Chapter Twelve: Timeless by Rosaline Saul
Kieran pulls his shoulders back. “Well. In sixteen
ninety-two, I lived in a small town called Salem.”
Shannon interrupts him, “You are so full of it. What is your real history? Where are you from?”
Seriously, he says, “Before moving here, I lived in South
America for a while.”
Dermot throws the cigarette stub onto the ground and grinds
it to death with the toe of his shoe.
“Thank
goodness,” I exclaim. “I thought you would never finish that. Can we get lunch
now?”
I move forward just as Kieran takes a step. I move into him
by accident, and I bump up against him. My face is close to his and he looks
into my eyes, he looks at me as if I am his whole world, which causes me a
moment of panic. This is the first time a boy has looked at me so intensely, so
deeply, it actually stirs my soul. I feel a hot flush push up my face. He
smiles charmingly, and then he gestures for me to walk ahead of him.
I move away from him and for the entire break and the rest
of the day, I make sure Shannon and Dermot are walking between him and me. I
successfully avoid looking at him for the rest of the day.
After school, I say goodbye to Shannon
and Dermot and I walk to the train station alone, as I do every day. Just
another normal day, except it is not normal because in twenty-four hours from
now my dad will technically no longer be a part of my family unit.
His sudden voice next to me startles me, “Hi, Heather. Mind
if I walk with you.”
“Which
direction do you go?” He looks at me puzzled, so I smile. “On the train. Do you
go South or North?”
Understanding brightens his eyes.
Although love scares me a little now, I cannot help it when
I feel a small twinge in the pit of my stomach. He is absolutely gorgeous and
the way he looks at me makes me feel wanted and loved. Obviously, this whole
divorce thing is playing havoc with my emotions because I met this boy only a
few hours ago and already my mind is telling me he wants and loves me.
He says, “North. I saw you on the train this morning.”
“You
did?”
“Yeah.
You were sitting a few seats ahead of me.”
I nod my head as I say, “Okay?” I wonder if my previous
prediction is correct and he is not looking at me with want and love, but with
psychotic needs and desires.
As if he can read my mind, he declares, “Don’t worry, I am
not a psycho. I recognized your school uniform.”
I smile, hiding my relief.
He continues, “I didn’t see you at school yesterday.”
“I
know. I was feeling a little off.”
He frowns briefly. “Hope you are feeling better today.”
“I’m
okay.” I grin sheepishly.
We reach the station and wait on the platform together.
He is looking out across the railway lines, across the
stonewall on the other side, toward the blue, motionless ocean. He asks
interested, “Do you go to the beach often.”
“In
summer, we go regularly. Not now though, it gets too cold.”
The train rumbles into the station and then we walk a little
forward. The doors swoosh open, and I step up into the carriage while Kieran
follows me in. I find a seat and he sits down across from me. There is not a
whole lot of leg space, especially when he slouches down into his seat. The
fabric of his grey school pants rubs against my leg, and I am not sure where to
put my legs. For the first time ever, in all of my sixteen years, I am feeling
shy and uncertain in the presence of a boy.
He stares out of the window at a point just beyond my face
and I feel unsure of myself.
I do not know where to look, so I look up and read the
boring advertisements pasted across the light fittings near the roof of the
carriage.
I have memorized the importance of brushing my teeth when he
breaks the silence between us. “Almost there.”
I sit up, feeling uncomfortable with his warm leg pressed
against mine. Not uncomfortable in a weird way, but a nice way. I cross my legs
at the ankles, slide them in under my seat and look out the window.
The houses on the outskirts of Drogheda are flashing past.
As he stands up, he scoops his hand through the handles of
his satchel.
I get up as well and follow him to the standing area by the
door. The train stops with a jerk, and I knock into him. He takes a deep breath
as his arms come around my waist to steady me.
Smiling shyly, I move away from him.
After we get off the train, we walk through the ticket office together. He walks with me across the parking lot to the steps that would lead me to the road in the direction of where my home is.
