Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Fifteen minutes before register period, Mia traipses though the hallway balancing two hot beverages in the cup holders with one hand, the other clutching a takeaway bag from Carl’s Café.

When she arrives at the counselor’s office, she presses down on the handle with her elbow and enters with an errand-girl smile.

Doctor Jo removes her glasses. “You know how I always know it’s you? Because you’re the only person that enters without knocking.”

“I have my hands full,” Mia excuses herself, raising the items in emphasis. “Besides, I come bearing gifts.”

Doctor Jo welcomes her in with a hospitable smile, setting her documents aside. Mia comes over and lays down the cup holder first and takes out the Frappuccino to place it in front of her.

“One crème base, caramel Frappuccino.” Then she drops down the packet of cappuccino muffins. “And our favorite, just out of the ovens, crispy fresh.”

Doctor Jo relaxes into her seat, staring at her curiously.

“I just wanted to apologize for walking out on you like that the last time.” Mia plops down on the verge of the chair with her bag still strapped on her back.

“And I’ve never thanked you for all you’ve done for me. I know I’ve not made these last years easy for you but you’ve been my constant ally here at school so I was never ~that ~alone.”

Doctor Jo thanks her with a heartfelt smile. “No need to thank me. Everything I did for you, I did for my own heart.

“But I believe solitude is sometimes a choice, not something life foists on someone.

“Don’t get me wrong, there are necessary times for separation and seclusion, just as there are times for reunions and forming new relations.”

Mia nods, a wistful smile blooming. “Yeah, I’m just learning that.”

“Something you would like to share?”

She smiles timidly, suddenly shy. “I hung out with Akin last weekend and it was…transporting.

“Once that moment of awkwardness passed, it was surreal. Though we’re no longer those kids, what we had—have—is so timeless.

“I felt as if he had been in my life every day, it felt so natural. I thought after all these years and all that fame he would’ve changed. But he hasn’t, not really.”

Doctor Jo smiles fondly. “Will you two be attending the Summer Soiree together?”

A wobbling laugh escapes Mia. She seals her lips and shakes her head vigorously.

“No.” Mia spurts to her feet. “I don’t do school events or events in general.”

She makes a slow reverse to the door, walking backward. “I have to get to register but I’ll come by at first break, so save me a muffin.”

“I’m seeing another student.”

Mia places a dramatic hand on her heart. “So I’m just your side student?”

Her answer is reduced to a reproachful glare.

“Just kidding. Second break, then.”

Mia leaves the office and heads to her register class on autopilot. She takes out her phone to see a new message from Akin following the string of conversations they had from last night.

Akin is already in his register class just a floor above her, smiling goofily at his screen.

Akin

Gn!

Mia

This is your third time saying goodnight! It’s now past midnight.

Akin

You’re the one that brought up the festival.

Mia

I didn’t think you’d actually want to go. It’s all in the Wavesport bro?

Akin

Then we drive, we both have our license, we can take turns driving there. We can take my dad’s jeep.

Mia

I’m saying it this time. Good night!

Akin

Don’t leave mee!!

Mia

I’m tired!!

Akin

Fine…gn. For real this time.

She continues reading the texts from the morning.

Akin

I want to show you something tonight.

Mia

Ye, what?

Akin

It’s a surprise. I’ll pick you up at your place?

Mia

So you can run into my mom and she can embarrass me some more? No thank you, tell me where to meet you.

Akin

Fam, your mom already finished you with the “he is jacked” there’s honestly not more damage she can do.

Mia

Fine, you can fetch me as long as you erase that from your memory.

Akin

Erase what?

Mia

Atta boy.

***

“Just keep your eyes closed.”

“Your huge hands are blinding me here. I can’t see anything but black.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

Akin guides Mia from behind, his large hands covering her eyes as he leads her to his surprise. Everything is already lit and positioned.

When they reach the epicenter, he draws his hands away, revealing Braidwood’s soccer field.

The giant stadium lights are on, broad beams illuminating the vivid green field, striking against the surrounding blackness, the stands on either side vacant.

“This is…” she trails off and twirls around slowly, “actually pretty cool.”

“Right?”

Akin strolls to the ball placed in the middle and places his sneaker on it challengingly.

Mia acknowledges this with a wary glance. “Are we not trespassing here?”

“Not when the gates are opened for you.” He tosses a hand to the lights. “Let’s just say I banked a few favors and it was time I cash in.”

He kicks the ball to her with linear precision. She stops it with a timely stomp.

He raises a brow, marginally impressed.

“Elaborate surprises usually come with a special question or a special favor.”

