Chapter 2

When Aurelia woke the next morning, she sprung out of bed upon remembering her meeting with the delightfully refreshing Lisette the night before, and their plans to meet again today. She rushed to shower, dress and get started on the day’s chores. Shortly after, a still sleepy Cadence made her way down the stairs to find something for breakfast.

            “You’d better hurry or you’ll be late for school.” Aurelia teased her, knowing that her sister had a habit of cutting it close when it came to getting up on time. This was one girl who really loved her sleep.

            “I’m going, I’m going.” Cadence grumbled as she pushed the button on the toaster and went to the fridge to grab the orange juice and margarine. The two girls in the kitchen were quite a sight to behold. They had matching heads of golden brown hair that hung in natural waves down their backs. Their sparkling green eyes were the color of emeralds, though they sparkled with very different dreams.

            Cadence was 16 years old, still clinging to the romantic idea of finding her prince charming, and having him whisk her off her feet to live happily ever after. Aurelia knew that the chances of that happening were slim to none. There was no prince charming for anyone in Binderton, but Cadence was full of hope and expectance which, Aurelia could only hope, wouldn’t be crushed to bits by some jerk who didn’t deserve her sister.

            Despite their drastically different views on love, and the way things went in the world, Aurelia was fiercely protective of her sister and always looked out for her best interest, even if Cadence preferred that she didn’t.

            Leaving Cadence to her breakfast, Aurelia got started on her everyday tasks around the house. She dusted, vacuumed, washed dishes, watered plants and did any other busy work that her mother might come up with to keep her in the house.

            “I should be doing this in my own house.” She grumbled quietly to herself, wishing that she could have gone off to college or at least gotten a job somewhere and moved away. Everybody in town knew that her parents expected her to settle down with a nice man and have lots of babies. That’s what they all expected her to do as well. Most businesses were run by men with their wives helping, if needed, in places like the eateries or stalls in the farmers market. There were no young, unmarried girls working anywhere unless they worked in the local brothel.

            This meant no job, which led to no money, except for what her parents gave her, and no freedom. She was hoarding as much of the money from her parents as she could but it still only amounted to about three hundred dollars; hardly enough to get her out of town and living on her own.

            Today, in her haste to get things done so that she could see Lisette, she was done with all of her chores by noon. Her sister was now at school, her father was at work and her mother would be off visiting friends until it was time to come home and start supper.

            She couldn’t have asked for a more perfect opportunity to spend time by the water. Maybe Lisette would want to go down to the beach and they could look for shells or whatever else had washed up on the shore.

            Once she realized that she hadn’t eaten yet, Aurelia decided to pack a picnic lunch for herself and made a few extra sandwiches in case Lisette was hungry when she showed up. After packing it all into a basket, she hurried off to the woods to follow the trail that she’d created herself, after years of going to find solace on the cliff.

            It wasn’t a sunny day like it had been yesterday, the clouds that had been moving in at sunset had stuck around today but at least it wasn’t raining and the temperature was still pleasant. Aurelia didn’t really know what to do first. She had hours ahead of her with nothing to fill them with until Lisette showed up.

            A grumbling noise in her stomach suggested that she should start by eating some lunch. She sat down in her usual spot overlooking the beach, and unwrapped a sandwich. Ham and cheese, you couldn’t go wrong with that.

            She sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the sound of the ocean, and the sound of her chewing in her head. When she heard a noise behind her she wasn’t startled, but turned around naturally, knowing who it was already.

            Lisette strode purposefully from the trees this time, all shyness gone. She came immediately, to sit at Aurelia’s side. The silence was comfortable between them as Aurelia gestured for Lisette to grab a sandwich, her mouth full. Lisette just shook her head and gestured for Aurelia to go ahead and eat.

            Aurelia decided to just finish one sandwich for now and pulled a can of coke out of the basket, again, offering one to Lisette who politely declined.

