Bluehour (A Watermagic Novel) (16 page)

“Where were you?” my mother asked anxiously
just as I walked in. She had the cordless phone in her hand. My
father was standing behind her.

I laid my backpack on the narrow hall table.
“I was studying at a classmate’s house and I lost track of
time.”

My father looked angry. “Why are your clothes
all wet? Were you swimming in the ocean?”

“No,” I responded adamantly in an irritated,
high pitched voice. “I was just in a pool.”

“In your clothes?” my mother asked,
astounded.

“I know…” I frowned, “…it’s weird—isn’t it?”
Really, I couldn’t think of a good explanation. I should have
planned better, but all I could think about on my cab ride home was
how shocking my experience was with Laurent and those magical
rocks. “I tripped and fell in the pool,” I finally explained. “It
was so ridiculous that I just decided to swim around for awhile and
I lost track of time.”

“What happened to your shoes?” my dad asked.
The worry was lifting from his face. He looked confused, but less
angry now.

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean—you don’t know?” My mother
had her hands on her hips as she complained.

“When I realized the time, I rushed out of
the pool and couldn’t find my sandals. I didn’t want to make you
worry anymore than necessary, so I just hurried off without
them.”

Both my mom and dad gave me peculiar looks at
that explanation.

“I’m so hungry,” I said as I made my way past
them.

They followed me into the kitchen. “We’re not
done talking with you,” my mother insisted. “Whose house were you
studying at?”

I wasn’t sure if I should tell them or not. I
hesitated before speaking. “I was at a boy from my English class’s
house. He had been absent for awhile and I was helping him catch up
on the work.” I sat down at the table and started eating the
lasagna Mom left out for me.

Mom sat down at the table across from me and
Dad walked into the adjoining living room and turned on the
television. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he called over to me. “Next
time call us on your cell phone if you’re going to be late.”

“You’re right—I should have done that.” I
poured some water from the jug on the table into a cup my mother
left for me at my place setting. “I just lost track of time and
didn’t realize.”

My mother had her elbow resting on the table
and was leaning her head in her hand now. She looked exhausted.
“What’s this boy’s name?” she asked seeming mildly curious.

“He’s that boy that called over here about
the homework assignment. Remember that?” I drank down the water and
set the cup back down on the table.

My mother rubbed her temples now. “Yes,
that’s right. What was his name?”

“Laurent,” I mumbled with my mouth full of
lasagna.

“Oh, yes. He had a lovely speaking voice on
the telephone.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “He does.” I
smiled now at the thought of it.

“Do you like him romantically?” she asked,
still rubbing her temples.

“It’s nothing like that.” I blushed. “I don’t
know him that well.”

“Well, that’s good because Ashton called.” A
smile spread across her face as she said his name.

I stood up from the table and took my dishes
into the kitchen and started washing them while she looked over at
me from the table. “I’m too tired to call him back tonight,” I
muttered. “I’ll just talk to him in school tomorrow.

“You shouldn’t waste your time with other
boys when you have a star like Aston who’s crazy about you. Don’t
let this one get away, Grace.” She yawned very wide. “I better get
some sleep.” She kissed me on the cheek as she walked over to my
dad and stretched out on the couch as she laid her feet in his lap.
Minutes later she was fast asleep with her mouth wide open.

Dad coughed and then rubbed her legs as he
stared into the TV. “Come over and sit by me, Gracie.” He patted
the sofa beside him, but on the other side of Mom. “This
documentary on ancient Greece is interesting.”

Even though my mind was other places, I sat
down next to him and watched for awhile just to make him happy.
Watching documentaries together was a past time I missed.

We chatted about the ancient art,
architecture, and clothing. Without a doubt, the beautiful
cinematography was impressive and kept me interested, but I was too
tired and too mentally preoccupied to fully enjoy the presentation.
I leaned against Dad’s shoulder as my mind raced with thoughts of
my evening with Laurent.

“I think I better finish up my homework and
get to sleep,” I said to my father.

“Sure thing.” He nodded and patted me on my
leg. “I’ll check on you after I carry Mom into bed.” With that
comment, he looked at his snoring wife and chuckled lightly.

