Revelations (Formerly known as Promises and Lies (EDITING)

Chapter 3

Three.

A r i a.

Today was starting out as a horrible day, and I hadn't even gotten out of bed yet. All night, I was haunted by those familiar blue-green eyes. That honey blonde hair that looked so much like mine. That smile, it danced in his eyes as well as on his full lips. His hands, reaching towards me, calling me to join him. To follow him...

I awoke during the night fighting the urge to scream. It was one thing to spend my days thinking about him, but it was another thing entirely to have him haunt me in my sleep. I finally woke up with the biggest headache, on top of what I knew was going to be a long day. I was supposed to be covering my Dad’s shift at the diner because he was running to another town to order stock. So I was working a double which meant  sixteen hours.

I groaned and fell back into bed.

My thoughts flickered for a moment back to Daniel. Who was he really? I hadn't the faintest idea of the kind of person he was and somehow I knew... He was dangerous. And those thudding beats. What really happened yesterday? There was no way that I imagined the whole thing. It felt too real. 

So did your nightmare, the little voice in the back of my mind said quietly as I tried to make sense of what I saw yesterday. I couldn’t explain it, other than hearing a heartbeat. But it was more than hearing it. It was like I was feeling it.

But that didn’t make sense. I have my own heart, and the only way to feel it beat is to check the pulse. This was different. It was like it vibrated through my chest, through our hands... Like I could feel it in the air around us, heavy and beating, vibrating and shaking through the space between us.

Maybe I was crazy after all. I shook these thoughts aside and got up, preparing myself to face the music.

When I got to the diner, there were more people here than usual. It was swamped, to say the least. That was odd, because things never changed here. But then it clicked in my head. A moving truck in a small town. Everyone was anxious to see the new family, I suppose.

“Hey mom, I’m here!” I called. I didn't wait for her answer as I went around the counter and put on my apron. I began the usual, serving coffee and taking orders when the bells rang and there was someone at the counter.

“What can I get ya,” I asked without looking up.

“I'm not in the mood for coffee." That low, smooth voice said. 

I looked up, shocked and startled because he was the only person I seemed to think about today. It was strange how he just popped out of nowhere.

"But I'll take the next best thing.” He said, a sly grin on his face. Like he just said a joke, but I think I missed the punch line.  I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"What is the next best thing?" I asked him a little nervously. I don't know why I was feeling so frazzled all of a sudden. Maybe it was his very presence, standing here before me and making me nervous. Maybe it was the way his blue eyes seemed to hold me with interest, and heavy scrutiny.

"You." He smirked. His smirk made me catch my breath. He was beautiful.

“Nice try, but I'm not on the menu.” I heard myself say before I can stop myself.  What was wrong with me? I didn't know how to flirt. I shouldn't even be thinking about flirting with him.

“And what a shame that is." He said quietly, and that devastating wry smile slipped out again. It was wreaking havoc with my sanity.

"Is there a reason you came all the way here?” I asked, curious now. Why was he here?