Catalyst (10 page)

I smiled. “Yeah. Let’s do this thing.”

He motioned toward the ladder nearby. I didn’t want to climb in front of him, so I asked him to go first and help me up. He didn’t protest, just quickly scaled the steel and concrete, turned and held a hand out for me.

Taking a deep breath, I started climbing, too. When I reached the top, I put my hand in his and let him pull me up. He did so easily, and I wasn’t exactly expecting his strength to all but lift me onto the wall, so I teetered. Mitis’s hands found my waist and steadied me. “Easy. You okay?”

“Yeah,” I said breathlessly. “Thanks for helping me up.”

Distance. I put distance between us walking forward along the narrow stone and motioned for him to follow me this time. I was going to lead the way.

Stroll

/strōl/

verb

1. walk in a leisurely way.
   Synonyms: saunter, amble, wander, meander, ramble, promenade, walk, go for a walk, stretch one's legs, get some air
   

noun

1. a victory or objective that is easily achieved.
   

I HAD TO
get a grip. Her plump lips wrapping around that peach were too much. I couldn’t get the image out of my mind, even after she tossed the peach pit, stood up and dusted herself off. And there would never be erasing the softness of her skin from my lips. I’d committed it to memory. I climbed before her but helped her up onto the top of the wall. Seven was unsteady. My hands found her waist and never wanted to let go. This was bad.

Distance. I needed to distance myself from her. So when she said she’d take the lead and all but ran from me, I let her. If she lived long enough, she was going to hate me for what I was planning to do. The thought of her, not dying, but not being part of this world was just unfathomable to me. She was vibrant, different. Despite her illness, she was so much more alive than any of the people milling around Confidence.

My shirt was tucked into the back of my pants. It had to be a hundred degrees outside. The heat on my neck was the worst, caused by the stupid, chafing collar.

Seven walked quickly, much more so than our leisurely stroll this morning. It was like she was on a mission to get around the wall in record time. I’d probably made her uncomfortable. No. I did make her uncomfortable. I shouldn’t have wiped the peach juice from her face and definitely shouldn’t have licked it off my skin. I guess if we’re counting things I shouldn’t have done, I guess I shouldn’t have stared at her while she ate the rest of that piece of fruit.

The good thing was that the fruit hadn’t made her sick. She was holding it down. Maybe we’d need to pick up more, so she had something to eat at her house. Maybe she could give herself more of a quality life if she could stop puking long enough to enjoy it. And maybe she could live a little longer if she had more of the strength that came from nutrition.

As we made our way around the city, the steps that had been vigorous grew sluggish. Seven was struggling, but we were almost there. The sun was setting behind hills to the west casting a light pink hue over the sky. I almost sighed when we entered the Elite section of town and drew closer to Seven’s house.

“We need to make a quick stop, Mitis,” she said, stopping just above a ladder.

“What for?”

She smiled slightly. “You won’t like it.”

Great.

She climbed down carefully and waited at the bottom of the ladder for me to descend. She motioned for me to follow her to a nearby home. It was also made of brick and had two, thick columns guarding the front porch.

Seven stepped up to the door and knocked loudly. Rustling came from inside, and Seven stepped back until she stood beside me, waiting expectantly. When the door opened, I muttered a curse. Maybe I’d been a little too loud because Seven elbowed me in the ribs—hard.

Aric stood in front of us; both of his arms crossed over his chest. “Seven?”

“Hi,” she said. “I need a favor, Aric.”

He blinked and nodded. “Yeah, anything. Name it.” His eyes slid between the two of us but he focused on her.

Seven dug her toe into the ground behind her. “I didn’t have time to go shopping today and Mitis needs some clothes. A change or two will suffice until I can take him shopping.” She squared her shoulders.

My mouth was gaping open. She wanted me to wear
his
clothes?

As he stood in front of his mansion, looking annoyed that I was even standing on his lawn, Aric’s jaw ticked angrily. Mine probably moved in synchrony. But Aric told her he would be right back and disappeared inside.
Anything for her?
I wanted to teach the punk a lesson he wouldn’t soon forget.

Footsteps echoed from inside, and Aric reappeared with an arm piled full of clothes. He smiled tightly. “So will I see you tomorrow—at the bonfire?”

Seven smiled, accepting the gift she’d bartered for on my behalf. “Yeah. Um, as long as everything’s okay,” she said. “Thanks—for this. I’ll have them sent back to you soon.”

“No,” he interjected. “Let him have them.”

I’d held my tongue long enough. “Wouldn’t want to wear them after a scrub had them on, right?”

Seven looked like she wanted to smack me, her lips pressed into a tight, thin line. Aric just smirked. I’d hit the nail on the head. That smug—

“Mitis!”

“What?” I snapped back at her.

Through her teeth, she enunciated, “Let’s go home.”

“Fine.”

Aric was seething when I took his clothes from her hands and walked away with her. This time I was wearing the smirk.

When we were far enough away, Seven looked over at me. “What was that?”

“What?” I shrugged, feigning innocence.

She smiled slightly and walked crookedly until she bumped into me. “You know what. Why do you hate Aric so much?”

“Are you kidding right now?”

She shook her head.

“He’s a complete tool. He magically remembered that he likes you more than his girlfriend this week—his girlfriend, who happens to be your
sister
. And where exactly has that emotion been while you’ve been sick? Huh? Where has Aric been? By
your
side?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“No, because he’s been entertaining Sonnet. Guys like that…He’s not good enough for you, that’s for sure.”

