Hurricane (The Charmed) (5 page)

Her father sighed. “Did you feel anything this morning?”

“You mean my powers? No.”

Her mother patted her hand, “Oh good, you’re one of the lucky ones, must have hit while you slept.”

Her father gave her an unconvincing smile. “They’ll most likely come in full force by the morning, it’ll be delayed. Your mother and I got you a present since it’s your eighteenth birthday today.” He pulled out a box and handed it to Lyla.

She opened the box and pulled out a bracelet. “Oh my! How pretty!”

Her mother leaned forward to clasp it on her wrist. “There are eighteen strings in all. I know it’s a bit busy for you but each band represents your life.”

Lyla looked down at the intricately woven band. “Why is there a black one?” If Lyla hadn’t been paying close attention, she would have missed the hesitation in her mother’s voice.

“Your grandmother’s death was hard on you. You were only two but you asked about her every day.”

Her mother never looked up into her face, Lyla could tell she was lying but left it alone.

Her parents stood. “Come on down for cake.”

Lyla followed them but her mind never stopped wondering what her parents kept hiding.

She lay awake that night. She thought of her life and how hectic it had been. Why had her parents lied to her? She drifted into a fitful sleep finally unaware that three-thirty was approaching fast.

Mr. M and Chase were parked two doors down looking up at Lyla’s window. “Are you going to tell me why we’re here?” Chase stared at the window, longing to jump through it and into her room.

“I told you. I think her birthday is really today.”

“Yeah, yeah, and you said nobody has that date that it’s our most powerful day and all. What does that have to do with Lyla?”

“I’m not a hundred percent sure. The last person to have that birthday was given immense power. It only happens every hundred years. I’m a little bit of an expert on the subject.”

“And what’s that subject called?” Chase began throwing a Nerf ball at the dashboard.

“Occlusion. I’m praying she doesn’t have it. I’m praying that looking up at that window will reveal nothing.”

Chase looked up at Lyla’s window again. He knew what happened was so intense it takes a day to recover. He realized they were supposed to meet tomorrow and cursed his luck. Most likely she wouldn’t show, she would have every right not to.

The clock on the dash moved to three-thirty. Mr. M gripped the steering wheel as a bright light beamed out of Lyla’s window. They could hear a scream. Chase reached for the door but Mr. M stopped him.

“There’s nothing you can do for her.”

“Yes there is.” Chase continued to try and get out when Mr. M put a binding spell on him. It would be quick and temporary but Chase had to listen.

“Chase, her parents are already in the room with her. If you go flying in there, Lyla’s as good as gone tomorrow. You don’t want that, do you?”

Mr. M let the spell wear off and Chase relaxed. He looked up at the room again and put his head in his hands and screamed.

Mr. M’s heart sank. It appeared Chase had taken the fall and quickly for Lyla. He would have to research under the radar what this meant for Chase. He looked up at the room again, the light was still shining. It was going on far too long. He pulled at his hair and took his glasses off to rub his eyes. He had resigned himself to going in when the light finally began to dim. It had been a full thirty minutes. Insane, Mr. M thought to himself. How does anyone recover from that?

He started the car and drove them back home. Chase had stayed the night so they wouldn’t raise any alarm bells.

Chase sat on the couch once home and stared at a blank television. Mr. M sat down next to him, handing him a drink.

“Why?”

“Why what?” Mr. M asked.

“Why was it so much? Why so intense? It had to have hurt!”

“I know.” Mr. M stared down at the liquid in his glass.

“She’s supposed to meet me tomorrow.”

Mr. M sighed. “Chase. I need you to stay away from her.”

“No.”

“Tell me why. Why after all these years, all the girls you only dated for a week, when nobody was the girl. Why her.”

“I can’t explain it. The minute she came into town I could feel her. I’ve been drawn to her like needing water ever since. Do you think I like feeling this way? I can’t help it now and I don’t know what to do about it. It hurts to be away from her.”

“Chase, roll up your sleeve.”

“Why?”

“Please, just do as I ask.”

“Okay.” Chase did as he was asked to do and rolled his sleeve up as high as he could.

