THEN
In what had previously been the innkeepers wing, and briefly the quarters of the Simones, four teenagers reclaimed the rooms to celebrate. The mirror reflected the main space in various states of chaos. A CD player switched from Greenday to My Chemical Romance. Clothes that had been worn during the day were draped over furniture, the floor was littered with shoes and empty chip bags. Front and center of the mirror, a newly seventeen year old boy glowered in the glass.
"Caroline. I love you. But you're losing the battle for no reason."
"Cole. I love you. But your hair will submit to my will." She was on a step stool to his right, spraying his thick hair liberally and scrunching it in her fingers.
Anna cocked her head left, as if altering the view would change the image. She was plopped on the floor, already dressed and smoothing the folds of her large skirt.
It was their senior prom night, and while the group didn't anticipate staying at the school long, they were of course going so Caroline could have as many school experiences as possible.
"I'm telling you, I brought my clippers, let me cut it." Ethan gestured in a line over his own head. "Just buzz the sombitch."
"No." Caroline was now teasing Cole's roots. "With your dads jacket over his suit and his hair just a little too long, he'll look dangerous."
"I don't want to look dangerous."
"But the girls in our class will want you to look dangerous. Do you want the girls to look at you?"
"Why are you suggesting they don't already? It's the same hair on my head every damn day."
"Yeah Ro, his eyes are up there."
Caroline glared at Ethan and then narrowed her eyes at Anna. "Laugh all you want Anna Jane. You're up next."
Anna snorted and swept a hand down her torso. "What could you possibly do to improve this?"
"With what you're wearing for one."
"Um. False. I'm least three sizes bigger than you, so nothing of yours would possibly fit me. And second, this dress is fine."
"You stole it from the Christmas Carol set next door."
"A Tale of Two Cities." Ethan corrected as Anna snapped her fingers.
"Same difference."
"Same dif…." Anna snatched up a show, saw the heal and placed it back down until she found a flat, and chucked it Caroline.
Cole stopped the shoe with a glance through the mirror and it dropped to the ground. "There. Saved your life. Can you torture someone else now?"
"Fine fine. You'll thank me when Katrina Lee checks you out. Why you couldn't just ask her to be your date is beyond me."
"If it was a regular dance I would of, but people make too big a deal out of prom dates and I'm moving across the country after graduation. I don't want to lead anyone on."
Caroline softened and kissed his cheek before ducking behind the patrician Anna had also swiped from the theater. "If only most boys could try that philosophy on for size."
"Rude." Ethan pointed at himself then waved his hand.
"I said most, not all." Caroline clapped her hands at Anna who had picked up the dress and brought it over to help Caroline with the back.
"Bless em Eth, they're playing wedding day over there."
Ethan cuffed Cole but with a smile into Caroline's eyes that brought a blush to her cheeks.
"Mrs. Southgate would be the one helping her into her dress you ingrate. There, all set." Anna brushed Caroline's arms, and Caroline gave a spin out of the partition that Ethan palming a hand to his chest, while the other reached for her hand.
As she took it and lowered to Ethan's lap she said "By the way Miz Raised by Wolves, that would be you then too. Maid of honor helps you into the dress."
Over Caroline's shoulder, Ethan saw Anna Jane freeze. The girl who had never made easy friends with other girls, he knew what the sentiment of it meant to her. In that moment he loved Caroline more than anything.
Anna quickly recovered by the time Caroline leaned back and glanced over. She smoothed the linen of her own dress. "You really don't like it?" Anna fanned out the skirt of forest green.
"You look amazing in it, it just doesn't look like a prom dress."
"Oh that's all? Fine by me." Anna looked down at her watch. "I think we ought to get the photo part over with."
Pausing from checking the pictures he'd already taken of the day, Cole scoffed.
"Not you. The elders."
"Oh them. Right. I'm still bringing this." He lifted his camera. "The school one can't be trusted."
"If you insist." Ethan gave Caroline another squeeze before they headed out.
The four of them indulged Phillip and Cecelia in various pictures. And again when they paused at the Southgates house. Caroline's parents may have been stiff and formal with the other three, but they seemed pleased she was experiencing a prom. Just the same, Ethan waited until they were inside the back seat of the car to take Caroline's hand.
