Of Gaea Page 19

  Ari planned her day as she left the house and began to walk. She should have left a note or something for Sasha, but that thought didn’t come to mind until she was already down the block and around the corner. She needed to go by the post office and make sure her letters were sent, and go by the school and see about graduating early. She had to get her affairs in order, and if she truly was going to die next week, Ari wanted a will written out leaving everything of hers to Sasha. He was the only one she could trust to take care of it all.

  “You’re thinking too loudly again.” He murmured quietly.

  Ari glanced over surprised. She had been so lost in thought she hadn’t noticed his appearance. She smiled. “Really?”

  “You don’t have to take this on all alone.” His hand reached out and encompassed hers. “When Ghita took you away I didn’t leave my room for days. I saw no point in it. Then when I started dying, I couldn’t leave my room. Da pulled me out of school and I have my papers already, since we’re going in this direction I assume you’re going back to class? I can’t go with you.”

  “No. I’m not going back. I need to make arrangements to get my diploma.” Ari squeezed his hand. “Will you come in with me?”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  “Actually. We can kill two birds with one stone and then spend the rest of the day doing something fun.” Ari let him go to open the bag and pull out her letters. “These need to get mailed. They’re all set to go.”

  He took the stack and Ari watched his eyes scan the addresses on a few. His smile was a beacon on a dark night. “I’ll go down to the post office then. You go in there. Wait for me here, yes?”

  Ari returned his smile. “Yes. Right back at this spot.” She had to tip toe up to brush a soft peck over his cheek bone. “For luck.”

  Ari didn’t look back to see if he stood there waiting for her to walk onto school property and into the building. She knew he would. He wouldn’t walk away until she was safely inside.

  It was strange being in the school. Students bustled from lockers to classrooms; cliques gathered in groups to chit chat. Ari felt like she was watching through a window. This wasn’t who she was anymore. Even if she wanted to, there was no way she could return to this.

  When students stopped and stared, Ari ignored it. She had learned enough over the last few weeks to blow off the little stuff. They couldn’t hurt her; it was like the mouse and the owl. Their pettiness couldn’t touch her any longer.

  By the time first bell rang, Ari was seated in Principal Rattray’s office. She had never been in his office; had never warranted any action for it. Ari studied the walls while she waited and was disappointed to find out he was a boring, not very imaginative man.

  “Miss Dounias, this is a pleasant surprise.” He glanced around nervously. “Where is your mother?”

  “If we’re talking biological; my mother is currently institutionalized in a mental hospital in Darentown. If we’re talking the woman who has posed as my mother for the last fifteen years then she is away, and has not provided me with a location or when she will be returning. But I’m not here to discuss my family. I’m here to discuss my diploma.”

  His brows drew together and his fingers interlocked with each other. Ari could see the sweat beading on his face. “That’s something I should be discussing with your mother.”

  “I am eighteen next week.” Ari waved away his comment. “Let me make this easy on you. Pull my records, please. I’ll wait.”

  His face darkened. “You’re hardly in a place to give me orders, young lady.”

  Ari tilted her head curiously. “I would rather not bring Kleisthenes into this. However, since my aunt is AWOL and my mother unable to make decisions, he is my legal guardian. Would you like that?”

  His knuckles whitened. “What is it is you want?”

  “My diploma. I’ve had all the credits for it since my sophomore year. Just clear it with my sorely lacking guidance counselor and give me the paper. That’s all I need. To keep from making scenes or what not, I’ll take academic leave for the rest of the year. You won’t see me again within the school.”

  Ari could visibly see him considering all the consequences. Something had him rattled. Something, that made him perspire in the air conditioned office.

  “You have a deal. Leave, don’t come back, your diploma will be mailed within the week with last year as your graduation date.”

  Ari stood and held out her hand. “Thank you.”

  He hesitantly shook her hand and the moment their palms touched Ari felt instantly suffocated. She forced herself to breathe slowly. His nervousness was suddenly painfully clear. He was one of the Pure.

  Principal Rattray didn’t hold on to her hand, rather he jerked back as if she had burned him. His hands shook violently before he clamped them together. His eyes were wide and he stank of fear.

  “I see.” Ari murmured. “I’ll show myself out.” She stopped at the door and turned to face him. “I suggest you take a leave of absence next week if you don’t want to get caught in this ridiculous power struggle.”

  He nodded mutely and she left.

  Ari was barely off school property when she was pushed from behind into the empty field next to the school. She caught her step and whirled. A fist connected with her face. She stumbled backwards into the dirt.

  She didn’t lay there in shock, Kleisthenes taught her better than that. Ari was almost instantly back in motion, rolling to a crouch. From there she studied her opponent.

  At first Ari didn’t recognize the woman. Her black curls were greasy and limp. Her eyes were blood shot and wild. Skin that had been healthier at one point was yellow and sallow. A sharp knife was fisted in her left hand. She meant business. She looked crazed. More so than Lyris ever did.

  “Do you know what you’ve done?” she hissed and her body jerked like it was on puppet strings. “Do you know the agony you have caused?”

