Starlight and Memories

Chapter Three - subject to change so please review

Several weeks passed and one morning Daniel proposed during breakfast that we visit Steven’s place of business that night since it was Friday. I agreed, seeing as it might be a chance for me to talk to Billie again, since she hadn’t been at school very often after my first day. The lunch table under the giant tree in the courtyard had been occupied only by Mitt and Aiden - neither of whom I had talked to. I wasn’t worried too much, mostly because I didn’t have a lot of time with school and my side job at Daniel’s shop.


         One thing I had made time for, however, was becoming closer friends with Sella and Noah. I was the only other girl than Sella who had received a mini-concert from Noah and had even been allowed to hear his band’s Saturday practices. There were four other guys in the band – Mike, Thomas, Jared, and Marquintez – and all of them were pretty talented. Plus Sella had been offered the pianist’s position for the next year since Jared was graduating.


         Sella had also begun to make frequent visits to the Mousse Crossing ever since Daniel had made an extra lunch for her on Italian day (Noah had been happy to get an extra sandwich). I suppose that made things easier for Daniel since he had agreed to help Steven keep tabs on her and now she was showing up at the café almost every evening. We both appreciated the opportunity to go over homework questions together, plus her and Noah were the first real friends I’d ever had. People back in Arizona had always thought of me as a freak, but even though I was still labeled the same here, at least I had two friends – three if I included Billie.


         School went by fairly quick that day, mostly because I was excited when Billie showed up in all our classes. I didn’t really talk to her in class, but I was mostly relieved that nothing had happened to her, knowing her line of work. She did however seem to have trouble keeping her eyes open and I wondered what activity was making her so exhausted.


         Lunch came, but instead of eating outside in the bitter cold, we claimed a spot in the second building where we were surprised to see Billie’s group, still without the fourth member. Sella sat near the door with Noah against the other wall and I slid to her side, away from the door. I pulled out a brown sack from my bag and Sella leaned against my shoulder to sniff.


         “What’s for lunch today?”


         “Daniel got bored and made souvlaki’s, including one for you if you don’t mind messy food.” I handed her a wrap and she threw her sandwich to Noah who frowned.


         “You know, as much as I love your sandwiches Sella, I’m starting to get a little jealous of this gourmet food.”


         I unwrapped the paper around my souvlaki enough that I could get a bite. “I’ll ask him to make something for you on Monday.”


         I was about to take a bite when a movement towards my right caught my attention. I turned to see Billie stand up and begin walking towards us. Sella nudged my shoulder. “Am I imagining things or is outsider girl coming over here?”


         A few seconds passed and Sella got her answer when Billie stopped before me. “Hello, Kari,” she said with a smile.


         I ignored the dropped jaw to my left, and returned her greeting with my own smile. “Hell, Billie, it’s great to see you back. The guys looked lonely without you.”


         “Business called.”


         “You can sit with us if you’d like. Daniel made souvlakis and I’ll give you the first bite.” I offered her the souvlaki and she took it, but I didn’t get it back until she had consumed two bites.


         “Thanks.” She took a seat beside Noah and held out her hand to him. “You’re the rock guy, right?”


         His eyes widened as he shook her hand. “Noah.”


         “Billie,” she said, while turning her attention to my left. “And you’re Chloe’s sister, Sella.”


         Noah and I immediately looked at her to see her reaction to the use of her sister’s name, but she didn’t seem bothered. “I’m glad to see someone other than me doesn’t act like she’s dead.”


         We both sighed with relief.


         Billie pointed to Noah’s extra sandwich. “May I please have that?”


         He nodded while taking a bite of the one in his hands. She took the sandwich but spoke to Sella before eating. “We were friends, your sister and me, but something called her away and she had to answer it, but I know she’ll come back. She told me so.”


         There was an awkward silence before Noah motioned to the guys at the end of the hall. “Your friends will probably get jealous of you talking to us.”


         “They’ll be fine. Besides, you guys are more interesting,” said Billie as she began eating.


