Uncharted (Unexpected Book 3) (7 page)

My father and I don’t speak much. We bond while watching television.
Law and Order
is his favorite show. We can sit in the same room for hours without uttering a word. He’d do his thing while I do mine. That’s Dad—always in his own world, and barely acknowledging our existence. Mom’s attention is solely on Maeve, because I’m old enough to do my thing. Yet, not old enough to live far away from them.

“Why do you have to leave school?” That question sours the sweet moment I let myself have.

Tension vibrates through Twinkle’s skin; her body shakes and I hold her tighter against me, kissing the top of her head. That flowery scent of her makes me feel different. A feeling I’ve never encountered before. Saying I needed to find out more about her wasn’t a cheesy line. Everything about her calls out to my heart, my mind, and my soul. The sound of her voice, the warmth of her smile, the sound of her breathing, and the softness of her body leaning against mine. I want to be tangled up in her. I crave her, and there’s something inside me that wishes I could hold her forever and listen to whatever nonsense she has to say as I play an eternal song for the two of us.

My body heat rises and my mind races through everything that has happened in only a few hours. Events that feel as if we’ve spent days, months, or even years together. I fiddle with her hair as I search for some answers because I’m confused as hell about all this shit. We only met a few days ago. Fuck, the first two encounters sucked. But none of that appears to be important. Only the now matters, and how I’m going to manage to keep her around. How am I going to shake this sadness she carries? How is it possible I feel this way?

It shouldn’t be possible, but here I am. Matthew swears that each time he fucks it’s special, but then moves to the next one. With this girl, I’m having trouble figuring out how to make our first kiss special, making it count so she wants more. Should I try with other girls?

“Maeve, my sister, has Cystic Fibrosis.” She breaks the stupid thoughts swirling in my mind. Her head leans against my chest and I create a shelter for her inside my arms. “Her lungs are delicate. Her entire system is fragile and we have to give her the proper care so she can stay with us longer. Mom does the best she can, but Mae needs someone to be with her around the clock. We can’t hire a nurse and Mom can’t quit her job because we need the money. That leaves me as the one to take charge and watch my sister until she’s healthy again—or as healthy as she can be.”

We remain quiet as I cradle her in my arms, trying to pretend that I can pull out the hurt inside her heart. I dry the few tears that leave her eyes with my sleeve. There really isn’t much I can say to her story. She loves her sister and would do anything for her. If I could make a wish it would be to erase the sour taste and make her feel safe again.

“Mae told me to stick around campus as long as I could. At least for one night. To enjoy my freedom while it lasts.” Pria laughs, a laugh that transforms into a series of sobbing chuckles. “My sister is awesome. I love her and want her to be around forever. If she can live at least another fifty years, I’ll be eternally grateful. For that, we have to be careful about everything, and give up whatever we need to give up.”

Pria was right—there’s nothing I can do at the moment. I’m unable to help. I can only offer her a shoulder to cry on, or a joke to forget about the outside world. Tonight, it’s only us.

“Shh,” I comfort her. “Let’s not talk about your family. What would happen if you stayed with me for an entire weekend?”

In one weekend I can make her fall in love with me, can’t I? At least convince her that we can see each other on a regular basis—date. AJ can give me pointers on how not to fuck up this chance. I release a small laugh. It never fails: when I think of her, my phone rings.

“Hey baby,” I answer by the second ring. “What up?”

“I hate my life. My roommate left me outside. If it wasn’t disgusting, I’d ignore the scarf tied on the door handle and I’d interrupt their coital fest.” Her angry voice sounds funny, as she is yell-whispering over the phone. “Fucking bitch, I seriously have to find another job that’ll pay enough for me to rent an apartment. What are you two up to?”

“AJ, stop thinking about selling your music and say yes to creating the company. That’s going to be our income if we play our cards right with Papi.” She huffs and doesn’t say anything. “Tonight Matthew’s learning what the kids like these days, and hating me.” I laugh because he’s going to be pissed that I took our only car. Buying one car for the two of us had been the worst idea we’ve had so far. “Long story that I can’t get into right now, Princess. In fact, I gotta go.”

“Wow, so much for brotherly love. You have a girl there, don’t you?” Damn triplet connection. Sometimes I hate it. “If you get laid, let me know.”

“I do love you, but I seriously need to go, Princess.”

“Who was that?” Twinkle asks.

“My sister. Her roommate locked her out again.” I can’t help but laugh because AJ’s always in some kind of weird situation. “I’m all for being a good sibling, but I’m not entertaining her tonight.”

