The Gift (UC, K/I, Teen, 1/1) (Complete)
Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 8:26 pm
Winner - Round 10
Title: The Gift
Author: Annie
Rating: Teen
Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters. They belong to the WB, Fox, and UPN.
Summary: K/I - one parter. This takes place six months after CYN. It’s Isabel’s birthday, and Kyle has a very special gift for her. FYI, Tess is good. She had nothing to do with Alex’s death.
Author’s Note: This story is totally dedicated to <b>Pooh</b>. Also, no worries about my other stories. I am still working on them. I had just meant to post this earlier, but RL got in the way.
PS... the song <i>Stardust</i> is by Nat King Cole. A little FYI... I just think that the song is perfect.
Wrapped in the only birthday-ish paper he could find and about 3 feet of tape, the box sat in all its glory on the desk.
Kyle was sure it was mocking him.
Never in his entire life had he agonized over a gift more. But it was October 25th, Isabel's birthday. After the year she had, the way he started to feel about her, it had never been more important to get one right.
Alex's death six months ago broke them all in some way. Liz and Maria had lost their best friend. For Michael and Max, one person who they trusted completely was gone. As for himself, Kyle had lost the one person who understood what he felt getting mixed up in the whole alien abyss. He'd lost someone who would've become one of his best friends if they'd had enough time.
It seemed like there was never enough time.
No one knew that more than Isabel. Time, and their enemy, had taken away her first true love just as she was figuring out how much he meant to her.
For weeks, they'd all been consumed by their grief, each handling the missing part of their group in a different way. Maria threw herself into ensuring Alex's memory for the rest of West Roswell High, dragging Michael along with her. Actually, it soon became apparent that he wasn't actually being dragged anywhere. Michael had volunteered for the job fully, part for Maria, but more, Kyle suspected, to honoring Alex.
Max and Tess grew closer, their friendship truly taking form. Mostly, Kyle was happy for her. Finally her place in Roswell, in the group, was becoming solidified. It had been something she'd needed for a long time.
However, there was a tiny kernel of resentment that took hold of Kyle during this time for the four in the group that were growing closer. For the hours they spent with each other, it meant more hours they spent ignoring Liz and Isabel.
During those weeks, Liz seemed to be on her own personal crusade, trying to prove that someone had killed Alex. That the someone was probably an alien. With things already tense between her and the rest of the group, this pushed it over the edge. Save himself, Kyle didn't notice anyone else trying to talk to her. And he only managed on the rare occasions when he managed to pin her down.
Isabel, on the other hand, was much easier to locate, but just as lost. Most of time, he found her out by Alex's grave. Once he even approached her there. They spent the next couple of hours sitting by his marker, silent except the faint sounds of her weeping. Other times, Kyle would hang out with her at school, hoping that whatever stupid thing that came out of his mouth would cheer her a little. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, but she always seemed greatful for the companionship.
Then two things happened to change the status quo, Liz found the proof she'd been searching desperately for and Kyle first showed signs that he was developing powers. Both led to the group discovering the circumstances behind Alex's death. Though the gift he'd been given helped to find the answers, for the rest of his life, Kyle knew he would be haunted by the images of his friend's murder.
Frowning, he tried to push those thoughts out of his head, concentrating on his task for the night. In fact, he started concentrating so hard that the light knock at his bedroom door had him jumping in the chair. Looking over his shoulder, he shot Tess an irritated look as she started to snicker.
She was laughing fully as she crossed the room and picked up the box. “Walmart just called. They know that you’re the one whole stole all their tape. They’d like you to bring it back now.”
He yanked the box from her hands. “Shut up, Tess.”
She only laughed harder. “Seriously, how much did you use?”
Nearly the whole thing, but Kyle wasn’t about to tell her that. “Do you need something?”
Rolling her eyes, she walked over and plopped down on his bed. “No. I was just coming to see if you’d gone yet. I guess the answer is no.”
“You’re a regular Sherlock.”
“And you’re pissy.” Tess reached out, patted a hand on his knee. “Wanna talk about it?”
