CHAPTER 14

70 11 4
                                    

My mother left the room and Derek took another step toward me. He was very close to me now. Close enough that our arms would touch if I moved even slightly. I looked up into his eyes.

      "Your mom told me about your fall," he said. He was looking at me intently. I could see concern in his eyes.

      I nodded at him. I wanted to say some things about Saturday's hike, but nothing came to mind. It was because his nearness had caused my mind to go blank. It was also because I knew I had very little time with him and I didn't really want to discuss my fall. I wanted to find out more about him, instead. I also wanted to know why he was here.

     "How have you been?" I asked. My voice was lower now, almost a whisper. It was because he was so near. My soft voice made things even more intimate, if that was possible.

     Things already were very intimate. I was staring into his eyes. Intensely aware that he was only inches away from me. It was like we were wrapped up together in something. Something like a cocoon. Something that shielded us and somehow removed us from the other realities of our lives. We were away from my mother. Away from everyone.

     "I've been fine," he said and smiled.

     I was taken by that beautiful smile. It stirred up something inside me. Hope and excitement and happiness swirled through me. It was such a fierce feeling like I felt lifted off the floor, like I was floating.

     "But this isn't about me," he continued. "It's about you." His smile deepened. I noticed his dimples. They made him even more irresistible. "How are you doing, Ellie?"

     I loved hearing him saying my name.

     "I'm better," I said. And that seemed an understatement. At this moment I was as good as I could ever imagine being. I wanted this feeling to last. I wanted us to stay in this moment. I wanted him to stay. With me. Here in this room.

      "I'm really sorry this happened to you," he said. And the sincere concern was back in his eyes. I heard it in his voice too. It sounded almost like an apology.

      I shrugged.

      "It happens," I said.

      Still maintaining eye contact with me, he burst out laughing. It was a soft and lovely laugh. A sound I could happily continue listening to. And I was able to, because he laughed for a while, being so completely taken by the apparent hilarity of my statement.

      "It actually doesn't happen to most seventeen-year-old girls," he said, when he could speak again. "But it's nice to see you taking it in stride." His eyes turned serious. He was complimenting me, I gathered. On the fact that I wasn't lamenting my accident.

     I smiled at him in acceptance of his compliment. I also registered that he had mentioned my age. I hadn't told him my age and I wondered how he knew it. But that was something I'd think about later.

      "I'm fine now," I said. "And it wasn't bad. I landed in a pile of leaves."

      He nodded at me and didn't look surprised. I guessed my mother had shared some of the details of my fall with him.

     "Do you remember it clearly?" he asked. His voice was a low whisper now. "The actual fall?"

      I shrugged again.

      "Some of it," I replied. Right now I was again strongly aware that I'd seen him during it. That he'd seemed to be there for the duration of it. But I couldn't tell him about the feeling I'd had. Or about the images I'd seen of him. Those changing images that seemed to be straight out of a sci-fi movie.

FALL (DIMENSION Series #1)Where stories live. Discover now