Significance - Chapter Four

I woke the next morning and felt terrible, like I had the flu or something. I rolled over in my bed and clutched my queasy stomach, feeling a pounding in my head and chest. The pound coincided with my heartbeat.

I sat up and saw stars. That had never happened before. At first I was alarmed. Maybe it was something worse than the flu. I stood and went to the mirror. I looked haggard.

Kyle had brought me home right after the movie last night. It wasn't that late when I got home, but Dad was nowhere to be seen, as usual. I went straight to bed, feeling more exhausted than I had in a long time.

And now, I could see my face was dark with fatigue. My eyes were dull and shaded. What in the world? I lifted my arm to push my hair back to check the little gash on my forehead and froze. There was a black handprint burned into my skin, black and grayish like it was charred, right by my elbow on my right arm. What the-

Then I remembered. My arm burned hot when that Marcus guy grabbed me yesterday. And now, I had a strange black grip burned into my skin. What was going on here?

I heard the phone ring, but didn't answer it. It was probably Chad, looking for answers, though he had no right to any claim over me anymore. So I went to take a shower instead.

That was one of the best showers I'd ever had. I still felt bad, but better. The hot water did wonders for my skin color. My face seemed back to normal and my eyes were brighter. But, I still needed some serious makeup. Then I remembered. Caleb. He said he was coming to get me today.

I scrambled to my room and pulled some clothes out. I actually thought about what I was putting on. I had jitters. I was freaking out. I slipped on my blue chiffon peasant blouse over my black cami and some jeans with some silver hoop earrings then I went to fix my hair and slick on some make-up.

All the while, I felt a bubble of anxiety and nerves. What had happened last night? I couldn't believe I saved some guy's life. I couldn't believe I was bound to him in some twisted soul mate thing. I couldn't believe Kyle had a crush on me. I couldn't believe I was so crazy about some guy I barely knew. I couldn't believe they weren't human.

I started to have a mini-panic attack, swallowing down the lump in my throat. Then it began to escalate to full blown.

What if Caleb didn't come today? Why did I need him to so badly? What was going to happen to me? Would I just marry some freak guy and live in their cultish community forever? Could I run away before he got here? Did I really want to? No, I didn't and if he asked me to marry him right now I'm not sure I could say no. What was going to happen to me now?

My breathing was crazy out of control and I grabbed the sink to hold myself up. I felt all wrong and my muscles twisted in my body as I kept Caleb in my thoughts. I was just about to really worry, maybe call somebody, though I didn't know who, when I felt arms around me, turning me and pulling me to them.

"I'm sorry." He pulled me to his chest, wrapping his arms around me and whispering in my ear as his hand ran up and down my arm. "I got here as fast as I could."

Caleb.

I sighed in relief as I felt a release of all the tension, the queasiness, the aching muscles, the painful breaths, everything, as I settled my arms around his waist. I felt brand new, like he was a drug and I'd just gotten a hit.

I pulled back to look at him slightly and was wowed. He was even better looking in the daylight. I blinked up at him and he looked back down at me. I could see into his mind as if it was made of glass. He had felt me begin to panic he was already half way here. He ran. He knew I'd be upset when reality crashed down on me this morning. He was feeling withdrawals for me, too, and pestered Kyle for over an hour before he got out of bed to give him my address, though once the panic attack hit he didn't need it. He could find me anywhere. He also loved my freckles and thought I looked gorgeous in blue.

I smiled and bit into my bottom lip at his thoughts.

"Hi," was my masterful greeting.

"Hi," he said smiling widely, his arms still around my back. "Are you all right now?" He reached up and brushed my hair back from my forehead. "How's the head?"

"It's fine. It doesn't hurt anymore."

"Did you sleep all right?"

"Yeah, I slept great, actually." We both seemed to realize the awkwardness of it all and stepped back to give a little space. "And I was fine, I mean I felt a little weird, like I had the flu," he nodded to confirm, "but it wasn't until I started to think about things...um, you, that I freaked."

"I know. It happens, especially the first few days after an imprinting."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I'm here now, and I have no intentions of going very far."

"Good," was all I could say.

He seemed to like my answer. "Did you have fun with Kyle last night? I didn't have a chance to talk to him much. I waited up for him last night but he went straight to bed. I'm sure he would have told me if something had happened."

