Into the Fire (12 page)

Good to know. “Does that mean you like bonfires, campfires… I can’t think of any more things that require heat. Maybe cooking?”

“Actually, we have a bonfire at school every year. It’s kind of how we say goodbye to summer.”

“A bonfire in the summer has got to be scorching hot.”

“Not really. It gets pretty cool here in the evenings.”

I pick up my tea, wanting to blow on it, but fearing I’ll look like a total pansy. I take a sip, letting most of it drip back into my tipped cup so she can’t see. Damn, that’s hot! Cara’s tougher than I thought.

She suppresses a smile.

“What?” Some tea dribbles down my chin. I still haven’t swallowed, afraid the tea will burn my throat. Cara laughs. I feel like a complete idiot, but her laughter makes it almost worth it. “Anyone ever tell you that you have a great laugh?” She shakes her head. “Okay, so anything else to do in this town besides the falls and bonfires?”

“There are a couple places where everyone hangs out. The movie theater, the fields—”

“The fields? Please don’t tell me kids around here sit in fields for fun.” I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I don’t want to offend her if that’s what she thinks is fun.

“That’s where we have the bonfires, but we hang out there all the time. Everyone here is big on sports, even though our school teams suck. The guys usually play football. Well”—she tilts her head and laughs—“more like a cross between football and wrestling. They have no clue what they’re doing and usually end up just beating on each other for fun.”

“What about the girls?” I hope I don’t sound like I’m interested in meeting other girls. Really, all I want to do is take Cara back to my pool and have a repeat of last night.

“They mostly watch. Except for the seniors. They drink.”

“Just the seniors?”

“Yeah. The underclassmen get to be the designated drivers, and occasionally we have to hold the senior girls’ hair out of the way while they puke up their guts. It’s really attractive.”

“So why do you go?”

She shrugs. “It’s what we do. Besides, Jeremy plays football there. He’s good, too. Or he would be if anyone else actually tried to play the game correctly.”

“Ah, being the good big sister.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not sure if he’ll be playing football anymore.”

“I thought he was doing better. He looked okay at the falls. I mean, his dive left a lot to be desired, but he’s getting over mono. That’s to be expected.”

“His interests have changed recently.”

Monique returns with our sandwiches, and they’re every bit as good as the omelets. We’re just about finished eating when Monique comes by with more tea. “Cara, can I talk to you for a moment?”

Cara looks almost scared as she gets up. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.” I watch them walk away and hope that Monique isn’t giving her a hard time about being out with me. It’s so hard to figure out if Monique likes me. One minute she’s buying me breakfast, and the next she’s warning me that the entire town will come after me if I hurt Cara.

I finish my tea and wait. They’re taking an awfully long time. Henry Baker walks by, and the second he sees me he presses his fingers to his head and scrunches up his face. “Logan Schmidt.”

I put my finger to my head. “Henry Baker.”

“Ha ha!” He keeps walking, laughing until he’s out of sight.

Monique comes back, carrying the check in her hands.

“Where’s Cara?” I ask, taking out my wallet.

“She’s in the restroom. She’ll be right out. Nice seeing you again, Logan.”

“You too.” I toss money on the table and stand up. Cara comes out of the bathroom with puffy red eyes. “Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah. I got something in my eye. No big deal.”

“I was thinking maybe you can show me around town—if you’re not busy.”

“Um, I’m on Jeremy duty. Linette has to go to work. For you, actually.”

“Oh, well, I could keep you company.” Damn it, I sound pathetic.

“I sort of got in trouble yesterday for taking Jeremy out. If I bring you home, my mom would freak.” Her eyes widen, and she reaches for my arm. “I didn’t even ask you how your head is. I’m so sorry.”

“Relax. I’m fine. I kind of thought you got that last night.”

She reddens again.

“Thank you for the generous tip, Logan,” Monique says.

Cara jumps and lets go of my arm. “I should get going. Let me pay you for my sandwich.”

“No. I got it. You can make it up to me by playing tour guide for me tomorrow.”

“Cara, you shouldn’t keep Jeremy waiting,” Monique says.

“I really have to run.” She heads for her car and I follow, feeling like a lost dog.

“What about tomorrow?”

She gets in the car and closes the door, but she lowers the window and stares into my eyes. “The falls at eight.”