***

In the morning, I awoke mesmerized by my
dream. Laurent and I were lounging together upon some rocks in a
beautiful blue lagoon. He was serenading me with the most
enchanting songs. His voice was heavenly like the music of angels.
I wanted the experience to last forever.

I got out of bed wishing I could sleep in
that dream world for eternity. All of my jeans and shorts were
dirty. I had been slacking off with the laundry, so I changed out
of my pajamas into a pale yellow sundress. It was a nice change,
but more feminine than my usual boyish styles.

It was a little early still, so I decided to
twist my hair up into a French knot. Usually, I just wore my hair
down and was lucky if I even got around to brushing it, but today I
felt more excited about life. My adrenaline was rushing with hopes
that Laurent would return to school.

When I went into the kitchen, my father was
talking in an agitated voice on the telephone. My mother was
looking at him with concern as she flipped the eggs in the fry pan.
Lucy was brushing her teeth while she watched cartoons.

“You’re going to start drooling on the
floor,” I cautioned her with a laugh as I glanced at my father
whose face was flushed from anger.

Lucy mumbled some incoherent response to me
with her mouth full of toothpaste foam. The commercial came and she
ran into the bathroom to spit and rinse her mouth.

When she came back into the living room, she
was brushing her hair. “Morning, Grace,” her high pitched voice was
cheery.

“Good morning, cutie.” I sat down next to her
on the couch before the TV.

“Dad’s talking to Sam.” It was still a
commercial so she was looking at me as she tried to fix her hair
awkwardly.

“Here let me do it.” I took her brush and
started shaping her curly hair into ponytails. “What are they
talking about? He sounds mad.”

“During the second shift yesterday, the
fishermen pulled up a girl’s head in their nets.”

“What?” I shrieked.

“That’s what he said to Mom a minute ago.”
Her face was scrunched up from the thought of it.

“That’s horrible.” I frowned. “Do they know
whose head it is?”

“I don’t know. Ask Dad.” She motioned over to
our father who just hung up the phone and was talking with Mom in
the kitchen.

My dad was whispering to my mom. He was
angry, but his voice was too quiet to be discernible.

“What happened?” I asked somewhat
hesitantly.

My mother looked at Dad sharply. I felt like
they were keeping some sort of secret. “Do you know someone named
Mandy Bowers?” Mom asked as Dad took his food and sat down at the
kitchen table to eat.

“Yes.” My eyes widened. She was the girl that
was really into Laurent, probably as much as I was, but she was
more obvious about it.

“I’m sorry,” My mother said, shaking her
head. Her eyes looked teary. “Dad’s shipmates pulled up her head in
the nets yesterday. Sam said she disappeared the night before.”

“What do you mean?” I asked astounded.

“Somebody reported seeing her at the beach
with a group of teenagers, but nobody fits the description of this
mysterious group. Supposedly, the children she was with were very
attractive. They all went swimming together and that was the last
anyone saw of her.”

My body tensed. “How do the police know the
head they found was Mandy’s? Wouldn’t it be indiscernible being in
the water all that time?”

“The teeth matched her dental records,” my
mother breathed as she raked her fingers through her brown bobbed
hair.

“You’re not allowed in the ocean,” my dad
said to me in a sudden fury.

“Grace is fine,” Mom said to Dad. “She’s not
going in.”

“Stay away from long hairs,” he babbled
suddenly.

I wrinkled my face wondering what the heck he
was talking about. “Long hairs?” I shook my head.

“Stay away from good looking people with long
hair.” His brow was knitted together tightly as he mumbled in
agitation. “I don’t want you near anyone of the sort.”

He wasn’t making any sense. It seemed like
his anger was overtaking his reason. “Lots of attractive people
have long hair, Dad. How am I supposed to stay away from everyone
like that?” I looked over at Mom and she just shrugged, but I
intuited that she knew what he was talking about.

“Dad is just saying to avoid any people who
look exceptionally attractive who have long hair.” She sort of
blushed as if she realized how insane she sounded.