"Yeah, we had an ok time, mostly."

"Why mostly?" he said, suddenly concerned. "What-" He saw my arm and his eyes went wide. I'd forgotten the angry, black, burned hand print. His face twisted in anger. "What happened? I can't believe Kyle didn't tell me about this. Who did this to you?"

"Some guy called Marcus." I rubbed it like it could come off.

He pushed my fingers away gently to run his thumb across it, almost reverently. "Marcus touched you?" he said softly and I knew not to mistake the softness for anything but fighting for control.

"He grabbed me when we tried to walk away. But as soon as he knew that I- you- we..."

"That we imprinted," he supplied.

"Yes. He left. I didn't see this until this morning."

"It's what happens to warn them that you don't belong to them."

"I know, I felt it, but why didn't it do that when Kyle touched me?"

"Kyle touched you?" he said with a slight edge.

"He held my hand a couple times," I explained truthfully. "Mostly to make me keep up with him, but it never did that with him."

"It only happens if the person's actions aren't of pure intention. Your body can sense it when someone means you harm."

"So, that Marcus guy wanted to hurt me?" I said breathlessly at the prospect.

"Don't worry about that just yet." His big hand came up to my cheek, making me want to shudder. "One thing at a time. I'll explain it all to you, but right now, I need to get you over to Kyle's. My family is all there, waiting for us."

"Eh," I cringed. "I don't like crowds."

"You'll like this crowd. They were so happy last night when I told them what happened. They can't wait to meet you."

"Caleb," I said and he sighed, closing his eyes like he was in ecstasy at the sound of his name from my mouth. "I have no idea what's going on. I mean, what does all this mean? Why am I meeting your family after only knowing you for one day?"

"Well," he looked slightly unsure, "I, uh...you're my significant. I mean, I would never force you to do anything, but this means something to us; to my family. You are so important and the sooner you learn all about what's going on, the sooner you can make the decision if you want anything to do with it or not."

"I thought I didn't have a choice."

"Kyle and his big mouth," he muttered. "There are so many things you don't know. So many things that I need to tell you and explain. But if after you hear everything today you want nothing to do with any of it, or with me, I won't stop you from leaving if that's what you're asking."

"Ok. I'm ready to go." I nodded. "I need to tell my dad where I'm going."

"All right. Should I go wait outside since I burst into your house without knocking," he said with a cocky grin. "I'm sure your pops would love that."

"It's fine," I said, laughing slightly. "He won't know whether anyone's been up here or not."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, come on."

"I guess it's only fair if you're meeting my family that I meet yours, too, right?"

"I don't think the word 'family' constitutes as one person."

"Sure it does." He stopped in the hall at a family picture of us four in front of the Christmas tree from two years ago. Bish had his arm around me and I was poking his stomach, making him laugh. "Is that your brother?" I nodded. "Wow. You really look like your mom."

"Yeah, everyone has always said that."

"What happened to her?"

"She left," I said, shrugging before heading downstairs.

"I'm sorry. That sucks."

"Yeah," I agreed and then called to Dad before we went into the den. Just in case he was in his underwear. "Dad?"

I heard him grunt and felt a grip on my hand tighten. I didn't realize we were holding hands. Caleb smiled at me and I tried to think of how in the world to explain him to my father.

"What, Maggie?"

"Uh, Dad, I'll be leaving for a while. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. I just wanted to let you know."

"Fine, as long as you don't miss work."

"I'm off today."

"Fine."

"Dad. This is my...friend, Caleb."

I glanced up at him and he was fighting a smile, the twinkling of amusement in his eyes giving him away. My dad barely glanced at him, looking right back at the television and scratching behind his ear.

"Uhuh."

"Dad," I said more pointedly.

He looked up again. I really regretted not letting Caleb wait outside. Dad was sitting on our couch in the den, his boxers and a white t-shirt, with white socks up to his mid calves, watching the Today Show of all things.

"Oh, yeah. Hi, Calvin, nice to meet you," he muttered and returned to his show.

"Caleb, Dad."

"It's fine, Maggie," Caleb assured me with a squeeze of my fingers. "Nice to meet you, too, sir. I won't keep her out too long."

"Mmhmm. Fine."

