Zac sneaked through his front yard to the backyard avoiding any windows. He totally forgot the back screen creaked whenever it opened. Zac nearly fell over from the sound. Remembering he had to get inside he opened the back door slowly closing the screen door. He looked around the kitchen and saw the living room light was still on. He walked through the hallway and peeked through the doorway. There was Taylor snoozing away on the floor. Zac shook his head and walked up the stairs. He was surprised to see the door to the boys' bedroom was closed. He opened it nervously and walked in to darkness. The only light he could see came from the street lamp outside the house. Ike was on the top bunk sleeping. Zac took off his shirt and shorts and pulled on some boxers. He slipped into his bed happily knowing he got away with sneaking out.
That night many thoughts crawled into Lucy's mind. She dreamed she was at the lake. There stood a mysterious figure floating in the middle of the dreamy moonlit lake. Lucy looked more closely and realized it was a young woman wearing a flowing white dress that appeared to be blue in the moonlight. She had deep black hair the fell deep below her feet splashing in and out of the water. She held her hand out to Lucy motioning for her to walk into the water. As if being pulled by an outside force Lucy floating towards the woman motionlessly. The eye contact between the two was almost unbearable for Lucy. Lucy quivered as she reached the woman. The mysterious woman was very tall, at least taller than Lucy was. She seemed about 5'9. Lucy gazed deeper into the woman's eyes. They were pale blue and seemed to contain secrets of the unknown. The woman bent down towards Lucy's face. Lucy felt ice cold breath hit the back of her ear. A sullen voice filled through out her body.
"Follow your heart and not your fears. Be what you are and not what they want you to be." The voice was peaceful and full of wonders. Lucy looked up and started to question her. The woman put her hand to Lucy's mouth to block her voice. The woman's hand brushed against her face and crossed Lucy's eyes. Lucy felt herself becoming tired. She felt herself drifting farther down the water. Trying to open her eyes she realized she couldn't, she panicked, and tried to move and realized she could not. Soon she felt herself falling and hitting the water. Lucy forced her eyes open only to see her room. Gasping for air she glanced at the clock. 8:00 am. That was one freaky dream! Lucy muttered as she got up to use the bathroom. Her whole body ached and she shrieked when she tried to move her arm. She turned her hand over to inspect it. Her eyes widen and mouth dropped. There was a tiny insignia of a moon crossed with a rose on her wrist. She tried to scratch at it but it burned as hell. She hastily turned on the sink in her bathroom to cold water and applied it to the infamous insignia. It just burned even more. She dried it with a towel and it soothed the pain. Slowly there was no more pain. The more she thought of her dream the more it scared her. 'I'm going to have to concentrate on my problems right now and not some silly dream!'
Feeling someone shaking him Taylor opened his eyes and jumped. He heard a few low giggles in the distance. He looked up and saw his little sister Avery. Jessica was standing in the doorway covering her mouth trying not to laugh.
"Tay? Did you fall asleep on the floor?" Avery said still giggling. Taylor still trying to adjust himself felt his whole body ache. Taylor sat on the couch and motioned for the girls to sit down.
"Hey I guess so, I was watching some show. I must have been tired." Taylor said smiling onto Avery and Jessica. "You girls hungry?" They both screamed yea and ran into the kitchen. Taylor stood up and stretched before making his way into the kitchen. He opened the cabinets and got out some Kellogg's Corn flakes. He poured three bowl fulls and got the milk. He put as much as each one wanted. Taylor sat down after serving his sisters. He listened to their conversation about other girls in the neighborhood. He laughed and ate his cereal.
Zac felt someone nudging at his arm. He twisted and turned refusing to acknowledge someone else was there.
"Hey, get up pal. I have to talk to you!" Ike's voice filled his ears. He opened his eyes groggily.
"What Ike? What's the matter, and what time is it, I'm dead tired." Zac said rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Ike sat down on Zac's little bed.
"Well Zac, I was wondering why you sneaked out last night?" Zac sat up almost instantly and glared back at Ike.
"How did you know?" he blurted out.
"Well when I look around and no one knows where you are and there wasn't any answer at Lucy's I figured you snuck out with her some where. But where?" Ike didn't look very happy. Actually he looked terrible. There was slight bags under eyes that detected he didn't sleep too well and he seemed to be in a rather bad mood.
"Lucy wanted to talk and I told her I would. We were in her back yard. I wasn't gone too long. Only an hour or so." Zac bit his lip without knowing it. Zac did his best to protect Ike from the truth but he didn't succeed.
"I don't believe you Zac! I know you went somewhere with Lucy and you weren't gone for an hour or so, you gone for like 3 or more hours. Who knows what time you got in! What is wrong with Lucy?" Ike seemed to be more upset at himself than Zac.
"Look Ike, Lucy just needed an ear and I was there, nothing more." Zac rolled over trying to go back to sleep.
