Awakening (Book One of The Geis) (23 page)

By the next morning, word had gotten around school that I’d been attacked at the Auburn rock church on Halloween night. If anyone in the school didn’t know who I was before, they knew all about me now. In every class I had to cover up the truth, and told everyone that I fainted in the haunted house. During breaks, people pointed me out to each other, or shouted questions on their way down the hall.

Christa had to miss dance to make up a test, so I went to the studio early to practice on my own, determined to have my dances perfect before the feis.

Frost formed on the inside of the studio windows. I scratched at it with my fingernail, forming a curly snail of ice that melted as soon as it touched my finger. Leah plugged in a second space heater. “Don’t dance full-out until you are completely warmed up.” She plugged her phone into the sound system, and a light jig tune filled the room.

Rourke took his usual position on the stool, waiting for Leah to direct warm-ups. JiaLin and Karen came in the door, and a few minutes later Josh joined us. I waved to him and continued stretching. We did the light jig so many times that I got a stitch in my side. By the time we finished solos I was exhausted, but it was satisfying to pound out the dances I knew.

Leah took Zoey aside to work on her beginner reel, and Rourke took over the class.

Let’s work on the dance program today
, Rourke signed.
I’m sure all of you know your dances perfectly by now.
I translated for the class, and a collective groan went up. Rourke clapped his hands and motioned for Josh and me to go first. The program wasn’t until December, but Rourke had already taught the two of us the main duet.

“Let’s bring Rourke to tears,” I whispered, taking my place next to Josh on the studio floor. He grinned back, and then nodded to Rourke.

The music warmed me like sunshine on frozen soil. I closed my eyes and focused on the undertones the melody evoked. It filled me with energy, and when I began to dance, I sensed the spark of connection to my emotions that was beginning to feel more natural.

Josh started out tentatively, matching my steps. He knew the movements even better than I did, but I knew it made him nervous to dance for the rest of the class. His steps were pensive and low to the ground, in contrast to my leaps.

From beneath the melody, a single violin hummed, hidden in the jubilant song. I tuned my senses to the tiny voice that invoked a feeling of longing. My dancing made a subtle shift with the emotion.

Josh seemed to feed off of this new direction. He increased his pace, matching my energy. His steps quickened, and he introduced double-clicks into the dance.

Gone were any thoughts of competition. I didn’t worry if Leah was watching for technique. And I didn’t have to look at Rourke to know that he was pleased with the emotions I portrayed.

The music intensified, and I made full use of the floor, traveling from one corner to the next, Josh following in duet. The room melted away, and I gave myself over to the music. I felt like a bird—weightless and suspended in space. I was finally doing what Rourke had asked. I left myself behind, and let the emotions take over.

So fully had I retreated within the music that when Josh took my hand, I was surprised that he still shared the dance floor with me. A feeling of electricity tingled my skin where our hands joined. He and I had practiced the duet plenty of times, but this time it was different. The synergy bubbled up inside of me as we moved in tandem.

The music changed, hinting toward a conclusion. I didn’t want the music to stop. I could dance forever, and having someone dance beside me who felt the same way only intensified the feeling.

I faced Josh. He wasn’t watching his feet—his eyes were focused on mine. My happiness was reflected in his face, and another emotion surfaced inside me.

Love. That was the emotion Josh danced. Love for me.

The idea hit me so swiftly that I lost my focus. Gone was the connection to the place I had found. My emotions plummeted, and I came down off of a leap, the muscle in my calf twisting in on itself as I stumbled. Pain shot up my leg.

Josh steadied me, one hand still in mine, the other on my back.

“Are you ok?” Josh asked. His green eyes were clear and concerned. JiaLin jumped up, but I waved her away.

“Fine,” I said, taking in deep breaths. “I’m ok, it’s just twisted.”

“What happened?” Leah asked.

“Sorry, I came down wrong.” I put pressure on my foot, and tried not to gasp when the pain shot up my leg again. I headed for the bathroom, passing by an oblivious Zoey, who practiced her beginner reel in a circle around the lizard.

Rourke caught my eye and signed,
Lovely.

I gave him a small smile and limped into the bathroom, leaning against the locked door.

How had I missed Josh’s feelings? Had Leah and Rourke noticed? Christa must have kept it a secret. Josh was her brother—she had to know.

I sank to the bathroom floor, wrapping my arms around my knees. The tile was cold through my spandex, but I barely noticed.

Josh didn’t fumble his steps anymore, like he had that first day when Rourke took him aside. His steps were sure and precise now, thanks to Leah’s drilling. Not only did he try to feel the music as Rourke requested, but today he had danced with emotion. Emotion that I was trying to come to grips with.

I tried to picture us together. The thought made my stomach flip upside-down. Josh was good-looking in a clean-cut, farm-boy sort of way. He was always looking out for me. But I didn’t know how to deal with the intensity of the emotions I felt coming from him. I pushed the thought away for later.

Josh probably didn’t have any idea that I knew how he felt. As far as he knew, things between us were the same as always. And they could continue on the same as they had in the past. Until I figured out what this could mean.

I checked my face in the mirror. My eyes were red, and my neck splotchy, but I could blame that on my leg. I tested my weight on the muscle, and pain shot through me again.

The injury would set me back. I didn’t know how I would be able to perform at the feis next week. I blinked back hot tears.

Leah pushed open the door and stood next to me at the sink. She looked at my tear-stained cheeks.

“How does it feel?” she asked, checking my leg with her hand.

“It hurts, but it isn’t broken.”

