Slice (The Elledge Family #1) (10 page)

“Nope,” she sat down on the patch of untouched grass next to me and opened her book. “I just want to talk.”

“I’m not in the talking mood. We aren’t even friends like this Persephone?”

“Where's your girlfriend?”

“She just happens to be studying. We don't have to be with each other every waking moment. It's what makes us better.” It’s what drives me up a damn wall. She was so comfortable not being around me it made me wonder if we were doing things too slow.

“She tell you that.”

“She did,” I laughed. “Persephone there are tons of other guys that would like to have a taste of whatever you are offering. I however am not one of them. Could you dismiss yourself? Like now?”

“I don't want them.” she answered bluntly.

“You can't have me, seems like you have a problem. Find someone else. Get the fuck up.”

“Lucas do you have to be so mean to me?” Persephone smiled and scrolled through her phone. “They are smoking at Genesis tonight, you should come. I mean ever since you have met her you just stopped coming?”

Genesis was the spot where the college weed heads gathered and I had been there several times, but it was harder for me to control myself around a bunch of weed smoking hippies. I liked to be alone when I smoked. Most importantly, when I couldn't control my urges. “They are always smoking at Genesis. It is nothing new. And stop bringing up Cypress.”

“You should come.”

“I actually have plans tonight. There is meteor shower passing through.”

“Aw, how sweet,” She mocked. “Should I come with you? Oh, I forgot, Cypress probably will be there.”

“Jealousy does not look good on you.”

“She looks good on him though. Asher is a nice looking guy. I hear he's hung.” She pointed to Cypress. She was so perfect. Her hair bunched in the messiest ponytail I had seen yet, her curls wildly bursting from it. And then there was Asher. The kid who couldn't take a break.”

“Fuck off Persephone.” I moaned.

Cypress spotted me and she made a B line over to me with Asher. Persephone giggled. “Here she comes.”

“Why are you so amused?”

“Why are you not? He fits her style more. He is so geeky. Look at those freaking glasses.”

I cut my eyes over at her. “One more word and you are going to regret it.” I stood up as they grew closer. “What are you doing here babe?”

“I actually got some good news from my new friend here. Asher this is my boyfriend Lucas.”

“Pleasure,” he shook my hand. “I gave her some good theories and info to use for her novel.”

“Awesome,” I nodded. “I was here trying to remember what exactly I wrote the other month.”

“Hi Persephone,” Cypress cut her eyes at her and then back at me.

“With an unwanted guest.”

“Aw, how sweet of you,” Persephone nodded her head. “You are the new guy aren't you?”

“I am.” Asher laughed. “Who are you?”

“She is Persephone; I think you two would get along quite well.” I tried to hide my smile. “Babe you wanna sit with? I was just telling Persephone about the meteor shower tonight.”

“Oh yes! I can't wait. Where did you say we were going again?”

“Surprise location,” I answered. She sat down with me in the array of my mess. “Welcome to my nucleus.”

Cypress laughed at my nerdy remark and nestled herself in. “I am happy for the invitation.”

Asher shifted uncomfortably. “Well, thank you for the chance to talk Cypress.”

“You are welcome. We should link back up in a few weeks and you can tell me if you get her or not.”

“I will definitely let you know.”

“Good, how about you join him Persephone. I am sure you have tons of good knowledge to pass on to him about being a female.” Cypress nudged my arm as my snide remark. “And Ashton it was a pleasure to meet you.”

“It's Asher,” Cypress nodded her head. “I'll give you a call or you can call me. Goodbye Persephone.”

Persephone stood up. “You are boring anyhow.”

“Thanks,” Cypress opened her notebook and watched as she walked off. “What was she doing here?”

“What were you doing with Romeo?”

“I am the only person that gets to dabble in your nucleus Lucas Elledge.”

“Scout's honor she was not in my nucleus.” I smiled at her and pulled her closer to me.

“She better not be.” She sat in my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Where are we going tonight?”

“We’re going to a ridge about thirty to forty minutes out. And we should get some wine and some other weird things to take up there.”

“Weird like a Dark Side of the Moon CD?”

“Oh, Pink Floyd can only make this moment better. There is actually some Radiohead that could great with it. We should just make sure there is music. And make sure you have your wishes ready.”

“I think my wish has already come true.”

“Oh really?” I cocked my head at her. “Does it have anything to do with Captain Nerd there?” Something flickered lightly. If he didn’t get the message soon enough I would have to fix it myself. Asher would not like me to fix it.

“Everything to do with you.” Her lips touched mine slowly and then I placed my hands on the back of her head to pull her closer to me and crushed my lips into her.

“I'm happy to hear that.”

She moved the long strands of my hair from my face. “I love your hair.”

“I like it alright. I love your freckles…”

“Courtesy of my mom,” she smirked. “Bet you've never seen a black chick with some.”

“I have not.”

“Well, another first,” Cypress eyes never left mine. “You aren't going to hurt me are you?”

“I wouldn't dream of it.”

“Good, because I doubt that I could take another heartbreak. I just want something normal and good. And I'm scared at how fast everything is going.”

“I don't want you to fear anything. You're not supposed to fear me.”

“I don't fear you, I fear what will happen after you if everything goes to hell.”

“There is no after me Cypress.”

“You don't know that.”

