She felt a shiver as the evening air blew over her arms, giving her a chill. She blinked at him, “Who are you?”
He grinned, “Better question is what are you?”
She stepped back again, clutching the box, “Leave me alone.”
He shook his head, “Can’t love. Things are going to get weirder than just some broken windows at school.”
She closed the door quickly and pressed her back against it. He was part of the Ouija board problem. He was probably a ghost. She ran up to her room before anyone in her family could see her. She tossed the box on the bed and dropped to her knees against the rough carpet. She tore open the box to see bubble wrap.
She swallowed as she peeled back the layers of bubble wrap. Her trembling fingers clutched something cold and hard. She lifted it from the box.
A snow globe.
She had officially lost her mind. Her birthday was in a couple weeks. Someone had obviously sent her the snow globe for her birthday and she was acting like it was a bomb.
She raised an eyebrow at it. Inside there was a blonde woman in a long sleeve red dress standing at a window inside of a stone room. The windows of the room revealed a snowy forest. She tilted it upside down and glitter filled the room, making the water sparkle.
Through the swirls of sparkly water, she saw the head of the woman turn toward her. Her bright blue eyes sparkled. Her lips curled up in to a smile. She reached her long slender fingers toward Ophelia.
‘Ophelia’
A whisper floated in the air around her face. She dropped the snow globe back in the box and closed the lid. Her breath was ragged and her skin crawled with goose bumps.
She pushed herself up using her bed and backed away from the box. She walked backwards until her back hit her closed closet door. She shook her head and closed her eyes for a second.
O let’s go.” Her sister shouted up the stairs at her.
She turned and ran from the room.
She walked into the kitchen, wondering if anyone noticed the frightened look on her face.
“What was the package?”
She shrugged, “Some snow globe. Not sure.”
Her mom frowned, “That’s weird.”
She nodded and looked over at Jake. He looked amazing.
“You guys played amazingly last game. Jake how many scholarship offers did you get?” Her dad sipped his coffee and leaned against the counter. Ophelia smiled. Her dad didn’t want them to leave.
Jake blushed, “I got four offers. I’m taking Notre Dame. I never imagined I would get it.”
She couldn’t believe how humble and sweet he seemed.
Abbey walked into the kitchen and smiled at Ophelia. Ophelia couldn’t help but notice how pretty she looked. Until she realized her golden hair and bright blue eyes reminded her of the woman in the snow globe. She shivered thinking about it.
Abbey frowned at her and nodded at the clock.
Ophelia cleared her throat, “Uhm dad we should be going.”
He laughed, “Oh right. I forgot you guys were going out. You kids have fun and we’ll see you when you get home girls.”
Her mom kissed her on the cheek, "We'll be at the movies when you get back. We're going to the late show."
She walked to the door, wishing she could crawl back under the rock where she had hidden for eighteen years. She didn’t know what changed to make Jake notice her or Maria be nice to her. She had a bad feeling the Ouija board wasn't to blame. There had to be something else. She was terrified they were going to torture her at the party. She looked at the sweet smile on Jake's face and the annoyed look on her sister's and felt reassured. Abbey would never hurt her.
Jake stepped in front of her, to get the door for her and Abbey. She watched his huge hand take the handle. Images of his hands touching her filled her mind. From the shadows she’d watched him forever. Whether it had been playing football or making out in tenth grade with Melanie Nolan.
Suddenly as if she were Cinderella, she was living a dream. The dream she had wished for every day.
He put his hand on the small of her back and walked out of the house after her.
“You-uh, look, uhm pretty Ophelia.”
She felt the heat from his hand on her back permeating to her face. Her whole body was blushing. She felt the sweat start to creep across her brow again. She couldn’t wait to get to Lance’s house and get in to the pool.
He opened the truck door for her. She tried not to look at him as she climbed in.
“Oh you too.” She winced as she climbed into his huge truck. He closed the door for her.
She unrolled the old truck window and looked at her sister who was grinning, “I’m going to bring our car O. I will meet you guys there.”
She waved and closed the window. She couldn’t talk. She was probably dying from a nervous breakdown inside.
Jake climbed in and sat on the seat not starting the truck. He looked as if he was trying to build up the nerve for something. He took a breath, “I’ve liked you forever. You make me really nervous.”
