ODDILY (8 page)

Maxim started to reflect on the females about town. When he went out, which wasn’t often, he usually didn’t allow himself to pay attention to them. It was too risky to get involved with anyone. One wrong move on his part could cause chaos to this world around him because he and his sister were never meant to be born in this timeline. Now with this odd redhead named Oddily falling into his life, he became curious. Her unique appearance drew him to her. He found her fascinating and yet reluctantly wanted to know more about her.

Maxim caught Oddily’s rapid movement. She didn’t seem to like the lipstick, and walked away from the counter. Was she affected by the virtual reality game or was this how she normally acted? He hoped not, because her peculiar style of shoplifting would get her arrested. Maxim expressed amusement at the thought of what she had done, and then frowned. No—something was going on with her, and he needed to find out before she got herself into serious trouble.

Maxim took a deep breath, happy that Oddily’s shopping excursion was over. He followed her outside without incident, but other trouble waited out on the street. The car that Oddily had driven so haphazardly was surrounded by the police, and this seemed to amuse her.

Maybe she’s crazy after all
. Maxim had stopped in his tracks until he spotted Oddily marching through the parking lot towards the crime scene.

“
Oddily!” he bellowed while sprinting for his car. Thankfully, his voice carrying her name had stunned her long enough for her to stop and turn around. His distraction gave him time to retrieve his Z4 roadster.

Oddily watched a gunmetal gray car pull up next to her and stop.

“
Isn’t your name Marvin?” she asked with a demure, questioning look when she noticed who sat in the driver’s seat. It was the handsome stranger whom she had run away from at school earlier that day.

“
It’s Maxim,” he smiled lazily, trying to appear calm. “Do you need a lift?”

Maxim clinched his jaw while Oddily glanced over at the commotion around Starla’s Mini Cooper, then back at him. His felt indirectly responsible for her bizarre behavior, so he spoke again.

“
I’m starved. Do you mind if we stop somewhere and get something to eat?”

Oddily seemed puzzled—as if she couldn’t decide what to do. Then out of the blue, she perked up and grinned at him, running around to the passenger’s side. When she jumped in, Maxim wasn’t aware of her belly growling from hunger. Nor was he conscious of the fact that she had just reminded herself this was a virtual reality game.

“
I guess this means yes!” he said, bewildered by her sudden willingness.

“
Yes it does,” she smiled over at him with a goofy, crooked grin.

Maxim took a deep breath and exhaled slowly while Oddily buckled up her seatbelt. He had to smile after seeing her head barely reaching above the dashboard. Oddily’s impaired view of the road explained her horrendous driving skills.

“
I hope I won’t be too boring for you,” she said, already apologizing.

“
I doubt that will be a problem,” he smiled, musing over her contented expression while he rolled down the windows. Oddily still reeked from her trip to the perfume counter.

12

Maxim drove down the road all the while knowing Oddily’s eyes were on him. Peripherally, he had been watching her and wondered what was on her mind.

“
What’s going on?” he asked uneasily.

“
What do you mean?” Her smile faded a little.

“
Why do you keep staring at me?”

Oddily’s smile widened again. “I’m deciding whether to kiss you or not.”

Maxim threw back his head and laughed while Oddily continued, “Your features are so hypnotizing—especially your eyes.” She reached over and touched his cheek.

Her gentle contact with his flesh stunned him causing an unexpected jolt of electricity to surge through him—a wave of desire he tried to ignore. “What did you decide?”

Oddily shrugged. “I believe it will be a definite, yes!”

Maxim was glad to arrive at the restaurant when they did, and pulled into a parking place near the front entrance. Her answer had aroused him even more, and it became impossible to hide.

“
You’ll enjoy the food here,” he changed the subject while lingering in his seat.

“
Do you eat here often?”

“
No, I don’t care much for restaurants.”

Oddily waited for him to climb out of the car, but he remained seated. He acted embarrassed about something, and that something was probably her. He must have changed his mind over their public appearance together, and didn’t know how to get rid of her.

“
We don’t need to go inside if you don’t want to,” she steadied her shaking voice, trying to make it easy for him. “Besides, I’m not very hungry.” As if on cue, her stomach growled.

Oddily’s comments stunned Maxim so much, his immediate issue resolved itself. “We’re eating.” His words sounded blunt and final as he jumped out and rounded the car.

Maxim led her into the Hide-A-Way Inn, set back from the hustle and bustle of the busy town. At Maxim’s request, they found a table outside in the quaint garden with vines growing over thick brick walls. The Inn was usually packed for early dinners, but it was early enough for the two of them to be seated quickly. Maxim asked for the table in the far corner, hidden behind a trellis of ivy.

Oddily gave the secret hideaway an exploratory once over, and then slipped into the nearest chair facing the wall. Maxim, however, remained standing with his chair pulled out. She wondered why such an odd expression came over his face after she took her seat.

Suddenly, Oddily felt the familiar knot in her stomach when the answer dawned on her. He had been holding out the chair for her. He wanted to sit in the seat she had taken with his back to the other tables. He didn’t want to be seen with her.

Oddily got ready to leave the virtual world after she realized that even in a game she couldn’t get away from rejection. To her shame, tears began to puddle in her eyes, and she got up to leave; but Maxim had stopped her before she passed him, his hand gently grabbing her by the arm.

“
Oddily, what’s wrong?” His intense eyes grew large after she shied away from his touch.

“
You’re ashamed to be seen with me,” she said, embarrassed.

“
I’m sorry,” he was surprised by the hurt tone in her voice. “I guess my need for privacy can sometimes be misconstrued. Please don’t take my actions personally. I want to be here with you.”

