Seraphina's Awakening

Chapter Fifteen: The Mall

Sera finds herself sitting at her desk the next day, staring blankly ahead at her computer screen. Emails keep popping along the right hand side of her screen. She ignores them. Everything that is happening is finally catching up to her. Worst of all, last night was the first night in almost six years that she hadn't dreamt at all. Not one snippet. She doesn't even feel like herself anymore. Even going for a run this morning, didn't snap her out of this daze.

Mostly, she keeps thinking about Nate. God what is it about that mysterious man that she can't seem to get off her mind. Isn't it strange he knew all about her—and what was with that wine? Amanda comes skipping down the hall, breaking up her thoughts.

She props up onto her usual spot on the corner of Sera's desk. Popping her leg over the other, she cracks her gum and asks, "What's up hot stuff?"

At those words, Sera unleashes. It only takes a few moments to tell Amanda everything, but to her, it feels like she talks forever. Unloading to her best friend about the necklace and the oddly gorgeous dinner with one-sided conversation. When at last she looked up to her best friend's awed brown eyes, her mouth droops open slightly.

"Who are you?" she asks Sera. "Let me get this straight. You met a sexy guy at the coffee house, got his number, had a gorgeous romantic date, and you are mad that he wants to know all about you? I mean I knew you were out of the loop when it comes to dating, but come on!" She grows dramatic tossing her arms in the air a few times.

"So, it was a date?" Sera finally realizes the truth.

"Duh."

"And this is normal?"
"Well, I wouldn't say normal," Amanda twists on the desk causing Sera to fidget, "I'd say this guy is some kind of saint and you should marry him!"

Sera laughs.

"I mean who are you, getting guy's numbers at coffee houses? You're a little ginger fox, you know that?"

Somehow hearing those words from Amanda was all Sera needed to calm down. She's right. He seemed concerned for her safety, that's a good thing right? She'll never forget the fire in his eyes when she told him she felt someone watching her. He flinched like he had been physically hit. Maybe, things are simpler than they appear.

"Oh my, Sera, your boobs!" Amanda shrieks.

"Thanks, it's my new bra..."

"No, they're glowing. Your boobs are glowing."

"What?" Sera glances down to see the vial casting her cleavage in a ghastly glow. "Oh, it's just my necklace." She pulls it from her shirt. It blinks slowly with that light it has.

"Oh." Amanda giggles. "That's new."

"It's been doing this lately. The last time it glowed..." The pieces slowing begin to pull themselves together. Nate!

She slips away from Amanda and walks out into the row of cubicles. It pulses faster as she walks toward the elevator—faster and faster until the entire thing is lit up. Someone stands before her. Her eyes take in the dark slacks, the white collar shirt with a few buttons strategically forgotten. It allows a few tufts of hair to peek out from underneath his collared shirt. Her face finally meeting his.

"Gabe," she breathes disappointment.

"Where are you headed little lady?"

Her hand wraps around the necklace, "Just headed to the bathroom, excuse me." She slips around him and heads toward the bathroom in the front.

She quickly slides into the unisex bathroom and secures the lock into place. Her eyes glance around uneasily. Public bathrooms make her nervous, ever since...