A Knight To Remember
By
Melissa Breazeale
Chapter One
The
Charleston night was unusually foggy. The rain sounded like horses
galloping on the tin roof. Alexis martin paced back and forth in her
robe, occasionally stopping to stare at her computer which sat blank,
with nothing but an empty word document. She walked over to the
computer desk and sat down in her leather chair. Her long black hair
tied up in a bun and a pencil shoved behind her ear. She hastily
began typing away. Her deadline was at 9 the next morning. She
glanced at her clock. 12: 35. She should be in the bed by now, but
her mind was too cluttered with other things. She paused from her
writing and hurried towards the window. The streets were deserted,
but something was calling her to come outside. She glanced at her
bed. There slept her 14 year old sister, Bella. Her red hair lay
playfully on the pillow. Her skin as pale as Alexis's. She
quickly saves her document then makes her way for the armoire. As
she opens the door, she notices Bella sitting up in the bed.
"Where are you going," her soft, sweet voice echoed in
Alexis's ear. "I'm going for a walk to clear my head,"
Alexis answered as she put her hoodie on over her black tank. "Can
I come," Bella pleaded. "No, you have a geometry test in the
morning. "
"But, Alex!"
"No Buts! Go back to sleep. I'll be back shortly."
With that said, Alexis kisses Bella on the forehead before heading out the door. This past year had been a hard one for the two. First their father had died in March, and then their mother disappeared two months ago. Their grandmother had moved in with them to take care of them until Alexis was old enough to have custody of Bella.
Alexis
shook her head, as if riding all negative thoughts from her head.
She could still hear the last words her grams had said to her. "You
are very strong, Alexis. Even at your weakest, you have power that
no one can stand up against. It is up to you, though, to find that
power."
Alexis smiled as her grandmother's words rushed
back to her. "Always remember, 'Negative thoughts can only bring
negative energy," Alexis repeated to herself as she walked down the
empty streets towards the Unitarian Church. What had her grams
meant? What power had she been talking about? Alexis paused at the
gates to her grams's grave. The dirt was still fresh. She closed
her eyes. She wasn't in the street standing in front of a grave,
but she imagined herself at her grandmother's Savannah Plantation,
eating a ham sandwich on fresh baked bread with ripple chips and a
nice cold coke. Bella was outside under the big willow, laying on
the grass, reading the latest Stephen King novel. Her grams is
sitting there with her. Her long white hair pulled into a bun, her
blue and red apron hung over the back of the chair.
"Now," her grams said in her sweet southern tone. "What's this article you are writing about?"
"I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know! You're the writer aren't you!"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Well then?"
"It's
just. I'm not sure what to write about. And I really don't have
much time. It's due in the morning."
"Well, then, I
suggest we come up with something then, don't you agree!"
"Easy for you to say. You're a great writer, Grams!"
"Oh, Pish Posh! All writing is, is an idea."
"What about global warming!"
"Oh my no! Come on, Alexis, let the creativity flow!"
"Trends of today?"
Grams walks over to a drawer and pulls out a little journal. "Here, why don't you read through here and see what you can come up with."
"What is this?"
"Never you mind that right now, why don't you go back to what you were doing. I have to go for now, but remember, I love you always."
Grams slowly fades away. Alexis opens her eyes. "Grams?"
She quickly looks around. "Remember Alexis," her grams's voice whisper through the wind. "You have great power!"
"Alexis," a voice comes from behind her. She quickly turns around dropping the journal. Alexis quickly notices Greg Douglas, a senior at her school standing behind her. He quickly rushes over and picks up the journal. He hands it to her. She stares at it like she has just seen a ghost. "Is it not yours," Greg ask with a questioning look on his face.
"No," She begins. "I mean, yes, well. It was my grams's book."
"Do you mind me asking what you are doing out so late?"
"Yes. And no."
"Okay."
"I was working on my article for the paper and I just need to clear my head. Why are you out this late?"
"Pretty much the same. I just need to get out of my house, that's all."
"Greg," Alexis starts.
"Wow, you know my name."
"Everyone knows your name, you're Mr. Big Man on Campus, so to speak. I'm actually surprised you knew my name to be honest."
"Of course I know your name. You're Alexis Martin. You sit three seats in front of me in Chem. You're the editor of the Newspaper. President of Photography Club. And the cutest girl in school."
Alexis blushes. "I wouldn't tell Amy Riley that. She might cover me in blood at prom!"
They both laugh and look at each other. Greg stops and steps closer to Alex. "I hope I'm not being to forward with you, Alex, but, do you think I could walk you home?"
"Yeah," Alexis pauses and looks at him. "I'd really like that."
Greg smiles. "It's kinda chilly out here," Greg says as he takes off his letterman and places it around Alexis's shoulders. "There you go."
Alexis smiles. "Thank you."
The two walk back toward Alexis's Riverfront house. "So," Alexis begins. "Why do you act all superior at school?"
"Why do you act all nerdy?"
"Touché," Alexis says as they approach the gates to her house. "This is me," she says pointing to the white house. "Well," Greg begins. "I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow."
