When Lightning Strikes (Lightning Series Book 1) (19 page)

Andromeda sat down on the bed, looking weary and sad. She patted the place next to it. Julie sat down reluctantly and let her put an arm around her.

“Look, honey,” she said. “I know the move was hard, but it still doesn’t excuse being rude. Marian has a lot of friends on the island and can make things easy or hard for us. They came here to thank you for saving their son’s life today. They are extending an olive branch that I wouldn’t have expected.” The comforting smell of her flowery shampoo made Julie relax. She craved feeling protected by her still. “Marian and I have a past that I’m…not going into detail about right now. Just know that there are reasons she doesn’t like me. They may not be great ones, but when I married your father, it disrupted a lot of plans.”

Julie leaned into her, savoring feeling warm where she held her. At least she was sharing something with her, even if it was the fact that she wouldn’t share more. She missed her mom so much.

“Can you get dressed and try to be polite? Believe me, I understand if you don’t like them, but it would make things easier for all of us if we try to get along with them. Your father works with Elden, and Jamie goes to school with Rory. I know it’s asking a lot, but please do it for them.” Andromeda rubbed her arms, and Julie shivered a little.

Julie was quiet, relishing the closeness she felt with her in those minutes. It wasn’t real, but it felt good. After a few moments, she nodded, and they both relaxed. She got up to find some clothes. Andromeda went back down to her unwanted guests to let her change.

She came down the stairs wearing a black maxi skirt and a lightweight green sweater. Her hair was brushed back into a ponytail, but she felt sticky from saltwater and sweat. All eyes went to her, and the conversation died.

Their guests all stood up. Marian and Elden seemed wary, like she was going to lash out again, and Rory wouldn’t meet her eyes.

“Hey, ummm…” she said, looking at Jamie and Lir, who nodded encouragingly, “sorry about snapping at everyone earlier, but I wasn’t expecting an audience when I came in the door in my swimsuit. To be honest I have a bit of a headache from being outside all day.”

Marian managed a tight smile. “All is fine, dear. We understand. This is your home, and it is easier to be more relaxed here. We are sorry for intruding.”

“We wanted to personally come by and say thank you for saving our son’s life today. He hit his head while snorkeling along the reef. No one noticed. If you hadn’t seen him…” Elden’s voice caught, and he took a breath. “He should have thanked you himself, but clearly he didn’t. Apparently he could use a lesson in manners.”

Elden shot a questioning look at his son, but Rory kept his gaze focused on the carpet. He was about the same height as his son, but more filled out due to being older. His hair was black too but less haughty, and he looked less severe than his son. Maybe the jerkiness genes came from his mom’s side.

It was quiet for a few awkward moments.

Marian looked at her son and raised her eyebrows. “Rory, are you going to say anything?”

He jumped and stopped looking at the spot on the decorative carpet below his feet.

Was he spacing out or trying to not look at her? Did all the kids space out?

“Thank you.” The words were barely audible.

Everyone stood around for a few more moments, not quite looking at each other.

“I have invited the Undines to stay for dinner.” Andromeda broke the silence with her chipper voice.

Julie tried not to groan. Jamie rolled his eyes, and she smiled at him. She missed the inner jokes they used to have.

Dinner was awkward. Lir and Elden filled the many moments of silence with random comments about the weather, the health of a coworker, and plans for the summer. It was the longest dinner ever.

Rory and Marian didn’t say much. She obviously didn’t want to be there, but he picked at his plate and looked at Julie when he thought no one else was paying attention.

If their eyes accidently met, she held her breath before breaking away.

What was wrong with her? He was cute, but he was a jerk. She never let boys get to her like this.

Finally dessert came—Andromeda went all out by heating up a cherry crumble pie, and then they all escaped to the living room.

Would the fun never end?

“So, Julie, what are your plans after you graduate?” Elden asked after a few moments of politely staring around at each other.

“To dance. I’m a dancer. I would be performing the end of year solo for my dance academy in Atlanta right now if I wasn’t stuck here.”

More silence.

