Synectica

Chapter 17

         Another game ended and the crowds stood up to cheer. Netta cupped her hands around her mouth to cheer on the team as they ran off the field triumphantly. Ryan was grinning ear to ear next to her and James, who had been dragged out of the Domum by Alice, almost literally, sat with his arms crossed, his eyes staring off into the distance. Netta maneuvered her way through jumping people on the stands until she reached the bottom. She was attacked with a bear hug from Sophie as soon as her feet hit the grass. Laughing, Netta hugged her back and then went off into the school. As she passed the boys locker room, she could hear the whoops and hollers of their first victory of the season. She smiled as she imagined Greg at the center of the group, riling everyone else up.

       "Netta!" a familiar voice called.

        Greg was just exiting the locker room, still in his uniform. Netta's stomach had a sudden wrenching feeling when her eyes flickered from his well-toned arm muscles to his sweaty hair. She shook her head a little and then smiled at him.

         "Greg!" she said as normally as possible. "You did so great!"

         "Thanks!" he said grinning. "Actually I wanted to show you something real quick. Do you have a sec?"

         "Sure," she said a little hesitantly.

         She tried to ignore her reddening face as he grabbed her by the hand and jogged back out to the soccer field with her. He led her over to the side near one of the bleachers.

         Netta looked around for a minute for raising an eyebrow at him.

         "The soccer field?"

         "Just trust me for a sec," he said smiling mischievously.

         "Well not when you're looking at me like that," she said laughing.

         "Like what?" he said surprised.

         "Like you're going to trick me or something. You look like you're up to something," she said staring straight into his eyes, considering for a second reading his thoughts. He must have realized the thought crossed her mind because he answered her quickly.

         "I am not! Just close your eyes," he said.

         So she did. And then there was a slight pressure on her lips and suddenly everything was gone. Her limbs felt nonexistent and her head was wiped clean of any memories. She was suspended in time where all rules of physics and gravity were null and void. Something warm touched her waist and spiderwebs of warmth spread from the spot throughout her abdomen. Another touch of warmth worked its way from the side of her jaw into the back of her head, sending waves of heat down her spine and into her face. The hollow cavity that had once contained her consciousness yearned for control again, yet she never wanted to feel anything ever again if she could only hold this moment forever.

         Netta jumped a little when she was suddenly staring into the darkness of the Domum. A figure loomed just feet away from her and then disappeared as quickly as Netta had seen it. She pulled a blanket tighter around her shoulders and nuzzled deeper into her pillow, feeling that the fever had a stronger effect on her than she had realized. She felt cold somehow and it wasn't for while that she realized that she missed Greg's touch. She laughed coldly at herself for thinking something so stupid, but her mind still spun with the images of him in her mind. Even though it had been a dream, she suddenly missed him terribly and wished, just for a second, that she had kissed him back, even if it had only been a dream.