My Soul to Keep (The Soul Keeper Series - Young Adult Paranormal Romance) (21 page)

“Sorry I'm coming.”

The place seems quaint. A brown brick wall runs down
the length of the cafe giving it a very urban loft feel; I like it. A waiter
comes and greets us. He is giving Emily the up and down I think he likes her.
But I know she only has eyes for Chris.

“Good afternoon ladies, what can I get you to
drink?”
           
“I'll have an iced tea.”

     
“Make it
two.” The menu is small but full of variety.

 
“Em, what if Elijah comes back and finds me with someone else?”

“And what if tomorrow a bus drives over you?” She
sure knows how to make a point. I try to contemplate which I would prefer.

“A short bus or a charter?”

“A charter towing a short bus!”
We burst out laughing.

“Hey let me see your phone for a second,” she says
just as the waiter comes to take our order. Did she forget hers? I take it out
of my bag and hand it to her.

“I'll have the seared tuna salad and did you want to
split a calamari?” I ask and Emily nods.

“I'll have the Chicken Lettuce wraps.” She gives
flirty eyes to the waiter. I nudge her under the table. She looks at me like what?

“But seriously Brennen, if Elijah comes back, and
that is a big if, make him work for it. He can't just up and leave you, and
have you roll over at his feet when he decides he wants you back.
 
Maybe you will be happier than you ever
thought possible with someone else. But if you don't at least try then you will
always wonder.” I wonder if Elijah is coaxing her speech right now.

“I know, I know but I don't know how to even start
to get over him.” She looks past me.

“Well I know how you can start.” She looks up and I
turn to see Sam finding his way to our table. Oh, that's why she wanted my
phone. I am slow. I scoot over so he has room in the booth.

I give Emily a murderous look. “Glad you could make
it.”

“Yeah, me too.”
He drinks me in. His arm brushes against mine in the tight space. I don't move
away. The feeling is nothing like the magnetic spark that I feel when Elijah
even comes near me. How do you forget that? I try and remember how I felt about
Sam that night of the homecoming dance. When he kissed me on the dance floor, I
was beginning to have strong feelings for him then. From now on I will just
take the feelings as they come and I won't reject whatever they are. He has
shown me the patience of a Saint. I forgot how good he smells. He is wearing
his same woodsy cologne he always wears.

The waiter comes by after seeing Sam.

“What can I get you to drink?”

“I'll have a Dr. Pepper and the short ribs, please.”

“Yes sir, very good.”

“Are you sure I'm not interrupting girl's day? I was
surprised to get your text.”
 
I fish for
my phone to find out exactly what “I” sent him. I hold my phone discreetly by
my leg and see: Hey babe why don't you meet us for lunch? XOXO- I glare up at
Emily. Really, how could you?

“You were right down the street. I should have
invited you earlier. I guess I was distracted.”

“Besides, Chris wants us to double-date and
go
to the concert in VB tonight,” Emily chimes in. What?
What concert in Virginia Beach? Sam looks to me for approval.

“Who’s playing, and where?” I ask her.

“Coldplay and the Farm Bureau,” She says while
throwing a cabbage patch dance move. I do love that band.
Do it, ask him
.

“Sounds like good times and good company to me, how
about you Sam?”

“Are you asking me out on a date?” I think he
immediately regrets his words by the look on his face.

“Yes, Sam would you be my date for the concert
tonight?” I ask sweeter than honey.

“I would like that very much Brennen.” Sam's eyes
capture my gaze. Emily claps her hands and lets out a squeal of delight
. She really should try out for cheerleading
.
She takes her phone out and texts Chris to buy the tickets. The waiter brings
out our calamari and I reach for a piece. Sam's hand grazes mine at the same
time and he looks longingly at me. I think he must still feel that heat between
us. I still feel numb and I hate that I feel this way.

When we leave the restaurant Sam walks us to my car.
He lingers close to me but doesn't take my hand, though I can tell he wants to.
I get in and roll the windows down. Sam puts his hands on the window sill.