         Sella looked at me, an unsure look still on her face. “Hey, so you said you’re going to the Wave tonight?”


         I nodded, wiping my mouth with a napkin. “Yeah, Daniel’s taking me.”


         “Sara Knightly’s band is playing a few songs,” added Billie. “They’re pretty good.”


         Noah laughed, almost losing a chunk of sandwich. “Sure, if you like emo-poetry crap.”


         I listened to my friends talk about town bands and move into the broader genre of music until the bell rang. I was glad that they were getting to know each other, thanks mainly to Billie. Aiden and Mitt watched us from the end of the hall and I waved to them, chuckling as their eyes instantly averted away – Noah had been right about them getting jealous.


         The rest of the day flashed past until the time came when I had to locate the Mercedes in the parking lot. Several students stopped to watch Daniel and I leave as we drove to the shop as usual. Business had picked up slightly, enough that we were making some actual profit, but definitely not enough to upgrade the place, which Daniel now wanted to do. I was also now capable of preparing most of the drinks, making his job easier, but I still occasionally messed up. We already had to get one coffee machine fixed thanks to my clumsiness.


Sella showed up at the shop asking if she could ride over to Steven’s place with us. Daniel agreed so she hung around until closing time at nine. Stars twinkled overhead, the moon high in the sky as we drove to a part of town I hadn’t seen yet. Daniel drove to a warehouse at the edge of town, not the image I had expected despite being pleased with the full parking lot. At least someone’s business around here seemed to be thriving. Somehow we managed to find a parking space and left the car, my heart pounding with excitement.


Sella nudged my shoulder. “Come on, it’s a big hang out spot for high-schoolers, and even the college students drive up here since it’s mainly open Fridays and the weekends.”


         I could hear the music all the way from the car and it got louder as we walked to a door towards the right end, joining several others waiting to get in. The doors opened, allowing us in and colorful flashing lights pierced the night, and eventually it was our turn to enter. The club was invigorating and full of life as people swarmed around a stage taking up the left wall, and before us was a long bar and enclosed kitchen with tables to the right.


         Several people bumped my shoulder as we made our way to the bar and I recognized one of the men behind the counter as Steven. Daniel banged a fist on the counter. “I’ll have whatever’s on tap.”


         Steven filled a glass, not bothering to look up. “Well, it’s root beer, Dannie boy, so it may be too strong for your taste buds.”


         “Ha, ha,” mocked Daniel as he snatched the full glass.


         Sella leaned on the counter. “Have you seen Noah, Steven?”


         “He’s around here somewhere, but if you see him, tell him he owes an hour.”


         I looked at Sella with confusion. “What does he mean?”


         Sella laughed. “It means that Noah lost a bet on how many people would come tonight, so he has to work behind the counter for an hour.”


         “You’d think he’d know better by now,” yelled Steven over the music.


         He filled another glass and handed it to me and then pointed at an empty table. “Do you mind if I talk to Daniel for a second?”


         I shrugged and took the glass with me to the table he had pointed at. Sitting on a stool at the high table, I gazed around the warehouse, fascinated by the number of people, like an anthill just stomped on. There were so many running back and forth and the people at the stage jumped and danced with ridiculous movements I had only seen on TV. Still, most of the people were fairly young, so I didn’t mind too much that I was uncomfortable, and the band wasn’t as bad as Noah had said it was.


         A hand knocked on the table and my mind came back to my body and went rigid as I recognized the sandy-haired boy in front of me. “May I please sit with you?” Mitt asked politely.


         I nodded and he took a seat across from me, looking around. My eyes, however, couldn’t leave his violet eyes as I realized just how beautiful he looked with his long side bangs and a tight midnight turtleneck. I couldn’t understand how all these guys could looks so gorgeous, like I was living in a parallel dimension – especially since they were all associated with Steven.


         “Do you know why Steven only opens this place three days a week?” asked Mitt softly, and I waited, not sure if the question was rhetorical or not. “Because it takes so long to get the heating spell to hold, especially since Billie insists on not helping us.”


