Atlantis (27 page)

“
The usual, I guess. I hung out with Charlotte and Nicholas. Ate Pop-Tarts.” I shrugged again. “I dunno.”

“
Pop-Tarts huh? Would you like me to fix the three of us lunch? I would appreciate it if you’d let Sophie tell you about the trip, and it would be really nice if you at least pretended to be interested. She looks up to you, you know?”

The things I did for food. “Sure.” Chances were I wouldn’t have to listen to Sophie tell me anything. At least the odds were in my favor, she didn’t like talking either.

“
Sure.” She teased back and pushed the door all the way open. “Give me a hug Ms. Bug. I’ve missed you.” I rolled my eyes, but complied.

“
I missed you too mom. We’re running low on Pop-Tarts.” I smiled up at her.

“
Well at least I’m good for something.”

I followed her down to the kitchen. Sophie was at the table drawing in her notebook, like always. It seemed like she was doodling or sketching in that thing every time I turned around. Soph looked like a mini version of our mom, only her hair was a little longer and she was still a lot shorter, for now. She was only ten years old. I sat down in the chair beside her.

“
What you drawing now?” I asked.

“
Mrs. Clark.” She didn’t even bother to look up.

I leaned over to get a better look. There on the white piece of paper, in pencil, was a Boston Terrier. It was an amazing likeness to Mrs. Clark. It even had the double spot over the left eye. Sophie was becoming a very decent artist. She drew better than anyone else I knew. “That’s really good. Is that all from memory?” I asked.

“
Yeah.” Her eyes never left the page as her hand kept drawing.

My mom had been opening and closing the fridge and cabinets, and apparently was done. “How about stir fry?” she asked.

“
Yeah,” said Sophie.

“
Sure,” I replied.

“
Didn’t I raise a talkative bunch?”

Sophie and I both looked up at her and shrugged our shoulders at the same time. “Ugh! What am I going to do with you two?”

“
Feed us,” I answered.

“
Yep.”

Meredith rolled her eyes and then went about her business cooking the three of us lunch. The rest of the afternoon was like that, quiet. I tried to escape to my bedroom after lunch on the pretense of reading, but my mom insisted I could read in the kitchen just as easily as I could upstairs. So I ended up reading more of my art history book, while Sophie drew a picture of me, and Meredith cleaned up around us. It was late afternoon when my mom sat down at the table and tried talking to us again. Well, tried talking to me.

“
Where’s Charlotte and Nicholas? Aren’t the three of you joined at the hip?”

I felt a little sorry. She wanted someone here that would talk, and Charlotte would have filled that roll perfectly, except for the minor fact that she had become enemy number one in the last three days. “Me and Charlotte got in a little argument over the weekend,” I said, my eyes didn’t leave my book. “So she probably won’t be by as often.”

My mom looked sad at this news, and I was sure it wasn’t for my loss.

I added, “Nicholas and I are hanging out tonight, but not here. I’ll be home by curfew.”

My mom gave me the
what’s going on
look again. “Charlotte and you aren’t speaking and you’re going out tonight with Nicholas. Is it a date?”

She was too perceptive. I worded my answer carefully. “I don’t like him that way mom. We’re just friends.” It had suddenly become a great time to leave. I grabbed my book and started to walk upstairs. “I think I’ll go for a walk. Be back in a bit.”

“
See you later honey.” I noticed how her eyes followed me out of the room.

I tossed my book on my bed, tied my hoodie around my waist, and slipped on my flip flops. I practically ran out the front door. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Gwen give me a tentative wave from her front porch. I waved back, and immediately changed course for the opposite direction.

The sun filtered through the leaves and lit the street in speckles of light. It was probably close to eighty degrees out, but the breeze made it a perfect summer afternoon. The smell of fresh cut grass filled the air. But what day would be perfect without Elliott?

Automatically I headed for my park. If I was lucky I would get another chance to try and tap into my latent mind power, and project. At the very least I would finally get a little privacy.

At the oaks that hid the entrance to my path, I quickly glanced back to make sure I wasn’t being followed. Good. No Charlotte, Nicholas, Sophie, or mom in sight. I darted into the shadows of the trees and strolled slowly towards my meadow.

The crunch of twigs beneath my feet, the rustle of the leaves, the scurries of the menagerie of creatures that called this place home; all of these sounds called to my soul. They signified the solitude I was once used to. After not having it for even a few days, I missed it badly.