  Damia. That was Damia. Ari tried placing this wild eyed creature with the pristine queen bitch and she couldn’t. It was unbelievable the girl had fallen so low.

  Ari wiped the wet off her face. She wasn’t surprised to see blood. She felt like a mallet had hit her face.

  Damia lunged at her again.

  Ari tried blocking, but Damia was stronger and faster than she should have been. Ari did manage to continually avoid the knife. She would take a fist over the knife.

  Damia’s fist sneaked into Ari’s guard repeatedly because of Ari’s determination not to be stabbed. Damia pummeled her to the ground. She was merciless.

  Ari didn’t have time to think about blocking the foot. Her ribs screamed in agony and protest. Ari tried to roll away but was caught by her hair.

  “You’re not going anywhere!”

  Ari was swung in an arc by her hair and tossed. Landing was miserable. Every fiber of her being hurt. She couldn’t get up if she wanted to.

  “You’re not Gaea! You’re too weak to be anything of a Goddess! I should be the Goddess!” Her foot launched Ari across the field. The sudden landing was stole her breath and left her wheezing.

  Goddess? Gaea… It almost sounded like jealously.

  Ari pushed herself slowly up, sliding off her shoes with the motion. She could have wept when her bare feet made contact with the soil. She felt instantly rejuvenated. Ari slowly inhaled and exhaled and watched Damia watching her.

  The body was earth; blood was water. Ari didn’t have to ask. She was of Gaea. Gaea protected the Faithful. Ari felt the bruises fade and the ache in her ribs vanish with each steady breath.

  Damia twitched and flinched. “You should be dead!” She launched. “I WILL kill you!”

  This time, Ari showed her the strength of Gaea.

  Damia’s fist and knife met empty air. Her feet sank dangerously into the soil. She screamed in fury.

  The grass died around her and she was on her feet and back at Ari in seconds. She sneered. “How long do you think you can maintain the link? It’s too late n
ow. You’ll never be anything more than a dog for the Pure.”

  Damia jumped again.

  Ari didn’t defend. Instead she thrust forward with the strength of the earth in her fist. She didn’t feel Damia connect. She saw it.

  It was similar to something out of a comic book. Damia’s eyes bugged out of her head and she flew back rolling a few feet before coming to a stop.

  This time when she tried to push off the ground her hands sunk into the soil like it was quicksand. She shrieked and continued to struggle against the pull of the earth.

  Ari hadn’t expected it to happen. She had thought about doing it, but the thought had been fleeting. It was something to think on later.

  Ari crouched down in front of Damia’s spitting, screaming face. “Be quiet. I’m not going to kill you; it’s not my way, though the balance wouldn’t be affected much by your death.”

  Damia stopped shrieking and looked at Ari carefully.

  Ari saw the Taint in her eyes. The same thing that lived within Lyris floated within Damia’s soul. “I want you to give a message to your master for me. I am no longer an ignorant, mewling child.”

  “So you believe.” She hissed.

  “Look at me, Damia.” Ari reached out and held her chin to force her to look. “What do you see?”

  They stared for several heartbeats before her eyes slowly widened and she tried to pull away. “No, no. It’s not possible. They said it would never happen! Let me go! You’re hurting me!”

  Ari sighed and stood wiping her hand on her pants as she did. Damia’s face felt oily and vile. Ari walked back to her shoes.

  She felt a slight loss as she slipped back into them. She wasn’t disconnected from the earth but it was like trying to listen to music through water. It was there, but it was muffled and distorted. Memo to self: ask Nasya why that happened and if it always would.

  Damia was free the moment Ari’s feet were back in the shoes but she went running in the opposite direction. Just in case, Ari watched her go and disappear into the suburbs of the rural community.

  Ari walked back out to the sidewalk, and to the point where Sasha and she split up. He wasn’t there yet, which was surprising. She had only given him the task of dropping off mail. How hard could that have been?

  He rounded the corner a handful of heartbeats later holding his hands behind his back. He smiled when he saw her but it was short lived. As he got closer, the smile faded and he was studying her carefully by the time he was within arm’s reach. He withdrew one hand from behind his back and brushed its fingers over her face where Damia had hit her.

  It was obvious she had been in a fight. The pale yellowing bruise blended with her skin. Anyone else wouldn’t have noticed but he had made it his life noticing her. The layer of dirt and tousled hair reaffirmed what he already suspected.

  “What happened?” His hands were soft. Not in texture, but in touch.

  Ari closed her eyes to his gentle probing and inhaled slowly. “Damia. It’s settled for the moment.”

  “You mean on recess? She’ll be back.”

  Ari opened her eyes and nodded. “I know.” She turned her head into his hand and inhaled his scent. Only to draw in something else. She sniffed loudly at his hand. “Do I smell… flowers?”

  He chuckled softly and the other hand came out from behind his back. In its grasp was a full bouquet of purple and white flowers.

  “They’re beautiful!” Ari took them from him and buried her face in their scent.

  “I’m glad you like them.”

  Ari looked back up at him.

  He smiled again but it didn’t touch his eyes. He tucked his empty hands into his pockets and rocked on his heels a moment.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He shook his head. “Nothing, come on I’ll walk you home.”