“I do. I plan to do every and anything to make this work. So it doesn't matter the amount of time spent with someone. I could spend 15 years with Persephone and they would never add up to the months I spent with you. It's how you spend the time… I don't want to waste it anymore. I want to invest it in my future with you. So everything I do, every move I make is all going to add up to us being together.”

“You keep taking my breath away.” She whispered.

“Good I want our relationship to breathtaking and heart wrenching. So when we look back there are nothing but good memories and ones that count.”

“Okay, stop before I have to steal some of your lines in my book.”

“Steal away Cypress.”

Cypress

I stared at my closet. Every time he wanted to take me out I ended up spending more time in this damned closet than actually getting dressed and being productive. He would be here in less than thirty minutes and my face looked drained because the steaming hot shower took away any energy I had left.

It was cool tonight. The wind had already made the day chillier than normal, so I grabbed an orange sweater and a pair of brown jeggings to make the outfit simple. My hair was a complete mess and there was no taming this beast tonight. I fixed the bun the best that I could and tossed some cold water on my face to make me feel more awake.  It was a quarter till midnight and I knew that the possibility of me to doze off was high.

The ring of my cell phone echoed throughout the whole entire apartment. I ran to the living room and glanced at it. Asher? I swiped it over. “Hello?”

“Hey, I was just calling you to let you know that you left your journal with me. Did you want me to meet you somewhere tomorrow?”

“Yes, that sounds like a plan. Just bring it to the courtyard where we met Lucas at today around four. I have to work on some things after class.”

“Perfect,” he answered. “Um, how was your date?”

“Haven't left yet. It doesn't start until about 2 am. The showers are supposed to be beautiful though.”

“Well, I wish you all the luck. And see you tomorrow.”

“See you too!” I ended the call. “Great that journal had some pretty girly moments in it and I knew he read it.”

The light tap at the door snapped me back into the reality that I had no shoes and an uncharged cell phone, “One moment.” I slid into some boots and then opened the front door. “You are here early sir!”

“I know. I couldn't sit in the car too much longer. I would have fallen asleep.”

“Are you good driving?”

“I am. I was just bored and decided to come here early. I like your outfit.” He hugged me lightly and kissed my cheek.

“Thanks, I was just about to straighten my room for a minute.”

“Take your time.” Lucas sat down on the counter.

“What is your new book about?”

“Everything,” He answered simply.

“Everything, good.”

Lucas smiled at me. “I started a new book a few weeks ago. It’s easy to say that you inspired me. It's not going to be a sequel. It's a standalone called “A Break in the Clouds.” I haven't even told my publishers yet. It’s part of the reason I can’t really tell you everything about it yet.”

“Wow.” I walked from the bedroom as I switched off every light in my path.

“I want you to be the first to read it since you said you loved my first book so much.”

“I would be honored.”

“Great! Are you ready to go?”

“How far out is this place?”

“About thirty minutes.”

“Okay, let's get to it.”
      

The ridge was a phenomenal place even if the drive was a little longer than he expected. He had everything set up in the back of his jeep including blankets. I sat down and stared up at the sky.

“Have you ever seen a shooting star?”

“I try to. But every time they passed through I am passed out.”

“Well, they will start in a few and then you can't sleep all the way back to the city.” Lucas opened the wine and poured me a glass then poured himself a glass.

“What is the first thing you think about when you wake up?”

“Just depends, most mornings here lately, you.”

“You're lying.”

“I wake up every morning and send you a message. Sometimes leave you a voice mail.”

Every morning like clockwork, he was right. “What do you think about me?”

“I think that I made a great decision pursuing you. You make it easier to get up, knowing that I get to see your face and touch your soft hands. I get to kiss your lips and stare at your sun kissed skin. I get to call you mine and it makes every day easier knowing only I have the privilege.”

“Really?”

“God, yes,” He answered.

“No one has ever said anything like that to me.”

“There is a first for everything.”

I look up at the sky, knowing that if I look at him there was a strong possibility tears might seep over. “Look!” I pointed at the streak of light that passed in the sky.

“They've started.” He pointed at the next streak and then they all came at once. Parading the sky with streaks of light over and over. Lucas clutched my hand with his and we watched until the stars faded out and the sky started to tint with the colors of dawn.
      

Chapter Five

Cypress

For once in about two weeks he asked for us to get out of my apartment. We had become so accustomed to the one on one time that we had forgotten the outside world. It was perfect except we needed to have some sort of social life and what better way was it for us to have one besides going to the Summit. I had grown to the love the place as if it was my own. I was used to the back door entrance to the apartment. But tonight we entered like pedestrians and all eyes were on us. I hated the attention at first. Don’t stare at us, keep dancing. But I soon realized that being on the arm of Lucas Elledge was admirable by pretty much the entire student body. He was established and everyone loved him. He wasn’t even a people person. But people were drawn to him like magnets.

The decision to leave my heels at home for the night had been a good one. The warm beige sweater hugged my body, Lucas had picked it out himself. He loved to buy me things and it was something that I was not accustomed to it. But every time I tried to stop him he gave me this look and my heart melted. His emerald eyes made it hard to say no to anything.

There was strum of guitars in the air and finally there was a song on in this place that I knew. There was no one better than a good song by The Civil Wars, especially Barton Hollow.  I grabbed Lucas’ hand and pulled him onto the floor. We danced together like it was something we done
every day. He swayed
behind me seductively, making every girl in the room crave that she was me.