All Your Fates (Currently editing/updating)

Chapter 27: The Bad Idea

Music Track List:

James Blunt - Same Mistake

Five Finger Death Punch - Crossing Over

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David's POV

I knew it was a mistake to kiss her. Even when I was sucked in by those glassy large blue lakes streaming rivulets, and pressing my lips to her fair cheek as if that would damn the tide, I knew it was a mistake. And even before I could pull away with the taste of salt tears sucking against my teeth, when her lips met mine and my whole body felt like it was licking electric sweet pop rockets, I knew it still. That she would regret this moment and then I would regret it because it was just us caught in the moment and then it would only be a minute. Over forever. Fuuuuucccccccckkkkk.

Even though my head was spinning in delight while the soles of my feet felt leaden and hot like the way I would feel whenever my mom had caught me lying, somehow a clear voice managed to break through the static and convince me to pull away from her. And when I did and saw her passive face, her eyes flit to the floor and look away, I felt a hard thump in my chest like I was being resuscitated from near death by a large burly paramedic named Travis. Fucccccccccccckkkkkkkk.

I pulled my body away from hers and sat opposite, not saying anything for some time. Being careful not even to look her way so that she would sense my eyes on hers as she avoided looking at me for the very same reason. Fuuuuucccccccckkkkkkkkkk.

"Okay," I finally stated as flatly as I could. "Let's figure this out. You keep crossing over. And you don't know why. Or how to make it stop. But you don't want it to stop because...you want to save my life. In the other world."

My heart bleated in my chest as I thought over the implications. She must...care...for me in that other world, right?

Or did she simply have a habit of saving mensels in distress?

Emma still didn't look my way. I could feel her self-loathing for having led me on with a kiss in a moment of weakness and it crushed my soul. She simply let my words wash over her and then a moment later give the barest hint of a nod.

"How is it happening?" I asked. "The crossovers. Why is this happening to you...without...assistance?" I wanted to keep talking, do anything to keep a connection between us somehow.

"What do you mean assistance," she said, her eyes finally flashing to mine.

I remained chill, not wanting to give her a reason to get further upset. "There was an experiment. Someone crossed over...with my help," I said very quietly and feeling myself deflate slowly into the couch.

Her spine was taut and alert. "And this girl...you gave her brain damage?" she said in an accusatory tone.

"No!" I winced and then sighed deeply. "We were working together in the lab. I told Atticus that we weren't ready to test...that we needed to move ahead cautiously and with precautions and fail safes in place. But...Atticus can be very persuasive...with younger students. He sells them dreams of being part of something greater than themselves. Something...special. And then they feel special and Alice wanted to feel special so she volunteered. Against my warnings. I had no choice to help her. It would have been worse if she hadn't had me there to pull her out as fast as I did." I puckered my lips underneath my teeth and forced myself not to make any more excuses. Because I could have just complained to the Dean and hadn't. Because I had wanted to feel special too.

"What happened," Emma said, her eyes finally falling gently on mine.

"We pushed her into a world with no oxygen. It was before I hit upon the understanding of the oscillation of sea foam. That realities aren't fixed the way the human mind would like to understand how they should behave," I said quietly.