Andromeda beamed, trying to restart the conversation. “Muriel took her on as a student. She told Julie that she was the best dancer she has ever worked with.”

Elden leaned back into the couch next to Rory. He and Marian were looking at her with new interest. “That is a big compliment. I must see you dance one day.”

Julie shrugged.

“Sure.” She didn’t need to like her audience.

More silence.

“Well,” Elden said, “I guess we’d better get going. Julie, please know that we are indebted to you, and if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to let us know. I mean that.”

Elden and Marian started to get up.

Oh thank you thank you thank you.
It was finally over. Her shoulders sagged in relief.

Rory stood up suddenly and struggled to say something. “Julie, can I talk to you outside? I feel like I need to thank you again. Personally.”

Marian shot her son a weird look. He wanted to see her alone? Julie sucked in a breath, and her heart sped up.

She tried to ignore her reaction. Andromeda did tell her to be polite.

“Is that okay with you?” Elden looked at her dad for permission.

Oh hell no!
No one would set that precedent, especially not over this idiot.

“Yes, it is okay,” she said. Or should she have let her dad answer, half hoping he would say no? The other half hoped he would say yes. Her skin felt all tight and prickly from the conflicting thoughts.

Lir’s mouth clicked closed. Looking at her for a moment, he shrugged and nodded. Elden and Marian sat back down, Marian’s face set in a false smile. Clearly she was ready to leave too. Julie glanced at Andromeda’s hands resting in her lap. She frowned and twisted her ring again.

Rory crossed the room to where she sat, holding out his hand to help her up. She looked right at him, raised an eyebrow, and crossed her arms over her chest to keep them still, since part of her wanted to throw herself in his arms.

What the hell was wrong with her?

Her foot bounced easily as she kept her legs crossed in a sitting position. Hopefully no one looking at her could tell what was going on inside.

Marian relaxed back into the couch across the room at her rude behavior. Her false smile had turned to one of relief. Julie’s forehead crinkled.

Why would Mrs. Manners be happy that she was rude to her son?

Rory pulled his hand back, turned around, and went out the front door. The door slammed behind him. Julie got up and smoothed her skirt down before starting to follow him.

“I guess we will be out on the front porch then.”

She caught Jamie’s eye as she passed by him. His mouth was hanging open. This blatant display of hers to Rory surprised him. She stared back at him, pleading with her eyes.

Please, please come rescue me.

He seemed to get some of what she was thinking and nodded. But she didn’t like the smirk on his face as she closed the door. He was going to delay for a while. Now he chose to be the typical brother that liked to torture his sister. Or he was trying to torture Rory. Jamie must really not like him.

Julie closed the door and turned to look around. Rory stood in the shadows by the swinging chair. She leaned against the wall next to the front door and waited, gripping her skirt tight. She was wary, like she needed the door right there as an escape route. She would not let this boy intimidate her or make her run away from him.

Or run to him.

“I should have said thank you at the beach. I’m sorry I haven’t acted right today, but you took me by surprise this afternoon. I’m still trying to figure it out.” The words carried softly over the warm summer night’s air. He didn’t look at her. He stared out into the yard.

“If that is another apology, it’s a poor one.”

“I know.” Rory turned, swayed, like he was fighting off an impulse, and then walked over to where she was standing.

He reached out his hand and took hers before she realized what he was doing. Any thoughts of freeing it went away as she felt a warmth rush up her spine. Instead of pulling her hand away, Julie leaned towards him. Her mouth parted, and a breath escaped.

Oh, please kiss me.

Somewhere in the back of her mind the sane part was screaming at her to run. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t what she wanted, was it?

She leaned forward.

“This is what I was afraid of.” He said before he leaned in and kissed her.

Rory gently pushed her back against the wall, right next to the front door—behind it, their parents sat together inside the house. The soft night shadows swirled around them as every part of her flooded with heat. She plastered herself against him, and they were entangled in each other’s arms, kissing frantically.

Eventually he broke off the kiss, trailing more along her jaw, and gently took an ear lobe to nibble. She moaned.

