Insight (Web of Hearts and Souls #1)(21)
“Hey, Drake said to tell you he was sorry,” Monica said in a more serious tone.
“For…?”
“He said he must have scared you, but he was only trying to carry the cooler to the fire for you,” Monica said, believing every word she said. “He’s not that bad of a guy. He invited us all to go to Florida with him. He has this huge boat, and he said we could go out on the ocean.”
“Tell me you aren’t seriously considering going off with some guy you just met?”
My words shamed Monica. She glanced down as the room grew awkwardly tense.
“We’re all leaving for school in a few weeks. It would be nice to go to the beach first,” Hannah said, defending Monica.
“Promise me you won’t go anywhere with Drake,” I begged, feeling a growing sense of dread within me.
Hannah looked at Monica. “We can still go to the beach, but Willow’s right. We don’t need to go off with a guy we just met.”
“We got you something,” Jessica said, breaking the tension. She handed me a black bag with burgundy tissue paper. I was sure she was the one who’d wrapped it; if it were up to Monica, it would have been hot pink. I sat next to Olivia on my bed and pulled the ribbons on the bag. “We’ve all been working on it since graduation. We were going to give it to you last night, but you left so fast,” Jessica said, proud of herself.
Inside was a large photo album, and on the front of it was an abstract painting of the five of us that Jessica had done. The photos started when we were all in diapers, and they went all the way through graduation night. The album was full of birthdays and summers. Everything we’d ever shared. I grinned as the flashbacks flew through my memory.
“I could not have asked for a better gift. This means the world to me. I will cherish it forever.” I said with a crack in my voice. I was going to miss them so much.
“Just don’t forget us when you’re famous, deal?” Jessica said.
I nodded, then stood, pulled all of them together, and hugged them.
When Dane was through in the shower, he loaded my mother’s car with our luggage and drove us to the airport. He even went in with us, not leaving until we reached the security gates. My mother and Libby walked on, giving us a chance to say goodbye. I stared forward at the gate, then back at Dane.
I was so scared.
“You can’t be afraid of the next step, Willow. We all have to grow.”
“That’s pretty deep,” I teased.
“Maybe one day I will listen to my own advice,” Dane said, laughing at himself.
“You will,” I promised.
Holding back my tears, I reached up and hugged him. I didn’t understand why growing had to hurt so badly. After I let go of him, I kept my eyes down. I could feel his sorrow. It was ripping me apart. I never saw my life without Dane in it. I walked away, waving behind me.
Chapter Four
The flight was close to two hours long, so I decided to try and fall asleep. After all, I wanted to know if the blue-eyed boy had read my note. A sinful smirk emerged as I closed my eyes. I wanted to feel his kiss. I was yearning to feel that once more.
I didn’t find my way to that beautiful world or to the horrible nightmare. Instead, all I saw was a Blue Moon, which was full and filled the entire sky. I gazed at its detail and felt the energy that came from it. Slowly, it started to rise. In the gleam of blue light, I saw Drake to my right, and to my left I saw the boy I was searching for. The dream was wickedly surreal.
The landing gear hit the ground and I awoke with a start.
Libby had fallen asleep, too, so I carried her through the airport and cradled her as my mother rented us a car. My mother drove through the last hours of daylight. I took over at nightfall. As I drove, I searched the sky, looking for the moon and wondering what the dream could have meant.
My mother took over again at daybreak. Since she had been to Ashten’s home before and knew the way, she needed to drive as we got closer. I gladly closed my eyes, hoping I’d find my direction from the one I was about to seek.
The weight that I always felt on my chest was immediate. My sense of emotion was stripped from me again. This time the people around me could see me. They gawked in my direction. The room I was in was more beautiful than any other room I had visited in these nightmares. The ceilings were high and the walls were decorated with beautiful paintings. For some reason, though, I could not focus on the images that they reflected. There was no furniture in this room. The floor was a red velvet carpet, and doors that stretched from the floor to the ceiling were centered on every wall. One of them led outside, into sunlight.
Women were lining the walls, dressed in royal colors for a formal occasion; others made adjustments to what I was wearing. They had dressed me in a gown, much like a wedding dress, with lace and flowers woven into the design.
The wooden doors in front of me opened, and I could sense someone. They were not afraid like the ones I always felt here. Instead, they were content. My heartbeat grew louder as I gasped for breath under the pressure on my chest. I wanted so badly to wake, to help whoever needed me and leave. Through the doorway, I could hear whispering.
A beautiful woman of age with mesmerizing green eyes glided over to me. Her hair was placed perfectly on her head, and jewels decorated her neck. When she reached me, the ones around me scurried away. She took my hand, and as her smooth skin touched mine, the room vanished and I was surrounded by a white glow. In that moment, the weight on my chest was released. The woman smiled at me as the relief was apparent on my face. I could feel her intensely now. She was compassionate. It was as if she loved me.