            “I’m still full from lunch.” She said with a sly smile that Aurelia didn’t notice.

            Now that she was finished with her sandwich, Aurelia stood up, holding her hand out to help Lisette stand as well. Once they were standing, Lisette didn’t let go immediately, but this didn’t bother Aurelia. They walked down to the water hand in hand, helping each other when it got steep.

            Aurelia found that she was strangely comfortable with the girl she’d just met, though she couldn’t help thinking that something about her was a bit different. As they walked along the beach, still holding hands, her mind began to wander. The dreams that her parents called crazy, crept into her head, but this time she saw Lisette in them; the two of them running away together and exploring the world.

            “Have you ever just wanted to get away from somewhere so badly, but had no way to escape?” She asked cautiously.

            “Yes, that’s why I try out different places. I don’t want to be stuck somewhere that I can’t stand.” Lisette replied, almost as if she’d been in that situation before.

            “Has that happened to you before?” Aurelia asked curiously, paying closer attention now that she wasn’t daydreaming again.

            Lisette sighed deeply, wanting to share her story with this girl who invoked feelings in her that she hadn’t felt in many years.

            “I was stuck in one place once, my parents insisted that I be bred to marry, not to go off and see the world, by the time I was sixteen, I was dying to get out, so one night, after they’d gone to bed, I crept out of my bedroom window and set off on my own.

            “It was my terrible misfortune to run into one of my fathers’ friends, not far outside of town. He immediately marched me back home and alerted my parents that I’d tried to run away.” Aurelia could see the contempt in Lisette’s eyes, there would be no forgiveness for the man who had forced her to return home when her journey had just begun.

            “I was determined to go though, and so the next night I snuck out again. My father had tried sleeping downstairs in his chair in case I’d tried to sneak out that way; he wasn’t the most brilliant man.” She said with fondness and a small smile.

            “This time I was more careful to avoid anyone, but ended up running into a man about 5 miles out of town. At first I was afraid that I would be forced to return home once again, but I pleaded with him to let me be on my way. He looked at me thoughtfully for a moment and said he’d like to take me with him to see the world. He helped me escape and I never looked back.”

            Aurelia noticed the distant look in Lisette’s eyes as she spoke of her past, as though it had been a very long time ago.

            “You sound like me, except that I don’t have the guts to just set off on my own.” Aurelia said wistfully, wishing there was some way she could just disappear and never come back.

            “Really?” Lisette pretended to sound surprised. “I’d have never guessed.” She teased and both of them laughed. Once again Aurelia felt like her laugh was almost inadequate, compared to the melodious sound Lisette’s laugh made. The thought was quickly pushed aside at the happy and uplifting feeling that came with the laughter.

            “I can’t wait to get out of this place.” She sighed and Lisette smiled at her as they sat down on a beached log.

            “Maybe when I tire of this place, if you’re still here, I’ll take you with me.” She suggested, and Aurelia’s eyes lit up like beacons.

            “Really? Do you mean that? Please don’t mess around with me if you don’t. It’s my life’s desire to get out of this hell hole of a town. I’d do absolutely anything.”

            “Anything?” Lisette asked slyly.

            “Absolutely anything in the world, if it would get me out of this town so I can live my dreams, see the world, and be on my own.” Aurelia gushed, barely able to keep her seat in her excitement.

            “Then I will take you with me when I leave, if you haven’t left already. I promise.” She smiled at the girl before her, thinking of how young she was and how much she had to learn of the world. She thought that Aurelia would provide excellent companionship though. She seemed to be bright, funny, open minded, and had a sense of adventure. Exactly what Lisette was looking for when it came to having a travel companion.

            Aurelia threw her arms gratefully around Lisette’s neck and hugged her close, not noticing that Lisette turned her head, carefully away from Aurelia as she wrapped her arms around the other girl. They stood, holding each other close for a moment before Aurelia stepped back, wondering why she wanted nothing more than to hug Lisette again.