I was sick of my father’s irrational demands.
If he had his way, he would keep me in the apartment for eternity
away from every possible danger. “I’ve had enough,” I said in
irritation. “You don’t make any sense. I’m not going to avoid every
person with long hair. That’s just crazy.”

My dad was grinding his teeth as he stared
down at his eggs. Maybe he realized how unreasonable he
sounded.

Mom interjected, “The kids that were with
Mandy at the ocean were described to all have long hair—even the
boys in the group had such features of extreme beauty and long
hair.”

Of course the description instantly brought
the très beaux to mind. It just couldn’t be true. Laurent and his
friends wouldn’t kill Mandy. Deep down in my gut, I knew that
wasn’t possible. He was good. He had saved me more than once.

Then I thought of the mermaid that Laurent
spoke of. The one that would kill anyone that took a romantic
interest in him. Even though he was speaking hypothetically, I knew
he was talking about himself. Could this mermaid be responsible for
Mandy’s death? Deep down, I sensed it was true. Laurent said she
killed any girl who took an interest in him and anyone could see
that Mandy was obviously into him. Would I be next?

I was feeling highly agitated now. “I’m not
going to do what you say this time, Dad,” I said angrily. “I can’t
stay away from every person with long hair. That’s just insane.”
With that, I grabbed my backpack and stormed out of the apartment.
I would just walk to school today.

But, when I got outside Laurent was standing
in the parking lot next to the très beaux’s 1957 black Ford Custom
300. His friends were all inside and he was waiting for me.

1. Life Unexpected
   

When I saw Laurent, I flushed and my heart
rate accelerated. He was gorgeous standing there leaning against
the black vintage car in a white t-shirt and light blue linen
pants. As our eyes met, his lips lifted into that crooked grin that
made me so light headed that I felt like I might just fall
over.

Steadying myself, I walked over to him,
careful to not get too close. His nostrils flared, but not as hard
as the night before. This time his jaw was relaxed and his gaze was
gentle. “You look beautiful in that yellow dress.”

“Thank you.” I blushed.

“I’m getting used to you,” he chuckled
lightly. “I went fishing last night. I don’t think I’ll be able to
eat a thing the rest of the day. The venom of stingrays is almost
as satisfying as the charge of a human soul.” He paused for a
moment. “Almost, but not quite.” He winked confidently at that and
shook his head in a way that made me think he found his
circumstances ludicrous.

Any normal person would have been afraid at
that, but I was too enraptured to care. “What are you doing here?”
I asked, feeling nervous that my dad might look out the window and
see me with a long haired boy of unfathomable beauty.

“I noticed that you don’t have a car.” He
stared at me for a moment.

“Yeah, so?” I said facetiously.

He seemed to like my sassiness because he
grinned wider now showing his beautiful white teeth. “Can I take
you to school?” His hypnotic voice sounded more formal now,
reminding me of old fashioned politeness.

“With them?” I sounded shocked as I looked
into the car where the très beaux sat. Marine and Brigitte seemed
oblivious to me as they decorated their stunning faces while gazing
into silver hand mirrors. Marcel and Pascal appeared to be
purposely looking away out the opposite windows.

“Yes,” Laurent said debonairly. “They
promised not to hurt you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well, that’s great.” My
voice was sarcastic though I was highly intrigued.

He made a chirping sound that reminded me of
a dolphin. At that, Pascal got out of the passenger seat and
scooted into the back with Marcel and the girls. Laurent opened the
door chivalrously and turned his gaze on me.

My body tingled when he looked at me with his
electric blue eyes in that way. It was like everything he was
feeling was boring into my body and the sensations were
intense.

At first, I was hesitant, but then I decided
to go for it. Really there was no choice. He had me the first time
I saw him at the beach before the first day of school. Even though
he was wild and dangerous, reason and logic could not stop me. I
moved in closer.

He flinched back slightly at my near
proximity and his jaw clenched just slightly, but then relaxed.

I sat down on the light gray plush cushions
and breathed in the splendorous scents. The interior of the car
with the très beaux inside smelled like all the perfumes of the
ocean, a breezy, fresh scent that was indescribable, but
heavenly.