Free Chasing Atlantis by Kelly Coughlin Page B

Instinctively I glanced at my hand, to become engrossed at what I saw there; lip prints. My skin held their exact lip prints, as if they were burned into my skin. Weird.
    Mom silently slid into the seat next to me, the sun sparkled perfectly off her many diamonds, and her milky white skin. She looked like a ghost next to my somewhat tan skin. Today she dressed the part of a fifties movie star, complete with huge sunglasses, and a floral printed scarf wrapped around her head, even though it was June in Florida.
    I was prepared for her attack. I knew exactly how to get out of it now. I was feeling more optimistic by the minute. “Dear, I’m so awfully glad that you accepted Adam’s offer to take you out…. But I don’t understand why you made the poor boy wait until tomorrow.” Her thin lips were set at full pout power. “I don’t think you have any plans tonight, at least none that you’ve discussed with me.” Her tone was reproachful now, as if she was speaking to a small child.
    “Mom, I only said that because I was thinking that I may go out shopping for a new outfit to wear on my date.” The mischievous smile was impossible to hide on my face now. “I also didn’t want to appear desperate. You know how guys are, if you agree to do something with them that night they may get the wrong idea.”
    To my surprise she nodded in agreement. “You are absolutely right. You certainly have grown up so much since the last time I’ve seen you. You are a wonderful young woman now, no longer my little girl anymore.” She didn’t sound like she was remembering an old memory of me. She was relishing some new idea of me, something I didn’t understand.
    “So where would you like to go shopping tonight?”
    “Actually Mom, I was thinking that I would go alone. I want to surprise you, too. If that’s okay of course?” Her only response was to wrap her cold steel arms around my neck. Just like that, I’d cleared my evening schedule for swimming lessons with Ty.
    My day was already looking brighter, even if the weather looks bleaker.
    One of the many wonderful things about Florida is the weather. Usually in Texas the weather changes throughout the day, but it has a certain consistency about it. It may be cloudy in the morning, which will usually change to hotter than Hades in the afternoon. Florida weather has a bit more of a bipolar side to it. It will go from hurricane conditions, to bright and sunny in a matter of minutes. This is exactly what happened today.
    From the short amount of time it took us to get home from the mall the weather cleared up beautifully. The clouds dispersed, revealing the glorious sun. I hummed to myself as I put my bathing suit on. After I changed, making sure that all traces of the bathing suit were strategically covered I bounded down the stairs pausing at the second floor to let my Mom and Steve know I was leaving to go “shopping.”
    I felt terrible lying to them like that. My stomach twisted and churned, mirroring the rough waves that rose to their highest peak then slammed down on the sandy shore, just outside. What was I supposed to tell them though?
    “Hey, Mom and Steve, I’m going to the beach now to learn how to swim from the most amazing boy that saved me. He can speak different languages, and communicate with my attacker. Apparently he knows about me, but he believes that you two don’t like him. Why is that?” I could only too clearly picture the terrible array of attacks that would ensue after that conversation.
    Lucky for me, they were busy when I told them I was heading out, so they didn’t notice as I twirled several strands of my hair nervously, trying to calm myself down. They were in their massive closet big enough to hold a city meeting, looking for something stunning to wear to some event their club was hosting. I was sure they would find something gorgeous to wear. It is very unnerving to have your parents look better than you all the time.
    Gaby was at the