Kyle looked over at her, than back to the gift in his hands. “I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing, Tess. I couldn’t bear it if this hurts her more.”
Her face softened. “Life hurts,” she told him. “Being the ones left behind after it ends, well, that hurts more, I think. But we have to keep living. That’s the one thing I learned the hard way.”
He thought of Nasedo’s betrayal, and how much more Tess grieved after learning about it. “Tess...”
She shook her head to ward off what he was going to say. “You’re the only one who shows her what’s it’s like to keep living. I think you heal her, and I know that she’s healed you.” A little grin curved her lips. “Max isn’t the only one who has that gift.”
Kyle felt his own lips twitch. “Maybe.”
Taking hold of his arm, she yanked him to his feet. “And maybe you should get your butt in gear and get over to Isabel’s.” Her eyes drifted down to the poorly wrapped box in his hands. “Before you go,” she muttered and waved her hand over it. Instantly, the paper smoothed out, the bow straightened, and the yards of tape disappeared, with the exception of a few discrete pieces to hold the wrapping in place. “Now you’re ready.”
“I hope so,” Kyle said as he picked up his keys. “I really hope so.”
~~~~~~
Isabel laid on her bed, music pouring from the headphones she was wearing. Normally, this was what she did to relax, to ease away the tension of the day, but today, it was different. Today it was a nice finish to a whole day spent doing nothing but what she wanted, a personal gift for her birthday.
Maybe it hadn’t been the best of ideas to skip out on her Friday classes at the local college. She’d feel guilty about it tomorrow. Isabel had needed the time. There had just been so much change lately. Too much, in her opinion. There was so much loss that they had to compensate for.
Alex’s death had been a blow that none of them were prepared for. For Isabel, it had felt like a piece of her heart had been torn away. The rest of it had broken when it was discovered that Kivar, through Nicholas, had been responsible.
Isabel would never forget the day Liz had summoned them all out to the ravine. It had actually been the first time she’d really talked to the group other than the odd run-in at school. It was enough to bring them all there post-haste. And that was where Liz had shown them a key, one she had found tape under the inside panel of his locker. It belonged to a lock box for a bank in Las Cruces.
She’d skipped school that day, went to the bank, and retrieved the contents of the box, just one envelope. Liz hadn’t opened it yet, waiting instead for entire group to arrive. Inside had been several pages of computer printouts, a crystal, and one hastily scribbled note. It was from Alex.
It simply said: <i>I’m nearly out of time. Here are some answers because I don’t think I’ll be around for the questions. Alex.</i>
They each read it separately, passing it around. That is, until it reached Kyle’s hands. The moment his fingers brushed against the paper, his eyes rolled back in his head. There had been this instantaneous fear inside of her when she saw his reaction, when she saw the color leach from his skin as each second passed. Still, for a full minute Kyle didn't move, didn’t even react to calls or concerns. Then, he was back, and his story horrific.
He’d seen Alex scratching the words down onto the paper. Fear had been in his eyes, pounding within his heart. His exchange trip to Sweden had been a lie, a trick they’d planted in his mind to cover up what they really wanted. And what they’d wanted was for him to translate the Destiny book. Nasedo had past them a copy, was killed because he hadn’t gotten translated before he did.
That was a blow for Tess to know that they man who’d raised her had been planning to betray them in the end. All the talk of destinies, the years he’d spent shoving it down her throat, had all been in the hopes of triggering her memory so she, or thought her one of the others would remember how to translate the book. When that plan failed, Nicholas and his cohorts moved on to plan B and Alex.
But things had started to fail there too. Not nearly as strong in his power to manipulate the mind as he was in pillaging it, Nicholas little bends started to fail after a few weeks. Eventually, Alex had broken through for short periods of time, very short, but enough to leave behind the crumbs that would lead them to the truth.
He’d left them the translation and the crystal, which was the key to working the Granolith. He’d died trying to protect them and their secret.
