On the Beach

 

Chapter Three

 

“Skye?” I hear a voice ask. I look up from the picture frame I’m holding and hurriedly wipe away tears. Bruce stands in my doorway, his frame illuminated by the light in the hallway, his face shaded from the dark of my room.

“Yes?” I ask, shoving the picture frame under my pillow. Bruce sees it, I know he does, but he chooses not to mention it.

“Are you okay?” He asks me. I get the feeling he really wants to know, and he’s not just being polite.

“Oh, um, yeah?” I try, the lie evident in my voice. Bruce raises his eyebrows at me, letting me know he doesn’t buy it. I sigh, and pull out the picture frame of Chase and me, holding it out for Bruce to see. He takes a few steps closer to me, taking the frame. After a few moments of silence and him looking at the picture he looks back at me, handing the picture back.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Bruce asks me, his voice finding a paternal tone. I wipe away a stray tear. Stupid tears.

I shrug. “He kind of saved me when the Company was after me and I stayed with his family when it wasn’t safe for me to go anywhere. His name is Chase by the way…and I fell in love with him. But then the Company kidnapped me and Rueben made me an Extinguisher, so I had to leave them. I mean…I couldn’t continue living with them and have them in constant danger, you know? Anyway…I don’t think Chase would want to be with me since I’m, you know, a potential killer. And he’s probably over me now anyway.” I say, letting out my breath in a gush. My heart gives a painful squeeze at the last sentence. I don’t want to believe it, but it could be true. And I need to face the facts. Or face the music. Whatever.

Bruce looks at me understandingly.

“When I first became an Extinguisher, I pushed everybody that I loved away. I thought I was doing them a favor, but what I learned later on is that the people I love would rather be with me, accepting my ability than not. If this Chase guy is the person you love, Skye, then he’s going to love you whether he can hold your hand or not.” Bruce says, his eyes getting that faraway look for a minute.

“He deserves better, though.” I say quietly, looking down at the picture of Chase laughing. I brush my fingers over the glass covering the picture. In the photography his hair had grown out so that it was shaggy, the brown catching sunlight. His blue eyes are shining and happy. Everything about him is perfect: the chiseled cheekbones, the strong jaw. Everything.

Bruce clears his throat and I look up. “I know you may feel like there’s something wrong with you, Skye. I felt the same way. But you have the ability to control your Talent—it doesn’t control you.” Bruce says. I nod, unsure of what to say and Bruce changes the subject. “Skye…where are your parents?” He asks me.

I sigh, the squeezing of my heart intensifying. “They were murdered by the Company.” My breathing slows, becoming labored.

“I’m so sorry.” Bruce says, looking and sounding as if he means it.

I smile weakly, not meeting Bruce’s eyes. “Where is your wife?” I ask him. I’ve seen pictures around the house of dark-haired woman with Bruce, and then more pictures of the same woman with Maggie as a baby. I’m just assuming that’s his wife. I mean, unless its Maggie’s babysitter and she was really into photography? Joking.

“We’ve got more things in common than our Talent.” Bruce says vaguely. I blink at him, not understanding, and then comprehension hits me. The Company murdered her too.

“So I guess that’s why you quit then, right?” I ask Bruce. He blinks at me, coming back to reality.

“Quit what?”

“Quit working for the Company…” I say, frowning. Bruce nods, distracted.

“Well, listen. If you want to talk, I’m here. But I should get some sleep now, and you should too. Goodnight Skye.” Bruce says, giving me a smile before leaving my room.

“Night,” I murmur. I look down at the picture in my hands and sigh, putting it on my night side table.

I turn the light off in my room and crawl into bed, finally allowing my thoughts to go to Chase and what Bruce said to me. You have the ability to control your Talent—it doesn’t control you.

It might be true. But then again, it might not be too. Either way, I’m going to make sure my Talent doesn’t take over me. I won’t let the Company ruin me like the ruined others. I’m stronger than that.

I snort quietly, not believing it. Maybe I should Persuade myself that I can beat the Company.

That may work.

 

 

I wake up the next day, disoriented once again. I mumble an incoherent, “where am I?” to myself, regarding my unfamiliar surroundings: the light blue of the walls, the white bedspread twisted around me, the white bookcase and bureau placed strategically around the room.

I blink the blurriness from my eyes and then remember where I am: at Bruce’s house.

I force myself out of the warm haven that is my bed and my feet connect with the plushy light blue carpet. Is everything freaking color coordinated?

