Flicker (30 page)

              Alexander tipped his head back into the frigid water, but he didn't stay there long. If he hurried, he could make it to Philadelphia to feed and be back in time to meet the bus for the Latin trip this morning. There were other ways to sate the ache of loneliness that pitted the core of his power-- options that left him in firm control of his situation.

              Friday dawned cloudy and chilly, something Elise could acutely appreciate as she strode up to the pair of buses parked outside the cafeteria, clutching her cloak tightly around herself. She was momentarily torn as habit pulled her toward Magistra West, who stood at the doors to the first bus talking to the driver. But before she could even complete that thought, her eyes were moving, searching for Alex in the milling crowd of bleary-eyed Latin students.

              The second she saw him, she knew she had a rare chance to observe him without him noticing. He was standing a bit apart from the crowd, his hands jammed deep into the pockets of his woolen pea coat, the collar up and his head bent against the cold. The wind tossed a few strands of his inky black hair and Elise noticed that he had headphones on; as she watched him, she saw that he was actually moving ever so slightly to the beat of whatever music he was listening to.  After a second, she realized he was dancing-- it wasn't immediately apparent, but as he rocked the tiniest bit from side to side, his shoulders shifting and his head turning, it became clear to her. She moved toward him, only half aware that she was smiling, enjoying the moment to really see him for himself while at the same time overtaken by the impish desire to sneak up on him.

              That idea didn't last long, however: Elise was a few steps away from him when Alex lifted his head, looking straight at her. Grinning, he tugged the headphones out of his ears. “Good morning, little girl,” he said gently.

              Elise crossed the last few feet of space between them, the heels of her boots clicking on the concrete, and, because it seemed ridiculous not to, slipped her hand into his. “What are you listening to?” She asked curiously. They had talked about music, but she'd never actually heard of any of the bands he'd mentioned, let alone listened to their music.

              “Here,” he said simply, holding out the headphones. A little hesitantly, she slipped them into her ears.

              The first thing Elise noticed was the pounding bass beat that seemed to vibrate through her. She felt its impact in her bones, not loud but insistent, pulsing, demanding that she move to its rhythm. The song was clearly electronic, because she doubted the sounds in the melody could have been produced by physical instruments-- but rather than being cold and mechanical, they had a life of their own that pulled at her heart. When the vocals began, the man's harmonic, hypnotic voice weaving through the synthetic sounds of his music, Elise actually felt her power wake in her chest in response.

              She jerked the headphones away from her ears before she caused any sort of scene. “What was that?” She gasped.

              “That's one of my favorites,” Alex chuckled. “The song is called Genesis.”

              He started to say more, but at that moment, Magistra's ringing tones called the gathering to attention. She directed half of the students onto one bus, half to the other, and the next few minutes were filled with shuffling as the students trooped onto the two waiting school buses, eager to escape the morning's chill. Elise shooed Alex on ahead and hung back so that she was the last in line; as she'd anticipated, Magistra pulled her aside once she'd gathered her skirts and mounted the stairs onto the bus.

              “Elysia, my sweet, would you be a dear and take roll for me while I check in with the chaperone on the other bus?” She asked, her hand on her favorite student's shoulder. Elise smiled up at her.

              “Of course, Magistra,” she said, accepting the clipboard with the attendance list and a pen. The teacher smiled back and made her way off the bus; Elise squared her shoulders and looked over the rows of seats full of her peers. Clearing her throat, she tried something new.

              Teasing just a tiny bit at her power, she drew it up into her throat, picturing it coating her vocal cords to strengthen and protect them. She also shooed it down through her lungs, lending force to the muscles in her abdomen and helping herself to draw a deeper breath. “All right,” she called, and as her voice rang out over the bus, every single head turned toward her. She allowed herself a tiny smile and began calling out and checking off the names on Magistra's list.

              When she got to Alex, she had to pause and collect herself-- he was smirking at her in a decidedly heartbreaking manner, one side of his full mouth quirked up and his bright blue eyes sparkling. Elise swallowed hard and had to resist the urge to stick her tongue out at him as she got the distinct impression he'd distracted her on purpose. Doggedly sticking to her task, she marked him present and continued down the list. By the time she'd reached the end, she could see Magistra West heading back from the other bus.

              “Here you go, Magistra,” she chirped, allowing her power to drain back into its little ball in her chest before handing back the clipboard. “The count here is thirty-four.”

              “Thank you, dear,” Magistra smiled. “I can always rely on you.” She sank into her seat at the front of the bus and gestured for Elise to take the empty bench across from her as usual , but today Elise shook her head.

              “Thanks, but I'm actually sitting with Alex Mercer,” she said, smiling a little shyly.

              Magistra's eyebrows arched. “Are you, now? I have to say, I have noticed you two leaving class together a few times this year.” She paused, then said seriously. “I have meant to say, Elysia, that you seem very happy these days. I'm glad for you.”

              Elise's throat suddenly felt tight. “Thank you, Magistra,” she said softly.

              Her teacher grinned at her, making a shooing motion with her hand. “Off you go, then, so we can get underway!” The bus lurched into motion as Elise slid into the seat Alex had saved her.

              Bumping him with her shoulder, she teased, “So, what was that all about? Trying to make me get flustered in front of half the Latin club?”

              Alex laughed. “No, no, of course not!” He protested, the picture of innocence. “I just get so tickled watching you take charge.” Now she really did stick her tongue out at him, and rolled her eyes for good measure.

              As the sleepy town rolled by the window, Elise dug into her messenger bag and drew out a small, zippered pouch. Alex watched with interest as she spread a long satin ribbon across her lap, and choked on a sound that might have been laughter when the ribbon was followed by a cloth tomato stuck full of pins. Elise, unraveling a spool of thread, paused to glare at him. Her eyes dared him to keep laughing, and he swallowed comically as he met her gaze.

