Dragonfly (10 page)

It was like a sauna in the small garage, and Julian’s shirt was off. The hot wax method of jewelry-making was very delicate and involved setting tiny shells in wax molds and then filling the molds with sterling silver. Once he had made a series of tiny silver shells, he started the task of soldering them together into a ring.

It was fascinating work, but as I watched him, studying the lines on his torso, I was distracted by how much he reminded me of Jack on the sailboat that day. It wasn’t just their similar build, but his movements and his focus. It was peculiar. If I just looked at Julian’s body, I’d swear it was Jack.

Or more likely, I was going crazy with missing my… whatever Jack was. I glanced up and caught Julian’s eyes on me.

“Were you just checkin me out?” He stood up straight, eyes slanted.

“No!” I answered too fast.

Julian grinned, pointing his torch at me. “You were checkin me out.”

I felt my cheeks turning pink. “I was not. I was thinking about Jack.”

He frowned and bent down again to continue working. “Where is the golden boy anyway?”

“His brother’s in town, so he’s been at home. Didn’t Lucy say anything about it?”

“Nah. She doesn’t talk about them.”

“What do you guys talk about?”

“Art. What I do… I guess me mostly.”

She knows what boys like.
“You really like her?” I asked.

Julian shrugged. “She’s cool, I guess.”

He stopped and pushed his goggles back to examine the ring. I was sitting on a nearby bench holding a welder’s lens in front of my eyes to protect them from the white-hot light.

“Have you taken it up a notch?” I asked, wondering why I even cared.

He glanced at me. “No. We’re taking it slow.”

“Well, I love the ring. She’s going to be thrilled when she sees it. Of course, if she’s not, I’ll be happy to take it off your hands.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“So what’s the status on art school? Have you applied or what?”

He pulled off the goggles and grabbed a shirt, pulling it on as he spoke. “I’m building my portfolio now. I’ll probably make another piece like this to put in it, and then I have to go for an interview. Mom and I are going to drive over and tour the campus during spring break, and one of the galleries has offered to write me a recommendation and show some of my smaller pieces in their collection. And I’ve got your story now. Thank you.”

“Wow. I’m impressed. You’re really on top of things.”

“Didn’t think I had it in me?” He grinned.

“Of course not. It’s just, you’re always joking around and stuff. But not with this. You’re so serious.”

“What other choice do I have?”

I nodded and he picked up a cloth and started polishing the ring.

“What do you think about Lucy’s dad?” I asked, watching him. “Have you met him? Or her brother William?”

“No, I pretty much stay away from those guys. I doubt they’d think too much of me with Lucy.” He held the ring up to look at it again. “You’re going to the party, right?”

“Honestly?” I studied my Chucks. “I haven’t been invited.”

“What?” Julian frowned.

“Jack hasn’t mentioned it, and I’m not sure if it’s because he doesn’t want me there or they don’t want me there or if he thinks Lucy invited me…”

Julian turned and sat beside me. “You could ask him.”

“Well, that’s weird. I mean, what? Invite myself to his party?”

“I could ask Lucy about it.”

“Would you?” I jumped around to face him. “Oh, Julian, that would be perfect. But don’t make it sound like I put you up to it, okay? Just say something like you didn’t think I’d gotten an invitation or something.”

“I gotcha covered,” he chuckled. “I never forget a favor.”

* * *

Back home, I jogged up the stairs to my room. I took a deep breath and fell back on my bed forcing my fingers into my hair as my heart tried to settle down. I exhaled loudly but still felt like I was having trouble breathing. Alone again, I was so anxious. I didn’t want to think about anything except Jack and why he wasn’t calling and what I could do about it. What if he’d decided I was too inexperienced? What if he just didn’t need any more trouble?

I was losing it, and I needed to hear a friendly voice. I flipped over to my stomach and grabbed my phone and the notebook where I’d scribbled her new number. I’d never even saved it. I tapped it out quickly and listened to the ring tone.