I’m walking over to the turn the light on when the door to my room swings open. A breathless, wild-eyed Maggie stands there, beaming at me. I raise my eyebrows.

“What’s with the love struck expression?” I ask her, yawning widely. When Maggie still doesn’t answer me I continue, chuckling. “What, is that dude from Twilight at the door?” I ask her, snorting. The slightly dazed, completely infatuated look doesn’t leave her face. I poke her gently in the side and Maggie manages to point shakily down the stairs. I smile. “Ooh, charades! That’s the best!”

Maggie cracks a smile, but the love sick look doesn’t leave her eyes. “Speak.” I command, slightly amused but more than a little curious what is downstairs. As Maggie struggles to find her voice, I brush out my wavy, light brown hair and splash some water on my face. I pull on some shorts and throw on a tank top.

“I just saw the hottest guy on planet earth running on the beach.” Maggie finally says. I snort and turn to her.

“How old?” I question her, linking arms as I turn out the light for my bedroom and close the door behind us as we leave my room.

“Older. Like…twenty?” Maggie thinks, crinkling her slightly pushed-up nose. I motion for her to turn around, and put her medium-length blonde hair in a braid, hiding the frizz. Maggie grins her thanks and I wink. Together, we descend the stairs.

“And he was running on the beach?” I ask, totally for Maggie’s benefit. I know thirteen year old girls, I used to be one. They see a hot guy and all they want to do is gush. Well, most of them anyway.

Maggie nods with her eyes wide. “And he was shirtless!” She exclaims, looking completely dazed. I struggle to hide a laugh at her expression. She really is a cute kid.

“Shall we go have a look?” I ask with a smile, humoring her. Maggie looks terrified and I remember her telling me that she never talks to guys because she’s too nervous too. Forget that this guy is way too old for her, (seven years, hellooooo!) this is good practice. Talking to any guy is good practice for her, and I’ve silently vowed to myself to help her get over her fear of guys.

“Oh, I couldn’t!” Maggie says, her eyes widening even more as sheer nervousness passes over her face. “Skye, he’s gorgeous! Probably a movie star or something, but why would a movie star come to Chance?” She questions. I shrug.

“Why indeed.” I repeat, opening the screen door of the beach house and stepping outside, pulling a reluctant Maggie with me. “Oh, come on! It’ll be fun.” I tell her, tugging on her arm. I’ve been doing small things all morning—linking arms with Maggie, braiding her hair, tugging her arm—seeing how easy controlling my Extinguishing Talent really is. I’m completely confident that I can control it now. One hundred percent. Wait until Bruce finds out! I hope he’ll be proud of me.

Maggie finally stops resisting and walks with me down a wooden path leading to the beach. Once my bare feet hit sand the thoughts whirling in my head stop simultaneously.

Maggie stops suddenly. I look around, looking both ways down the virtually empty beach until my eyes land on a golden-flecked body, hard with muscle. I smile at Maggie, raising my eyebrows in question. She nods.

“That’s him.” She whispers, her eyes growing wide and more nervous. I can’t see “his” face, because his back is turned to us. I make a silly face at Maggie, and walk up the guy, who is shaking water out of his shaggy chestnut brown hair. My stomach drops, thoughts stirring all at once in my head, screaming things at me.

I shake my head at myself, thinking at the same time holy crap, he’s here… and that’s obviously impossible. I seriously hope I don’t have split personalities now.

I clear my throat when Maggie and I reach the beach hottie.  

When he turns around, my stomach literally lurches. My heart (almost) literally stops beating. The thoughts in my head die out.

Maggie looks up at me; somewhat satisfied that she was right about him being startlingly attractive, and somewhat terrified that we’re standing so close to this guy with my mouth hanging open in shock.

“Skye?” The guy, who, as you might’ve correctly guessed, is Chase. I try breathing, but that doesn’t seem to be going okay. So I do the only logical thing a girl in my situation would do. I drop to the sand and sit, still in shock, staring at the ground.

“Um, Skye?” Maggie asks, quietly, concerned.

“Go back to the house, Mag. I’ll be there in a minute.” I tell her, managing to struggle out a strangled sentence. Maggie looks like she wants to argue and then decides against it, nodding at me. With one last I’m-totally-in-love-with-you look of longing at Chase, she walks quickly back to the house.

