Inside the Fire Book One in the Warden's Series (6 page)

Sometimes we are forced to do things we do
not foresee and being sent to Earth was definitely one that my
mother wasn't counting on. When I would pressure her for
information all she would say about Heaven is that one day she
hoped I would see it. Honestly though I questioned my own religious
beliefs I knew I wanted to see it too.

Once I had inhaled my meal I kissed my
mother on the top of her head, told her I loved her, and headed to
bed. I put on my black yoga pants and a tank top, placed my phone
on the night stand and crawled under the covers. I was just about
to turn towards the wall when my phone vibrated viciously. I rolled
over irritated and grabbed my phone. My heart leaped into my throat
when I read the message.

Wesley: Sleep well beautiful.

Chinese Food &
Selfies

My second day at Midvale went pretty much
the same as the first. Everyone ignored me, pretended I wasn’t
there. I was used to this though, so it didn’t bother me too much.
I was standing at my locker after my fourth hour class when Wesley
approached me.

“What are you doing after school today?” He
asked his eyes were stunning.

“Nothing much. Figured I would go home watch
some TV maybe do some homework.” I said pulling out my next periods
books and shutting the locker.

“Want to get something to eat after school?”
He asked me nonchalantly.

My heart pounded and my head was becoming
hazy. I had nothing else to do so why not spend the afternoon with
him. It wasn’t like this is a date or something. Right?

“Yeah that sounds cool.” I said as I turned
to walk away. “Meet me outside after last period.”

“Great.” He said hitting his fist softly
against the locker and turning the opposite direction.

I wasn’t sure how I would survive those last
few hours before I saw him again. I especially didn’t know what I
would talk about. I didn’t hear much of what the teachers were
saying in class. I caught something about polynomials and human
anatomy. That was about as much as I would get out of my classes
today.

I was nearly skipping as I left the school
that day. When I reached my car I put my bag in the trunk and
leaned against my vehicle. I had beaten him to the parking lot. I
fixed my shirt about ten times before I saw him walking towards
me.

“You ready?” He asked as he approached.

“Yeah.” I tried to sound unfazed by his
presence but I’m pretty sure the silly smile on my face gave me
away.

“Great! I know this awesome Chinese place on
the square.” He glanced at my car.

I know it’s not much, but it’s all I have
left of my step-father. Let me reiterate I had issues with the man.
He worked hard to make it up to me and this was supposed to be our
project car. Our own way of getting through the past.

“You want to drive or do you want me to?” I
asked wondering what vehicle in the parking lot was his.

“You can today. My car is having some work
done, so I had to walk today.” He grinned.

I opened the trunk of my car allowing him to
put his bag in next to mine. When I shut the trunk our hands
touched and at that moment the same magnetic impulse surged through
my veins.

“You are going to have to tell me where to
go. Either that or you can drive.” I never allowed anyone to touch
my car other than me. I was shocked I had even offered the keys to
him in the first place.

“Yeah I can do that.” He took the keys from
my hand and walked around to the driver’s side of the car. “You
coming?”

I shook my head and got in on the passenger
side. He put the key into the ignition and the car came to
life.

“So Wesley, how long you been here?” I had
noticed that a majority of the school treated him with the same
looks that gave me.

“I moved here at the start of junior year.”
He didn’t say anymore on that subject just sort of latched his
mouth shut.

“So you aren’t part of the in crowd then.” I
laughed.

He glanced over at me and smiled.

“No, that I am not.” I could sense tension
in the air.

“That explains a lot.” I wrung my hands
together, nervous.

“What do you mean?” He turned right as we
entered the square.

“Well, you were accepting of me without
knowing me.” I looked out the window as he pulled into a parking
spot.

“I accepted you because I was drawn to you.”
He winked at me and turned off the car.

We got out and entered the establishment
taking a seat in a corner booth away from the eyes of other
students. He sat across from me and played with the fraying edges
of his menu. We didn’t speak for a few moments. In fact, we didn’t
speak to each other until the waitress had taken our order.

