EIGHT
Eric froze to the rails of the staircase. He watched her eyes wander until both of the jade pupils fell on him. A brief pang shot through his body as he struggled to focus his gaze on her.
He thought of disappearing into the shadows of the dimly lit space right underneath the staircase but she was already there– seated in his living room, so it was too late ... and they had locked eyes already as well.
Eric parted his lips for words that never survived the tense atmosphere outside his mouth; the heat that had resulted from blonde girl's current presence in his living room. He thought it was a dream‐ felt like 5one though. Still, he needed to know why she was there in the first place. The young man low-key pinched himself on his left thigh to be sure it wasn't another one of his daydreams ... and it wasn't! –blonde girl was seated right there ... in his house!–
"Hi," he greeted her once the silence and tension between them had become unbearable. She returned the gesture with a slight nod of the head and rose from her seat as if to walk towards him ... and she did.
Then he noticed her clothes– a pair of black cargo pants beneath a white t-shirt and little cream coloured sneakers to match her blonde hair.
"Hey." He heard her voice- soft and almost inaudible ... but he liked it and thought it was rather soothing. Eric pocketed his fidgeting palms and progressed towards her, leaving a reasonable distance between them. As his height closed in on hers, he sensed the unease she felt and slouched by mere instinct.
"How does your leg feel now, Eric?" She muttered the question, studying his left foot carefully with the same look she had worn earlier. Then he realised what it was‐ care, not longing. Eric allowed a sigh to resonate from within him as his gaze brushed by her jade green eyes, trying though unsuccessfully to focus on anything else in the room.
"My foot?" He repeated as the weight and sensitivity of the question dawned on him; She couldn't possibly have come all the way just to see if his foot was okay, could she?, thoughts raced through Eric's mind on the spot even if he looked rather extremely calm and collected on the outside.
"Yeah, it is ... Beth." He let the warmth of her name roll off his tongue. "I appreciate." He was glad words could come out freely despite the unease he felt.
"Uh ... okay. I just thought you would need a ride since it was your driving foot that got hurt." She explained with her hands delicately clasped before her and her eyes still fixed on his foot.
"Thanks again, Beth. I'm grateful."
She hummed something indistinct and asked; "do you still want me to give you a ride?"
"Uhm ... sure." Eric agreed, grabbed his jacket of the coat rack and followed her out to the driveway.
●●
The car ride was a daze– they were completely silent throughout. Eric watched her though; innocently nodding to the gospel music blasting out of the car speakers as she manoeuvred the road with her little head poking out from the driver's seat. It was as cute as it was hilarious. Eric wandered how someone could be that small.
He was seated right beside her and had the liberty of looking out the window to enjoy the view of the road and the evening breeze, but his eyes kept glancing around only to fall back on her face –she was so pretty, he thought– not the ladylike kind of pretty that most girls were but a different kind ... like the adorable kind.
Then he saw it; stacks of books ... in the car?!- then, he concluded that she must've really loved to read. "We're here," blonde girl announced softly and threw him a glance as the car pulled up on the church driveway. Eric was a gentleman and took the door for her. As she came down from the vehicle, he took her hand in his and helped her. She made a little expression; something like shock and then muttered something indistinct which he took to be a 'thank you.'
They strode into main block and as they walked, Eric had to slow down to match her little strides and he tried not to make her feel intimidated by his stature again.
When they entered the building, there were other teens of which were around their age. Just like blonde girl had said earlier, there were booths; some for gaming, arts and crafts, catering, there was general bible club and the likes of it... Eric was impressed by what the church folks could come up with. It was like the fair ... but in church!... Right before they sat, a girl walked up to them, carrying a large writing pad.
"Hi. You finally arrived! The food isn't going to be enough." Eric immediately recognised her as glasses girl.
"Uhh ..." he saw blonde girl place her finger to her jaw; brainstorming! "Call the restaurant down the road and order their crusts. I think we have enough supplies in the kitchenette for everyone to make their own pizzas." She instructed.
June‐ glasses girl beamed in excitement at the idea and scurried off. She must have been too excited to even notice he was there. Eric turned his eyes to blonde girl who was already scribbling something down on a little notebook she must have carried in her cargo pants.