Oddily continued to frown in response.

Maxim started to stroke Oddily’s forearm with his finger. “If I didn’t want to be seen with you, I wouldn’t be here right now,” he gave her a half smile.

Oddily drew a deep breath and turned her bewildered gaze to the floor. The sadness on her face appeared to be genuine, how could anyone think otherwise.

“
Let’s start over,” he gestured to the chair that still waited for her. Oddily wiped at fresh tears with the back of her hand, and her crooked grin returned.

Maxim sat across from the redhead and stared, trying to understand the girl before him. There was something in her eyes conveying rejection and loneliness that caused him to sway a little.

“
You’ve got nice lips,” he volunteered. “You appear as though you’re pouting all the time—it’s cute.”

Oddily’s response intrigued him. She laughed with childlike abandon, as if she genuinely thought he had said something funny. Even with Oddily glancing at the menu, Maxim continued to look her over with interest and curiosity, hardly wanting to believe this fragile girl sitting across from him didn’t take him seriously.

“
I think maybe you are my Prince Charming. No—I know you are.” Oddily’s large, dreamy eyes gazed up into his face, acting giddy with girlishness.

“
Oh I am, am I,” Maxim leaned back in his chair and tried to hide his surprise over her sudden revelation, while a fountain of laughter threatened to flood his senses.

“
Yes,” her face continued to maintain that crooked smile of hers, “and it doesn’t even matter what you prefer, because you have no choice in the matter.”

“
And why is that?” Maxim barely could choke out the question.

“
Because none of this is real,” she waved her dainty hand in the air to include the entire restaurant full of people.

A blank stare fell across Maxim’s handsome face as she continued. “This is just a game, and I don't want it to end,” she sighed, looking dreamily up at his frozen expression.

“
You think you’re in a game?” He tried to wrap his mind around what she implied.

“
Yes,” Oddily cocked her head to the side. “I can do anything I want, and nothing can harm me.”

“
Excuse me,” Maxim abruptly got to his feet and walked over to another corner of the garden. While trying to calm down, he telepathically called out to his sister.

While Oddily waited for him to return, she eyed a chocolate cake with fudge icing served at the table two rows over.

Oddily’s stomach growled in response. She got up and strolled over to the other table and asked the female guest for a bite of the mouth-watering dessert.

“
Get your own damn piece of cake—Waitress!”

“
What a good idea,” Oddily smiled brightly at the appalled woman.

When Oddily couldn’t get the attention of the waitress who busily tried to calm the disgruntled woman, she walked behind the counter and slid, unnoticed through the revolving doors, leading to the kitchen area. The three tiered cart full of desserts was easy to find and Oddily started to sample them with her finger. The first flavor was just okay, but the second one tasted delicious. She carefully picked up the whole cake and carried it through the revolving door, heading back to her seat.

“
Excuse me miss, you can’t do that!” The manager had caught up with her before she reached her table.

“
I can do anything I please.” Oddily grinned at the man’s reddened face.

Maxim was busy talking with his sister in their usual mind-reading way, and if anyone could have listened in on the ethereal dialect, this was what they would have overheard.

Nexa,
Maxim
tried to calm his mind while he spoke.

Max, you need to get a grip on yourself!

Oddily thinks she’s still in a game. I don’t know why, but I’ve got to find out how this happened.

Ditch her, and return home right now.

It’s too dangerous to leave her like this, but I need to talk with you.

I know.  I just read your mind, and we’ve got a problem!

The commotion going on behind Maxim distracted him from his conversation with Nexa. He turned his head, and noticed the manager standing over Oddily, trying to take a cake away from her without much luck. Oddily didn’t seem to be cooperating, and the room full of onlookers made it impossible for him to remain inconspicuous.

Against better judgment, Maxim reached Oddily’s side and graciously offered an apology before purchasing the tampered dessert. Then, he grabbed Oddily’s arm and led her out to his car. He had opened the car door for her, and was about to climb in himself when someone addressed him.

“
Excuse me sir,” Maxim stopped and turned around. “Please, Sir, I’m so sorry to bother you again, but I must request that you come back inside with me for a moment.

Maxim hesitated.

“
Sir, it won’t take long.” The employee explained the situation and apparently, Oddily had manhandled another cake, and they wanted to be reimbursed.

Maxim leaned into the car. “I’ll return in a minute.”

Oddily waited in the car all the while stuffing her mouth with cake. Her fingers got gooier by the minute, so she opened the glove compartment to find a napkin. Glasses, just like the ones she found in her sweater pocket during history class were resting on the top of papers and other miscellaneous items. She took them out and found them to be a replica of her own.

“
This game is getting better all the time,” she giggled.

What’s keeping Maxim?
She wondered after a while. She began to reflect on his unhappiness over the cake incident. In fact, his flawlessly handsome face appeared rather pale. Maybe something else happened to cause his change in mood.

Oddily started to brood over the endless possibilities of what bothered him, and sadness in her heart returned upon her conclusion. She was the reason.

“
This isn’t fun anymore,” she mumbled to herself, wanting to end the game. Either someone had to enter her bedroom and remove the glasses from her eyes, or she needed to die as she did with the giant dog. At this point, the second choice seemed more feasible.

13

Maxim returned to the car with another cake. He placed the box in the trunk, and then started to climb into the driver’s seat, but stopped to glance around.

“
Oddily, where are you?” After searching the premises, inside and out, Maxim angrily hopped into his car and took off, burning rubber. If he had been more careful with the security measures guarding his property, this whole fiasco wouldn’t have taken place. “Never again,” he scolded himself.