To Those Who Wait (2/9)

Eli

It was the longest I had ever stayed in one place. Every night for many months (I cannot even estimate how long exactly), I would wait on that cliff's edge until about dusk. She would come and tap me on the shoulder, smiling at me while her light blue eyes shined. More beautiful than the sunset, I would think. More beautiful than the moon.

And she cared.

Avelina saw me as a person. Not a beast, not an animal, not an unnatural freak. She cared about me.

"Hello," she whispered and sat down on the edge with me. She put her slender hand on my chest. "How is my heart? Are you taking care of it?" she teased.

I put my hand over hers and held it tightly. She rested her head on my shoulder and kissed the side of my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

God, I loved her.

I rested my lips on the top of her head, and she turned to look up at me. Our gazes met for a second before our lips did. She flung her arms around my neck, and my arms wound around her waist.

"E-Eli," she whispered, running her hands through my mop of hair.

"I love you," I mumbled, and leaned forward. Avelina shifted so that we were completely on solid ground and a bit away from the precipice. She moved one hand and guided one of my arms to her hips; I was sure I was blushing.

"I love you too," she whispered perfectly; then I realized she had not said anything. Her Clairvoyant mind was doing the talking. She took my head in her hands and pulled me close to her, forcing me to follow when she leaned backwards until her back was brushing the grass. And there I was, supporting her up off of the ground, sitting on one side of her.

She laughed at me and tugged me closer to her chest. I lost my grip and she was lying in the grass, kissing me deeply. Me, of all people. I could not read minds, so I had no idea as to what exactly she wanted from me, but I did not care at all.

I had not recalled ever being that happy in my life.

Avelina laughed and drew my head to hers with one arm, the other pulled my abdomen closer, so my chest was parallel with hers.

"A-Avelina…" My heart raced, but I had to pull away from her lips. "Avelina…"

"Calm down, love," she said softly, tracing the muscles on my arm with one finger. "We won't do anything awful. It is merely kissing." She pecked my lips. "Is that terribly wrong, Eli?"

"I-" I swallowed, and kissed her lips lightly. She smiled and pulled gently on my hair.

It's alright, her mind whispered to me. Maybe eventually we can do something else.

But not now, naturally.

Stop thinking, she thought. Stop thinking and just hold me, please.

How could I do anything but oblige?

The moon was high in the sky when we realized we had fallen asleep, entwined in each others' arms. Avelina smiled at me and brushed some hair out of my face. I touched my nose to hers.

"Eli," she murmured, stroking my cheek. "I have to go back."

"Stay," I pleaded, still in a lovestruck daze.

"I wish I could," she sighed. "I wish I could sleep under a tree with you, run with you forever, but my mother… my brother… everyone…"

My jaw tensed and my vision cleared. Of course. How could I forget; when it came down to it, she really was one of them. They, who feared everything different from them.

They could not see that they were freaks of nature themselves. And they had the gall to despise and scorn me.

"Eli," she said softly. "They will come around. You must give it time. Give it-"

"A century? Two?" I laughed without humor and untangled myself from her adoring hold. I stood up and brushed off my weather-worn breeches. "Go back. They'll be missing you."

Avelina frowned and stood up, coming closer to me. "You must know," she whispered in my ear. "I defy 'them' every night because I love you and I disagree with them."

"I know," I admitted, and I did. "I'm just…"

"Bitter. And not a soul could blame you." She kissed my nose. "Tomorrow night? Will you still be here?" She hesitated, blushing madly. "And maybe… maybe we could do something else too?"

My heart skipped a beat. "O-Of course, I will be here. You are the only reason I stay."

"I love you," she whispered. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

"I have to go," she pouted. "But only because the sooner I leave…" Her fingers danced over my chest. "The sooner I can come back to you."

"I'll be here. Waiting."

I watched her walk away. She looked back over her shoulder a few times, smiling at me and waving a little bit. Her brown hair bounced on her shoulders and her blue eyes gleamed in the moonlight.

Even after she was gone, I kept staring.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The sun was past its noon high when I woke underneath a tree. I didn't know how I got there. My stomach growled, so I yawned, stretched, and got up. I shifted into a wildcat and took down a rabbit and a few mice. It would suffice.

I wandered around the forest aimlessly for hours, climbing trees, stretching, practicing my flying. Avelina invaded all of my thoughts. I could not shake her. And I didn't want to.

The sun began to set. Anticipation boiled in my blood and I made my way to the cliffside where we met every night. I sat down as the sky grew pink and swung my legs back and forth.

I waited.

Waited.

Waited.

And I frowned. She was never late. Had someone held her up? Seen her? I shook my head. No, no, she was probably on her way.

I swallowed, breathing in and out impatiently.

The sun was halfway below the horizon when I heard the scream.

Her scream.

I leaped up and stood on flat ground.

Eli! her mind shrieked. Eli, help me! I saw a fleeting glance of a hulking shadow, shining claws, terror washing over me.

"Avelina!" I cried, barreling into the trees. "Avelina!" I took a deep breath and ran forward, but my gangly human legs slowed me down. I cursed them when I realized I could rid myself of them easily; and I could track Avelina's scent. Without a second thought, I shifted into a wolf and loped through the forest, following the screams of the girl I loved.