Undertow (6 page)

I kept up my grating smile until she disappeared out of the classroom and then allowed the rage to seep back into my bones. I finished packing up my things, now ramming the innocent chemistry book harshly into the leather pack. I fumed and had visions of this cheerleading twit getting mowed down by one of the buses.

After another two classes, the lunch bell finally rang and
I wove my way through the chaotic hall, aiming towards what I hoped was the cafeteria. Like the jammed roads of Cape Cod, I quickly learned to not cross traffic unless I wanted to be in a head-on collision.

It took me almost five minutes to make it to the cafeteria entrance, though I may have only moved a few yards.

As I rounded the corner to head down the ramp towards the acres of tables, I saw MJ and Ana. MJ waved enthusiastically at me.  I was so relieved to see friendly faces.

“So . . . is BHS all you ever dreamed of?” asked MJ sarcastically. “Come sit with us.”

I followed the two of them to a table at the far corner near the back windows. I flopped into a garish orange chair, and MJ and Ana sat across from me.

“So, you look burnt. Long morning?” asked Ana, pulling her lunch from her messenger bag.

“That might be an understatement,” I sighed, biting into my flattened ham sandwich. I probably should have taken my lunch out of my backpack
before
I hurled in the textbook.

“You awl wight?” asked MJ through a full mouth of cheese puffs.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Last period wasn’t fabulous though. Turns out Nikki isn’t a complete nitwit since she has AP Chemistry with me, and I have a feeling she would like to use the Bunsen burner on me. Soon.”  I swallowed down my squishwich, but the tension made it go down my throat in lumps. “What’s her issue anyway? I mean, I don’t get it, she doesn’t even know me.”

“What? You want to be pals?” asked MJ with a snort of disgust.  “Listen, here is the deal - Nikki surrounds herself with high-end mannequins who will bend to her every command. But you, well, I guess you come with a bit of mystique,” said MJ, still happily chowing.

“I have a mystique? What are you talking about?” I gave up on the ham and cheese and moved on to the bottle of water.

Ana could see MJ was going to continue the conversation with a disgusting mouthful and mercifully took over, “He means that you are a Walker. Your family is old money and
you
own a spectacular and well-known home in one of the most beautiful areas on Cape Cod. No amount of new money that Nikki has can trump such old family history and wealth.”

My face flushed, embarrassed.  MJ mumbled something unintelligible to my ears, but Ana caught it, “Oh yeah, and you were talking to that new guy who she supposedly made a move on a few days ago at the beach. I heard he rebuffed her advances and she was pissed! It must have been epic.” A reminiscent smile lit Ana’s face. “Of course, I’m sure that she didn’t miss his chivalry
, and nothing irks her more than thinking she has to compete for the biggest boytoy in school. Nikki doesn’t compete. She seeks and conquers. By my count that is two, huge strikes against you,” said Ana, slugging her Powerade.

MJ nodded and muttered something again, his mouth still full. Ana nodded as well, “I agree with MJ. You were just an irritating fly on Nik’s radar until that guy helped you out. No
w, you are her bright red bullseye until she lands that poor sucker.”

I put my hand to my face, trying to stave off a migraine, and rested my forehead on the cool, laminate table. I didn’t know which was worse, being Nikki’s target or worrying she might win over a certain, handsome boy. Suddenly I heard MJ humming something that sounded vaguely like a funeral march.

“Uh, Eila. I think someone wants you,” said Ana poking my fingertip. Without picking up my head I swiped away her hand. That is when I heard the velvet voice again.

“Eila. Are you all right? Did you get trampled in another hall? I can’t leave you for an instant.”

My skin tingled and I swear I could feel the heat radiate off of Raef’s body.  I stayed frozen, my face to the table for a moment. I was excited he was here but wondering why on earth this boy was following me. Finally I picked my head up and brushed back my hair away from my face. Ana looked like she had swallowed a bug and MJ looked amused. 

