Page 32 of The Boy With The Sharp Teeth
School,surprisingly enough, was her only saving grace against her mercurial wonderingthoughts. Signing up for every extracurricular class she could physically take,Sana had immersed herself in her studies, something that pleased her parents tono end. But now, all those musings, those thoughts of what-ifs and heavy sighswere over. As they passed theWelcome to Tarkisign-off to the right ofthe highway driving down its narrow two lanes, Sana's mind relaxed despite herchest tightening in anticipation. Sitting in the back of her parent's minivan,she sat a row behind Kamal and in front of the mound of luggage in the trunkarea. Kamal, who had all his comic books and video games spread out on the seatlike a nest, was chattering with her parents in the front, talking about whathe wanted to do first once they got to their grandparents' house. Sana ignoredthe discussion. Her mind was currently reeling with the freedom she gaveherself once they passed through the city limits. For the next month, she wouldgive herself this one chance to feel whatever she felt and to think whatevershe wanted about the handsome boy. No longer would she admonish herself forletting her thoughts stray to Zach. No more firm talks with herself, no more censureon her heart, and more importantly, no more guilt when she let the memories ofthat last night with him last year invade her mind.
Feelingbetter with her decision, Sana leaned against the window with a smile as herbody relaxed. Driving past the rundown little gas station on the left side ofthe highway, her eyes skimmed the passing towering pine trees and glimpses ofsand dunes through the occasional breaks in the trees. Slowly, trafficincreased on the roads as they reached further into town, and Sana could feelthe car pull to a stop at a light.
Aheadof her on the left sat a white sedan idling at the light alongside theirvehicle. Landing on top of the car with a silent little flutter was ared-breasted bird. Its dark wings and coral-red breast feathers stood outagainst the stark white metal of the car as he looked left and right withbeady-eyed determination. Entranced by the bird, she followed its progress asit hopped off the car and soared across the front window of their van and tothe other side of the road into a little patch of pine trees. A breeze slippedin through the passenger window Kamal had cracked earlier, and sounds oftalking and laughing drifted on the edges of the warm summer current.
Scootinga little closer down her long seat, Sana stilled all over when she caught thesource of the noise. Standing with his arms folded over his chest, leaning backagainst the trunk of a car, which was parked in the parking lot of Moore'sPlumbing and AC repair shop, stood Zachariah Waatese. Sana felt her heartstutter before stopping completely. Talking to what looked like three of hiscousins, judging by their matching cinnamon skin and dark hair, Zach wore apair of faded jeans and a blue t-shirt that stretched across his chest. He was…somuch bigger than last year, she thought breathlessly. From the cordedstriations of veins and muscles on his forearms and the strong lined profile ofhis jaw, all facts made up a man rather than a boy who should have justgraduated high school. When did he get so big?
Finally,the light turned green, and Sana could see the cars ahead of theirs slowlybegin to pull away from the light, and she let out a shaky exhale. Thatfamiliar fear she had endured all summer last year crept back into her veins asshe observed her tormentor in open-mouthed shock. How could she have forgottenthat element? Between anger and pining, how could she have forgotten theoverwhelming anxiety Zach always caused her? But she remembered it now becauseit was back in full force, flooding her bloodstream.
Justas their car began to roll forward, Sana watched, tucked into her seat behind thesafety of the heavily tinted car windows as Zach suddenly stilled. She watchedas his big chest expanded with a heavy inhale before slowly falling. Like adrop hitting a pond's still surface, time slowed as she watched in eye-wideninghorror as Zach slowly turned his head in her direction. As if the tint of thewindows made no difference at all, his piercing golden eyes found hers andstared directly at her.
Impossible!He could not see her. Scooting back in her seat until her back was pressedagainst the opposite wall of the car, Sana watched as a smirk tugged at Zach'slips, showing her a glimpse of his sharp white teeth. Turning back to hiscousins, Zach continued his conversation as her car pulled further away. Withheld breath, she ducked in her seat so that she couldn’t be seen from the backwindow.
DearGod, just what did she come back to this summer?
~*~
"Mom,can I sit up front with Elijah and his friends?" Kamal asked, practically bouncingfrom one foot to another.
Pausingmidway from laying down her and her father's blanket, Sana's mother turned tolook over her shoulder and looked from Kamal to Elijah's sheepish smile andnervous wave before giving a sighing nod. Without preamble, the boysdisappeared through the clusters of people sitting on their own blankets andlawn chairs in the open field behind the movie theater.
Good,Sana thought with a relieved smile as she spread her own blanket next to atree. She didn't want Kamal ruining the movie anyways with all his talking.With her parents and grandparents a few yards ahead of her next to a few oftheir friends, Sana would have this spot in the back of the field completely toherself. More than happy, she sat down under the string lights that zigzaggedabove everyone's head across the expanse of the small field and pulled out herZiploc of popcorn and thermos of water. Completely prepared, she situatedherself against the tree with a small smile as she watched the remaining peoplehurry to their spots. This was their second night back in Tarki, and she wasmore than happy they made it in time for their long-standing tradition, anevent she had loved ever since she was little.
