Crimson Echo (7 page)

“
Kane, put me down!” I swatted at his over-sized shoulders for emphasis on each word.

“As you wish.”
He gently set me down, holding his arms out —waiting for me to regain my balance.

“I’m fine, thank you.” I chided his arms away, tugging on the bottom of my shirt and smoothing out the wrinkles.

“Are you sure?” A sly smile crept over his face.

“What are you doing here?” I winced at the acid in my voice, but it was too late to take it back now.

His perfectly white teeth glistened as he spoke. “I’m saving you, isn’t it obvious?” 

“Why? You’ve been ignoring me all week. I figured you didn’t want anything to do with me.” My voice was shaky.
I realized at once how stupid I sounded, but I knew what I saw— he had been ignoring me.

“
I was trying to be your knight in shining… leather. That was the phrase you used, wasn’t it?” 

                I saw him for the first time now, I actually saw him. He had a quiet confidence about him, not like a cocky jock—he was humble
. Whatever it was he had accomplished, he had worked hard for it and earned it. His eyes were a beautiful light cerulean and his hair was jet black— a beautiful contrast against his olive skin. A chiseled jaw framed his face—he looked like he could have been a muse for a statue. He was much taller than my five foot seven inch frame and his thin, white V-neck shirt clung to his torso, rising and falling with each breath he took.

              His arm
reached high above my head and he smiled down at me. He practically stood on top of me to free the book from its confines. Then I noticed how nice he smelled. It wasn’t like any cologne I had ever smelled before. It was more like a summer rain with a hint of ember and mixed with a rustic edge. I took the scent in freely now as he worked to free the book I had already forgotten about.

          
He edged closer to me and I inhaled again. As he stepped back on the heels of his feet I felt a tug and the pendent around my neck began to rise. An orange and yellow half sun rose above the collar of Kane’s shirt and gleamed in the light, before intertwining with mine. When my pendant touched his it gave off a loud snap and a burst of light sparkled against his chest.

          
Kane stepped back and noticed what had caught my eye. My mouth hung open in shock. He quickly yanked his necklace out of the air and the moon around my neck dropped back to my chest. His face was startled and I could tell he was trying to decide whether to run or not.

“What the hell was that?”
I tried to keep my voice calm.

“Static electricity…” He answered. I don’t know who he was trying to convince, me or himself.

“Static electricity, is that the best you’ve got?”

“
Where did you get that?” He asked.

“I asked you first.” I stepped back feeling my pulse beat faster.

“That’s never happened before. I don’t know what that was.” He admitted.

“I don’t believe you.” I insisted as I held onto the pendent around my neck.

“I don’t know what it was, okay?”

“I’m sorry, I just thought…”

“You thought wrong.” He sighed.

            I was positive that he knew more than he was letting on, but I decided I wouldn’t press my luck by interrogating him any further. He walked to a long wooden table with multiple green desk lamps and motioned for me to sit down. His mood had shifted back to a more tranquil disposition.

“So, was
Harry Potter
worth it?” The corners of his mouth rose triumphantly as he placed the book in front of me with a thud.

“Worth what?”
I questioned.

“Was
Harry Potter
worth risking your life for?”  He reiterated.

I could feel my cheeks betraying me as they flushed with warmth. I felt foolish,
he
made me feel foolish. “I had it under control.” I answered austerely.

“I could see that,” he laughed. “What’s so special about this book then?”

“Have you not read it? It’s only one of the greatest books of our generation!” I gushed. “More than that, I like getting lost in that world. With each uniquely thought out plotline you can’t help but be sucked in. Sometimes I wish I could jump into this book and live there.” I started to imagine the many scenarios of life at magic school. What it would be like to find mystery and wonder at every turn.

“You honestly think you could last in a
magical world?” He scoffed, bringing me back to reality.

“Yeah, I think I could.
Why? You don’t think I could?”

“I don’t think you know what you’re talking about. It’s dangerous.”

“And
you
know what it’s like in a magical world?” I scoffed.

“I’m just saying, isn’t he almost killed in every book? There’s always a threat looming around the corner, I don’t think you could hang. You can barely walk without getting injured.”

“I stand by what I said.”

He shook his head. “I don’t bel
ieve you. You’re bored with your life? That can’t be the only reason you’d risk injury for a book.”

“Ok
ay fine, the real reason I like the books so much is because I feel a connection to the main character. I understand him.” I shrugged.

“H
ow is that? Don’t tell me, you think you’re a witch too?” He mocked with a slight grin that nearly rendered me speechless every time.   

“No, you jerk! H
is parents were killed and he was left by himself, feeling like he never really belonged until he went to magic school. I guess I’m just waiting for my magic school.” My words came out in a hurried clutter.

           
I couldn’t believe I had spilled my guts to him like that— I never talk about my real parents with anyone, not even my best friend Faith. There was something about him that made me want to divulge every intimate detail of my life. The way he would look into my eyes like he was trying to read my soul only intensified that. I wanted him to know everything about me and I in turn wanted to know everything about him, but he didn’t give it up as easily.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know. How did they die?”
He frowned.

“I don’t know. They left me on my adoptive parent’s
door step when I was an infant. I was wrapped in a blanket with a note attached and this around my neck.” I held up the moon pendant for him to see.