I walked along slowly. I wasn’t in a hurry. There was only one place I wanted to be more than here, and I was still unsure how to accomplish that journey. Finally, I’d made it to the end of the path. I looked out from the shadows into my favorite place in the world. No one was there, as usual. Excellent.

I went straight to the cove. I didn’t feel like sunlight today. Besides, the shadows seemed to call for me. I untied my hoodie from my waist and scrunched it up into a make-shift pillow. I lay in my cove, and let the shadows engulf me.

I didn’t move from that spot for over an hour except for the usual twitch or toe wiggle. I was enjoying the isolation too much. Laying there, breathing in the fragrant lavender blossoms and other scents of this place, I found myself completely at peace. Only when the wind swirled around me, did my memory get jogged as to what I should be doing. Trying to see Elliott again.

Even though my heart started to race at the thought, I realized I was already halfway there. I was relaxed. I was happy. And I was warm and comfortable. I took a deep breath of the fresh air, filling my lungs completely. I slowly let it out and closed my eyes.

Holding completely still, I tried to become one with the earth. I visualized my body sinking into the grass and dirt below me. I noticed that thinking of myself and nature merging as one was making me the most relaxed I had ever been. I tried to delve into my mind and figure out how to let go.

I kept very still as I tried to project. Nothing happened. I felt like I was missing something. Like there was something Elliott forgot to mention. As far as I was concerned, I was doing the first part flawlessly. What did I leave out? I replayed his words again. Safe? Check. Comfortable? Check. Relax? Check. Worries melt away? Check. Let go? Nope.

I couldn’t help it, and I knew it wasn’t helping me, but I started to get frustrated. Lying there like some loon, trying to tap into my mind. I opened my eyes just so I could roll them at myself. Charlotte might be right after all. This certainly sounded crazy.

The sound of movement out by the headstones caught my attention. I sat up to see who, or what, was making the noise. Speak of the devil. Correction, think of the devil. Charlotte was headed right for me.

I rolled back onto my hoodie and tried my best to ignore her.

“
I thought I’d find you here.” Yep. She sounded cheerful as ever.

I smirked. “Lovely to see you too Harlet. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“
Have you seen Nicholas?” She shot me a dirty look as she said his name. This girl was crazier than me if she thought that I would purposely bring on all this drama. “He keeps disappearing on me,” she added with a sigh.

I turned her words from the other day around and flung them at her. “Are you sure he isn’t a figment of your imagination?” Another smirk flashed across my face before I had a chance to hide it. I shouldn’t push her buttons, but it was too easy. Elliott was probably right. Nicholas was rubbing off. Anyway, in my opinion, she deserved it lately.

The dirty look she gave me got dirtier. “Have you seen him?” she repeated.

“
Why does it matter?”

“
I will not let you ruin this for me Lilly. Go play with your imaginary boy and leave Nicholas be!”

“
I would love too!”

“
What does
that
mean?”

“
Has it crossed your mind that Nicholas might be the one that’s not leaving me alone?”

That stopped her for a fraction of a second, before she derived her own meaning from my words. Of course it was the wrong meaning. “So you are trying to steal him!”

“
There’s no point in talking to you. Go stalk him!”

“
I would if I knew where he was.” She smiled a sinister smile. “Maybe if I hang around you long enough he’ll come around.”

“
That would be a good plan, except for the fact that I don’t like being around you. You are like a little dark rain cloud these days. I don’t want you tainting the air around me with your negative attitude!”

“
I hate you Lilly Black!” Charlotte stomped off towards home.

I jumped up and screamed in frustration. I was never going to see Elliott at this rate. Charlotte was still irate for reasons beyond my control. I had a date with the wrong boy in less than an hour. And for the life of me I couldn’t get myself to
let go
. Whatever that meant!

I paced out into the cemetery part of my meadow and stewed for another ten minutes or so. I wanted to go home, but I wanted to be sure I didn’t run into Charlotte again. I didn’t feel like another confrontation right this minute. We were sure to have a fight if she ever found out about the date.

After waiting long enough that I shouldn’t run into Charlotte, I bolted home. I wasn’t in a particular hurry for my date, I just figured running might help expel some of the negative energy Charlotte had injected in me.