Read Online The Fine Line by Alicia Kobishop - Free Book Online

didn’t mean for that to happen.”
    Then he kissed me softly on the forehead and slowly leaned back into the couch cushion.  Maybe it was the music, maybe it was the drinks, but a mixture of emotions flooded my senses.  I was both grateful and disappointed that he stopped and confused about why I couldn’t.  I was mad at myself for being so irresponsible, but at the same time, I couldn’t deny the feeling of both peace and excitement that he gave me.
    My head found a place to rest in the nook between his chest and his shoulder, as my arms held him.  Closing my eyes, I became lost in the music.
     
     
    Chapter Eight
     
     
    The car screamed of familiarity.  The soft, cushioned fabric of the passenger seat that I occupied was more comfortable than that of today’s cars, and I wondered why car companies decided to make newer cars with such firm seats.  That was a bad choice. 
    With the engine off, and with only myself in the car, it was quiet.  Almost too quiet.  Taking in my surroundings, I realized this was a car I knew well but hadn’t been in for at least eight years.  The multi-CD holder in the driver’s side sun visor still rested in its place.  The miniature dream catcher still hung from the rear-view mirror.  The coffee stain still marked the driver’s seat from when Kevin had to slam on the brakes because his laughter from my joke had distracted him. 
    Looking out the window, a thick fog surrounded the car, making any visibility nonexistent.   It was morning but still dark out, and an orange glow laced the fog from the streetlight above.  The door clicked open, letting in the brisk, misty air.  The car bounced slightly as Kevin sat down in the driver’s seat, and he closed the door once he was in.
    Even though I just saw him last night, I beamed with elation from the very fact that he sat here next to me, and my eyes filled with tears.
    I’ve missed him so much.
    A thin layer of stubble covered his cheeks, and his tangled shoulder-length hair had been pulled back into a low ponytail with the shorter parts tucked behind his ears.  He wore the same flannel shirt he had on last night.  It had become routine for him to drive me to school on the mornings after he spent the night at our house…which had become more frequent lately.  I couldn’t wait for him to move in with Mom and me.  I cherished the close family feeling I got when the three of us were together. 
    After starting the car, he turned to me with a kind smile which quickly disappeared when he noticed my tears.  “What’s wrong, hon?”
    It was Logan’s voice coming out of Kevin’s mouth. 
    I shook my head.  “Nothing.  I just had a bad dream last night, and I can’t stop thinking about it.”
    “You wanna tell me about it?”
    No way.  Telling him that he died in my dream—that he was gone and buried in the ground—might make it real.  “No.  It’s okay.   I’ll get over it.”  I didn’t like it that his voice sounded wrong, and I became apprehensive.  But his face exuded warmth, and seeing him made me feel…good.
    He nodded as if he understood me, then directed his gaze to the dream catcher.  Removing it from the rearview mirror, he handed it to me.  “Do you know how these things work?”
    I shook my head, becoming distracted by the little circle of white light coming from beyond the driver’s side window. 
    “It’s a dream catcher,” Logan’s voice said through Kevin’s mouth.  “If you hang it above your bed, it’ll filter out the bad dreams and only let the good dreams enter your mind.”
    The light was getting bigger…brighter.  It mesmerized me, and I couldn’t take my eyes off it.   My eyes squinted, trying to get a better look through the fog.  Logan’s voice continued to speak, but I couldn’t make out any words.  Only muffled echoes.  Then the light parted, becoming two bright circles, and as they got bigger, they began to move sporadically from side to side.