Anna drove, her left hand loose on the wheel, her right tapping the beat to the music on the back of Cole's seat. She smiled into the rearview window as she sang along, coaxing a few timid lines from Caroline. It may have been their prom night, but most their days and nights together were spent just like this. Carelessly barreling down the winding roads, music blaring, content with one another.
Once they got to the barn the school had rented as a venue they may have melded amongst the other students, but they never lost track of each other.
Cole kept to the sidelines, winding through the space to find those shots he knew the more traditional yearbook committee members would miss. Ethan and Anna took a spin on the floor, showing off the talents their after school dance classes had given them the last year. The following slow dance had Caroline glowing in her copper dress as Ethan held her close.
They danced and ate together, and at times split to their own devices. There'd be a signal if any of them wanted to leave, but it went unannounced into the night.
Turning with a round of drinks, Ethan nearly bobbled them as he bumped into Sylas Bruan.
"Sorry bout that Sy."
"No harm done." Sylas grinned and took two drinks of his own. He was wearing a white dress shirt, no jacket, and a tie loosened to the collarbone.
"You're here with Caroline Southgate are you?"
"I am." Ethan beamed. "You?"
"I've been going out with Tori Hutzell for a few months now." Sy gestured with the cup in the direction a table by the windows.
"That's great man. Well I better get back to my fray."
"See ya Kelly."
Ethan's brow furrowed as he left Sylas to find the others. It was common enough to be called by your last name, sure. But if he was being honest in his memory only one other had done it. So whenever Sylas did the few times they spoke, it always left him puzzled. But hopeful.
His grin returned when he spotted Caroline at their table and passed her one of the drinks.
"Cole is off getting pictures of one of the cornhole games."
"Right, we'll leave his there then." He turned to the dance floor and jerked his chin at Anna, waving the paper cup. He shook his head with a laugh when she waved him away.
"Someone is enjoying themselves."
"She's turned down the last two dance offers that I've seen." Caroline sighed. "I'm sure I missed others."
"Stop worrying." Ethan shrugged at her snort. "Ro, when she wants to date she does. When she wants to do anything she does. If she doesn't want to dance with any of our classes yahoos at prom, she truly doesn't want to."
"I know that it's just. She hasn't dated at all this year if you've noticed. It's senior year."
"Are you going to start being like every one else and suggested there is something wrong with how one of us does the life thing?" He teased.
"Oh you know that's not what I meant." She kicked him under the table. "We're happy aren't we?"
"A trap?" Ethan's head tilted but he returned her smile. "We're happy."
"I want that for our best friends. Cole, it's complicated with the going off to school thing fine, and everything up in the air. For her too of course. But I know you sense it too, there's a lot on her shoulders with all this." She wiggled her fingers, making Ethan laugh.
"A dancing partner isn't exactly going to lift a dozen generational weight you know."
Ethan grabbed Caroline's hand before she could shove him, and tugged her closer to lean against his chest. "They're ok Ro. They're doing ok. Trust me."
"And I do."
Across the floor Anna Jane flipped her hair to the music. Among the sounds, a call stood out and seemed to snap her out of the dance during a turn. She looked around at the blur of movement, and then followed it up as it soured across the room. Through one of the open windows had flown a skylark.
It sang a song separate from the thumping music, though few seemed to hear it. Some noticed its flight but laughed and looked away. Anna, seeing it was a skylark and not an ordinary bird, followed that flight with a smile. As she did, she stopped hearing the music. She stopped seeing the thrall of her classmates. She stopped feeling seventeen. She was near to ten years younger, grasping tightly to a boys hand, watching a bird as it freely dazzled them.
Instinctively Anna lowered her smiling gaze from the ceiling and to her right, where another stood facing her, dropping his own stare from the lark, and into her eyes. They froze as they looked and in that moment she knew what she hadn't in the last two years.
Sylas Bruan remembered her. Her first friend, had known her all along.
Her feet started moving before she knew it. Not to the music again, but towards Sylas, who was weaving through people to walk towards her.
From the tables Ethan straightened as he had watched the two walking towards one another. "You've got to be…." He trailed off and stood, looking across the room to Cole, who seemed to sense it and followed Ethan's look to Sylas and Anna. His camera lowered and he smiled in surprise.
"You don't think?" Caroline stood too.
Only feet from one another, Sylas stopped short and looked from Anna to a girl in a pretty pink dress who rushed up to him. Anna halted as well, hearing Tori exclaim that she loved the song the music had turned to.
