The Glass Secret (Chain of Secrets) (28 page)

Oooh, God, did I say sexy?

I meant strong...Storm’s voice could cause an avalanche between two mountains when he whispered. Okay, I guess that I could give him sexy. I was sure that some goddess, or an angel up in Heaven would fancy him in a romantic way. I didn’t want to think
 about anyone, other than me, liking Storm, even if it was impossible for me to ever like him in a romantic way. He was my angel. I was very possessive over him, too.

A tight feeling constricted around my ribcage; something wasn’t right. I felt sick. Was Storm okay? I had not heard from him in weeks…since our fight about Jordan.

My telepathic connection with him told me that he needed me. Storm was, in fact, my biggest hero at one time. Why was he ruining everything? He could have tried to be a little more angelic. I hoped his absence was temporary, and that he hadn’t disappeared forever. He didn’t even say good-bye. I reasoned with my heartache and decided it was his choice to leave. So be it then.

-30-

Reality sings and sometime stings

I had a lot going on and tons to be happy about. Graduation was around the corner. My college days were set in motion. Still, I missed Storm. I wanted him to witness me transcending from a young girl to a woman, in the literal sense.

It was a gorgeous spring day, the flowers were blooming and life was good. I sat idly beneath a big oak tree on the school’s campus just minding my own business. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jordan sailing across the courtyard. He was heading right in my path. My heart leapt and skipped a beat, bubbling over with anticipation.

Jordan’s hair was a dirty blonde with big waves floating down past his shoulders. He reminded me of Brad Pitt in the movie
Troy
. He had blue eyes and blond hair. What a dangerous combination. His bronzed skin glistened in the sunlight. His shoulders were broad, with or without his football gear mounted upon them.

“Hey, beautiful girl. What are you doing over here all by yourself?” His eyes connected with mine like two waves colliding into each other. I imagined for a millisecond that if he and I had little ones they would inherit the striking light blue of his eyes. They were clear blue like the tips of an ocean wave on a sunny day. “Reading. What’s up?" I smiled brightly. Of course, I knew he had come to ask me to the prom; it was approximately a month away.

“That sounds boring. I hate to read.” Jordan twisted his lips.

Is that the best I could say—“what’s up?”
How
lame.
I thought.

“Yeah, that was kind of
lame.”

Storm?
Oh my God, he’s back
—

“This kid doesn’t deserve much better. Unworthy jerk.”

Storm, is that you?
I questioned silently to myself. It had been so long, months since I had heard from him. He was always taking long sabbaticals, especially after having an argument with me. I almost had forgotten what he sounded like. His voice was penetrating. Different than before. My core fluttered with little waves of warmth.

“It’s me,”
Storm answered as if he could hear me.

Did he just hear my inner thoughts? I knew this was impossible. He had never been able to hear my private thoughts before. This had to have been just a coincidence. Nonetheless, the one and only Storm was back in my head, like magic, on cue and not a minute too late.

I placed my palm over my mouth in order to discreetly speak to Storm in the presence of Jordan. I learned through the years how to manage talking to him when others were around. I had all sorts of tricks. Sometimes, I would pretend to cough, sneeze or simply used code words that we had come up with. I shifted my shoulders, turning my face away from Jordan and pretended that I had to sneeze.

“Oh my God. Ah-choo! Stop interrupting. Ah-choo!” I inadvertently scowled at Storm just above a whisper so he could hear me. “Where have you been?” I snapped. I missed him and I wanted answers. Crap, this was bad timing, as I quickly realized the confusion I had caused for Jordan.

“Huh?” Jordan questioned. “It’s good to see you too.”

“Not you—uh, I mean, it’s good to see...Oh never-mind. It’s my—” I paused nervously.
Angel.

Should I just tell Jordan I have a guardian angel talking to me at the same time? Crap. Storm decided to reappear at the worst time of all. Of course he did. Maybe he never actually left and was laying dormant in my brain like a bear in hibernation. Now, he was back to devour Jordan, or make me look like an idiot in front of him. That’s my Storm, sensing when a man was within two feet of me.

“Hey, you don’t have to explain, pretty girl.” Jordan sort of bobbed his head.

“He is not for you Brielle...get rid of him.”

“
Ah-choo!
Shut up,” I whispered loud enough—unfortunately too loud that Jordan heard, again.

“What?” Jordan chuckled, nervously. He seemed surprised that I was speaking to him in such a brash tone. Of course, I wasn’t really. I had to think of something quickly.

“Oh crap. I am not talking to you, it’s my little brother.” I rolled my eyes upward, annoyingly. “You know how little brothers can be.” I pulled off my earplugs, pretending as if I was talking to him on my cell. Earlier, I had actually been listening to music, but Jordan didn’t need to know that. I raised my cell to my ear. “Hey...I will deal with you later, buster.” I said firmly, keeping up the false pretenses then pressed the end call button on my phone.

“Yeah Babe, that’s cool. I just came over to ask if you would like to go to the prom with me?”

Oh my god, he called me bab
e.
What next?

“How about bitch, whore or slut...he’s no good Brielle. Trust me!”

I inwardly lashed back at Storm, all along knowing that he could not hear me...but, for some reason, it felt gratifying to me anyway.
Wow, you’re such a potty mouth, and such an asshole at times, too. I thought you came back to help me. But, hell no! Not you—not my angel...you rather cause me misery.

“Who ever said I was an angel.”
Storm interjected, chuckling half-heartily
.
He had a valid point. He had never really confessed to me that he was an actual angel. And, I never directly asked, except once I asked where he was. Perhaps I was too afraid to know the truth.

