Chasing Atlantis (4 page)

On the drive home instead of thinking of the Greys and how wonderful they treated me, I couldn’t think of anything else but the differences between the lifeguard and Adam. The lifeguard who had been so rude and arrogant to me, while Adam had been nothing but warm and kind. No matter how much I tried to convince myself that Adam was what I should want, all I could think about was
his
blue-green eyes and the sickeningly nice feeling I got when I looked into them.

It really ticked me off that I always seemed to like the guys I knew I should avoid, but this one was different.

Like somehow I had known him for a long time, but I could never seem to remember from where. The muddled headache returned, this time reaching the full force of a migraine. I closed my eyes tightly and tried not to think of anything until we reached the house.

“Well, isn’t Adam a nice young man?” Mom gushed when we were safely inside. I rolled my eyes. I didn’t like to discuss boys with her.

“Yes. He was very nice, and I’m amazed that his nose—that he seemed to change so much.” I just saved myself from getting a dirty look.

Curious about something I worded my question carefully. “Mom, how did he know about Greg and me? I’m pretty sure I never even told you.”

“Oh darling a mother always has her ways. You can do so much better than him anyway.” Her eyes gleamed with enthusiasm and her pale face flushed with the excitement of matchmaking.

“Well I’m pretty tired. I think I’m gonna go to bed now. Night Mom.” I turned to run up the stairs, expecting some fit of disapproval about my unwillingness to talk to her about him. Surprisingly she only muttered a goodnight and disappeared behind me.

Heels in each hand I took the stairs two at a time, trying to ensure that Mom was definitely done for the night of harassing me. When I reached my room and found the light on I was instantly curious. I was positive I turned that light out, but I seemed to be wrong about a lot of things these days.

I could feel my heart beat accelerating, I tried to tell myself how stupid it was to be worried about a light on, but I just couldn’t help shake the feeling that I was being watched. I reached one hand out slowly for the knob. I closed my eyes to listen for sounds. My stomach churned, I felt nauseas with all the food swimming inside of me. I took a deep breath and turned the door knob.

4.

The Run

I stepped into the open doorway, and smiled with relief. There lying on her back across my bed was Gaby, feet propped up on the pillows reading some old magazine that’s been my in room for years.

“Gaby, you scared me!” I accused. “Jeez. Next time warn me when you are going to raid my room!” I hurled myself across the bed next to her, laughing.

“Aw. Amy, but what fun would that be? It makes it so much more exciting when you have no idea I’m going to surprise you.” We laughed in unison. I laughed mostly because her high ringing laughter has always made things funnier than they actually were.

“So tell me all about it? Did you have fun?” She flopped onto her stomach, turning her full brown eyes to study my reactions.

“Yeah. It was a lot of fun! I mean Adam has changed so much from what he was! Thank God he got that nose fixed! I was afraid it would jump off his face and attack me one day!” I put my hand out like a spider in front of my nose and pretended to pounce on Gaby. She laughed and smacked me with the magazine.

“No, but seriously I’m glad I went. It’s nice knowing that someone in this city likes me.” Whoops. Shouldn’t have said that.

“What does that mean?” She eyed me suspiciously.

“Nothing.” I had to do my blank face because Gaby was looking into my eyes for any sign of emotion. I just prayed she didn’t pry into the story behind that one. Content with my blank expression, or just convinced that she’d find the story out another time, she turned away from me.

“So, Gaby, what’s new with you? How is your family?”

“They are good. Tito is starting middle school! And Laura is in fourth grade already! They are growing up so fast. I remember when they were both in diapers.” I could feel myself smiling with her. Her smile has always been contagious.

“Wow. I remember when those little troublemakers were just starting to walk. I can’t believe they are that old already. Time really does fly by. How is your fiancée doing? I haven’t seen him in a while.” Her smile disappeared and her face was instantly creased with worry lines. Apparently it was not the question to ask.

“He isn’t doing so well. He got sick a few months ago, and he’s not getting better. The doctors aren’t sure what to do with him. He’s not responding to the medication… I don’t know what we are going to do. He’s been out of work for a while, and the bills are piling up.”

“Gaby, I am so sorry!” I articulated each syllable trying to show how sorry I really was. I wrapped my arms around her in a protective hug. “If there is anything I can do for you just let me know. Please, I really want to help.”

“Just you being here is enough.” A strange look came into her eyes. Something I didn’t recognize, something I wasn’t sure if I wanted to. Clearly uncomfortable with the topic, she changed it immediately.

“Amy, these don’t belong to any girls. Whose are
these
?” She pulled out the dark black sunglasses from her dress pocket.