Mr. M let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

“What were you looking for?”

“A piece of a puzzle, and there wasn’t one. Try to get some sleep. Good night, Chase.” He stood and walked to his bedroom.

Chase left before anyone was up, including Jaden. He hated not telling him everything he was going through, but if Lyla showed up he wanted to convince her to skip school. She would need it. He couldn’t get his head around it, any of it. The only time she wasn’t in his thoughts was when he was on the football field. He thought if he could spend just a little time with her it would relax, not be so desperate a feeling. Chase secretly hoped it wasn’t, though. Meeting Lyla was like finding your missing piece. Chase sat in his car waiting for her to drive up. He remembered that he had to stay focused on her car before it disappeared. Maybe she wouldn’t show. Chase’s stomach did a roll at the thought of last night. She would be exhausted today. All the better to skip, Chase reconciled. Then he saw an un-familiar car turn around the corner into the parking lot. He kept his eyes on the car so the location wouldn’t disappear. Chase got out of his car and walked quickly to hers, scanning the parking lot for any watchers. He reached the door handle just as it disappeared. He opened the door and focused his mind through the charm. He bent down to look into the car and got in.

Lyla turned and smiled at him.

Chase noticed the sparkle in her eyes and felt relief.

“Hi,” he smiled back, then reached out and took her hand in his. “So, I was thinking…”

Lyla smiled at him. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Chase couldn’t help but sparkle back at her. “How about we take off in my car?”

“And where are we going?”

“I think you need a day in some sun and sand.” He kissed her hand and looked up from their joined fingers.

“I don’t have a suit and its cold.” Lyla gave him a huge smile.

He smiled back, Lyla was teasing. “Forty five minutes and we’re in Clearwater. It’s too cool to swim anyway. I just want to spend some time with you, away from Mr. M and your parents and everybody. I’ll have you back by the end of school.”

“Deal.”

Chase jumped out of the car and ran around the other side to open her door. She gathered her things and they walked quickly to his car. They were on the freeway within ten minutes.

Lyla put her head back on the seat and closed her eyes.

“Lyla.”

Lyla opened one eye and looked over at Chase. “Yes.”

“McCown and I were at your place this morning.” Chase wasn’t sure how Lyla would take the news.

“Oh? See anything unusual?”

Chase smiled. “You could say that.” He paused. “It went on for a long time, Lyla. Too long.” He reached out for her hand. “Did it hurt?”

“Yes and no. It was just intense, like you said it would be. My parents told me what McCown thought they would, that it would be delayed. It hurt to hear it.”

“I’m sorry. Sorry I wasn’t there.”

“Chase, there’s nothing you could have done. If my parents had even a tiny notion I knew anyone here besides McCown, we would be gone without a trace. And believe me we’re really good at not leaving a trace.”

“You’re eighteen. Their tracker on you is gone now.”

Lyla smiled. “Why do you think I said yes so quickly today?”

“Are you tired?”

“Exhausted. I never went back to sleep.”

“Why don’t you close your eyes? You can get an hour in.”

Lyla was already asleep. Chase took his coat off and placed it over her. He then took out his phone and called Jaden.

“Chase, where are you?”

“I’m not there.”

“No. Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

“I’m not coming in today. I’ll be back by the end though. Your dad will know what’s going on. Tell him I’m sorry I didn’t tell him, it was a quick decision.”

Jaden lowered his voice. “Chase, is this about Lyla?”

“How do you know about her?”

“Cloaks don’t work on me. I’ve seen her since the first day of school.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Or the rest of the circle?”

“Dad asked me not to.”

“Got it. Okay. Well I’m glad I don’t need to keep my first secret from you.”

“As long as we’re confessing, I have one.”

“Oh?”

“I’m the one who pushed Lyla into you in the hallway.”

“You? Why?”

“I was getting tired of the whole song and dance between you two.”

“What song and dance?”

“The one where you knew someone was near you and you couldn’t see her. You were starting to be a pain in the ass with your moodiness.”

Chase laughed. He looked over at Lyla, worried he would wake her. “I guess I have you to thank then.”

“I didn’t know she would kiss you the same day. I sort of saw that too.”