              After a long moment, Alex managed to muster a tone that was relatively mirth-free. “I didn't know you sewed.”

              Elise resumed threading her needle, her nose in the air. “It is an eminently practical skill, and there is no reason why I shouldn't have learned it,” she said loftily. From the corner of her eye, Elise could see Alex biting his lip to keep his laughter contained.

              “I didn't say it wasn't. You just don't seem like the homemaker type.” His voice was very casual.

              Elise snorted. “You say that like it's an insult. But really, where did you think I got all my clothes?” She finished knotting her thread and grasped a handful of her long, draping, herringbone-patterned skirt. “They don't exactly sell this sort of thing at the mall.”

              “It isn't an insult,” Alex seemed to think it was safe to let a chuckle escape him. “But so many women these days seem to think it is.” He shrugged, changing the subject. “So what are you making?”

              Elise painstakingly folded a pleat and began to tack it down while a tiny smirk played across her lips. “My Halloween costume.”

              From the corner of her eye, Elise saw Alex fighting a wide grin. “Do you still go trick-or-treating, little girl?”

              “As a matter of fact, I do,” she said archly, glancing at him sidelong from under her eyelashes. To pay him back for distracting her during roll call, Elise slipped a little heat into her eyes, and was rewarded by a tiny shiver that ran through him. His distraction only lasted a moment, however, before he recovered himself to tap the tip of her nose with his finger.

              “So am I invited? Because if so, I'm going to need a costume,” Alex teased. Despite his quips, she could tell he was happy for them to have something normal to talk about-- particularly something Elise enjoyed so immensely.

              Elise flashed him a smile as she knotted her thread. “That's easy-- you'll match me, of course!”

              “And what exactly is this costume you're making?” Alex asked, his eyebrow quirked at her. Elise's grin widened.

              “Well, this,” She lifted the ribbon she was sewing. “Is going to trim the neckline of  the bodice on my gown. And yesterday I spent some time working on a bustle underskirt. I have petticoats, and a corset... I'll have to make a bonnet, I suppose, to be entirely proper,” she mused.

              “You're being what then, a Victorian lady?” Alex guessed, his eyebrows climbing still further. “How very... demure of you.” He smirked.

              “Oh, not just any lady,” Elise teased, drawing it out. “I'm dressing as Wilhelmina Murray!”

              Alex blinked at her for a moment, his mouth slack. Then he threw his head back as he started to laugh. “You wicked little thing,” he chuckled, tucking an escaped strand of her long hair behind her ear. “Sometimes you're too clever for your own good.”

              Elise grinned at him evilly. “So you'll wear the Dracula costume I'm making you, then?”

              “Oh, better than that,” Alex smirked down at her. “You'll get to see how very dapper I look in a top hat and cape.”

              There was something so purposely flirtatious in his otherwise ridiculous statement that Elise felt a shiver go up her spine. She considered it fitting retribution for her baiting him a minute ago, and chose not to engage his invitation. After a moment, he nodded his acquiescence with a slight smile and continued, “So, you're making my costume, too? And how did you learn to sew, anyway? Did your mom teach you?” He sounded intensely curious. “She seems like such a liberated woman and all-- I had thought she would avoid the stereotypical skills for all she was worth.”

              “No, you're right, she doesn't know how,” Elise said, her smile fading. “I went to a day camp when I was a little girl, and they spent an afternoon teaching basic sewing. I found it relaxing.” She hesitated, but she was making an effort not to hide things from him. “My parents weren't keen on sending me to the camp to begin with-- it was basically the finishing school of summer camps-- but my friend Kristin's parents were very into that sort of thing, and I went to keep her company. I actually liked it better than she did.”

              Alex gently leaned his shoulder against hers. “Thank you for sharing that with me,” he said, his voice so soft she barely heard it over the ruckus of the bus. Elise shrugged again.

              Just then, the bus jolted over a bump in the road and pitched Elise into Alex. Reflexively, he steadied her, his powerful arm holding her tightly against him. She tensed for a moment, surprised, but she was able to check her habitual instinct to struggle and relaxed into the embrace, resting her head on his chest. More mentally than physically, she felt him smile against her hair.

              It took just under an hour for the pair of buses to reach the museum. It was located on the campus of a prestigious university, and during Latin trips in past years, Elise had familiarized herself with the layout of both the museum and the surrounding area. She enjoyed being able to lose herself in the far distant past-- but as she exited the bus and practically skipped toward the entrance, she realized that Alex might not necessarily feel the same way.

              “What's up?” She asked, turning to wait and allowing the crowd of students to pass her by as he slowly caught up with her.

              Alex shrugged, looking at the weathered plaque beside the door to the museum rather than at Elise. “I tend to avoid these places, actually,” he said, sounding just a little too disinterested. “I lived through much of what is represented within these walls, and most days, I don't care to do it again.”

              Elise frowned, walking back more sedately to meet him half way. “Why did you come, then?” She asked softly. His smile didn't reach his eyes, and the expression broke Elise's heart.

              “You see, there was this lovely girl in my class, and I felt bad ditching her,” he began, and his eyes brightened a bit as she had to restrain herself from kicking him in the shin.

              “Great, so now it's my fault you're miserable?” Elise demanded lightheartedly, sticking her tongue out at him once more as she tried to make him laugh.

              “Nah,” he scoffed. “I have to face history sooner or later, anyway.” Then he met her gaze earnestly. “To be honest, I'd rather have you with me when I do.” Looking up into his sober face, Elise recalled Gregory telling her that in his own way, Alex was as damaged as she was.