Seven straightened her back. “No, he isn’t. Thank you, Mitis.”

“For what, pissing off your friends?”

She laughed. “No, for thinking that I’m worth something. I’m pretty sure no one else in my life believes that. But you seem to.”

“There’s so much more to you than what I discovered in the back of that soldier’s car.”

Seven giggled. “I think the same of you.”

She was like a magnet, and I was metal caught in her field. She drew me in. And I pulled her close and stole her breath away. Placing a soft kiss on her temple, smelling her sweet shampoo, I broke the moment. I let her go.

I would have to let her go.

Walking slowly along the well-lit streets, we let the night descend on us. Stars glittered overhead. And Seven’s eyes stayed glued to the heavens twirling above us.

“Why Mitis?”

“Huh?”

Seven smiled and looked back up as we strolled along the sidewalk. Her house was just ahead. “You pronounce it, Mi-tis.”

“Yeah.”

“Why not Midas? He had the golden touch, right? Everything he touched turned into gold?”

I laughed. “You’re right, but my mother was a smart woman. She knew that what Mi-das requested wasn’t a blessing. It was a curse. He even turned his daughter into gold. Life is about more than what materials you possess, Seven.”

She giggled. “I know. Believe me, I know.” Her voice had trailed away as she looked at me. It was strange, soft but afraid, and I didn’t like how it seemed that her features were worried. “It’s so much more.”

I cleared my throat. “Besides, my mom said it meant strength.”

Seven didn’t reply, just smiled up at me and kept walking, like everything in the world made sense.

I escorted her up the walkway to her house, inside and up the stairs to her room and waited patiently at the small table by the window, while she bathed. When she exited the steaming bathroom, a golden robe over her matching pants and long-sleeved shirt, drying her hair with a golden towel, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

She smiled, “Have you been going through my drawers?”

“Honey, you’d know if I’d been in your drawers.”

Seven turned a familiar shade of pink, trying to hide her smile.

“Maybe she should have named you, Adonis.”

Laughing until my stomach hurt, I stood up and moved toward the pile of Aric’s clothes on Seven’s dresser. “Maybe she should have.”

When I moved past her, my fingers brushed her cheek. I wasn’t sure why I did it. Maybe to prove I was exactly that: an Adonis. Maybe it was to unnerve her. Whatever the reason, it had the opposite effect. It had unnerved me. Her scent had wrapped itself around me. The softness of her skin had felt so good against my rough, calloused hands.

Seven wasn’t short, but I was a head taller than she was. For a second, I wondered what it would feel like to pull her into my arms.

Mentally, I pulled myself away and walked into the bathroom, remembering the way her breath had hitched at my touch, how rapid her breathing had been as I brushed by her. I bet every inch of her skin pebbled in tiny goose bumps.

Distance. I shook my head, looking in the mirror, gripping the porcelain sink for dear life. “Stay away, Mitis.”

The reflection disagreed. He didn’t want to stay away from her. He wanted her.

Damn him for it.

Seven’s shower had hot water and plenty of it. I washed away the sweat that had dried on my skin. It had been so hot outside I thought we’d melt. Of course, Seven wasn’t bothered by the heat of the sun.

I dried off and changed quickly. Aric had given me shorts made of some silky material. Luckily they stretched to my knees. His tee shirt was a different story. He was smaller than me. The cotton stretched tight over my torso. I looked ridiculous, like I was wearing a child’s shirt.

Sucking up my pride, I walked out of the bathroom into her bedroom. She was sitting on the bed and started when I opened the door. Her eyes traveled the length of me before darting down to look at her blankets.

“Sorry, the shirt…it’s a little small.”

She glanced back up and grinned, trying to suppress the giggles that were bubbling up. “Sonnet just brought dinner for us both, if you’re hungry.”

I was starving. “Sounds good.”

We settled at the table. “No meat?” I asked her.

She shook her head.

Seven only took a few bites. She was afraid to eat more, I could see it in her eyes.

“I was thinking that we should buy more peaches from the market tomorrow. They didn’t bother your stomach.”

“That’s a good idea. They were delicious, too.”

I finished eating all the food on my plate, and we fell into light conversation about the water at the lake, the height of the wall, reminiscing about the great day we’d both had. And then, the day took a turn for the worse.

“Seven?”

She’d turned pale and her smile had fallen. “Help me, Mitis,” she begged weakly.

I barely got her to the bathroom.

Holding her hair back from her face, I patted her back and then reached for a washcloth at the sink, wetting it with cool water. “You’ll be okay, Seven.”

She didn’t answer.

When she calmed down, I helped her wash her face off and handed her a toothbrush with a string of paste swiped across it. Her entire body shook violently. When she was clean, I carried Seven to her bed and pulled back the covers. “So c-c-cold.”

Her teeth were chattering.

I should have covered her and walked away, taken the chair by the window like I’d done the night before. Telling myself that I was her companion and promised to take care of her, I lied and then climbed into the bed behind her, throwing the covers over us both and taking her quivering body against my own. I tried to give her some of my warmth.

And she didn’t protest at all, unless protesting meant snuggling closer and trembling against me. If that’s what it meant, then she hated every second of me lying next to her.

And if pulling her tight against me and rubbing her back, her soft, silky hair and her tiny arms meant that I hated it, too? I was in hell. Pure hell.