My Night Breeze (The Breeze Series) (19 page)

She pulled out her homework, getting settled into the couch, while Jim set up the video game. Assignment after assignment was accomplished with the background noise of trash talking between her brother and Tobias. By the time she finished it all, Tobias’s parents had made at least two appearances before disappearing upstairs. Tobias got up between games.

“Thirsty?”

“Yeah. Soda, please,” she said.

“Really?”

“What are you, the caffeine police now?” she retorted.

He laughed in response but came
back with the beverages. She sipped it, the off taste once again making a reappearance, but it didn’t bother her. It sent tingles down into her stomach just like before. It wasn’t a bad feeling, and she relished it while the guys bantered back and forth.

She chugged
the last of her glass as Jim finished up the last of the game. He drove them back home where dinner was ready to be put out, but she declined. An overwhelming tiredness started to drag her down mentally, slowing down her reactions. She tried to shake it off by calling it an early night and going to bed.

“Name something beautiful.”

“The stars
,” she replied.

“How about something around here?”

“Flowers are pretty,” she admitted.

“And what about yourself. Anything beautiful there?”

“My daddy says I have beautiful eyes,” she replied.

The man smiled
down at her while writing down a few notes. She took a second to look around the room. Pictures of finger-paintings hung from the walls while clay models sat on the windowsill. A sudden gust of wind blew raindrops against the window and a growing fear started rising from deep within.

“Audra?”
he asked.

“Yeah?”

“Does he treat you differently?” he asked.

“Daddy? He hugs me. And I get to ride on his shoulders sometimes.”

He continued to write down further notes until a crack of thunder caused her to scream. The lights went out in the room causing her more fear; tears now cascaded down her cheeks. He tried to soothe her but couldn’t do that and light up the room at the same time. He found a candle, lighting it with his lighter.

“Now
, that is much better. See? There isn’t anything to be worried about.”

She wiped her eyes dry
, but her lip stuck out in a pout. A flash of lightning sent absolute terror through her small frame. Her more than obvious fear claimed the man’s attention. He stood up, leaving the candle close to her. He opened the door and waved her over towards it. She declined with a shake of her head.

“The rain is a good thing, Audra. It feeds the flowers that you believe to be beautiful.”

She wouldn’t budge, paralyzed in fear. He stuck his hand out collecting a few drops of rain upon it before coming back inside, shutting the door. He brought his hand over towards her but she moved farther away.

“
It’s just water. It won’t hurt you,” he encouraged.

“The rain brings death.”

“What? Where did you hear that?”

She stood
up from her chair, taking steps to leave a gap of space. “It’s your time. I can’t stop it.”

A scorching
bright light blinded her temporarily, but she hid under a table. It was much safer there. The flapping began just as more thunder clashed above. She covered her ears and face protectively. It was the rain. If only the rain would stop, everything would be okay.

Audra sat up in total darkness, sweat pouring down her face as her hands shook uncontrollably. The sound of her heart racing echoed within the rest of her body. She grabbed her throat feeling the rough rasp as she tried to breathe. A deep soreness reverberated down into her chest, even her lungs ached with every breath.

“Aud
ra!” Jim shouted through the door.

She used
her shirt to wipe her face dry before attempting to open the door. She only just barely unlocked it before Jim and Tobias shoved through. The look on their faces expressed that she looked as terrible as she felt. On wobbly legs, she shuffled back to the bed. She tried to swallow, but it was more painful than she realized.

“What happened?” Jim asked
.

She shrugged
in response.

“You were screaming your head off. We could he
ar it through the wall,” he said.

Audra glanced
around the dark room, only half lit from the doorway. Everything still seemed to be slightly fuzzy, but it was slowly starting to make sense. She pointed to her throat, gesturing for water, sending Jim down to the kitchen. She waved Tobias closer, knowing he would understand easily.

“I remember.”

“You do? Everything?” he asked.

“I killed him, didn’t I?”

Tobias’s face softened as he sat down beside her, wrapping her tightly in his arms. Tears began to well up in her eyes. So, it’s true…she killed him. A person she didn’t even know. As the thought became more concrete, a sob broke out causing her to whimper between agony of her memories and the physical pain of her throat.

“I did
,” she whimpered.

“Oh
, Audra…”

Tobias rocked
her gently from side to side, rubbing her back and calming her cries. Even as the sobs subsided, the tears were endlessly flowing out of her eyes. The amount of pressure built up in her head overwhelmed the pressure in her chest. She’d run out of tears long before she ran out of the guilt from her past. She unhinged herself, a husk of the person she thought she was previously.

He used
his thumbs to swipe away the streaks of tears from her eyes. Nothing but tenderness alighted his eyes, something that she didn’t deserve. She couldn’t bear to look at him any further, casting her glance towards the window. Whether it was a movement that caught her attention or a strange knowing, it wasn’t clear; but deep down she could sense him there. Watching.

“We should hang out tonight.”

Audra leaned against her locker with books in hand. Tobias hovered at her side, concern and worry wrapped together in his eyes. The night before was a constant reminder, but she couldn’t afford to push him away. In a strange coincidence, Jim had no comment to give either about her behavior or the obvious closeness between her and his best friend.