Losing Alex was the hardest thing Isabel ever had to face. For weeks, it took all of her energy simply to get out of bed in the morning, to eat and sleep and function even on a basic level. Yet, finding out the how’s and why’s nearly obliterated what was left of her sanity.
Even though his own grief and guilt, Kyle had seen it. He’d helped her pick up the pieces, offering whatever comfort he could as she went through the stages of rage, guilty, and depression. For the next few months, he was constantly by her side as they healed. And somewhere during that time, she had come to depend on him, to need him.
Even today, Isabel had considered dragooning him, to share the day with him. But she didn’t. She’d given herself a day alone, to spend it as she wished. It eventually included a haircut, lunch with her mother, and a trip to the florist. She had taken the flowers she picked up to the cemetery and spent an hour by Alex’s grave. She’d slept late and was now doing nothing that evening but lounging around in pajamas and listening to some music. Tomorrow, she would go out with her friends, spend the evening with them at the small party they’d planned, but tonight she was enjoying being lazy.
Still, though she was enjoying it, something felt like it was missing.
Isabel tried to ignore it as the song switched over from Dave Mathews Band to Sarah McLachlan. She sighed at the change of rhythm, pushing herself up to a sitting position. And she barely managed to swallow the scream as she saw Kyle standing in the doorway.
Scrambling up, she yanked off the headset. “Damn it, Kyle. You scared the crap out of me.”
A faint smile tugged at his lips. “Sorry.” Then, even the faint smile faded. “Your mom said I could come right up. Have you got a couple of minutes?”
Over the last few months, Isabel had gotten to know him so well, his expressions and body language. Right now it was tell her that there was a problem. “What’s up?” she asked, concerned.
He turned, hesitating for a moment, than shut the door. That’s when Isabel noticed the package he was carrying. It wasn’t large, wasn’t small. The paper covering the outside was decorated with images of daisies, a bright blue ribbon and bow topping it off. It made her smile. “A present?” she asked expectantly.
Looking down at the box, than over to her, Kyle nodded. Slowly, he crossed the room to her, awkwardly holding out box. “Yeah. I wanted to bring it over tonight. I thought it would be better then giving it to you tomorrow at the party.”
Curious, Isabel tilted her head a bit as she studied him a bit closer. Kyle was shifting from foot to foot, his eyes darting around the room. <i>He’s nervous</i>, she realized. The idea that he was worried that much about the gift he bought her made her just a leery. Once Liz had jokingly mentioned what Kyle had bought her for her birthday one year, a pocket calendar because she liked to be on time. She wondered what trait of he’d latched on to in deciding on a gift for her.
It also touched her heart deeply that he had obviously tried hard enough that he was worried about the results.
She took the box from his hands, and with a giggle, she shook it gleefully. It didn’t rattle. “That’s no fair,” she said, a little pout forming. “It’s not making any noise. You must have wrapped it to well.”
“Tess helped,” Kyle blurted and she laughed again.
“Well then, I will just have to take my time in unwrapping it.”
His response to that was to being pacing back and forth in front of her bed as she worked at the first piece of tape. After a moment or two, it started to make her dizzy. “Why don’t you sit down, Kyle?”
He grabbed her desk chair, but it didn’t fix the problem of his nerves. His left leg kept bouncing up and down in a restless motion. Before she finished with the second piece of tape it was getting on her nerves. “Kyle, what’s with you?”
“Could you just rip the paper open?” he asked. “Please.”
Now, even more curious, Isabel nodded and did as he asked. Underneath the paper was a plain brown box. Nestled inside, was another box, a wooden one. Her lips formed an O as she lifted out.
It was so beautiful.
The dark colored wood was intricately carved with a nightscape. A crescent moon looked out over tiny stars that dance over quiet hills. As tears began to fill her eyes, Isabel carefully lifted the lid and heard the soft notes of <i>Stardust</I> begin to play.
One tear, then two dripped down, splashing on her hand before her gaze rose and met his. “It’s so beautiful, Kyle. Thank you.”
He swallowed hard, moved closer to her, and said three last three words she ever expected to hear. “It’s from Alex.”