“So how about we meet at my house at seven and go
from there,” I offer.

“Sure, you girls have fun shopping.” He smiles. He
looks at my lips and moistens his. He chickens out and backs away from the
window. He waves as I back the car out.

“You really do like to make him work for it
don't
you?” Emily chides. I shrug her off.

“I agreed to go on a date with him didn't I? And by
the way, thanks for the ambush!”

“Well,” she says with her hands up in the air. I
drive to a nearby shopping strip that has several clothing stores. Emily darts
into one with some very peculiar clothes in the window. I won't be buying
anything from this store.

Two hours and six stores later, she has talked me
into a white lace A-line skirt and sheer floral top. She thinks it will look
great with a pair of my cowboy boots. She picks out a haltered coral colored
dress that has a white embroidered design along the plunging neckline and a
faded cropped denim jacket.
 

Sam and Chris arrive at seven and we take his truck.
I sit in the front seat with Sam. He palms the seat, inviting me to sit in the
middle, so I slide over and he puts his arm around me.

“You look very beautiful tonight.”

“Thank you.” He is wearing a deep red, long sleeved
Henley and the outline of his chest muscles is distracting. He smells of his
woodsy cologne, and sitting this close I can smell other notes of spices and
something floral. Overall I like whatever it is. His arm around me feels nice,
like he is saying I'm his. He has the music on at background level and I hear a
song by One Republic playing. Chris and Emily are rehashing their day in the
back seat.
 

“Are you a fan of Coldplay?”

“I guess were about to find out,” he chuckles.

The venue is not far from my house, and we arrive in
under half an hour. I scoot out to the driver’s side and Sam grabs my waist and
helps me dismount his oversized truck. I blush at the way his hands feel
clamped tightly around my waist. He must notice the color on my cheeks too. He
gives a knowing smile, and runs his thumb along my cheekbone. The night is
cloudy and cool. I brought a light trench coat just in case I need it. We have
lawn seats. We wait in the long lines to get in, and the wind kicks up, sending
chills up my skirt and down my arms. I unfold my jacket and Sam takes it from
my hands and helps me put it on. Then he takes his place behind me and wraps
his body around me, shielding me from the wind. It is such a gentleman's
gesture and it warms me to him. I am feeling toasty in under a minute thanks to
his radiant heat. Emily and Chris are snuggled up next to each other.

We find a space on the lawn, right up front, and
spread out a blanket. Emily pulls another quilt from her bag and covers our
legs. Sam sits behind me and I lean into his warm body. The opening band comes
on stage and plays a cover of Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Sam nuzzles his nose
into my hair and rests his chin on my shoulder. It feels natural and right. I
take his hand and enjoy the way it feels to be his.

Coldplay finally takes the stage and Emily and I
swoon with high pitched elated
ee's
. The guys roll
their eyes and sway us to the gentle melody of Viva la Vida. The venue is
packed but the mood is mellow. I am glad we could do this together. I think
about Emily's idea to travel the world for a year and wonder what that would be
like. I have no one here to tell me I can't. We will soon be heading our
separate ways. Well except Sam, he does plan on going to the same college as I
do, of course that all depends if we both get accepted. The lyrics of Yellow
fill the air sweetly.

Sam's nose finds my ear and his hot breath whispers,
“I am definitely a fan.” I wiggle in his arms and he hugs me tighter. I turn my
face to his and to tell him I'm glad he likes them, but his lips find mine and
effectively shuts me up. I gasp in shock and pull away, it’s too soon. A wave
of emotion comes over me, and I bolt down the hill.

