Empyreal: Awaken - Book One (10 page)

Esteemed, elite, and uniformed,
Chelsea was perfect for someone who had always felt as an outsider.
But Coralie thought it was a good fit for different reasons as
well. Prestige academics, pristine facilities, and exceptional
faculty ... not to mention a difference in the social
aspects.

At Chelsea, at least, she would have
the option of having a connection to the outside, social world.
Although she had many acquaintances, there were very few
individuals that Coralie
would
consider as friends and even
fewer that she actually
did
. Besides Coralie's social life
was quite limited. It basically came down to classroom activities
and involvement – no after school curricula, other than the
occasional self-defense or weight and strength training held at the
University where her father was a Professor. Usually, she would
only attend when her parents insisted.

Breaking her thoughts, someone slid
into the empty seat beside her. She glanced in the direction of the
sudden motion. “Court?!?!” She somehow managed to contain a scream,
jumping in surprise.

Court leaned in, seeming somewhat
amused, and asked, “Did I scare you?”

His light, golden hair swayed
carelessly just above his brow. His bright blue eyes were staring
back into hers, she felt lost and at home, all at the same time –
if that was even a possibility. But it was – with Court ... it was
always that way ... anything and everything was
possible.

Putting an end to his waiting for an
answer, Coralie said, “Startled is more the word...” returning his
smile. “... What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to keep her
voice low.

Court leaned in even closer, his eyes
shining. “Would you believe I'm on a secret mission???” he asked
playfully, arching his brows. She let out a low snicker, and then
shook her head 'no'.

He shrugged with good humor. “I guess
you got me...”

“So...” she nudged his
continuance.

“So ... oh yes, what am I doing here
... at Chelsea, you mean...” he mumbled over his words
lightheartedly.

“You're stalling...” she attested, in
attempt to persuade him to answer her question.

“I assume you are always this
observant...”

“Court...” Coralie spoke his name calm
and stern, in a hopeful attempt to persuade him to
answer.

Court grinned. “Okay, okay ... easy
... I just came to check on a few things...”

“Check on a few things? Like
what?”

“On … well, my sister needed me to
check on a few things, here, while she was away...”

“Your sister, huh...” Coralie repeated
with reservations.

Court flashed a playfully sneaky grin.
“Okay … and I’ll admit, maybe I wanted to check in on you,
too...”

The two stared at each other for
moment, then the bell rang and students started to stir all around
them.

“May I escort you to your next
destination?” Court asked, still smiling at her. Coralie nodded in
agreement.

The two of them walked down the
hallway, side by side, students scurrying all around them. As they
approached her locker, Coralie turned and asked, “So, what ... you
just get to roam wherever you please?”

“Well,” he started with a grin and a
shrug of his shoulders, “yeah... I guess so... Norewood gave me
full access to the campus...”

“Must be good to have friends in high
places, huh?” Coralie added.

He smiled, and then said, “You have no
idea...”

Coralie knew that there was some
hidden meaning behind Court comment. She pressed on. “So, did you
find it?”

Court moved closer to her and was
staring at her, deep into her eyes. “Find what?”

Coralie's breath caught in her chest,
as it nearly always did when Court looked at her this way. “Umm,”
she started to stumble over her words, “... what you were looking
for...”

Court allowed his smile to grow across
his lips, as he moved in even closer. He paused just mere inches
from her face, and then said in an almost-whisper, “You could say
that...,” causing Coralie's heart to begin to race.

“So, I guess that you won't be … I
mean … I guess I won't be seeing you around Chelsea anymore
then...” she queried.

“Now ... I
wouldn't
say
that...” he said slyly, backing away from her slowly.

“Well, Courtland Cumberlin,” Coralie
started, trying to regain her composure, “... what, exactly,
would
you say?”

Another grin swept across his face, as
he leaned back in, moving closer to her face. “I
would
say
that,” he paused, breathing her in, “I have some unfinished
business to attend to ... so, yes, I'll probably stick around here
for a while ... maybe not specifically, limited to, Chelsea, but
I’ll be around ... you never know where I might reappear ...
“

Coralie smiled. Then suddenly,
realizing she had been holding her breath this whole while and
wasn't breathing, she exhaled loudly. Breathless, now, she tried to
regain her poise and form a somewhat normal question. “So, like
what kind of ... I mean, like what sort of unfinished business do
you have here?”

Still close to her, Court pressed his
finger to her lips, which sent shivers through her entire body.
“Shhh ... that's the secret part...” Court smiled and Coralie
swallowed hard. He eased his body away from hers. “Still on for
tonight?”

Coralie only managed to nod her head
in agreement. Her words being held captive within. She had been
long awaiting this night. The longest five days of her young life,
it seemed. Though she had seen him every night - atop her rooftop,
outside her bedroom window, talking for hours - the days had seemed
to drag on and on. It was the night that she longed for … until now
… here he was, standing in front of her.

Court smiled again. “You better go ...
don't want you to be late...” he said pointing up, right as the
late bell rang throughout the hallway.

Coralie tried to slow her heart rate
as she watched him walk down the hallway. She leaned back, resting
her head against her locker, taking in a deep breath.

Suddenly, becoming
very
conscious of the fact that she was all alone in the hallway,
Coralie snapped back into reality. Ms. Sieve was going to be
ecstatic of her late arrival, she thought to herself
sarcastically.