"Uhm that was a brilliant idea." He commented and watched her raise her head to look up at his beaming face. "Thank you," she replied and made another expression; it looked like she was holding her smile back– weird.
Then he saw her‐ Mackenzie. As previously established, he really didn't like this girl. She spotted them from afar off and left her circle to meet him. "Hey!" Her squealy voice broke through the atmosphere, leaving visible goosebumps on his skin. "I didn't know you were attending youth fellowship." She began and passed a look at the little lady standing beside him. "Did you two come here together?" She asked.
Eric felt a brief, sharp pang in his tempo– there was no way he could stand her this time so took blonde girl by the hand and walked towards the arts and crafts booth. As he let go of her, he studied her stunned expression and muttered an apology; "I'm sorry."
It took a brief moment of unease but she did respond; "It's fine. I don't like her either." And she smiled too! Eric couldn't help but return the gesture. "Do you like arts?" He asked and she nodded and put the book aside. Eric was glad she willing gave him her attention. He took a drawing pad and pencils from the attendant and took her hand again.
This time, she didn't wear the shocked expression but tightened her grip on his hand and followed him to an empty table which they sat at.
Eric set the drawing pad down on the table and started drawing. "You draw?" She muttered and leaned in to get a clear view of what he was doing. He moved a little so she could see. There was nothing there... Confused, blonde girl looked up at him with her lashes blinking rapidly. "What are you going to draw?" She asked.
"Uh ... I ... don't know yet. I usually let it come to me." He explained and pursed his lips in slight embarrassment.
"Why don't you draw me?" She suggested as she still looked down at the drawing pad and then pushed locks of hair out of her face; hair that still blocked her view in the next few seconds. Eric chuckled. "Cute" the words rumbled in a whisper ... but she heard it. Blonde girl's face redenned as she palmed her cheeks to conceal it. He saw it.
"New girl! Didn’t you hear the pastor was looking all over for you?- he's at the office." A familiar voice interrupted them. And of course, it was Mackenzie ... again.
"Dad?" Eric heard blonde girl mutter. So Mr Rodriguez was the preacher ... and her father, which meant brown-haired girl was indeed her sister.
"Yeah, hurry!" She pressed on and threw her auburn hair around a little before following behind blonde girl.
●●
It was almost dusk outside the block. Anabeth dragged her feet across the grassy field a little and suddenly paused in her tracks.
"What do you want?" She sputtered the question in a stern voice with her arms crossed as her eyes locked unto Mackenzie's in familiar displeasure.
"For you to have followed me all the way out here, I'm sure you already know for sure what I want." Mackenzie replied.
"That was quite a while ago." She replied in a nonchalant murmur. "Things have changed; they did for a while."
"BM had said that all broken yoke from the circle shouldn't be able to remember anything." Mackenzie slowly moved her slender frame toward her with arms crossed too. "Except ... you're one of the enemies." She added and pushed aback a few stray locks of her auburn hair.
"Not every broken yoke is an enemy, Mackenzie. You could say it's redemption."
"But you are. You think I don't know what you're doing here?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Annabeth, you know better than to camp with these people. They're a lost cause; you stand no chance of covering especially if you're going against us."
"Lies! It's not these people that I have. You don't know what I have."
"The librarians aren't going to go easy on you just because you're in a weak fraternity."
"I don't need them to. But what about you?- you plan to be stuck with these people for life, is that really what you want?" A moment of silence followed her question as the faint smell of wet grass wafted through the cool evening air. Mackenzie hesitated for a while with a grim expression on her face before walking away.
She paused midway and said; "This is my territory, Annabeth– let the boy out of your charm."
"You don't seem to understand. I'm not that person anymore. Whatever that happens with me is no longer in my power."
"So you're just like the common man." Mackenzie replied with a mixture of intrigue and inquisitiveness.
"Hardly. You have no idea what I am now, do you?" Annabeth murmured, though to her hearing.
"Interesting."
"We shall wait for the manifestation." She replied.
Mackenzie scoffed at the statement. The peeking sunset broke against her pale skin in gold like radiance as she looked over her shoulder and smirked. "So we shall" she uttered those words and left.
