Luminescence (Luminescence Trilogy) (7 page)

Immediately upon sitting we were greeted by a young girl, Carla her nametag claimed. She couldn’t have been much older than me and her eyes were glued on Gavin. Invisibility wasn’t a foreign feeling. Her uniform was a little tight and I was afraid she was going to fall out of the top.

Folding my hands on table, I watched her soak up the sight of him. Steeling a glance at him, I noticed a strange spark about his eyes. They were normally pools of deep blue, but this was something else. Blinking to clear the glare of the soft light above, he turned and asked what I would like. Whatever I thought I saw was gone.

“Carmel macchiato,” I said on auto-response, still wondering what just happened.

Smiling, he gave Carla my order and his – coffee black. Carla scurried to get our drinks. I don’t remember the service being this good. The coffee is great, but the service was usually crap.

“So is it just you and your aunt?” He casually inquired bringing my focus back to the present.

“Yeah, my parents died when I was five,” I confessed, glancing around the room. My paranoia must be setting in because it was either that or everyone was staring at us.

“That must have been hard.” There was sincerity and compassion in his expression.

I shrugged. “I don’t really remember it much. It’s always been the two of us.” I kept taking a peek to see if anyone was looking our way.

“And what about you’re other relatives, do you see them?” He was just full of questions.

I hadn’t thought about my family in some time. My aunt was mostly it. I did have a grandma on my mom’s side that I visited, but I couldn’t picture one face from my dad’s. “I have a grandma not far from here, but no one else really,” I admitted slightly sadden by the lack of people in my life. “What about you?” It was time to turn the table. “Do you have any siblings?”

He relaxed his posture and smirked. That said everything. He adored his family. “I have an older brother and a younger sister. Jared is in college and Sophie is a sophomore.”

“At our school?” I was taken by surprise that I hadn’t seen her yet.

He nodded his dark head. “I’m sure you’ll see her around. She is eager to meet you.”

“You told her about me?” My tone skeptical.

He laughed. The huskiness of it flooded over me and packed my belly with the heat of fireflies. “It’s kind of unavoidable. She has a way of pulling information out of you without you knowing. A small talent of hers, you’ll see what I mean.”

Carla returned with our drinks and asked Gavin pointedly if there was anything she could do for him. I fought the urge to kick her from under the table, anything to get her attention elsewhere.

“That will be all thanks,” he graciously dismissed.

“Is your sister psychic or something?” I teased.

He grinned. “Not quite.”

“Okay now I’m intrigued and a little afraid.” I took a sip of my macchiato and closed my eyes as the sweet flavor hit my tongue. Swallowing the hot liquid I opened my eyes to find Gavin staring intently at me. They lured me into unexplored territory.

“You are not at all like I thought.” There was a low husky strain to his voice.

His admission caused a powerful flush that had nothing to do with the coffee and everything with the way he looked at me. Absently turning the cup in my hand I tentatively asked, “I’m not?”

He stared, looking at me like I was a mystery waiting to be solved – totally ironic considering I was trying to do the same with him. Apparently neither of us could figure the other out.

“No, you have my mind spinning in circles. I can’t figure you out,” he admitted not entirely happy about it.

“What’s there to figure out? I’m just a girl from a small town.”

Turning away he sighed. “I don’t know. It’s more complicated.” He tugged on his lip ring looking lost in thought. “Come on… I should get you home,” he said before I could ask him what was so complicated. I wanted to press the subject, but the confusion in his expression stopped me.

The car ride to my house was death-defying. He drove at speeds I never ventured before. Yet somehow I never felt like my safety was threatened. Everything about this guy screamed danger, but I didn’t believe it.

My aunt left the porch light on, as he walked me to the door.

Once we made were on the porch he held out his hand. “Let me see your phone.”

I eyed him wearily, but gave it over. Our fingers touched for a split moment and a shock like static tingled at the spot.

If he had felt anything, he never led on. Scrolling through the menu, he punched on the keys. There wasn’t much light on the porch so I couldn’t see what he was doing.

“There.” He handed the device back.

“Thanks, I think.” I stood in front of him, shuffling my feet uncertain how to say goodbye. When he traced his fingertips alongside my face, tucking loose strands behind my ear, a bolt of shock and something more caused my head to snap up.

His eyes glimmered, but I swear behind the twinkle was a hint of regret. “Sweet dreams Bri.”

Walking inside the house, I leaned up against the closed door. The roar of his engine rippled through the night and I sighed with a content smile on my lips.

Chapter 6

THE NEXT MORNING I WOKE up mystified. On one hand I was ecstatic about spending time with Gavin. On the other he was a puzzle. I was pretty good at puzzles so the idea of trying to figure him out was appealing to my nature. As I lay there staring at the ceiling, I tried to sort the little I already knew about him. I couldn’t let go of this nudge that there was something peculiar with him. Call it a hunch or whatever, but it gnawed at the back of my mind.

Sunday’s were lazy. I didn’t work and mostly spent the day catching up on household chores, finishing my homework and watching my DVR. Regrettably I got up when it became clear I wasn’t going to get any answers glaring at the ceiling. Pulling a hoodie over the tank I slept in, I padded my way downstairs.

My aunt was at the breakfast bar with her morning coffee – the aroma tempting. “Morning,” she beamed between sips of her steaming mug.

There was a hint of something sweetening the air mixed with the bitter coffee grounds. Plopping down on a burgundy stool I ran a hand through my tousled hair and grumbled an incomprehensible response.

“Coffee?” She spun around going to the pot still on the warmer.

Our kitchen was ornamented in cranberries and ivy. They were woven around the chains of the chandelier and intricately staggered above the dark cherry cabinets. The whole ensemble had a country living vibe.