“So why did you come here of all places?” He
asked me softly.

“My mother needed a change.” I know I was
being vague but talking about what happened always made me feel
bad.

“Care to elaborate?” He asked as the
waitress brought out drinks.

“My step-father was in the Army. He was told
on my seventeenth birthday that they were sending him overseas.” I
felt my eyes getting heavy I would cry.

“Oh, I am so sorry for your loss.” It was as
if he knew.

“For the most part she’s done well with it.
She just decided it was time to move on. There was nothing holding
us in El Paso anymore.” I had to look away.

“Sometimes we just have to move on.” He
reached across the table and took my hand in his. “Sometimes we
have to start a new life to make meaning of our last one.”

“You sound as if you have been through
something similar.” I started at our hands. The pulse was calming
for the most part.

“I have been around my fair share of death
mind you.” He wasn’t letting my hand go. In fact, he wasn’t even
acting like he wanted to.

“You know it sucks. These men show up at
your door in uniform all solemn. In fact I had never seen the guy
before. Trust me I spent a lot of time on base with my
step-father.” I felt like I was rambling but it was nice to have
someone to talk to. “He just shook my mother’s hand, told her was
sorry, was it.”

“I’ve seen it in movies just never had it
happen to me personally.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “I’m glad you
came here.”

“I am too.” I glanced at our hands again. He
was tracing the outline of my thumb with his. It felt nice.

He paid for our meal while I was in the
bathroom. When I came out he was already standing by the door
waiting for me.

“Where to now?” He asked obviously wanting
to spend time with me.

“I don’t know this town Wesley. What is
there to do?” I asked as I walked out the door.

“There is always cow tipping.” He joked.

“You know I heard that can actually kill
them.” I found no amusement in tormenting animals. Not unless they
were human.

“I didn’t know that. Not that I do it.” He
laughed as he opened the passenger door of my car.

“Sure you wouldn’t.” I gave him a wink as I
sat down. He shut the door and rushed around the front of the car
getting in and turning it on.

“There is a park about a mile up the road.
We could go there and just talk.” He suggested.

“Yeah that sounds like fun.” I admitted. I
was suddenly wishing I had brought sun block.

****

We sat in the grass side by side picking at
the weeds.

“Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you
are?” He said suddenly and I was taken aback.

“No I don’t think that they have.” I said my
throat dry.

“Sorry, that was probably a pretty lame
line.” He laughed throwing his head back.

“No, I think it was pretty good.” I teased
leaning into him.

He wrapped his right arm around me and
pulled me close. It was awkward at first, but after a moment I felt
comfortable. He seemed content though with my response to his
touch.

“How old are you?” He asked as I leaned my
head on his shoulder.

“Eighteen.” I breathed in the fresh air.
“You?”

“Same.” He said laughing.

His body was cool which in turn made my body
cool. This was a great feeling to have when it was over ninety
outside.

“What are you doing this Saturday?” He asked
me as he leaned his head on top of mine.

“Nothing.” I grinned as the wind blew
through our hair.

“You want to go to a movie?” He was asking
me out.

“Sure.” My body went numb. He had asked me
out. Oh my God!

We sat in the grass for a few minutes while
I day dreamed about our first date. It was about ten minutes in
when he suddenly started to lean towards stopping half way before
pulling himself erect and running his fingers through his brown
hair. He did the same thing a total of three times. I wasn’t sure
if he was attempting vertical sit-ups or trying to kiss me.

"You know you are totally giving me a
complex here." I said dryly looking at him confused.

“
I didn’t think it would
be this hard.” He muttered leaning forward his head in his
hands.

He looked at me with those blue eyes. They
were sparkling, dazzling and very captivating.

“You didn’t think what would be so hard?
Wierding me out? Because if it is you are doing an awesome job at
it.” I said fighting this inner urge to touch him.