Everyyear at the beginning of summer, the Tarki movie theater ran special outdoormovies showing everything from classic black-and-white horror to thrillers andoccasional romances. Opening up her popcorn, Sana felt the same familiar giddyfeeling rush over her when the overhead string lights blinked off and the largeexpanse of the flat, white brick of the theater's back wall suddenly lit upwith the projection. The crowd of murmurs hushed as the large speakers liningthe field began to sound, and the movie began.
Asthe intro music of the movie faded and the sound picked up, Sana relaxed intothe tree and watched the familiar scenes of the Hitchcock film flicker acrossthe building.
Apuff of warm air at her neck was her only warning before the deep words rumbledinto her ear. "Hello, Sana."
Herbody jolted, and her mouth opened to scream, but a warm hand clamped itselfover her mouth, and she turned to see a golden eye inches away. "Try notto scream, my love," he instructed her quietly. Crouched behind her, Zachheld one hand over her mouth as he leaned partially over her shoulder, causingsome of his shoulder-length black hair to obscure a portion of his face.
Sananodded, and Zach smiled. "Good girl," he let his hand drop to hershoulder, and she scowled at him. He ignored it with a grin. "Did youthink I didn't know the very second you crossed the Tarki border?"
Sanadidn't say anything, her words felt caught in her chest as she looked nervouslyat the profile of his face before glancing at her parents' backs a few yardsahead of her.
Unconcernedby the threat of getting caught, Zach let his hand smooth over the rise of hershoulder and down to her waist. "Did you miss me?" he asked.
Sanashook her head.
"Mmm,are you sure?" his deep voice purred against the shell of her ear, andSana couldn't help but shiver at the feeling. "I missed you, more than youcould know. Tell me that I wasn't the only one staring at the stars andthinking of what we had? Tell me, Sana…"
Hereyes darted back to her parents and grandparents, who sat obliviously up ahead,unaware of the predator at their daughter's back. They couldn't see his strongarms wrapping around her and holding her tight against his solid body. Heatpoured from him and radiated into hers, making her want to whimper in defeatand lay limply against him, but she resisted and confessed instead. "Maybea little."
"Fuck,"he dragged out the expletive against her ear, causing her whole body to tremblewith its depth. Zach's hands tightened under her breasts, and she could feelhim purposely rub his thumb against the curving underside of them. "How Imissed you," he kissed her just beneath her ear, and this time she did letout a little strangled sound. Loosening his arms, he began to pull away, andSana jumped as he dragged the open palm of each of his hands boldly over herbreasts and across her stiffening nipples as he whispered. "I'll be seeingyou, Sana."
Thedark whisper faded into the breeze behind her, and she turned around in herseat to look at him. But there was only the empty darkness of the unlit fieldbehind her and the even darker presence of the forest beyond that.
~*~
Thissummer, Sana had devised herself a plan. A plan so perfect no one, not even hershrewd mother, could see through it for what it really was. Determined not toget roped into babysitting her brother for another summer, Sana had contactedthe Goldmans a month before summer break started. Having owned the theater inTarki since it was first built back in the early fifties, the Goldmans wereconnoisseurs of all things film and knew a fellow cinephile when they saw one.Without much convincing, they agreed to let Sana volunteer whenever she wantedto help out and organize at the theater whenever she wanted to this summer. Theplan was perfect. While her parents praised her for her diligence incontinuously seeking out ways to bolster her resume with volunteer work, theyunknowingly agreed that with this new responsibility, she could not only sitaround and watch Kamal all summer but would be spending time away from theirwatchful eyes. A taste of freedom, that was what she planned hard for andsuccessfully gained.
Smilingto herself, Sana loped down the porch steps of her house with an extra surge ofglee in each step. Wearing a cream-yellow pleated skirt with a white t-shirtthat had large green and yellow letters printed across that read "When indoubt go to the library" on it, along with a pair of scuffed-up whitesneakers, Sana made her way down the lane towards downtown.
Eventually,the grass shoulder of the road turned into a sidewalk as buildings came intoview. Passing through a parking lot near the bait and fishing supply store,Sana turned onto the main street and paused at the red and blue flashing lightson the other side of the downtown square. Across the lawned grass and gazebothat sat directly in the center of the downtown shopping area, Sana frowned atthe flashing lights of the sheriff's cruiser. Even from this distance, shecould make out Sheriff Samons deep scowl as he said something to the three menstanding a few yards away. Keeping her pace slow so that she could look, Sanamoved a little further down the sidewalk until the gazebo was no longer in herline of sight, and she could see the men Samons was arguing with.
Somethingin her chest clinched as she spotted the familiar tall frame and bronzed skin.Before her eyes even made it to the figure's face, Sana already knew who itwas. Standing next to his cousin Noah, who looked equally angry, Zach glaredback at the sheriff. For a moment, Sana just stood and watched as the three menargued. Samons' portly figure straining in his uniform as he tried to take anintimidating stance with his hands on his gun belt. Noah was leaning against atruck with his thumbs hooked into his jean’s belt loops, giving the officer adeadly look while Zach argued back with the sheriff.
Asif sensing her staring, Noah looked away from the scene, his eyes landing onher across the field. Sana jolted as she realized he had caught her staring.Straightening up from the truck, he nudged Zach and said something. Sana feltthe heat rise on the back of her neck and up to her ears as she watched Zach'skeen eyes instantly find hers.