         I looked around at the people not wearing any coats and my cheeks warmed as I realized I had left mine on. I quickly slipped out of the dark coat and took a sip of root beer hoping to cool my face before Mitt noticed.


         He finally looked at me and I wanted to turn invisible. “My name is Mitt, but you undoubtedly knew that.”


I nodded, finally able to speak. “You’re Steven’s brother, and Aiden’s friend.”


         His shoulders sunk back as his eyes widened. “I don’t usually hear the Aiden part.”


         “Oh. Sorry, you’re right. I really don’t know him well enough to talk about him like that,” I apologized, a part of me wondering why I was saying such stupid things. Couldn’t I keep my mouth shut when it counted? And now I was embarrassing myself in front of someone I really wanted to get to know. After all, he was Steven’s little brother, and Steven was Daniel’s good friend.


         “You don’t have to apologize. I’m sorry it took me so long to finally talk with you.”


         “I’m just happy you did.”


         The corners of his mouth twitched upwards. “Billie says a lot of nice things about you, so I decided to see if they were true.”


         Now I was certain my cheeks were crimson, and he had caught on to it. My hand that was holding the glass began aching from grasping it so hard. “I hope they’re confirmed. Billie’s a wonderful friend.”


         “Well, thank you,” said a voice behind me, and I looked over my shoulder to see Billie and Aiden.


         They both took a seat at the table, Billie with her cloudy smile and Aiden with his brooding, bad boy look. I looked around with both awe and surprise because I had never imagined that I would be with the people around me as friends.          


         “So do you like the place?” asked Mitt.


         I looked into violet eyes, mesmerized. “Um, yeah, I suppose.”


         Billie rested her chin on her hand. “Well, as long as Steven doesn’t act crazy tonight at home.”


         There was a hint hidden in her voice and I looked at her quizzically. “Do you all live together?”


         “Unfortunately, yes,” answered Mitt with a sour look.


         Billie frowned. “I’m surprised Daniel didn’t tell you.”


         “He only tells me if I ask,” I said, wondering what else would be handy to know about them.


         Billie suddenly tipped her head as if listening to something, but I couldn’t tell what. Then she tapped Aiden’s arm and motioned to the door as she stood. They left without a word and Mitt gave me an apologetic look. “Sorry, but something’s probably wrong with Alex. That idiot can’t seem to keep out of trouble.”


         I couldn’t help but notice the undertone of disgust in his voice, surprising since he seemed so nice, despite just meeting him. However, he also seemed darker, more secretive and possibly more sinister than his brother, who acted like a boy my own age. Steven’s group was certainly interesting, but there was sadness about them that closed the group off from others. Still, Daniel had always said that mysteries intrigued people, and yet the group wasn’t as popular as I figured they would be.


         Mitt stood up. “Well, I better check on Steven, but it was nice meeting you.”


         “You too,” I said before watching him walk away.


         I turned my attention to my root beer, letting the band’s music flow into my ears. They weren’t bad at all, considering it was a girl band singing songs about high school chaos and other things I couldn’t grasp. Sella showed up at my table a little later, her forehead beaded with sweat as if she had been dancing. She took a sip of my drink before plopping into the seat Mitt had been sitting in. “I can’t believe Mitt is actually talking to someone outside his little circle.”


         “Really?” I asked, surprised at the bluntness of her statement.


         She shrugged and took another sip of the drink. “Mm-hm. I’m not saying he’s a snob – the whole group just don’t seem the ‘people’ type, if you can even call them people.”


         I thought about it, wondering why she sounded so off base, and realized that if the other students thought as Sella did, then it was no wonder they weren’t popular at school. Their demeanors did discourage others from talking to them, even I had to admit that, but if they were given a chance I was positive that others could accept all three. They were people with feelings, too, although they were also more, but that only made them true individuals. Such a thought was sort of romantic, maybe even fairy-tale oriented, but such things made life appear even better, and I knew from experience that they could happen – all I had to do was look at my strange life with Daniel.


