Glowing Sky: Book One

Chapter Seventeen - Adelaide

I left the room without another word. The look on Lucas' face as I walked out shattered me. But I couldn't let the broken pieces of my being stop me. I had to leave. If I was going to save his life, my dad's life, it was time to go. Nella was right, I couldn't run forever. I had run out of time. 

"You know where to meet me. You have one hour to tie up loose ends with your father and get your things," Nella said, pulling me from my thoughts. I didn't respond. There was no need. She knew I was listening. 

 I sprinted off. I didn't have much time and I had to think of what to say to my dad so he wouldn't be left searching for me all over town by days end. 

I arrived back at the apartment fifteen minutes later and was about to walk into the building when a figure came out of the shadows. "Adelaide."

I jumped, startled. I heard someone chuckle, amused. "Still smooth I see." Rachelle cracked a smile as she moved into the light and leaned against my building, arms crossed. 

"Rachelle? What are you doing here?"  I whispered. I wasn't sure who was watching and I didn't want Nella threatening anyone else.

"Lucas asked me to give this to you. Said he didn't think he'd be able to get it to you in time." She shrugged. "I didn't ask what that meant."

She handed me a large bound book. There were several splotches of blood on the cover. "Why is there blood on this?"

Rachelle shrugged, a mysterious smirk covering her purple painted lips as she stared at her fingernails. She chuckled darkly to herself. "Don't worry about the blood."

I chose to ignore the dangerous smile that spread across her face and looked back down at the book. When I looked at the cover again my eyes widened. "His book," I whispered. "When did Lucas give this to you?"

"This afternoon. Said you wanted to read it."

My fingers gripped the book tightly like a sudden lifeline. I remembered when he told me about it... 

"Why me?" I had asked when I learned he wrote me into his story. "Because you make my life better. I've had my life all planned out since I was five, and when you came into it, I realized there was room for spontaneity. That not being in control of every aspect of my life was okay. Writers with rigid routines lack inspiration. And you are mine..."

He had immortalized me on the page, tattooed my soul into a book. He had traced me with ink. Baring me on paper. I touched his name on the front of the book tenderly. "I do." My voice wavered. "Thank you. I hope it didn't cause you too much trouble to get it to me."

She smiled to herself. "Nothing I couldn't handle."

I tilted my head, curious. Something had happened. She had glossed over the fact that he had handed me a book that had blood on the cover. "Anything I should know?"

She shrugged. "Not really."

I looked down at the book again. "Thank you."

Rachelle turned to leave but stopped and turned back, her face far more gentle than I had ever seen. "I've known Lucas for a long time. He has talked about writing a book for foreeeeever. Never got close. But when you showed up, I'd never seen him write so much. It's like he found his voice, his passion." She smiled at me. "You are good for him."

"I am going away for a while," I said, interrupting her. I couldn't bear to hear more. The realization of my departure started to wash over me, making it difficult to breathe.

"Yeah, I figured." She sounded unfazed.

"What, how?"

She looked me up and down. "You look like a runner. You came suddenly, it makes sense for you to leave that way too. And by the way, Lucas was acting when he asked me to give his book to you, I kind of pieced it together."

Rachelle turned to leave.

"Hey, Rachelle? Look out for Lucas, will you? I... I'm not sure when I'm coming back."

She glanced back and nodded. "Don't stay away too long. He's good for you too. Besides, he'll probably come find you and bring you back if you leave for too long."

She moved back into the shadows and was gone, lost in the darkness. Rachelle was a strange girl. Unfazed by all. How much has Lucas told her?  What trouble did she have getting me this book? The questions continued to buzz as I walked into my dad's apartment.

My dad was right where I had left him, sitting in the living room, writing code. He smiled up at me as I came in. "Hey, hon."  He looked back down at his computer, pulled back into his work a moment later.

"Hey, dad." I walked up to him and stood in front of him waiting for him to have a pause in his workflow. I just have to keep this simple. "I have to leave for a little bit."

He glanced up. "Oh, what for?"

I went and sat down next to him. "School. They are taking a field trip across the fifty states as part of the travel writing class I am taking."

He closed his computer. "Woah. That's pretty cool. They never had anything like that when I was in school. When do you leave?"

"Tonight actually. It was a last-minute thing for me. Normally Juniors don't get to go, but someone dropped out last minute. I can send you postcards and updates." My heart was racing. I hated lying to him. I shouldn't be telling him I was leaving. I should be asking him if I could go. The lie felt disrespectful on several levels, but I couldn't afford for him to say no. And I knew he wouldn't play the father card. He didn't feel confident enough in that role yet. 

"Wow. What an adventure. Wish I had known sooner."  His face looked a bit sad. He pushed his glasses farther up his nose, pausing for a moment. "I'm gonna miss you, honey. I wish it wasn't so last minute."

"I know, me too." I swallowed. "And I am going to miss you too," I said honestly. I had just started to get to know my dad again. I didn't want to go. I enjoyed the nights we shared where I read on the couch while he worked. Or when we would watch cheesy old monster movies together. It wasn't much, but we had started to build our relationship and I cherished that. I tucked those memories away into my heart, promising myself this wasn't the last time I was going to see him. 

He leaned over and hugged me fiercely. "I'm proud of you. You are adjusting so well to life here. I'm so glad you decided to come live with me." He leaned back and looked a bit embarrassed by his show of emotion. "When you get back, we should do something together. A bonding thing. I know you love books. There's a great old bookstore I know downtown, we should go together."

I smiled, trying to hide my sadness. "That sounds great." I threw my arms around him, surprised by my sudden need to be in his arms. "Love you, dad."

He hugged me back. "Love you too sweetie." I broke away a moment later, clearing my throat to keep my voice even. "Well, I have to go pack," I said jumping to my feet and quickly dashing to my room.  

I closed the door and crumpled to the ground, doing my best to muffle my sobs.