Eliot Strange and the Prince of the Resistance

6) Cigarette Break

I am stomping across the front yard and acting like a petulant child, rather than the grown up I pretend to be, when I spot my prince sitting on the back stoop of the kitchen smoking a cigarette. Besides the cigarette, I notice how tired he looks. I notice the bags under his eyes, the way he is favoring his left side. Though it seems like a month ago, it was only days ago that I sewed him back together. I am mad at his indifference and bossiness today, but I can't help myself. I am drawn to Torin. I want to take care of him. An invisible wire connected to my heart pulls me in like a fish from the sea. And, as usual, I am so taken by just the sight of him that I can't quit thinking cheesy thoughts better left in the back of my brain.

Torin takes another drag of the cigarette and starts to hide it, but he changes his mind.

"Didn't know you smoke," I say as I watch the cigarette leave his lips and a puff of smoke exit.

"Officially, I don't," says Torin as he places the cigarette at his feet and steps on it. He looks directly into my eyes and says, "It calms me, but for Heaven's sake, do not tell the king. He would have me beheaded. Or at least put in the Tower of London."

"Well, Tori. I don't think I will be seeing the king anytime soon and besides, you are a grown ass man. Do as you like."

"Exactly," he says and grabs my hand and pulls me closer. So close I can smell his cigarette breath, and it is not so bad. It's kind of sexy in a dirty, scoundrel kind of way. Just when I think he is going to give me the first real kiss, he turns the hand holding/ pulling into a handshake and says, "Thank you."

The handshake is the kind you know someone taught him as a young boy. Firm, two pumps. All business and manners and professional.

"Thank you?" I say.

"Thank you," he repeats. "For everything, my lady. You saved my life. You saved us all."

"You're welcome." I lower my face and smile my most dazzling, come hither smile. I am ready to be thanked properly and adored by this beautiful man. I lean in so close that we are secret keepers now, two lovers on the stoop whispering sweet nothings for only our ears.

He removes his hand from mine and slowly stands up and sort of dusts himself off. "I must go. Get some rest. Make some decisions. Decide what's next. And how best to find our cousins."

"Our cousins?"

"Yes, Carli and Jack," he says to me.

Oh yeah, I forgot all about them, though I am still not sure either one of them is worth the risk.

"Are you sure we can trust them?" I ask.

"Most definitely," he says with as much confidence as I guess he can muster considering all the cousins have been up to lately.

He opens the screen door and steps inside. And then, as if he forgot I was even there for a minute, Torin turns. He is going to kiss me goodbye with what I am sure is his best "and parting is such sweet sorrow" speech, but instead he asks, ever so politely:

"Oh, by the way, how is the pie making? I do love a fruit pie." He pats his stomach. "I am famished."

I stand up and because I am standing on the bottom step of the stoop, I am looking up at Mr. Stuck Up/Prince Torin like I am one of his servants. I refuse to lower my eyes because it is probably the proper protocol. I can't believe I was in love with this bossy idiot a minute ago. I look Torin directly in the eye and say, "I won't bake your damn pie. I won't." And then I turn and stomp off.

Prince Torin sighs and says just loud enough for me to hear, "Ah, there's my girl."

I turn to say, "I am not your girl," but before I can get it out, he has gone inside, and I am talking to a bouncing screen door.

As I storm across the front yard at an almost running pace, I hear a gunshot then another. That is the signal. That means someone is here. 

Has the One Nation Army caught us already?