She kicks the ball back to him, going wildly askew.

“So, which one is it?”

Akin darts to the ball and captures it with the side of his shoe, then uses his toe to flick it up, balancing it for a second, then thrusts it up. He reaches out and catches it with his hands mid-air to hold it under his arm.

“So, the Summer Soiree is coming up.”

Flutters explode from her stomach, swarming her chest in a flood.

“Kelly, from the cheer squad, is practically telling everyone I’m going to ask her.”

Mia nods brokenly. “She’s a nice girl…very pretty.”

“Imagine her surprise when she finds out I asked you.”

She stammers, confounded by an emotion as exhilarating as an adrenaline rush but as all-consuming as fear.

“Not like a date,” he quickly disclaims, “that would be weird. But I actually want to enjoy myself at one of these school functions. Kelly is awesome and everything, but she…well, she’s not you.”

Mia remains dumbstruck, her mouth wide open, words decimated by shock.

“If you don’t want to, it’s totally cool,” he says, disheartened by her silence.

Mia eventually reassembles her wit. “I don’t do proms, parties, or~ soirees~, star boy.”

His expression dulls, dispirited by the fact. Nonetheless, he nods understandably.

“However, if you can get past me”—she peers over her shoulder to point at the goalie post at the one end—“and make a goal. I’ll be your date. But not your ~date~ date.”

Happiness strikes through him like a comet, his smile rivaling the brightness of the stars above and even the brilliant light inundating the field in a flood of white. In her eyes, his smile mutes their collective shine.

Akin drops the ball to his feet. “You sure about this?”

“Scared you’ll lose, star boy? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

“I should really teach you a lesson on humility.”

“We talking or we playing?”

Akin launches the ball past her and in the same breath, he’s already behind it, driving it to the post. Mia runs after him at max speed, trying to reach the ball, but he deftly evades her every attempt—the ball eluding her reach.

Desperate, she grabs him, shoving herself in front of him to steal the ball.

“Hey!” he shouts, freeing a laugh. “Foul, you can’t do that.”

“Just did.”

Akin kicks the fall, and it flies between her feet. He rounds her and from a ten-yard distance, one kick sends the ball into the net. He jogs back around, pumping a victorious fist in the air.

Mia stumbles to a halt, lowering herself to rest her hands on her knees. “How”—breathless—“do you guys run around for an hour?”

“Sometimes two,” he adds. “It’s called stamina. You build endurance through training. It’s all soccer players do, train to play, then train after playing.”

Mia collapses on the ground, straightening her arm out behind her. She uses her other hand to pat the patch of grass beside her. Akin complies, approaching to sit beside her.

Mia swivels on her tailbone and lies down, resting her head on his lap. He extends his legs to make it more comfortable for her, crossing his ankles.

Mia takes a moment to bear witness to the celestial firmament, a mere breath of the universe scattering stars, pinpricks of silver adorning the black canvas.

Mia marvels at the rare sight, but Akin’s eyes are on her, his eyes glossing over the splatter of freckles, exquisite against her rosy pale skin like the color white cedar.

Mia’s eyes focus on him, his complexion as dark as midnight, the skin of the sky wrapped around his lithesome form.

“Have you spoken to the others?”

Folds of flesh gather between her brows. “No, why?”

“Well, with the boldness you approached me with before when I was half-naked in the locker room with the rest of my naked mates, it’s clear you have the balls to approach them, too.”

Mia snorts a laugh. “No, I was too scared they’d run from me, too.”

Akin drops his head back, Adam’s apple bobbing. “Are you ever going to let that go?”

Mia tips her head to look back at him. “Have ~you~ spoken to the others?”

Akin brings his head back forward to gaze down at her.

“I have. Opal. I met her in the music room.” A small smile kisses his lips. “It was nice…until it wasn’t.”

“Opal, huh?”

“Yeah.” He lowers his ear toward her. “Is that…jealousy I hear in your tone?”

“Curiosity,” she corrects firmly. “Must’ve been a special moment for you, you had ~thee ~biggest crush on her back in the day”

“When I was a kid,” he confesses, “yeah, maybe. It’s different now.”

“How?”

“Cause I’m not a kid anymore,” he says with a halfhearted laugh. “When I was with her, even for that period, talking to her for the first time in years. It was like an out-of-body experience.

“I only realized after my encounter with you, and then her. What we had…something as strong as that doesn’t just fade. No matter how grown we think we are or how much time has passed.”

Mia lifts herself and twists around to face him with a no-play expression.

“You think the others feel like that?”

