Cyrosphere 3:: Lives Mingling Together (6 page)

Her first real date with Leo. The thought played in her mind on a loop. Replay of her charming he was and kind, traits she highly valued.

Ginger hoped she was ready. After Diego died, a tiny part of her thought she’d be alone forever. That love came and was taken away, never to return for a second chance.

She realized she needed to let go that doubt and allow love into her heart. To smile like she use to, just because the warm sun was cast against her skin or the day was going according to plan. Ginger smiled as she sat in the den, devouring the last pages of Thirst two. It was a thoughtful gift, and she was happy that Leo got it for her.

Stacey did her hair before she and Peter went out dancing. Ginger wondered how her night would go, as she waited and read to ease her nervousness.

Fourteen minutes to be exact, Aaron was leading Leo to her. She felt a flash, would he be the one to walk her down the aisle when she was ready to get married. Ginger never thought about that but smiled at them, ignoring these silly thoughts.

She thought, “Time to date.”

Twenty minutes later, Leo had driven them down to the Marina. Marina Del Ray to be exact, it was lovely with the sun setting. Ginger pulled out her phone to swap a few pictures. Leo was grinning at her as she snagged her phone back in her purse.

She laughs and says, “Sorry, was just feeling a little sentimental.”

Leo replies, “No need to apologize. I totally understand. I do too all the time.”

Ginger asks, “Which one are we going to?”

Leo grins and points, “Graby Shrimp Joint.”

Ginger smiles and responds, “Sound enticing.”

Leo answers, “Wait until you try the food.”

Leo leads her inside with his hand on the small of her back. It wasn’t a bad feeling, so she just went with the flow.

Chapter Twenty-Six:

All throughout dinner, Ginger kept thinking the same thing. He is cute, nice, and a good friend. It was his feelings that made Ginger kiss him and to react.

She wondered, “Am I really ready to date yet?”

Ginger kept hoping so, but everything in her was saying maybe not. All she had to do was get through dinner and talk to Yvette, who is probably had some reasonable advice to give.

She sighed out a breathe of relief.

After thirty seven minutes, dinner ended and she was full of guilt and shrimp. Had she lead Leo on?

Ginger hoped, “Please give me strength and wisdom to end the night without making a total fool of myself.”

Leo smiled and asked, “So how far did you get in the book? Thirst?”

Ginger grinned and replies, “Almost finished. I have about thirty or forty pages left to go.”

Leo grins and mumbles, “Wow. You are more impressive then I imagined.”

Ginger could feel his emotions, and luckily she had up her mental shield to filter his thoughts.

She calls out, “How about a walk around the marina?”

Leo looked stunned but answers, “Sure, after you.”

They spent the next few minutes in silence walking. She had on a hoodie, so no chance at him holding her hand. Damn she felt like a tease, for leading him on and now suddenly brushed him off.

Back at the car, Leo pauses before opening the door for her.

Ginger asks, “What is it?”

Leo says, “I want you to know I understand.”

Ginger replies, “You do?”

Leo nods and responds, “You aren’t ready to date after what happened to Diego.”

Ginger felt a hot sharp pain sweep through her body. She was momentarily stunned and her throat felt as if it was closed up. Unable to speak or mutter a reply.

She asked, “How do you?”

She couldn’t even bring herself to say his name outloud do to the fact it hurt more to mention his name to others who he was and why she felt so deeply.

Leo spoke, “I was there that night.”

Ginger asks, “You were?”

Leo nods and says, “I work closely with Aaron. I am a close friend of his as well.”

Ginger nods and thinks, “It all makes sense now. Why he was the one dropping off the papers at the house.”

Leo smiles and answers, “Let me take you home now.”

Ginger nods, too preoccupied with her thoughts to release another word.

Chapter Twenty Seven
:

The short twenty minute drive was filled with the radio to block out the tension. Thank God for AFI and Green Day.

Once outside the house in the car with Ginger, she had no idea what to expect.

Leo says, “Ginger, I like you. I can wait just don’t make me wait years is all I am asking.”

Ginger was about to speak, when his warm fingers interlocked with hers and squeezed. The small gesture stopped all the thoughts she just rehearsed in her head.

Leo responds, “Don’t say anything now. Give me a fighting chance and have a good night.”

The next thing she knew, he was going to her side of the car and letting her out. Leo didn’t shake her hand, ask for a hug, or demand a kiss. He slyly pushed her towards the door, grinned and off into the night he went.

Ginger thought, “Oh, shit! I am confused as shit.”

Inside the house in the kitchen was just who she wanted to see.

Yvette was making a sandwich and warm milk, looking exhausted and beat down. She felt her glowing inside at her accomplishment at winning her case, and thank god. The girl needed some R & R immediately.

That saved Ginger the choice of talking to Yvette first, or writing. She sat down on the kitchen isle and sighed.

Yvette smiled and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Ginger grunted, “Boy drama. Congrats on winning your case.”

Yvette grinned and says, “Thanks. I’d rather deal with your dilemma then talk about law jargon.”

