Atlantis (37 page)

“
If your body gets startled, you automatically fall back. It’s like a safety reflex. Getting back on purpose isn’t hard though. Close your eyes and feel the beating of your heart. Concentrate on it. I’ll miss you mia amore. But now I know I will see you soon.”

I closed my eyes. Elliott’s lips softly kissed my forehead. I did as he said and concentrated on the beating of my heart. The ground seemed to disappear beneath me and I felt the familiar falling sensation I was expecting. The wind quit whipping my hair in my face and I could feel two big arms wrapped around me and the smell of musk on his skin.

Chapter 17. The Secret

Jumping up, awake and excited at finding a way to project, I launched myself onto Nicholas.

“
Thank you! Thank you!” It took so much self control not to scream the words at him. Screaming would surely wake up my mom.

Nicholas looked down at me, confused. “You’re welcome? For what... again?”

All I could do was smile. Every pore of my body was radiating happiness. I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a big hug. “For coming over.” Without thinking I pecked Nicholas on the lips. As soon as my lips touched his I jumped back and ran to my bedroom door. Whoops. Big mistake.

“
Sorry.” My face was scrunched up all confused. “Can you come back tonight?” I asked, eager to project again.

Nicholas stared back at me, obviously not understanding how he made me so happy by the look on his face. He yawned. After a second of looking around, he looked at me and said, “Love to Lilly.”

I mouthed, “bye,” as I closed the door to my room and skipped down the stairs.

The fresh smell of coffee percolated up and met me at the kitchen door. Meredith was already awake. She sat at the table reading the morning paper, taking the occasional sip of coffee. When I walked in, she looked up.

“
You’re up early Lilly Bug.” She looked at the clock above the sink.

I couldn’t help but look at the clock too. 6:37. Wow. I didn’t think I’d ever been up and actually peppy at this hour before. I did my best to not skip my way into the kitchen, but it was hard to hide the spring in my step. I saw my mother re-assess me from the corner of her eye.

Failing miserably, I did my best to act casual as I dropped two Pop-Tarts into the toaster and fixed the setting to burnt, where it should be. Unfortunately, she wasn’t fooled.

“
So why
are
you up so early Lil?”

I shrugged my shoulders playing it up a bit as I pulled my nicely blackened breakfast from the toaster. “I dunno.” I took a bite as I sat down at the table. My mind quickly floated away. I found myself daydreaming about being with Elliott. In the my meadow. In Italy. In the strange but beautiful alternate world meadow. It didn’t matter where we were. The only thing that mattered was that we were together. And we could be now that I had figured out how to project.

The little ding ding sound of Meredith stirring her coffee brought me back to the table and my breakfast. I realized a few seconds too late that I was grinning from ear to ear. Without warning my mom ran her hand through my short messy spikes.

“
You are definitely twitter-pated, kid.”

I looked back at her with a start. “I don’t know what you mean mom.”

“
Sure you don’t.” Her eyes were trying with all their might to penetrate my thoughts.

I decided it would probably be safer to finish my breakfast in my room. I scooped up my uneaten Pop-Tart and started to leave.

“
Where are you going?” She asked me, a bit suspiciously. “Going to go meet anyone?”

“
Nope.” Not until later anyway. “You’re right, it’s early. I think I’ll go back to bed.” I had serious doubts that I would fall back to sleep with how hyped up I was, but anywhere was better than getting cross-examined by the gossip queen.

The day went by slowly. About every hour and a half my mom found an excuse to come check on me in my room. Each time she was disappointed that I was lying in bed daydreaming, and alone. No secret rendezvous today. Tonight would be another story.

A little past one she poked her head in my door, again. “Would you like a grilled cheese sandwich Lil?”

“
No thanks. I’m just going to have a Dr. Pepper and saltines for lunch. Thanks though.” And then I was back to staring. Staring at all the thoughts that were swimming around my mind.

“
You are awfully mopey for someone so happy.”

That’s because time is moving as slow as molasses
, I thought.

I looked back in time to
see
a suspicious look in her eyes as she re-closed the door, again disappointed at my inability to chatter.