What? You can hear me? I thought...you couldn’t hear my inner thoughts—
I needed a diversion and time to think. So, I started coughing and sneezing more.

“Can now...It’s taken almost eighteen years, but I figured it out while I was away.”

“Hey, do you want me to come back? You seem sick or something,” Jordan said as he backed away.

“No. Please, stay. Just let me send this text. Do you mind?” I needed this curve, to stall for a minute. Multi-tasking two conversations was making me sweat.

“Suit yourself...I’ll just sit here and stare at your beautiful face.” Jordan winked.

Awww...he winked at me.

“Yep! It starts with the winks and before you know it he will be whipping you.”
Storm intervened, again.

Oh my God, this can’t be happening, now my private thoughts are going to be invaded too! You may as well kill me now.

“Yeah, we will talk about that later,”
Storm sinisterly retorted.

What?
I panicked for a fraction of a millisecond then said inwardly with a hint of sarcasm.
Great. Are you going to throw me into hell?

“There’s an option.”

What?

“I’m just kidding. Relax, my little lady.”

A strange, unsettling tingle raced down my spine. My heart fluttered oddly and a warm heady feeling scattered to my limbs.

Why is this happening? It’s Storm’s voice. Something is different. Did he sound more soothing than before? No.
Deeper?
I don’t think so.

But, something
was
different, what was it? Maybe, it was just my nerves. I felt over stimulated by the two men vying for my attention.

Wait...Storm’s not a man!

I pushed the thoughts away and fast. Especially, since he could hear them all now.

“
Brielle...did I lose you in your thoughts,”
he said teasingly.
“I said I was only kidding...Doll.”

Storm was purposefully playing with me. What was with all the sweet pen names? I was getting hot in places I won’t mention, but mostly under my collar.

Yeah, I thought so...you’re an angel and angels don’t punish good little girls,
I snapped inwardly at him
. Now disappear, troll!

Meanwhile, Jordan planted his tight athletic butt down next to me on my blanket. The palm of his hand found its way to my bare knee.

He gripped my flesh, in a not so tender manner. Spine chilling goose bumps raced over my skin. I almost stopped breathing in that moment. A feeling of panic rose in me. Jordan’s touch made my skin crawl...I reckoned I would grow to love his touch much more than I did in the moment.

Something was nagging me.
Why did Storm call me his little lady? Gross.
I tried not to focus on him.

“Hey, pay attention to me when I speak to you,” Jordan ordered rather demandingly and yanked at my ponytail.

“Ouch,” I squealed.

“Did he hurt you?”
Storm abruptly asked
. “I’ll rip him apart with one finger if he ever touches you.”

I said Ac-hoo! Jeez. Go away.

“I’m not feeling like you want me here,” Jordan pouted half-jokingly.

“Yes...of course I do.” I secured my ponytail in my hand. I wasn’t sure how Storm would tear Jordan apart, but for some reason I didn’t doubt him. “I was just enjoying the weather. I love windy spring days.”

“Yeah, I heard you get lost in your own head.”

“Huh? Who said that about me?”

“Don’t worry about it—it’s not a big deal. It doesn’t matter to me if you talk to yourself out loud.” He chuckled, and pinched my waistline.

“Stop. Who said I talk to myself?” I demanded to know.

“The entire school knows you’re a little freak. But I like it. You’re fucking hot as shit. A little freakiness is cool with me.

“Hopefully, you’re a freak in the bed, too.”
Jordan thought.

“You should hear how he’s disrespecting you,”
Storm retorted. I ignored him for a second, trying to keep the three way conversation straight.

“Whoa...Jordan, I don’t like that you think I am a freak.”

“Storm, you can hear Jordan’s thoughts, too?”

Hum this might be good, then again, maybe not.

“Brie...everyone has demons.” Jordan paused.

“Yeah, and her demon is going to kick your human ass!”
Storm bellowed.

Oh Lord, Storm! Stop, he’s trying to understand me.

“No, he’s trying to get in your pants.”

I ignored Storm’s unsolicited comment.

Jordan’s voice drew me back into our conversation. “Hey, no disrespect, but being a little freak behind closed doors is good if you catch my drift.”

“I’m going to kick your drift,”
Storm yelled
.

“No, not really.” I glowered at Jordan. Poor Jordan, if only he knew how much trouble Storm could have caused him, maybe he wouldn’t have behaved so badly. At the time, it didn’t seem fair that we had to have Storm’s watchful eyes peering over our shoulders.

“I just thought—you know, if you become my girl and all—well, I am a patient man. Nothing will ever happen until you’re ready. I know you’re not like Tracy. She’s a slut.”

“The only patient you will be is one in a hospital when I’m done with you,”
Storm roared.

“Ouch. That’s not very nice,” I scolded Jordan.

“She’s the one who’s acting like a bitch. Do you know she’s spreading all kinds of lies about me,” he argued, nostrils flaring, and his eyes narrowed to small slits.

Storm fumed, “
That’s because she wouldn’t—”

I interrupted him.
I can’t hear you, Storm. So butt out!

“He’s lying. Tracy is hurting because of this creep.”

“Stop, I don’t care,” I yelped out loud, quickly covering my mouth. Too late the words spilled out.

“Wow. I thought you liked me and would be on my side.” Jordan pushed up to leave.

“No, it’s my—yes, I do like you. I don’t care what she says. I am sure she is lying as you say.” My voice quivered as I motioned for him to sit back down.

“Are you sure? You don’t sound convincing to me.”

I placed my hand over Jordan’s hand. “The truth will come out if she is lying. I promise,” I said, reassuring him.

“I’m no angel, Brie,” Jordan said, frowning.

“That’s an understatement,”
Storm butted in for the umpteenth time.