“What’s your sister studying?”

“Music. The damn stupid girl is in Texas studying music.” I shake my head at the freaking anger I carry.

Five kick-ass schools accepted her and she chose the one that had the worst music program. Only AJ would turn down Juilliard, all because of Porter. If my parents knew, they’d kick his ass and send her to a much better school.

“She’s a musical genius, like our father, Chris. She has his genes.” I try not to sound bitter, but AJ doesn’t have to practice as much as I do. I spend hours and hours and only play half as well as Chris or AJ. “But she also wants to be a teacher. She’s good with children and teaching. When we go to Albany, our cousins’ children stay glued to her. They adore her.”

“Why didn’t you study music?”

“Not sure. I’m good at math, business and all that shit.” I bring up my qualifications as a student. “Matthew is good at everything and we both decided to try a degree that can be learned online. Dad didn’t have a musical education and he’s awesome. In fact, he’s our teacher.”

I don’t give her more specifics about MJ wanting to study English but giving it up because I convinced him to follow me. Or that my musician father isn’t my biological father, or how I want so bad to be like him when I grow up.

“This is too personal, isn’t it?”

“You’re right, Jacob. We barely know the basics.” She straightens to a sitting position, but I don’t let her get out of my grasp. “Like my favorite colors are periwinkle blue and rose-petal pink. My favorite show will forever be
Gilmore Girls
, even when my family swears it’s
Law and Order.
My favorite movie is
Pleasantville
, and I’m a
Harry Potter
fan. There—just the basic facts of life.”

Pleasantville?
I don’t remember what that movie was all about. The rest was self-explanatory.

“What about you?”

“Color, I guess black. And movies, any
Never End
.
The Lord of the Rings
is my favorite book series. I don’t have a favorite television show. And what is
Pleasantville
?”

She gives me a brief synopsis of the movie, where two teenagers end up inside a sitcom based in the fifties. The life of the characters is black and white, and the town slowly changes into colors as the characters experience some personal transformation or emotion.

“There are days I feel trapped in an emotionless house,” she clarifies. “I wish to either disappear into another life, or to come up with a way that my parents might change from always focusing on my sister’s illness and ways to make money to an emotional life where they care about…others.”

The passion her words express and the sadness entwined within them makes me dip to her heart-shaped lips. My mouth doesn’t wait for an approval; it simply takes charge.

I’ve kissed before—a couple of girls. Nothing too hot; more like pecks. The moment I touch her lips, my mouth parts, and my tongue begs for her to give me entrance. She tastes like sugar, but with a kick of spice. Once we pull apart, I stare into her bright eyes. They remind me of the night sky. A dark background illuminated by a twinkle.

“You’re an entire song about to be written, a song I’ll play for eternity, Twinkle.” I kiss her again; this time is longer and warmer. “Can you hear the notes? As your soul touches mine, we create sounds that become music as we move. Our melodies will transcend the stars, they’ll remain in what you called the never-ending sky.”

The shit my parents talked about may be real. That warm feeling inside your heart, when your soul awakens as you meet someone. The right someone. I think this is it. It’s as if I’ve known Pria since the beginning of time. Gabe and Chris hit it off while eating burgers. They became friends. With this girl, it is similar, and the shit I told her when we met at the bookstore is true. We’re destined to be together.

“That sounds…like a dream that will never happen. We’re not even opposites; we’re two parallel lines that crossed by mistake, but in a couple of days will continue on their own way. Of course, I wouldn’t mind staying with you, or believing that everything you said may be true. But life isn’t so simple. In fact, it sucks. Some days I wish my life was different.”

I caress her wrist while listening.

“I fear that when Mae dies, Mom will drift away because she’ll have lost the daughter she’s been fighting for so long.” She closes her eyes, snuggling closer to me, so close I think we’re one person. “It’s frightening to think that they’ll leave me with the guy who stares at any screen and ignores me. College was my way out, and it’s lasted only weeks. It never fails though; after I’m done with these self-pity parties, I regret all these selfish thoughts. Because if they weren’t so invested in my sister, she wouldn’t be with us, and I love Mae. My life won’t have a meaning if she leaves me. I’ll be all alone.”

With my thumb, I clear some of the tears that run down the side of her face. From time to time I’ve encountered that fear of losing my loved ones. It terrifies me to think what’d happen if I lose my parents, Ainsley or Matthew. Twinkle lives with that agony every day, expecting it could happen any time.