The sun was setting before I realized I still hadn’t showered for the day. Not that I wanted to lead Nicholas on more than necessary, but I didn’t think he would like to hang out all night with a stinky little grease monkey. I wasn’t in the shower long. Or the bathroom either. My goal was simple, nothing fancy. I just needed to be presentable. I didn’t even get dressed in actual clothes. I changed into a clean pair of pajama bottoms, they happened to have a printed pattern of stars on them, and a clean white tank top.

It was finally getting late. In a few hours Nicholas would be with me and I would be on my way to Elliott. I could almost smell the mystical floral smell of his skin. I couldn’t help skipping to my room. I should have stopped at the door. I didn’t realize Meredith was sitting on my bed until it was too late.

“
Late shower huh?” She wasn’t even trying to hide her suspicions now.

“
Uh, yeah. The day just got away from me somehow.” I was never a good actress. My attempted casual nothing-weird-going-on-here demeanor seemed fake even to me. “It’s pretty late mom. I should probably get to bed.”

“
You don’t seem very tired Lilly.”

“
Well... you know...” I tried my hardest to fake a yawn.

She stood up and walked towards the door. “I think you should come have a cup of tea with me. I just finished brewing a fresh pot.”

“
I dunno mom.”

She looked me straight in the eyes. “Please.” The way she said it made it clear it was a rhetorical question.

“
Okay.” I followed her out, glancing back at the clock as I closed my door. It was almost eleven.

Meredith poured us each a cup of tea and I quietly followed her to the front porch. We sat there for a while, sipping and swaying on the porch swing in silence. I wasn’t about to crack the can of worms I could see my mom trying to mentally open. The soft sound of moth wings flapping as they circled the porch light was not nearly enough noise to break the awkward silence. Their little wings seemed to beat out the seconds in slow motion. A deep sigh escaped my mouth and I crossed my fingers hoping she would abort whatever she was trying to talk to me about. I didn’t like worms much.

“
So are you an official boyfriend stealer then Lilly?”

“
What?” What on earth was she talking about?

“
Charlotte mentioned you stole her boyfriend yesterday. And seeing how Nicholas is here all the time, my guess is it’s him.”

I rolled my eyes though I don’t think she could see it in the dim light. “Mom, I’m not dating Nicholas.”

“
Then why hasn’t Charlotte been by. She seems to think you are.”

“
Well she’s wrong.”

“
It’s okay if you like Nicholas, Lilly. You have known him forever. It’s totally natural to develop feelings for someone you’ve known for such a long time.”

“
I don’t have feelings for Nicholas mom! We’re just friends. Besides, he’s not...” I took a sip of my tea as I tried to stay calm. I had a bad tendency of giving away too much information when I was angry. I’d almost said Elliott. And Elliott was a secret of my soul. “...my type,” I finished.

“
Lilly.” My mom sounded annoyed.

“
What?”

“
I know something is up.” Her fingers drummed on the side of her cup. “And I want to know what it is.”

I shrugged my shoulders and drank the last sip of my tea. “Thanks for the tea mom.” I stood up. “I really think I should go to bed now. I love you. Goodnight.”

I lay in my bed like a good girl with the lights off and pretended I was really going to sleep. I had no doubt Meredith was going to come check on me before she went to bed. I hoped it was soon.

I closed my eyes as I lay there and thought of how beautiful the astral meadow was. When I was there I was usually preoccupied with Elliott’s glittering emerald eyes, chocolate hair, and perfect face, but actually thinking about it I realized just how magnificent it really was. It was as if the earth, air, fire and water energies all got together and made themselves their own private paradise. And I could now get in.

Laying with my eyes closed for hours daydreaming, I accidently fell asleep. It was a dreamless sleep. I think my head was too full for dreams. But I did start to remember the inner thoughts of what was going on in my mind when I felt the sensation of falling. This was what I was hoping for. But did I do it on my own? Before I could even finish my thought I was there with Elliott, looking deep into his eyes as he gazed back at my soul.

I smiled. “I did it.”

Elliott couldn’t help but grin at me. “It’s good to have you back Lil. Talked Nicholas into coming over again I see.”

“
What are you talking about? I’m here solo.” A little sass never hurt anyone.

He swept me off my feet, spun me around, and laid us both on the soft blanket of grass and lavender before turning his eyes back to my own. “I’m pretty sure Nicholas is with you.”