© Copyright 2011
All work is property of Leah Crichton, any duplication or reproduction of all or part of the work without explicit permission by the author is illegal.

Enigma: (uh-nig-mah)

a puzzling or inexplicable occurrence or situation

a person of puzzling or contradictory character

Having Orion for a boyfriend was like every romance movie I’d ever loved actually happening to me. He doted on me with constant and admirable devotion, often telling me all the ways I was beautiful. I wasn't about to argue, surreal as it was. We hadn't done much. He had yet to really kiss me, although his lips often found my neck or my wrist, even my forehead. I was okay with this.

There were no lingering hints of his less than admirable temperament, which made it easy to forget.  His attention was like a bad habit. I started to crave it, crave him. I couldn’t get to school fast enough, and I never wanted to leave.

I stopped searching for motivation because it didn’t matter anymore. I wanted to enjoy things that were given to me, and liked to consider that maybe he was a gift from the Universe to somehow compensate for the accident.

Chloe took his warning seriously enough to not even so much as look my way, but she would often sneer or snicker at Mona, who swore up and down that it was only a matter of time before she’d get what was coming to her.

On a Friday afternoon our group was at their usual table, Orion and I stretched out on the grass beside them. My legs were pretzeled inside both of his as I listened to his plans to take me sailing that weekend. Our time alone together was limited, and every free moment this week I'd lost myself in ridiculous fantasies about what could happen. I replayed them over and over in my head like bad reruns. I was doing precisely this when I heard Chloe flip. The murmur of students talking was quieted by a piercing scream.

Orion was quick to untangle himself from me and jump to his feet. I mirrored his action to find Chloe pointing to her lunch tray, eyes wide as saucers. “They’re in my food!”

Tyler, confused by her proclamation, picked up her sandwich. “Nothing’s in your food, Chloe. Sit down, you’re making a scene.”

“Are you blind?” she screamed. “They’re everywhere!” She slapped at her arms and jumped up and down, tugging at her hair hysterically. “They’re on me. Get them off!”

Tyler was now visibly embarrassed but concerned for his friend. His fists clenched. “Get what

off?”

“The bugs! There’s bugs. Get them off me!”

The whole student body was staring at her. No one, including me, could see any bugs.

Mona smiled.

“Chloe there aren’t any bugs,” Tyler yelled. “What are you talking about?”

“They’re everywhere! Someone help me. Please help me!” Her attack on herself escalated as her nails dug deep into her flesh, scratching at nothing.

A snarl escaped from the back of Orion’s throat as his eyes tore through Mona. He gritted his teeth and pounded a fist on the table. “I told you to leave it alone!”  

Mona smiled at him and shrugged. “I didn’t do anything.” 

Orion stalked over to where Chloe stood. “Chloe, look at me. You’re imagining things,” he told her coolly. “There’s no bugs.”

Chloe looked so much like a terrified little girl that I felt my heart sink. She truly believed she was being attacked. Tears flooded her eyes and poured over. “Don’t you see them?” she asked almost desperately. “They’re all over the place.” She covered her mouth with one hand and pointed to his chest with the other, her voice dripping with renewed panic. “They’re even on you.”

He shook his head. “Look at me. They’re not there.”

With a cautious glance in my direction, he lowered his voice; his mouth was still moving, but I couldn’t hear anything else he said. Chloe stared at him as his arms rubbed hers vigorously, like he was trying to warm her up.

Mona, who was initially interested in Orion's reaction, grew bored and looked away. The next thing I knew, Tyler was wrapping an arm around Chloe’s shoulder and Orion was returning to our table.

His eyes were liquid ice and directed at Mona. “You couldn't leave well enough alone.”

“I didn't do anything,” she fired back.

He arched a brow. “You know the rules,” he said. “It is in your best interest to follow them.”

“Are you my personal judge and jury now, Orion? I didn't break any of your stupid rules.”

His jaw tightened and he clenched and unclenched his fists. “They aren't my rules, but if you want to be dumb and play with fire, go ahead. Just leave me and her,” he motioned to me, “out of it. You won't ruin this for me.”

He held his hand out to me. “C'mon Tiger, what do you say we get out of this place?”

I took it, hesitant. He was pissed. Did I really want to go anywhere with him?

He tilted his head almost imperceptibly. “Please.”

I followed him silently down the long hallway, which was already abuzz with chatter about what had happened with Chloe. Students contemplated which drugs she was on, who had given them to her, and how long before the police would be involved. I was almost glad for my decision to just go with Orion, if for no other reason than to get out of this place.

I got into the seat and buckled up. “Anything I can do?”

Orion turned the key over. “You're doing it. Let's just get out of here, okay?”

I knew I’d have to somehow get in touch with Luke. If I skipped school, he’d need to know I wouldn’t be there when he came to pick me up. My feelings for Orion were now two very different extremes. I was petrified for anyone who crossed him, but taken with him, too. I always considered myself a logical person, but any sense of reason I had within myself was diminishing faster than my obsession grew.

The drive was either very long or the silence that weighed the air down around us made it seem that way. He turned onto a gravel road, pulled up to a parking area, and stopped the car. I stalled getting out because I was nervous and unsure of how to offer him comfort, if that's even what he needed.