I glanced to the table where Nikki sat with her minions.  She was watching Raef and me with rapt attention as she bit ruthlessly into a shiny, red apple. I hoped madly that it was poisoned.

I stretched my neck one way, then the other. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine,” I said, hoping to sound casual as I looked up at Raef. “Just a little headache. Long day, you know?”

“Yeah, I do know. Being the new target isn’t so fun, I will agree,” he said nodding toward a table draped in cheerleaders and jocks. I was a bit stunned. He knew Nikki was after him, but seemed uninterested. Was he immune to her curvy waist and ample chest?  Good grief, was he
blind?

He looked at me and smiled slightly, “Well, I hope you get rid of your headache soon, but, seeing as I am sort of new as well, can I join you?” he asked, still standing slightly behind me.

“Uh, yeah. Sure.” I pulled my lunch out of his way while mentally checking to see if my mouth was hanging open. As he sat down next to me, I began to introduce my two pals, “Raef, this is MJ and . . .”

“Ana Lane. I know,” said Raef calmly.

Ana narrowed her eyes as she studied Raef’s handsome face.  “I’m sorry but . . . do I
know
you?” she asked, suspicious.

“Technically you know my brother. Kian,” said Raef, extending his hand to hers. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Ana’s demeanor instantly changed. Her body grew stiff and the surrounding oxygen felt as though it fell a few degrees. Raef seemed to sense her unease, “I’m sorry, you
do
know my brother, correct?  He spoke well of you. He said you are a very talented mechanic.”

Raef left his hand outstretched, waiting for her to shake it. MJ had stopped chewing as well, flicking his eyes back and forth between the two of them, his chronic smile long gone.

She finally reached out and shook his hand briefly, but she never took her eyes off his face. “I didn’t know he had a brother. Is Kian here?” asked Ana, still rigid, her hand quickly back in her lap.

“He is and he’d like for you to do some work for him. He has a new Corvette.”

Ana snorted. “Ha, sounds like him,” she said, almost distastefully. “I’m busy at the shop, so tell him he can take it somewhere else. I’m not the only gear-head in town.”

“My brother only trusts you,” replied Raef, looking at Ana.

“She said she is busy,” clipped MJ, a hard, almost defensive edge to his voice. Perhaps he did know this Kian character.

MJ and Raef watched each other carefully. The stare down was broken by MJ’s cell phone chirping. He glanced quickly at Ana, who was looking off into the distance, then dug his phone from his pocket to read the text.  

I glanced at Raef and realized he had been looking at me. “What?” I asked, sounding a tad demanding, the tension between my classmates apparently contagious.

“Nothing, you just remind me of someone,” he said, his face oddly serious.

“Who?”

Raef shook his head, “You wouldn’t know her, just someone I knew in passing.”

I wanted to ask him more. Was it a girlfriend? A relative?  His seriousness seemed to speak volumes. I got the distinct impression that whomever I reminded him of, she had demanded a heavy emotional toll.  I could tell his deep blue eyes were no longer in the present. 

He was rerunning my twin in his mind, and I was dying to know who she was.  Was this phantom girl from his past the reason he was sitting with me at lunch?  And what the heck went on between Kian and Ana and possibly even MJ? I had so many questions and had a feeling no one wanted to cough up the answers.

MJ snapped his phone shut and I jumped, yanked out of my mental monologue.

“Well, seems that I have to go to CatBird Farm for fresh raspberries for the shop, and my dad wants me to head out after 6
th
period, since 7
th
I have free.  I’m sorry Eila, I know I was supposed to give you a ride. Can you call Mae?” questioned MJ genuinely sorry. He looked at Ana, hopeful.

Ana glanced from MJ to me and sighed, “Oh fine. I can take you home. I just have to stop off somewhere. It isn’t far from your house.”

“That would be great. I would have walked rather than have Mae come get me,” I said, trying to bring a smile to her hardened face.

“I’ll see you at my car right after last bell,” replied Ana, no nonsense. “Don’t dawdle, this place gets backed up quickly between the buses and cars.”