Leah ducked under my arm and propped me up. I leaned on her. “Let’s get you some ice.”

Josh was still on the dance floor, rubbing at a scuffmark on the wood with his toe. When I came out of the bathroom, his eyes lit up, and my face flushed a deeper shade of red. He took my other arm and supported my weight so Leah could get the ice. His body was warm, and I wondered how he could smell so good after dancing for an hour.

Rourke signed to me before we were halfway to where he stood at the sound system.

Did you feel that?
Your emotions rolled right across the dance floor and plowed me over.

Leah repeated what Rourke signed for the others.

“I let my mind go blank, and my feet took over,” I said, signing and speaking at the same time. “It was incredible—I felt like a bird.”

A lovebird?

I glanced at Josh, my face flushing again. Leah stopped interpreting—her lips disappeared into a thin line. She glared at Rourke.

“Class is over,” Leah announced. “Great job everyone. Keep practicing, and let me know if you need extra help.” I waved to the other girls as they left.

Josh helped me to the bench and propped my leg up. I winced as pain shot through my calf muscle. Zoey left the lizard and curled up next to me. I put my arm around her.

“Does it hurt?” Josh asked.

“I’m fine, it’s nothing.” I pushed his hand away. Was I the only one who hadn’t noticed Josh’s feelings toward me? I was suddenly embarrassed at his attention. Josh sat next to me on the bench. I felt claustrophobic under his gaze.

“Do you want me to get you some ice?” Josh asked.

“No!” I didn’t mean to shout it. “I don’t want your help.” Instantly I regretted snapping at Josh. The wounded look his eyes matched the hurt feelings that settled like a rock in my stomach.

Josh grabbed his bag. He stood by the door and watched as Leah got me an ice pack. I didn’t know what to say to make things better. Josh took one last glace at me before he left, not even bothering to change out of his shoes.

I put my head in my hands, wincing when I tensed the hurt muscle in my leg. I didn’t mean to make Josh feel bad. He hadn’t done anything wrong.

Rourke paced in front of the mirrors. He stopped and signed to me. I struggled to keep up with his fluency.

This is a good sign. You are learning how to express your emotions in such a way that others feel them too. But you have to learn control. You must learn to channel that emotion, and use it to fuel your ability. The next time you dance, I want you to concentrate and see if you can continue what you did today.

Leah strode up to Rourke, putting herself between us. Frustration and anger flowed from her. “How can you talk about emotions? You lock your own feelings up so tight that you push everyone away.”
Leah’s voice wavered, and I was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

They seemed to forget that I was in the studio with them. Rourke faced Leah for several moments before stepping away.
I can’t change the way things are, Leah.

Rourke formed an L with his fingers for Leah’s name and circled it next to his face like the sign for elegance. Leah stepped to Rourke and took his hand in her smaller one. I adjusted the ice pack on my leg. Apparently there was more going on between Rourke and Leah than I knew.

“I don’t know what you’ve been through.” Leah choked on her words. “And I don’t know why you won’t let me in. But you are not the only one who has suffered pain and loss.”

Rourke’s face relaxed a little. I thought I saw a look of longing in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by hard determination. He released Leah’s hand and turned toward me.

I looked away, feeling like I had been eavesdropping on a private conversation. Rourke strode to where I sat on the bench. He crouched next to my leg, and I leaned back, uncertain of what he was doing. Rourke reached his hand out as if to touch my leg, but instead he let it hover in the air above my injured muscle. He moved his hand down the length of my leg.

Rourke scooped the air together with both hands, as if he were forming a ball of air above my injury. The lizard stood beside him, his eyes focused on me. I shivered and looked at Leah, but she was concentrating on Rourke’s hands.

A blue light formed between Rourke’s hands. The light burned brighter until I could make out the neon symbol of a dragon hanging in the air above my leg. I gasped, and Rourke gave me a warning look. Beside me Zoey stared, wide-eyed.

At first I didn’t feel anything, but as Rourke continued to stir the air around my leg, a tingling sensation spread from the area. I took in a quick breath, and Zoey squeezed my hand. The strange tingling turned to warmth that washed over my entire leg. I tried not to squirm, but the heat increased until it was almost unbearable. I couldn’t help wiggling my toes in discomfort.

Rourke looked at my face and stilled his hand. The heat subsided, and the rune disappeared. I pointed my toe, responding to an impulse to stretch. There was no pain. I looked at Leah in surprise. “It doesn’t hurt,” I said, pulling myself to a standing position. I put pressure on the injured leg. Whatever Rourke had done, my leg felt the same as it had when I had walked into the studio at the beginning of class.

“How did you do that?” I asked Rourke. He was already at the sound system, collecting his music and notes. He shook his head at my question, but a smile played at the corners of his mouth. Leah watched him with a thoughtful expression. Zoey danced up and down the floor, alternately doing hops and her own version of a leap-over.

“I landed wrong off of that leap. I should be limping for a week, but instead I feel like I could go for another hour of practice.” I demonstrated a leap, and Leah put a hand out to steady me. “See?” I told her, pointing to my leg. “In fact, I feel more energy than before.”

“Amazing.” Leah wasn’t looking at my leg. Her eyes were focused on Rourke.

“I better get my bag.” My voice seemed to break the spell. Leah looked my way.

“I’ll give you and Zoey a ride home,” she said.

I walked over to Rourke. “Thank you.”

Remember how you danced today,
he signed.
Your emotions are a powerful tool that can be used to your advantage.

I nodded. Rourke meant the upcoming feis, but his words implied more than the competition.