Tale of Life (Essence Series #2) (24 page)

The audience clapped loudly and their catcalls came from different parts of the bleachers. Easton shook hands with the faculty members onstage, which included Mr. Avey, and then returned to her seat in the back row. When she approached Calloway, he stood up and hugged her tightly.

“Good job,” he said. “You did a good job winging it.”

Breccan grabbed her and hugged her, holding her for a moment longer than necessary, and then pulled away. “That was awesome.”

“You think so?” She smiled.

“You know I wouldn’t lie to you,” Breccan said. “If it sucked, I wouldn’t let you hear the end of it.”

“Well, you have a point there,” she whispered. She returned to her seat in between the two boys and faced the platform. They were reading off the names of the diplomas and the students were walking across the stage with the certificates in hand, smiling proudly as they returned to their seats.

After an hour, the last row was called, and they moved to the stage across the grass. The principal read down the names and hesitated before he read Calloway’s name.

Calloway Martins,” he announced.

When Calloway reached the principal and shook his hand, his aunt screamed hysterically from the stands, and then he heard Weston’s beautiful voice call out his name. The sound of her words sent chills down his spine. Even though she was angry with him, never wanted to speak to him again, it was evident that she still cared for him, even if it was only a fraction of what it had been before. Calloway advanced across the stage and returned to his seat.

His cousin’s name was called next and Aunt Grace could be heard screaming from the audience.

“My boy!” she yelled.

Breccan’s face turned a shade darker when he heard his mom shout from the stands.

When Easton reached the stage, there was a loud applause from everyone in the stands, and Weston’s voice could he heard over the sound.

“Easton!” she shouted.

After Easton embraced the principal with a handshake, she returned to the row and sat beside her two friends. The principal ended the ceremony with a closing speech, and as soon as he was finished, everyone threw their hats into the air, screaming with joy.

“I’m so glad that’s over!” Easton yelled.

“Me, too,” Calloway said. “I’m starving.”

Breccan stared at him. “Finally! I’m not the only one!”

Easton and Calloway both laughed at Breccan’s words, amused by the serious expression on his face.

“Let’s go find our parents,” Calloway said as he moved across the football field. He knew where Aunt Grace and Uncle Scott were because he heard them screaming a moment before. They were fairly close to Weston, but not so close that he could hear her speak. They moved through the throng of students until they reached the stands.

“Congratulations!” Aunt Grace yelled when she saw them. “I’m so proud of both of you!” She hugged both of them tightly, even though her small arms could barely span across their waists, and then pulled away with tears in her eyes. “I love you, boys.”

“I love you too, Mom,” Breccan said.

His words made Aunt Grace cry harder.

Uncle Scott reached them a moment later and hugged them both tightly. “It’s a very proud day,” he said. “Now my two sons are adults.” He grabbed Breccan and hugged him again while Aunt Grace wiped her wet eyes with a tissue. Watching Breccan interact with his emotional parents suddenly made Calloway feel empty and alone, wishing his own parents were there to celebrate this day. Aunt Grace and Uncle Scott gave him all the love he would ever need but they weren’t his parents—they would never be.

Calloway looked through the crowd and spotted Weston, who was talking to her sister excitedly with a beautiful smile stretched across her face. She was wearing a thin pink dress that blew in the evening wind. Her hair stretched down in beautiful curls and Calloway had the urge to touch a strand. Even though his heart was full of melancholy and Weston had no interest in speaking to him, just looking at her was enough to quiet the pain he felt. She was more than beautiful—she was perfect.

Suddenly, Weston dropped her beautiful smile and so did her sister, and Calloway realized why a moment later. Easton’s mother was arguing with her boyfriend and their loud shouts could be heard in a wide radius. Calloway couldn’t make out all the words, but it sounded like they were fighting about a television—something completely irrelevant to Easton’s amazing accomplishment.

Weston was trying to be strong for her sister, keeping a grin on her face and rubbing her sister’s shoulder, but Calloway knew her well enough to spot the pain in her eyes. It was obvious how embarrassed and angry she was.

Breccan came next to him and looked over at Easton and Weston, who both looked miserable while their mother and her boyfriend argued right in front of everyone.

Aunt Grace grabbed both of them on the shoulder. “Invite them to dinner with us,” she said. “They are always welcome.”

Calloway didn’t know what to do. Weston made it very clear she wanted nothing to do with him, but perhaps she would accept the invitation due to the circumstances. The last thing he wanted was for Easton, his best friend, to spend this glorious night in pure sorrow. He remembered how happy she was to spend Christmas with his family and knew she would be ecstatic to spend graduation with them now. He turned to Breccan. “Can you go ask?”

Breccan nodded. “I’ll be back.”

He approached them and they conversed for a while. Weston crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head slightly, rejecting the proposal/ Calloway assumed that was the end of the discussion. But then a moment later Weston and Easton walked toward Calloway and his aunt and uncle. Easton’s mother was completely oblivious to the departure of her two daughters.

When Weston reached their group, Calloway moved behind his aunt and uncle, wanting to stay away from her as much as possible, even though it was the last thing he wanted.