Just then the bell rang and lunch was over. I turned to say bye to Raef, but he had already left. I didn’t even hear him get up.

I scanned the sea of students making their way out of the cavernous cafeteria, but the mysterious boy in the gray hoodie was nowhere to be seen.

4

Ana’s car seemed to lack shock
s
as every dip in the road rebounded through my spine.  I tried to creep my butt over to a more cushioned part of the Trans Am’s seat.

“So, where are we going again?” I asked, another bump rattling my teeth.

“We’re stopping by Dalca Anescu’s place,” replied Ana. “She knew my Dad and has an old house like yours, but made the first floor into an herb and essence store called The Crimson Moon. Pretty cool stuff, though some people think she has a screw loose.  I think she’s harmless though.  Just earthy.”

“
Knew
your Dad?” I asked, not missing the past tense in her vernacular.

“Yeah. My Dad was a scallop fisherman. Last year he had a heart attack while out at sea and ended up in a coma. He died a few days later. The doctors said he didn’t have a chance, even if he had been on land and closer to the hospital, but I’m still not sure about that,” she said, her eyes not leaving the road.

Whereas I had come to accept the loss of my parents, the buffer of many years helping greatly, Ana’s pain was still raw. I felt for her and understood her anger.

“After his death, I proved to the courts that I could act as an adult and was allowed to move into the apartment above RC Garage.  The owner lets me work off some of the rent. I really like my freedom,” said Ana.

“What about your mom?” I asked, unable to stop myself from prying.

Ana shrugged, “She left when I was just a baby. Drug problems I’m told. I have no idea where she is.”

“I’m really sorry Ana,” I said, looking at her profile as she drove.

She was silent for a few moments then finally turned to me, “You too. MJ filled me in at school.”  Ana and I were more alike than I could have imagined. Damaged, but defiant.

She swung the wheel to the right, turning her boat of a vehicle down my street.

“She lives on Main?” I asked, surprised.

“Yeah, told you she was close to your place.” Ana turned left into the driveway of a home similar to mine, but the angles of the roof were different. It was also missing the porch that I had come to love on 408. She parked near the side door and cut the engine. The sign hanging from a weathered shingle read, “The Crimson Moon – Herbs and Essence.”

“Come on, I will introduce you to the only Gypsy around,” she said, hopping out of the car.

I quickly followed. “Gypsy?” I asked. Ana nodded as she opened the back door to the home for me and I stepped through, but stopped cold when I saw the massive black dog lying in the middle of the floor. “Uh, there seems to be a bear on the floor,” I said, my voice staccato.

Ana pushed past me.  “Huh.  I’m surprised he’s here,” she said, looking at the enormous canine with an eyebrow raised. “Anyway, this is just Marsh. He looks intimidating, but he’s harmless.”  She leaned down and patted the massive dog on the head. “Looking a little chub there, eh Marsh?” 

I could have sworn I heard the dog breathe out a low growl, but reminded myself that a dog can’t understand a putdown when he hears one.

“He is huge. What is he?” I asked, amazed at the animal’s mammoth size. Without a doubt, he would tower over my head if he reared up.

“Dalca says he’s a cross between ancient Romanian breeds.  I think he’s just a cross between mutts.”

“I think he’s a cross between a horse and lion,” I muttered, but Ana was already wandering through to the next room. I stepped gingerly around Marsh and followed Ana into the front where the store was located.

The area took my breath away.

It was as if I had stepped into an enchanted forest. The high ceilings were painted dark purple and strewn with little white twinkle lights. Suspended from the ceiling were long, knotty branches draped in dried flowers, crystals, woven dream catchers and delicate paper butterflies. Heavy drapes hung low on the windows, enabling the room to stay dark even at midday.

As I took in the fairy-tale lair, I heard the shuffling of something heavy. From around the corner came a dark-haired woman, pushing a large cardboard box.

“Oh hey, let me help ya,” said Ana, hurrying over to help the woman lift the box onto the desk.