As we made our way out into the hall, I remembered when my father always used to joke about how when I finally started dating he'd be all mister-shotgun-on-the-porch about it. He sure gave Chad a hard time, though most of it was in jest. It's like an alien took over his body or something. He's not even my dad anymore. And the only reason the house is clean right now, is because I cleaned it before leaving for graduation yesterday. I couldn't remember a time I'd been more embarrassed.

Caleb was apparently tapped into my thoughts again.

"Hey." He bumped my shoulder as we walked. "Don't sweat it. Your dad is apparently going through something. He'll come around one day. You don't ever have to be embarrassed with me, ever, about anything."

"Caleb, I barely know you. Why do I feel so...fine with everything? This is all so strange."

"I know and I'm not going to rush you to understand everything. But other people don't get to decide who you are to me, not even your parents. Just know, you can't ever say or do anything to make me not want you anymore."

I sighed, wanting to sag in relief, because that's exactly what I always wanted someone to tell me, that they wanted me for me, no matter what. "Thank you, Caleb."

"You're welcome," he said sincerely. "Do you need to grab anything before we leave for Kyle's?"

"Uh, my phone. It's in my jacket pocket upstairs. Be right back."

I ran up to get it and ran back down. He was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for me with a smile. He didn't take my hand this time, just opened the door for me and we walked slowly, side by side, but not touching all six blocks to Kyle's house.

I was thinking and listening. Listening and absorbing his feelings as he worked through what we were about to do. He was scared. Scared that I was not going to be able to accept what his family would tell me. Scared that I was gonna hate him, blame him and want nothing to do with him for taking my choices for a different life with someone else.

This confused me, because yesterday, he seemed so sure that I would take everything fine. Accept it and want it. Now he wasn't so certain. I wondered what I had said or done since then to make him change his mind about me.

We reached Kyle's front yard and I stopped, taking a deep breath. Caleb saw me and came back to stand in front of me.

"I'm a freak, aren't I?" I asked.

"What? Why would you say that?"

"You said this doesn't happen to humans."

"I said it's rare."

"What if they don't like me?" I spouted quickly and shot my gaze to the grass, my insecurity raring its ugly head.

"What's not to like?" he said sweetly.

"What if they think your imprint made a mistake? What if they think I'm too naïve and young? What if they think that you're definitely going to have your work cut out for you with me? I'm scared of walking through that door and hearing what they might say. I'm nobody, mediocre, I'm not special, I'm not rich, I'm boring, I'm shy and I'm only seventeen."

"Maggie-"

"And I'm terrified that the more you get to know me, you'll realize it, too."

He put a tentative arm around my lower back and pulled my face up with a finger under my chin making me automatically lean towards him and his warmth. He smiled and it was gorgeous.

"Imprints don't make mistakes, Maggie. All an imprint is, is our souls seeing what's perfectly right for it in someone else. In here," he palmed his chest "I saw something in you that I couldn't live without. I chose you, inside of me, and you chose me. It's not one sided, it only works when both people choose the other. You are perfect for me in every way. I don't want to scare you with it all. I mean, you're so young and you don't know me. Yet. But...we will always be drawn together. We'll always crave each other. We'll always be in tune with each other, physically and mentally. There is nothing that can change or break that. And even if there was, I wouldn't want to. Not for the world." His hand moved to my cheek and he caressed it with his thumb. "I've seen you. You can't fake or glimmer what's inside your mind. And you are sweet and caring and absolutely lovable in that head of yours. I promise that my family will love you. In fact, I'm sure they already do. You're one of us now and they can sense how I feel about you."

"How you feel about me," I repeated and nodded.

"Yes. They all know how it is. How we feel...about each other isn't uncommon. It's normal for you to feel so pulled and drawn to me even though you don't know me, just like I am to you, but worse. It gets better and with all our connections and abilities we'll grow to know each other very quickly."

I couldn't deny that and I definitely felt something for him. Especially right now with his arm around me, tentative, fighting with himself because he wants to touch me more but also wants to make sure I'm ok with it too. His concern for me was extremely endearing.

"This is all so strange," I said breathlessly.

"Just wait," he leaned in to whisper in my ear. "It'll only get stranger." He chuckled and the vibrations gave me goose bumps. "Come on." He pulled back to look at me. "If you're ready, let's go on in so everyone will stop staring out the window."

I didn't dare turn to look, but I shifted my eyes that way and sure enough, there were more faces than I could count, all packed in and peeking out of the curtains. I felt my cheeks blaze red as I groaned and he chuckled again.

