“Even once the children had found each other of their own accord? You didn’t think that you should contact us then?” My mom’s voice rose; she was real y mad.
“We couldn’t take the chance, Hananel. It seemed better to wait and al ow their relationship to develop of its own accord. And watch.”
Hananel? Who was Hananel? My mom’s name was Hannah. And what were they talking about?
My mom was almost screaming. “Watch? Those are rich words coming from a former watcher, whose watching was anything but passive waiting. Just what did you think this passive waiting and watching would gain us?”
“Time, Hananel. I thought the watching would give us time.”
My purse dropped to the ground with a clap, and both women pivoted toward me.
“El ie, honey, I thought you’d gone,” my mom said, her voice as sweet as sugar.
I bent down to pick up my purse and brandished it like a sword. I smiled as if I hadn’t heard a thing, and said, “Couldn’t leave without my purse, could I?” Then, uncertain of what to say or do, I waved good-bye and raced back to the car. The conversation I overheard was bizarre, to say the least, but I wouldn’t let it ruin my first dance with Michael.
Chapter Twenty-three
The expression on our classmates’ faces as we walked into the gym was worth every moment of preparation. The girls mostly gave Ruth and me sidelong glances of appreciation and mild astonishment, but the guys were another story. Some of them openly gaped as we sauntered across the room.
Ruth basked in the attention, and I could tel that Jamie derived a certain vicarious thril being by her side. As for myself, I experienced a surge of power not unlike the sensation I got when I had a strong flash. And looking at Michael, I saw that he did as wel . The feeling helped dispel the nagging voice inside my head about the conversation I’d overheard in the kitchen, which I hadn’t dared to mention to Michael yet. I didn’t want to ruin our perfectly normal teenage night with a reminder of our strangeness.
We smiled at the other kids as they stared at us, and tried to act casual. The four of us commented on how the dance committee had real y transformed the place. Our gym no longer looked like a relic from decades past, but more like an intentional y retro eighties dance club.
Al the while, Ruth’s voice buzzed like a little bee in my ear as she gave a running commentary on the other girls’ dresses. Lexie, she pronounced, looked great in her strapless blue mini, as did Charlotte in her black-and-white lace dress. But, Ruth said, what was Nikki thinking wearing that gold satin ful -length gown with a crystal neckline?
I spotted Piper and Missy in a dark corner, almost behind a set of bleachers. The out-of-the-limelight spot seemed odd for the girls; I expected them to hold court front and center, especial y at an event like this. And where were their dates? I knew Piper was going with Lucas, but I wondered who Missy’s date was. I hadn’t seen her with Charlie lately, but I had spotted her walking up the library stairs with that other guy. I guessed that guy was the Zeke mentioned in the flashes, and the figure I’d seen in the shadows.
Maybe Piper and Missy had sequestered themselves in the corner because one or both was mad that they hadn’t been named Fal Queen, and maybe that had something to do with their plan. Their former friend Vanessa had somehow managed to ral y an overwhelming majority in order to win the votes. I stopped dead in my tracks. Why was I spending even a minute of my night thinking about them, especial y when Michael and I had made a pact to take a break from our investigation? I pushed al thoughts of Piper and Missy out of my mind so I could enjoy my night.
One of my favorite songs, Coldplay’s “Lost,” started to play, and Michael pul ed me onto the dance floor. He carved out a place for us in the crowd, and then wrapped his arms tightly around my back. I looked up into his green eyes, bright even in the darkened room. For the mil ionth time, I thought how lucky I was to have found him.
The music grew louder, and he pressed his body up against mine. I held on to his strong upper arms and rested my head on his shoulder. The tempo of the song picked up, but Michael slowed down. He lifted up my chin and leaned down to kiss me.
His lips felt so soft, so inviting. I kissed him back and savored the gentle touch of his tongue. As he ran his tongue lightly over my teeth, I began to experience a surge of desire for him, unlike anything I’d felt during the many times I’d been physical y close to him before. But this was no normal desire to kiss him, or go further. This was different than anything I’d ever felt before. This was bloodlust.
We broke off and stared at each other. Michael felt it too. We had to leave the dance floor before something happened. Something we couldn’t control. Something that would freak out everyone around us.
“I’m going to the bathroom to freshen up,” I said, for the benefit of anyone nearby who might be listening.
“Do you want me to come with you?” he asked, his voice cracking a bit.
“No, no.” The last thing I needed was Michael in close proximity to me. He shot me a concerned look, so I smiled and reassured him. “I’l be fine.”
Michael walked me to the gym door nearest the bathrooms. He gave me a kiss on the cheek and then leaned against the wal , as if he needed its support. “I’l wait right here,” he said, stil breathing a little heavy.
I nodded and opened the door. A little unsteady on my feet—and my heels—I wobbled out into the jarring fluorescent glare of the hal . Blinking in the bright light, I turned right toward the girls’ room. A long line of girls—al waiting to jockey for position in front of the mirror, no doubt—snaked out of the door into the hal way. I just couldn’t face al that aggressive female energy in my state.
Instead, I turned left, passing by the gym doors. Maybe a little walk would help distance me from the urge. I started down an empty hal way, lined with lockers and classroom doors. Funny how the hal looked so unintimidating and smal without al the kids streaming through it. After I cooled down, I turned back toward the gym—and Michael.
Then I heard a whimper from a connecting hal way. Backing up a few steps, I peeked down the hal . On first glance, it appeared empty. But then I saw a smal movement in a darkened doorway, and I heard the whimper again. I hesitated. I real y didn’t want to deal with someone else’s problems tonight of al nights. But the Good Samaritan in me won out over my apprehensions.