“Thank you for inviting us,” Weston said quietly.

“Thank you,” Easton said as she hugged Aunt Grace. “There is nowhere I would rather be.”

“Of course, girls.” Aunt Grace smiled. “You are a part of this family, too. Now let’s get something to eat.”

“Okay.” Weston smiled.

They migrated through the crowds of people until they reached the parking lot. Calloway turned to Easton. “I’ll ride with my aunt and uncle,” he said. “I’ll meet you guys there.”

Weston heard his words. “That’s unnecessary, Calloway,” she said quietly, not wanting to be overheard by Aunt Grace and Uncle Scott. “You are coming with us.”

He looked at her, captivated by the beautiful blue eyes that stared into this, and felt his knees go weak as he stood so close to her. The connection he felt to her was paramount and spell-binding, so powerful that it could drain the oceans into outer space. His feelings were strong and uncontrollable. Calloway hated feeling this way since he would never have her—all of her—just a sliver. “I don’t mind,” he said, lowering his gaze to his shoes.

“We can make an exception for tonight,” she said gently. “This is your graduation, Calloway. I want you to have a good night.”

There was nothing that would make his night better than spending it with Weston. Calloway nodded. “Okay.”

She smiled at him. “Let’s go,” she said as he approached the car. They climbed into the car and Easton started the engine.

As soon as Calloway was sitting in the back seat with Weston he felt it; the tingling feeling he always had when he was around her, close enough to graze her fingers with his own. He focused his gaze outside the window and moved his body as close to the opposite door as possible, far away from Weston, not wanting to make her uncomfortable in any way.

“I can’t believe you didn’t prepare a speech!” Weston laughed. “You are the laziest valedictorian there ever was. And don’t tell people that you didn’t prepare one!”

“You didn’t like it?” Easton asked while she drove to the restaurant.

“I didn’t say that,” Weston said. “It was pretty good for being made off the top of your head.”

“Thank you.” Easton smiled.

“That wasn’t really a compliment.” Weston laughed.

“What did Mom say?” Easton asked.

Weston dropped her smile. “Nothing,” she said sadly. “She wasn’t listening.”

“They were fighting?”

Weston nodded.

Easton’s frown deepened and the sight broke Calloway’s heart. He couldn’t decide what was worse: having no parents or parents that didn’t care. Calloway leaned forward and placed his hand on her shoulder, silently comforting her in the only he knew how. There were no words to erase the pain she felt. All he could give was his love and support—he hoped it was enough.

Easton smiled as she patted Calloway’s hand. “Thanks, Calloway.”

Calloway nodded and leaned back in his seat. He felt Weston stare at him but he didn’t meet her look, knowing he would fall deep into the welcoming abyss of her eyes. He didn’t realize how hard it was going to be to spend the evening with Weston. All he wanted to do was hold her hand, caress her fingers with his own, and hold her in his arms. He wanted to confess every feeling he had for her but he knew it was unnecessary—she knew exactly how he felt for her. Calloway knew exactly what Shakespeare meant in every line of his plays about tragic love. He had to experience it on a daily basis. Weston wasn’t just someone that he cared for in a moment of time—
she was the one
.

“Are you glad that it’s over?” Weston asked.

Her voice shattered his thoughts. He turned to her and stared at her, not understanding what she was asking him. “Sorry?”

“High school.”
She smiled. “Are you glad that high school is over?”

Calloway smiled. “Yes,” he said. “I’m elated that it’s finished.”

“You’ll enjoy college,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s the academics that claim your frustration.”

“I enjoy a challenge.”

“Are you going to Fresno University?” she asked.

Calloway nodded. “Yes,” he said. “But I doubt we’ll have any classes together, especially since we are different majors,” he said sadly, knowing she didn’t want to see him anywhere, especially on campus. “We shouldn’t run into each other often.”

Weston’s face fell. “I don’t hate you, Calloway.”

Calloway stared at her for a long moment, counting the number of eyelashes on her lids and then staring at the freckle in the corner of her mouth, which reminded him of a piece of chocolate. “I know,” he whispered. He took a deep breath and stared outside the window, trying to forget about Weston sitting next to him in the car, looking at him with the vibrant light in her eyes. If only he could prove himself to everyone that he really was an advocate for the Life, then their relationship might be different. Initially, he assumed Weston had no interest in him, but now he wasn’t sure. There were times when he suspected that she felt the same way he did. More than anything, he wanted to hear exactly how she felt from her own mouth, knowing that she would be brutally honest. He wanted to ask her but decided to leave the conversation untouched, knowing it would just push her farther away.

When they stopped in the parking lot, Calloway practically flew out of the seat, wanting to get away from Weston. It was impossible to be so close to her and not think about her in inappropriate ways. He wanted to kiss the freckle in the corner of her mouth, had wanted to for months, but he knew he would never have the chance to indulge himself. He decided being far away from Weston was the best course of action. If she wanted him, he was hers for the taking.