Coralie grabbed her Lit book and
notebook and slammed her locker door shut, as she began to run
toward her classroom. The sound echoed through the empty
hallway.

* * * * *

Ring. Ring.
Ring.

Court's phone chirped from inside his
jacket pocket. He stepped out into the sunlight, exiting the side
door of the east classroom building of Chelsea, and pulled the
phone from his pocket.

“Hello, dear sister ... great
timing...” Court answered.

“How did you – oh forget it ... I'll
never get used to that...” Criston responded, causing Court to let
out a slight chuckle.

“So, Sister, how's foreign
affairs?”

“Not bad, I guess ... not much action
right now...”

“But what about –”

She cut him off. “Okay, okay ... you
are so in the loop...”

“Comes with the package...”

“Whatever ... so, yeah, there was a
little situation last night ... but nothing to mention ... hence,
the reason that I didn't. What about you? Anything to
mention...”

Court allowed another chuckle to rise.
“Oh, I don't know, just a few action packed events, here &
there ... you know, like rescuing Coralie Collier from demonic
attackers and certain death … but other than that...”

Criston could hear the snide smirking
in her brother's voice. “Oh, stop it, Courtland...” she
protested.

“Oh, little sister, are you feeling a
bit left out?” he jeered.

“It's just that you get all the good
places...” she pouted.

“What do you mean? Romania ... that's
not good enough? Criston, it's beautiful there ... the
architectural cities and history –”

“Awesome,” Criston said sarcastically,
“Architectural cities, great history ... it's all just wonderful.
But where's the action? Where's the fight?” She continued to
grumble.

Court strolled through the courtyard
that lay between the four old, large, stone classroom buildings of
the prestigious campus of Chelsea. “Look, Sister, you're going to
have to settle down a bit ... you're going to blow
it...”

“Oh, come on -”

“I mean it ... You may not take this
very seriously, but Mom and Dad do … and believe me, they will make
certain that you are sent home immediately if anything, I mean,
anything,
is compromised...”

“But –” Criston started to interrupt,
but was quickly cutoff.

“You've always wanted to travel, Cris,
and now that you're old enough, and Mom and Dad actually considered
it,” he paused to let out a sigh of disappointment, “... and now,
you're upset, all because of what? It’s not what you expected …
it's not exactly what you thought it would be?”

“No, it’s just that –” she started,
but was cutoff again by Court’s words.

“This is our reality, Criston ... it's
not a game ... your tantrums will not be tolerated...”

“It's not a tantrum ... tantrums are
for kids –” Criston argued.

“I rest my case...” Court replied,
with absolute composure.

“Court –”

“Criston...” Courtland
countered.

“Okay, fine ... but if there's nothing
going on here soon, I'm going to –”

“You are going to stay right there
until your duties are complete ... because that's what
we
do...” Court paused to let his words sink in, “... right,
Sister?”

Criston's words fell silent, because
she knew her brother was right. She finally gathered enough
equanimity to speak. “Whatever ... so, what does your upcoming
schedule look like? Anything interesting?”

Court stopped and looked back toward
the East building, into a large window of a classroom full of
students – one, in particular of his interest, Coralie
Collier.

He smiled at her, still staring into
the window from the courtyard, as she sat beautifully, unknowingly
in her seat.

“Well, Sister ... it looks like my
daily schedule is going to be pretty full for a
while...”

“With what? Your duties or Coralie
Collier?” she said, attempting to patronize her brother.

Ignoring her obvious patronizing tone,
his smile grew wider and he answered, “Both...”

Knock. Knock.

Cal turned when he heard a knock at
his office door. “Come in.”

“Professor Collier?”

“Yes, that's me, kid ... what can I do
for you?” Cal answered the young man that stood in his office
door.

The young man started, seemingly
hoping to make a good impression. “Well, Professor Collier, I was
told to see you about an upcoming summer program here at the
University – an eco-conservation internship...”

“Yes, the internship – are you a
student here at Talmedge?”

“Well, not exactly ... I mean, that
is, not as of
yet
... I had planned on transferring here in
the Fall, but I was really hoping to get a jump start and get in on
the internship with you over the summer, “ he paused with
sincerity, “Professor Collier ... you really don't know how much
this would mean to me … “

Cal stared at the young man for a
moment. “So ... you say that you have planned to transfer here in
the fall...”

“Yes, Sir.”

“From where, may I ask...” he asked,
intrigued.

“Of course, Professor Collier, I would
be transferring in from Jemson University, upstate … It’s a very
small college, nothing in comparison to Talmedge, of
course...”

“Yes – very private, prestige, elite –
I know it well ... I have accompanied some research teams from
there on excursion abroad. I was even offered a position there
once. Great school...”

“Yes, Sir...”

“Why transfer?”

“Well, Sir, I moved here for my
grandfather...”

“Oh...”

“Yes, Sir, you see, he is not...” the
young man suddenly paused, as if at a loss for words, “...well, he
is in need of my help, so...”

“That's quite a noble gesture for such
a young man – to give up the things that he has worked so hard
for...” Cal said, commendably.

“Well, yes, Sir ... but you know what
they say ...
'Blood runs thick, thicker than water
...'“ he
paused, but only to reclaim his thoughts, “... besides, I don't
feel that I'm giving up anything that I couldn't regain in time ...
and even if that was the case, I would do
anything
to help
the man who had a hand in raising me...”

“Well then...” Cal paused waiting for
the young man's name, which he noticed that he did not catch at the
beginning of their conversation.