"Don't worry about them. I promise. Look at me." I did, but slowly. "They will love you. Don't let them overwhelm you, all right? Everything will be fine. Ready?"

"No." I did turn then. I looked at them. They were all smiling, watching us. A little girl waved frantically to me. I waved back and she jumped up and down and even though I couldn't hear her, I could tell she was squealing. I took a deep breath and smiled. "Let's go, but be prepared to answer about a million questions."

"I'm counting on it."

We made our way to the door and before he could even reach the handle, the door was snatched open and I was enveloped in a hug by a large woman with gray and brown hair who smelled like Freesia. She swayed me side to side and all I could do was let her.

I heard Caleb behind me, along with a lot of other chatter. "Gran, come on. She's freaked out enough as it is."

"Oh, hush, Caleb. Let me have my fun." She pulled back to look at me. "My, my, you are a pretty little thing, aren't you?"

"Am I?" I asked lamely and everyone giggled and cackled.

"Well 'course you are! Look at those freckles. And these cheek bones," she mused and ran a cool finger down one to accentuate.

"Thanks," I said, doubly lame.

"Gran, please." Caleb pulled my arm to make her release me and she did. I couldn't help but latch onto his arm and try to keep my eyes up to look around the room with confidence instead of looking like a trapped rabbit. I didn't want them to feel like they were bothering me. I could do this, but...there were at least twenty people in there. "All right, can you all give her some breathing room, please? Jeez, guys."

"Why don't you bring her in the living room, Caleb," a pretty petite woman with brown hair that matched Caleb's said. She was very well dressed in gray slacks and a white button blouse. She walked right up to me and smiled. "Hello, Maggie. I'm Caleb's mother, Rachel, and you must call me that. None of that Mrs. Jacobson stuff."

"Ok, nice to meet you."

"No, sweetie, it's nice to meet you." She squinted and leaned closer. "What happened to your head?"

"I did that, Mom. Remember? I fell on her after she pulled me back," Caleb explained and looked at me sideways, a little guiltily.

"Oh, yes, how stupid of me to have forgotten." She hugged me tightly and I heard her voice straining to get her words out. "You saved my boy. It's hard to think that if you hadn't been there, my boy wouldn't be here."

"It was nothing, really. Just good timing," I insisted into her shoulder.

"You don't honestly believe that anymore do you? After what happened I would think you'd be a big believer in destiny."

"Mom. Jeez," Caleb breathed out in protest.

"Go ahead," she waved us toward the living room, "I'll bring you something to drink. Tea?"

"Sure. Thanks," I answered and heard her high heels clicking on the tile as she scampered away through the throng of onlookers.

Caleb took my hand, smiled at me shyly and nodded for me to follow him into the living room, as instructed, as everyone stared, but had warm smiles and parted the way for us. I felt like a specimen in a Petri dish, but a welcome one. Caleb hadn't been exaggerating. They were all thrilled I was there and it was plainly written all over their faces.

He brought me to a plush, brown couch in the middle of the room. The room was bright and yellow with pictures everywhere of brown haired people. I sat down and he sat close beside me but not touching. It was so quiet, like everyone was waiting for something to happen. I decided I'd show Caleb I wasn't some shy silly girl. I could handle his family.

"I've always loved this house. From the outside anyway," I said, loud enough for most to hear and some chuckled.

"Well, I'm glad you like it," a deep voice answered back. A tall, dark haired man stepped forward and took the club chair in front of us. I saw him glance at the black handprint on my arm, frown, and then look back to my face. "This was my wife's parent's house."

"You must be Mr. Jacobson," I stated and jolted a little when everyone laughed.

"Sweetheart, we're all Mr. Jacobson."

I blushed and looked up at Caleb from under my lashes. He was smiling and shaking his head...and he was glowing with happiness. It took my breath away. I continued to look at him. He had a little dimple in one cheek that I hadn't noticed before and it made me ache to look at it and not touch it.

He was wearing jeans and a yellow polo shirt today. It was a nice fit, hugging him, and I bit my lip as my eyes met his and my heart jumped. He actually blushed, as he felt what I felt, which was pretty hilarious.

He rubbed his chin and smiled crookedly at me which made me smile. I turned back to see everyone else grinning at us, which made me blush again. I ducked my head and let my hair curtain my face.

