Chapter 4
Jane / Alchera
It’s twilight, where I’m standing in a park. There are no chirping birds but just a dead, chilling silence all around me.
I can feel every hair on my body rise as a strong electric current sizzles in the air.
Glancing up, I see the heavens begin to churn, dirty gray clouds massing above my head. I suck in a breath, and suddenly, there’s an explosion of sound. It’s so loud my ears ring.
It nearly drives me to my knees as I grab at my ears, but I’m not fast enough to block out the noise. Blood starts to trickle from my ears, seeping through my fingers.
I can hear trees screeching all around me, and I smell flesh burning.
Everything is dying!
My breaths explode over my parted lips while it feels as if my heart is being torn from my chest. The pain increases horribly, and a fear I’ve never felt before envelopes me entirely as I try to scream.
My vision blurs, and when it clears again, I find myself in the middle of a road where everything around me is being torn apart. There’s nothing I can do. I’m standing on quaking ground, shocked to my very core, while people scream and die around me.
Oh God !
The earth shudders violently, and huge chunks of ground start to disappear, leaving deep black gaping holes.
I watch helplessly as the ground gives way beneath people’s feet, and they plunge to their deaths.
My heart lurches in my chest at the horrifying sight unfolding around me. It feels as if my feet are glued to the quaking ground. Fear and panic engulf me until I’m struggling to take a breath.
“Alchera!” I hear a man calling.
He sounds familiar, and I want to turn around to see who he is, but I can’t break out of the fear and panic that holds me in its grasp.
Dreadful chaos surrounds me. Trees are being uprooted, and one whips past my head, a branch missing my face by mere inches.
“Alchera, we have to move. Dammit!” Strong hands grab hold of me, yanking me tightly to a firm chest. I feel a comforting warmth flow through me.
Before I can turn to see who it is, everything mercifully darkens.
“Jane, wake up!”
Hearing Molly snap while shaking the living hell out of me has my eyes popping open.
“What?” I gasp as I shoot into a sitting position.
“Wake up so we can talk.”
When my eyes focus on her smiling face, I have to suppress the urge to slap her. “Geez, woman. You could at least make me coffee if you’re going to wake me up so early.”
Ignoring my comment, she asks, “What time did you get home?”
I slump back on the bed and let out a groan as I snuggle into my pillow while mumbling, “Just after ten.”
“So late? Were you with Ryan?”
“Yes,” I mutter around a yawn.
I’m in no mood to be interrogated.
“This hot guy is into you, and I want to know why.”
“We’re just friends. ”
When I remember the nightmare I had, the sleepy feeling vanishes.
I climb out of bed and say, “I’ll walk to school. You can go.”
As always, I’m ignored.
“After what I saw yesterday, you expect me to believe there’s nothing but a friendship going on between the two of you? What did you do after school?”
She’s really starting to annoy me. From being alone most of the time to having someone buzzing around me every damn morning is one hell of an adjustment.
“We hung out and grabbed something to eat at the diner. He just wants to be friends, so drop it now. The way you’re going on, you’d swear I’m sleeping with the damn guy!”
I bite my lip when I see her smile grow bigger.
“He’s only been here three days. There’s no way we’re having sex!” I exclaim while shaking my head hard. ‘Get your mind out of the gutter.”
“Fine. Don’t tell me everything,” Molly says as she walks to the door.
The smile on her face as she walks out of my bedroom tells me the whole school is going to think I’m having sex with Ryan before classes even start.
Shit. I screwed up.
Not wanting Ryan’s reputation destroyed, I hurry out of the room and catch up to Molly at the top of the stairs.
“Please don’t spread any rumors,” I beg. “Ryan’s a nice guy, and we’re really just friends. I promise.”
She lets out a heavy sigh as she heads down the stairs. “Fine, but I’ll only keep quiet if you make sure Ryan’s at the party I’m throwing.”
“Okay,” I lie because I have no idea whether Ryan’s into parties. “Do your parents know about the party?”
“Of course not,” she chuckles.
“Did you tell Stephen?”
She shrugs. “You know he doesn’t care about what we do as long as we don’t burn down the house.”
Shaking my head, I walk back to my bedroom and quickly get ready for the day. After shrugging on one of my favorite jackets, I grab my bag and head out of the house.
The moment I step onto the porch, the winter chill hits me, and I quickly wrap my arms around my middle.
Once I’m done with school I’m moving to a warmer place.
My thoughts turn to the nightmare I had, which was really unsettling after dreaming about the waterfall the past two weeks.
The disaster and danger felt so real.
I’ve only managed to walk to the stop sign when a familiar truck pulls up to the curb beside me.
“Morning. Need a ride?” Ryan asks, looking way too hot first thing in the morning.
Can’t say no to my friend, now can I?
“Sure.” Climbing into the truck, I smile at him. “Thanks.”
“I didn’t know you walked to school. I can pick you up and take you home after school.”
It doesn’t sound like he’s asking me. It sounds more like he’s already made up his mind.
“I usually ride with Molly, but I was late, so…yeah, you don’t need to go out of your way.”
As he starts to drive again, he says, “It’s not out of my way.”
