Author's Note: Part of me is really scared to watch the new season of Degrassi, as I don't want it to affect how I am choosing to write this story. But, of course, the other half of me just isn't willing to wait to watch them all until this is finished.
Also, I wanted to note that I have since put up character profiles for Kingston, Alice, and Odette on my profile! They're mostly ambiguous, as I didn't want to reveal any story spoilers, but in case you were curious what they looked like, or what other type of crap Kingston keeps in his van.
And now, Odette's most dramatic chapter yet!
When I Hear My Name
They stayed silent as she switched the lights off, waiting for their eyes to adjust to the darkness. The faint imprint of the light continued to burn in her retinas, leaving spots across her vision every time she blinked. It reminded Odette of the one and only time she had ever convinced Eli to go to church with her.
They had taken the younger teens into the activity room, engulfed them in darkness and asked them to avoid various pieces of furniture as they made their way from one end of the room to the other. Julia had swore that was the first time she and Eli had kissed. Odette had tripped over a table and broken three of her toes.
They told them walking in the darkness was like going through life without God. God was light. God helped you see. And like a light switch, it was easy to turn on the light and turn to God.
Odette thought of it differently. If you waited in the dark long enough, you'd notice it wasn't really as impossible to see as you had thought it was. There was still light there. Odette thought that even in a life where you didn't turn to God, he was still there. So she knew he was still watching Eli, even when he didn't want him.
And out of the complete darkness, soon you would be able to make out shapes. God created through his light something out of nothing. Through her art, the ability to make something out of nothing, she felt closer to God.
His face finally came into view.
"Can you see?"
He nodded "Yeah."
"OK. Press the white button. The square one over here."
The light hit the bottom of their chins as they leaned forward to way the shadows played with his features, Odette couldn't help but think Adam looked more...manly. The light hit the tiny square frame perfectly, broadcasting its image onto the photo paper. He had taken the picture of the two of them this morning, fresh after another Saturday morning group therapy session. She wasn't sure why he continued to show up, but she was too grateful to question it.
The light turned off automatically, leaving their eyes again shocked by the sudden darkness.
"Now it goes in the fluid. Over here." She guided his hand to the shallow bin, knowing where it was out of habit.
"Sure."
Odette almost loved developing pictures more than taking them. By choosing to use an old film camera, she never had any idea what the images would look like until she took them into the dark room. It was a wonderful mystery, the way she rediscovered each moment over again. Never before had she been able to convince anyone to do it with her. Julia would hand her sister rolls and rolls of film to be developed for her. Eli had tried once, but with his impatience he kept forgetting not to open the door in the middle of an exposure. Odette couldn't understand Adam's motivation behind doing the things he did for her. But she liked having someone that she could actually help, unlike Julia and Eli, who always resisted.
"It should be good now." She flipped the lights back on.
"It's awful." He screwed his face up in disappointment.
She took the picture from his hands and studied it carefully. He had used a slower shutter speed, causing the image to blur slightly when he had moved it. But the way he had caught the light, it came in individual streams through their hair. It was like they had been moving a thousand miles an hour, and been caught mid-motion.
"It's unconventional. We're like...fast angels."
"Really?"
She put the photo back in his hands. "It's lovely."
"You have the most unique way of looking at things Odette."
"I think Julia is part of it. Having two people thinking inside your brain forces you to analyze things more." She sat down on the chair at her worktable. He knew so much about her, yet she knew so little of him. "Can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"How did you pick the name Adam?"
He looked down at her curiously. "You know no one has ever asked me that."
"So is there not a reason?"
"No there is." He sat down on the floor, staring at the picture of the two of them. "The way I see it, the most masculine name in this world is the one God chose to give to the first man."
"It's ironic."
"What is?"
"Well, don't take this the wrong way, but God then made Eve, out of Adam's rib bone. So really, it would seem that Adam was part female in order to create a female. So really, the world's first man began as a transgender."
Adam blinked once. And then burst into hysterical, mischievous laughter."Do you know how sacrilegious that sounds?"
"It has logical possibility!"
"Yeah. Sure. Go take that one to the pope."
"Yes, because when I also mention communication with dead people, its a high possibility they just may resurrect the practice of burning at the stake."
"Resurrect? Seriously Odette? Religious puns now too?"
"That one was on accident!"
The way Odette and Adam acted, it was like being thirteen again and being best friends with Eli before he liked girls. They loved their conspiracy theories and their pranks and their threats of violence. She missed the days when they could enjoy themselves without a need for anything more than friendship.
But the second he left her alone in the dark room to go home for dinner, she felt her sister creep back into her mind again.
Since you can't have Eli, Adam would make a good substitute.
He's not a substitute, Julia. He's all the good parts of Eli before you got to him.
That's where you're kidding yourself. You can't turn Eli back into the person he was before he met me. You're in love with a memory of Eli, not who he is now. You need to give that up and move on. That's why you need to pick Adam.
Odette shut the lights off, hoping to drown her sister out. But blinded and distracted, she caught her hip on her desk, tripping her and sending her papercutter onto the floor. The door opened behind her, but she was still to stunned to look.
Someone picked her up gingerly, and kissed her on the forehead. She wasn't sure if she couldn't see because it was still too dark, or because she had closed her eyes. But the lips kissed her again on the nose, and then on the lips.
His lips were soft and strong and they sent shivers down her spine with every contact. Her heart stopped a beat when she felt his tongue for the first time. She couldn't figure out just how to breathe, leaving a dull ache in her chest. It was the best, wettest, sexiest kiss she had ever had.
His name was on the tip of her tongue, as she realized her sister was right. This time, she wasn't trying to hurt her at all. Her own mind had been too afraid to admit it, so it had sent the message to her through Julia. She was falling for Adam. And he was kissing her! But before she could whisper anything to him, a different voice spoke.
"Julia."
Odette's eyes snapped open as she pulled out of the kiss and slapped the lightswitch on, coming face to face...with Eli.
When I hear my name I want to disappear
When I hear my name I want to disappear
Oh oh oh oh
When I see my face I want to disappear
When I see my face I want to disappear
Oh oh oh oh