“Julie, I can’t believe this,” he whispered in her ear. “My Julie.”

She shivered.

He stepped back to stare at her face, holding both her hands.

The door beside them opened, letting out light from the living room. Jamie stepped out, his back turned to them as he closed the door. Rory stepped away from her, but it was too late.

“What the hell are you doing?” His hands balled up, ready to punch Rory.

Julie stared at him.

“I’m sorry. I was…” Rory didn’t finish.

Rory and Jamie continued to stare at each other for a few moments. Julie stepped away from Rory, shaking. She was dizzy, like she’d been drugged or something. She leaned against the house, closing her eyes. All she could see was Rory.

She hated him. Didn’t she? Why would she kiss him like that? He was practically a stranger.

Maybe she was crazy.

“Rory, you know that my sister is off limits, right? You can play your games with the girls at the other school all you want. But my sister is off limits. If I ever see you near her again, you will regret it. She has enough to deal with without you messing around with her too. You know that.”

Julie opened her eyes to watch Rory, disgusted with herself. It wasn’t like she wasn’t already picturing him in her mind anyway.

Rory nodded. “I don’t know what came over me. She’s cute, and I guess her rescuing me…”

She’s cute?

That’s all this was. He was playing games with her. She wanted to punch him but was afraid to touch him. The thought of touching him at all made her want to kiss him again. She clenched her fists. What had he done to her?

Jamie stepped toward him, and Rory held up his hands. He looked scared. “Look—all right, I will stay away. Off limits. Got it.”

He stared at Rory for a long time before his hands finally relaxed.

Julie wasn’t sure if she was relieved that he’d scared him off or not.

“Come with me, Julie. Rory’s parents will be out here in a minute to say goodbye, and he should stay out here.”

Julie let him drag her inside but glanced back at Rory. His eyes were glued to hers, sad lines and longing mixed around the gray storm inside them.

She sat in her bed later that night, red notebook propped against her knees. The Undines were still on her mind, especially Rory. She wasn’t sure she trusted herself around him.

Closing the book, she slipped down into the covers and hugged the hard square against her chest. She fell into a restless sleep until the gray waters of her dreams turned to a brilliant blue. The blue water changed to laughing eyes. Then she was drowning in a stormy see of bright blue.

“Julie?” Jamie called out. “Julie? Are you okay?”

“What?” She opened her eyes. The room was dark still, and so was her window. “Why are you in here? Is something wrong?”

“I heard you screaming. Are you okay?”

“Oh, I guess it was another bad dream.”

Jamie came over and sat on the bed next to her. “Was it about the attack? I forget about it, and I shouldn’t. It wasn’t that long ago, and we’ve moved and everything. I didn’t realize that you were having bad dreams.”

She was glad it was dark. He surprised her, and she was unsure what to say or do next. So she remained quiet. She didn’t want to correct him about her dream. She wasn’t sure it was a nightmare, but it left her unsettled—like there was something missing.

After a few moments of quiet, he replied, “Do you want me to stay in here with you until you go back to sleep.”

“Yes.”

It was nice to have her brother sitting in the dark with her. He used to be her best friend, constant annoying critic, and fierce protector. Though she guessed he still tried to protect her.

“I’ve missed this. Whatever happened to us?”

Silence. Julie held her breath, hoping that in the mask of darkness Jamie might cave and tell her the truth.

“I really wish I could tell you, Ghouls. I really wish I could.”

Before she could get a chance to start questioning that more, he found a strand of her hair in the dark and brushed it from her forehead. His fingers brushed the sides of her temples. She instantly felt a calm wave wash over, and her eyes closed. Her dreams were all memories of past escapades with her brother.

♦

Chapter 15: Practice Makes Perfect

≺≻

J
ulie found herself staring at Andromeda more and more.

This was her mother, right? Or was she crazy? Was it normal to be calmly contemplating thoughts like this?

“Honey, is there something wrong? You have been starting at me for a couple of minutes now.”

Julie shook her head and looked back at her bowl of cereal. “No. I’m sorry. I must have spaced out for some reason.”