“Freak.”

Jaden laughed. “So, you like this girl?”

“Yes.”

“Enough to skip school for?”

“Jaden, I can’t really explain it. It’s like everything was normal and then I took one step onto campus and the sun came out when I didn’t know it was gone.” Chase was quiet driving down the highway.

“What about Kayla?”

“What about her?”

“She’s supposed to be getting married to you some day.”

“Arranged marriages are stupid.”

“They may be stupid but our kind still does it. What are you going to tell her?”

“Listen, it’s not like Lyla and I are going to elope. We’re in high school for god sake. Kayla and I have never even dated, let alone want to, at least on my part. She’s like a sister to me.”

“She’s still going to hurt when this comes out.”

“It might never come out. Lyla might get tired of me and dump me.”

“Not likely. I’ve never seen anything like what I saw between you guys. I think it’s kinda cool. Have fun today. Be careful, her aura is really big like yours.”

“You and your aura stuff.”

“Ha! You’re just jealous because you can’t see them.”

“Yep, I’m just jealous, that’s what it is.” Chase hung up. Jaden had given him a lot to think about. His and Kayla’s parents would be devastated. He put it all out of his mind as he navigated the small beach town of Clearwater and found a place to park.

C
hase and Lyla walked along the beach. Chase held Lyla’s hand in his. The day was mild but the warm rays of sun beat down on them as they walked on the cool sand.

“What’s your earliest memory?” Lyla looked up at Chase and smiled.

“Probably when I met Jaden for the first time. I don’t remember much before that. We were at someone’s house and in come this kid with wicked wild hair. He came up and punched me in the stomach. We’ve been friends ever since.”

Lyla laughed. “How old were you?”

“Oh, I think four. Strange. You would think I would remember something from an earlier time but I don’t. When was yours?”

“We were running, again. I think I was three. She threw me in a car, Dad jumped in the driver’s side and we drove really fast. All I remember is my Dad’s face when he turned around.” She shuddered. “It was old, intense and scared. They’ve been old forever.”

“Lyla, did you ever try and find out why you live this way?”

“Yes. I used to rifle through my parents papers and stuff. They didn’t leave me alone much so there really hasn’t been much freedom to snoop. I’ve never found anything. Not even a glimmer.”

Lyla and Chase continued to walk along the beach through the morning. They stopped and sat, facing the water, watching pelicans dive bomb for fish.

“What are you going to do after school?” Chase was leaning back on his elbows looking over at Lyla.

“I want to go to college. Maybe find one around here. I don’t know. I like Florida, out of all the places I’ve been, Lakeland has the right balance of sun and small town. There are a lot of towns that are so small you can’t get lost even if you want to. Everyone knows your business. Big cities are exciting but I’ve only ever driven through them. What about you?”

“Jaden and I were going to apply to a few together. I don’t really want to play football in college. My coaches think I’m nuts. I have a few looking at me but I’m undecided.”

The two spent the entire day laughing and just hanging out. He didn’t remember when his time with someone was so easy and fun. Except Jaden but that was different. He didn’t want to kiss Jaden. Chase didn’t know if this was going to last but just looking at her made him happy. Something about them together felt familiar, like home. They clicked. Chase held her hand as they walked and pointed out pelicans swooping down to catch fish. Or a stray jellyfish stranded on the sand. The sun was warm on their faces. They ate at a little shack called “Shelly’s Fries” down the way, feeding fries to any seagull that came down to beg. That was a big mistake. Every bird within a mile radius came at them. Lyla screamed and threw the fries in the air. He grabbed her hand and they ran down the beach and into the water. Chase knew it was almost time to go and he hadn’t kissed her yet. They were up to their thighs in the water laughing about the birds that were now attacking the next person in the shack. Chase turned toward her and leaned in, put both his hand on either side of her face and kissed her. It was sweet and slow. He moved his right hand behind her head and his left down to her lower back. They stayed in the water and the sun not realizing that from this moment on, their lives would change forever. Eventually they pulled apart. Lyla smiled at Chase. He smiled back and they headed to the shore and began the trek to the car.