Immortals Of Byolla Bay
Chapter 15 – Kinsley

I tapped out a quick text to my mom to let her know I was eating here, then to Mr. Junisanwa to thank him for his generous gift and to also have a safe trip. I sighed and put my phone away as I looked around the food court. I found us a table beside the taco stand and had been waiting on them for at least 15 minutes.

Finding her phone must have been code for brother and sister talk. It’s none of my business, but my insecure side reared it’s ugly head by asking don’t you want to know if it’s about you or not?

I shook off the unwanted feeling and let my mind wander to other paths.

I thought back to earlier on the first floor, when Rikki pulled me out of the way of rude, pushy people coming out of the elevator, and into his arms. That feeling I felt, it was the most strangest thing. It was like fire mixed with electricity, like my skin would burn forever, but I never wanted it to stop. All I wanted at that moment was to turn around and wrap my arms around him, and beg to not be released. It was stronger than at school earlier. What was that?

That’s not something I do. I am timid when it comes to boys in general, much less when they are the actual portrayal of beautiful. When I looked up at him, he was looking at me with such emotion in his eyes, like I was a precious jewel he discovered on a treasure hunt. I want so badly to ask him what that was, but I know I will chicken out. That’s just who I am. Man I hate myself sometimes.

Looking down at my phone in my lap, I seen it had been a full 30 minutes. Surely they didn’t miss the food court, but just in case maybe I need to go check on them. Just as I was standing up a cold, stern voice behind me startled me and made me sit right back down, “Surely you are not leaving just yet? Not after I finally found the courage to come introduce myself and replace out why such a beautiful lady as yourself is sitting all alone?”

A man about Rikki’s height with black as midnight hair and dark as a stormy ocean blue eyes sat down across from me. Everything about him set my body on high alert. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. For some reason this man was bad news and I felt it deep in my bones.

My hands fell into my lap just as my ring started a steady glow before it started pulsating like a strobe light. Then something new happened, the ring began to warm up. The heat circling my finger was almost too much to stand. What is going on? And where are those two?

“Please allow me to introduce myself, my name is...Drake. My name is Drake and I am new in this town. Are you from here?” He pushed.

I know an open ended question when I hear one. He obviously wanted to keep this conversation going, but I had no plans to play whatever game he had in mind. Something also told me his name was not really Drake either.

My ring was burning my skin now and that was the distraction I needed, “Excuse me, Drake. It was nice to meet you, but I’m afraid I’m in a hurry and meeting some friends.” I stood to walk away, but Drake rose to his feet as well, “Well surely your friends cannot be all that nice if they left you here by your lonesome. I think you need new friends, like for instance the kind that don’t live around here.”

“I have to go.” I managed to get out as I shoved my hand with the ring in my pocket hoping to hide the effects of its blinding glow. There was something about the way he mentioned me being here by my lonesome that really made me uneasy. What did he mean about needing new friends? The creepy vibe he put off as I pushed away from the table still had goosebumps raising on my arms.

As quickly as I could without causing a scene, I stepped away from him and stalked towards the dress shop. I heard him call out to me, “It was a pleasure to meet you Kinsley. Definitely worth the wait that’s for sure.” I stumbled in my steps as I whipped my body around to where I left him, but he was no longer there. Scanning the crowds I found that he wasn’t anywhere. Two things were very wrong here, number one Rikki and Maggie should have been back by now, and more importantly number two, I never told that Drake guy my name not once during our short conversion.

Running into the dress shop five minutes before it closed, I dashed to the door of the top priority section. It was locked, but I jiggled the handle and beat on the door anyways. I heard a faint voice on the other side, but the door was too thick for me to hear what was being said even though it was wood. I placed my hands on the door looking around for a sales associate who could open the door when something seriously unexpected happened.

My ring had stopped glowing when I left Drake’s presence, but now it glowed again except this time there was no burn. It was a soft, faint light and it gave me a peaceful feeling. The whole door started glowing a light blue color. Soon I heard a loud click and the door swung open revealing a worried Rikki and Maggie. They both ran forward and instantly stood on either side of me in a protective stance looking in every direction around the store.

“What are you guys doing and how did you get locked in there?” I heard the trembling tone in my voice, betraying the facade I put up to act like absolutely nothing out of the ordinary just happened. How did my ring do that? Why did my ring do that?

Rikki instantly turned to me and put his hands on either side of my face, surveying it like he was expecting to replace words written on my forehead. As soon as his skin made contact with mine I felt a fire ignite again. If it’s not my ring doing magic tricks by unlocking doors and glowing, it’s Rikki’s touch doing extraordinary things. What is going on here?

Maggie pushed Rikki away, “Kinsley, love, what’s wrong? Say something. What happened?”

My lower lip started to tremble, “I don’t know, Maggie. This is going to sound crazy, but I think there is something wrong with me. I just watched my ring magically unlock that door by glowing and every time Rikki touches me I start burning. I think I’m coming down with something. Please tell me I’m imagining things because of a fever or some other medical anomaly, right?”

Instead of insisting I go see a shrink like I was hoping she’d say, she turned to Rikki and they shared a knowing look. After a moment of silence they both looked at me. Rikki sighed, “I think it’s time we took you to meet our father. I’m sure he can sort out exactly what’s going on and explain it so you can understand. I’ll never forgive myself for getting you mixed up in this. Maggie help her down to the elevator. I think it’s best I don’t make any skin to skin contact with her right now.”