Heart of the Ocean

Chapter 6 - Secrets Revealed

A gasp caught in my throat, one hand on the door the other clutching my towel closed. My mind reeled as the reality of my situation hit home. I stood exposed, half naked, in front of the single most gorgeous guy I’d ever set eyes on. A guy who seemed to have no qualms examining every inch of my flabby body. As Nate’s eyes roamed my skin I literally felt his gaze on my body like a warm breeze. My treacherous body tingled with secret pleasure. No one had ever given me second look before today.

“Hi Cli…..” Nate began before I slammed the door in his face with a satisfying thud.

Even behind solid wood I could still feel the heat of Nate’s intense gaze. My heart pounded in my chest and the rush of blood echoed in my ears.

“What are you doing here, Nate?!” I hissed loudly.

At that moment Rose’s voice perked up again, “It was me Clio, I let him in. I’m sorry, he said he’s a friend of yours,” Rose’s voice rose angrily, “Should I kick him out for you”.

I closed my eyes in frustration, Rose had the wrong end of the stick.

“No, its ok. Nate’s a friend. I was just a bit shocked to see him right now.” I called back.

Silence.

I heard muffled voices – presumably Nate and Rose.

Seemingly satisfied that Nate wasn’t going to do anything untoward Rose called, “Ok girl. If you need anything just give me a call. I’m just down the hall.”

I listened as Rose’s footsteps retreated down the hall. The silence again.

I rested my forehead against the door thinking of what to say next.

Knock                   Knock                   Knock

“Are you there, Clio?” Nate whispered.

I only barely heard him through the thick wood. I pressed my ear up against the wood.

“I’m here Nate” I whispered back.

“I’m sorry if I startled you. Am I allowed in or am I exiled to the hallway?” Nate chuckled.

My hand moved involuntary towards the handle to let him in, I was so drawn to his presence, when I realised that I was still wrapped in my towel.

I leapt back from the door and called, “Just a second. I’m going to put some pyjamas on.”

“Are we having a pyjama party? Damn. I forgot my jammies.” Nate called impishly.

I silently rolled my eyes as I dove into the wardrobe, pulling the first thing my hands fell on: pink fleece pyjamas out. They were a Christmas present from my Aunty and had pomp pomp llamas on, not exactly my taste but they were loose, baggy and irresistibly snuggly.

I quickly dressed, ran a comb through my frizz of wet hair- no time to dry it now, and ran a critical eye over my room. Luckily, I’m something of neat freak. I looked into the wet room, grabbed my discarded clothes and underwear, and chucked them hastily into the clothes basket.

With a start I remembered the fire skull at the window and shut the curtains for good measure. Even if it was just a drug fuelled hallucination, I wasn’t taking any chances.

Slightly out of breath (gotta exercise more I admonished myself) I wrenched the door open to Nate, who was sat on the floor scrolling through reddit lazily.

Nate raised an eyebrow in my direction “Love the pyjamas. I didn’t know you were a llama fan”.

I rolled my eyes again, this time for his benefit, “Come on in Nate. What are you doing here anyway?”.

By this point it was 11:30 and Nate was making a habit out of popping up at unexpected times and places.

Nate shrugged off the back pack he was carrying and leapt onto the bed like a puppy. Out of his bag he pulled an assortment of snacks and soft drinks, waving a packet of Chewits in my direction. As if that answered my question, I thought.

“Sure, make yourself at home” I groaned, realising that with Nate taking up the entire single bed I would be relegated to the hard plastic office chair every dorm room was furnished with.

“There’s plenty of room for two,” Nate answered, patting the bed in front of him suggestively.

“No thanks. I’m quite happy over here. Thank you very muchly.” I said primly.

Part of my groaned at how uptight I was. Why couldn’t I just let go and relax.

But the other part of me knew that if I got too close to Nate I would start to fall, hard. And I wasn’t prepared for the hurt.

“Suit yourself” Nate shrugged, popping sweets into his mouth.

I pulled me feet onto the seat of the chair and wrapped my arms round my knees, curling into myself.

“You didn’t answer my question, Nate,” I said accusingly, “What are you doing here? At this time of night?”.

Nate looked like a puppy that had been caught in act of mischief, his head turned to the side, refusing to make eye contact.

“If I tell you I’m afraid you will run away from me.” Nate said quietly.

My heart clenched. Maybe he had been stalking me. Great. Just my luck, the only guy that takes an interest in me is out of his mind. Typical.

I eyed the door warily, wondering if I could reach the door before Nate. Slim chance, I thought, he’s built like a pro athlete.

Before I could make my move, Nate snorted with laughter, “I’m not a stalker, Clio. You can relax”.

His statement did nothing to help unclench my muscles. I continued to stare at Nate warily, cursing myself for letting myself be pulled into his web.