Chase drops down on the sand next to me. I feel and hear myself take a sharp intake of breath. “Skye, baby, say something.” Chase murmurs. He reaches a hand out as if he’s about to push back the hair that has fallen in my face, like he always used to, but then he stops.

I know he’s remembering the time where I had stood, after being released from the Company, in front of him—hysterical—and told him I couldn’t be with him anymore. He’d looked so hurt…so confused…that it always pains me to remember what had happened. The facts were this: I had been kidnapped by the “company” that had murdered my parents, so they could torture me or test on me. Then I was “released” but only so that I could learn to control my Talent, and then the Company planned (plans) on kidnapping me again. Sounds like a party, right?

When I was let free from the Company’s main building I found my way back to Chase’s family’s house. Chase had found me, in front of his house, tears running down my face. I told him I had to leave, without telling him why. When he made it clear that he wouldn’t that happen, I had been forced to tell Chase—the only guy I’ll probably ever love—that I’m a killer. That I can never hold hands with him again, never kiss him or hug him again, because he would die. That to be with me would mean putting his life in constant danger. And that I wouldn’t let myself be a burden to him or his family.

Chase had tried to say something, but I stopped him before he could. I hadn’t needed to hear him say that he couldn’t bear to be with me, that he couldn’t risk his life to be near me.

I take a breath, snapping back to the present. I look at Chase, who is looking at me with such relief on his face that I’m momentarily distracted.

“Why are you here?” I ask him, saying the only thing I can manage to get out. Chase begins to reach out again and then stops, his hand midair, before dropping it to his side. My stomach tightens.

“Long story or short?” Chase asks me, his blue eyes sparkling.

I pull my eyes away from him and sit, staring at the ocean.

“Whichever.” I say, kind of rudely. I’m not exactly being nice, am I? Yeah, well. We all have our off days.

For me, everyday is an off day. Which makes me special. Or something.

Chase nods and continues looking at me, even though I won’t return his glance.

“My mom and brothers, plus Elena and…Demetri have been looking for you ever since you…left.” He says, and I assume he’s gone with the short version of the story.

“Why?” I ask, kind of shortly.

“Why what, Skye?” Chase asks, his voice still soft. I bite back anger.

“Why were you guys looking for me?” I ask, a small portion of anger slipping into my voice. I mean, he didn’t care enough about me to stop me from leaving in the first place. So, why bother looking for me almost two weeks after the fact?

“Because your part of our family. And I wasn’t just going to let you give up on us so quickly.” Chase says, his voice loosing the softness. Well, damn. I at least had a reason to be mad, I was pretty certain. What’s his problem?

“I didn’t give up on you. I just didn’t want to kill you. There’s a slight difference.” I snap, tearing my eyes from the ocean and glaring at Chase. Which is a harder task then one would think, being that he is incredibly gorgeous, just as Maggie said.

“What’s the difference, Skye? You left, didn’t you?” Chase says, his blue eyes flashing. I feel my nose crinkle in anger.

“Yes, I left. But you didn’t exactly try and stop me, did you? You wanted me gone, I know you did. Admit that you wanted me gone!” I yell at him. A muscle twitches in Chase’s jaw, which is clenched tight.

I feel tears escape from my eyes. Frigging tears. I’m like a water fall or something.

“I never wanted you to leave.” Chase says, his voice low, controlled with obvious effort. “But I couldn’t stop you from leaving me.”

I blink away another downpour. “I left so that I wouldn’t kill you, Chase!” I yell. “I left so that you wouldn’t have to pretend to love an Extinguisher! I left so I wouldn’t be a burden to you!” I kick a pile of sand in front of me, glaring as the little granules get caught in the breeze and drift away.

For a moment Chase doesn’t say anything. I think I’ve finally got to him when I hear him take a deep breath.

“You could never be a burden to me, Skye. I love you. More than anything in this world, I love you. I don’t care if I can’t hold your hand--”

I break in. “But--”

“No, Skye, listen to me! I don’t want to hear your excuses. You left because you needed to. That’s okay. What isn’t okay is that you left thinking I didn’t want you anymore. I don’t care if I have to love you from a distance, if I can’t touch you, or kiss you. I’m still going to love you, Skye. Why don’t you get that?” Chase asks me, the anger gone from his voice. His eyes are burning. I blink, confused. Wait, wait, wait. So he didn’t want me gone?

“But…but I could kill you.” I murmur, dumbfounded.