“It is so good to see you Ana!” the woman declared as they hugged, her ebony hair gathered in a long braid down her back.  She was in her 60s from what I guessed, but fit. She wore a brightly colored blouse and soft, pleated skirt that dusted the floor. Her long, elegant neck was hung with at least 20 necklaces, the longest of which dangled past her breasts with a small vial of something gray.

“So, I wanted you to meet Eila Walker. She just moved here and is living in her family’s place on Main. Eila, this is Dalca Anescu,” said Ana gesturing to me.

“Pleasure to meet you, Eila,” said Dalca, extending a hand adorned with a wild assortment of rings.

“Nice to meet you,” I said, shaking her hand as I glanced around the room “This place is awesome.  It smells fabulous too!”

Dalca laughed, “Why thanks. You girls hungry? I just made scones and ground some coffee.”

Ana looked at me, “Can we? Or do you need to get back?”

“No, we can stay. I would love whatever you are making,” I said to Dalca. I was starving after passing on my squishwich.

“Excellent.  Give me a few minutes to get things together. Feel free to look around.” Dalca swooped into the next room with Marsh following her.

I walked along the shelves admiring an endless row of beautiful bottles, all in different, radiant colors.  I glanced over my shoulder at Ana on the other side of the room. She was next to a wall of literature.
The Hound of the Baskervilles
stood out in a red binding and Ana pulled it from the shelf, flipping through the well-worn pages.

I turned back to the bottles and selected a lavender one, popping the glass stopper off the top. I gingerly took a whiff and the smell reminded me of the bushes near my house.

“These are essential oils,” said Ana coming up behind me. “They are thought to have healing powers. What you have there is lilac.  I like . . .” Ana scanned the wall, looking for something, “Ah ha! I like this one.” She selected a deep green bottle and unscrewed the top. She handed it to me and I smelled. The aroma was exquisite.

“What is this?” I asked, highly impressed.

“Night Queen – a southwestern desert flower that blooms only one night. I love that it smells like Lilac and Lily of the Valley and Rose. I think it’s like a combination of all the best flowers.”

“It is fabulous! I may have to get some,
” I replied, looking around the room.

“Dalca has shown me how to combine some of the oils with herbs to make healing salves. I actually used one
concoction on myself when I burned my hand working on an engine. It took away the pain and healed really fast. Pretty cool. People like Dalca have some amazing knowledge.”

“You mean Gypsies?” I said, jokingly.

“Gypsies and witches and some more earthy individuals,” replied Ana matter-of-factly.

“Wait a second. You’re serious, aren’t you?” I asked, stunned. “You’re telling me that she really is a Gypsy? And that, what? Witches exist?”

“Just because you read all sorts of crazy stories, doesn’t mean there aren’t people out there who have special abilities and insights into the natural world,” said Ana, picking up a sea green bottle with swirls of silver lacing through it.

I thought back to that morning, in the hall, and the freshman with the glasses. “What do you mean, ‘abilities’,” I asked, unable to shake the vision of the shy boy who had looked at Ana and then was suddenly confident.

Ana seemed to chose her words carefully, “I just mean there are all different kinds of people out there, that’s all.”

I could tell that a conversation about whatever I saw in the hall was not going to happen. I’d pry it out of her eventually though.

She changed the subject abruptly, dodging any further questions, “Come on, let’s go eat.”

I followed her into the kitchen, which was laden with so many objects it was a visual overload. More books and countless baskets with herbs and root veggies hung from overhead beams. 

Dalca had laid out quite a snack spread on the dark oval table, and I pulled out a chair and sat down, starving,
“Oh, thanks, I am famished!”

“More than happy to feed you, my dear,” said Dalca with a warm smile. She sat down opposite Ana and me. “So, how do you like the Cape so far?” asked Dalca, pouring me a cup of dark coffee.

“It is a lot different from where I lived in Kansas, but the people are really nice for the most part,” I said smiling and glancing at Ana.  “And I love your shop. Such great stuff. How did you get into all of that?” I asked, taking a bite of steaming scone.

