"Where is everybody?" I ask mom. The house is awfully quiet and mom is the only person sitting at the kitchen island this morning.

"I asked Luella to send Madison to school early today. She has a swim meet," answers mom.

I feel a twinge of resentment flares but only briefly. I used to be on the swim team. I used to dance too. I used to be very good at both. They were my escape- the only things that brought me a tiny taste of freedom and joy...until they weren't because mom decided that I don't need to be involved in such frivolous activities.

Mom is wearing a grey and blue zip-up sweater over a matching sports bra and yoga capris. Her dark, curly hair is in a ponytail. Her makeup is on point as always even though she's probably just going to the gym. "Have a seat, sweetheart." She gestures toward the barstool next to her. "Cora, please bring her a plate," she tells our cook and housekeeper.

Not long after, Mrs. McEwan sets a plate of waffle and a glass of orange juice in front of me.

Mom pushes a few strands of my hair that escaped my ponytail from my face while I take tiny bites out of the waffle. "How are you feeling, darling?"

"Fine," I answer her as I shove another tiny bite into my mouth. I'm feeling weak, weaker than yesterday but other than that, I'm fine.

She nods. "You'll always stay with me, won't you, darling? If someone came to take you away, you won't go with them. You'd tell them that you want to stay with me forever."

"Who's coming to take me away, mom? Who?" I drop my fork down. I heard mom said that several times in the past but she never told me who's coming to take me away or why. It had scared me when I was younger. Now I have this heavy uneasy feeling when she talks this way.

"Nobody is going to take you away from me. Your home is here, with me," she says, kissing the side of my head gently as if I was the most precious thing.

I force a smile as I get up. "I have to go now or I'll be late."

"Come straight home after school. Don't go anywhere," she says.

I give her a quick hug and leave.

*****

I'm just settling in with Hailey beside me when Ruen and Finley walk in through the door. They both look amazingly good. Ruen still has his slightly curly and overgrown dark hair sexily mussed and Finley, his shiny ice blond hair immaculately swept back with a few locks falling over his face. They're in their school uniforms but they look like they just walked out of a fashion shoot or stepped out of the page of a GQ magazine into our classroom.

I swear, the whole class hushed down when they come strolling in. Kate Chadwick's and her friends' skirt couldn't have gone up any higher. Too bad the green creature from yesterday isn't with them today.

I have to admit, I'm surprised that they're here. Since they disappeared after history class yesterday and I didn't see them loitering the hallway or anywhere near Emmet and his friends this morning, I somehow assumed that they're not going to show today.

I remember my resolution to talk to him about the green creature and about my dream last night. I don't feel so brave anymore today. It seemed to make so much sense yesterday and in the darkness of my bedroom last night but in the bright light of the morning sun, it doesn't seem to be such a good idea. Now I can see it go wrong in so many ways.

Me seeing creatures that normal people can't see? Yeah, it'll make me sound like a crazy woman. How about telling him that I dreamt about him last night...and so many nights before that? He'll think that I have a crush on him or worse, obsessed with him. It might be true since I can't keep my mind off him, he even invades my dream for goodness sake! But I don't want him to know that. He would laugh and call me crazy. He might tell others, especially Luella what a troubled person I am and it would reach my mom.

Ruen's eyes locked on mine as he walks past and the air crackles between us. The same blue eyes that were staring soulfully into mine from another side of the lake surface last night are now staring at me. Our fingers were almost touching again last night. His words are still haunting me. My dream and my reality are colliding and it's ripping me inside out. I want to reach out and touch him. My fingers twitch on my lap...but I can't.

"Hi, Ruen." Kate Chadwick is getting up from her seat. "Nobody's sitting beside me," she offers, sidling up to him. Her friends are giggling behind her. Kate is very pretty and I'm sure not many boys ever say no to her.

I hear Finley snickers behind him. Ruen nods with the barest hint of a smile on his lips. "That's nice to know," he says but he easily slides into the seat behind me without looking back at her.

Kate's face turns a few shades of red before she flounces back to her seat. A couple of her friends flock around her and when she turns around again, it's to give me a dirty look.

Hailey shakes her head before she shoots Kate a scowl. "Kate's a raging bitch anyway," she says to me. See, here's the thing, Kate Chadwick and her friends never gave me any problem before. We had an unspoken rule- I left her alone and she left me alone, meaning: we never talked or had anything to do with each other.

