Breathe

Chapter 12

Lucie

The day went by quicker than it should have. I got around three hours of sleep after getting home late, then was forced to get up again to work my shift at Wal-Mart. Exhausted from too many phony smiles, Jiya took me out shopping, a trip that proved to be unproductive. I only got one pair of shoes, which I realized when I got home were actually two different sizes.

Oh, how I despised department stores.

Worst of all, I couldn't seem to keep my mind off the Hornes. They were an unstoppable virus eating at my brain, a thought I just kept coming back to. Cian, and his futile attempts to protect me. Vinny, and his dwindling health. Their father, and the secret he seemed so busy burying. What was I supposed to do?

I was in my bedroom, splayed across my bed. I watched the blades of the fan spin, listened to the warbled voices of my parents, downstairs. Why I was hearing voices, I didn't understand, as it was supposed to be their movie night. Then again, my parents couldn't shut up for even five seconds.

I had to think. Was I going to call Cian? No. I was supposed to be mad at him; I couldn't give in too quickly.

But I had nothing else to do. My shift was done, Jiya had left for a trip after I'd seen her, and I was running low on reading material. Normally when I was bored, calling Cian was what I did, but I couldn't. Not this time, no matter how tantalizing the thought was.

I had just sat up with a new resolve to go find something to do downstairs—perhaps even join in on whatever crappy movie my parents had picked out--when the doorbell rang. Startled, I called down to my mother that I would get the door and padded gently down the steps. I hesitated in the foyer, scrutinizing the deep mahogany of the door. Something pulsed uncomfortably in my throat. Somehow, even before I opened it, I already knew who it was.

"Cian, you can't be here right now," I muttered, folding my arms. He was standing outside on the front porch, the night inky around him, his hands behind his back. "I told you, I don't want--"

"Lucie," he responded, pleading with me. "Please. I just...Look, I know you're upset with me, but I need to talk to you. You've got to let me try."

I stared at him for a moment longer, trying to ignore the subtle acceleration of my heartbeat that his presence always seemed to cause. I remembered the hoarseness of my voice as I'd raised it at him last night, the plaintive gleam in the sapphire blue of his eyes. He was hopeless, and so was I, as I couldn't stand the bitterness between us. If he was going to try, I thought, then I was obligated to as well. After all, he'd gone as far as to randomly show up at my house; sending him away seemed like it would be harsh.

I leaned against the doorjamb, unable to fight back a little smile. I hadn't noticed it before, but he looked neat: clothed in khaki pants and one of his favorite graphic T-shirts, sans his typical dark hoodie. His gold hair had been obviously trimmed, the strands no longer nipping at his ears or hanging in his eyes, but rather just barely brushing his eyebrows. "You clean up nicely," I said, trying to get used to the layout of his face, which was now unobstructed.

He smirked. "When I try. Now can I take you somewhere? Somewhere quiet."

Not giving him an answer, I pointed to distinguish his hands, which he continued to hide behind him. "What are you hiding there?"

"Oh," he stammered, then pulled them out from behind his back to reveal a colorful bouquet of flowers. He was holding them awkwardly, his hands trembling a little, and there was a blush high on his cheeks. "Well. Vinny told me to get you flowers, so. Look. Flowers."

Unable to hold back a laugh, I accepted the bouquet, examining it further. There were pink azaleas and deep violet flowers, roses of the deepest crimson. When I held it to my nose, the floral scent reminded me of spring. Shaking my head, I held the flowers to my chest and stepped out onto the porch, pulling the door shut behind me. Turning my face up towards Cian's, I asked, "Where are we going?"