Page 113 of The Otherworld

I threw those words in Adam’s face tonight and watched him flinch. Some part of me regretted saying it, but another part of me enjoyed the feeling. I wanted him to know what it’s like to be pushed away.

Sleep comes to me eventually in blurry waves of dreams and darkness. I see Papa shouting at me to leave, then begging me to stay. I see Adam’s face in the moonlight, hear his voice encompassing me like steady thunder: I could never stop loving you… but it’s not as simple as that. The night seems endless—a black hole of self-doubt and heartache swallowing me up.

I awaken to a rapid knocking on my door. When I open my eyes, I find morning sunlight pouring through the window and scattering across my strange new bed. The clock on the nightstand reads nine thirty.

I’ve slept the morning away.

The knock comes again. I push aside my sheets and climb out of bed, shuffling across the room to open the door.

“Good morning, Orca.” Jack leans against the doorjamb, smirking at me. His hazel eyes glint with both the thirst for adventure and the promise of it. “I hope you slept well because today we explore the Otherworld.”

A flame of half-remembered hope sparks to life in my chest. “Oh. I nearly forgot.”

“Forgot?” Jack laughs. “Come on, you’ve been dreaming about this your whole life! Thought you’d be a little more excited.”

“I am excited…” I look down at the floor, rubbing my bare arms. Somehow, I expected it to feel different. When Jack flew me to the mainland yesterday, my heart was dancing with giddy joy and anticipation. Now I feel nothing but a heavy disappointment weighing on my chest like an anchor.

“Orca?” Jack’s soft voice draws my gaze back up. “What did Adam say to you last night?”

“What makes you think he said anything to me?”

“Because you were so happy before he showed up. And then, after you talked to him outside… well, I could tell you were upset. I hope he didn’t say anything out of line.”

I shake my head. “Not exactly. He just… He thinks I should go back home and apologize to my father.”

Jack sighs, rolling his eyes heavenward. “What the hell. Don’t listen to him, Orca. You belong here. You deserve this. Stop feeling guilty and just enjoy yourself for once in your life.” He grins in that unapologetic Jack Stevenson way of his. “We’ve got plenty of time to be responsible grownups—trust me. Let’s enjoy being young while we can still get away with it.”

Though the conflict of last night still weighs on my mind, I can’t help feeling a bit lighter when Jack looks at me like that—his eyes sparkling with possibility.

“Go get dressed,” he says. “I’m taking you out for breakfast.”

“Out for breakfast? What does that mean?”

“You’ll see.” He winks, pulling the door shut. “Meet you in the driveway!”

Perhaps Jack is right—I’ve come this far. Why should I have regrets? I should enjoy my time in the Otherworld without looking over my shoulder and feeling guilty for things I didn’t do. I’ve longed for this adventure my whole life. I’ve wanted it since before I can remember.

So why am I not more excited? Why do I find myself standing at the threshold of my dream, hesitation clutching my heart?

Perhaps because, more than the Otherworld and all its glory, I want Adam Stevenson to love me again.

* * *

It’s called a “diner,” according to Jack, and I’ve never seen anything like it before. The whole building is one big open room crowded with tables and chairs where people sit, talking and eating breakfast. The atmosphere is a chaos of voices and clacking dishes and delicious aromas. Music plays from a radio in the ceiling, barely audible over the noise of everything else. Jack takes my hand and leads me to an empty booth by a window, where we sit across from each other.

“Why would people come here to eat instead of cooking for themselves?”

“Because it’s easier,” Jack says, grinning as he watches me take in the otherworldly sights around us. “And who wants to cook, anyway?”

“But who makes the food?”

“Uh, the people working here.”

“Why would they do that?”

“To get paid?”

“Oh, so it’s one of those ‘jobs’ Adam was talking about.”

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