Flightless Bird

Chapter 19 - part 2

"Kerri, where are we going?" Lexi asked me as we started up the stairs from the fourth floor.

"Have you ever been to the attic?" I asked her, my breath growing short from all the stairs and rushing through the corridors.

"What attic?"

"It's where Charlie took me. As long as he's not there, I can guarantee no one else even knows where it is," I told her as we arrived in the fifth floor corridor. I hunted around a bit, but soon found the alcove, and I lifted aside the curtain for Lexi as Charlie had done for me.

"Wow, how have I never noticed this before?" Lexi asked me as she lifted the latch in astonishment, revealing the wooden staircase. She gasped, and I walked around her to take the lead upstairs.

"This is amazing!" she cried as she walked into the space.

"Isn't it? And thank god Charlie's not here."

"Yeah," she agreed, "there's something seriously weird about that guy." I didn't say anything, because suddenly I felt eyes on me. I tapped Lexi on the shoulder as she walked past me to look around.

"Lex, can we go?" I asked in a whisper.

"Why? What's up?"

"I think I'm holding you back, maybe you should try to catch Jayson so you can practise your pair audition for when you get a callback," I told her. She gave me an odd look, but then gave me a knowing smile like she knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Okay, sure. I'll leave you to practise in peace..." she trailed off, adding a wink.

"Okaaay," I said, giving her an odd look as she started backing out of the room.

"But Jacob's gonna need to get here pretty quickly if you guys want to have a proper date." With that, she disappeared down the stairs, and all I could do was stand dumbfounded as I listened to her shut the door. She thought I wanted her to leave because Jacob was coming?

"You knew I was here," he said from the shadow that covered the green armchair that I now knew was his.

"Of course. You were staring at me," I told him, as if it was obvious. He stood, and walked over to where I stood in the strip of light coming in from the window.

"Your eyes," he whispered, his warm breath blowing golden dust motes around me. I couldn't help myself, next thing I knew my hand was hovering by the side of his face, and I was whispering,

"Your hair." He smiled, then leant, and suddenly my hand was resting on his cheek. He moved his hand up to cover mine, his rough palm warm over my skin.

"I shouldn't be here," I breathed. He closed his eyes as my breath blew across his face.

"You know I shouldn't," he told me, not opening his eyes. He looked so young like this, so vulnerable. I don't know what came over me, but as soon as it happened I knew that there was no going back. It was one of those moments in life when you realise you found something that was always yours. But I couldn't help feeling that there was something very wrong about it. Not just because of Jacob, but there was something else too. I backed away, shaking, touching my lips as though I could scare the ghost of this event away.

"I'm sorry, I have to go," I said, my voice barely there.

"Kerri? Please, I-"

I didn't hear the rest.

I ran.