The music box slipped from her fingers, bounced lightly on the bed as she started at him, simply to shocked to speak.
“Last week, I helped Liz and Maria clean out Alex’s room. Mrs. Whitman had asked them if they would mind, and they dragged me along to do the heavy lifting. I found that in the bottom of his desk drawer. When I touched it... well, I knew it was meant for you.”
More tears slid down her cheeks as he got up, closed the distance between them, and cupped her face in his hands. “He loved you so much, Isabel. That was his gift for you. My gift is to show you what I saw when I touched this. If you want me to.”
Inside her heart, grief and love and something else to volatile to even think about warred. So caught up in them, words failed her. So she nodded.
“I’m not very good at this,” Kyle said with forced lightness in his voice. “I’ve been working on my powers with Tess, but I think she’s about to declare that I’m hopeless...” The humor dropped. “You’ll need to help me.”
Wanting to see, to know, Isabel reached up, covering his hand with her own, and opened the connection between them.
She saw him enter the Whitman’s house, Alex’s room. She felt how hollow cleaning out his friend’s possessions left him. Then, he stumbled onto the box. The second his fingers brushed the smooth surface, images filled his mind. Now, he was giving them to her.
Alex seeing the box in a store at Las Cruces. Memories of the stars, of watching them with her, was the first thought that broke though his foggy mind. He immediately went in the store and bought the box. He forgot about it for periods of time, the time that Nicholas’s mind manipulation took over, but he always came back to the box. His feelings for her were stronger than anything their enemy could do to him. It was, quite simply, love.
Isabel felt his happiness and hope when she asked him to prom. She heard his vow to give her the box on the day she was to graduate from high school. He was so proud of her.
Then, abruptly, the thoughts shifted back to Kyle’s. She felt the overwhelming grief he felt for Alex. The awe that his gift always left him with. And Isabel felt his concern for her, the weight of giving her this gift had placed on his shoulders.
The weight he felt because he loved her too.
With a weepy sigh, she broke the connection. Kyle’s hands were still warm against her cheeks, gentle as he wiped the tears away. “Happy birthday, Isabel.”
She sniffled as the one emotion she hadn’t been able to name won the war inside her. It was hope. Alex had loved her, so much, and it had been the greatest thing she’d ever been given. It opened her heart, her soul, to possibilities. Now, she felt the beginnings of someone else offering her the same. Because of Alex, she hoped that she might be open to it.
Slowly, Isabel rose up a bit, lightly pressing her mouth to Kyle’s. The kiss was soft and sweet.
And full of possibilities.
“Thank you,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.
He did the same. “No,” his voice was gruff, but strong. “Thank you.”
~~~~~
“Then she said, ‘thanks, that’s a first for me.’ All polite and everything.”
Max laughed as Liz reached out, punched him in the shoulder. “It was an orthodontist’s convention,” she explained. “What did you expect?”
Isabel smiled, happy with the sight in front of her. Though still a bit tentative, the friendship between Max and Liz was mending. <i>Maybe moving beyond</i>, she thought as she watched her brother hook an arm around Liz’s shoulders, nestling her against him.
Across from them, a wicked grin crept across Michael’s face. “At least he didn’t ask if he could give you a good flossing.”
This time it was Maria’s turn to punch. “Watch it, Guerin.”
Everyone else gathered around the table in the Crashdown made gross faces. “Now I have an image in my head,” Tess complained. “You know what? This would be a good time to get this party started.” She rose, moved over to the middle of the restaurant. Raising her hands, she snapped her fingers. “Shazam.”
Instantly, the lights dimmed a bit, as other, multicolored ones began to dance around the room. Treble Charger blared out of the speakers.
“Neat trick,” Sean said as he got up. To everyone’s surprise, he walked over to Tess, grabbed her hand, and spun her in three quick circles. As she bowed back into a dip, she started to laugh. “Come on everyone. Time to dance.”
As everyone else was doing just that, Isabel felt fingers lacing with her own. She looked over at Kyle, smiled. “Ready?” he asked, drawing her to her feet.