Ginger laid her head down on the cool concrete corner, allowing her body a moment of peace.

She lifts her head and says, “Leo likes me. I’m not sure if I like him as much. Is my empathy the real reason behind me kissing him? I complicated this poor guy’s lie and for what?”

Yvette sighs and takes a sip of her milk, thinking over which part to handle first. Ginger waited patiently as the older woman thought through her problem.

Finally Yvette says, “I got it. Go out with him again to something casual like coffee and see if you have any feelings. If you do, take things slow. If you aren’t feeling it, then put him out of his misery. Did that help?”

Ginger nods and answers, “Actually a lot. Thanks.”

Yvette beams and says, “Okay. How about some hot coco?”

Ginger responds, “Do you even need to ask?”

Yvette giggles as she got to work making some for Ginger. She always felt like a dotting mother or aunt, which helped alleviate the loss of her mother Sonia.

After drinking hot liquids with Yvette, Ginger went upstairs to brush her teeth just as Stacey got home. While finishing up, she then went to her room to write in her journal.

About ten minutes later, Stacey came knocking on her bedroom door all giggly.

Ginger asks, “What got you all happy?”

Stacey says, “Peter. Peter Harman does. He asked me to marry him.”

She gasps and scream in astonishment.

Ginger says, “Tell me everything. Don’t leave out any details.”

The next 19 minutes Stacey rehashes her date with Peter. Her prince charming held her hand all night.

Ginger asks, “When? You’re only 18 years old.”

Stacey laughs and responds, “Duh. We are waiting until after we graduate. Did I not mention that part? And psst, I will be 19 in a few weeks.”

Ginger smiles and answers, “Fine. I’ll lay off. I’m going to be your maid of honor, right?”

Stacey laughs and states, “Of course. I would say Yvette but my sister as my maid of honor is just sad. Kara, Yvette, and Jurnee can all be my bridesmaids. Oh, and ask Lucy, Hannah, Penny, and Crystal for me maid of honor. Peter has a ton of friends. All hot and single. Hint hint hint. Want me to set you up?”

Ginger blushes and replies, “I’ll consider it. Good night, dork.”

Stacey looks at the clock and mumbles, “Oh shit. It is almost two am. I need to crash. I need to beautify.”

Ginger laughs as she dashes out the door.

Chapter Twenty Eight:

While Ginger yeans and stretches, she still can’t believe Stacey is engaged. Sure in three years she’ll be someone’s wife unless they move up the date. Ginger had a sneaking suspicion that they probably would, because like Stacey Ginger knew she wouldn’t be able to wait three long agonizing years.

The next two weeks flew by in a rush of things she needed to complete for school. Like shopping and getting all her books. About time she glances up, she was nervous and school was starting in a few hours.

She had taken Yvette’s advice, saw Leo a few times and liked what he had to offer. They were taking things extremely slow like turtle pace.

He held her hand, and the kisses were like tiny electric jolts. The first kiss was memorable because hello who doesn’t over hype their first kiss? The distance from the first seem to grow a small well of happiness inside Ginger. She could do this. You know date, go to school, and live like as if her entire world hadn’t previously dissolved.

Starting school at USC wasn’t bad, just Ginger hadn’t had a chance for truly pick out her school or decide if
 English Literature was her future.

She wondered, “Do I want to teach for the rest of my life?”

God that sounded so depressing. She loved helping people, so perhaps this was her path.

Ginger was taking a fuel class load. English classes of course, History because who doesn’t love to read about the past, and a few other topics. Chemistry and Economics both practical for most degrees but unheard of by a freshmen.

She smiled to herself as she went to her first three classes that Tuesday after Labor day weekend. Things were on the up and up. Secretly she was leaving her evenings open for classes at Dark Force University, the real reason for going to school with Stacey.

Stacey met her after all their normal classes ended and they hiked across campus to the giant pool area. Inside was a vortex that Ginger felt drawn towards. It was as if it had a magnetic pull leading her towards something, but what Ginger couldn’t say.

The pounding against her skull suddenly began, someone was trying to enter her mind. From the dramatic rush of force, Ginger knew it was a powerful indigo.

Her walls were up blocking out whoever was trying to get in. without really thinking she felt a built up and pushed with a little force. A shriek was heard on the side by the pool next to the vortex. There laid on her side, a brown haired woman with blue eyes that could mesmerize.

She wondered, “How did I do that?”

With her mind being bombarded and all her psychic powers, Ginger felt a tug that knocked this person out when she tried to force herself inside her mind. Ginger knew no one would try that again, that made her proud.

Stacey was helping the girl to her feet and Ginger wondered why.

Stacey says, “What are deserve Gretchen.”

Ginger asks, “You know her?”

Stacey sighs and explains, “We are classmates. Friendly at best.”

Gretchen states, “All that hurt my feelings. I thought we were friends. “

Now standing straight, Ginger saw she was 5’7 and her hair flowed to her bottom in thick layers. The girl was striking and 20 by the looks of her.