Plummet

I had the majority of summer break left to figure out what I would do about college next year. I’d applied to places around my mother’s house, of course. I had been planning on staying at home to cut costs. But that was no longer an option. Dorm rates were practically criminal.

I was starting to think that it might be best that I stay with Dad, especially since I had Archie now. I was sure I could still get into at least a community college nearby. But I longed to break away, to do something radical and attend college somewhere totally unexpected.

I’d been holding back for so long that crushing impulses came naturally to me. I was working on changing that, which led me back to Embry and cliff diving.

I grinned as I walked with Archie up the stairs to my new room. “Archie, I couldn’t have met Embry at a more perfect time.” He sleepily opened one eye and stared up at me. I snuggled him closer.

Maybe this birthday hadn’t been so bad, after all.

The next morning I woke up and took Archie out right away. By some miracle, he’d managed not to piddle on anything during the night and I didn’t want to push my luck. It was a beautiful morning. It was a good omen, I told myself.

My internal clock was still adjusting, so it was ridiculously early when I woke up and I had hours to kill before Embry was supposed to arrive. I decided to take the time to unpack. I didn’t have much with me; Mom was shipping most of my things, but they wouldn’t be here for days.

After that, I decided to read to pass time.

I was in those killer last twenty pages when I heard knocking on the door. I groaned, but put away my book and ran to answer the door. After a struggle with the four locksf, I finally managed to wrench it open. When I did, Embry’s eyes scanned over me, as if to make sure I was in one piece.

He gave my outfit an approving look, too. I was glad. I’d agonized over what to wear for half an hour, finally settling on black basketball shorts and a non-white t-shirt.

I stared up at him and neither of us moved. Suddenly, he smiled. “Let’s get going.” I blushed and followed wordlessly.

Once we were speeding down the street, he glanced at me and said, “Why are you being so quiet? I want to hear your voice.”

“Why?” I blurted, then snapped my mouth shut. Why was it that I never managed to say the right thing? Maybe I was cursed.

“Because I like hearing what you have to say. Tell me something, anything.”

So I said the first thing that popped into my mind. “I had a dream about you last night.”

“Really?” Thank goodness, he sounded pleased rather than creeped out. “What happened?” I decided it was best not to answer this question. In my dream, I was getting ready to board a plane to Florida, where I would be attending college. Embry had sprinted past security, throwing a few choice punches, and begged me not to go. And he’d kissed me… I wasn’t sure why I’d dreamt that or what it meant, so it was best kept to myself.

“Aw, c’mon, please?” he gave me a pleading look and I shut my eyes against it, willing myself not to give in.

“You look just like Archie,” I blurted, grasping at any topic change that I could think of.

“Archie?” he asked, clearly confused and none too pleased. “Who’s Archie, and what’s he to you?”

I swallowed a giggle. “He’s my new puppy. I got him yesterday for my birthday. You were giving me those puppy dog eyes.”

Embry glanced my way and back to the street again. “Oh,” was all he said. Then a moment later, “That reminds me. If you’ll look in the back seat, I got you something.”

I turned against my better judgment and gasped when I saw the big box with a pretty white bow on it. “You shouldn’t have,” I muttered, stunned. “We’ve only just met.”

“I wanted to,” he grumbled. He seemed vaguely embarrassed. I leaned over on impulse and kissed his cheek before turning back to the box. What was in it? I saw out of the corner of my eye that Embry lifted his hand and, seemingly in a daze, touched his cheek where I’d kissed it.

I glowed with pleasure and turned my face away to hide my grin. It was a struggle to get the box to the front seat because it was so big. But somehow, it was insanely light. “What’s in here?” I asked. I could hear how astounded I was.

“You’ll have to open it to see.” I tore into the paper and opened the huge box, only to find… another box.

“Cute,” I muttered sarcastically and opened the second box, revealing a third.

And so on, until I reached a small jewelry box. I shot a look at Embry and I knew my fingers trembled and I stared at it blankly, frozen.

“Well, aren’t you going to open it?” I couldn’t tell which Embry was more, nervous or amused.

“No… yes. I don’t know.”

“Yes. Go on. I can barely stand the suspense and I know what it is,” Embry said with a light laugh.

“Pushy, pushy.” But I did as I was told. Inside was the most beautiful necklace I’d ever seen- a delicate white gold chain with a matching pendant of a wolf. It was breathtaking.

“You shouldn’t have,” I said again, but my voice was a little shaky. I was touched. “But I’m glad you did.”

Embry reached over and took my hand, weaving our fingers together. I was breathless, but I managed to say, “If you crash this car and kill me, I’m never speaking to you again.”

“Relax. I’m glad you like it.”

“I do. I love it. Thank you.” I had to admit, it was kind of a weird thing to give someone you’ve just met. But it somehow seemed right for Embry.