Nodding my head, she set a roasting cup in front of me. Placing my hands on either side of the mug, I let the warmth soak into them.

“I made cinnamon rolls if you would like one,” she offered, leaning her elbows on the counter grinning at me.

It was killing her, waiting for me to say something about last night. She was all but bursting with fervent impatience. I glanced over at the clock and noticed there were only a few more minutes before she needed to leave for the shop.

“You’re killing me.” She echoed my thoughts.

I rolled my eyes. “It was nothing,” I insisted.

She didn’t believe me. “He sure didn’t look like nothing.”

You’re telling me
. “I know… this is so bad,” I whined, shoving my face into my hands.

She laughed at my theatrics. The sound was like home – comfort and security.

“I think he wants to be
friends
,” I scoffed. The last word was said with annoyance.

“The way that boy looked at you was anything but
just friends
. Just give it time, you’ll see. In the meantime, be yourself. He won’t be able to resist.”

Who was she kidding? How was I supposed to be myself when I rarely even knew who that was?

Exhaling I said, “I think I’ll take one of those cinnamon rolls now.”

Placing the sticky bun on a plate she handed it to me. “I can’t believe my angel has a boyfriend.” She had a silly grinned on her face.

Groaning, I laid my head on the countertop. “He is not my boyfriend.” The words were muffled by the granite.

“See you by five,” she called over her shoulder and headed to the garage.

***

The DVR was currently playing the previous week’s episode of my favorite series. I had my feet tucked beneath me; a blanket wrapped around my legs and I still wore the hoodie from this morning. The bad reality show on the screen only had part of my attention. Before I could prevent it, the memory of last night with the sinister Gavin came back to taunt me. What was it about him that caused my hairs to stand up and get my blood pumping all at the same time?

He struck a chord in me and I started to regret not pressing him on our
complication
. Maybe that was part of his angle, to remain aloof, mysterious to keep me interested. Little did he know, I was way past just interested. I might have just slammed into what I was sure was an unhealthy obsession. Why couldn’t I get him out of my head?

Halfway into the show, my phone vibrated the cushion beside me. Unlocking the home screen the text icon blinked with a new message.

What are you doing?
It read, popping up Gavin’s name next to the message. The secret of my phone last night revealed itself. He must have added himself to my contacts.

Nothin. Did you steal my number too?
I sent the response with a squiggling smiley face.

The phone hummed again seconds later.
One of my many tricks.

Oh I’m sure it is. Grinning I tapped away on the keys.
I would have given it to you.

Not as much fun!

And you’re all about fun…
I replied.

There’s nothing wrong with a little fun. You going to school tomorrow?

I rolled my eyes after reading the last text.
Where else would I be?

Somewhere with me?

Funny… See you in Chem.

Ugh… Fine. If that’s the only way I can see you.
I could almost hear the aggravation in his text.

Returning my attention to the last half of my show, the night wore on and on and on.

Finally out of sheer boredom I climbed the stairs to the sanctuary of my room, my homework was done and the laundry made. The walls glistened in lilac frost accentuated by the silvery moss comforter that lain spread across my bed. There were always fresh flowers in the vase at my nightstand, a perk for having an aunt who owned a floral shop. I believed the current flower was hydrangea filling my room with its sugary aroma.

I whipped my hoodie off in the corner and headed to the small desk housing my ancient, barely functioning laptop. Hitting the power switch I waited for it to boot up. My mind wandered against my will. His dark poetic features clearly impressed into my memory.

Heaving a deep sigh, I shook my head mentally trying to erase his image.

The homepage on my computer loaded and I logged in to check my emails. Nothing significant, a bunch of spam, a few jokes from Austin and one from school reminding me to sign up for email updates on my grades. I shifted through the junk, read Austin’s and sent most to my trash folder. Frustrated with the snail speed of my internet connection I shut the computer down and close it with a satisfying snap.

Grabbing my iPod, I flung myself on the bed and scrolled down the menu of songs. Selecting a loud angry Alanis Morissette track, I pumped up the volume, determined to drown out all images of Gavin Mason.

The dream hit me faster than normal. One instant I was listening to Alanis belt ‘You, you, you oughta know’ and the next I was in a clearing – enclosed by fields of lavender. The transition was typically gradual. When I closed my eyes there was usually some interlude to let my body and mind unwind. This time it was like being sucked down a water slide.

Lukas was sitting next to me, close enough that I felt the bush of his arm. It was easy comfort with him. The sandy blonde of his hair moved slightly with the gentle breeze that mixed with the lavender essence. His emerald eyes sought mine.

“Hey.” The warmth of his breath flushed my cheeks.

“Hi,” I replied. “I didn’t think I’d see you so soon.”

He smiled charmingly, illuminating the golden boy face. “Me either…I’m not complaining though.”

At times he seemed too good to be true or in this case dream about. I was pretty sure my mind wasn’t that ingenious.

“Earth to Brianna,” he called mockingly.

“What?” I startled from the random thoughts.

He was eyeing me coolly. “You were somewhere else.”

“Sorry, it’s been a hectic week,” I apologized.

Taking both my hands in his he pulled me effortlessly to my feet. “Good, let’s do something.” The rush caused a little hitch in my breath. “Common on,” he said a second before taking off into the meadow of lavender, his golden hair bouncing with his hurried movements.

Not missing a beat, I bolted out after him. “Lukas,” I shouted. “You better not lose me.” Forgetting that he was way more athletically built than most guys at my school, yet this was a dream, how far could he really go? Hey if you are going to dream, dream big. Well it seemed pretty far because it wasn’t long before I lost sight of him or he was in an extremely great hiding spot.