Anna shook her head with a quiet laugh and turned away, moving away from the dancing students and to her friends.
Before he shook his head himself, the tension relaxing into his usual casual air, the regret had shown on Sylas's face as he watched Anna leave. She didn't see that.
But Ethan had. And despite what he'd said to Caroline, he felt himself worry. He pushed it back as Anna reached Caroline.
"What was that?" She asked her excitedly.
"Nothing. Nothing, bébé. Don't be silly."
"I'm not being silly I have eyes." Caroline reached her arm out for Cole as he approached. "Cole, you have eyes."
"I do. They saw things. Anna Jane."
"You're being ridiculous both of you. I had a memory from when we were kids and looked at the guy, that's all." She took her drink from their table and downed it.
"Looked to me like you weren't alone there." Cole stayed firm.
"You're just thinking of what you want to think."
"Am I?" Cole shrugged. "Geall?"
Anna's answering laugh hitched, so she playfully stomped on Cole's foot to play it off.
"Can never lie to us huh." Ethan wrapped an arm around her, but felt her slightly shaking. "Cole you haven't danced yet. Get that done so we can get out of here would you? There's slasher movies to be watched."
Caroline hesitated, looking at Anna, and then turned to Cole. "Pick me?" She grinned as he took her hand and tugged her away.
"Do you need to go?" Ethan asked when they sat.
Anna scoffed. "Please. What do you take me for?" But she relented enough to roll her shoulders. "I made an idiot of myself, that's all. No one likes doing that, but it's over."
"Shine. I saw it, you didn't imagine anything." Trying a different tact Ethan leaned back in his chair. "Besides, you were only going up to him, to what, reminisce? You were friends as kids, what's the harm in that, even with Tori there."
Anna tugged at the table cloth absently and looked back to Ethan. "What do you want me to say?"
"What will help you, rather than keeping it in."
"Fine. I couldn't because I wasn't feeling like just an old friend. And he is in a relationship, I'm not going to mess with that. He obviously would be a douche if he did too." She exhaled sharply. "I wouldn't still feel this way about him if he kept walking towards me. I just forgot for a minute. Got caught up."
Ethan reached for her hand. "Anna. Cmon, you could tell him. I know you've been holding back because you didn't think he remembered those summers, that made sense. But now you seem to know he does. Don't you want to know why he's been acting like he has? So tell him how you feel. He's only been with Tori for a few months, they're not sharing a condo. It would hurt her less now than waiting."
"You're so sure he'd feel the same."
"Yes."
Anna closed her eyes a moment and shook her head. Turning to the windows, but seeing only the dark against the glass. "None of it matters in the end. Even if there wasn't Tori, I'd have hated myself later if I dragged him into….all of this." She squeezed Ethan's hand. "Look me in the eye and tell me sometimes you haven't wished Caroline wasn't a part of this so you could keep her safe from it."
"We don't have to think that far ahead, we haven't even met the others yet."
"You and I know both know that day is probably not exactly 'far ahead'."
Ethan glared, frustrated, but brought her hand to his cheek. "I'm sorry Shine."
"It all works out how it's meant to. And I have you three." She pat his cheek once and then stood. "Now I want to dance with our boy once before we go, so grab your girl and lets do the damn thing."
Understanding her need to feel herself again, Ethan followed her on to the dance floor once more. The four of them spun and clasped hands, weaving amongst each other. As usual forgetting anyone else even existed outside of them.
Or at least very nearly.
Prom ended for them on that note and they spent the night in the innkeepers rooms at the grand, making late night quesadillas and watching horror movies that made them laugh more than jump. For many teenagers the night felt like an ending before a new beginning. For the four of them it felt like another reassurance in a long line of such, that they were with exactly who they needed to be. They were continuing.
The following week was a blur of end of school exams and senioritis. Ethan and Caroline especially seemed to feel it was all already over. Much to their respective parents chagrin, neither were going to college. Caroline had her art, and wanted to work to support it. Ethan wanted to be wherever Cole and Anna landed. Caroline agreed, so it all worked out to them well. The Kelly's accepted whatever made their son happy, while the Southgate's seemed to hope Caroline would eventually change her mind.
Out of all of them Cole was most serious about soon to be college life, so Ethan was especially surprised when he realized Cole wasn't in Gym class one of the last days of school.
