Bunching my fists tightly against my legs, I exclaim angrily, "Jeez, does Kieran tell you everything!"
" Not always." He smiles sarcastically. Two lines are forming between his coal black eyes. "Why do you think you are seeing them?"
" It is my eyes. There is only something wrong with my eyes."
For a long, slow moment, he just stands there looking down at me. I cannot stare him down, so I glance across the street. Nervously I glimpse he is still looking at me intently, so I look down at my feet. The top of my head rubs against his chest, so close is he standing to me.
Tenderly, he places his palms under each side of my chin and he pulls my face up gently. He keeps his hands against my neck, his thumbs pushed against my arteries. I am sure he can feel how fast my heart is beating. Slowly he leans down toward me, and then even closer. I can feel his breath on my cheeks. Involuntarily my eyes move to his lips. They are full and slightly moist. I feel a little frightened by him and a bit intrigued.
I can actually feel his lips on mine, so close they are, as I stand there unresisting as if he has weaved a spell around us. He is going to kiss me. He has to kiss me.
My mom pulls open the door and she says startled, "Oh."
I step back from Jayden embarrassed. The enchantment between us is broken.
Relaxed Jayden turns toward my mom, and he greets her friendly, "Good afternoon, Mrs. O'Halloran."
My mom looks at him flustered as her eyes dart between him and me.
I stutter when I introduce Jayden to her.
She gives me a stern look. "I need your help, Heather. Best you come in now."
" Okay, Mom."
She goes back into the house, but she leaves the front door open.
Jayden laughs. "Your house smells clean."
The smells of cleaning products waft in the air around us. "I know. My mom is on a cleaning frenzy."
He looks at me deep in thought, and then he sighs. "Anyhow, I guess I better go. Kieran doesn't know I am here and I only wanted to find out about, um, you know, the shadows."
I ask urgently, before he turns away from me, "Do you know why I am seeing them suddenly. Do you know whether it is my eyes or not?"
" I cannot say." He smirks.
" You cannot say, or you will not say. You would not come all the way here if you did not think it was something more than my eyes."