I was slightly annoyed that she’d been snooping in my room, mostly because I didn’t want to explain the story to anyone. “I don’t know who they belong to. I found them on the beach, and I decided to take them.” It wasn’t quite a lie… I just wasn’t being completely forthcoming with all the information.

“I wouldn’t let your mom find these. No telling what she would think if she found boys sunglasses in your room.” A glint of chagrin in her eyes made her face come alive with beauty. I took the sunglasses and tossed them noisily into the drawer. “But please promise me something, Amy.”

“Yeah, of course. Anything Gaby.”

“Please stop making your mom mad. This color pink looks horrible on you. I don’t think
I
could tolerate another dress like this.” With that she jumped off my bed, just as I tossed a pillow at her. She dodged it easily, I was laughing too hard to have any sort of aim.

“Good night girl. Get some rest. You have another busy day ahead.”

I stuck my tongue out as she shut the door. Right before the door finally closed she turned once again to face my room, with a grim expression, all traces of the previous humor gone. She started to make the sign of the cross as she faced me. I didn’t know if it was an ill attempt at humor but it was creepy. Definitely not funny.

While I was getting ready for bed I heard an odd sound coming from one of my windows. At first it was very faint, but suddenly it was right there. A deep rumbling, followed by a light sputtering sound lightly tapped my glass. I froze, too terrified to move. I mustered enough strength to walk over to it. I inhaled deeply and moved the curtain back.

Nothing. Must have been a motorcycle or something I told myself. I couldn’t completely shake the feeling that something
was
watching me.

Despite the weird day, and putting up with my family most of all, my night ended on a good note. I was in a good mood and decided that Vero Beach wasn’t a complete lost cause. I slipped into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

My good mood quickly evaporated, like the sticky dew that had not quite left the grass yet, as Mom shook me awake before the sun even came out. Apparently we were going to have a mother-daughter day of activities. Someone shoot me to put me out of my misery. I might not have minded had it been later, and I could have had some kind of say in it. Then again it might not have…

First up on the agenda is tennis. Usually I like sports, but tennis not so much. I spent the first two games not moving, barely swinging my racquet still sulking about having to get up so early. It wasn’t until Mom hurled a tennis ball at my head at the beginning of the third game that I got my spark back.

“Is that how it’s gonna be, Nicole?” I asked her, a coy smiling playing at my lips. I then proceeded to defeat her, our racquet’s making loud swooshing sounds as we swung them in flurries. I won the next two games. It was a tie, but I wasn’t in the mood for another game.

I was bent over huffing, while Mom didn’t even have a drop of sweat. She stood up straight, her rigid arms at her sides as she waited for me. She wasn’t even breathing hard. It was aggravating that my mom seemed to be in so much better shape than me. It just didn’t seem natural, almost. Nothing tired her, nothing ever gave her any type of problems.

“More yoga Mom?” I said between gasps. I remembered that was one of her favorite past times to fill up her empty days.

“Something like that, dear.” A dark smile spread across her face. I guessed at my remembering that she liked yoga.

By the end of our games it was midafternoon, smoking hot and humid. I felt sticky, tired, all I wanted was to go home and relax for a little while. Mom had other plans for me. She wanted me to go to her exclusive country club.

“There are so many wonderful people I would like you to meet. They know all about you. They have just been dying to meet you! The Greys belong there, too, you know.” I suppressed a groan. Of course the Greys went there. I could tell I would be seeing a lot more of them this summer.

Luck must have been on my side. The car wouldn’t start. No matter how many times Mom tried to start the car, it wouldn’t budge. She started up with a long list of obscenities. She must have really wanted me to go, she usually didn’t curse. She pulled out her cell phone with an exasperated look.

“Hello, Steven. Yes, the car won’t start. We are down by the tennis courts. I was going to take her to the club when—yes, I’ve already realized that there might have been interference.” She glared down at me. I wasn’t completely able to hide my smile. “Another time then. Oh, darling, could you come see if you can fix the car. Amy Jane and I will just have to go a different time.” Dang it. I thought I was off the hook. “Thank you, dear. You are so wonderful.” You are so something, Steve. I’m just not sure I would have gone with wonderful. Gag.

Steve made it to us in record time. He handed the keys over to Mom and lightly kissed her on the cheek. I hopped out of the car, heading for the green BMW again, when Steve suddenly caught my arm and wheeled me around so that we were facing each other.

“What are your plans for today?” he asked, his hand roughly digging into my arm.

“Er, nothing that I know of. Ouch! That hurts.” He quickly dropped his arm, smiling slightly.

“Sorry, about that. I was just checking… In case you made other plans.” Both Steve and Mom were watching me suspiciously, their eyes flickering from my face to each others.

“If you are referring to making plans with Adam the answer is no. I didn’t. I was just thinking about maybe getting some ice cream later.” Their rigid faces relaxed slightly into smiles. They nodded, contempt that I was obviously thinking about Adam. Or maybe it was just because they wouldn’t have to entertain me all afternoon if I had other plans.