She felt the twinge in her heart, felt it open up to him just a little bit. “You bet.”
Title: The Gift
Author: Annie
Rating: Teen
Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters. They belong to the WB, Fox, and UPN.
Summary: K/I - one parter. This takes place six months after CYN. It’s Isabel’s birthday, and Kyle has a very special gift for her. FYI, Tess is good. She had nothing to do with Alex’s death.
Author’s Note: This story is totally dedicated to <b>Pooh</b>. Also, no worries about my other stories. I am still working on them. I had just meant to post this earlier, but RL got in the way.
PS... the song <i>Stardust</i> is by Nat King Cole. A little FYI... I just think that the song is perfect.
Wrapped in the only birthday-ish paper he could find and about 3 feet of tape, the box sat in all its glory on the desk.
Kyle was sure it was mocking him.
Never in his entire life had he agonized over a gift more. But it was October 25th, Isabel's birthday. After the year she had, the way he started to feel about her, it had never been more important to get one right.
Alex's death six months ago broke them all in some way. Liz and Maria had lost their best friend. For Michael and Max, one person who they trusted completely was gone. As for himself, Kyle had lost the one person who understood what he felt getting mixed up in the whole alien abyss. He'd lost someone who would've become one of his best friends if they'd had enough time.
It seemed like there was never enough time.
No one knew that more than Isabel. Time, and their enemy, had taken away her first true love just as she was figuring out how much he meant to her.
For weeks, they'd all been consumed by their grief, each handling the missing part of their group in a different way. Maria threw herself into ensuring Alex's memory for the rest of West Roswell High, dragging Michael along with her. Actually, it soon became apparent that he wasn't actually being dragged anywhere. Michael had volunteered for the job fully, part for Maria, but more, Kyle suspected, to honoring Alex.
Max and Tess grew closer, their friendship truly taking form. Mostly, Kyle was happy for her. Finally her place in Roswell, in the group, was becoming solidified. It had been something she'd needed for a long time.
However, there was a tiny kernel of resentment that took hold of Kyle during this time for the four in the group that were growing closer. For the hours they spent with each other, it meant more hours they spent ignoring Liz and Isabel.
During those weeks, Liz seemed to be on her own personal crusade, trying to prove that someone had killed Alex. That the someone was probably an alien. With things already tense between her and the rest of the group, this pushed it over the edge. Save himself, Kyle didn't notice anyone else trying to talk to her. And he only managed on the rare occasions when he managed to pin her down.
Isabel, on the other hand, was much easier to locate, but just as lost. Most of time, he found her out by Alex's grave. Once he even approached her there. They spent the next couple of hours sitting by his marker, silent except the faint sounds of her weeping. Other times, Kyle would hang out with her at school, hoping that whatever stupid thing that came out of his mouth would cheer her a little. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, but she always seemed greatful for the companionship.
Then two things happened to change the status quo, Liz found the proof she'd been searching desperately for and Kyle first showed signs that he was developing powers. Both led to the group discovering the circumstances behind Alex's death. Though the gift he'd been given helped to find the answers, for the rest of his life, Kyle knew he would be haunted by the images of his friend's murder.
Frowning, he tried to push those thoughts out of his head, concentrating on his task for the night. In fact, he started concentrating so hard that the light knock at his bedroom door had him jumping in the chair. Looking over his shoulder, he shot Tess an irritated look as she started to snicker.
She was laughing fully as she crossed the room and picked up the box. “Walmart just called. They know that you’re the one whole stole all their tape. They’d like you to bring it back now.”
He yanked the box from her hands. “Shut up, Tess.”
She only laughed harder. “Seriously, how much did you use?”
Nearly the whole thing, but Kyle wasn’t about to tell her that. “Do you need something?”
Rolling her eyes, she walked over and plopped down on his bed. “No. I was just coming to see if you’d gone yet. I guess the answer is no.”
“You’re a regular Sherlock.”
“And you’re pissy.” Tess reached out, patted a hand on his knee. “Wanna talk about it?”
