Until We Meet Again(29)
I shake my head. “Sorry, but if we both catch pneumonia,
I’d be significantly better off than you. One of the few perks
of my era.”
I expect Lawrence to carry on with the banter, but when I
look at him, he’s watching me with an unexpectedly soft smile.
His eyes drift down to my lips.
“I wouldn’t mind dying today,” he says. “Might as well end
on a high note.”
A current of electricity runs through my body, but hearing
him talk about death pulls me back to reality. Technically speaking, whenever I leave this beach, Lawrence already is dead. In my world, in the real world, he’s probably been dead for at least
twenty years. The thought spreads through me like ice. I rub the
chill from my arms. “No more talk about dying. It’s too…creepy.”
“You’re trembling,” Lawrence says, noticing my shiver. He
puts his arm around me. “Better?”
You have no idea, Lawrence. I try not to let him see me
flush with pleasure. “Isn’t this what they call getting ‘fresh’ in
your era?”
“My intentions are innocent!”
“Suspect.”
“Only sometimes.” He brushes a hand across the roof of our
dripping shelter. “We should probably go in and get dry.”
My heart sinks a little. “I guess so.”
“Do I need to concoct another excuse to see you again, or
will you meet me for meeting’s sake?”
“You’re welcome to concoct an excuse. For my amusement.”
“All right then. Cassandra, will you meet me tomorrow
morning so that I can give you a surprise?”
“A surprise, huh?” I tap my chin, pretending to mull over the
pros and cons. “Intriguing…”
Lawrence winks. “I promise it will be worth it.”
“Tomorrow it is, then.”
h
I’m up early. I feel silly admitting it to myself, but I’m too excited to sleep. It’s probably better to get out of the house
before everyone is up though. I’m sure Mom has noticed how
much time I’m spending on the beach. Better to minimize
her awareness. I’ll meet Lawrence and be back before she even
notices I was gone.
After picking out my favorite blue cotton dress, I pull my hair back into a curly ponytail and head downstairs. But Mom’s
in the kitchen, pouring Eddie some cold cereal. I freeze in the
doorway, my plan foiled. Then I feel a pair of big, brown eyes
latch on me.
“Cass,” Eddie says, pointing his chubby toddler finger at me.
Traitor.
Mom looks surprised. “What are you doing up this early? I
thought teenagers were clinically dead before ten a.m. during the summer.”
“Funny. You should consider a career in comedy.”
“One day I’ll live my dreams.” She motions to the kitchen.
“Do you want some breakfast? Frank’s going to fry some eggs.”
I shoot a darting glance to the backyard. “Actually, I was
thinking I would go for a run. Clear my head a little.”
Mom’s eyebrows rise. “You’re going for a run?”
“Yes. Don’t sound so incredulous.”
“Hey, I think it’s a great idea. Definitely. Give it a try. See
how you like it.”
I fold my arms, feeling defensive, even though we both know
I’m the least likely person on this planet to be a runner. “I really am going to do it.”
“Wonderful. Then before you start, you should have some
breakfast. Let me make you some oatmeal.”
“Can’t. Don’t want to exercise on a full stomach.”
“At least take some fruit.”
Seeing that I must appease her motherly concern, I grab a
banana from the counter, peel it, and cram three bites into
my mouth.
“Satisfied?” I ask, my cheeks full of banana.
She smiles and I head off.
“Aren’t you going to change out of that dress?” Mom calls as
I disappear around the corner.
I could smack my forehead. Instead, I yell back in my most
confident voice, “I like exercising in dresses.”
I wince, waiting for her radar-like senses to pick up on the
abnormality of this. There’s a tense pause.
“Just make sure you have your pepper spray,” she calls.
I release a silent breath of relief. “Yep. I’ve got it. Love
you. Bye.”
When I finally hit the cool, salty air of the back patio, my
stomach does a little backflip. I’m way too eager. It’s truly lame.
But I’ll own that lameness today. Quite proudly. I jog down
the path. In spite of Mom’s skepticism, I probably could run a
marathon today. I have all the energy in the world.
But when I arrive at the beach, it’s empty. I scan down the
shore for any sign of him, but only the crashing waves move in
the stillness. I go down to the shore and touch the cool water.