“I’ll see you then.” She drives away, and I can’t help feeling like Monique derailed our date.

Cara

Mom’s head looks like it’s about to explode. Her face is bright red, and if she scrubs the potatoes any harder, we won’t even have enough left to make French fries.

“We just talked about this yesterday, and I have to hear from Monique that you’re on a date with Logan?”

“It wasn’t a date.” Was it? I’m not sure what the kiss—kisses—from last night actually meant. I’m just glad Mom thinks I went to Rachel’s when I ran off.

“What do
you
call it?”

“We’re friends.”

“Then why wasn’t Rachel with you? You were supposed to drive her home.”

“She said she had plans with Nick.” At least that’s not a lie.

“Cara, you have to stay away from him. Why can’t you understand that?”

“Have you ever imprinted?” I’m not sure why I haven’t asked her before.

She drops the potato in the sink and dries her hands. “You really want to know?”

“Yes, but I don’t want some bogus story to teach me a lesson. I want the truth.”

“This is the truth. I have imprinted.”

I swallow hard, not sure if I want to hear this anymore. I sink into the stool, bracing myself for a story about some guy who isn’t my dad. “In which life?”

“This one. Relax, it was your father.”

I’m both relieved to hear it and disappointed at the same time. “Then that doesn’t help me. You don’t know if the imprint carries over through the rebirth.”

She shakes her head before grabbing me by the shoulders. “Think about this. You’re going to live until you’re around five hundred years old. Would you really
want
the imprint to carry over? Logan only has this one life. That’s it. What will you do if the imprint carries throughout your five hundred years?”

“I—” I never thought of that. “But you said Phoenixes can imprint once per lifetime.”

“True, we can, but that doesn’t mean we
do
. Look at me. I can’t even look at another man, and I still have years left in this life.”

“Are you saying you
want
to imprint on someone else?” How could she do that to my dad?

“That’s not the point, Cara. The point is that I have no choice. I’m stuck. Just like you will be if you don’t stay away from Logan.”

“But—”

“He can still forget you. Let him forget. It’s the nicest thing you can do for him. Move on. Maybe if you don’t see him anymore, you’ll be able to go through your rebirth and—”

“Forget him?” My eyes fill with tears. I can’t imagine forgetting Logan. “I’m going to my room.”

“Cara—”

I run upstairs and bury my head in my pillow. She doesn’t understand. Nothing I say is going to change her mind. I flip over and stare at the ceiling. Rachel. I haven’t had time to even tell her about Logan and me. I grab my cell and press three on my speed dial.

“Details! I want details!” Rachel squeals into the phone. “Did he kiss you? Are you two officially dating?” She always cuts right to the chase.

“Don’t hate me, but I kind of forgot to tell you I went to his house last night.”

“What!”

My eardrums throb. “I think I’m deaf.” I rub my ear.

“What happened? And how could you hold out on me like that?”

“I’m sorry. Things here have been…intense. Mom freaked out that I took Jeremy to the falls since he’s still sick.”

“You didn’t get grounded?”

“She never
technically
grounded me.”

Rachel laughs. “That’s my girl. Play the technicality. Okay, so you ran off to Logan’s house last night. Go on.”

“Without my mom knowing. She thinks I was with you. She doesn’t exactly approve of me seeing Logan.”

“So you
are
seeing him?”

“I think so. I don’t know.”

“What’s your mom’s deal? Why doesn’t she like him? Is it the leather jacket? It is kind of weird. He’s got a great body. I don’t know why he’d cover it up.”

“I already told you. It reminds him of his mom.”

“Maybe you should tell your mom that. Then she won’t think he’s such a bad boy.”

“I doubt it would help.” All Mom cares about is the fact that Logan isn’t a Phoenix.

“All right, enough of this. Get to the good stuff. Did you make out all night long?” I can hear her getting comfortable on the other end. She’s probably snuggling up with her stuffed zebra on her lap.

“Not
all
night.” I giggle. This is why I love Rachel. She makes me feel normal. Human.

“Ahh! How did it happen? Did you just throw yourself into his arms the second you got there?”

“No. We talked. It’s weird. I know we just met, but it feels like we’ve known each other forever.”

“Yeah, yeah. Back to the kissing…”

“We were by the pool, and he just kissed me. The next thing I knew, we were in the pool making out.”