"I know its just PE, but you didn't see him when he had to give up his perfect attendance record when his parents died. You'd think that was the more devastating thing." At Caroline's look Ethan relented. "Or it was just because he hadn't been in therapy yet, fine. But still." He looked over to where Anna threw her racket in an attempt to catch her partners badminton serve. "That move worked once two years ago and she's determined to keep at it."
Caroline cheered at Anna from their own practice, and then returned a swing of Ethan's without looking.
"Show off." He muttered. "You're sure he didn't mention anything to you?"
"Ethan." Exasperated, Caroline lowered her racket. "What's going on? Do you…" She walked past the practice line, looking to see other students were occupied. "Are you sensing something?"
"I think all of us would be if it was that. Maybe it's just prom, having me think something has changed because it's the end of school."
"But you feel like something has changed?"
"I don't know. I'm…well what's this now?"
Caroline turned and narrowed her eyes at Sylas as he walked in. "It's not his period."
"I may be the worrywart love, but you're positively glowering."
"I could forgive him not remembering her. I'm finding it pretty hard to move past that he's been faking that. Don't you?"
"It depends on the reason." He narrowed his own eyes as Sylas came over.
Sylas raised a brow at the unabashed glare from Caroline. "Kelly. With me." He gestured to one of the side doors.
Ethan hesitated only a moment, turning pale as he followed. "Caroline stay with Anna."
Watching the two boys walk off, Caroline turned towards the ongoing game and whistled. Anna looked over and then straightaway tapped in another student at the closest practice.
"What is it?" Anna jogged over.
"Sylas just came up to Ethan and told him to come with him. I don't know what's up but Cole isn't here, why would Cole have told Sylas where he was going?"
"What did Sylas say? Exactly what."
"Kelly, with me."
Anna paled. "Putain de merde. Get your keys." She stalked off to the doors.
"What's going on?" Caroline swore herself, and then ran for the locker rooms.
Anna nearly passed Sylas as she followed to the parking lot. He turned and spoke as if it wasn't the first time in all those years. As if he'd spoken to her every day.
"I told Ethan that it's probably nothing, it just felt off to me."
"I'm sure it is nothing, thanks just the same for getting us. Can you tell Ms. Hamby in the office that we'll be out for the rest of the day? Say it's for Cole, she'll understand."
"Right." He looked like he wanted to say more, and then nodded as Caroline dashed out. "Ladies."
Anna watched him go back into the school and then turned back towards the cars. Ethan had already determined that Cole took his car so he held up a hand and Caroline tossed her keys to her own. Anna got there first, opening the passenger door for Caroline and slipping into the backseat.
"Where?" She asked Ethan
"Sylas said he was out on a hall pass and saw Cole going to the main doors. Cole spotted him and doubled back and told him he was going to Holm House." Ethan took the turn out of the school property with speed rather than breaking. "He told him to let us know, so he's not just ditching. There's only one reason he wouldn't wait."
"He didn't think there was time." Anna reached over to the center console and flipped the top, rummaging for a cell phone.
"Where did that come from?"
"Its just a pre-paid, I dashed a few of them around just incase." Anna started dialing.
Caroline rubbed Ethan's shoulder nervously. "Fine, I'll get you both crystal balls for your birthday."
"Anna." Ethan took another turn sharply enough to have Anna grasping a hand on the roof of the car.
"Its still ringing Ethan, cool it. There she is. Ceecee? Are you at the house?" Anna listened a moment and nodded. "No, that's fine, stay there. I don't know yet, but we'll keep you posted just please, stay there until we do.. We're all fine." She let out a shakey sigh. "She's not there, so it's not that Ethan, calm down. John left Tuesday right?"
"Yeah." Ethan breathed deep himself as he slowed onto his street. "Ok. Our car is the only in the drive."
Anna got out and was calling for Cole before Ethan had shut off the engine. Caroline was right behind and Ethan ran for the yard yelling for the girls to check the house.
"Like hell." Caroline kept right on him as the three of them burst through the back gate and into the yard.
At the edge of the lawn, Cole sat on the ground slumped against a fallen log. His shoulders were shaking.
Anna's breath hitched but she beat it back and reached Cole first. She knelt and pulled him to her, and he seemed to melt. Ethan and Caroline joined the huddle. No one spoke, they just let Cole feel, as their own relief ebbed in. Finally, Cole lifted his head, still clinging as the others clung.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you I was just so sure and I couldn't….I couldn't be too late."