Finley takes a seat across the aisle, next to the window, this time. A couple of girls who are sitting at the back move to sit closer to him but I don't think he notices any of them. His bright green eyes seem to be riveted outside the window. The cawing of the crows is loud outside.

I hear the scraping sound on the floor as Ruen drags his desk and his chair forward. His long legs stretch out before him underneath my seat. I try not to show any reaction when my whole body is responding to his proximity.

"Hey." I hear his voice behind me. I can tell that he's leaning forward in his seat because his breath tickles my neck. Tingles run down my spine. My energy spiked and I struggle to keep everything in. "Hello?" he says again.

Hailey jabs her bony elbow into my side but I pretend to be busy arranging things on my table. Let me tell you something, it's hard to look busy arranging things when the only things on my table are a book and a laptop.

"I know you can hear me," he says. His foot nudges mine underneath my chair. When I ignore it, he does it again. When he does it the third time, I lift the heel of my foot up then I stomp it hard on his.

"Owww..." He pulls his foot back then he moves it in a slow circle as if he's testing it before he leans in and whispers in my ear, "I think you broke my foot." Oh, for goodness sake! Now he's drawing attention. Everybody's staring at us. He nudges my foot again.

I scowl. "What do you want?" I whisper-yell from the side of my mouth, trying to be inconspicuous.

"You," he says with a roguish smile.

Great! I walked right into that one. I roll my eyes and turn my back on him.

"Hey," he says again. Oh, my god!

"What?" I snap, twisting my body angrily back around without thinking. I inhale sharply when I almost collided into him. Our faces are just inches apart. He freezes as if he's turned into a statue. The air between us is heavy, not unlike that before the storm hits. Only stronger. Charged. His blue eyes are staring into mine. His breath is dancing on my skin. My sense is suddenly invaded by the smell of the forest. I close my eyes and take another deep breath as if I'm dying of lack of oxygen. It's the sweet scent of earth and pine needles, the raw fragrance of tree barks and fallen leaves, the delightful hint of wildflowers and pinecones, the freshness of the droplets of rain and warmth of the sunshine. Oh, my word...it's the most wonderful smell. It's strangely familiar and exciting.

When I open my eyes again, I'm leaning even closer to him than I was before. His lips are just a breath away from mine. We're breathing each other's air. The tingles in my body intensified. He leans in ever so slightly as if he can't help himself...just like me. I almost feel the brush of his lips on my skin. I jerk back.

"Fayre..." I thought he whisper but I can't be sure. It's very faint, it's just the warmth of his breath that I feel. I turn around in my chair, fighting the force that pulls us together.

The energy is pulsing in me, making it hard to breathe. My hands are tightly fisted on my lap. I let my eyes sweep around quickly and I'm not surprised to see that everybody is staring at us. It's a relief that Mr. Barzetti chooses that very second to enter the classroom. I try hard to concentrate on the lesson. I really do. But it's a lost cause since I can feel his and Finley's gaze burning on my back throughout the class.

Once Mr. Barzetti dismisses us, they leave the classroom before everybody else does. Once again, I'm torn between feeling relieved and disappointed that they're gone.

I keep my head down, trying to avoid everybody, including Hailey when I rush out. I know she's dying of curiosity about what happened but I don't understand it myself, so what do I tell her?

I stagger to a stop when I see two tall figures in the hallway. Finley is leaning on the opposite wall, looking unconcerned and inscrutable. Ruen is standing right in the middle of the hallway with his hands in the pockets of his trousers. His eyes land right on me the minute I step out of the classroom.

Okay, so they're just standing there. It doesn't mean that they're waiting for me or anything. Maybe they're waiting for Luella or maybe Kate Chadwick. Avoid eye contact.

I look down at my feet and keep moving. A pair of shiny black shoes step in my path so I step to the left. The owner of the stupid shiny shoes also steps to the left- my left, his right...which is directly in my path. When I step to the right, he also steps to my right. I follow the long, navy blue pants-clad leg up, past the shiny belt buckle, the red tie, past his throat, red lips, a strong aristocratic nose, and into the bluest eyes. Intense blue eyes that I keep dreaming about. I quickly glance at his shoes again before I get lost in his eyes. Maybe I should step on his foot again then run.

"Are you thinking of maiming my foot again?" he asks, sounding very amused.

"It depends." I look up into his electric blue eyes. He's just so stupidly and insanely beautiful...and it should be illegal for a guy to have such thick, long, sooty eyelashes.