After I got home, and sh
owered I decided it was time for a little cat nap. I stretched myself across my bed, and heaved a happy sigh. “Now this is what a vacation is all about.” I said to myself. I know talking to yourself is generally considered unhealthy, but so long as no unusual voices answer back I think it’s completely normal. I fell into a light sleep.

I awoke to the noisy buzzing of my phone. I was dazed, but instantly jolted awake as soon as I moved. All my muscles hurt. I looked at the message on my phone, regretting it instantly.

The message I’d been waiting for came in from my best friend. Only it was not what I was expecting. Greg didn’t leave me to go have fun, he left me for
her, my best friend.
Suddenly all the clues clicked together and everything made sense; like why they never seemed to notice anything else when they were around each other, why both of them felt oddly distant from me lately, and all the inside jokes they shared without me. All I could think about was them; their bodies inclining slowly towards one another, their hands intertwined as they gazed into each other’s eyes. It was enough to make me wretch.

“Stupid, back-stabbing, wench of a….” I muttered as I jumped off the bed. I was too angry to stay in the house, especially if Mom got any more ideas of what mothers and daughters were supposed to do together.

I paced back and forth across the ostentatious pink room. I had to leave but I didn’t know where to go. I didn’t want go call Adam. I didn’t really want to discuss this with him. My hands were balled into fists at my side. I’d never wanted to hit something quite this badly. Not because of Greg leaving me, but because I’d lost my best friend to the jerk.

I could feel tears welling up inside me, they weren’t going to come out. I wouldn’t let them. I grabbed a pair of old sneakers from the closet, pulling them on, quickly pulling my hair back into a messy bun.

I took my car keys and cell phone, not thinking of bringing anything else. Gaby was sweeping the already spotless kitchen floor when I came down the stairs.

“Tell them I went out, and that I have my cell phone if they need me.” I grumbled.

“But, Amy, when are you going to come ho—”

“When I get home.” I slammed the door. I knew it was mean but I was too angry to really regret it yet. I just had to get out of there.

At first I wasn’t sure where to go in this boring city, I felt like an unwelcome guest. Eventually I drove down to the only place I ever felt welcome, despite my little problem yesterday; the tourist beaches. I went farther out this time just in case that stinking life guard was there again. I didn’t want to take any chances. The only way to calm myself down, when I get like this, without going to jail, is to run.

The gentle even patting of my feet against the hard ground, the wind pushing through my hair, my lungs collapsing; begging me to stop, but you push yourself until you absolutely can’t go any further. It wasn’t quite evening when I approached the beach even though most of the tourists had packed up for the day. There were still a couple of skim boarders loitering around, showing off just for the fun of it.

I already felt calmer as I started jogging down the coast. I let the frustration I’ve felt over the last couple of days push me; from being forced to spend the entire summer before my senior year with Mom, to being practically shoved at Adam. I wanted my life back. I could feel it quickly slipping out of my control.

I also wanted to help Gaby. I let my mind wonder about possible solutions, maybe talking it over with Mom about finding a good hospital with specialists to help her fiancée. It wasn’t fair that she always got the short end of the stick in life. She is such a wonderful person.

I was no longer jogging but sprinting. The familiar cramps in my sides made me wince in pain, my lungs were on fire; the burning sensation pushed up into my mouth making it dry and sticky. I was gasping for air, but I wasn’t about to stop now. The anger was being replaced by determination, so long as I kept that up I knew I wouldn’t do something stupid.

Finally my legs gave out. I collapsed into a heap on the sand. I could feel all the blood pumping through me, hammering loudly in my head. I was gasping in and out for air; I took it in with greedy gulps. Male laughter made me look up in shock.

I quickly realized with a stab of fear that I hadn’t been paying attention to where I was running. I ran far from the public beaches to the sleazy hotel district. On the beach were young men holding on to plastic cups clearly intoxicated, laughing at me. They were all tall, with rippling muscles. There was no one to call for help. I was rooted hopelessly to the ground.

The biggest one staggered forward with stupid grin on his face. “Hey, babe. We were just looking for a cute thing like you.” Then the rest of the men stepped forward.

I jumped to my feet and ran back the way I came, covering them with dirt and mud. I heard laughter and curses after me. I didn’t dare look back to see their faces. I might not have made it out of there if I did. My legs felt unsteady, trembling beneath my wobbly body.

Adrenaline took the place of anger, pushing me faster than the latter. I was almost where I parked my car in less than half the time the initial run took. I looked around to make sure there was no one following me, there wasn’t. I slowed my sprint down to a walk. My chest heaved heavily all the way.