"Stop it." Ethan pushed back Cole's hair. "Everyone is fine."
"Geall." Caroline added.
Cole nodded, and wiped his face. No embarrassment showed. Not to them.
"I was up late last night finishing my history final. The report that is. I must have been more tired than I realized. I fell asleep in Calc."
"No wonder, worst subject there is." Anna rubbed his back.
"I don't remember dropping off, I just wasn't there anymore. I was here, seeing Ceecee. She'd come home between meetings and was making us those oat, peanut butter, and honey energy bites she does. I could smell them, you know. It never occurred to me I was dreaming. And one of them was here."
Anger shone for a moment in his still glassy eyes. "She thought it was one of the neighbors, out here by the edge of the property. She came out to see and made it about this far. They ripped her apart." He looked at Ethan apologetically. "They were still tearing at her throat when I woke up in class. I couldn't think through it I just got up and left. I realized it wasn't lunch yet so maybe if I just…I had the spare keys in my bag, I just kept going, I couldn't stop to get you, what if it was true?"
"Ok. It's ok. It didn't happen, it was just a dream." Ethan comforted.
"Cole, have you had dreams like this before….since your parents?" Caroline asked.
"No. Well. Not like this. Ones of them sure. Of that night. But not something like this. That's why I….I guess I thought it could be real."
"Carlisle said the others have plenty with abilities. I'm sure ones that can force us to dream things is on that list." Anna looked at the trees and glimpses of backyards beyond. "This could have been a trap for you Cole."
"Or a test to see if it would work." Ethan agreed and sighed as he squeezed Cole's shoulder. As though to reassure him his friend was still whole.
Caroline leaned back on her heels. "We can't put it off anymore can we?" She shook her head. "I mean Cole what was your move if you got here and it was a trap, or that any of them were here at all? We've been testing what we can do, but we haven't tried fighting."
"I think if I found one here, I could have figured it out." But Cole relented. "We can't put it off, no. If we're going to be moving across the country no doubt there will be even more of them around there." He turned that apologetic look to Anna. "We need to know what to do."
She nodded, and rubbed her cheek on his, feeling dried tears. "So we will."
NOW
Hayley brought Cole's hand to her own cheek. "You idiot."
"I was seventeen." But he laughed as Hayley huffed at that.
"Rational thinking isn't big for teenagers to begin with, we certainly didn't have it when it came to one another and our families." Ethan defended.
"Still doesn't, but we have a bit more style now." Anna clapped her hands and Cole tossed her one of their phones. "Pizza?"
They ordered. They took a breath. Ethan studied Anna's face and flipped through her record collection, finding one that set an old world calm amongst them. Hayley thought how wonderful it must feel, to be that known, when she realized she was. Cole was in the kitchen, crushing some ice. A preference of hers she hadn't even mentioned. She knew as the years went on she would be known and know the rest of them more and more.
When the bell rang with the lunch delivery, Anna sprang up and opening a drawer by the door, snatched out a few bills. Hayley crossed the room as well and got a stream of paper towels.
"Robbie, my life to you." Anna took the boxes from a college aged boy and passed them to Hayley. "I know you don't usually do lunchtime deliveries during the week."
"Usually doesn't apply here. You worked Pat up into a state that you were home from work sick, but then he saw your order." The delivery man waved at the others.
"Yeah I've been invaded. You tell Pat all is well."
"Will do. Thanks Mrs. B."
Hayley nearly fumbled the plates she was bringing down from the cabinet. They clattered together and Anna raised a brow.
"You ok a'ghra?"
"What does that mean?"
"It's gaelic…."
"Not the pet name." Hayley leaned against the counter. "Mrs. B."
But it suddenly made sense. At the bar in the city that first night when Anna had signed for the tab, and Hayley noticed the signature looked off. The gold band, though on her right thumb. She never took off and twirled it when thoughtful.
Anna looked over Hayley's shoulder to Cole. "Michael. Have you only called me Simone?"
"I didn't." Cole let his shoulders rise and fall. "I didn't know what you wanted told at first.
"I did the same thing Shine." Ethan admitted.
"Overprotective fools. The pair of them." But her smile stayed. "Suppose that's what we get for the lack of formality introduction wise." She held out her hand.
"Anna Jane Bruan."
