Excerpt - Sincerely, Eternity

The day gradually became...fun. He continued to surprise me with his knowledge of the many species of sea life we saw. I came around to see he was a really kind person, who wasn't a stalker, but rather someone who wanted a friend. I began to feel guilty as the day wore on. How rude was I to jump the gun the way I had? Thinking he was a murderer, a stalker -- well, who wouldn't? But still, hearing each sincere word from his voice drew me closer to him every time he spoke. 1

The air between us eventually became comfortable. For the first time in the longest while, I was able to be myself. I could babble and he would still listen intently. We even laughed together. And laughter was something I haven't been able to do free-spiritedly in years.2

When we were at the jellyfish tanks, he pointed his finger and said, "Watch this."3

I followed his abnormally pale finger as it touched the glass and, almost instantly, the tangled jellyfish swam closer to the glass. I jumped back, seeing sparks rise from his finger. I tried to pull S away, but he only laughed as I tried to do so.4

"What the heck is so funny?! Aren't you hurt?!" I yelped.5

He smirked and shoved his hand into his jean pocket as I reached for it. 6

"No. I'm one hundred percent perfect." No lies there, I thought. 7

"But...how can you do that without it shocking you? I mean, the jellyfish didn't even touch the glass when I saw sparks!" I looked around frantically, wondering now if anyone else saw this paranormal act. 8

No one bothered to even look our way.9

He placed a finger to his lips and bent down to reach my ear. His breath was cold, and it brought chills down my spine. 10

"It's a secret." S whispered.11

He slowly began to walk past me, leaving me standing in a room of jellyfish. I heard his low chuckle from the top stair behind me.12

"You hungry yet, or not?" 13

I was having too good a time to not even realize that I was starving.14

I ordered a large fry and a soda, while he ordered nothing. I started to worry, like my mother would have done.15

"Aren't you going to eat?"16

S looked through the ends of his messy hair. I could see a hint of blue in them as he glanced at me. His chin rested upon his folded hands.17

"I don't eat much." He answered calmly.18

My eyes grew wide. No wonder he was so slender, he was anorexic!19

"Why?" I asked. I took a small bite of a french fry. A slight shudder overtook his broad shoulders. Something I said plucked a nerve. So, I tried answering for him.20

"Are you really belemic and you're being polite by not eating then running to the bathroom only to come back and have smelly breath?" 21

"They make mints." He answered smugly. His eyes traveled out the grand windows that opened to the Boston Harbor. Out on the deck, little kids ran around, feeding seagulls and pigeons.22

"Oh my gosh! So you are?!" This was diffidently something I would not have told my date on the first meeting.23

His eyes closed and opened, finding mine. 24

"Kidding." He smirked. I breathed again. Good, so he wasn't killing himself by starving to death.25

"I eat...a different diet than most." He added.26

His last line confused me so much, I thought about it clear through the time it took to finish eating. Down to the last fry, I tried to put together a believable story. Nothing worked.27

We walked outside, and the breeze chilled me. He handed me my jacket as I shivered. 28

"Thanks." I muttered.29

After I zipped my jacket, we sat on a bench near the entrance to the New England Aquarium. There was a good two feet between us, and I wondered if I smelled like fish yet. He sat hunched over, his elbows on his knees, staring straight ahead of him. I followed his gaze and could see why he was staring. The sunset was gorgeous.30

Beautiful hues of peach and baby blue shifted to dark indigo and navy. Straight-ahead you could see the sun disappearing on the ocean's horizon, above you, stars dimly sparkled.31

"I wish I had my camera." I mumbled. 32

"That would be a picture worth a million rather than a thousand words." I heard S reply. 33

"Yes, it would." I stared up again at the stars.34

"No, Edaline, I mean you."35

His words shocked me, spun me around to face him. S was still in his unusual sitting position, but looking at me. His hair fell enough so I could see his blue eyes. A playful smirk stretched up to them.36

"What? Me?" I pointed to myself, bewildered.37

"Yes, you are very beautiful. Especially in the setting sun."38

My cheeks reddened, I could feel the instant heat. A low chuckle escaped S's chest, telling me he noticed. 39

"I doubt that." I pouted, looking away.40

He answered with another chuckle.41

Desperate to change subjects, I turned to face him, and asked him when we would meet again.42

"Soon."43

"How soon is soon?" Geeze, I was really starting to sound desperate.44

He leaned in again as he did at the jellyfish tanks, placed his lips to my ear and whispered softly.45

"Remember to write."46

The chills had me shut my eyes. It almost felt as if I was being electrocuted by his words alone. But when I opened my eyes again, he was gone. A single letter lay on the cement bench beside me.47

["I promise we will meet again, Edaline. I hope you enjoyed your evening like I have. I will speak to you again soon. Now run home before your mother gets worried that someone kidnapped you."]48

Reading that, I glanced at the clock tower to the east. It read close to eight o'clock. I broke out into a sprint, headed for the subway station a block away.49