Jesse's Girl

F   o   u   r   t   e   e   n

Jesse’s Girl

 

Titus

           

            The penny flew through the air. I knew what the girl wished for and I knew that deep down even though Avery didn’t wish it he wanted the same thing. That was for both of them to be together forever. I watched it unfold from day to day. They both wouldn’t admit it now, but they were falling more and more into the game of love as time went on. I watched gravity bring the penny down with plans for it to hit the water. I reached out and snatched it out of place so fast it was as if it was never there to begin with. I made a wish in triumph and dropped the penny into the water. No sound emanated from the water. I smiled a wicked grin. I win this round. Just one small action altered two people’s lives dramatically and changed the outcome of this story. This would have to be how I played the game from now on. It would be what leads me to victory.

            I altered my form into the shape of an old beggar’s and came up from behind them. Normally, Avery would be able to see right through me, but his eyes have dimmed revealing the slow diminishing effect on his heavenly abilities. I stuck my hand out and tapped a bony finger on Claire’s shoulder. She turned around slightly surprised to see an old woman, that like my new self, summon her attention.

            “Yes?” She asked. Her voice sounded like honey trickling out of a jar. It was beautiful to the ears. I had to shake myself out of the trance and remind myself of the job at hand.

            “Would you like to purchase a freshly picked rose from a poor old lady today?” My voice came out rough and scratchy as I referred to the basket of roses hanging from my arm. She looked down at me pitifully and I knew right away she wanted to purchase one, but had no money to do so. “A pretty young lady like you deserves to have such a flower to call her own.” I took out a flawless red rose and held it out for her. She stood there unmoving not knowing what to do. Should she take it or leave it behind? She glanced up at Avery. He stood still staring at me with intense eyes. I wondered if he suspected something.

            “How much are you charging?” He asked firmly.

            “Only a quarter of the current dollar.” He pulled out two polished silver coins and placed them in the rusted cup in the corner of my basket. Claire had taken the rose and smelled it. She fingered the delicate petals carefully.

            “Keep the change.” He said.

“Thank you sir, you are very kind.” He nodded his head. “There’s a lovely Italian restaurant over there. Their food is just wonderful. You should treat your precious girl to an evening of dining. The town square has the most wonderful music to dance to as well.” My convincing tone would make him consider the options.

“Perhaps, would you like that, Claire?” She looked up from the rose at him with big eyes full of excitement.

“I would, but don’t trouble yourself if it’s too much.”

“Well, then it’s settled. Thank you for the suggestions.” Avery said turning to me. I nodded my head and then shrank away from the scene. The faster they fall in love the sooner I can get the job done and the more pain I can create. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw them grab hands and stroll off towards the restaurant. I smiled thinking how easy they had fallen prey my plans.

 

›š›š›š›š

Avery

I didn’t know what to think of the old woman that was selling flowers. Even though the people in this town were very friendly, they kept to themselves. They were very reserved. They never came up to you and held on a friendly conversation unless they knew you or you had started the conversation yourself. I figured the lady couldn’t do much harm and I knew that Claire pitied her. I had considered the option of taking Claire to a restaurant and dancing before, but I hadn’t settled on it. By now, the sky was getting darker and it was getting colder. She was probably starved. What harm could it do?

“Come on, Claire. Let’s head over to that Italian restaurant the lady suggested.” She nodded her head. I could tell that the night’s chill had settled in her bones because her teeth were chattering lightly from not having enough warmth. I slid my arm around her shoulder and brought her into me. She huddled close and I could once again smell sweet peas in the air. I closed my eyes and savored the moment.

As we walked inside the dim lit Italian Cuisine, it acted as a vacuum sucking out all the cold air. It was a toasty environment with the smell of gelato and coffee beans. A middle aged woman approached us and seated us in a plush booth with a candle lit. Beautiful music streamed from hidden speakers in another language. We both took in a deep breath.

“Will your mom be wondering where you are?” I asked concerned with how forgetful I had become when I was around Claire.

“I sent her a text saying that I was with you and I’d be home before midnight.” I glanced at my watch. Four more hours left.

“It doesn’t worry her that you’re with me all alone and she has no idea where you’re at or that you could be home as late as twelve?” Claire shrugged.

“Not really. She really trusts you and your brother and sister. I think she’s happy seeing me with a different group of people. I guess she finds it refreshing.”

“It’s nice to hear that we have a good reputation. That’s not exactly what we have at school.”

“What do you mean?”

“People have gotten the idea that we’re interfering.”

“How do you know?”

“I hear people talking about my family and me a lot.”

“What do they say?” She asked upset.

“You dated Brendan, the school’s quarterback and most popular guy. You dumped him right after I came and then we start hanging out a lot. People think we’re an item and that you dumped him for me. They say that I broke up the school’s sweethearts and because of that it’s the reason St. Casper lost the homecoming game.”

“Are you beginning to reconsider us being friends?”

            “No, I’m not. Gossip is one thing. If it turns into something more, we’ll have to see. Despite that fact though, Kayla has been spreading some rumors about us including ones about you. I just thought you should know in case you begin to hear some things.”

            “Thanks.” She said absently. I wondered what she was thinking about. I didn’t dare consider finding out though; it was for her to know. She deserves her privacy.