            “I really like you Lisette, not just because you’ve just offered me the best gift ever. But because I get a really good feeling about you, like you came here for a reason and we’re meant to be friends.” Lisette smiled at her.

            “I get a good feeling too. I think that we will be very good friends.” Aurelia threw her arms around Lisette once again, this time pressing a kiss to Lisette’s cheek.

            “I’ve waited my entire life to find a friend like you.” She declared passionately. Lisette, very carefully, returned the kiss on Aurelia’s cheek but then pulled away from her gently. The feelings she was having were too strong and too early for this girl that she’d only met yesterday.

            They stood up to walk along the beach some more. Sometimes, holding hands after Aurelia would slip on a rock, causing Lisette to reach out and help her stand upright again. Aurelia found that it was much easier to maneuver the loose rocks with her hand in Lisette’s.

            She seemed so sure of herself and her footing, and even though this was a beach that she’d never been to, not once did Lisette look down to see what she was stepping on. She just walked along as though she was strolling down the flattest street in the world.

            They gathered shells and investigated tide pools as they shared their aspirations, stories about family and friends and childhood experiences. By the time they headed back up to the cliff to grab the basket of food, it was like they’d been friends for years.

            This time, when offered, Lisette did take a sandwich and a coke and they sat in amiable silence while they ate side by side.

            When they were finished Lisette turned to Aurelia. “Would you like to come see my house?”

            Aurelia’s eyes lit up, “Would that be alright? You aren’t staying with relatives or anything?” She tried to rack her brain about what Lisette had said about her living situation, but nothing came to mind.

            “No, I live alone. I’m renting the house at the end of Parker Street.” Aurelia knew exactly what house she was talking about. It had been empty for quite some time, but was large and beautiful on the outside. Aurelia could only imagine what the inside looked like.

            The thought of the freedom she could find at her new friends house, with just the two of them, brought a new round of excitement to Aurelia’s face as she nodded eagerly.

            “Oh, I’d love to see where you live! I’ve never had a friend who lived alone before. I imagine it would be quite a relief to be able to visit you without your parents asking me when I’m going to settle down and get married.” Aurelia responded and Lisette laughed at her distaste.

            “I imagine it will be a welcome change from your normal routine. You’re welcome to come over any time you’d like.” She assured the other girl, patting her on the knee.

            “Thank you, I appreciate your offer.” Aurelia grinned before picking up the basket and getting to her feet.

            “We should probably get going if we’re not just going to see your house in passing. I have to get home to help with dinner soon. Cadence is probably frantic, wondering where I am.” Aurelia said with a satisfactory smile.

            “Who is Cadence?” Lisette asked.

            “She’s my sister, she’s sixteen and full of romantic notions of finding her prince on a white horse to whisk her way like a fairy tale.” She rolled her eyes at Lisette and they both laughed.

            They fell into easy conversation as they walked the surprisingly, short distance to Lisette’s house. It was closer to the water than Aurelia remembered, and she could hear the sound of the ocean from the front porch as it pounded on the shore. Aurelia felt that it was possible to find Lisette’s house just as peaceful as the beach.

            Lisette unlocked the door and held it open for Aurelia to go in first. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, but when they did, she gasped out loud. Lisette seemed to have a fondness for antiques, and her house was furnished beautifully with old pieces dating as far back as the 1700’s, including some Louis XV pieces.

            It was a creative blend of antique and modern furniture, all meshed together to form a very unique style that, Aurelia decided, definitely reflected Lisette herself.

            “It’s beautiful!” She breathed, stepping into the living room to take a closer look at some of the Louis XV pieces. Aurelia stood back near the door and watched with an amused expression as Aurelia explored her house. She’d known the girl would like it, she seemed very cultured and informed on many things and Lisette got the feeling that her decorating would be right up Aurelia’s alley.

            She gave Aurelia the full tour, giving proper time for her new friend to “Oooh” and “Ahhh” over things in each new room. Her kitchen was large, with cabinets that had been painted black and then sanded and treated to give them an antique look that went with the rest of the house.