  Puzzled, Ari let him lead the way back to her house.

  “Come on in.” Ari offered when they reached the porch. “I’ll cook something to eat.”

  “Let’s go out.” He said hurriedly.

  Ari paused and just looked at him.

  “I mean, I think we should go out. Or rather, it’s not that your cooking is bad. I just thought…” He rubbed his face with his hands. “Never mind.”

  “Are you asking me out?”

  His eyes snapped to hers. Slowly, he nodded.

  Ari held the flowers out to him. “Take them.”

  His face crumpled but he accepted them back silently.

  Ari pointed to the door. “I’m going inside. I expect you to ask correctly.” Ari walked inside and shut the door behind her and just barely resisted from screaming in giddy delight.

  A date. A real date. Not a shared meal over a campfire or a shared lunch at school. A real date.

  She scrambled to her room, if Sasha hesitated and stalled she would have enough time to comb her hair and change her clothes. The doorbell rang when she was half in, half out of a green, empire waist sundress.

  Ari half ran, half tripped to the door, pulling up and smoothing her dress quickly and then sent a silent prayer to Gaea. She opened the door.

  Sasha stood on the other side and still looked endearingly nervous. He looked like he had run his hands through his hair in an attempt to straighten up. Ari hadn’t been paying close enough attention to his clothes before but his shirt looked neater than she remembered seeing a few minutes ago. The bouquet of flowers rested in his arms.

  “Hello,” he said cheerfully. “These are for you.” He offered her the flowers.

  Ari took them and couldn’t contain her giddy smile. “They’re beautiful.” She couldn’t resist burying her face in them a second time.

  “They have a special meaning.”

  Ari took her face from the flowers. “Really? What do they mean?”

  He stepped closer and took one of her hands. “The white chrysanthemum is for truth. The lilac is for first love. The purple tulips are for faithfulness. The white jasmine is grace and elegance. The wisteria is steadfast. All the things you mean to me.”

  Ari’s throat went dry. She had nothing to say to that. What did someone say to that?

  “It’s also my promise to you. I will be all of those things for you. For as long as you’ll have me.” He lifted her hand and just barely brushed his lips over the surface.

  Her knees went to jello. Her hand holding the flowers vice gripped. It was strange how one emotion could have two very different reactions.

  “Would you give me the pleasure of your company for the day? Come out with me, please?”

  As Ari still hadn’t found her voice she could only nod robotically.

  He kissed her fingers again before releasing her hand. “You should put those in water.”

  Ari blinked and exhaled slowly. “Yeah. Yes, you’re right. Give me a second. Um…” She dashed into the house and shouted over her shoulder. “Come in and make yourself comfortable. It’ll be a moment.”

  Ari dashed to the kitchen for a vase. Thankfully, Ghita had left a few under the sink and Ari calmed herself as she filled it or tried to.

  This was only Sasha, after all. He’d been her best friend all her life. They knew each other very, very well. And they were going out… holy Mother they were going out.

  Suddenly she was scared. Very scared. She could lose everything. Not because it would be taken away, but because they may not be compatible on this level. What would she do if that happened?

  “You’re drowning the flowers.”

  Ari started and looked down. The vase was overflowing with water and the flowers were being flooded out.

  Sasha came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Tell me what’s wrong.” His breath tickled her ear.

  “I’m scared.” Ari murmured staring out the kitchen window as she shut the water off.

  “So am I.”

  Ari jerked and her head cracked against his. “Ouch!”

  They both laughed and held their heads. All the tension fled. It would be okay. No matter what ha
ppened they would always be friends.

  Sasha stepped around her and picked up the vase. He tipped it, spilling some of the water out, and carried it to the table.

  “Thank you.” Ari fussed with the arrangement once the vase was in place.

  “Are you ready to go?” He held out his hand.

  Ari took a deep breath and then placed her hand in his. “Sure.”

  Nasya greeted them on the porch. “Here,” she handed a canvas shoulder bag to Sasha.

  “Thank you.” He looped it over his head and turned. “No, she’s not coming with us.”

  “But I’ll be nearby if you need me,” she smiled. “Are you going to do this or what?”

  “Do what?” Ari looked from her to him and back. “What are you two scheming?”

  “Here,” Nasya stepped behind Ari and wrapped something over her eyes. “You look beautiful, by the way.”

  Ari couldn’t see anything. The cloth was soft and velvety feeling. Before the panic could set in she took a deep calming breath.

  “It’s alright.” Sasha’s breath danced along her ear. His hands ran down her arms and he linked his fingers with hers.

  Ari felt the tingling sensation of numbness that she attributed to air and automatically exhaled. It was only a half a heartbeat but Sasha’s sudden cough and wheeze was a giveaway. Nasya had spirited them away somewhere.

  “You didn’t exhale did you?”

  He chuckled. He took his hands from Ari’s and placed a smaller hand in hers. “Wait here with Nasya a second. I’ll be right back.”

  “Do you know what he has planned?” Ari whispered in case Sasha was still in hearing distance. Ari didn’t think he was. The air felt different. Ari could feel Nasya’s presence always, automatically. She hadn’t expected the ability to include Sasha.