Glistening Embers

Chapter 19: The Leap Of Faith

Author's Note: Warning! There are kisses here!

Glisteen gasped and leapt forward, trying, hoping to grab a hand. There was no hand to grab. She looked down at the ground. Nothing. No sign of him. "Sabecary, this isn't funny! Where are you?" she yelled frantically.

He could be hurt, or even... no, he couldn't be. "Sabecary? Sabecary?! Sabecary, where are you?!" She beat a fist against the side of the wall.

"Woah, calm down." came a voice from above her.

She looked up to see Sabecary's smirking face looking down on her. He was sitting on a piece of ice he had attached to the wall.

"You imbecile!" Glisteen said, "Do you have any idea what could've happened! You could've been killed! You idiot!"

Sabecary's grin just grew wider. "You care."

Glisteen snorted. "Just get down, you idiot."

Sabecary's grin grew into a rather disturbing version of Raya's full on smile. "You CARED!"

Glisteen huffed. "I would NOT care, even if you really did fall to your death."

He smirked again. "Then, I wouldn't care either."

And with that, he pushed her out the window.

Time seemed to slow down, as she fell backwards. She noticed things she hadn't noticed before.

The window glass shimmered in the light of the rising sun. There was a kind of steeple at the top of the mansion. Sabecary's hand was still partially red as he reached it towards her. Sabecary's hand!

She stretched her hand out to grab his, as time seemed to speed up, pulling her away from Sabecary.

Glisteen grunted as she felt a tug on her shoe and she was pulled up on the ice piece. Her heart felt like a ball, being thrown against the wall of her chest, over and over again. She began hyperventilating. She could have died! She could have been smashed onto the ground a hundred feet below.

"What was that for?" Glisteen asked a smiling Sabecary.

"For lying." Sabecary replied.

"I did not lie!" Glisteen retorted.

"Then, I didn't, either." he said, with a smug look on his face.

Glisteen frowned at him. "I hate you, Sabecary Rosen."

His smile turned sweet. "I hate you too, Glisteen Evocabeth." he said, in all sincerity. He pulled her close, much too close to his very handsome face. Yet, somehow, she didn't mind.

She leaned in close to him. "I hate you with every fiber of my being."

"I feel the same way."

Their lips met in a torrent of burning passion. Glisteen felt a jolt of... electricity shoot through her. His lips tasted like peppermint. His hand wrapped around the back of her neck.

She felt like it had been eternity by the time they pulled away for breath. Glisteen wasn't sure how to feel. Was she happy? Was she in love? Did she hate him as much as she had said? Maybe all three.

They sat on the sheet of ice in comfortable silence. It felt like all the troubles that lay ahead were put on pause, and Glisteen could live in this moment forever.

"We should go get breakfast." Sabecary said, climbing down into the window, and helping Glisteen into the room.

They walked down the stairs in an awkward quiet. They wandered down the empty halls till they found their way to the cafeteria.

"What do you want?" Sabecary asked, trying to be his old haughty self.

"Oh, I'll have the tomato soup." Glisteen said, after an awkward pause.

"Okay, I think I'll have the same." Sabecary replied. He gave the order to a waiter that happened to be walking by.

"So..." Glisteen said, awkwardly. Why was Sabecary acting like nothing had even happened?   "What's the deal with you and Raya?"

"Oh, um... we... used to... date?" It sounded more like a question than a statement, but Glisteen didn't press it.

"Oh, okay. So... do you like your room?" Glisteen asked, shifting awkwardly.

"It's fine. How's your sister?" Sabecary replied.

"She hasn't lost control recently."  Glisteen worried. Would she lose control again soon? Will she be able to calm her down?

Just then the food came. "Thank you." Glisteen said quietly to the waiter.

They ate in silence. After they finished, Sabecary escorted Glisteen up to her room. "Goodbye." he said shortly, and turned to leave.

Glisteen clenched her fists. Did he have short memory loss? Why was he acting like his STUPID. OLD. SELF?!

"Don't." Glisteen commanded. It came out harsher than she meant it to. "Will you, please, step into my room for a bit?"

"Alright." Sabecary said. "Gentlemen!" he called, addressing two guys walking down the hallway.

One had blue and brown hair and wore a faded green jacket. The other had grey hair and eyes. The grey one was Smeko, Telma's brother; Glisteen knew that for sure. She wasn't sure about the blue streaked one.

"Gentlemen," Sabecary continued, "if I am not out in an hour, assume this woman," he gestured to Glisteen. "This woman has murdered me, and is hiding my body by burning it and throwing it in the fireplace."

The guys exchanged a glance. "We will." Smeko decided, in his accent.

"The right decision." Sabecary announced. Glisteen glared at Sabecary and dragged him into her room by the back of his collared shirt. He gagged and gently pulled her hand off his shirt. He closed the door.

"Glisteen... I... I know we kissed, but we've only known each other a few weeks-"

Glisteen was the one to gag this time as she shoved Sabecary away from the door. Foul images ran through her mind. "Ew, ew, ew, ew!" she squealed as she smacked her forehead over and over in an attempt to get rid of the horrible thoughts. All she got was a headache. "What? No!" she finally managed to spit out.

Sabecary raised an eyebrow. "Then what?"

Rage boiled up inside Glisteen. She slapped Sabecary across the face. He staggered back a step. "It was just a joke." Sabecary muttered ruefully.

"A joke? Is that all I am to you? Did our kiss even matter to you? I-"

He pressed his face to Glisteen's. She melted into the kiss, taking in the feel of the moment. He gently took hold of her head and whispered into her ear. "Of course, it mattered, because you matter to me."