that way, it made me feel like we were kids again and the
urge for an argument was too strong to fight.

“You seem a
little defensive, honey,” my mom pointed out, absently running her finger along
her water glass.

“Well, I feel
like everyone is ganging up on me. What’s with all the questions?” I admit I
was whining and overreacting, but I didn’t care. “I’m finished eating, I’m
going to do my homework.” I shoved back in my chair—the wooden legs rubbed
against the hardwood floor, making my mom cringe—and stomped into the kitchen.
After I put my dishes in the dishwasher, I went upstairs.

I was almost finished with my homework when
my mom knocked on my door and asked if she could come in.

“Whatever. It’s
your house, I can’t stop you.”

She stepped in
and shut the door behind her. After walking over, she sat beside me on the bed.
“So what’s wrong? You’re rarely grouchy and whiny all in one night.” She put
her hand on my leg and slapped it lightly.

I considered
confiding in her about what was really bothering me, and I opened my mouth to start,
but the words wouldn’t come. So I didn’t say anything, just stared out the
window, ignoring her, watching the wind blow the pine tree outside my window. A
branch scraped the glass with a screech.

She stretched
out beside me, the familiar smell of ginger floating in the air. It had been my
mother’s favorite perfume since I was a kid. Now, when I smelled it, I always
knew she was close by. “I’ve got all night; you’ll feel better after you talk
to someone. If you would rather, I could send up your dad.” She gazed up at the
ceiling and spoke absently.

I cringed; not
in the least bit interested in discussing boys with my father.

She snorted. “I
didn’t think so.”

I lay down
beside her, stubbornly remaining silent. After about ten minutes of strained
quiet, I started to doubt my decision.

My mother could
also be stubborn, and she was telling the truth when she said she’d wait all
night. So unless I wanted a bed mate, I needed to tell her something just to
get rid of her. I opened my mouth to lie, but instead, the whole truth came
pouring out. I told her about the first dream, and then about the first few
awkward conversations with Lucas, and all of them since.

I took a deep
breath and began again, lowering my voice to a whisper. “And when I talk to
him, I feel like I’ve known him all my life.” I raised my voice again. “Oh, and
of course there are the dreams; after I saw him without his glasses, I realized
it was him and not Logan. I’m having romantic dreams about us, and I don’t know
why, and once I saw him dead. Oh, you know that part, you just didn’t know it
was him.” I stopped and took another deep breath before whispering, “Today,
when we sat together at lunch, he talked to me so softly and touched my hand.
He left me speechless.”

“Wow,” my mom
said, looking as dazed as I felt. “I think you were holding things in for too
long. I also think you have real feelings for him, and you’re scared.” We lay
quietly, deep in thought.

“I do like him;
I wouldn’t even admit it to myself. He is so different than I imagined. I still
don’t know him all that well, but I feel like I do.”

My mom was
quiet for a moment. “I knew there was something between the two of you, I could
feel it. Even if you didn’t know it yourselves. But I think Lucas knew even
then, when we had lunch at his parents’ restaurant. You should have seen the
way he looked at you.” I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. “I’m serious. I know
this is new to you, but I’m pretty sure it’s not for him.”

I was
completely shocked. I sat up and stared down at her. “Mother, he had never even
spoken to me up until a few weeks ago, and he never would have if I hadn’t
bumped into him.”

She pressed her
lips together and shook her head. “I am good at reading people. Don’t stress
about it. Just enjoy it, first love is amazing, and I’m excited for you. And I
will need updates when it progresses, and I say when because I know it will.”
She stood up. “You should let your dad meet him. He’s usually a pushover, but I
think that’s because you’ve never been serious about anybody before. I know
it’s too soon to talk like this, but keep it in mind, okay?” She leaned toward
me and kissed the top of my head. “I hope getting it out helped. I’ll see you
in the morning.” She smiled at me as she closed the door behind her.

After finishing
my homework, I went to bed and…dreamed of Lucas. We were lying on a hill
talking, when I turned my head and he leaned in to kiss me. The dream was so
real I could feel his breath on my skin, the tingle on my lips after he pulled
away.

I woke up in a very good mood. I had to
work after school, so I stuffed my work clothes in my backpack and hopped in
the shower.

I chose my
outfit carefully, a silver, tight-fitting short-sleeve silk blouse and my dark
blue skinny jeans. I straightened my hair, which I didn’t normally do, usually
just brushed it and hoped it didn’t look too frizzy. I wore makeup as well
instead of my usual lip gloss and eyeliner. When I was satisfied with my
reflection in the mirror, I headed downstairs to grab a quick breakfast.

The kitchen
smelled of coffee and burnt toast.

“Wow, you look
nice, Sarah,” my mom said when I walked into the room. “Is there a special
occasion?”

“No, I just
woke up earlier, so I had more time to get ready.” I popped a grape from the
fruit bowl into my mouth.

She didn’t
believe my explanation. “Sure,” she said with a smirk.

“Who are you
trying to impress?” Alex appeared in the doorway.

“You, little
brother. Do you need a ride to school, or are you going with Mom?”

He looked
surprised. “I’d rather not go with Mom, she gets there too early. But you hate
driving me.”

I looked at him
innocently. “I don’t mind.” Opening the cupboard door, I took out my favorite
cereal and poured some in a bowl.

“Thanks,” he
said, looking a little skeptical.

My mom smiled
at me and whispered, “You look happy, I hope our talk helped.” I only nodded
since my mouth was full of sugar crunchies.

“Well, I’m
going to work then. Thanks for taking your brother, Sarah,” she called as she
walked out the door.

“What’s with
you?” Alex asked me after Mom had left.

 “Nothing.” I
shrugged my shoulders and took another bite of cereal. “I’m just in a good
mood.”

“You’ll have to get a ride home with Mom, I
have to work,” I told him once we were settled in my car.

He was slouched
down into the seat listening to his MP3 player. “Whatever,” he mumbled.

We arrived at
school, and this time I scored a space closer to the entrance. Alex took off
before I had the engine shut off. I guess he didn’t want to be seen with his
older sister.

I stepped out
of my car, and headed inside, telling myself, I wasn’t scanning the lot for
Lucas, but when I saw his black sports car, I felt relieved.

Derrick was
waiting for me at my locker. “Well, hello there, hottie. Who are you dressed up
for?”

I glared at him
as I turned my combination. This was getting annoying. “Nobody, I just woke up
earlier, so I had more time to get ready,” I said for the third time as I
opened my locker door and shoved my bag into it. Did I usually look that bad?

He wasn’t
convinced. “Well, here comes Lucas and his eyes are about to pop out of his
head.”

I turned to see
Lucas walking toward us. “Hey, Derrick, Sarah. Is Emma still sick?”

I was quite
happy to see that he couldn’t take his eyes off me. Derrick answered for me.
“Yeah, but she’ll probably feel better tomorrow. Sarah said you had the flu on
Monday. It sucked, didn’t it?”

“That’s for
sure,” Lucas said, barely moving his eyes away from my face. “It must be going
around. I hope you don’t get it too, Sarah.”