“I can’t.”

“Can too,” he rebutted.

“I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You know that’s not true,” he said, cupping her chin to look up at him. His easy acceptance of her company no matter the drama softened her response towards him. The feel of his thumb lightly skimming her chin sent instant anxiety into her stomach. Her mind suddenly went on high alert. “Let me take you out.”

She blinked
, trying to take in his words as much as his actions. Confusion riddled with unwarranted anxiety caused her to lean her head back against the locker. The gesture gained her further space between them, but the offer was still out in the open. What could she say to the only person who knew the truth that wouldn’t turn him against her?

An overwhelming heat started
to collect in her cheeks out of nowhere. Her eyes tried to focus on Tobias, but it was too warm. She squinted, trying to rub her eyes clear when fear started to implode through her chest. What if she was having an attack? Her breathing started to become labored before reaching out to grasp Tobias. The panic in her eyes said it all. He placed both hands on her cheeks trying to calm her down.

“Hey
, I’m right here. Relax.”

She bit
her lips almost painfully, trying to stay in the here and now until the heat started to recede. Tobias took a few steps back to give her some breathing room. Only then did she notice Mateo’s penetrating stare. The stormy color did nothing to calm her insides when a thought bubbled up. Did he do it? Cause her to overheat? Without a word, he went right into homeroom.

“I
’ll talk to you later,” she stated, dismissing Tobias.

Audra did
n’t bother giving Tobias an answer to his initial offer. The wheels were beginning to turn regardless of the creaky noises they made inside her mind. Mateo had something to do with it. She was almost positive. She looked toward his seat but found it empty, finding him staring out the window of the classroom instead. She made her way over to him.

“Did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Don’t play dumb with me.
Did you do it
?”

He kept his silence
, and it was almost as infuriating as the first day they met. The only difference was now she knew that he was choosing not to answer her. He wouldn’t even turn to look at her, and that was even more a slap in the face. He could stare at her from afar like a psycho, but he couldn’t speak to her?

She headed
to her desk, slamming her books down to show her frustration. Mateo still wouldn’t look her way. A hand gripped her shoulder causing her to tense up. Noticing it was Stephen, she apologized with her eyes. He sat beside her with an odd expression on his face. He didn’t jump in like his usual style, which gave further worry.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s Chris,” he said.

“Is he okay?”

“He’s been kind of…oblivious,” Stephen admitted. “I can’t put my finger on it, but he’s been acting weird. I thought he was being weird last Friday after the movie, but I let it go. Then after I saw it with you, he started acting even weirder, like he was mad he wasn’t invited. I mean, we just saw it, you know?”

“Maybe he felt left out?”

“That’s what I thought, but now he is so hyped about the dance to even spend time with me. And this morning, I went to his locker like usual. He barely said two words to me,” he continued.

“
I’m sorry. People change and not always for the better.”

Stephen gave
her a look then—not a glare but a real hard look of interest. “You’ve changed.”

Audra shrugged
her shoulders not bothering to deny it. A lot had happened within the last few months.

The rest of the school day flew by in a busy blur. Weekends had never been so sought after, and with the pressures of peers and drama, it was a happy escape. For once, not having any type of homework to do was a pleasant start. She left her backpack inside, only putting on her coat. She took a deep, cleansing breath.

“We didn’t get
to talk last night,” Mateo said.

“Tonight doesn’t look good either.”

“Give me five minutes, please?”

“
Sorry. I don’t have it to give.”

Audra walked
down the hallway towards the exit for the parking lot. It hadn’t occurred to her to check over her shoulder, but once she leaned against Jim’s vehicle, the realization hit her. Even as she turned, an uncomfortable twinge of fear crept up her back. Only when she noticed Chris behind her did she breathe out a sigh of relief.

“I haven’t seen you all day. How you been?”

“Good, just trying to help Molly figure out what dress she wants to wear for the dance,” he replied.

“You might want to help Stephen
with his outfit, too. I’m not good at that stuff.”

“
I’m sure he can handle it,” he stated.

“Didn’t sound like that to me.”

“Have you picked out your dress yet?” he asked, clearly ignoring her response.

She’d
never been surer that the dance was never happening, but being put on the spot didn’t help. The approach of Tobias and Jim only made the answer to that question more difficult. Chris’s eyes never faltered, staring a hole straight through her, waiting. His demeanor seemed more intense than it needed to be over a simple school event, but she placated him with the same response as last time.

“I’m still thinking about it. It’s not for a long while yet.”

The conversation was cut short with Jim’s short patience level as she got in the backseat. Chris wouldn’t move back from the spot, seeming to stare at her with a strange look. She couldn’t make sense of why he would react that way, but it could be a coping mechanism. Stephen did say things were strained in their relationship; maybe he had something planned at the dance and needed assistance?

Mom grabbed the game controller with a faux confidence that was easily seen through, but it brought a rare smile to her face. Audra picked up one as well, and with the guys cheering from beside them, the race began. Audra got a head start in speed but began to crash into the barrier with the curve of the road. Tobias whispered advice in her ear while Jim tried assisting their mom. Audra got farther faster but lost that momentum every time a strong curve came up. It ultimately became a game of who could get around the curves better, which she failed.