“Anna?”

Hearing my best friend’s voice, I had to struggle not to burst into tears. “Gabi? Oh, Gabi!”

“You finally called,” she laughed. “You weirdo. What have you been doing? How are you?”

“Terrible!” I choked out a laugh. “Come back now!”

“You know I can’t do that. What’s going on? What’s so terrible?”

Her voice completely distracted me from my pain. “No, you first. How’s Key West? Do you like it? Have you met any celebrities?”

“Um… no,” she laughed again. “But Key West is gorgeous. It really is beautiful. And there are chickens everywhere! And cats with thumbs.”

“What?” I felt giddy, and I laughed, too.

“And everyone here has five jobs. I swear the guy who helped us at the airport was the same guy bagging our groceries at Fausto’s. It’s like one of those old television shows where the same person keeps popping up in a different outfit.” I laughed and she kept going. “Now what’s so terrible?”

“You’re going to hassle me, but I met this guy. And oh, Gabi, he’s so hot.”

“Oh my god! You’re in lu-uv.”

I giggled again. “Well, I’m definitely in pain now, so maybe I
am
in love. I don’t know.”

“Who is he?”

“Jack Kyser? His sister is Lucy, and she’s just beautiful, too—”

“Kyser? Like the people who own East End Beach?”

“Oh my god,” I cried. “You are so my mom. They don’t own East End Beach. Their dad just did a lot of the development down there.”

“No hassle here—I’m impressed! So you’re going out with him? What’s that like. Those guys are super rich.”

“Well, I sort of was. But then it didn’t work out. His dad came up and was really mean to me, and I left and then Julian asked me to the Back to School dance. So I actually went with Julian.”

“Wait, you went to a dance with Julian?
My
Julian?” she shrieked. “I can’t believe it. Traitor!”

“He was never your Julian,” I defended myself. “And it was just as friends. But while we were there, I started talking to Jack again, and he ended up bringing me home.”

“And then the make-out began?”

“Oh, god, yes. His shirt was off, and his hands were… everywhere. It was so hot.”

Gabi squealed. “Was it on the beach?”

“Yes.”

She squealed again. “Okay, so what’s the problem?”

“He’s just pulled away. His older brother came into town, and now they’re talking about him starting college in the spring, and I’m afraid it’s just… over.” My stomach ached saying the words.

“Did you call him?”

“Yes! I even went over there to see if he was okay, and oh, god. Did I say his dad was mean? His brother is even meaner.”

“What’s wrong with these people?” I loved my defensive friend.

“I don’t know.”

A moment of silence, and then Gabi switched into problem-solving mode. “Okay, press pause and let’s think about this. You’ve snogged. He’s got Satan at his house. Give the boy a break. He’ll call you. You know how guys are. They like totally go all inward when life gets hard.”

“I guess so,” I said. “It would be so great if you were still here. Then we could do something, and I wouldn’t have to just sit here and think about it all the time.”

“I know.”

We were quiet again, and I imagined my friend beside me twirling a curl or flipping through a magazine. “Miss you,” I said.

“Miss you, too, Banana-face.”

“That’s another thing. Dad stopped calling me that when he’s around.”

“Well, that’s not being true to you,” Gabi laughed.

“It is. I have never liked that nickname.”

She snorted some more. “Hang in there. And don’t wait so long to call next time.”

“Okay.”

I felt degrees better after talking to Gabi. I was lying back on my bed thinking about her advice when the phone rang again in my hand. My heart flew into my throat. Maybe it was Jack. I held it up. Julian. Must be about the party.

“Hey, Julian, what’s up?” I said.

I could barely hear his voice, and I sat up fast. Something was wrong. He was shouting over background noise. “Julian?” I said again.

“There’s been an accident—it’s Lucy. She took something, and… I don’t know what, but she’s unconscious. I need you to go to the hospital in Fairview. And bring Jack.”