“From now on, watch the sky—it can be our private place that no one will take away from us.” I raise my hand and paint a line from one star to the other, forming an imaginary heart. “My grandfather lives in the Northeast. In Albany, New York. I love that man. The three of us adore him. We don’t get to see him often. Every time we do, though, the night before we leave his house or he heads back home, he shows us the stars and tells us that no matter where we are, we share the same sky. Even when it’s cloudy and we think nothing is there, he’s always there and he’s thinking of us. So every night, you look at the sky, and remember, I’m thinking of you, Twinkle. Creating music for you, holding you in my arms every night, and taking away the pain. We’re soulmates, remember?”

She sobs while snorting with laughter. Cute.

“You’re still crazy, but I like your way with words. I‘ll call my sister and ask her to cover for me.” She lets out a big breath and lifts her face, flashing those twinkles that I’m starting to memorize. “Though you might have to help me pack the rest of my junk. Will you be okay with that?”

One slight nod and a peck is all the confirmation I give her. I plan on spending every second that I’m given with her. Whatever happens next—our being apart—will be temporary. Things will work out in the long run. They have to.

“This could be the beginning of a long…something,” I blurt, as our mouths part.

“Doubtful. In the years to come, you’ll become famous. You won’t even remember my name,” she whispers. “But I’ll listen to your latest hit on the radio, and fantasize that we’re together. That my life is different.”

Can she really not believe what I see? How can I convince her we are destined to be together?

“The luxury cookie-cutter package, Twink,” I remind her. “That’s what our life will be in a few years.”

“I can’t explain much,” I whisper, afraid I’ll wake up Jacob or his brother. Snuggling under the blankets of his bed, I continue my conversation with Maeve. “Please just be happy for me, Mae. I need a couple of days.”

“Can’t or won’t explain?” Maeve whispers back with an irritating tone. It’s ten in the morning, and a sharp edge glides through my chest. Mom must be around. “I’m risking my skin here, Pree. I deserve to know what you’re going to be doing those two days.”

Risking her skin—as if. Mae has our parents eating out of her hand, but I yield to her drama and approach her in a different way. “Later, I swear. But help me out here. It’s just for a couple of days. Without you this won’t work. After all, this was your brilliant idea.”

Giddiness brews inside me as I envision the moment when we’ll discuss Jacob and his sweet, passionate kisses. My Friday night deserves better than a quick chitchat over the phone. It deserves to be told over a pint of ice cream. Agreeing to her demands wouldn’t do justice to what I experienced, which I can describe as life-changing and utterly exhilarating. From this moment forward, any guy who kisses me will be measured against his skills.

Ah, Jacob!

A creaky noise forces me to uncover my head and check the source of the disturbance. Dreamy, handsome Jacob approaches the bed sporting that signature cocky smile I’m beginning to really dig. I’m crushing hard. He holds a tray containing some food.

“Hey, sis, I have to go.” I don’t wait for her to say a thing and end the call.

“Did you clear the weekend?” Jacob asks, lowering the tray on top of the bed. Yummy. Pancakes, blueberries and orange juice. Eagerly I nod. “Good,” his face lights up. “I have plans for us. Did you have a good night’s sleep?”

“Yeah, where did you sleep?” Around three in the morning we came back downstairs; he handed me a T-shirt, showed me his room, and left for the night.

“With my brother.” He slides next to me, gives me a chaste kiss on the lips, and takes one of the glasses. “Yesterday I promised not to cross any lines unless you wanted me to. Wait, I forgot. Is there something specific you’d rather do today?”

I ponder his question. Mae didn’t confirm, but I’ll risk it and assume she’ll cover for me. Today I can do so many things, but...

“Mind if we head to my dorm room? I don’t have any clothes with me.” I cut a piece of pancake with a fork and take a bite. They don’t have syrup, but they taste mapley. “Who cooked?”

“I did. I’m a man of many talents.” He downs his juice, grabs his plate from the tray, and begins to eat. But not before giving me a kiss that curls my toes, my fingers, my hair, and my heart. “Yes, we can hit the dorm, pick up your crap, and start our fun weekend. Any requests? Or do you want me to choose today’s activities?”

I shrug due to my lack of coherent words. The combination of magnetic eyes, musky scent, firm features, shirtless torso,
and
that kiss prevents me from putting together a sentence. It’s the effort I make to stop myself from drowning in those blue pools.

“Pool.” I slam a hand against my mouth.
Idiot.
“Maybe tomorrow we can head to the pool?”
Nice save, Pria.