“Doesn’t matter,” Chase says, watching me with a certain look in his eye that makes my heart start to thump loudly in my chest.

I’m not going to kill him, I tell myself as my body, without waiting for my mind to catch up, moves over the sand, getting closer to Chase. His eyes don’t lose that look—that look of pure love, pure need. But he doesn’t come closer to me, not knowing what to do in regards to my…Talent.

I’m not going to kill him, I repeat to myself.

Slowly, carefully, I reach out my hand, resting it on top of Chase’s. The look of complete shock that takes over Chase’s face brings a smile to my own.

“How…?” He asks, his eyes dancing with wonder, happiness. I grin, and with my other hand I tug on his shirt, pulling him closer to me. He stares at me like I’m the most incredible being to walk the earth, and okay, I am pretty awesome, but the look he’s giving me fills me with unadulterated joy. 

I look up into Chase’s eyes, and a slow grin spreads over his face. “I really love you, Chase. You know that?” I ask, grinning back at him.

“Show me.” He says, his eyes teasing. Carefully, so carefully, I kiss him. Chase is frozen at first, unsure if its okay to react, I pull away and frown.

“What’s wrong?” I ask him. He looks nervous, which is something Chase never is.

“How are you not killing me?” Chase asks, always so blunt. I press my lips together, hiding a smile.

“Remember when I was a Persuader, and then I, um, wasn’t?” Chase nods, and I continue. “Weeeell…I never really lost it. It was hidden.” I beam, excited. “And then...Rueben um, turned me into an Extinguisher without knowing I am still a Persuader. So, basically I can use my Talent on myself. Persuasion, I mean. Not the Extinguisher point. That’d be weird. But I just…Persuade myself I’m not going to kill people, or things, or animals, and I guess, my body—the Extinguisher part of me—is Persuaded, because I don’t actually kill anyone. Which is like, incredible?” I take a breath. “So basically, I just tell myself I’m not going to kill you, and then I can touch you without, y’know, killing you. It’s cool, right?” I grin.

Chase blinks and the laughs, loud and deep, carefree. “I missed you.” Is all he says, but his eyes tell me how happy he is that I’ve learned how to control my Talents. Before I can respond, Chase takes the initiative, and his hands cup my face as he kisses me, softly, still careful, testing. I’ve missed him too much for that, though. And okay, I’m a hormonal teenager. So I do what comes naturally in that situation.

I press myself closer to Chase, reminding myself I’m not going to kill him which is such a weird thing to remind yourself when in a situation like so. But we do what we gotta do, right?

Chase responds, getting the message, happy he doesn’t have to be so cautious. He kisses me, more fervently, and I reciprocate, kissing him back, my hands tangling in his hair.

Becoming too…eager, I forget to remind myself I’m not going to kill Chase. And okay, admittedly I wasn’t exactly thinking about anything right then.

I should’ve been thinking though, because Chase grows still under my lips, and I pull away, confused. Chase’s beautiful face is growing increasingly white by the second and I panic.

“Chase? Chase? Talk to me, are you okay?” I ask, manically, freaking out. “Crap, crap, crap.” I mutter, pressing my hands to either side of his face. He grows even whiter and stiller, and before he can actually die, I mutter, “you are not going to die, do you hear me? Your not,” I Persuade as quickly as I can, my heart growing still as Chase grows limp, his breathing coming in short gasps.

Suddenly, the color starts coming back to his body. The scar on his chest is no longer the same color as his skin and it now stands out, pale white against his golden skin.

Chase’s breathing becomes normal and I heave a sigh of relief. “Holy crap, Chase. Please never scare me like that again!” I say, closing my eyes and falling back, laying in the sand. Chase coughs and I whip back up, telling myself you’re not going to kill him, and pushing the hair back from his forehead.

“Are you okay?” I ask him. He blinks, slowly. “I am so, so sorry! I lost control and…I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. You’re off limits, and I won’t touch you again. I promise.”

I press my lips together, watching him carefully for any signs that he’s going to, y’know, bite the dust.

Well, he looks normal. Better than normal. Gorgeous. Perfect.

“Don’t say that.” Chase says; his pallor back to normal, and his grin still stunning.

“Say what?” I ask, so happy that he’s okay, and feeling really crappy about myself that it was my fault for causing his almost-death. I suck at life.

“Don’t promise to never touch me again.” Chase grins, and my heart forgets to stop beating for a millisecond. “Is that really a promise you can keep?” His eyes flicker, teasingly, and begin to smolder. My stomach and heart do their synchronized tap dance.

