That was a relief.
I dropped my eyes to our hands. The warmth spread through my dress and sent tingles up my thigh. I chewed on my lips and dragged in some air. Reaching over to the vent, I pointed it at my breasts, and discreetly turned up the fan speed. No boob sweat.
Ten minutes later, we made it to the ticket counter before purchasing some snacks to take in. Turning around, I spotted Lee with his girlfriend, Larissa. She was tall and so thin she might snap if she sneezed. Her eyes roamed the crowd, running up and down the female competition with disapproval.
“Hey.” I waved and caught Lee’s eye.
He pulled her towards us to say hello. “Andy. And Benny. Together. This is a surpr—actually, no, it’s not. Not at all. I saw this coming a mile away. So, do we call you Bendy now, or what?”
“I wouldn’t, if I were you,” Ben warned.
“How are you, Lee Lee?” I gave him a hug.
“Yeah, good. What movie are you going to see?”
“Double-oh-seven. What about you guys?”
He hesitated, giving Larissa cause to cut in. “Twilight.”
“Oh, good. That should be ... interesting.” I ordered my cheeks to pull the corners of my mouth up.
Glancing at Ben, I found him chewing on the corner of his lip, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “How’ve you been, Larissa?”
“Good.” Looking anywhere but at us, she tugged on Lee’s hand.
My eyes widened before I controlled them. Was this chick for real? I schooled my features and addressed Lee. “How is Letitia? I haven’t seen her in ages.”
“She’s doing great. The school holds a robotics club one afternoon a week, so she’s learning all about the programming and mechanics of that. Dad passed her his engineering genes.”
“You got them too, though.”
“Maybe. We just found out Mum and Dad are planning a second honeymoon to Daydream Island next winter so it’ll just be me and Tish for a week. She’s not impressed that I’ll be in charge.”
The room blurred in and out of focus. Ice trickled into my veins. The back of my neck burst into a bonfire. The word dead popped into my head. “No.”
Lee’s head reared back. “No, what?”
“Don’t let them go.”
Plane crash. Dead. Plane crash. Dead.
The warning played on a loop as Lee looked at me strangely.
“Of course I’m gonna let them go. As if I can stop them. Have you been smoking the wacky weed?”
“Don’t let them get on that plane,” I begged, grabbing onto his arm before Larissa pushed me off.
“What are you doing, freak? Bradlee, we’re going.”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll see you guys later. Enjoy that movie.” He was still frowning at me as he let her lead him away.
“What was that about?” Ben reached for my hand.
I bit my lip, tears welling in my eyes as our stares locked.
No more death. Please, please, please.
“I—” Blowing out a slow breath, I frantically rubbed at the nape of my neck. “There’s something—” I growled, frustrated with myself. “Do you remember me telling you how I know stuff?”
“Yeah.”
“I think something bad is going to happen to Bradlee’s parents.”
“For real?”
“Yeah. I felt it even stronger than I felt what was around Jess.”
Ben tucked me under his arm and steered me to a quieter spot. “We don’t have to see the movie. I can take you home if you need.”
I shook my head. “No. I’ll be fine. I just need to get my mind off it. I could be wrong, right?”
“I hope you are. No offense.”
“None taken.” I reached up and locked my hand with his. “Let’s go in. It’s about to start.”
We lifted the armrest between our seats so I could cuddle into his side. He fed me popcorn as I watched the movie playing in my mind rather than the one on the screen. Jess’s face. The news reports on her disappearance. Her mother pleading for her return. Brad and Tish sharing a tube ride. His parents on the sideline at his rugby game, cheering him on. All it took was one bad decision, or one ill-timed move, and everything could come crashing down.
Ben held me through the whole movie and all the way to the car. He clasped my hand on the ride home. He hugged me on my doorstep and gave me a kiss on the forehead before saying goodnight. “Try to get some sleep.”
If I had one reason to have sweet dreams that night, it was that man.
_____
Emmeline
Hampshire, England
16th of August, 1866
Sunlight flickered over my eyelids, its rays blocked and revealed in flashes by the canopy zipping overhead. The horse’s hooves thundered along the ground as my long plaits whipped my back, urging me to go faster.
My grin stretched wide. I relished the taste of freedom in an otherwise cloistered life.
“Miss Emmeline! Slow down!”
The rumble along the ground doubled as another four hooves joined in chase. Sebastian.
I leaned forward, squeezing my thighs, a frown pulling on my mouth. My horse responded with a great surge of power on sure legs. Holding the reins in an iron grip, I was thankful I had ignored the protocol of riding side-saddle and wished I could also rip off my skirts in favour of the buckskins worn by the men.
“I said, slow down! I know you can hear me.”
“Why do you not speed up?” I yelled, ducking under a low branch.
“Are you suggesting a race, miss?” His voice was louder, having gained several feet. Admiral had plenty of vim today.
“Is that not what we are already engaged in?” Come on, Miss Modesty. I raised off the saddle, gripping the reins against her neck.
“The Admiral always gets his female.” Sebastian zoomed past in a show of superiority, laughing hysterically.
