Elemental: Chapter Eleven, Part 1

Chapter Eleven: Beginnings Bring Hope

“You need to pack, honey,” someone said, shaking me gently. In the moment before I opened my eyes, I wished I would see Mom sitting beside me, exactly the way Dad always saw her in his memories. It would have been perfect timing if it were her. I felt like I could use the extra support.

Valetta had pulled her hair back and was wearing a tank top and gouchos, both in black. Outside, the sky was still gloomy, but it wasn’t as depressing as rain.

I was disappointed it hadn’t been Mom, despite knowing it had been a long shot.

“Whatever you think you need, pack it,” she instructed. “Do not leave anything too revealing about yourself if you can help it.”

“We’re leaving tonight.” She didn’t have to tell me she was frightened tonight might be too late, or the journey might be too long for the younger kids. I could tell.

She nodded and left, passing Nick outside my window as she traveled to break the news to others. I watched other vampires traversing between cabins—their mission difficult but necessary—as I waited for Nick.

He didn’t step into my room, but waited just outside. I turned away from the window, digging out my duffel and piling clothes inside.

“I don’t know what to do,” Nick started, slow and painfully. There was a tremor to his voice. “How do I make it up to you? For everything I’ve done?”

Gazing up at him, I smiled. Despite everything that had transpired, I loved him in my own way. “Don’t worry about it.” I wanted to add we had all screwed up, but the moment wasn’t long enough.

“If you insist,” he replied, staring at his feet and coming inside to sit on my bed.

“Is there something else?” I inquired, joining him, aware something had changed in him. There was this air about him. I vaguely hoped he would relent what Drei had guarded so dearly.

“Yeah. I spoke with Gloria; she requested I see her, oddly enough,” Nick said slowly.

“And?”

“Well…I better know my part in this play.”

“All the world’s a stage,” I recited distractedly.

“And all the men and women merely players. Shakespeare knew what he was talking about.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. “What play are we in?”

He looked shocked and I hated that expression, more than I had before. If people—namely Drei, Mitchell, and, now, Nick—would just tell me instead of being riddle masters, I wouldn’t have to ask the obvious questions. It wasn’t such a difficult concept to grasp. Or was I alone in thinking that?

“The play of your life. Every event, every person, it’s all leading up to your shining moment.”

“And what is my shining moment, pray tell?”

“That’s like asking what I wished,” he replied, smiling that slightly crooked smile with which I first fell in love. “You’re never supposed to tell.”

“Punk,” I teased, disappointed, but knowing everything would have to make sense at some point in time. Who knew if that time would ever come, but it seemed worthless to resist waiting for it.

I expected him to leave then as I couldn’t imagine there was anymore reason for him to stay; I wasn’t sure if I wanted him to leave, though, despite what I now knew about him.

“Can I ask something?”

“Why not?” I responded, shrugging.

He looked extremely serious and almost grave. “May I have one more kiss?”

I nearly fell off the bed laughing. His manner and the question were such a stark contrast to each other, I couldn’t help it. Nick caught my flailing arm before I tumbled sideways.

Instead of saying anything, I kissed him. His breath was warm and his lips soft, just as they had always been. But this kiss was different. This kiss felt more like saying “See ya, sugar” than “Hello, gorgeous.”

“Two things,” he whispered when our lips parted. “This isn’t goodbye, no matter what it feels like. I’m just bowing out for the act.” A gentle smile played along his lips, his jade eyes glinting with a hint of sorrow. “Secondly, now I can tell Gloria she was wrong about something.”

“Wrong about what?”

He wrapped me in his arms again, and it felt more like a goodbye by the second. Tears pressed at my eyes, my heart aching. I had expected this moment to come—I didn’t think Drei would let him come with us. We couldn’t risk anything more. It was a miracle enough I was going, though I don’t know how much of that was thanks to Valetta.

“She said you wouldn’t kiss me.” As he held me tighter, tears soaked his shoulder and our laughter rippled around us. Part of me wished he could say goodbye without joking; another part of me wouldn’t have had it any other way.