“You’re fucking kidding me!” I hear a scream coming from another part of the apartment. “Where’s my freshly squeezed juice? My breakfast?”

“Oh, the owl is grumpy today. Mind if he joins us?” I tilt my head to observe him. “He’s great at packing shit.”

I roll my eyes as I look around, because if the debris on the floor, along with the dirty and clean clothes hanging from the scant furniture they own is any indication, I could do better without their packing skills.

“Yeah, why not. It’ll be fun.” I regret those words the moment they leave my mouth. Jacob’s fun, but his brother might be the entire opposite.

Instead of packing, they helped me shove my stuff inside trash bags. While Jacob and Matthew revolutionized the art of packing, they also laughed at every item I own. They roasted my books, from Jane Austen—the woman who still marks what love is all about—to my series of Uglies. Why don’t they hire a plastic surgeon? I’m glad my
Twilight
saga is at home. It didn’t help that laughing along with them did nothing but encourage them. As we readied the items that Fred Walker would pick up on Monday along with his youngest daughter, Jacob announced that we had to seize the weekend.

I believed we would head to someplace fun. Instead, they decided we should drive to Orcas Island—a place that is three long hours from my dorm or my parents’ house. Not to mention we had to take the ferry. If something happens to me, my parents will learn that I lie, but I don’t care. There’s a speckle of regret in my heart, a wish that I’d feel bad for behaving this way, but my heart can only beat with excitement. I have a…date?

Doubtful, as Jacob’s brother came along. But Jacob holding my hand while caressing it with his thumb, gives me the impression we’re an item. The fluttering butterflies sky-dancing inside my body agree with me. We’ll fine-tune the details of this relationship later. I look around, admiring the pines that stretch tall up to the sky. The trail in itself is a narrow line of dark dirt, but on the side, there’s a combination of greenery, dry leaves and broken branches that make me want to step on them to hear that crunching sound fall brings to my backyard. A light cover of moss coats the few rocks, stumps, and trees. The sun peers through the cloudy sky, casting a shower of golden dust.

“I think this is a good way to break her in, don’t you think?” My body tenses, and I try to snatch my hand after hearing what Jacob said. They could drown me and bury my body. “What’s wrong, Twinkle?”

“You’re always scaring her, you ass.” Matthew, who is ahead of us, pivots and continues walking, now facing us. “What he meant to say is that we can go down to Portland tomorrow. That’s where—”

“We know that area better than we know the northern part of Washington,” Jacob finishes. “Or we can head to an amusement park.”

“I love the Seattle Great Wheel.” I clap my hands. “Or the carnival.”

“Tomorrow is set. Today we continue our expedition. I’m bummed we didn’t get to see orcas.” He checks the time on his phone. I’m saddened too. But so far, this hike is just as fun. “Why don’t we head to the bike-renting place?”

“You’re going to go at her pace?” Matthew’s tone is a mix of challenge and taunt.

“Not sure if the two of you can keep up with me.” I wink at them, release Jacob’s hand, and begin to quicken my steps. From a speedy walk, to a jog, to big and fast strides.

I did two years of track in high school. I still try to run sometimes—so I’m like a cheetah. My fast speed only lasts for so long, but I enjoy hearing the two tall boys rushing behind me. I only hope that when my legs give up they don’t slam behind me and knock me to the ground.

“Gotcha.” Jacob matches my pace. “Well, not literally. That’s some crazy speed. Are we ready to slow down?”

My wobbly legs begin to reduce their swiftness, and in that moment, Matthew passes us and says, “See you there, slowpokes.”

I gasp for air, walk at a sluggish pace, and Jacob stays next to me. He reaches for the backpack he brought, takes out a bottle of water, and hands it over.

“Drink slowly.” I do, and as I hand him back the bottle of water, he runs a hand down my back and presses me against him, giving me a long, sweet kiss. “I think I like you, Twink.”

“For running?” He shakes his head. “For what, then?”

“Yesterday I had a great time.” He packs the bottle of water after taking a few gulps. Taking back my hand we continue our walk. “Today isn’t any different, even when we’re not having any deep, heart-to-heart conversations. You don’t get offended by how we talk and you actually taunt us back.”

He talks as if they’re a package deal. Am I okay with that? I don’t think he means it physically, but perhaps that’s the way it is with twins/triplets. Matthew is easy to be around, so I guess that answers my question. We walk in silence, appreciating the moment. I admire the view and cherish the company as I grip his hand with some desperation—a niggling fear that it’ll disappear and I’ll be left to the bitter reality that what I’m living is nothing but a wonderful dream.