“I think Opal felt something…good or bad. Aries…no one has seen him in ages. At least the three of us have seen each other from a distance. Aries…I’ve no idea.”

“And I have no idea either. The asshole left school without so much as a goodbye.”

“Aries was a complicated kid,” Akin says with a nostalgic smile. “He wasn’t like us. He grew up in Edgemond. That’s a rough spot.

“Other than where he lived, and that he lived with his grandparents, he didn’t let us know anything more than what he wanted us to know. Like what happened to his parents? Why doesn’t he live with them?”

Mia ruminates, realizing too late how much of a mystery her childhood friend was to her. A living ghost.

“I don’t think we can judge until we have the full story.”

“~Argh~,” Mia spits out. “You don’t have to be so diplomatic. Just let me be angry with him.”

Akin flashes a smile and rises to his feet. “Come on, it’s getting late. I should take you home.”

She gives him a bored look. “You do know I don’t actually have a curfew. My mom freaked out that time cause I didn’t tell her when I was coming back. And it was the first time I was out that late in years.”

“I don’t need to be the reason why she gives you a curfew.”

He offers her his hand. She takes it and he hoists her up to her feet with one pull.

^INTERLUDE: Through Storm and Fire^

^NINE YEARS AGO^

“Any plans this weekend?”

“Not really, but we might go out for dinner tonight,” Mia said, holding onto the straps of her bag. “You?”

Erin was waiting for this question. “We’re taking a drive out to visit my grandparents. Leonard doesn’t want to go, so it’ll just be me and my mom.”

“Nice. You can finally get a break from that jerk.”

They floated out of the front doors with the tide of children high on the Friday buzz.

The clouds were bloated with a storm, edges darkening, only chaos growing in its womb. It started with a splatter of rain, drizzling a harmless spray on the dispersing children.

“But next week we should do another sleepover,” Mia suggested, flipping on her hood. “At my house this time.”

Erin nodded eagerly and lit up a jeering smile. “As long as your dad doesn’t cook again.”

Mia pushed her away playfully, and Erin quickened her pace with a smile.

She sauntered to the sidewalk for a better view of the parking lot, looking out for her ima. Promptly, the white Audi rolled toward her and she hurried over with a grin.

Erin popped the car door open. “Ima, I’m so—”

Leonard stared back at her with a familiar, smug smile.

“Where’s my mom?”

“She’s at home, I volunteered to fetch you today. So get in.”

Erin stripped off her bag and dumped herself inside, dropping her bag at her feet.

The car sped off without warning and Erin jerked on the seatbelt.

Rain drubbed on the roof, overwhelming the windows, the wipers barely fast enough.

“Oh, I also got some news to share. Wanna hear the bad news first or the good news?”

Erin recognized the sadistic glint in his eyes, a sick satisfaction he had in finding pleasure in her pain. And it was always the same look. That’s how she knew whatever he was going to say was specially designed to hurt her.

“So you know how I wasn’t going to go with you and Kathy to her parents’ place?”

“Yep,” Erin answered with an excitement that provoked him.

Something stomach-churning twisted his lips into something threatening.

“My mother-in-law and I don’t get along so well. Come to think of it, they both hate me. The feeling is mutual. So, I told Kathy that I’d miss you too much if you left me. And I convinced her to stay.”

Erin’s heart splintered. “No—”

“Don’t worry, the good news is you’ll have all weekend to spend with your papa.”

Riddled with disgust, she pitched him a glare. “You’ll never be my dad.”

“But you’re mine now,” he said, not even as a fact but a threat. “You and your mom belong to me, and if I want you to stay, you’re going to stay.”

“We’ll see what my grandparents say about that.”

“What?”

“Uh-huh,” Erin said, pure loathing was the driving force behind her words. “If you won’t let us go, then they will take us, and I’ll tell them everything about what you did to her. And to me.”

“Is that so?”

She nodded vigorously. “And you’ll rot in jail because of it.”

His arm twitched, a backhanding that whipped her face to the other side, pain electrifying the one side, her jaw throbbing. She clapped a hand on her cheek, trying to suppress her sob.

“After all I’ve done for you…buying you clothes, paying for your school, and taking you on holidays.” Rage overtook him. “This is how you show gratitude? By threatening me, you little punk?”

A glimpse of red. Erin spotted Aries’s pocket knife tucked in the pocket of her bag.

She had kept it on her so many times but never got the nerve to even reach for it. Not when he harmed her mom and not even when he harmed her.

She was too scared. And Leonard was too big. He was a giant and the pocketknife was like a toothpick in her hand, and would only serve to antagonize him if pricked.