She started to laugh. He turned to face her looking heartbroken. She put a hand up, “No I feel the same. I thought I was the only one. I feel like a moron around you. You make me nervous. Look my hands are sweating.”
His hurt face split into a huge grin, “Oh god you scared me. I didn’t think a girl like you would ever like a guy like me.”
She shook her head, “Are you high? God. This is not really happening. Girl like what? I know they call me emo and say I cut myself. I don't by the way.”
He started to laugh, "Who? The mean girls who have been with everyone? So what. No one listens to them anyway. They turn on each other regularly."
She swallowed hard and watched the way her right knee trembled.
He put a hand on her bare thigh sending sparks across her, “Ophelia I’ve liked you forever. I’m not even kidding. I mean, you're the kind of girl who is too cool to date a guy from high school. You just always seemed so distant, like you didn’t want me to see you.”
She shook her head. Her whispered words floated from her lips, “I'm not too cool. Too nervous is more like it. I’ve felt like no one could see me.” She had never spoken truer words. She had always blended into the background with the twins.
He leaned into her, taking the air and replacing it with his warm breath, “I see you Ophelia.” His soft lips brushed hers, as if he were holding back. She responded to his kiss and met him more than half way. She wanted more of his kiss, his breath. She wanted him to cover her, pin her against the truck door and run his hands up her bare legs. She saw an image of his hands roaming her bare thighs.
She pushed him away and took a breath. His eyes were wild with passion and life. Something she had never seen before.
He laughed a throaty chuckle, “We should go.”
“Yup.” She bit her lip before she told him to drive down a dirt road and take everything. She would give him everything he wanted. She knew what he wanted. She could feel it in the air. Touching him only made it worse. His emotions and feelings crept into her mind with every touch of his fingers. It was like the whispers but good.
Her breath was still too big for her chest, as they parked in the driveway of Lance’s parents house. She didn’t know Lance anymore than she knew any of them. They were the popular kids. They tortured the nerds and dorks and ignored the rest of the insignificant nobodies, like her.
She went to open the door to the truck but Jake’s hand reached over and pulled her in to him again. His huge hands crushed her into his chest. He squeezed and pulled until she was in his lap. His greedy fingers rubbed her back, wanting more. More skin to touch, more than just a kiss.
She pushed hard against his chest.
He smiled, “Your eyes are really different colors up close.” He spoke breathlessly, “I have always liked that about you.”
She giggled nervously, “This is too fast for me.”
“Me too. I feel like we don’t know each other even though I’ve seen you every day.”
“I think we should go in.”
“Okay.”
She leaned in for a soft kiss but his tongue met hers inside of her mouth. She tried to pull back but his hands were too strong for her. She saw the image again, him straddling her, her back against the hard metal of the door and his hands roaming her skirt. They were lifting up her thighs. His hands felt molten against her.
“Stop.” She spoke unconvincingly, as his mouth found her neck. His lips burned a trail down her throat.
His hands slid around to her stomach. They started their progression to her breasts. He moved quickly, skillfully.
She pushed against him and shouted, “STOP!”
He froze. His lips looked ridiculous frozen in position they had been on her throat. His eyes were half closed, creepily. His hands formed cups just in front of her breasts. She backed against the steering wheel.
“Jake?” She whispered. He didn’t move, even to breathe. She didn’t know what to do. She felt a panicked scream rising in her throat.
She looked around the truck but no one was there. Her trembling fingers fought with his huge hands and arms to free her from his embrace. She struggled to climb off of him. She kicked her legs and pushed against him violently to get away. As her body hit the seat, she slid until she felt the hard metal of the door against her back. She started to cry in panic, “Jake. Jake please stop it. I was just scared. It was going too fast. Jake. Please move again.” She put a foot out to kick at his body gently. He remained in the position perfectly like a model at the wax museum.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, as she reached a wobbly hand out to his arm. He was frozen completely and perfectly. She squeezed his rock hard bicep and pulled her hand away quickly.
“Jake.” She whispered again into the silent cab of the truck. The sun had started to set.
‘RUN!’
She turned looking for the faces as the whisper filled the truck.
“Who are you?” She asked terrified to look around.
‘RUN, OPHELIA RUN HOME! DON’T STOP RUNNING! YOU AREN’T SAFE!’