            It flowed nicely into the dining area. Aurelia liked how it didn’t restrict the flow of conversation as one moved from one room to the other. The granite countertops were predominantly black to match the cupboards with shades of grey and brown, throughout, which stood out in the bright light coming from large picture windows. Despite the dark colors, nobody could ever call it a dark kitchen.

            Aurelia followed Lisette upstairs to check out the bedrooms and her mouth fell open as she took in the king sized, oak, canopy bed in the master bedroom.

            She almost forgot to ask, “May I?” and Lisette nodded with a grin as Aurelia sat on the plush bed and sank down about 4 inches.

            “Oh this is heavenly.” She laid back and closed her eyes. Lisette crossed the room to open the window, and the sounds of the ocean floated in like music to Aurelia’s ears.

            She sat up and turned to Lisette, “This room is absolutely perfect.” She informed her friend.

            “You have amazing decorating taste and you couldn’t ask for a better view of the water. To think, all you have to do is open the window and it’s like you’re right there! I never even realized that this house had such a good view.”

            Lisette smiled yet again, pleased with the enthusiastic response of her new friend.

            “I’m glad you like it. Would you like to see the guest room? It’s almost as good.” Aurelia nodded enthusiastically and followed her from the room, slightly disappointed to be leaving it, but excited enough to see the next room that it was just a small pang in the background of her mind.

            The guest room had a similar view, but the ocean was slightly obscured by groups of trees. Despite the lack of a clear view, it was beautiful nonetheless. The bed was queen sized and the frame was of ornate wrought iron with delicate floral patterns manipulated into the headboard.

            Aurelia silently noted that Lisette seemed to have a fondness for the color black, as well as other dark colors. She couldn’t help thinking that something was very different about her friend. Something that she couldn’t quite put her finger on, but it wasn’t a disturbing revelation. It was more like she just needed more information.

            Never in her life had she felt so comfortable around a person she hardly knew. But Lisette oozed something that let you know that she was definitely different from other people you’d met. She had something that just drew you in and made you want to be her friend the moment you met her.

            With a deep sigh of disappointment, Aurelia glanced at the clock on the bedroom wall, knowing that it was time for her to head home.

            “I guess I’d better go.” She said sadly, turning away from the window one last time to face Lisette, who had been watching her with great interest.

            “What?” she asked, laughingly.

            Lisette smiled at her, “It’s just amusing to see how excited you are about my house and the views.”

            “How could you not be excited? You get to live here every day, in amazing luxury, style, and comfort. Maybe this is what you’re used to, but for me this is like a dream come true.” They had reached the bottom of the stairs, and this time Lisette reached her arms out to wrap them around Aurelia.

            This time Aurelia noticed that Lisette smelled heavenly; like lavender, vanilla, jasmine, the ocean, fresh laundry that had been dried out on the line on a sunny day… her thoughts drifted off as she realized that Lisette’s scent was a bit of every smell she loved, right down to homemade gingerbread cookies.

            This may have made her hold on a bit longer than was necessary, but this time, Lisette let Aurelia pull away first. She was equally as surprised to find that Aurelia smelled just as amazing to her, now that they were indoors and out of the breeze that dulled the scent, like lavender and vanilla.

            Aurelia stood back with her hand on the door. “Are you busy tomorrow?”

            Lisette laughed, “Ready to come back again?”

            Aurelia nodded eagerly. “If it’s alright with you, this may be my new haven. You don’t know what kind of gift your friendship is to me, Lisette.” She leaned in and kissed Lisette’s cheek just as she had the day before, then stepped away again to open the door.

            Lisette stood in stunned silence as her friend hurried across the lawn, turned to wave one last time, and then disappeared down the street. She was thinking that she may be in over her head with this one. How much longer, could she go without telling Aurelia things that she really needed to know, if they were going to be friends?