         Sella stayed with me until Noah came by and offered to give her a ride home. They departed and I was left to myself as everyone in the warehouse slowly trickled out. Around midnight Steven declared closing time and Daniel appeared at my table and said it was time to vanish before Steven could ask for help with closing. We left the warehouse and went home, both of us repeatedly yawning all the way. I was relieved once we got home, but also satisfied with how the day had gone. I walked into the house and bid Daniel good night, wondering when I would get to talk to Steven’s group again. I was really looking forward to it.


         The following Monday, I received another surprise when Mitt showed up at the front door around seven, just before school. I was in the process of eating breakfast with Daniel when the bell rang. We both paused in the middle of a bite, sharing the same look of curiosity since this was the first time either of us had heard the bell ring since moving in a month earlier, other than the gasman. Daniel trailed behind me all the way to the door and the lock clicked as I slowly opened the door to see Mitt bundled in a coat and hat.


         “Sorry to bother you, but my idiot brother burned down the Wave’s kitchen and he requests Daniel’s immediate assistance.”


         Daniel sighed as he welcomed Mitt inside the house and went to fetch his coat. I led Mitt to the kitchen where we sat at the table until Daniel came back wrapped up with keys jingling in his hand. “Hey, Mitt, do you think you could give Kari a ride to school?”


         “Of course.”


         “Great. See you after school, Kari.”


         “Bye!” I called after him as he ran down the hall. The garage door opened and closed, leaving Mitt and I alone. We ebbed in an uncomfortable silence while I finished my breakfast. Then I placed the dishes in the sink and followed Mitt outside to a blue mini-cooper, probably afforded through Steven’s years of working. Now that I thought about it, Mitt could be a few hundred years old since he was Steven’s younger brother. We climbed into the car where I finally gained the courage to ask him, and waited until we were on the road.


“Um, I turned sixty-three two months ago, sixteen in the school file.”


         I felt awkward sitting beside someone old enough to be my grandfather, but I wondered how he was able to do anything through the government since he used his original name. I knew the government had had a few loopholes – okay, many – but surely they would notice a business owner who could’ve been living on social security. “Do the government know anything about you guys? Oh, sorry, that was probably a really random question.”


         Mitt’s eyes didn’t leave the road. “Do you really think they didn’t know? Our information is frequently changed through the CIA and every once in a while we help them. That’s why Daniel was with the military for ten years. Steven will be called up in a few years.”


         “How old is he?”


         “He was born in 1594. Our mother was a druid and we had different fathers, but Steven’s looked out for me since I was little. She died, but we never really talk about it.”


         After that, I didn’t inquire anymore into his past since the subject had become touchy. I knew what it was to lose parents but I couldn’t even remember so I didn’t pretend to empathize. That would only be rude anyway and we hadn’t been friends long enough for me to feel comfortable delving into hurtful scars.


         We were silent the rest of the ride to school where he parked the car in a space towards the center. The sky above was a deep shade of grey and a bitter breeze blew my hair into my face, making it hard to see where I was walking. We approached the door and I must have missed a frozen puddle from last night’s storm because I felt myself falling before I realized what I had done. Several students around me gasped and I closed my eyes, waiting for the ground to hit.


         Two arms wrapped around me, before I reached the ground though, and I landed softly against a thick coat. I waited for my heart to stop pounding before opening my eyes to see my rescuer.


         “Are you all right?” whispered Mitt into my ear.


         My cheeks burned as I quickly stood up and turned to see him kneeling on the ground. His reflexes must have been lightning fast for him to move like that. “I’m fine. Sorry about that. I guess I didn’t see the ice. Daniel’s always saying I’m too oblivious for my own safety.” I realized then that I was rambling, and my cheeks heated even more. I offered my hand to him, instead, hoping that moving would calm me down. “Need help standing?”


