Crimson Echo (6 page)

            Kane stepped out of the black S.U.V. and my heart quickened. His hair glistened with tiny beads of water as he ducked under the canopy of the school. He waved at a few girls who
were wringing their hair outside before they entered the building. I felt like a stalker, creeping in the background. The way he walked with sure, lithe movements made me jealous. And then as if my heart wasn’t racing enough just from watching Kane, a loud boom alerted me.

“Are you going to stay out here all day?” It was Faith. Her face pressed against the driver’s side window staring at me. “Or do you want to fantasize about Kane from here?”

            I turned on the wipers and let a residual stream of water splash her in the face. I let out a thunderous giggle as she wiped her eyes. After shutting off the engine and checking my reflection in the mirror, I grabbed my bag and got out of the car. She was still whining about her ruined makeup and now frizzy hair.

“Sorry,” I finally said.

She sighed and stomped noisily through the puddles of water like a child.

“I had a crazy dream last night.” I whispered, hoping it would make her stop pouting. It worked
, but only after some major goading.

“What was it about?”

“I dreamed that you broke into the office and stole Kane’s files.” I lied, remembering exactly where I had heard it from.

“Tristan,” S
he paused and then turned to me. “That wasn’t a dream, it really happened.”

“Oh.
You’re kidding me, right?”

“Yeah, it’s not one of my finest moments.
It’s not one of my worst either.” She added with a laugh.

“Did you find anything interesting?” I asked curiously.

“No, not a single thing.” She frowned.

“How much trouble are you in?” My voice sounded condescending.

“Detention for a week, at least they didn’t press charges.” She tried to play it off.

“What were you hoping to accomplish by doing that?
You could have been expelled.”

“I don’t really know. I couldn’t help myself.” She insisted.
“

“That’s always been your problem.” I sighed, throwing a fake punch toward her shoulder.

“Ladies don’t throw punches Tristan.” She informed me, pursing her lips and rolling her eyes.

“I don’t see any ladies around here!” I laughed.

“You’re so mature.” She scolded and walked off.

            I
anxiously went on about my day with Kane subconsciously in the back of my mind the entire time. It wasn’t something I was used to feeling, the butterflies and the spiked adrenaline. Though I knew I shouldn’t feel so strongly about him after only a brief conversation, I chalked it up to nothing more than a harmless crush. Faith noticed I had been keyed up since first hour, but I refused to let her in on anything, for fear her obsession with Kane and I would increase.

           
At lunch I searched the crowded cafeteria for Kane as I picked at my tray of food. I wasn’t sure where to look for him since I hadn’t actually seen him sitting at a table yesterday.  Six different boys looked like they could have been him until they all turned around. I finally gave up and returned my focus to my lunch. The conversation at the lunch table had turned from the likely hood of Mrs. King being a natural red head to talk of a social gathering.

“I really think we should find
some kind of party this weekend, I’m in a rut.” Chelsea announced, pouting her lips.

 
“The last time I agreed to go to a party with you all I remember getting left behind.” I eyed Faith.

“We came back and got you…” Everett shrugged, giving me an apologetic smile. “After we noticed you weren’t with us.”    

“It’ll do you some good to get out of the house. Please?” Faith pleaded.

“No thanks. I’m going to visit a friend any
way. I don’t think I would be able to make it back in time.”

“A secret rendezvous with Gabriel?”
Faith teased.

“It’s Gabe and it’s not a secret.”

“Party pooper.” Faith accused.

I stuck my tongue out at her and automatically felt juvenile, but I didn’t care.

“Will you at least think about it?” Everett moaned giving me puppy dog eyes.

“I’ll think about it, but I’m not making any promises.”

            I knew I wouldn’t go. I’m what’s known as a ‘flake’ in my social circle. It’s not intentional— I just have a way of talking myself out of going to certain things when I know I won’t have a good time or when I know it sounds like trouble. Some people call it a moral compass, most people have it, but few people use it, especially in high school. My compass seemed to be spinning in all directions lately only stopping when Kane was around.

            The rest of the week went on in the same fashion.
Kane avoided me like the plague. He practically ran in the opposite direction when he saw me coming. For some reason unbeknownst to me he was being elusive and cold. It irritated me.  I checked my breath, but I couldn’t figure out why he was ignoring me. Faith tried unsuccessfully to pull me out of my funk over and over.

           
By Friday I had all but forgotten about Kane. He was no longer at the forefront of my mind. He was now a tiny reminder that I would never find a guy that could ever feel anything more than friendship for me. But no matter how insignificant and miniscule he was in my mind, he was still there— lurking in the corner, taunting me, picking at me like an open wound.

           
The week was nearly over and I was relieved to be so close to the weekend break. Everyone had settled into the new routine and new school effortlessly. It was all old hat by now, but I wondered how long it would be before the damage was fixed at Echo High. The week seemed to have passed quickly now as I looked back over the last four days. The hope for snow was on everyone’s mind today. The local news reporter hinted at a slight chance of snowfall over all of Oregon.

          
The thrill of fluffy white flurries sent the entire student body into a blissful uproar. I prayed for it to stay away. Lunch arrived and hopes began to dwindle as the sun peeked out from behind a mass of clouds. Nothing changed— we all sat in the same spot at the same table. I picked at my food, just as I’d done all week. I didn’t look for him now. I knew that ship had sailed and I wasn’t permitted to board.

