Airel: The Awakening (Airel Saga Book One)

Chapter XXI

AFTER SCHOOL, WE DIDN’T have much homework, so Kim and I decided to catch a few rays in the bleachers at the practice field. We were laid out on our backs, side by side on aluminum planks, third and fourth row up. We soaked warmth from a mild late-September sun, eyes closed, the soundtrack of the football team running drills our only accompaniment.

Borah wanted to win more than anything and anybody else, and Coach Dennis was a machine. If he had his way, the football team would practice year round. Football was that man’s life. He was short and pretty fit for an old dude, but the man had arms the size of most men’s legs. It was gross. Every once in a while he blew a whistle, commanding the attention of everyone within a half mile. He barked out a few orders and the guys began running some different plays or drills or whatever it was they did. 

I peeked out from heavy lids, watching the bigger, slower players lag behind the others, like James and Michael, who seemed like they were born for it. As the team killed themselves for their conditioning, I said, “Why do guys push themselves so hard for a game? It’s just a stupid pigskin or whatever; why does it matter?”

Kim didn’t look at me. She said, “Hush, Airel. It’s important to them, so it’s important to us. Just imagine what the world would be like if guys didn’t have something to make them feel manly.”

“Puh,” I said.

“Besides,” she said, “if they didn’t have stuff like that to distract them, they’d eventually figure out it’s the ladies who are running the show.”

“Oh, Kim,” I said, sitting up, “there’s no doubt about who’s running the show when you’re around, honey.”

“Mm-hm. I would throw my shoe at you if I cared enough about your lies.”

“Lies, vicious lies,” I said. “I’ve gotta admit, though, even if I don’t get it, it’s kind of fun to watch all the same.”

“I know, right? Especially Michael.”

I looked at her. “You know what, I don’t appreciate your tone, missy.”

“Stuff it,” she said, her eyes still closed, and I dropped it because friends are comfortable with that whole give-and-take thing.

I watched Michael run the field back and forth in perfect rhythm to some hidden clock, the rhythms of which he alone could feel. He moved like a cat, light on his feet; and quick—quicker than the rest of the team. He was an athlete for sure. 

“Did I tell you,” Kim said, sitting up, “that James asked me out the other day? We’re going to see a movie. Oh, no, wait. Maybe that’s not such a good idea.” She looked at me as if I were made of glass.

“Shut up, Kim. It’s fine.”

“Well, he did say he had the perfect place in mind. He wants to take me to dinner.”

“Where do you think you’ll go?”

“I dunno—I hope someplace nice. Someplace you need a reservation just to get in.” She turned toward the practice field. “Dude, he’s so strong. Just look at him run.” She sighed like she was lovesick.

“If you keep this up, I’m gonna barf on your shoes. Quit it.”

“You quit it. Here comes your lover boy right now.”

Michael ran by, glancing up at me and flashing the smile that gave me shivers. How was it possible to know someone for such a short time and feel like this? If Dad—or even if Mom—knew how I felt … Wow. Danger.

I looked at Kim. I guess I have to take the plunge. “I have something to tell you, Kimmie.”

She turned toward me, her eyes big, inhaling all the air in the world and her bottom lip.

“But,” I said, “you have to promise not to make a big deal out of it. I mean it.” I might as well have asked her to never shop again.

“Ohmygosh, Michael asked you out, didn’t he?” Glee was positively stamped on her face, and the look on mine must have been all the confirmation she needed. “I knew it. He asked you out. Yesss.” She made the same gesture I had made in my car, like she had just scored the BOGO buy of the year. “I was hoping he would. And he is sooo hot. Oh, my gosh.” Then she looked alarmed. “You said yes, didn’t you? You’d better have said yes or I’ll kill you.” 

I smiled. “Death by Kim.” Chalk up another murderous stalker. How many does that make now? I shook my head, grinning helplessly. “Kim, it’s not like I could have even tried to say no—”

“Oh, Airel. I’m so excited. You and Michael and me and James—we can go on double dates. And hang out and talk about stuff. Oh, my gosh.” Then she gasped. “We should go shopping. We need new dresses for our first official dates of the school year.”

What did I do to deserve this? My best friend was going to drive me insane. I looked away from her, looking for a way out of this one-sided conversation. And then I saw the last thing I wanted to see. My mouth went dry and my lips felt thick, swollen shut from lack of water. I sat straight up, my back stiff, and all the tiny hairs on my neck and arms sounded the alarm. Across the field on the visiting team’s bleachers sat a blond-haired man, black sunglasses hiding black eyes. 

Kim felt me seize and stopped talking long enough to say, “Uh-oh. Do you need a barf bag?” But then she looked across the yellowed grass of the field to where my eyes were welded: the man in the far bleachers. “Who is that?” Kim asked in a whisper. She pushed her sunglasses down to the tip of her nose and peered out.

I tried to respond. My mouth was too dry. Heart-stopping fear rushed over me. And Kim was ditzy, but she wasn’t dumb. She touched my arm, leaned over close to me, and whispered in my ear, “It’s him.”

It was my murderous stalker. He was right there. He was watching me, watching with careful consideration and … something else. He knew. He knew something was wrong with me. He wanted to see what it was. Or maybe he wanted to see what I could do, what I would do.

Maybe he wanted to scare me into silence. If that were the case, it was working. I was so scared that my hands were shaking.

I felt weak. Oh, neat. Here’s something new and impossible. I need more of that.

I saw it happening. This was real. I was passing out. The seat of the bleacher came rushing up at my face quickly, and I knew it was going to hurt.