Keepers of Time

16. Images: Part 1

16. Images

Calder

For purposes unknown the Council ordered that training be suspended until the end of the holidays.  Gabriel and I thought that it was strange, but didn’t question the order.  It gave Gabriel and I more time to look over texts in the library. 

The only thing missing was Kimberly.

“Stop wallowing,” Gabriel said shutting the book he was reading and placing it in the “useless” pile. “You’ll see her in an hour. We’re still going to pick out our tux for tomorrow night.”

“What makes you think I was thinking of her?”

He chuckled, his laughter echoing along the book cased walls. It was thunderous in the way that I imagined the book cases toppling over as books fell on the wooden floorboards in a clutter. I turned around to find Gretchen smiling instead of having an annoyed expression on her face for his volume.  A quick read of her mind told me that she knew – she knew.

“How does-”

“It’s not that hard to figure out,” Gabriel said answering the question on the tip of my tongue. “Your character has changed.”

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.  “There’s a different bounce to your step.”

What?

You’re in love, Gabriel thought.  It was clear and strong enough to send me reeling.  How did he know?  No, better question: How did everyone know?

“I told you – you’re acting different.”

I closed the book I was working on reading in Greek and looked at him, curiously. “Can you read minds now? When did this occur?”

He chuckled again, finding the topic of conversation amusing. “It’s not hard to read the expression written all over your face, mate.”

“Things change,” I said softly – reflecting on how drastically my way of thinking had changed once I began to consider my feelings for Kimberly.

Gabriel stood up, pushing his chair back in the process as he began to take some books in his hands to reshelf.  When he came back there was a glazed look in his eyes.  I knew that look all too well.  He was thinking about Gwen and I suddenly understood the way he must have felt missing the one girl he’s ever loved.

The feeling alone would destroy me.  But I realized now that it’s better to have known and felt love than to never have experienced it all.  Life truly feels empty when love is out of the equation.  I’ve never felt more alive than I do now – in this very instant as if the world were brighter, full of colors and smells that I’ve never quite seen or smelled before.  It was exhilarating, simply for the fact that it was unknown territory, and the notion of discovering new land each day was riveting. 

“Whatever you do, don’t let her go so easily.”

I looked up and saw the guilt and remorse on my best friend’s face.  The one thing he regretted most in his life was walking away from Gwen without saying goodbye and fighting for the right to do so.

Standing up, I went around the table and clasped a hand on my best friend’s shoulder – letting him know in that small gesture that I now understood what Gwen meant to him.  My voice was certain but light when I said, “Wasn’t planning on it.”

*

We were waiting for Nole, Beth, and Kimberly to show up for our rendezvous afternoon in the council chamber.  The Council had decided that my father would be the one to accompany us as our escort.  I had a feeling that he was coming for the sole purpose of speaking to me.  The last time we talked had been three weeks ago and it hadn’t ended on a good note.  Ever since then I had avoided him and the “talk” he had threatened.  It was time to put the past behind us and start anew and those were my intentions if we did talk during our brief time out of the castle walls.