He pause
d for a second and tilted his head to the side. “If you don’t mind me asking, what did the note say?”

“Please keep her safe, give her the life we couldn’t.
She deserves a full and happy existence, she’s special. Give her this pendant on her sixteenth birthday, that way she’ll know we’re always with her.” My voice sounded as if I were reading it right from the old piece of paper I kept tucked away in my desk drawer at home.

           
I looked at the letter from time to time. I had my mother’s hand writing. Sometimes I would stare at it for hours imagining what they would be like, what I would have been like had they still been around today.

          
I envisioned my mother with long, strawberry blonde hair that swept to the middle of her back with green eyes, perfect ivory skin and impossibly high cheek bones. I imagined her wearing a yellow sun dress with white flats and she would twirl with me while the skirt of her dress spun out like an open umbrella.

          
My father, I pictured him as a serene man with wavy brown hair and glasses. In my make believe world, he would sit in a lounge chair reading a book and occasionally glance up at my mom and I playing in the backyard and wink at us and smile.

“How cryptic, they must have been in some kind of trouble.” He gave me a half smile.

“I don’t know, I have never heard from them. I don’t even know if they’re alive.” I admitted, hanging my head.

           
I had to believe if they were alive they would have come back for me. They had to know that they weren’t going to be alive long enough to raise me, so the only other option was to give me away. It still stung after all these years imagining them.

           
I would never trade the life I have because I love my parents, but that voice in the back of my head was always there wondering what could have been. Am I anything like them, do we share the same quirky traits, what did my real dad do for a living? I had so many questions and so few answers.

          
Kane’s eyes became intense as he stared at me for a long moment, cocking his head to one side again. His lips pursed and he looked like he was having trouble concentrating on a difficult math problem. My cheeks burned again, he made me very uncomfortable, yet I felt strangely drawn to him.

“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s freaking me out.”
I broke the silence.

“I’m sorry,” his eyelids fluttered. “It’s just that after all you’ve been through,
after everything… you’re surprisingly normal. It’s extraordinary.”

“Extraordinary,” I repeated
with a tiny laugh. “There’s nothing extraordinary about me. I’m boring and goofy and awkward. Sometimes I stutter and I bite my nails when I’m nervous.” I took a deep breath, stopping myself from saying anything else. I tend to ramble, I should have added that.

“There’s beauty in the flaws, Tristan. Don’t you see that? If you’re interesting to one person in this world and
they can see your flaws as a beautiful part of your charm then what more could we ask for in this life? We all just want to be accepted and loved.” 

           
I had to admit this strange, secretive boy had a way with words. He made me feel at ease when I was on the verge of hyperventilating—he could lull you to sleep with his melodic voice. He stared at my necklace in awe and I wondered what he could possibly be thinking, but I didn’t have the guts to ask.

“What about you, what are your flaws?” I asked a little perturbed. “I know nothing about you.”

“Trust me, I’m more flawed than you could ever imagine.” His voice became serious. “More flawed than you would even want to know.”

“
There’s beauty in the flaws
Kane.” I repeated his speech back to him.

“It’s not the same. You wouldn’t understand.” He frowned.

“I would like to if you would only give me a chance.”

“It’s not that simple. I wish it were, but it isn’t.”
His frown lingered.

“Kane, I’m not going to judge you. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think it is.” I reached out and put my hand on his, trying to comfort him. His hand was so warm, warmer then I’d expected it to be.

“Thank you for saying that, but it doesn’t change anything.” He pulled away and averted his eyes.

“What could be so bad that you can’t tell me?” I was persistent.

“Ah, you’ll have to wait,” Before I could protest the bell rang, cutting our conversation short. “Same time tomorrow?” he asked, almost hopeful.

“I’ll be
here.” I nodded.

          
He didn’t even have to ask. I looked forward to my next conversation with him. I was fascinated by this creature that talked like he was from a different time and spewed romantic sentiments like a poet.

He turned to look at me and I could tell there was something he wanted to say.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Can I walk you to your next class?” He murmured under his breath.

“I would like that.” I smiled as he helped me with my books.

          The conversation never picked up again, he was silent as we walked through the crowded hallways. He pulled on my hand and dragged me through the masses. People moved out of his way when they saw him coming, almost instinctually maneuvering around him—something I might have done had he been barreling toward me at such a great speed.

He politely smile
d and nodded as everyone stared. His smile faded into a paranoid panic as he searched everyone’s face. He quickly looked down at his necklace and it glowed light blow for half a second and then returned to normal.

“I knew it!” He spoke through gritted teeth. “I knew something was up.”

“Kane, what’s wrong?” I asked, starting to feel a little nervous myself.

“Just keep walking.” He instructed. “Don’t look back.”
                

          
He kept looking back like someone was chasing us. I saw Faith as I stumbled to keep up with Kane. Her eyes looked liked saucers as she disappeared behind me. I could only shrug and keep moving. I could see my sixth period science class coming into view and I let out a soft sigh of relief. Instead of walking me to the door he pulled me aside into an empty classroom and locked the door behind him.

“Kane, what are you doing?” I asked frightened by his urgency.

“I’ll make this quick.” He breathed heavily as he looked over his shoulder. He pushed me against the wall—not hard enough to hurt me, just enough to alarm me.