Tears of the Broken (29 page)

“
Because you can’t see straight when you’re in love?” I
shrugged.

He
shook his head. “It’s because you don’t need to see to fall in
love. It’s purely chemical. You can fall in love with someone
before you’ve even spoken one word to them. They don’t need to be
beautiful, talented or anything special. Just, the right one.”
David studied my face for a quick second, then turned his eyes back
to the road. “Two souls are placed on this Earth at different
times—and it’s their mission in life to find each
other.”

“
You
mean, like fate?”

“
Something like that. You see, you will always end up in the
right place at the right time—to find the one you were destined to
be with.” David smiled as he spoke, but his thoughtful gaze
remained distant. “Love needs no sight, because it comes from a
place beyond physicality, and because who you love was decided for
you a long time ago.”

So,
does that mean you don’t have to match? Is he saying that I could
be his soul mate? Surely not? Nope. No way. I’m jumping to
conclusions—again. He never even implied anything of the sort. From
what I know, your perfect match—your soul mate—has to be in your
league. David and I, we’re not from the same species. He’s perfect
and I’m…just Ara.

David smiled to himself, then took one quick glance at me.
“And to add to that, new girl, you are the single most
beautiful
thing I’ve
ever laid eyes on. And believe me, Ara-Rose, I have seen a
lot
of girls.” He
touched the backs of his fingers to my cheek, keeping his eyes
forward. “So just relax into this, okay? We’re together—I’m not
going anywhere. Not ever.”

Hm,
we’ll see. I give him a month.

I
took a long, slow breath. “You’re right, you know, about being aged
beyond your years.” All the pain in his life
has
aged him; he speaks as if he’s
lived for forty years. “So? How old are you, really?”

David’s head whipped around suddenly, his eyes widening on
the outer corners—until he saw my smile.

“
David, are you okay?” That was a very odd reaction. Note to
self: start asking more questions.

“
Actually, I’m—uh, I’m already eighteen. I’ll be nineteen in a
few weeks.” He dropped his chin toward his chest.

“
Is
there a reason you wouldn’t want me to know that?” I asked with a
certain amount of suspicion in my tone. I glanced at him sideways,
my head slightly tilted in anticipation of another strange
reaction.

He
sighed. “No one knows I’m older. I’m repeating high school. I went
through a rough patch a few years ago and…I kind of let my grades
slip.” He looked like a kid waiting outside the principal’s office
as he scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. “I haven’t told
anyone that. I was afraid you’d want to wait until you turn
eighteen to be my girlfriend if you knew.”

What
a stupid thing to think. I don’t think I’d care if he was a hundred
years old. “David, you worry too much. But what happened—a few
years ago?” This is another story he’s never shared.

“
Ah,
well, that was when I left my uncle—to come here.”

“
And…why did you leave your uncle?”

“
I
lost someone.” He swallowed and took a breath. “I’ve been hiding
from the world, I guess, ever since. I wanted to pretend I was
still seventeen—get back some of the time I lost.”

“
I’m
really sorry, David.” I wish I could just kiss all his pain away.
But grief just doesn’t work like that. “But, why wouldn’t you just
tell me that? Being older than me—it isn’t that bad.”

“
I’m
sorry. I just thought it might be better left unsaid.”

“
You
assume too much. So—” I crossed my arms over my chest, “—is there
anything else you assume might be better kept secret?”

“
Yes. But that will have to wait for another time.”

“
No
way. Tell me now.” I sat forward in the chair.

“
I
wish I could. I will. Maybe. It’s not important. Let’s just drop
it, okay?” He shook his head, lowering his right brow over his
eye.

“
No.
Not okay. If we’re going to be together you shouldn’t keep things
from me.”

“
What if the secret I was keeping—was to protect
you?”

“
You don’t get to decide that. It’s
my
life. So tell
me?”

He
just shook his head. “Not today.”

My
eyes narrowed and I bit the inside of my lip, folding my arms over
my chest again. This seems to be a constant thing for this
drive—David and I disagreeing, and me getting all huffy about it.
“Fine. Don’t tell me. But I won’t stop bugging you until you
do.”

“
Fine,” he scoffed, letting his breath out with a chuckle,
“—but I don’t give in easily.”

“
Yeah? Well, I’m very stubborn. I don’t
give
up
easily.”
There was so much attitude in that delivery, I wonder if I am
capable of normal teenage behaviour.

David’s head rocked from side to side, fluid with annoyance.
“You are a wilful creature, Ara-Rose. I swear you will be the death
of me.”

“
I
will if you don’t stop keeping secrets.”

“
Ara, be nice,” David said in a dry tone.

I
tilted my nose in the air and watched the trees, as we zoomed past
them, blur in hues of green and brown.

The
drive to the lake is relatively short, but the scenery on the way
out here changes so much, from closely gathered houses, to a long
stretch of highway and finally, a tunnel of trees and a hard-packed
dirt road.

The
gravelly side-road crunched under the tyres as we pulled over, and
my blue guitar, which hadn’t shifted the whole drive, clunked
noisily while the vibrations drew gentle hums of odd notes from the
strings. I glanced over my shoulder to check on it and thought how
clever it was of David to loop the guitar strap over the headrest
in the backseat, keeping it from falling onto the floor.

“
You’re not mad at me, are you?” David asked cautiously as I
looked back out the front window.

When
aren’t I? “No. But I do wish you’d trust me.”

“
Believe me, I do. It’s only your…reaction I’m afraid
of.”

“
My
reaction? I don’t understand.”

David shut the engine off and the sudden quiet made my ears
ring. With a smug set to my lips and a half-raised brow, I tapped
my fingers on my knee.
You know, you have
to tell me now.