All too soon, Leonard swerved carelessly up into the driveway. And everything came to a standstill. In that fraught moment, either end was gripped by life and death.

It was the uncertainty that was petrifying to her, the extent of his cruelty knew no end physically and psychologically.

“Do you want to leave me, Erin?”

Erin’s face remained hidden away in the corner, facing the window, her hand glued to her cheek.

“If you and your mother leave, who will take care of you both? Your mother doesn’t work. She is completely dependent on me. Would you want your mom to go through the pain of losing another husband?”

Tears leaked from her eyes mirroring the wailing window with raindrops streaming down.

“Are you not grateful for all I’ve done for you and your mother? The love I’ve shown you both?”

He snatched her hair of fire, curling the flame around his fist to force her to look at him.

Erin breathed raggedly.

“This isn’t love.” She couldn’t stop her tears. “Love is gentle and love is kind.”

He scoffed at her. “I think taking in a widow’s bastard is kindness enough.”

Leonard tilted her head back.

“Tsk, tsk,” he chided with a disapproving head shake. “You must’ve been such a burden to your dad that you sent him to an early grave.”

Rage seized her. She launched her spit at his eye and he jerked back, releasing her.

“You little—”

Erin whipped around and shoved the door open—he yanked her back but she clutched onto the grab handle on the roof.

In a split second, she made the choice to put herself first. She let go to pinch the pocket knife and Leonard grabbed hold of her jaw.

“You’re going to—”

She swiped, slicing at his wrist, ripping a ribbon of red from his flesh. And his threat dissolved into a mindless scream.

Erin took her chance and bolted out of the car, instantly drenched in the rain, blurring her vision immediately. She took off in blind desperation, racing across the road toward the woods in the midst of a burgeoning storm.

The raindrops were like miniature bullets assailing her from above. The skies were damning, black and roiling with abysmal anger.

Heaven’s forge gave out a last clanging gong, its first and final warning that reverberated into a concussion of sound.

Erin tore through the woods, white sneakers besmirched by mud splatter and quagmire, every step a precarious choice that could yield under foot.

The adrenaline, fear, and rumblings from above were like scattered gunshots that agglomerated to a climax, building to its zenith only for the world to fall crypt-still.

She threw herself against a tree, panting doggedly, sweat and rain becoming one.

“Erin!” A voice that pierced through thunder.

Erin looked around frantically. She saw nothing but a gray haze of flailing trees lashed by the winds that scratched at her face and hands.

She spun around and shot forward, running aimlessly, battered by the icy barrage of a mix of sleet and rain.

The jarring collision of hot and cold air bellowed a roar from the heavens.

The clouds converged into one mass, steaming like ichor, the black blood of the gods. There was a bellow, then a boom like a volcano erupting.

Erin glanced up at the lacerations of light branching into great forks of flame-gold bursting forth.

The lightning flashed once more, illuminating itself like the crawling cracks on stained glass. The flogging squalls of winter blew loudly. Screeching winds rose up.

In due course, exhaustion clawed at her body, and fading adrenaline left her bones drained of verve. Her energy was ebbing, but her fear sourced her will.

A salvo of sound demanded her attention. An endless gush of water.

Erin forged on, pushing up the strenuously steep incline of Skeleton Gorge. It was like a part of the indigenous forest was carved out, leaving behind the hollow bosom of the steep-sided valley.

The land beneath her plateaued, and she staggered to a halt at the cusp of Table Bridge. A normal crossing during other seasons, but perilous when rain fell.

Table Bridge was a major checkpoint for most hikers, the overpass that extended across the river, a bridge of dense wooden logs, unrailed, and it formed a pathway to the other side.

Torrents of water further upstream were pouring down and surging over the unprotected bridge. An obvious hazard.

Erin retreated and swiveled around, only to be brought to a halt. A growing silhouette making its way to her.

Erin reconsidered her retreat. She swung herself back around.

Maybe if she was fast enough, she could get across safely.

Erin didn’t hesitate. She took two ready breaths and went into a full sprint.

Her foot slid, and she slipped to her knees with a smack. She winced, everything beneath her was too wet and elusive to hold on to.

Erin rose with her arms outstretched wide and she accelerated her speed, only for a deluge of water to thrust her into the water, swept to her death.

So she thought.

The rapids stirred, sloshed, and churned in a vortex, the waters pummeling her face and heaving her downstream by a rip current.

Erin broke through the bubbling surface, her hand reaching for the distant bridge before she was plunged hard into the depths.