Alpha's Eyes [My One and Only]

[Chapter 10] Is it Just My Imagination?

I awoke with a sigh and fatigue in the utter depths of my bones. And a very sore headache. Placing my hand to my head as I sat up, I knew I was not happy. Rolling over, I hit the floor with my hand. How odd. . . . The couch felt much like a carpeted board.

Peeking open an eye, I was surprised to see I was not on the couch. I was on the floor in front of the fireplace. As my groggy mind went through rational possibilities for why I’d be here, last night came back to me. Slowly I remembered the heat of the fire, the chill of the rain. I remembered being abandoned by Grams, and comforted by Augustus. Speaking of him. . . . 

I rolled over and suppressed a scream. He was laying next to me, his body stiff and unmoving. What really freaked me out was his eyes. They were brighter than usual and wide open. Either he slept eyes open or he was dead.

“Augustus,” I whispered as I leaned in. I gently poked his chest. He felt warm. So he was alive or he had died recently. “Augustus,” I whispered again, bringing my head inches away from him. I gasped as I stared at his eyes. Now, if I remember correctly, the iris of the eyes is kind of straight. I mean, I know the little squigglies in there sort of branch out and have many parts, but generally, it’s directly from the pupil to the white part. 

Augustus’ eyes, however, curled. The iris strands reminded me of a curling pinwheel. I gasped again as the strands began to glow brighter. Were they moving or was that just my eyes? When I felt my head touch his, I immediately recoiled, but he still did not move. Curiosity got the better of me. I didn’t realize I was doing it until I saw my index finger jab him in the eye. I wasn’t trying to be rude, promise. I was just freaked out and curious.

Augustus grunted and blinked. As his eyelids opened, his iris’ were back to normal. Had I just imagined that whole thing?

“Good morning, Leta,” Augustus groaned, rolling onto his back. One arm was under his head as a pillow, while the other he raised to rub his eye. He shot me an inquisitive look with his eye that had not been poked. “Did you prod me in the eye?”

I squinted my eyes and pursed my lips. “Prod?” I asked. What an odd word. . . Prod. . . .

“Yes. Did you touch my eye with an object? A finger perhaps? Prod. Jab. Dip. Nudge. Shove. Jolt. Stab. Sti--”

“Okay, Okay, I got it,” I said, waving him off. He must have a dictionary for a mind. I can’t even speak proper English when I wake up, and that’s the only language I know! “And uh, as to your question, uh, no?” God, that was a terrible lie, wasn’t it? I tightened my lips and hoped I didn’t look guilty.

Augustus chuckled, shaking his head to himself. His long hair was sticking up all over the place, but he ran a hand through it. With one swoop he smoothed the strands down like a waterfall. He lifted his upper half off the floor and turned toward me. I leaned back but he followed, covering my small body with his large one. Thankfully, he kept his weight off. Darnfully, he cupped my neck in his hand, preventing me from fully escaping.

“You’re a terrible liar, Leta.” He paused and kissed the right side of my mouth. “And these lips are too pretty to have lies pass through them.” He paused and kissed the left corner of my lips.

“Uh, sorry?” I murmured, not wanting to move my lips at all. I was highly aware of how close he was to them. I kind of wanted to lean away from him, but the other part was curious about what he would do next. Could lips be too pretty for lying? Could I, Leta Leary, even have pretty lips? Pretty wasn’t a word I ever used to described myself.

“You are forgiven,” he whispered as he leaned in. “This time.” He pecked my lips lightly then. Just a small taste before he backed away and stood.

I lifted a hand to my mouth, and ran a finger over my tingling lips. My breaths had turned shaky sometimes during our interaction. Feeling the weight of his gaze upon me, I slowly lift my eyes to meet his gaze. He was so serious, and I wasn’t sure why. I  didn’t know why he was here or what role he was meant to have in my life. I knew that my grandmother rejected me because of him. I know he seemed to want to make me happy. But he also kissed me without asking.

A frown formed on my face, and I rolled over so that I could get to my feet at a distance from him. As I stood, I stared at him, not sure how I was supposed to treat him. He was a stranger that I slept with on the floor. Granted, it was genuine sleeping, but I wasn’t used to being that close with . . . well, anyone.

“Your heart is racing,” he said after a minute of silence passed between us.

I bit my lip. I don’t know how he knew my heart was beating fast, but I could feel its nervous thumping in my chest. “Why are you here?” I asked.

He slowly tilted his head back, and his lips tightened into a flat line. “We’ll discuss my presence over breakfast. Go get dressed while I make something to eat. We should be able to make our afternoon classes, if you feel well enough to attend school.”

I gasped. How had I completely forgotten about school? I looked around but didn’t see a clock or a calendar anywhere. “What day is it?” I suddenly felt dizzy. How much time had passed since the accident? I felt disconnected from my own life. Without my permission, tears started gathering in my eyes. Confusion overwhelmed me, and I didn’t like the feeling of helplessness. I should be in charge of my own life, but I had no clue what was going on.

I was so wrapped up in my mind that I didn’t realize Augustus had walked over to me until his hands cupped my jaw. His thumbs wiped away the tears that had fallen. I sniffled, and hoped he wasn’t about to wipe the snot from my nose. That would be too gross. Thankfully he didn’t, but he did bring his lips to my wet cheeks and press a chaste kiss to them.

“Don’t cry,” he whispered.

I sniffled again, wondering how much body could produce so much snot. “It’s not my fault,” I whispered back. I didn’t even understand why I was crying.

“Don’t worry. We won’t go to school today. You need a few more days to recover. Your emotions are still overactive.”

My eyebrows drew to the top of my forehead. My voice was shrill when I asked, “You think I’m over-emotional?” Jeez. What a jerk.

Augustus rubbed his thumbs back across my cheeks as he sighed deeply. His eyes were serious, and his voice showed his patience. “The accident was very hard on you, Leta. You sh–“

“Then why wasn’t I in a hospital?” I interrupted. That had really been bothering me. “Am I okay? What if I’m in a coma, and this is all a dream?”

Augustus shushed me and pulled me into his chest so that he could hug me. “You’re alive and well, I promise. Your body has been through a lot, and it takes time to adjust.”

“Time to adjust to what? What happened to me? I didn’t see any bruises. I’m not sore anywhere. Was it a head injury?” I began to feel a deep sense of fear. What something wrong with me? I didn’t like how that thought made me feel.

Augustus squeezed his arms around me, tightening his hold. “Trust me, Leta. I have been watching over you. You are perfect.”

I laughed / hiccuped at that. I think he was the one with the head injury if he thought I was perfect. “Ok, whatever.” I scoffed. I wriggled my way out of his arms and headed to the bedroom. “You’re right. I should get changed.” I didn’t wait for him to respond as I closed the door. I didn’t immediately start changing though. I sat on the large bed, still put off by the galaxy cover. So much had changed. I always had trouble feeling like I fit in, but now I felt absolutely excluded from life.

Where did I belong?