Greg stares at her for a moment then turns to walk off. "Greg," Alexis exclaims as he starts up the walk way. He turns and walks back to her. "Yes," he says in a eager tone. "It's just me and Bella here. And sometimes this big house gets lonely and a little creepy at night. Do you think," Alexis pauses and looks at the house then back at Greg. "Do you think that maybe, you could stay the night?"
Alexis bites her bottom lip as Greg looks from the house to her. "Well. It is late, and it's a really long walk back to my house. And I know no one will miss me there."
"Is
that a yes," Alexis asks puzzled. Greg looks at her and smiles.
"Yes. That's a yes."
Alexis smiles as Greg takes her
hand. The two walk up the porch and into the house. Alexis quickly
turns on the light. As she does, Bella walks in from the kitchen
area. "What's going on," Bella asks causing Alexis to jump.
"What are you doing up," Alexis asks her. "I couldn't sleep
after you left so I went into the kitchen and made me a snack."
Greg steps forward and extends his hand. "Hi. I'm-"
"Gregory Douglas. I know. Everyone knows who you are! The question is what are you doing here," Bella's eyes go from Greg to Alexis.
"I'll explain later. Why don't you go get into the bed. Remember you have a geometry test tomorrow," Alexis says as Bella rolls her eyes and heads up the stairs. "That I'll pass in like 15 minutes," Bella bellows down from half way up the staircase. "You're sister she's so much like you, except only a bit more sarcastic," Greg says as he watches Bella leave.
"Yes," Alexis begins. "I taught her well."
Alexis looks at Greg. "Would you like something to eat?"
"Yes, I'm starving," Greg said with a smile. Alexis leads him into the kitchen. She opens the fridge and looks around. "We have," Alexis begins to speak with her head still stuck in the fridge. "Yogurt, Chicken, two day old left over pizza."
"That sounds good," Greg says. Alexis looks at him. "Pizza it is then," she says as she pulls a Pizza Hut box from the fridge. "Is pepperoni lovers okay by you," she ask as she opens the box. "Yeah, that's fine," Greg says as she places four pieces on a plate and pops it in the microwave. "Anything special you would like for breakfast in the morning," Alexis asks as she pulls the pizza from the microwave and sits it in front of Greg. She walks over to the fridge and pulls out to cokes. "Breakfast," Greg asks. "Yeah, it's a meal that you eat. It comes before lunch," Alexis says with a smile. "I know what it is. Why do you ask?"
"Well, if there is anything special you want, I can leave a note for Francois."
"Francois," Greg ask confused. Alex smiles. "Yes, he's our cook."
"I never figured you for the type of girl with a cook," Greg states with a smile.
"Yeah, well. I'm not the kind of girl to flaunt my money like most of the girls at St. Andrews."
"How many other servants do you have?"
"Six. Two to clean. Two to do laundry. One to drive, and one to do all the planning and scheduling for me and Bella."
"Wow,"
Greg exclaims in shock.
"I hope that doesn't change your
opinion of me. Now that you know I'm loaded," Alexis says with a
smile.
"No. It doesn't. I mean. You are very humble about it. Like you said. You don't flaunt it like the others. It makes you even more attractive," he says as he leans into kiss her. Alexis gives in to his kiss. She wraps her arms around his neck and runs her fingers through his soft brown hair. After a moment, they both pull back. "Greg, I hope you don't think it to forward of me, but would you stay here with me," Alexis asks.
"You mean, live here?"
Alexis once again bites her bottom lips as she nods her head yes. Greg pulls her close to him and kisses her again. She pulls back after the kiss. "Was that a yes or a no," she ask with a smile. "Yes, that was a yes," Greg smiles. Alexis places the dishes in the sink and grabs Greg's hand. "This way, Monsieur," Alexis says in a facsimile French accent. "And I'll show you your room."
Alexis leads him up the stair in the kitchen. They walk down the hall way and she opens a big wooden door to reveal more stairs. She grabs his hand and the two continue up to her room. "This is my room," he asks.
"No," she beings as she tosses his jacket on to her bed. "This is my room."
She walks over to a door. She opens the door and walks through. She turns on the light to reveals a huge mahogany bed. It's covered with black and red satin sheets and a huge pillow top comforter. There is a huge mahogany armoire and mahogany dressers as well. Alexis takes his hand and leads him to a huge bathroom. "Now, this bath room is linked between my room and your room," she says as she turns on the light to reveal a deep marble Jacuzzi bath tub, his and her vanity marble sinks, a huge marble shower, and a 32 inch flat screen TV.
"You have to be kinding me right," Greg asks.
"Nope," she begins. "With the touch of one button, you could be playing Xbox 360, watching the game, or talking on the phone. This is a bathroom fit for a king!"
"This is amazing."
"I thought you would say that."
"Who's room was this before me," Greg asks.
"No one's. I just finished it right before my Grams passed. I figured that one day I would find my prince charming and, that this would be his kingdom."
"Am I your Prince Charming," Greg asks as he pulls her close to him.
"I don't know," Alexis begins. "But I would love it if you were."
"I would love it if I were too," he says as he pushes her hair from her face. He leans in and passionately kisses her.