They walked inside the diner, which was reasonably priced for such a large party, and saw Aunt Grace and Uncle Scott in a booth toward the back. When Calloway approached the table, he inconspicuously waited for Weston to sit down first before he found a seat at the exact opposite corner, not wanting to see her in his line of sight. So he crammed into the seat beside Uncle Scott, while his friends and Weston sat in the opposite seat. Easton and Breccan knew exactly why Calloway was acting this way, and when he caught Weston looking at him, he knew she understood his behavior as well.

The waiter approached their table and took their order. When Breccan’s turn arrived, he ordered two different plates, and the waiter stared at him for a moment.

“Is one to go?” he asked.

“No,” Breccan said hesitantly.

Calloway burst into uncontrollable laughter and Easton had to wipe her tears away. Breccan just glared at them. The waiter left with their seven orders.

Aunt Grace clapped her hands together. “I have a graduation present for you,” she said happily. She opened her purse and pulled out a bundle of fabric. Calloway saw his cousin’s face fall; he knew Breccan assumed it was another blanket. Aunt Grace handed two of them to the boys and the last one to Easton.

Easton took it apprehensively. “You got me something, too?”

“Of course,” Aunt Grace said. “You are another addition to this family.”

Easton opened the shirt and smiled when she saw the Fresno University logo on the front. The boys looked at their shirts and saw that they were identical.

“Your first college paraphernelia!” Aunt Grace shrieked.

“Thank you, Grace,” Easton said.

Calloway nodded. “That was very nice of you.”

The room became awkward when everyone looked at Breccan. No one knew where he was attending college because he hadn’t received an acceptance letter. Calloway knew his aunt meant well by giving them all a shirt, but he could tell how angry Breccan felt at the gesture.

Aunt Grace opened her purse and placed a letter on the table. “Open it, Breccan.”

It was a letter from Fresno University. Calloway held his breath while he waited for his cousin to open it, hoping that he would be joining him in the fall. If the letter was a rejection notification, he knew how upset Breccan would be, especially at his mother.

“I know you’ll be accepted.” She smiled. “That’s why I got you this shirt. Now open it!”

Breccan took a deep breath before he opened the top of the envelope. He finally unfolded the paper and read through the lines with an indifferent expression. Calloway knew Breccan had been rejected by the look on his face—pure disappointment. Breccan folded the letter again and everyone remained silent, unsure what to say.

Aunt Grace held her hands together and looked more depressed than Calloway had ever seen her. It was obvious that she felt terrible about purchasing a shirt that Breccan would never be able to wear.

“Why they long face?” Breccan asked.

Calloway shifted his weight. “We’re sorry, Brec.”

“For what?”
He smiled. “That we are going to be dorm buddies?”

“WHAT?” Calloway yelled. “Are you serious?”

Aunt Grace screamed, disturbing the customers at the surrounding tables. “I knew it! I knew my boy would get into college!”

“This is perfect,” Uncle Scott said. “I couldn’t be happier.”

Easton hugged Breccan tightly. “I’m so happy for you.”

Breccan returned her embrace.
“Me, too.”

Aunt Grace grabbed the letter from his hand and read through it. “And you got a full scholarship?” she yelled. She turned to Uncle Scott. “He got a full scholarship!”

Uncle Scott covered his ears. “Yes, I know.” He smiled.

“This is so wonderful!” Aunt Grace screamed. “Both of our sons got full scholarships? This is unbelievable! Our greatest dreams are coming true, dear.”

“They are,” Uncle Scott agreed. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud.”

Breccan’s cheeks reddened. “I can’t believe I got in,” he whispered.
“And with a full scholarship!”

“I can.” Easton smiled.

“So can I,” Aunt Grace added.

Uncle Scott clapped him on the shoulder. “We always knew that you could.”

Calloway nodded.  “Yes, we did.”

Crossing Over

“This is way too big on me,” Easton said as she rolled up the sleeves of the Hara-Kir robe. It reached past her hands and hung heavily from her arms. The bottom of the cloak trailed behind her, making her look like a small child wearing her father’s clothes. “I can’t even walk, let alone stab a Hara-Kir in the heart three times!”

Calloway pulled out his knife and started to cut the material away, making it fit her petite frame and giving her the ability to walk. “It didn’t shrink much in the washer?”

“No,” she said. “And my mother stared at me in mock horror when she saw it. I had to convince her that I thought it was cute and planned on wearing it in the winter time.”

Breccan started laughing. “You would be just as much of a loser in college as you were in high school if you dressed like that.”

“And you would be a loser for hanging out with me!” she snapped.

“Who said I would still hang out with you?” Breccan smiled.

Calloway stood up and carried the remains of the robes to the trashcan, where he dumped the fabric inside. “Let’s worry about that after we survive this mission. We are getting ahead of ourselves here.”

“Well, I’m glad I know how much my best friend cares about me before I risk my life.” Easton sighed.

“Wow,” Breccan said. “Who said anything about being
best
friends?”

Easton glared at him, lashing out at him with the devilish look on her face.

“I’m only kidding.” He smiled. “You know that.”

“I really don’t,” she said. She turned away and brushed the wrinkles out of her robe. Calloway saw the tears in her eyes and knew how frightened she was of their endeavor. He didn’t judge her for being scared—he felt exactly the same way.