Kyle looked over at her, than back to the gift in his hands. “I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing, Tess. I couldn’t bear it if this hurts her more.”
Her face softened. “Life hurts,” she told him. “Being the ones left behind after it ends, well, that hurts more, I think. But we have to keep living. That’s the one thing I learned the hard way.”
He thought of Nasedo’s betrayal, and how much more Tess grieved after learning about it. “Tess...”
She shook her head to ward off what he was going to say. “You’re the only one who shows her what’s it’s like to keep living. I think you heal her, and I know that she’s healed you.” A little grin curved her lips. “Max isn’t the only one who has that gift.”
Kyle felt his own lips twitch. “Maybe.”
Taking hold of his arm, she yanked him to his feet. “And maybe you should get your butt in gear and get over to Isabel’s.” Her eyes drifted down to the poorly wrapped box in his hands. “Before you go,” she muttered and waved her hand over it. Instantly, the paper smoothed out, the bow straightened, and the yards of tape disappeared, with the exception of a few discrete pieces to hold the wrapping in place. “Now you’re ready.”
“I hope so,” Kyle said as he picked up his keys. “I really hope so.”
~~~~~~
Isabel laid on her bed, music pouring from the headphones she was wearing. Normally, this was what she did to relax, to ease away the tension of the day, but today, it was different. Today it was a nice finish to a whole day spent doing nothing but what she wanted, a personal gift for her birthday.
Maybe it hadn’t been the best of ideas to skip out on her Friday classes at the local college. She’d feel guilty about it tomorrow. Isabel had needed the time. There had just been so much change lately. Too much, in her opinion. There was so much loss that they had to compensate for.
Alex’s death had been a blow that none of them were prepared for. For Isabel, it had felt like a piece of her heart had been torn away. The rest of it had broken when it was discovered that Kivar, through Nicholas, had been responsible.
Isabel would never forget the day Liz had summoned them all out to the ravine. It had actually been the first time she’d really talked to the group other than the odd run-in at school. It was enough to bring them all there post-haste. And that was where Liz had shown them a key, one she had found tape under the inside panel of his locker. It belonged to a lock box for a bank in Las Cruces.
She’d skipped school that day, went to the bank, and retrieved the contents of the box, just one envelope. Liz hadn’t opened it yet, waiting instead for entire group to arrive. Inside had been several pages of computer printouts, a crystal, and one hastily scribbled note. It was from Alex.
It simply said: <i>I’m nearly out of time. Here are some answers because I don’t think I’ll be around for the questions. Alex.</i>
They each read it separately, passing it around. That is, until it reached Kyle’s hands. The moment his fingers brushed against the paper, his eyes rolled back in his head. There had been this instantaneous fear inside of her when she saw his reaction, when she saw the color leach from his skin as each second passed. Still, for a full minute Kyle didn't move, didn’t even react to calls or concerns. Then, he was back, and his story horrific.
He’d seen Alex scratching the words down onto the paper. Fear had been in his eyes, pounding within his heart. His exchange trip to Sweden had been a lie, a trick they’d planted in his mind to cover up what they really wanted. And what they’d wanted was for him to translate the Destiny book. Nasedo had past them a copy, was killed because he hadn’t gotten translated before he did.
That was a blow for Tess to know that they man who’d raised her had been planning to betray them in the end. All the talk of destinies, the years he’d spent shoving it down her throat, had all been in the hopes of triggering her memory so she, or thought her one of the others would remember how to translate the book. When that plan failed, Nicholas and his cohorts moved on to plan B and Alex.
But things had started to fail there too. Not nearly as strong in his power to manipulate the mind as he was in pillaging it, Nicholas little bends started to fail after a few weeks. Eventually, Alex had broken through for short periods of time, very short, but enough to leave behind the crumbs that would lead them to the truth.
He’d left them the translation and the crystal, which was the key to working the Granolith. He’d died trying to protect them and their secret.
Losing Alex was the hardest thing Isabel ever had to face. For weeks, it took all of her energy simply to get out of bed in the morning, to eat and sleep and function even on a basic level. Yet, finding out the how’s and why’s nearly obliterated what was left of her sanity.