         He gave me a strange look as he took it and stood. Several people snickered as they walked past us having seen my fall. I begged my cheeks to cool as Mitt led me into the building. We took a right and walked to Mr. Grindle’s classroom where we stopped to talk as students trickled into the hall.


         “Are Billie and Aiden around?” I asked, just now wondering why Mitt had picked me up and not Billie – I tended to be that slow.


         He shook his head. “They’re helping Alex, but he should be back soon, unfortunately.”


         “Why don’t you like him?” I immediately regretted asking, especially since only a few moments ago I had decided not to pry.


         But instead of thinking about the question, he instantly responded, “Because he’s an idiot.”


         I waited for him to elaborate, sensing that there was something more, but when he didn’t I shifted the topic. “Well I hope they get back safely since I know they were tracking the man who attacked me. He was really strong,” I added, remembering his tight grip, but then I remembered the hooded man’s punch and suddenly felt silly. Anyone that strong stood a good chance on his own.


         The bell rang and Mitt departed with a goodbye as he left for his class. I sighed, feeling positive that he thought I was lacking a multitude of brain cells as I walked into class. I had the skills at communication on paper, but when it came to verbal communication I would fail any exam. I took a seat and pulled out my homework, preparing my desk for class until the second bell. Noah and Sella both said hello as they sat down and asked to compare their homework answers with mine, meaning they would copy about half. I agreed, and Sella grabbed my paper before Noah. Mr. Grindle took roll and then began the class by asking about questions concerning the homework. Noah’s hand shot up as usual.


         After copying my work, she handed the paper to Noah and was about to ask me something when the blonde girl sitting before me turned around. “Hey, Kari, right? You’re the one Mitt Connor brought to school, right?”


         “Why?”


         Sella rested her chin on her hand with a frown. “Yes, do tell.”


         The girl scowled at her and then at me. “I was wondering if there was something going on between you, because I was planning on asking him to prom.”


         Sella laughed and quickly covered her mouth as several eyes stared at her, but she couldn’t stay silent for long. “You actually think he’d date you, not to mention that he’s a sophomore.”


         The burnet behind me added her two cents in. “His Aiden friend is pretty good-looking too.”


         I shrugged. “They’re my friends.”


         A boy in a basketball jersey behind Noah spoke up. “Those were some great reflexes this morning in front of the school.”


         “What’s he talking about?” asked Sella.


         I hid my face in my hands embarrassed that so many people had witnessed my clumsiness. “I accidentally slipped on some ice, and Mitt caught me.”


         There was brief moment of silence as my explanation sank in. “Why did he drive you in the first place?”


         “Steven needed Daniel’s help with something, so Mitt offered me a ride.”


         I should have known not to say that, but I didn’t, so I spent the rest of the morning being pestered with constant questions about Mitt and my relationship with him. There were even a few about Aiden and Billie, but I tried my best to ignore all of them, concentrating on my work. I didn’t want to be a gossip – people always said bad things about them, and Steven’s group had been nice and they deserved better than someone like me betraying all their intimate details. Lunch was a reprieve because I was relieved when the first question I received was Noah asking about the lunch I’d agreed to have Daniel make him. We claimed our spot in the second hall and had just begun eating when Mitt slumped against the wall beside Noah with an exhausted look. “I’ve never had so many people talk to me at once,” he said with a sigh.


         Sella grunted. “You should’ve seen what Kari had to endure.”


         He straightened, fully alert again and looked down at me. “I hope they didn’t bother you too much.”


         I smiled at his apparent worry. “Not at all, I’m just sorry that my clumsiness may have caused it.”


         Noah frowned. “I’ve been the new girl’s friend for weeks. So how come I haven’t received instant popularity?”


         Sella shrugged, keeping her eyes on her food. “Maybe you just have to give her a ride to school and save her life with superhuman reflexes.”


         I couldn’t help but laugh, and I tried to stop, but as soon as Noah and Sella joined me there was no stopping. And the greatest thing about that moment was seeing a smile on Mitt’s face – small, but just as beautiful as I thought it would be.