"Here you go." Rachel handed me and Caleb a glass of sweet tea and sat on the loveseat near us. "Now, Maggie," she leaned forward on her knees with her elbows, "tell us about yourself."

"Mom, that's not why I brought her here," Caleb rescued me. "First, she needs to hear the history of our kind. She needs to understand what's going on. Where's Dad?"

"He'll be here shortly. He had an errand to run, but while we wait, I don't see why it would hurt to ask Maggie some questions."

"Mom, why don't we let her talk to grandma instead?" He turned to me. "Grandma is the only other living member of our clan who was human."

I gasped inwardly and looked up searching for her. I forgot he had mentioned that there were others. I felt desperate to talk to her. To find out if what my body was telling me was real.

I saw her moving forward and she sat in the only empty chair left in front of us. She pulled a silver, oval locket out of her dress, on a long chain around her neck, opened it and thrust it forward for me to see. She, too, glanced at my arm, the handprint, before settling her gaze on me.

I took the locket gently and saw the black and white picture of a man, a handsome man who looked shockingly like Caleb. I glanced between the two several times. Caleb's grandma chuckled.

"Yes. Caleb does look an awful lot like my Raymond did. He's Caleb's grandfather and you can call me Gran, everyone does."

I nodded and she went on, pulling the locket from my grasp and looking at it longingly before replacing it.

"So, I met Raymond at a buffet." She cackled. "I was with my parents, eating on a Saturday night out at our first buffet in town. We never ate out and it was such a treat. We both reached for a roll at the same time. Our fingers touched and that was it," she said and smiled sadly.

"So, it's the touch that triggers this...whatever it is?"

"Imprinting. Yes, touch is what triggers it. Now granted, I felt some attraction to Raymond before that, as I'm sure you did, but after that it was impossible to stay away. I was human too, so it made it doubly worse. Humans aren't prepared for the changes that occur. We aren't knowledgeable and understanding of what's going on. We have a most difficult time. His parents of course knew but my human parents did not. We were both twenty two. I was in college and so was he, in another city. My parents thought I was smitten and silly and made us leave right then, forbidding us to ever see each other. We were separated for a week before he was able to find me, get to me, and sneak past my parents to make it back to me."

I remembered this morning. The strange flu like feelings and aches I had and how Caleb took them all away with one touch this morning. I looked up curiously and she nodded.

"Yeah, think about what you went through this morning but every day, all day, non-stop for a week." I hugged myself while she shook her head. "My parents thought I was crazy, that I'd have some kind of breakdown and were thinking about having me put into an institution."

"Wow."

"So, you see why we are all so concerned for you two, especially you, dear. You are human. You have human parents who will not understand your need to be with Caleb, among other things. Plus you are so very young and not yet legal, the youngest I've ever heard of being imprinted in all the clans. I am worried about causing problems between you and your family."

"Well," I started. "I graduated already."

"Yes. Kyle told us. Skipped a grade?"

"Yes, ma'am, but even if I hadn't, my parents won't cause any problems, so you don't have to worry about that."

"What do you mean, child?" she said with a scowl.

I felt so uncomfortable. I did not want to hash out my sad sob story in front of these twenty or so people, all with their waiting eyes. They wanted the dirt and life story of the strange girl who had been thrust into their lives. I did not want their sympathy. I licked my lips nervously.

Then I felt a hand on mine and it all went away, like wind blowing fog to clear the air. I only felt calm and warm when I looked up into those blue eyes. He was rescuing me again, with a little encouraging smile to boot. So I told her what she wanted to know.

"My mom left last summer. It's just been me and my dad and he's depressed and a little...bitter. I barely see him. I don't have any other family except one adopted brother who lives in New York. No grandparents. No uncles or aunts. No cousins. Just us."

I waited for the onslaught of 'ahhs' and 'you poor things' but they didn't come. His grandmother just nodded. "That's hard. But if nothing else it'll make this a lot easier on you. Do you have a plan for college or anything yet?"

"Um, no. Not yet," I said and picked at the fabric of my jeans.

"Well, we'll talk about that later." She glanced meaningfully at Rachel and Mr. Jacobson, the one I'd talked to, and then back to me.

"What do you mean it'll make it easier on me?"

"Well, honey, to be blunt, you can't live without Caleb."