“Cara, I’m so jealous. You landed the hot new guy.”

Yeah, and I have to give him up in less than a month. “Mom found out we had lunch today. Monique called her. Can you believe that?”

“The dirty little snitch!”

“Don’t say that. I love Monique. She’s just trying to look out for me, but it still sucks.”

“So what are you going to do?”

Stop seeing him. It’s what I have to do. “Sneak out and see him as much as I can.”

“I’ve taught you well. I’ll be your alibi any time. Just give me a heads up.”

“Thanks, Rach. I owe you.” More than she’ll ever know.

***

“Cara, don’t leave me.”

I search the fire for Logan’s face. His image fades in and out. I can’t tell if he’s trying to say more because the crackling of the fire is blocking out the sound. I try to tune into him, to focus on him instead of my impending death.

“Don’t forget.” Logan’s voice carries over the flames as my hair catches fire.

I wake up sweating from the dream. He’s still there. That has to mean I’m supposed to be with him no matter what.

I get up and head to the shower, already working out a plan in my mind. I have to help Jeremy this afternoon, but Linette said she’d come by this morning to give me a break, since I’m so stressed. Stressed—that’s a mild way to put it. Mom thinks I’m hanging with Rachel. It was her idea, actually. Anything to keep me away from Logan. I’m adopting the “what Mom doesn’t know won’t hurt her” theory.

I get dressed, picking out an outfit that’s more revealing than I’m used to. Rachel really is rubbing off on me. I grab an apple, and I’m out the door with a quick hello to Jeremy. Thankfully, Mom’s already at work.

Linette’s walking up the driveway as I reach my car. “Off already?”

“Yeah, Rachel and I are spending the morning together. Mom thinks it’s best that she and I spend as much time together as possible.”

“I agree. Have fun.” She goes inside, and I get in the car. Logan’s dad is working, so I head to his house. I still don’t know his phone number. I’m too much of a chicken to ask for it or give him mine. I pull into his driveway, and he’s already opening the door.

He smiles and motions for me to come in. “I was on my way to the falls to find you.”

Good. I don’t have to feel like a psycho for just dropping by. “I decided I shouldn’t go to any of my usual hangouts right now.”

“Why?”

Crap. He doesn’t know Mom has a problem with us. “My mom isn’t big on the whole dating thing.” I swallow hard. “Not that I think we’re dating, but to her it will look like—”

He reaches for me. “You don’t think we’re dating?” He rubs his thumb over the top of my hand. I smile, unable to form words because I’m too busy trying to keep my temperature down. I’m supposed to be able to control it eventually. Now would be a great time to start, without a cold drink or a pool.

“You know, I think we should solve this phone issue.” He holds his free hand out. “Hand it over.”

I give him my phone and he types his number into it. Without warning, he pulls me to him and presses his lips to mine. Luckily, I’m too stunned for my emotions to get out of hand. I hear the soft click of the camera on my phone. Logan pulls away first, but I can tell he doesn’t want to. He hands me the phone, and the picture of us kissing is still on the screen, saved as his photo ID. I nearly melt on the spot. I press “call,” and his phone rings in his pocket.

“Excuse me, it’s my girlfriend calling.” He considers me his girlfriend? He takes the phone out and answers the call, motioning for me to put my phone to my ear. “Cara?”

“Yeah?” I’m shaking, and a tiny ember forms on my fingernail. I close my hand in a fist, stifling it before it becomes a flame.
Get a grip, Cara!
But how can I? Logan called me his girlfriend.

“Will you be my girlfriend?” For the first time since I met him, his voice shakes with nerves. He really isn’t used to this. He has no idea it’s the imprint making him act this way. Oh God, what if he doesn’t really want this? What if my stupid bird features are just making him think he does? “Not to put pressure on you, but your silence is kind of killing me right now.”

How can I say no? But I have to. “Yes, I’ll be your girlfriend.”

He pockets his phone and takes mine from my ear. His hand cups my cheek, and his lips are on mine. I’m so screwed. There’s no such thing as rational thought when he’s around. Maybe because I’m too busy trying not to burn him.

An hour later, my lips need a break, though the second I pull away from him, I’m aching to touch him again. Imprints must be the most powerful connection ever. I can’t imagine this not carrying over through my rebirth.