“Brennen, wait I'm sorry.” Sam trails after me. I
round the corner to the concession area and run into the restroom before he can
catch up to me. I am breathing hard and tears threaten to spill over my eyes.
The room is crowded, and people are looking at me like I am a side show. I find
an empty stall and allow the tears to come. I dab my eyes with a tissue and try
to calm myself. I miss him so much. Sam is so different in every way. Not a bad
way either, just different. I feel stupid for taking off on him. I feel my age
right now.
I tried Elijah, can't you see
that I tried
. My subconscious is telling me something, I try to listen
because sometimes I wonder if he is telling me something. It's almost as if he
has become my subconscious. In his journal it says he speaks to me and I can
hear him easily.
You haven't tried; you
haven't given in to your honest feelings. Take the wall down Bren and open your
heart.
Oh Elijah, I wish I knew how.

I saunter out of the bathroom with my head hung low.
Sam is leaning against the wall with his head in his hands in exasperation. I
go to him.

“You didn't do anything wrong. It’s me, I am so
messed up.” He looks up at me, searching my eyes for the words that will fix
things.

“No, you are perfect. Don't ever forget that.
Everything you feel, everything you say is right. I shouldn't have kissed you
so soon I just... the moment felt so right. I get so weak when I'm around
you.”
 
I move my hands around his neck
and pull him in letting him finish the distance. He wraps me in his arms and
kisses me with a passion I have never felt from his lips. I allow the feelings to
trickle into my heart and cascade all the way to my toes. I realize I am not
even touching the ground. He releases me and I slide down his body to the
ground. I can still feel the love I have for Elijah protruding into my heart,
into my thoughts. I don’t think it will ever leave. It’s not rational, he’s not
even human, and my mind reminds me of it over and over again. He once told me
that I carry a piece of his soul with me and I now believe he wasn’t speaking
metaphorically. Somehow I have to learn to live with that piece of him nibbling
away at my heart and still go on with my life without him in it.

“Can I have this dance?” Sam puts his hand out, and
I put mine in his. He pulls me in the same way he did at homecoming and we
glide along the pavement in a rhythm all our own. He spins and waltzes me
around to the melody. We are in a bubble.
 
I laugh every time he spins me and my feet land to the beat right on
cue. When the song stops and the crowd
erupts
, we look
around to find a small half circle has formed around us and camera phones have
been rolling. We laugh and run off hand in hand back to the lawn.
           
The crowd is on their feet. We
find Chris and Emily in the sea of people.
           
“You okay?” Emily mouths
knowing I wouldn't hear her even if she yelled. I nod and smile. She gives a
satisfied look. I try to get back into the concert but my mind wanders off
again. I don't let it go to Elijah, but focus on how good I am feeling right now.
Soon I notice the whole crowd is singing along to The Scientist and it sends
chills down my arms, I feel compelled to sing along. Sam takes his spot behind
me and I can hear him singing in my ear. He is moving his body to the music and
the two of us together feel natural again.

Sam drops Chris off at his house and takes Emily to Elijah’s
house since her car is there.

“Are you sure you don't want to stay another night?
It sounds like it's about to start raining.”

     
“I would
but my mom wants me up early to go to church.”

     
“Okay
just be careful.”

     
“I will
mom,” she teases. Emily jumps out of Sam's truck when we pull in. Just as Emily
gets in her car, it starts to pour. Great, I bet Sam doesn't have an umbrella.
I’m sure the rain is freezing. I am dreading the run to the house. Sam reaches
behind his seat and grabs his Letterman’s jacket. He opens his door and is
soaked to the bone in seconds. He holds the jacket out for me to duck under. I
climb out and he kicks the door shut with his foot and runs me up to the
porch.
 
He is drenched and I am dry as a
bone. He shakes his jacket out. His hair is plastered to his head and water is
dripping down his chin.
 
He steps aside
and shakes like a dog. I crack up as water flies everywhere. I unlock the door.

     
“Well
come on, let's get you dried off.” He steps inside and I give him a hand that
says stay. I grab a towel out of the bathroom. He bends down and I dry his
hair. He takes it and pats his soaked clothes. I shake my head I can't let him
drive home like that and it's still pouring. Thunder cracks hard enough to
rattle the windows.