Even though his own grief and guilt, Kyle had seen it. He’d helped her pick up the pieces, offering whatever comfort he could as she went through the stages of rage, guilty, and depression. For the next few months, he was constantly by her side as they healed. And somewhere during that time, she had come to depend on him, to need him.
Even today, Isabel had considered dragooning him, to share the day with him. But she didn’t. She’d given herself a day alone, to spend it as she wished. It eventually included a haircut, lunch with her mother, and a trip to the florist. She had taken the flowers she picked up to the cemetery and spent an hour by Alex’s grave. She’d slept late and was now doing nothing that evening but lounging around in pajamas and listening to some music. Tomorrow, she would go out with her friends, spend the evening with them at the small party they’d planned, but tonight she was enjoying being lazy.
Still, though she was enjoying it, something felt like it was missing.
Isabel tried to ignore it as the song switched over from Dave Mathews Band to Sarah McLachlan. She sighed at the change of rhythm, pushing herself up to a sitting position. And she barely managed to swallow the scream as she saw Kyle standing in the doorway.
Scrambling up, she yanked off the headset. “Damn it, Kyle. You scared the crap out of me.”
A faint smile tugged at his lips. “Sorry.” Then, even the faint smile faded. “Your mom said I could come right up. Have you got a couple of minutes?”
Over the last few months, Isabel had gotten to know him so well, his expressions and body language. Right now it was tell her that there was a problem. “What’s up?” she asked, concerned.
He turned, hesitating for a moment, than shut the door. That’s when Isabel noticed the package he was carrying. It wasn’t large, wasn’t small. The paper covering the outside was decorated with images of daisies, a bright blue ribbon and bow topping it off. It made her smile. “A present?” she asked expectantly.
Looking down at the box, than over to her, Kyle nodded. Slowly, he crossed the room to her, awkwardly holding out box. “Yeah. I wanted to bring it over tonight. I thought it would be better then giving it to you tomorrow at the party.”
Curious, Isabel tilted her head a bit as she studied him a bit closer. Kyle was shifting from foot to foot, his eyes darting around the room. <i>He’s nervous</i>, she realized. The idea that he was worried that much about the gift he bought her made her just a leery. Once Liz had jokingly mentioned what Kyle had bought her for her birthday one year, a pocket calendar because she liked to be on time. She wondered what trait of he’d latched on to in deciding on a gift for her.
It also touched her heart deeply that he had obviously tried hard enough that he was worried about the results.
She took the box from his hands, and with a giggle, she shook it gleefully. It didn’t rattle. “That’s no fair,” she said, a little pout forming. “It’s not making any noise. You must have wrapped it to well.”
“Tess helped,” Kyle blurted and she laughed again.
“Well then, I will just have to take my time in unwrapping it.”
His response to that was to being pacing back and forth in front of her bed as she worked at the first piece of tape. After a moment or two, it started to make her dizzy. “Why don’t you sit down, Kyle?”
He grabbed her desk chair, but it didn’t fix the problem of his nerves. His left leg kept bouncing up and down in a restless motion. Before she finished with the second piece of tape it was getting on her nerves. “Kyle, what’s with you?”
“Could you just rip the paper open?” he asked. “Please.”
Now, even more curious, Isabel nodded and did as he asked. Underneath the paper was a plain brown box. Nestled inside, was another box, a wooden one. Her lips formed an O as she lifted out.
It was so beautiful.
The dark colored wood was intricately carved with a nightscape. A crescent moon looked out over tiny stars that dance over quiet hills. As tears began to fill her eyes, Isabel carefully lifted the lid and heard the soft notes of <i>Stardust</I> begin to play.
One tear, then two dripped down, splashing on her hand before her gaze rose and met his. “It’s so beautiful, Kyle. Thank you.”
He swallowed hard, moved closer to her, and said three last three words she ever expected to hear. “It’s from Alex.”
The music box slipped from her fingers, bounced lightly on the bed as she started at him, simply to shocked to speak.