“I won!” Mom cheered
.

Jim cracked
up with laughter, pointing out all the flaws Audra made. Tobias nudged her shoulder in support, but it wasn’t warranted. Video games hadn’t ever been her strong suit, probably one of the reasons they dragged her into playing against mom to begin with. At least it would be even knowing she would suck at the same level. Her cell went off with an alert of a text message.

I’m outside. 5 mins.

He was absolutely ridiculous. Why did he expect her to drop everything just for a conversation? It did her no good contemplating it. Better to get it over with and move on. Maybe this would be the closure she had been considering to block it all out?

She grabbed
her coat, slipping out the front door unnoticed. Walking around the side of the house, she spotted him leaning against her tree. It seemed like his eyes were glowing in the darkness, but with every step she realized it was a reflection from a light inside the house. The shadows obscured his facial features, hiding any type of reaction he was having.

“
What? No window visit?”

“I didn’t know what to expect. You had
company last night,” Mateo said.

“I have company tonight too.”

“I see.” He took a deep breath. “It’s more than obvious that you’re mad at me.”

“It’s more than obvious to me that you have an ego problem.”

“I didn’t come here to fight. Just to fix it,” he said.

“There’s nothing to fix. Unless you consider it broken.”

He swiped his hair from his eyes. “I think I found what I was looking for.”

It took
her a few minutes to understand his cryptic statement. It finally dawned on her that he was talking about his best friend. The only reason he was even here…

“So
, what’s the next step?”

“Convincing them that it’s okay to go home. They’ve been here a long ti
me; it won’t be easy,” he admitted.

“Oh.” She thought
for a minute before asking, “What if they decide to stay?”

“Then I’d go back. Let my human side have his life back.”

An immediate panic started to set in. Annoyed with him or not, she’d rather be dealing with his hot and cold moods than have him leave. Worry of him just taking off started to bubble up. Even though he promised not to, it wouldn’t be the first time someone broke a promise to her.

“Who is it?”

“Can’t say yet but soon. Can I count on your support if I need it?”

“
I don’t know what I could to do help, but yeah. Of course.”

Her sullen tone must have alerted him to her changin
g mood because all at once she was in his arms. The embrace was clouded by memories of intimate moments cuddled up on his bed to his abruptly chilly encounter. Difficulty with reconciling his two selves kept her from feeling the gesture more deeply. How was she supposed to let her guard down when his mood changed so swiftly?

Mateo rubbed
his cheek against the top of her head. The gesture, while slightly odd, comforted her, regardless of the strained friendship. She really shouldn’t be as annoyed with him as she was. He had been dealing with his mission to find a friend while putting up with an alcoholically abusive father. This might be the only positive contact that he got.

With those t
houghts in her mind, she reached up, cupping his face and rubbed her cheek against his. The smoothness of it made her smile until tingles started to collect. An almost unstoppable surge pulsed through her as she allowed her cheek to graze from his down to his neck. The movement, though odd, seemed to be exactly what was needed. His responding groan rumbled through her.

She ran
her hands down his shoulders until she reached his hands, entwining her fingers with his. Another pulse shot through her, this time strong enough to make her gasp. As she ran their bundled hands against his unobstructed cheek, their eyes met with clear and obvious signs. He slowly leaned in, pressing his forehead against hers.

Her heart started
to beat in a quick rhythm as hope began to flare. There was no way that this was one-sided, let alone meaningless. The conflict raged within his gray eyes about the intimate exchange; however, tenderness seemed to slip out as well. She knew the risks and his protective nature, but it hadn’t changed her mind. Audra tilted her head suggestively, making her intention obvious. Mateo slowly leaned in just as a voice reached their ears.

“Audra?” the voice questioned
.

The
intensity of the moment withered away as quickly as smoke from a blown out flame. Frustration didn’t begin to describe the emotions going through her mind, but fear soon replaced it. Audra’s hands gripped Mateo’s tightly before releasing him, nodding for him to leave. She made her way towards the front of the house just as Tobias reached the corner.

“Where were you? What were you doing?”

“I decided to take a walk,” she replied.

“Are you al
l right?”

“Why
wouldn’t I be?” she asked.

“I don’t know
. You just disappeared. Your shoes were missing, so I figured you left.”

“I just needed some space.”

*****

Listening to music o
n her laptop only barely assisted in getting her mind off of the other night. Agitation of getting interrupted fought with the impatience of Mateo taking his time. The feel of his skin against hers was seared into her mind. His lips were so close that it wouldn’t have taken much to make it happen, and yet here she sat, pining over a missed opportunity—a loss that hit harder knowing that if he should complete his mission one way or the other that he would leave.

The only thing that had kept her going
were the random texts he had sent. They didn’t speak of what happened between them, but there was a certain kindness in his words. Whereas in the past he had been straightforward and short-worded, now he tailored his words into sentences of conscience. Maybe he worried that he overstepped his bounds? Or maybe he was nervous that she was still upset with him? Either way, it had left her with a deep seated desire that hadn’t been felt before.