The line went dead, and I couldn’t think. Jumping out of the bed, I grabbed my bag and the keys, shouting to Mom that I’d be back. As I ran, I punched in Jack’s number, but of course it went to voicemail.

“I don’t know when you’ll hear this,” I said, “Julian just called. Get to the hospital in Fairview. Lucy’s had an accident.”

Chapter 10

The drive to the hospital took less than ten minutes, but it felt like ten hours on the small, two-lane county road leading into town. I gripped the steering wheel the whole way, wondering if Jack would get my message and what to do if he didn’t. Perhaps I was headed in the wrong direction, and I should’ve gone to his house. All I’d been thinking about was the fear in Julian’s voice and getting to him.

Finally I reached the hospital, dashed through the automatic doors and went straight to the information desk.

“I need the room number for Lucy Kyser,” I said.

“She’s in the ICU,” the woman said. “They’re not allowing visitors at this time.”

But I was gone as the words were still being spoken, around the corner and down to the next wing scanning each wall plaque for directions to intensive care. As I approached, I saw Julian sitting in one of the chairs that lined the hallway. He looked up and stood as he saw me practically running to him.

“What happened?” I reached out to hold his hand.

He pulled me close. “We’d been drinking, and she had some pills.” He was speaking quietly. “She went into the bathroom, and a few minutes later I heard a crash. I couldn’t wake her up…”

Before he’d finished speaking I heard the voice I’d spent the last week dreaming about. My stomach clenched, but tonight the sound was completely different, low and furious.

“What did you do to her?” Jack strode down the hall, and the look in his eyes reminded me of both his dad and William times ten. It was like I didn’t even know him.

“Jack, stop. It’s not Julian’s fault—”

“What was it?” His voice grew louder, and he grabbed the front of Julian’s shirt. Even though my heart was flying, I jumped in between them pulling on Jack’s arm.

“Jack! Stop it! You’re going to get us kicked out of the hospital.”

“Nothing, man. I didn’t do a thing.” Julian’s voice was flat, and he pushed Jack’s hand away, leaning back and sitting down in the chair again.

Jack didn’t even speak to me. He only turned to the small room where Lucy was being held. I followed him slowly, stopping at the door as he went inside and approached the bed. There were beeping sounds and tubes running to her arms. He pulled a chair to sit beside her, and her eyes fluttered open, a weak smile touched her lips.

“Lucy,” he whispered as he took her small hand in both of his. My stomach hurt when I heard the tear in his voice, and my own eyes warmed.

The door eased shut, and I went over to where Julian was leaning forward in his seat. I sat beside him and put my arm across his shoulders, pressing my cheek into the one closest to me.

“Julian. I’m sorry.” I said, rubbing his back. “He’s just upset.”

“This isn’t going to work, Anna.”

“Shh,” I whispered, still rubbing his back.

“I mean, you know I’m not into drugs, and if she’s trying to kill herself…” We both braced when we heard the loud voice of Mr. Kyser down the hall.

“Where is she?” His voice was stern, but I detected a note of fear, too.

Julian stood. “I’m taking off.”

A nurse quickly approached and took Mr. Kyser’s arm, leading him to the station in the center of the hall.

“Tell her I said ’bye. I’ll catch up with her tomorrow,” Julian said.

I nodded, and he left as Bill Kyser strode toward me, eyes blazing.

“Is her brother in there?” he demanded.

“Yes, sir.” My whole body was tense with fear. How did he know if Jack hadn’t told him? I was pretty sure Julian wouldn’t call Bill Kyser. I wasn’t even sure if they’d ever met.

He paced the floor and looked at his watch several times. A shudder passed through me, and I sat in the chair again, hugging my arms around my knees. Finally, Jack came out of Lucy’s room. His demeanor was back to controlled like always, the momentary glimpse of his other side gone. I stood to go to him.