Chapter 13
Nick drove to school on autopilot, following the route in a daze of confused thoughts and confessions. He needed to see Cat. How did she know what she knew? And the disclosure from his parents was unbelievable. His parents! He banged his fist on the steering wheel. His midwestern, conservative, Methodist parents! Exorcism! He pounded his fist on the steering wheel one last time before getting out of his car, and started toward the school.
“Hey, Nick!” Gary was parked nearby and in the process of locking his car when Nick walked past. Gary whistled and called, “Wait up!”
Nick slowed.
“What’s the matter?” Gary asked, struggling to put his backpack strap over his shoulder.
Nick mumbled something about his parents and quickened his pace. “Can you let Em know I’ve got to work on our project?”
Gary looked dubious but responded with, “Sure thing.”
Nick quickened his steps. “Tell her I’ll see her later.”
****
Nick went to Cat’s locker, but she wasn’t there; only a girl he didn’t know very well was reading through a notebook. “Do you know where she is?” he asked, putting his hand on Cat’s locker.
“She headed toward the gym.” She moved her chin in that direction.
“Thanks.” He turned in that direction, walked the short distance, and stood in the double doors that led into the gymnasium, watching Cat dance. In a black leotard and pink polka-dotted leg warmers, her limbs seemed longer than before. She was one continuous motion of fluidity and grace. Her body moved in rhythm with the music coming from her phone. She was one sexy chick when she danced, and Nick’s breath stuck in his throat, and his heart expanded in his chest. Her movements had that impact on him.
She had her back to him but said, “I feel you,” without turning around.
He remained quiet until she finished her routine.
“You were watching?” She turned, coming closer, walking as a ballet dancer would: back straight, toes pointed.
He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry I snuck up on you.”
“What do you want?” she asked.
“We need to talk.” He wanted to study her perfect dancer body but instead cleared his throat.
“What do you mean?” she asked, her brows furrowing together. She went to her bag, took out a towel, and wiped her face.
“I need to know what you know and why you know it.”
“Why? I thought you didn’t believe?”
He cleared his throat and shifted his feet. “I…learned…”
“What?”
“Never mind that. Did you have dreams? Visions?” he asked.
Cat sat on a folding chair, removed her leg warmers, and put on boots. “Something like that. I started remembering things. A woman with long dark hair. I figured maybe she was my mother, my birth mother. I already knew I was adopted. Even my real parents weren’t my parents, if you know what I mean.”
“I don’t.” Nick shifted his feet again, as if the floor was uneven and he was losing his balance.
“I don’t remember how old I was when I began putting the puzzle of my life together. I kept remembering people, faces, and places. Some were familiar, and I thought I knew who they were, but others I had no idea who they were.” Cat struggled into her sweater.
“Let me help you.” Nick guided her arm into the sleeve.
“Thank you.” Cat stood facing him, her hand on his chest, studying him.
He pulled his gaze away. “Sorry, I interrupted you,” he said, stepping back. “Tell me more.”
“There was a note left with me at the orphanage, saying my name was Catherine Anne and my birth parents couldn’t keep me.”
“But you don’t remember them?”
“No, I was about two, I think. I searched for signs of recognition on everyone I met, but nothing connected for me. Even here, in Laketon, I found you instead.”
“How did you know me?” They moved to the door, and Nick leaned against the wall. “I could feel your vibes, and your eyes are familiar.”
“Isn’t anything familiar about me?” she asked, shivering as if she was cold, and rubbing her arms.
Cat’s eyes were familiar. “Your eyes remind me of our cat.”
She laughed. “I was once a cat.”
He didn’t want to even go there.
“I’ve been having visions and dreams about a boy named Jean Claude. He’s my age, and I think it was World War II. I think he was fighting the Germans.”
She inhaled noisily and covered her mouth. “Really?”
“My parents…” The bell sounded, making him jump, and his thoughts scattered.
“Your parents, what?”
“Let’s walk to class together.” He guided her away from the gym. “I found out something crazy from my parents. My conservative, ultra-Methodist parents.”
“What?” Cat asked, concern creasing her brow.
“My parents had me exorcised when I was a kid because I was talking about being a soldier in France!”
“Oh my gosh.” Cat stopped walking, and they accidentally collided. Nick caught her elbow so she wouldn’t fall. He held her longer than necessary, feeling the urge to hold her.
A zing ran up his spine. “I know. I didn’t believe it when they told me, but with the visions and what you shared, it makes more sense to me now.”
“What are we going to do?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I need to think about this and listen to the tape of my exorcism. I’m having trouble believing this.”
“I had some help in the remembering part,” Cat said.
“How?”
“I went to a past-life therapist, and he helped me remember.”
“That sounds kind of whoo whoo.”
“It wasn’t,” she said. They stopped by the English room door. She nodded. “This is my first class. Later?”
He nodded dumbly.
“Nick?” Emily’s voice. She touched his sleeve. “What’s wrong?” Her eyes narrowed as she watched Cat in the doorway.
“Nothing.”
She moved around to stand in front of him without taking her hand off his arm. “I can tell something’s the matter.” Her facial expression mirrored her words, showing her concern.
He moved his head toward Cat.
“I wish she’d never came to Laketon!” Emily retorted, stamping her daisy- and sequin-patterned sneaker.
“My life would be less complicated,” he said after a ragged breath.
“So it’s true?” Emily asked. “Is she a former girlfriend?”
Nick shook his head as the tardy bell sounded. “I don’t know how you jumped to that conclusion?”
“She has that look.”
Nick wished he knew what the “look” was. He sighed. “I’ve gotta go.”