“I am sure Ana told you that I am from Gypsy blood. Our family has handed down our traditions through centuries.  We are more or less born with the instinctive knowledge and taught the finer points by elders as we grow up.”

I turned and looked at Ana, who seemed to be studying the book she had brought with her from the shop. It was an obvious attempt to avoid any questions I may have aimed at her. Ana had a talent, I was sure. Earthy my ass.

I sipped the hot coffee. It was strong enough to make hair grow in unwanted places.

“Understanding elements and nature can be truly helpful,” said Dalca, warming her long hands on her mug of coffee. “Essential oils, for instance, can be very powerful at healing and reducing pain. Some herbs are more potent than any modern medicine when in the hands of the right person.”

I nodded, as if I understood a darn thing she was saying. “The room is magical. I love all the crystals and bottles. And your necklaces are just fabulous.” I looked at her array of jewelry.

“Gypsies wear a variety of accessories to ward off evil intent or carry protective powers,” said Dalca, absently touching the collection at her neck.

I glanced at the gray vial that hung from her collarbone, nestled among the other stones. For some reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. “What is the gray stuff?” I nodded toward the longest necklace.

For a brief moment Dalca seemed to debate something in her head. I glanced at Ana, whose eyes were looking at her carefully.  I completely felt like I was missing the elephant in the room that seemed so obvious to them.

“What? What is it?” I asked, unnerved.

Dalca unwrapped the long, braided leather necklace from around her neck and placed it with the vial attached on the table between us. Ana was no longer interested in her book and closed it, sliding it to one side.

“Why don’t you take a guess?” asked Dalca.

“It isn’t a dead relative or something is it? Because that would really gross me out,” I said, very worried it was Dear Uncle So-and-So’s ashes.

“No, no,” said Dalca with a dismissive wave, “Not a relative. We Gypsies believe that the soul can reveal itself through how one perceives certain elements. This ash contains many elements and people all smell something different, but what they smell reveals part of who they are.”

I looked at Ana and she shrugged.

I was suspicious, but went with bold. I reached for the vial and looked through the smooth glass sides at the sand-like contents.  I was taking my time and Ana started to drum her fingers impatiently.

“Oh, for crying out loud. Look, I’ll smell it first,” she huffed, taking the vial from my hand and unscrewed the metal top. She held it to her nose and sniffed. I watched carefully to make sure she didn’t turn green.

“See? Nothing. No one ever smells anything. Dalca wants you to sniff to see if you have a hidden talent or creepy spirit. It is an old Gypsy belief.”

I looked at Dalca and she gave a quick nod. I warily glanced at the re-capped vial being offered to me in Ana’s hand.

“Okay fine,” I said, quickly grabbing the vial and unscrewing the top before I lost my nerve. Some strange instinct told me not to draw breath over the glass container, but I didn’t want to look like a complete wimp. I brought the vial to my nose and took a little sniff.

The smell was unimaginable.

I dropped the vial and nearly fell to the floor, gasping though my mouth to rid myself of the burn that had assaulted me.

Dalca and Ana vaulted to their feet and ushered me quickly out the back door of the house into the fresh air. I could hear them arguing under their breath, but I felt too ill to care. My head was spinning and I closed my eyes to keep from throwing up.

My entire body felt weak.

“Here, sit her down,” I heard Dalca command, and Ana sat me on the cold, granite step.

Soon I smelled something altogether different and opened my eyes. Dalca had a bunch of leafy greens with white tips under my nose. I started to feel better, almost normal. Another minute passed and I felt fine.

Ana and Dalca watched me for a few more minutes before either one of them spoke.

“What did you smell?” asked Ana, almost in a whisper as all signs of sarcasm had vaporized.

I looked at her for a long time, debating screaming at her for such an awful trick, but decided I might be wrong. Maybe it wasn’t a trick, because Ana seemed fine, as if she really didn’t smell anything.