“Yes?” I try, weakly. Chase laughs, the sound sending shivers down my back. He reaches forward, hesitant, and I nod, giving him the okay. He pulls me closer to him, so that I’m sitting right next to him. His thumb brushes along my cheekbone and I feel a blush rise up to my cheeks. Chase notices and smiles softly, tucking a piece of wavy hair behind my ear. He leans down, kissing the hollow beneath my ear, sending violent shivers down my back. Another blush rises to my cheeks.

“Chase?” I ask quietly, my eyes closing.

“Mmm?” He murmurs against my neck, trailing kisses down the length of it. I shiver again and then pry my eyes open, force myself into controlling my Talent, pushing Chase away. His eyes are smoldering.

“I almost killed you.” I say, my voice slightly shaking; my eyes still locked on his.

Looking at Chase now, hair tousled, eyes burning, you would never guess that ten minutes ago he was lying limp in my arms.

“But you didn’t.” He says, looking unconcerned with the matter.

“But I could have!” I say anxiously. “And what if I had killed you? All because I wanted—really wanted—to kiss you? That’s so not okay.” I say, shaking my head slightly.

Chase shrugs his muscled shoulders. “What happened?” He asks me, trying to sort out my dilemma.

I frown. “I lost control.” I explain shortly. Chase nods.

“Well, yes. But how did you loose control?” He asks me, completely at ease.

“It wasn’t my fault.” I say, pouting. “You are the one who made me loose control.”

Chase grins. “It isn’t my fault you can’t control yourself around me.” And then he laughs when he sees my expression.

He pulls me in towards him, but I pull away, remind myself I’m not going to kill him when my hand touches his arm.

“I’m not putting you in danger.” I say, my voice firm.

“I really wish you would.” Chase says, and his eyes burn again. I feel my stomach flip, and Chase grins, leaning in to kiss me—right beside my mouth, basically forcing me into wanting more. I cross my arms, frown, and stand up, shaking sand from my shorts, my hair. Chase is still grinning.

“You’re not going to change my mind.” I tell him, sticking my tongue out in a manner that is so childish that it feels right. Chase’s grin broadens.

“We’ll see.” He says, giving me a wink before getting up from the sand and tickling me, causing me to break into a fit of laughter. “You see, Skye,” he says grinning, talking over my laughter. “I’m a Controller,” (for those of you that don’t know, Chase controls minds…so basically, whatever he tells you to do, you’ll do it. He’s only used this on me once, when we first met, but I kind of had a mental breakdown so he’s never tried to Control my mind again.)

“I know you’re a Controller!” I say, giggling and trying to smack his hands away while still reminding myself that I won’t kill him by touching his hand.

“So that means that if I tell you to kiss me right now, you will.” Chase says, grinning. I freeze and narrow my eyes at him.

“You wouldn’t.” I say, eyes still narrowed.

“I won’t need to.” He says confidently, smiling. “I bet that I can get you to kiss me without me Controlling your mind.” He says.

I frown. “You’re on.” I say, raising my eyebrows at him. “If I win, you have to stop trying to make me kiss you. It’s hard enough as it is.” I tell him. His eyes twinkle.

“And if you loose…?” He asks.

I shrug. “And if I loose you get to kiss me as many times as you want.” I joke. Chase chuckles.

“Then it’s a bet.” He says— mischief bright in his eyes. “Starting now,” He tells me, raising his eyebrows with a grin.

He takes my hand that he’d been holding, and runs it over his rock-hard, well defined abs. My heart almost literally stops. I concentrate on breathing, on not killing him (literally and figuratively).

“This does nothing for me.” I inform Chase, lying. He laughs, as he always knows when I’m lying. I snatch my hand away before it stays there on its own accord.

“Whatever you say, Skye.” Chase says, not hiding his smile. I glare at him good naturedly.

“You are so loosing this bet.” I say. And so I don’t have to stare at Chase’s bare, muscular chest I storm ahead of him into Bruce’s house, his teasing laughter following me.

Reviews

[Anya]

awwwwwwwww, i can't stop smiling :) It's also my favorite chapter so far. Very sweet and lovely and everything is beginning to work out for her :)

really lovely :)

[Aimee]

Awhhh, that's so cute.[:

Chase seems so sweet and understanding.
:D

By far, my favorite chapter.
Can't wait to read the next. [: