Crazy Love

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Xavier pulled up in front of Megan’s small bungalow house, which was only a few streets down from his aunt’s place, he was exhausted and completely out of ideas to keep the conversation going.

Megan Borowski wasn’t the kind of girl he could easily impress. And he hadn’t been able to get out of the date, after all.

He parked in the empty driveway and hesitated a little, then turned to look at her. The street light lit up Megan’s doll-like face and gave her dark blue eyes a deeper sheen. She was beautiful. More beautiful than he’d remembered. He was still a little surprised at her outfit tonight. He’d always seen Megan after church, wearing some plain dress and low heels, so when she’d stepped out of her house tonight, dressed in a flowing black skirt and white blouse, with all sorts of necklaces and scarfs wrapped around her shoulders and neck, looking like Stevie Nicks or something, he’d lost his cool. This wasn’t the girl he’d expected to spend the evening with.

Megan was intense. She was heavy into this thing called Wicca and called herself a Pagan witch. He wasn’t sure how that all fit in with church and teaching kindergarten, but it was definitely interesting.

“Wow, you sure are the quiet type,” she said, touching his hand over the stick shift, her many silver and black rings clanking against each other.

“Sorry…” Xavier tried to relax. With Billy, talking was easy.

“It’s all right. I like it.” Megan moved her hand and leaned back in her seat. She reached for the volume dial on the radio and turned it down completely. “Have you seen the Goddess tonight,” she whispered, turning her face to the window. “She’s almost full. Tonight is a good night to draw her out.”

“Right.”

“You know the sun is associated with life and energy, but if you ask me, I think the sun is kind of aggressive and all up in our faces all the time. But the moon, she’s all, like, subtle and stuff. She rules the seas and gives the earth its balance, and she just comes out all gently at night, letting us sleep for a change, you know what I mean?” She shot him an insistent look.

Xavier knew he had to agree. “That makes sense…Uh, so, how do you make it work? I mean, church and witchcraft?”

How did he make this duality work? He was an urban Indian. Forever disconnected from his own story.

“I’m exploring. Soon, I’ll make a decision on which faith to pursue. I’ve been reading on Scientology, too. And I just finished a book by this guy called Herman Hesse that talks all about Buddhism and stuff. It’s mostly about keeping your options open, Xavier. Or do you wanna just let people spoon feed you their own beliefs?”

“No…” He cleared his throat, thinking of Billy and that sickness came over him again. He felt like throwing up. “I should get some sleep,” he said.

Megan watched him closely. She had penetrating eyes that she painted heavily with black make up. “I think you have a moon inside you. I see it in your eyes. You’re definitely not all sun.”

Those words rang true and he felt revealed. “I don’t know,” he muttered.

“Hey, so what’s your birthday?”

“November twenty-seventh,” he answered a little reluctantly. “What does that make me then?”

“A free thinking and adventurous Sagittarius. Born to run.”

Xavier thought of the trip he was planning. Would Billy come with him? No, that was too wild of a dream.

“And you’re nineteen?” Megan moved in her seat. “You know I’m twenty-three, right? Hey, I’ll do your birth chart and mine, and we’ll see if we’re compatible.”

“So, you teach tomorrow?” he asked, hoping to change the topic.

“I’m subbing all over the place this month. I don’t have a real contract yet.” She stuck a strand of her hair behind her ear, her earrings jiggling, and squinted at him. “Are you intimidated by me or something?”

“No.” He looked away, at the house again. Maybe a little.

“Well,” she said in a sultry tone, “I think you’re gorgeous and sexy as hell.”

He knew she was trying to fluster him, so he gave her a straight look. “Thanks.”

Megan laughed and her laughter was sweet, not at all as he’d expected it to sound. For a moment, she was almost child-like. “I heard my mother say that your dad’s in jail. Is it true?”

Xavier’s hand tightened around the stick shift. People were still talking about his dad? Why couldn’t they stop gossiping? So Aunt Diane was telling people his father was in the slammer? That was a lie. Man, Aunt Diane preferred saying her brother-in-law was a criminal than to say he was living on a reservation?

“I’m sorry…maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up.” Megan pressed his hand. “I really am sorry. I have a big mouth sometimes. You all right?”

“I just don’t like talking about it.” He glanced at her.

She seemed genuinely sorry. “Xavier, I hope I didn’t come on too strong. Look, the truth is, I really like you and I was nervous, so I hope we can see each other again, okay?” She popped the door open and then leaned in close. “Call me.” She quickly kissed his cheek and hurried out.

Feeling like a liar, Xavier watched her walk up to her front door. Megan was attractive and fascinating, but she wasn’t Billy and he’d have to be fair with her.

Could they be friends instead?