Page 116 of Inception

“Because of all the grief I’ve caused you.” No doubt.

“No.” His jaw set in a hard line. “Because you’re not really the kind of girl a guy can forget, Jemma.”

I wasn’t entirely sure what he meant by that, but it did strange fuzzy things to my insides.

After finishing up his bandages, Trace put his shirt back on and headed outside to check the area and make sure nothing was out of the ordinary, though he seemed fairly certain we’d be safe here. At least for now. While he was gone, I pulled out my cell phone and checked for service again in the hopes that I could reach Henry and find out exactly what happened to him today. Unfortunately, my bars kept flicking in and out every twenty seconds making the task a lot harder than need be.

“Who are you calling now?” asked Trace when he returned a few minutes later. He looked annoyed as he locked the door behind him and began closing all the curtains.

The room darkened with each swoosh.

“I’m trying to reach Henry,” I said, my eyes following him around the room. “He was supposed to pick me up after detention but he never showed up. Don’t you think that’s weird?”

“That’s my fault,” he said and then flopped down on the sofa beside me, draping his arm around the back. “I saw him waiting for you after school and told him I’d give you a lift.”

I stared at him, surprised that he volunteered himself.

“I was going that way anyway,” he muttered with a tinge of defensiveness.

“Thanks, I guess. What about work? Aren’t they going to be worried that we didn't show up?”

“I took care of it already.” His hard eyes moved to me, softening as he looked me over. “Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat or drink?”

I shook my head. “I don’t think I could handle any food right now. My stomach’s still in knots,” I said, hugging my arms for warmth. I swear it felt as though I’d developed a permanent case of the chills ever since I moved to this godforsaken town.

He pulled the throw blanket from the armrest and tossed it over to me.

I thanked him and spread the blanket around myself. “You want to share?” I asked, offering him a corner.

He shook his head and sunk deeper into the couch. His eyes quickly slid shut as though he were trying to shut out the world around him. As though they were the gatekeepers to a place he didn’t want me entering.

Seconds turned to minutes.

I really didn’t want to watch him sleep and yet I couldn’t look away. He looked so peaceful like this. Vulnerable. Not at all like the powerful, guarded being I knew him to be. The kind of being who could make dreams come true and open up doors to worlds I never even knew existed. Like this, he was just another boy. Just a beautiful sleeping boy.

“What?” He quirked an eye open, catching me.

“Nothing,” I shook my head nervously, hoping he didn’t suspect I’d been watching him this whole time. I pulled my knees up to my chest. “I was just thinking.”

“About?” Both his eyes were open now, studying me like a treasure map.

“About tomorrow.” I shrugged because it wasn’t acompletelie. “You’re still taking me to see my dad, right? You didn’t change your mind or anything?”

“Why would I change my mind?”

“I don’t know…with everything that’s happened today, I was worried you’d think it wasn’t the right time.”

“Actually, we’ll probably be safer in thepast.”

His strange words resonated as reality set in.

The past was going to come alive tomorrow. It would no longer be just a string of fleeting thoughts and movie reels buried in my gallows of my subconscious. It was a place I could go to. A place I could sink my feet into. A physical reality he was going to make happen for me. I was excited and petrified all at the same time.

“How will it feel seeing him again?” I wondered, knowing he’d been in my shoes before and could provide insight.

“Bittersweet.” His eyes met mine in the dark.

“Bittersweet,” I repeated, trying to accost myself to it, to wrap my mind around the sentiment.

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