 “Sorry if I scared you. I didn’t mean to.” He sounded guilty. “You didn’t need to see all of that with Mona." We walked hand in hand until we reached the edge of the brook. Orion flopped to the ground and patted the grass beside him.  “You don't need to be scared of her, or of me for that matter.” 

I gave an anxious laugh and sat, twirling a blade of grass between my fingers. “It's a little too late for that. What happened back there? What were you talking about, following the rules? What rules?”

“I meant common sense.” He became very serious. “You shouldn’t have seen that. Mona wasn’t thinking; she was letting her emotions get the best of her.”

I heard the tenor of my voice increase in pitch and fought to keep it even. “Thanks for reminding me about that little gem,” I said. “I mean, what the hell does Mona have to do with Chloe's bad trip?”

“Mona is the cause of Chloe's bad trip.”

“She's what?”

He raked a hand through his hair and sighed. “I can't explain it now. Just trust me, please.”

“Trust you? I want to more than anything, Orion, but you need to tell me what the hell is going on.”

“I promise I can explain.” As he spoke he traced a fingertip along the neckline of my tee shirt, pressing his lips to my neck. “But can we talk about it later? I just want to be with you.”

I should have stopped him. It's what any reasonably sane individual would do, but I wasn't reasonable where he was concerned and I certainly wasn't sane. I sighed and could feel his lips pull into a smile against my skin. “I’ll drop it for now Orion, but you will tell me.”

He grabbed my hand in his, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. “I will tell you but first I want you to tell me something.”

“What do you want to know?” 

“I want you to tell me you aren’t afraid of me, that my recent lack of discretion with my temper and Mona's differences haven't scared you off.”

“I’m still here, aren’t I?” I asked, sharper than I'd intended. When his eyebrows rose skeptically I said, “Sometimes I am.” It was hard not to be. His friends, his strength, his size, his voice, the way he consumed my every waking thought—sleeping thoughts, too—it was all very intimidating. Perhaps the fact that I still could not comprehend what someone like him would want with someone like me scared me most of all. “You have a bit of a temper.”

He shamefully looked down before bringing his eyes to mine and giving me a sly smile. “Don’t be scared. Kinda puts a damper on things, you know? Girlfriend and Terrified don’t go together much better than ice cream and spaghetti.”

“Don't flatter yourself,” I said. “I'm not terrified. You just have a major attitude problem and that is scary. Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” Orion smiled. “Except about Mona.”

“Why do you like me?”

He blinked, confused. “What?”

“Why do you like me?” I repeated. “I wasn’t exactly forthcoming when we met. Second, I’m not really in your league, or I guess a better way to put it is you aren’t in mine. What’s the catch?”

The amused smile that I was often on the receiving end of appeared. He thought my question was funny.  “In my league? I didn’t realize we were playing baseball.”

I waved my hand, still waiting for a sufficient answer. “Batter up.”

“I suck at sports,” he said.

“I don't buy it, Orion. You're...” I tried to think of a word to describe him, “perfect.”

Ish.  Almost perfect, with the exception of a hot temper and some seriously questionable friends. Minor details.

Orion grimaced like he was a supermodel I’d just called fat. “I’m not perfect.”

“Newsflash,” I said. “You look like those guys I saw in the teen magazines when I was younger. So you kind of are.”

“In the most superficial of ways,” he said. “I may be nice for you to look at, but as I've proved two separate times, I'm not always a nice guy, Tiger.”

I laughed softly. “I'm not superficial. I simply appreciate a beautiful thing.”

He traced his fingers along my jaw line, my eyelids, my lips, and my nose. “So do I. In fact, beautiful things fascinate me. You fascinate me.”

What was the proper response for that? Thanks? I didn't know what to say so I said nothing.  His icy eyes, the same eyes I knew I could get lost in, held my gaze. It was awkward and reminded me of a staring contest, but I couldn’t be the first one to look away, my pride wouldn't allow it.

His hand slid under my ear, his thumb on my cheek, and he pulled me toward him. His lips barely touched mine, brushing there for only the briefest of moments, followed by gentle kisses on my eyelids, my nose. He lingered on my scar like he was trying to kiss it better.

I didn’t like that too much; it was the biggest distinction of my un-flawlessness, in comparison to his flawlessness. I hated the contrast of its pronounced pink color against my pale skin.  I thought about this imperfection and of Orion’s general physical beauty and an unwanted tear snuck its way out, rolled down my cheek and alarmed him.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry.” I felt the warm pad of his thumb wipe the tear away. “Tell me why you’re crying,” he said gruffly. 

I shook my head, ashamed to admit to my own vanity.

“You can tell me,” he coaxed.

“It’s stupid.” 

“Nothing that upsets you is stupid,” he said gently. “Please tell me.”

“The scar,” I mumbled. “I hate it.”

“The scar is beautiful,” he said softly. “It’s part of who you are. Besides, perfect people are boring.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Orion whispered. “Not for being human, imperfect, like me.”

We sat by the stream listening to the birds and running water until Orion looked at his watch. “I should take you home,” he said, “before Luke sends out a search party.”

“Luke!” I bolted upright. “He’s going to be so mad. I didn’t call him. He’s going to show up to pick me up from school."

Orion stood and brushed his jeans off. “I’ll take you to his car before he even leaves campus.”

“Now you’re really scaring me.”