           
I walked the halls of Emporia only faintly aware of the people in front of me as I stared down at the book I held in my hands— a book that was on the suggested reading list for juniors. Arthur Miller wasn’t my favorite author, but I enjoyed his work nonetheless. I remembered frowning at the title when I spotted it on the list. I’m more of a sucker for a good romance, unrequited love and all that.

          
Though I would never have thought it, I was sucked into the drama of this play. I looked up when the group of students in front of me stopped. They strayed near a row of lockers and obstructed my path. I quickly jostled around them and continued on my way. The room where study hall was held came into view sooner than I thought and I paused. Looking into the sparsely filled room I hesitated and then kept going.

            I shoved the worn book into my bag and carried on down the hallway— not sure where it would lead, I didn’t care as long as I didn’t ha
ve to be stuck in that dark room anymore. The halls seemed never ending and looked more like picture from
Home and Dungeon
rather than a school. I passed several empty classrooms, peaking in each one out of sheer curiosity. This wasn’t something I would usually do. I like structure and balance in my life and never did anything on a whim. I decided it was a good time to break up the tedium.

           
After wandering the halls for a good half hour I stumbled upon a set of double doors. The sign above the frame read Library number one. I assumed there must be another library in the east wing, but we weren’t allowed over in that part of the school. It was specifically reserved for Emporia students only.

          
The large cedar doors creaked as I entered and the noise sent chills up my spine. The large room had a slight musty odor, it reminded me of Christmas time when we dig all of the decorations out of the attic. Sunlight cascaded through the great picture windows and illuminated a million tiny dust particles in the air. I watched as they swirled into a stream of beautiful ribbons along the length of the room and disappeared into the shadows.

            R
ows of aged leather-bound books packed the large room from wall to wall and rose to meet the cathedral-like ceiling. I inhaled the musky smell again and appreciated it this time. The scent wasn’t bad to me, it represented years of knowledge collected in the form of the written word.

           
The library was completely void of people and the silence was eerie. The only sound that could be heard was the echoing of my own footsteps. I eyed the librarian’s desk and noticed it was also unoccupied. A gold, metal sign hung above the desk and in all capital letters read:
SILENCE.
I laughed quietly as I thought about the sign and its screaming letters. It seemed ironic.

            The shelves were more neatly stocked than any I’
d ever seen in a school library— maybe even a public library. My eyes flickered to the section devoted to every language imaginable. The shelf started with English and progressed into Portuguese, Chinese, French, Latin and countless others.

           
The next aisle contained history books and the next science, I stayed away from those. I made my way across the library toward the bookshelves with posters of fire breathing dragons and wizards, knowing I would fit in better in this area. I lingered at the picture books for a moment and moved on.

           
I wandered the aisles scanning the volumes of books that filled the shelves, looking for a certain genre that held my favorite book. After a brief search I spotted the one I wanted three shelves over head. I stretched my arm as far as it could reach and tripped over my own toes, it was no use— it was too high for me. Remembering a small step-stool a few aisles over, I marched to it determined not to leave until I got it.

           
My eyes immediately darted to a worn paper sign taped to the wall that reminded me not to climb on the book cases. I half expected a librarian to be on duty, looking over her glasses at me as I tried to be as quiet as possible.

           
I retrieved the step stool and carried it back, getting lost in the process. After finally finding my way back, I sat the stool down and hoisted myself up. As I stood on the tips of my toes, I could feel the tattered binding with the pads of my fingers.

           
The worn spine of the book pulled away from its pages and I automatically let it go. I sighed in frustration and climbed back up on top of the stool. Checking behind me, my eyes flashing to the empty librarian’s desk, I stretched my arm up farther to get a better grip.

            Squeezing
the book between my index finger and thumb, I realized I needed to be higher to get a better hold. I pulled on the binding once more, but I couldn’t get it loose. Eyeing the sign on the wall one more time, I put one foot on the second shelf and tugged at the book. The sheer force of my yanking caused the stool to wobble under my unsteady legs.

          
I felt the stool give way and tip backward on the last tug. I knew I was going down and there wasn’t anything I could do about it. So naturally, I tensed up. Ready for impact, I clenched my eyes together so tight I thought I could see stars behind my lids and I waited for the thud that my body would make when I hit the ground.

           
The pain I had been expecting never came. The thud I warily listened for was never heard. Nothing hurt, that I knew of.
Great, I must be paralyzed
, I thought to myself. When I finally realized that I wasn’t injured I let out a sigh of relief and then I remembered I was supposed to be on the ground.

           
My eyes flashed open to examine my legs. I was sure they would be mangled and twisted like a pretzel around my head. Looking down at the ground, I grasped the fact that I was still in the air and my legs were still intact. I inspected the stool and then back up to where the book was still stuck and then I instantaneously felt a warm breath against my neck and two good sized arms cradled me without wavering.

“You got a death wish or something?” His voice was instantly familiar. I was aware that I shouldn’t recognize his voice automatically, but I couldn’t help i
t. This strange boy with the smoldering eyes intrigued me far more than he should.

            
I paused for a second as I stared into his eyes, the heat was electric. His breath on my neck gave me goose bumps and his heart pounded beneath my hand.  His chest radiated heat like a furnace and then I realized I was still in his arms. Taking my hand away from his thick beating chest was the most difficult thing to do.

           
The steady rhythmic thumping of his heart was strangely soothing, like a moving car. I always slept best on a long road trip— the constant moving of a vehicle could calm me immediately and Kane’s presence had the same effect on me.