"On what?" he asks, stepping closer.

"I'll spare you the pain if you step out of my way," I tell him.

"Okay then, let's make a deal. I step out of your way, for now, if you agree to meet up with me tonight."

Oh, my god...is he asking me out? "No."

"Why not?" His tone is challenging.

"Because..." Why can't I go out with him?

"Because is not an answer," he says.

"We can't..."

He steps in closer, the toes of his shoes are touching mine. "We need to talk. It's important," he whispers. "Please."

It's hard to think when he's standing too close, so I take a step back. "Why can't we talk now?"

"Because everybody's listening."

Sure enough, everybody is staring at us now, including Hailey who's standing the closest to me. They quickly disperse when we look at them. I know their hushed whispers are about us. Hailey tips her chin up before she leaves. She'll be asking questions later.

"The answer is still no," I tell him.

He takes a step closer. "Why not?"

"My mom won't let me," I automatically say, stepping back. "Besides, you're dating my sister."

"I am not dating your sister." He steps forward.

"It sure looked like you were together."

"Were you jealous?"

"Why would I be jealous when I don't even know you?" I ask him aghast. But I was jealous. Jealous enough to want to zap everything in my path, it doesn't make sense...and he can't know that. "Besides, I already have a boyfriend."

His eyes flash at my last sentence. "Who? Emmet Winterbourne?" he grits out between his teeth. His eyes hard and his nostrils flare. I step back until my back hits the wall as he moves closer to me. He keeps coming until our chests are almost touching. I can feel the heat of his body through our uniforms, his breath on my face. "Well, I have news for you, a Ghrá mo Chroí." He bares his perfect white teeth into a smile that seems cruel and vicious. "He's not your boyfriend. He can't have you when you already belong to someone else," he hisses. His eyes drill into mine, possessive and full of challenge. Then he stalks away. I watch him move with the grace of a panther, full of pent up murderous energy.

My own energy is pulsing all through my body right to my fingertips. Every part of me wants to run to him. A Ghrá mo Chroí, he called me. The love of my heart. How did I know that? I touch the bulk of the heart-shaped pendant underneath my crisp white shirt to remind me of my promises. To keep my feet to stay where they are.

I almost jump when I realize that Finley hasn't left. He's still leaning against the wall, watching me with those strange, green eyes. They're intense and glitter with contempt. He pushes himself off the wall and takes a few steps toward me. His hands are outstretched as if he wanted to grab me and shake me or take me into arms but then he shakes his head and stops. His jaw is tight and his firm lips are in a straight line. "What did they do to you?" he says before he strides angrily away.

*****

"So, did you finally agree to go out with him?" asks Hailey when we meet in Geography.

"Who?" I ask her.

She gives me a look that says, don't you start with me. You know who I'm talking about.

"How'd you know?" I ask her.

"I heard you," she answers. "So, what did you say?"

"No," I tell her. "I told him no."

"What? Why? Why did you not say yes to that hot, yummy, gorgeous man candy?"

"I don't know if you realized this, but I'm with Emmet now?"

Hailey scoffs. "Really? Tell me, do you even like Emmet Winterbourne?" Hailey's dark eyes study me earnestly. "You're the nicest girl, Mel. Emmet is a pompous ass, you deserve better."

"He's not that bad." I try to defend my boyfriend. That sounded lame even to my ears, so I try again, "He could be nice. I mean he's always nice to his friends, to us. He's nice to you, isn't he?"

"Please, he only tolerates me because I'm your best friend. To him, I'm as delightful as a dirty wad of gum beneath his shoes."

"That's ridiculous, Hailey." I shake my head but I can't help thinking that I never saw Emmet talk to Hailey. Ever. "Anyway, I don't think Ruen was asking me out on a date. He said he just wanted to talk to me." I try not to think about the possessive way he told me that I couldn't belong to Emmet. Or that he called me a Ghrá mo Chroí. The love of my heart.

"Well then, go talk to him!" exclaims Hailey like it's a no brainer.

It's hard to explain to my best friend that I really want to. I don't get it but my heart is crying to be near him, it's painful. But something else is holding me back- a cage that can't be seen; a promise and a shackle that render me blind.

********************************

Hey ya!

Thank you for being so patient with me. Thank you also for reading, voting, commenting and the love!

XOXOXO

Nicole♥