I’ll get to spend more time with him.
“Okay. Sure. That would be great.”
A smile lifts the corner of his mouth, and he looks more than pleased that I agreed.
“Are you warm enough?” he asks.
“Yeah, thanks.”
During the drive to school, I remember the day before and how nice it was to hang out with him. Nothing weird happened, and I can actually see us becoming good friends.
Warmth trickles into my chest at the thought of having a friend, and a happy grin spreads over my face.
After parking in his usual spot, we walk across the stretch of grass to the entrance.
Together .
Of course, everyone notices. Ryan moving to our small town and picking me as his friend will be front-page news for quite a while.
I can hear the other students’ whispers and how they’re laughing because they think it’s insane that Ryan’s showing any kind of interest in me.
They can all go to hell. If Ryan doesn’t care, then I’m not wasting my time with them, either.
Ryan clears his throat next to me, ripping me out of my thoughts. When I glance up at his face, he looks deep in thought, and I wonder what he’s thinking about.
Does he hear all the whispering?
Shoot. Maybe it’s getting to him, and he’s rethinking being friends with me.
Ugh. I hope that isn’t the case. It would suck big, fat, hairy donkey balls.
I’m upset that I care. Worst of all, I actually like Ryan.
A lot.
Fine, I might be developing a slight crush on him, and I’d hate for the other students to turn him against me.
When we enter the class, it’s no surprise that everyone is sneaking glances in our direction.
I try to ignore all the attention, and after taking my seat, I pull out my sketchpad. Just as I flip to the page I’m working on, my vision blurs.
“Alchera, we need to talk. We’ve both said things better left unsaid, and you’ve had a very exhausting day.”
It’s the same voice from my dream. It sounds so familiar, almost like Ryan’s, but this voice sounds so far away and much deeper.
I glance around only to find myself lying on a bed, feeling like I’ve been hit by a freight train. Feelings swamp me –exhaustion, disappointment, but mostly anger.
“Raighne, just leave me alone,” I sigh. “I don’t have any strength left to hear more of your insults.”
“Alchera, please understand.”
I’m about to get up and glance back so I can see who’s talking when I feel a hand take hold of mine.
I crash back to reality with a jerk. The first thing I feel is the same warmth from when Ryan touched me yesterday, spreading up my arm and quickly through the rest of my body.
Some of the blurriness in my mind clears, and I blink as I try to make sense of what just happened.
“Jane?” Ryan whispers, his tone tense with worry as he squeezes my hand.
My heart starts beating faster and faster when I realize I just zoned out in class.
What the hell just happened?
Was that a dream or something else?
Alchera. The name feels familiar.
“Jane, are you okay?” Ryan asks as he reaches his other hand to my face, his fingers taking hold of my chin.
I quickly pull away, muttering, “I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine. What’s going on?” Ryan keeps his voice low so the other students won’t hear, which I really appreciate.
I shake my head, trying to rid myself of the groggy feeling left behind by the weird dream.
“I’m fine. Just daydreaming.” I try to add a smile, but it must look like some half-ass attempt.
I’m not sure what stuns me more, the dream thingy I just had or Ryan’s concern for me. Either way, embarrassment trickles into my chest.
My eyes land on where he’s holding my hand, and my eyebrows fly up.
“Jane. Ryan. Attention up front!” Mrs. Woods snaps, glaring at us from over her glasses.
My face goes up in flames from being called out in front of the entire class.
“We’ll talk at lunch,” Ryan whispers as he moves our hands beneath the desk, resting them on his thigh.
I just nod, staring at where Ryan’s fingers are wrapped around mine.
Holy shit.
Our first class goes by way too fast, and as we walk into the hallway to head to biology, Ryan doesn’t let go of my hand.
It gives the impression that we are a couple, which will only add fuel to the gossip already spreading throughout the damn school.
Hold up. Biology.
There’s no way I’m cutting open some poor frog. I was planning on skipping class, and somehow, I have to get Ryan to let go of my hand so I can throw a disappearing act.
I tug on Ryan’s hand to get his attention as we squeeze our way through the crowded hallway.
Stopping dead in his tracks, I almost slam into his arm.
He leans down, and for a moment, I’m flustered from having him so close to me. “What’s wrong?”
Strands of his silky, dark brown hair hang slightly across his forehead, and for a crazy second, I’m tempted to brush it away.
I clear my throat then decide to go with the truth. “I can’t cut open a frog. I’m skipping biology.”
“Okay,” he says, his tone gentle.
My eyes jump to his face, but he’s already turning around and tugging me toward the exit.
When we leave the building, I shiver from the cold. Ryan lets go of my hand, and placing his arm around my shoulders, he pulls me right against his side.
I’m stunned, but then his body heat starts to warm me, and I let it slide. When we reach his truck, he opens the passenger door and waits for me to get in before shutting it.
My gaze follows him as he walks around the front of the truck, and once again, I’m struck by how attractive he is.
He held my hand for thirty minutes.
Friends don’t hold hands. Right?
For a few seconds, I allow myself to wonder what it would be like to date him, and I instantly blush.
When he slides in behind the steering wheel, I pull the hoodie of my jacket over my head to try and hide my reaction to the mere thought of dating him.