"I hope Lucy has the same story, I don't know what's going on but I don't like it. Everyone is acting so weird! First Taylor now you and Lucy." Ike stood up and stormed out the room. Zac was too tired to care. Before falling back to sleep he glanced at the clock, ten o'clock. He closed his eyes wishing Ike doesn't get mad at Lucy.
"God it's only 10:00 and I'm up. I can't believe this. Oh and I have no food!" Lucy let out a loud sigh before falling onto the couch. She thought back to her arm. It still throbbed and she couldn't stop remembering the dream. The woman she knew her but she couldn't place her finger on whom. A loud knocking at the door interrupted her thoughts. She got up and opened the door. Seeing Ike at her front door reminded her she told him they would go shopping that day.
"Hey babe, come in I almost forgot we were going out." Before Lucy could finish Ike walked in the hallway and made his way into the living room. Lucy followed him in there to see him sitting on the couch.
"Excuse me? No hello, no hey how's it going? Cuz if you asked I could tell ya I feel like shit." Ike turned and stared at her.
"What's wrong Lucy? How come you can run off with Zac and tell him all your problems and not me. I saw him leave to go to your house. I asked him and he wouldn't tell me anything." Ike said deathly serious.
"Ike? Um.. I don't know I was feeling sad and I didn't want to bother you with my problems. And" Ike cut her off.
"What do you mean bother me? I'm here for that purpose to help you and to love you. Don't you feel the same." Ike asked she heard his voice crackle as he finished. Lucy took a deep breath.
"Ike, I think we need to talk," Ike stood up and Lucy backed away to the middle of the room stopping him from coming any closer. Lucy was near tears. "Ike I have to tell you something and it isn't pretty. Ike I have done something terrible to you and I don't deserve you." Ike tried to argue and Lucy would not let him. "Before you try and argue, listen to me! Taylor kissed me the other day and instead of stopping I kissed him back. For the last 24 hours I wished it never happened. I thought over and over what I should do and say." Lucy choked and fell into the closest seat. She broke down into tears covering her face with her hands. Ike sat back down with his mouth open not knowing what to say. Anger took over his face.
"You! You and Taylor! I can't believe it! You said you loved me! How could he do this to me, what did I do wrong ? I didn't love you enough?" Ike demanded.
"No no, you don't deserve this it was all my fault. Don't blame Taylor. I won't allow you guys to fight. I told you because I could not lie to you. If you need to blame someone blame me. But forgive me please." Lucy pleaded and she let out more tears. Ike walked over to Lucy. He had tears rolling down his face.
"Lucy I love you, I don't want you to leave me for Taylor." Ike said very softly. Lucy looked up and wiped his tear away.
"Ike, I would never leave you for Taylor, I told you cuz I couldn't lie to you anymore." Lucy paused, she looked down at the floor. She felt so ashamed of herself. She still questioned her feelings for Taylor but not Ike. She cared for Ike too much. "Ike would you ever forgive me?"
"Of course I will, I know you love me too." Ike put his arms around Lucy and hugged her so tightly against his chest refusing to let go. Lucy buried her face on Ike's shoulder.
"Lucy, I will forgive you but how could I ever forgive Taylor? He would never forgive himself if he knows that I know." Ike whispered softly in Lucy's ear.
"Does he have to know that I told you?" she asked
"No, he does not, I think I would prefer it that way." Ike said. They sat there together in each others arms for quite along time. Lucy turned her face to Ike's face. Both of them tear-stained. Lucy brushed her lips with Ike's. 'I have been blessed with the greatest guy in the world.' Lucy thought to herself.
Lucy felt Ike's lips against her neck that sent out shivers all over her body. Just as Ike's lips brushed against hers there was a knock at the door. They pulled apart still smiling at one another. Lucy opened the door and there Taylor stood in front of her not looking to happy.
"Um, hey Tay what's up?" Lucy managed to choke out. Taylor felt her uneasiness and mumbled a hello. Lucy put out her hand to urge to come in. Taylor walked behind her not noticing Ike in the living room.
He looked upon Lucy with sad forgiving eyes.
"Lucy, I'm sorry for barging in like this but I think we need to talk." He said softly
"Um, well I don't know, cuz" before she could say anything Ike walked in and cut her off. He glared at Taylor. Taylor looked frightened.
"Because we were just about to get going. We are going shopping for Maine." Ike said deeply as if he was warning Taylor that this is his territory. Taylor looked very shocked at Ike's presence. He seemed speechless.
"OH, I'm sorry I will go then, I have some things to do to." Taylor blurted out and made his way to the door.
"Uh, that's alright Tay, we can talk later ok?" This made Ike a little uncomfortable but he stayed quiet.
Taylor walked out the door as Ike and Lucy made their way to Ike's pickup.