“Last week, I helped Liz and Maria clean out Alex’s room. Mrs. Whitman had asked them if they would mind, and they dragged me along to do the heavy lifting. I found that in the bottom of his desk drawer. When I touched it... well, I knew it was meant for you.”
More tears slid down her cheeks as he got up, closed the distance between them, and cupped her face in his hands. “He loved you so much, Isabel. That was his gift for you. My gift is to show you what I saw when I touched this. If you want me to.”
Inside her heart, grief and love and something else to volatile to even think about warred. So caught up in them, words failed her. So she nodded.
“I’m not very good at this,” Kyle said with forced lightness in his voice. “I’ve been working on my powers with Tess, but I think she’s about to declare that I’m hopeless...” The humor dropped. “You’ll need to help me.”
Wanting to see, to know, Isabel reached up, covering his hand with her own, and opened the connection between them.
She saw him enter the Whitman’s house, Alex’s room. She felt how hollow cleaning out his friend’s possessions left him. Then, he stumbled onto the box. The second his fingers brushed the smooth surface, images filled his mind. Now, he was giving them to her.
Alex seeing the box in a store at Las Cruces. Memories of the stars, of watching them with her, was the first thought that broke though his foggy mind. He immediately went in the store and bought the box. He forgot about it for periods of time, the time that Nicholas’s mind manipulation took over, but he always came back to the box. His feelings for her were stronger than anything their enemy could do to him. It was, quite simply, love.
Isabel felt his happiness and hope when she asked him to prom. She heard his vow to give her the box on the day she was to graduate from high school. He was so proud of her.
Then, abruptly, the thoughts shifted back to Kyle’s. She felt the overwhelming grief he felt for Alex. The awe that his gift always left him with. And Isabel felt his concern for her, the weight of giving her this gift had placed on his shoulders.
The weight he felt because he loved her too.
With a weepy sigh, she broke the connection. Kyle’s hands were still warm against her cheeks, gentle as he wiped the tears away. “Happy birthday, Isabel.”
She sniffled as the one emotion she hadn’t been able to name won the war inside her. It was hope. Alex had loved her, so much, and it had been the greatest thing she’d ever been given. It opened her heart, her soul, to possibilities. Now, she felt the beginnings of someone else offering her the same. Because of Alex, she hoped that she might be open to it.
Slowly, Isabel rose up a bit, lightly pressing her mouth to Kyle’s. The kiss was soft and sweet.
And full of possibilities.
“Thank you,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.
He did the same. “No,” his voice was gruff, but strong. “Thank you.”
~~~~~
“Then she said, ‘thanks, that’s a first for me.’ All polite and everything.”
Max laughed as Liz reached out, punched him in the shoulder. “It was an orthodontist’s convention,” she explained. “What did you expect?”
Isabel smiled, happy with the sight in front of her. Though still a bit tentative, the friendship between Max and Liz was mending. <i>Maybe moving beyond</i>, she thought as she watched her brother hook an arm around Liz’s shoulders, nestling her against him.
Across from them, a wicked grin crept across Michael’s face. “At least he didn’t ask if he could give you a good flossing.”
This time it was Maria’s turn to punch. “Watch it, Guerin.”
Everyone else gathered around the table in the Crashdown made gross faces. “Now I have an image in my head,” Tess complained. “You know what? This would be a good time to get this party started.” She rose, moved over to the middle of the restaurant. Raising her hands, she snapped her fingers. “Shazam.”
Instantly, the lights dimmed a bit, as other, multicolored ones began to dance around the room. Treble Charger blared out of the speakers.
“Neat trick,” Sean said as he got up. To everyone’s surprise, he walked over to Tess, grabbed her hand, and spun her in three quick circles. As she bowed back into a dip, she started to laugh. “Come on everyone. Time to dance.”
As everyone else was doing just that, Isabel felt fingers lacing with her own. She looked over at Kyle, smiled. “Ready?” he asked, drawing her to her feet.
She felt the twinge in her heart, felt it open up to him just a little bit. “You bet.”