She ordered a steaming dish of cheesy ravioli covered in marinara sauce and I ordered a cup of coffee. I watched her cut the ravioli in half and stick the fork in her mouth. She closed her eyes in content and then did the same for the rest. I took a sip of coffee and felt the heat drain down my throat into nothingness.

When she finished eating, we headed back out into the cool windblown darkness that had fallen around our surroundings. I heard a soft tune being carried through the air and we headed off in its direction. The music grew louder and louder as we approached the source. When we finally arrived, we had reached the courtyard in the town square. A band was playing a lively song underneath a gazebo. There was a large area where a few couples were dancing and spinning to the beat. Twinkling lights were strung from the gazebo across the courtyard. Claire’s eyes sparkled in delight as she took in the scene.

 

›š›š›š›š

Claire

“Would you like to dance?” Avery asked holding his hand out to me. I smiled and took it. He spun me out and brought me back in towards him. I couldn’t help but laugh a little at how joyful I felt. His hands rested gently on my hips and my arms were thrown carelessly around his neck. His eyes sparkled with hidden knowledge.

“What are you thinking about?” I asked.

“How beautiful you are.” He said quickly. Butterflies erupted from the pit of my stomach and started fluttering about. I could feel my cheeks blush and I looked down. A lock of my hair had fallen out of my messy pony tail. Without hesitation it seemed, Avery caught it and pulled it back behind my ear. I felt an almost accomplished and satisfactory emotion pulsating from him, but I wasn’t sure what that exactly meant. Then he leaned down and seized the moment. His lips locked with mine. It felt strange. It was the most unbelievable sensation, but deep down it was like two sides were battling. Both sides, desperately had wanted this for so long, but one fought it back and the other gave in. I knew which one I wanted, but at the same time I knew which one had to have victory. I felt him jerk and I knew that was my queue. I needed to make it as easy as possible for him; so I stepped back. I gently pushed him away so he would know that I wasn’t mad, that I just wanted to help. He released me with eyes closed and hands fallen limply to his side. He stood there silent and ashamed. I moved forward and wrapped my arms tightly around his torso. My head rested on his chest and I listened for the beat of his heart. I  waited, but nothing came. I looked up at him worried. He smiled a sad smile.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“Your heart. There’s no beat.”

“I don’t need a heart. That’s not what’s keeping me alive.”

“So what is?”

“Love and light.”

“Your Creator’s love and his light?”

“Yes.” I laid my head back down and let the music drift us back and forth.

“I’m happy you Creator has love for you and that he’s generous enough to share his light. I don’t know how I would get by if you weren’t here.”

“His love and light aren’t only for me. He wants you to have them too. If only you would accept the gift he’s holding out to you.”

“I’m not worth the time or energy.”

“If that were true do you think I would be holding you like this?” His eyes held only truth. I hugged him tighter thinking that if I didn’t he would vanish any second leaving me behind. We rocked back and forth in silence, with that last unanswered question to sweeten the air. He held me like no other.

 

›š›š›š›š

Jesse

“Where have you two been?” I asked as Avery and Claire walked through the door hand in hand with a gleam in their eyes which were locked on one another. They looked like two teenagers in love, in a sense I suppose they were. Claire fell onto the couch and Avery came up behind and rested his hands on her shoulders as a sense of security and comfort I was assuming. “Do you know what time it is?”

“I took Claire on a walk. It should be almost and hour to midnight.” Avery said as he massaged Claire’s shoulders.

“Shouldn’t Claire be home?” I asked in concern to the time.

“She has to be home by twelve.” Avery said and Claire nodded in agreement.

“Avery, would you mind if I had some time alone with Claire to discuss something with her.”

“Jesse, you know I trust you, but I can’t do that.”

“If you honestly trusted me you would give me this. You know I don’t ask for much. I need to speak to Claire alone.” Claire’s face turned into a peculiar expression and her gaze held wonderment. Avery’s gaze was firm.

“I love you brother. You know the rules. I’m giving you my trust despite the possibilities, please, abide.” Avery leaned down and kissed Claire on the cheek gently, whispered something in her ear which made her smile, then left the room.

“What is it, Jesse?” she asked.

“The day of Becky’s funeral, I told you some things that didn’t make a whole lot of sense to you. Now, maybe they do. Becky was to me as you are to Avery. I loved Becky more that anything. I accomplished my goal as a Protector, but not as someone who loved her. I failed her in that. Avery is the man I wish I could have been. Please understand that when the time comes and he makes a decision that you don’t agree with. He does because it is what he has to do. He lets his job rule his emotion. Which in this case it is what needs to be done. What I’m about to tell you, Claire, is something no one knows except for Becky, Irena, and I know. I will tell Avery when the time comes, but this is something you need to know right now. Avery thinks that what has happened between the two of you only has happened between the two of you. He doesn’t know that it happened to me too as well as Becky. I let myself go and I became human for a time. Once a Protector has become human there is no going back. The Protector has automatically sentenced himself to damnation.  During then, though I was a subject to sin. Fortunately, I wasn’t around long enough to gain my own Destroyer, but in that time I did make many decisions that should not have been made. One of which was my decision to experiment with this world’s passions. In the process, Becky became pregnant and gave birth to our daughter. Her name is Fara and she is my little girl.”

 

© By Amanda Gloth