Ryan leans a little forward, and seeing my face, he asks, “Why are you blushing?”
Ugh. Just my luck.
“I’m not blushing,” I mutter.
Ryan tugs at my hoodie, and as it falls back, I quickly glance the other way.
“You sure about that?” he teases me.
“Let it go, or I’m getting out of the truck,” I warn him.
“You’re cute when you blush,” he says, and as I reach for the handle, he quickly adds, “I’m dropping it.” He reaches for the glove compartment and pulls out a brown leather pouch. “I have something for you. Consider it an apology gift for teasing you.”
A gift?
My eyes jump between the pouch and his face, then I watch as he takes out a necklace. It has a leather cord with a cluster of gems and crystals hanging from it.
He seriously got me a gift.
Why?
Feeling a little overwhelmed, I swallow hard before saying, “You hardly know me. Why would you give me something so pretty?”
“It’s to celebrate you giving me a chance and not kicking me to the curb,” he explains, a crooked smile on his face. “Can I help you put it on?”
“It’s an amazing gift, but it wouldn’t feel right taking it.”
He nods but then says, “I already got it, though, and it will definitely look better on you than on me.”
I let out a chuckle, and not wanting to be rude, I murmur, “Okay.”
My eyes widen when he leans into me, and feeling his fingers brush lightly against my skin, tingles rush over my body. Moving my hair out of the way, I suck in a deep breath while trying to calm my suddenly racing heart .
Ryan pulls slightly back, and when our eyes lock, he says, “I want you to know I’m here if you ever need me for anything. Just call, and I’ll be there in a flash.”
Stunned by the intimate moment, I mutter like a dumbass, “I don’t have your number.”
“Let’s fix that.” He pulls his phone from his pocket and says, “Give me yours, and I’ll call you.”
I recite my number, and a few seconds later, I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket.
“Now you can call me at any time,” he says, a hot grin curving his lips.
“Okay.” Lifting a hand, I touch the gemstones and whisper, “Thanks for the necklace. It’s beautiful.” I smile at him before adding, “I actually know a bit about the magical properties of the stones.”
“Yeah? What do these stones mean?”
I brush the tip of my finger over each stone as I say, “The hematite, emerald, obsidian, and lapis lazuli all carry similar properties. They’re all about improving memory and mental clarity.” I take a breath before continuing, “The amethyst is all about stability and strength, whereas the opal is for protection.” I roll the seventh stone between my fingers. “I’ve never seen this one before.”
Ryan leans closer again, and when his fingers brush against the stone and my skin, his touch wreaks havoc in my body as I’m engulfed with tingles.
“It is an azurite stone, also known as a stone of heaven,” he explains. “Azurite was a sacred stone, and it’s said that it helps awaken psychic abilities. Opal, by the way, is also known as a stone of happy dreams and changes.” He hesitates for a moment before he adds, “It helps bring on visions.”
Ryan’s eyes flick to mine, and it feels as if he’s waiting for some kind of reaction from me.
“Thanks for this.” I tug at the necklace then glance at our surroundings. The parking area is quiet, and clouds are rolling in.
“How about we have that talk now?” he says as he relaxes against the seat .
“What talk?” My heart begins to beat faster in anticipation of what’s coming. I was hoping he’d forgotten about my weird daydream earlier.
“What happened in class?” he asks.
I wave my hand casually in the air, brushing off the incident. “Oh, that. It was nothing. I just zoned out.”
I’m feeling anxious about the direction this conversation is taking.
“It didn’t look like you were just zoning out. I said your name a few times before you responded.”
“I’m just tired from the late night we had,” I whisper in a pathetic attempt to avoid telling him the truth.
The truth? I don’t even know what that is.
How do I explain that I had a weird ass dream while being wide awake?
With a slight shake of his head, he looks away and sighs. “You can trust me, A…Jane.” He clears his throat before looking at me again. “I know I’m new in your life, but I want you to know you can talk to me about anything. No matter how crazy it might sound.”
For a reason I’ll never be able to explain, the words leave my mouth before I can stop them. “I had a weird dream of a disaster and people I don’t know dying.” Shaking my head, I let out a sigh. “It felt real, though, and I can remember every little detail clearly.”
I turn my head away from him, regret pouring into my chest the instant I’m done talking.
“How often do you have dreams like that?”
“Just twice. Last night and in class.” I turn my head back to him. “I had a dream while wide awake. Who does that?”
Instead of looking at me like I’m weird, his face is filled with understanding. “Try not to worry about it too much.”
When Ryan reaches for my hand, my heart skips a beat before setting off at a crazy pace.
He links his fingers with mine, then whispers, “Your hand is half the size of mine.”
Relieved that he doesn’t think I’m crazy and is changing the subject, I relax .
“Are friends supposed to hold hands?” I ask, keeping my tone playful.
A grin tugs at his lips. “Yes. Friends can definitely hold hands.”
“People are going to think we’re dating,” I warn him.
Shaking his head, he locks eyes with me. “I’ve told you before. I don’t care what anyone thinks.”
Right.
Maybe I should start doing the same.