Nate gave me a rueful smile and I wondered at his unnatural ability to predict my thoughts. Was my face that easy to read?

“Rose knows I’m in here with you. She’s very protective that one. You’re safe, silly.” Nate persisted.

Still, I couldn’t let my body relax. I had known since I first met Nate that there was something off about him despite his heart-breaking good looks.

Why hadn’t I listened to myself? Stupid, stupid, desperate Clio.

Nate’s face straightened out, serious. He took a deep breath as though his words were hard for him to say.

“I am a witch, Clio.” Nate’s eyes bore into mine, intense and focused.

My eyebrows shot up in disbelief and my draw dropped to the floor. Whatever answer I have expected, it wasn’t this.

“I’m a witch. I have powers that connect me to the world in impossible, beautiful ways,” Nate plunged on, his revelation a torrent, “It’s why I was pulled to you. When you’re a witch with powers like mine you don’t resist or ask questions when the universe pulls you towards someone. You always obey fate.

“It’s also how I felt your pain in that seminar room,” his voice lowering now, “and it’s how I knew you were in terrible emotional and physical pain this evening.”

His voice was soft and throbbing with the intensity of his conviction. I didn’t know what to say or whether to believe these crazy words coming out of his mouth.

Witch? As in broom sticks, warty noses and pointy hats – that kind of witch? My thoughts roiled in confusion.

“I came as soon as I felt your pain. I don’t think you realised but you were calling out to me for help,” Nate looked at my shly, “I’m flattered that you thought of me in your time of crisis”.

Nate swung his legs over the edge of the bed and leaned intently towards me. In this tiny room his knees almost grazed my toes, so close I could feel his body heat.

Was it true? Did I really call out to him?

I thought back to that horrible scene, replaying the image of the skull bursting into flame and my own flesh with it. I shuddered. Nothing else had gone through my mind other than terror, not Nate.

It was Zara who helped me calm down, it was her messages that made me consider drugs instead of the supernatural.

But now Nate was trying to confirm my first impulse, that magic was somehow involved.

With a start, I remembered that once I was in the shower it was the thought of Nate that had finally allowed my mind to relax and my body to stop shaking. Was that the moment I called out to him? Was that possible?

“Let me help you,” Nate breathed, laying his hand on mine, “Tell me what happened”.

I felt my body begin to shake as the horror of the hallucination swept through my body again. Despite scrubbing raw I could still smell the oily smoke. I could feel it all around me, gagging me, silencing my words. My eyes burnt and tears pooled in my eyes, threatening to fall.

With a hoarse sob I let everything go. I told Nate everything from my meeting him (just this morning) to the root of my social anxiety and the bullying I endured in school. I explained how his attention triggered a primal fear inside me to hide – I couldn’t trust strangers. He was just too good to be true.

I told him that I was drawn to him just like he was drawn to me even though I knew there was something strange about him.

Finally, I described the flaming skull in graphic detail and my physical response. I told him I could smell the smoke even now, in the room and on my body.

Sobbing and shaking I looked Nate full in the face and asked “Please, what does it mean? Zara said it was drugs but its still here. I can feel an evil presence, even now. It won’t let me go”.

Nate’s face was full of pity and understanding, slowly he reached up and stroked my tears from my cheeks with one hand.

Without saying a word, Nate wrapped his arms around my shuddering form and gently pulled me from the chair. I still had my knees up against my chest, pulled into a ball.

I knew I was heavy, but Nate lifted me like I was a feather. I let my head rest against the heat of his broad chest, my tears making his shirt wet.

“I’m ruining your shirt.” I whispered half apologetically but in truth I didn’t want him to release his hold on me.

Nate began lowering me onto the bed, but I clutched at his shirt, suddenly afraid that he would let me go. I didn’t want him to let me go.

“Shhhh,” Nate breathed in my ear, “I’m not going anywhere. Promise”.

I relinquished my hand on his shirt and Nate lay me down, facing the room. Grabbing the covers, Nate bundled me up warm and tight.

Unexpectedly, Nate slithered behind me and fit his body against mine, sliding one arm under my damp head and the other wrapped protectively around my shoulders.

My heart lurched.

At some point during the transfer to the bed my tears had dried up and my trebling had stopped. I wondered if it was Nate’s so called magic.

I breathed in a ragged breath, regaining some control of my body. Nate’s scent filled my senses, he smelled like stone in the sun, like scorched earth and spice.

Delicious, I thought.

“Sleep, Clio,” Nate breathed, “Let me take care of your nightmares. I’ll protect you.”

My eyes grew heavier as I listened to the steady rise and fall of Nate’s breathing, synchronising with my own.

My last sensation was of Nate’s spicey scent enveloping me as darkness fell.