Part 10 (1/2)

I took in a deep breath, in...out...in...out. As I focused on my breathing, their conversation faded...the maid stood before me, a woman dressed in black slacks with a white ap.r.o.n. Odd musical notes drifted from her head toward me. Her thoughts, I realized. The notes bounced off my wall and floated back to her.

Good. Keep picturing that wall. That silver glow around you, protecting you. Nothing can get through, nothing...the thoughts merely bounce off...

Lewis's voice faded. All sound faded. The only noise was the soft roar of the ocean, waves coming in, waves going out. I pushed my elbows under me and sat up on the blanket. The maid was gone. The wall was gone. Even Lewis and my dad were gone. A wonderful peaceful feeling settled around me, warm, comforting, like a blanket. No one existed, I wasn't sure if I existed. And oddly I didn't care.

Peace. I knew complete and utter peace.

I wasn't sure how long I sat there in wonderful, utter silence, but suddenly I felt a touch on my arm, a soft, warm touch. Reality invaded, cold and piercing. The ocean faded, blackness surrounded me. A rush of air brushed past my body, stars blindingly white blurring before me as I raced through s.p.a.ce. Suddenly, I slammed against a wall.

Jolted, my lashes fluttered up. I was back in the study. Lewis was sitting beside me, his face tense and serious. ”Are you all right?”

Even though he spoke softly, his voice sounded unnaturally loud. ”Yeah.” I released a shaky breath and looked around. I felt as if I'd just woken from a super deep sleep. Aaron was sitting across from me again, the maid was gone.

”Did I...fall asleep?”

Aaron shook his head. His face was serious too. Nerves got the best of me. I felt like I'd done something wrong.

”No, you were in deep meditation,” Aaron explained.

It sounded normal enough, but they were both watching me like I was some specimen in a museum, like they were looking to explain something they couldn't quite understand.

”Oh.” I raked my fingers through my hair. I felt shaky, disorientated, as if I'd been thrown into a cold lake. ”Was that supposed to happen?”

Aaron and Lewis shared a glance. ”Yes, it's been known to.”

Yet, they looked odd, unsure. They certainly didn't look happy. My insecurities came roaring back. ”What happened? What'd I do wrong?”

”Nothing.” Aaron smiled. ”It's just...” His smile wavered. ”Did you hear anything from the maid? Any thoughts at any time?”

I frowned, trying to remember, but my mind was fuzzy. ”I heard Lewis inside my head.” I shot him a glance, making sure I was supposed to tell, hoping he hadn't done something he wasn't supposed to. At his nod, I continued. ”I remember...” I clawed my way through my murky memories, but it was hard. ”I remember the maid coming in. She thought...” I blushed.

Aaron nodded. ”Go on.”

”She thought we...you...were weird, but she likes her pay.”

Aaron laughed softly. ”Yes, I know. And then?”

”And then Lewis...he was telling me to concentrate on the waves, on the silver wall.”

”And...” Aaron urged me on, but there wasn't really anything to say. ”Nothing else after?”

I shook my head. They shared another glance. Okay, they were totally making me paranoid. ”What?” I demanded. I couldn't take not knowing any longer.

”Well...it's just that...” Aaron frowned. ”The maid was here for a good ten minutes.”

”Oh.” I cheered up immediately. Why did they look so dour? I thought they'd wanted me to meditate well? ”So I did it? I blocked her thoughts?”

Lewis nodded. But they didn't look as thrilled as I felt.

”And then another maid came in. Then, Lewis opened his mind and let his thoughts flow out....” Aaron studied me for one long moment. ”You didn't sense or feel any of this?”

Lewis had opened his thoughts? Ugh, I wish I could have heard them. I tried desperately to turn my mind backward, but could remember nothing but the beach. I was starting feel like a disappointment. I hated that feeling. ”No, I didn't sense any of it. Should I have?”

”No.” He laughed a merry sound that made me feel somewhat better. ”No. It's wonderful.”

”It is?” I looked at Lewis for confirmation. He was finally smiling too.

”Your concentration is wonderful. Your ability to block everything...amazing.” Aaron shook his head. ”If only you'd been taught meditation early on. h.e.l.l, if you'd done yoga it would have come out.”

He took my hand and helped me to my feet. I still felt a little weak, but his praise gave me strength. ”You're doing amazingly well, Cameron. So much better than I'd expected.”

I nodded slowly, watching Lewis as he walked toward the windows. He stared outside, as if in deep thought. I couldn't help but wonder what he was contemplating. He seemed upset...or maybe just lost, confused, I wasn't sure.

”I've invited a few people from town, normal people,” Aaron said, forcing my attention back to him. ”In two nights there will be a dinner party here.”

Normal people? I didn't want normal people here. Normal people had made my life miserable. I wanted to be surrounded by people like me. ”Okay.”

Surely Aaron heard the reservations coming from my mind, but he didn't seem to care. ”And during that party, I want you to try to block their thoughts. Think you'd like to try?”

I shrugged. I wasn't sure, but I didn't want to disappoint Aaron. I slid Lewis a glance. He nodded, as if sensing my unease. ”Sure, I guess.”

Aaron smiled, a pride in his eyes that I'd never experienced before. The sort of pride only a father could give a daughter. I liked it more than I wanted to admit. ”You'll concentrate, just like you did today. But don't worry, we'll practice more in the next couple days.”

”Sure.”

He cupped my shoulders and drew me close into a hug. ”I'm so proud of you, Cameron.”

Warm giddiness swept through my body, this deep sated need that was finally being filled. This is what it felt like to have your parent's approval. I squeezed my eyes shut and dared to hug him back. I knew, in that moment, I'd do pretty much anything Aaron asked.

Chapter 10.

I'd never really had the opportunity to dress up. At last year's prom I had pretended I would be out of town, partly because I couldn't afford a dress, partly because I was afraid no one would ask me. Hearing about how much fun everyone had had made me wish I'd gone. I'd been planning to go this year. Now...well, I was no longer a student and the realization that I'd miss out on something so major made me somewhat sad. That is until the dress Aaron had bought me for the dinner party arrived.

Instead of prom, I tried to focus on the fact that I was wearing a totally cute dress with a halter type neckline and an A-line skirt that landed at my knees. It was more mature than I normally wore, but not too s.e.xy. When I'd put the dress on, I'd noticed the tag said Louis Vuitton. I was no fas.h.i.+on expert, but I knew expensive clothing when I saw it. Once again I was aware that Aaron had money. But how? From what I could see, he didn't work.

I pulled on my Gucci high heels. Blue, to match the dress. The heels weren't high, but it didn't matter. I wasn't used to wearing dress shoes and for a moment, I wavered on my feet.

”Must be nice.”

I spun around, teetering as I did. Olivia stood in the doorway, chewing on a strand of her hair while she glared daggers at me.

I resisted the urge to grimace. I'd only been here a few days and already had an enemy. ”What must be nice?” I grabbed onto the post of my bed, regaining my balance.

She slumped against the doorjamb. She was wearing a black sweats.h.i.+rt and jeans, apparently her normal garb. ”I said it must be nice to be Aaron's new favorite toy.”

I bristled at her comment. ”I don't know what you mean.”