Part 23 (1/2)
”I'll need a nap too,” said Carley absently. She was staring off in the direction of where Nick had disappeared.
”So, how are you two doing?” I asked Carley. Normally I avoided the subject of Nick with her, but my nerves were raw and my friend's love life would help distract me. Anyhow, it had all blown out into the open in the last couple of days, so I didn't see the need to keep beating around the bush.
Carley's blush deepened and she fiddled with Holt's flower. ”I don't know. Sometimes I think he likes me and I'm the only girl in the world and at other times I feel like he couldn't care less.”
”Are you talking about him or yourself?” I demanded. I had never seen Nick waver about Carley. He had always been the one who was sure.
Carley glared at me. ”Sometimes I'm just not sure what he wants. Sometimes I think he doesn't want the pressure of a real relations.h.i.+p. This way he can have me and still do what he wants. It's a nice bargain for him. Guys don't like the idea that they aren't in control of what they're doing. If Nick thought that he had to be with me I think he'd be scared.”
I thought about that. Some of what she said could be true. ”But that's what Nick wants. What do you want?”
Carley sighed. ”I don't know. I'm not sure I want the pressure of a relations.h.i.+p either. It's been so wonderful this summer. We can hang out and then we can...go do what we want...if we want to.” She was staring at the ground as she talked.
”Carley, when have you ever 'gone and done what you wanted when you wanted to'? Every time we go anywhere Nick goes, and when he does see you flirting with other guys, like Big Jake, he gets himself beaten up.”
”He didn't get beat up,” Carley protested. ”He just fought for me because I had been thrown in the water.”
When I didn't say anything Carley stamped her foot. ”He asked me out at the beginning of the summer, then again the first time we kissed, and he hasn't asked since!”
”Carley,” I said, crossing my legs on the gra.s.s. ”He asked you out twice, right?” She nodded. ”How many times did you turn him down?”
”Autumn, that's SO not the point,” she protested. But she didn't sound convinced.
”If you still want to date him, maybe it's your turn to make a move,” I said. ”Just a thought.”
I didn't know what had made me so bold; I had promised myself I would stay out of my friends' love lives, because I didn't want to see either one of them get hurt. Maybe fighting the Water Sprite had made me stronger. I would have to think about it when I had had a little time to rest.
Before Carley could say anything else, Nick's car came into view.
”Not a word of this to him,” she said, pointing her finger at my chest.
”Cross my heart,” I answered, grinning. ”I promise not to tell Nick you're head-over-heels in love with him. That should really come from you.”
”Shut up!” Carley giggled and pretended to try and kick me, but even as exhausted as I was, I was faster than she was.
”What are you two arguing about?” asked Nick suspiciously as he got out of the car.
”Whether or not plaid is still 'in.'” I said, while Carley rolled on the gra.s.s laughing.
”I don't even know what you just said,” Nick replied, looking back and forth between us. ”I'm going to pretend you made sense. Ready to go?”
”Yeah,” I said. Nick pulled me to my feet, then went over to help Carley, who was still struggling through giggles.
Once we were at home, Nick fussed over us until Carley accused him of acting like her mother, but not even that stopped him. We had given him a big scare. Carley stopped arguing when she finally realized that Nick's fussing was just as much for Nick as for us.
I dragged myself up to my room, took a shower, and stumbled into bed.
I woke up to Nick gently shaking my shoulder.
”Hey Autumn, it's almost seven. We were going to head to Samuel's for dinner, but you don't have to come if you're too tired. Samuel said to say that he knows you're lazy and like to stay in bed, so if you don't want to make the effort to come over that's fine. I think he was kidding....” I groaned into my pillow.
”Samuel is under the mistaken impression that he's funny,” I mumbled into cotton. ”You should do everything you can to help him understand otherwise.”
Nick laughed.
”I'm coming. Just give me five minutes. I don't want to look like I got hit my a truck. A small car is so much better.”
Nick laughed again and left me alone. Every muscle in my body hurt. My mom had always told me I should exercise more, something about living a healthy, fulfilling life, but I hadn't regretted not doing it until I was attacked by a Water Sprite. I wondered what my mom would say to that.
Looking in the mirror I flinched. My skin was pale and there were circles under my eyes. Even so, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I had been carrying around a worry ever since Samuel had told me about the Water Sprite and it was gone now. Even if they said the mastermind behind the attacks was still at large, somehow having both Samuel and Holt ready to defend me made everything less scary.
I pulled on a sweater for the cool late August evening. Carley and Nick were waiting for me in the living room. If you had told me that Carley had been dragged through the water today I wouldn't have believed you. She gave me a brilliant smile and her cheeks were rosy. When I walked into the room she got up to give me a hug.
”Nick and I talked,” she whispered into my ear.
From the dopey-happy look on Nick's face I could guess the result of that conversation.
They walked out to Nick's car holding hands.
When we got to Samuel's, Holt's car was already there. It gave me a thrill just to see it. I realized now how much he had risked in coming back when I was in danger. He had thought that everyone he cared about would be safe from the Winter Queen if he stayed away, but the Water Sprite had convinced him that there were other dangers. Now, with the Winter Queen and the Water Sprite gone, I hoped we could actually spend some time together. Tonight would be a good start, except that with Samuel there it would be awkward. Holt wasn't the possessive type, but since I was technically Samuel's I was worried about what Holt would think if he realized how friendly the two of us had become.
I sighed. I wasn't going to figure anything out tonight. I was too tired and didn't have the benefit of time. I just needed to relax and enjoy myself.
Lydia met us at the door. Instead of her customary mini-skirt and cami, she wore a hooded sweats.h.i.+rt and boyfriend jeans. There was very little makeup on her face, and when she answered the door she actually smiled at us.
”How are you doing?” she asked Carley, who was so nervous at coming face to face with Lydia that her knuckles had turned white as she clutched her shoulder bag.
”I'm fine,” Carley squeaked out, looking at me.
”And how are you, Autumn?”
What I wanted to answer was, ”Who are you and what have you done with Lydia Ches.h.i.+re?” but I was too tired to argue with her. Instead, I said, ”I'm good. Thanks for today.”
”What did she do today?” asked Carley?
”Um, she helped pull you out of the water,” I said. Lydia raised her right eyebrow at me and smiled.
To my relief, Susan was with Holt and Samuel in the kitchen. And there was another surprise. Logan was there. Susan gave me her usual bright smile, but Logan looked a little tired.
”Hey,” I said. Both Holt and Samuel came towards me to give me a hug. When each realized what the other was doing they both came to a dead stop. Already it was awkward.
Instead of choosing between them I scurried to the chip bowl on the table. I knew it was cowardly, but in my defense I was really hungry. Logan seemed to be the only one who noticed what had just happened. He snorted.
Leslie came into the room and said, ”Today was exciting, huh?” I got the idea she wanted to be more specific, but Carley and Nick still didn't know what was really going on. I almost regretted having them there.
”So,” said Logan, ”what are we doing tonight?”
”Why are you so impatient?” Susan demanded. ”Can't we all just hang out?”
Logan rolled his eyes and continued to lounge on the counter.