He let out a nervous laugh, “I haven’t met
someone in a very long time that I had any interest in. I just
didn’t realize it would be so hard to just...” I don’t know what
came over me I sat up leaned down and kissed him on his cheek.

His eyes flew open and a smile spread across
his lips like I had just answered all his questions.

****

I dropped him off at his house at about a
quarter after seven. He had kissed me on the cheek and got out of
the car hesitantly.

“I had a great time.” He said as I walked
around to the driver’s side of my car.

“I did too.” I grinned from ear to ear.

“I can’t wait for Saturday.” He hugged me
briefly the coolness of his body calming the warmth in me.

“I can’t either.” I smiled at him as he let
me go and turned to walk away.

“Tomorrow in class then?” He looked at
me.

“Of course.” I waved him on as I got in my
car.

I watched him walk up the driveway and
disappear around the corner. Pulling my car from the side of the
road I drove home with a smile on my face.

My mother was sitting in the living room
when I entered the house. She was reading one of her many books and
took no notice of me at first. I put my bag down on the table and
stretched.

“Have fun?” She asked me looking up from her
chapter.

“Yeah.” I smiled at her.

“You are late. Next time it wouldn’t hurt to
send me a text message to let me know where you are.” She raised an
eyebrow and gave me a stern look.

“Sorry mom. I wasn’t meaning to give you a
fright.” I winked at her and her face perked.

“I think you are the last person I need to
worry about.” I always loved it when she went into mom mode.

“True. Still though next time I will make
sure to be courteous.” I popped my knuckles.

“Thank you. So who were you with?” She asked
the curiosity was starting to show.

“Out.” I said vaguely.

“With?” She pushed.

“A boy.” I said glancing at her. “We don’t
have anything going on this weekend do we?”

“Nope. Not that I know of at least.” I
glanced at her. She was reopening her book.

“I’m going to go and do my homework now.” I
walked over to her and kissed her on the top of her head.

“Make sure you do it right.” She instructed
pointing towards my room. “No TV till it’s done.”

“Seriously mom? Where do you get this
stuff?” I groaned as I turned to leave the room.

“What? The last I heard was that there was
no TV till the homework was done.” She looked like I was supposed
to know this.

“What are you reading mom?” I asked as I
made my way back into the kitchen.

“Nothing special.” She said smiling at me
before returning to her book.

I left the kitchen and went into my room. I
threw my bag on my desk and walked over to my stereo. Turning on my
music I settled in for a few hours of Trig and my report on the
Federal Government. I was about half way through my math homework
when my phone buzzed. Reaching over I grabbed it and smiled.

Wesley: Was thinking about you.

I laughed to myself. He was really turning
on the charm.

Me: I was thinking about you too.

It wasn’t a complete lie. In between
answering math problems I had replayed our afternoon over and over
again.

Wesley: Wish I could see you right now.

I shook my head.

Me: *attach image*

I sent him a quick selfie of me doing my
math homework. I didn’t even make it a pretty one. Instead I had
crossed my eyes and made a gesture like I was stabbing myself
through the temple with a pencil. In response to my image I
received one in return. The phone fell out of my hands. He had sent
me one of him lying in bed in nothing but his sleep pants.

Me: You look comfortable.

I hit myself in the face. Man I was starting
to show how lame I was. If he was interested in me now he wouldn’t
be after this conversation.

Wesley: You look stressed.

I laughed. Maybe I was wrong about this
boy.

Me: I have to get this done. Text you before
bed.

Wesley: Ok.

I put my phone down and proceeded to answer
the next ten questions on my sheet of problems. I admit I kept
going back to the image of Wesley. Eighteen year old bodies aren’t
supposed to look like his. How was it even possible?

By eleven I had been home-worked out. I put
down my pencil and rubbed my eyes. I thought I was confused about
religion. Try spending several hours trying to figure out the
American Government. I put my books back in my bag and shut my lap
top. There wasn’t much else that I could do tonight.