Angelfire
Page 26

"I know, right?" Kate asked with a nod, mistaking my laugh as a reaction to something she'd said about Josie. I looked around me, hoping to maybe spot him and disprove his claim that I could never see him unless he let me, but I failed. The restaurant was too crowded, too noisy, and too dark. Disappointed, I turned my attention back to my meal and Kate's colorful conversation.
"So when are you seeing Wil again?" Kate asked, as if reading my mind.
"He's coming to my party tonight," I said.
Her face lit up. "He is? Is he bringing any of his friends?
He's got to be in col ege. Where does he go? University of Michigan? Oakland University?"
I nodded. "Uh, yeah. U of M. I don't think he'l bring any of his friends, though."
"Oh, come on! No hot col ege boys coming? Why do you get to hog the only one?"
I prodded my rice. "Guess I'm just lucky." For a brief moment I imagined myself dancing with Wil , and the next moment I felt like spitting up my chicken.
On our way out of the mal , Kate stopped by Valentino and bought the bag she had had her eye on earlier. Surprise, surprise.
When we got home from shopping, I told my parents that I would be at the library for a few hours. That wasn't a lie, but I wouldn't be there to study for Monday's math test,as they'd assume. I'd be reading up on something else. I didn't know why there would be books that had anything on reapers or whatever the Enshi is at an ordinary library, but I suspected Wil would know better than me.
When I arrived at the library, I parked, and immediately I saw Wil sitting on the front steps. He wore his usual serious expression.
"I can't believe you're making me study on my birthday," I grumbled. "You aren't my real tutor, you know."
"Today isn't your birthday."
"My birthday party is today and that's as good as actual y being my birthday."
He stood. "Let's go inside. I want you to meet someone. He's been a friend of mine--of both of ours--for a very long time."
That got my interest. "Who is this guy?"
"You'l see," Wil said. "I think he might have an idea of where we should start on figuring out what this Enshi is."
I fol owed him inside and spoke quietly. "Why do you think that? What information about reapers could we possibly find at a library? It doesn't seem a likely place."
"You need to trust me more."
He led me past the front desk and waved at a plump woman in glasses who sat there shuffling through a stack of papers. "Hey, Louise."
The woman nodded and smiled to us as I fol owed Wil through a set of doors on her right and down a flight of stairs to another set of doors. We entered a long hal way whose scuffed white wal s were lined with wooden doors. I heard nothing except for the hum of the air conditioning system and our footsteps echoing off the linoleum floor.
Wil final y stopped at a door indistinguishable from the others, opened it, and stepped aside so that I could walk through. The room within was dul and smel ed thickly of musty, old books. Al four wal s were lined with large, leatherbound volumes, and double-sided bookcases stood tal on either side of an aisle that led to the back of the room. A desk was placed up against the wal with a young man sitting at it, reading a book that I was sure was thicker than my upper body. A girl who looked about Wil 's age sat in a chair across from him. She turned her head to look at us, her long, black-brown hair swinging. She was a beautiful Asian girl, and she smiled sweetly as we approached.
The young man--maybe the same age as Wil --was unnatural y pale, as if he didn't get out much, and he looked up at us as we approached his desk. He looked kind of nerdy, but the adorable kind, with a sil y, lopsided grin. His maple brown hair was untidy, but I got the impression that he was one of those guys who didn't real y care how presentable he appeared.
"Hey, Nathaniel," Wil said. He nodded to the girl.
"Lauren."
Nathaniel looked only at me, smiling the type of smile that reminded me of Mr. Meyer, even though he looked barely any older than Wil . I smiled back, instantly liking him. His eyes were vivid and coppery, like iridescent pennies. With every movement of his gaze, they glinted.
"Hel o again." Nathaniel beamed brightly. "It's been a while."
"I'm sorry, but have we met?" I asked, unable to recal his face.
"Oh, yes," he said. "We've known each other for many ages. Wil told me that your memory is having a little trouble coming back to you, but that's al right. You wil remember in time."
"I hope so," I said honestly.
"You're as lovely as ever," he offered.
"Thank you," I said.
The Asian girl stood and held a hand out for me to shake it. "You must be El ie."
I smiled. "That's me."
"Lauren Tsukino," she said. "Nice to meet you. I'l get out of your hair now. Nathaniel, you'l look into that for me, won't you?"
He nodded. "Of course, my dear. You'l be hearing from me shortly."
Lauren squeezed by us and disappeared out the door. Nathaniel turned back to me. "Lauren is a very powerful psychic," he explained. "She sensed something arriving in the area recently that gave her quite a shock. It would be nice if she could see the future--then we'd have this one in the bag. Alas, she is only clairvoyant, but she knows a nasty reaper when she feels it!" He beamed as if he had just told an incredible joke, but I failed to find it amusing. I could see the punch line--I wasn't stupid--but it just wasn't funny.