“
It
doesn’t matter. Look…” He shook his head, seeming to dislodge any
resolve to confess his secrets. “I will tell you. I just need some
time, okay?”

“
Well, what do you need time for?”

“
To
decide the best way to say it, to prepare myself for you to ha—” He
stopped and shook his head again. “Never mind. Just be patient,
okay?”

I
huffed out in defeat. “Fine.”

David glided along beside me with a soft smile on his lips,
the guitar slung over his shoulder like a one-strapped backpack and
the picnic basket in his hand. The sun filtered down through the
tops of the trees in hazy lines of pale-yellow and white,
highlighting the golden tones in his hair. I just want to stop
walking right now and run my fingers through it—but I won’t. Not
only am I still a little mad at him and his vault of mysteries, but
also, I don’t think our relationship is quite on the
unguarded-impulse-control level yet.

My
folded arms tightened over my ribs and I titled my nose to the air,
catching the familiar lemony spice of wet bark and the heavy clay
scent of decomposing leaves.

When
we came out to the clearing by the lake, a spectacular rainbow of
nature greeted us, and I lost myself in the awe of this secret
place. With the autumn hovering on the horizon of the approaching
months, the deciduous evergreens that surround the lake started to
turn a hundred different colours. An illustration of mottled pinks,
yellows and reds emulated off the lake’s reflection, and dust motes
settled on the water around the moss—giving it an almost snow-like
aspect. Across the lake, at the centre of the tranquil masterpiece,
several flocks of colourful birds disappeared into the dense
greenery of the island.

“
This place is so amazing, David.” And my mood just lifted
like an elevator up the Empire State building.

David’s hands circled my waist. He tucked his chin against
the curve of my neck and squeezed my ribs. “I can think of
something more amazing.”

Aw,
how sweet. I smiled and rested my elbows over his. “I like that—the
feel of you against me that way.”

David pulled away, but stole my hand as he did, turning me to
face him. “Come on, let’s sit down.” He swept his arm outward,
presenting a small square patch of flattened grass, held down by
the rug, with the picnic basket at the centre and his iPod dock
setting the scene with some soft music.

“
How
did you—” I looked back at David, and my eyes quickly darted from
where he’d been standing beside me, to the rug, where he laid with
his ankles crossed and the cheekiest grin warming his eyes. “I’m
sure you’re not human.” Shaking my head, I wandered over and sat
down in front of him. “Are you getting sick?”

David jumped back a little when I reached out to touch the
purple indent under his eye. “Ouch. Your hands are
freezing.”

“
Sorry. I always forget that.”

He
cupped my hands, and I smiled as the warmth of his breath changed
the temperature of my fingers. “Well, anytime you need them warmed
up, I’m happy to help,” he said.

“
Fine by me.” I closed my eyes and imagined myself tasting his
warm, honey-scented breath. Mmm.

“
Did
you know—” David closed his hands a little tighter around mine and
pressed his nose against my fingers, drawing a deep breath in,
“—you smell like a freshly baked cake?”

“
Yeah,” I gently pulled my hands away, rubbing the moisture
from his breath into my skin, “that’s just my body
wash.”

“
No.” He shook his head, looking up at me. “It’s just
you.”

Okay, subject change crucial to my thumping heart’s survival.
“What’s this song? It has the most heartbreaking melody.” I nodded
to the iPod dock.

“
It’s called Overcome.” David looked down at his hands. “The
one I said I’d play to you.”

The
words to the song danced around in my head, lilting softly over the
wistful tide of the piano, while David stared into the tree line,
his mind a million miles away. I watched his soft, angel-like face
for just long enough to see that he’s more beautiful than I’ve
really noticed before. He’s always perfect, but with his eyes lost
in the splendour of the colourful surroundings, focused and totally
unaware that I’m staring, I can suddenly see just how out of my
league he really is.

His
features are almost perfectly symmetrical, even down to the width
of his mouth on both sides and the sharp, heart-shaped curve of his
upper lip. There’s this undeniable allure about him—something—maybe
an energy that just draws me in, making me want to close my eyes
and fall against him. He’s like the perfect sunrise—golden and
blindingly bright, after the darkest and most harrowing
storm.

It’s
too late for me now. I’ll never be able to go back. Never be able
to live without him. This song, ‘Overcome,’ is very suitable for
how I feel about David.

David looked up from his reverie and frowned at my
expression.

I
wiped away my pout, forcing a look of composure, though inside, my
heart was breaking. I’ve always known he was beautiful and perfect,
but it goes deeper than just an unnatural beauty—there’s something
so unearthing about his perfection that I wonder how I can possibly
ever be good enough for him. “Were you going to say something?” I
asked when David suddenly looked away from me, his mouth closing
quickly and trapping the words that had been a breath away from his
lips.

“
You’re hungry.” He jumped up with a movement as light and
fluid as if he were on the moon.

He’s
right. I didn’t notice it, but my stomach is empty. It might’ve
even growled at one point, but I’d been too lost in David’s
flawless face to notice. I could’ve starved to death and probably
wouldn’t have cared.

“
Here.” He handed me a small bunch of grapes and sat across
from me with my guitar in his lap.

“
Thanks.” I picked at the plump, round fruit and watched David
pluck the strings. The squared tips of his fingers found the notes
so effortlessly, almost as if the guitar was made from his own
flesh.

“
Do
you realise,” I said, “that I’ve never actually heard you
play?”

“
Yes.” He smiled, keeping his head down as he tuned the
guitar, twisting the pegs atop the neck. After a strum and a nod of
satisfaction, he started playing.

My
eyes tried to close again as the sound touched my heart, but I
forced myself to open them and watch the phenomenon that is David’s
every note. “You make me feel like an amateur.” I
sighed.