Arianna Rose: The Awakening (Part 2) by Christopher Martucci, Jennifer Martucci Page A

where I sleep.”
    “Good ‘cause it stinks like mold or something.”
    “I know.  It’s gross.  Most nights I crash on the floor or the couch.  That’s when I can sleep at all.”
    “I hear you.  I know what that’s like,” he nodded somberly.
    She smiled sadly because he hadn’t the vaguest idea what she was talking about.  He’d assumed she had referred to her life with her mother , about the hard times she’d had.  But he’d been wrong.  Of course, she did not blame him.  How could he, or anyone else for that matter, guess that being a witch with untapped phenomenal powers could cause so many sleepless nights?  Having a group of people hunting you with the intent to murder you didn’t make for a good night of sleep either.  But Luke had no way of knowing those were problems that existed in the world, let alone in her daily life.
    “Let me grab my toothbrush and some cash and we’ll get out of here,” she said.
    In the bathroom, she lifted the lid of the toilet tank and reached her hand inside.  Her fingers felt the cool, smooth surface of a plastic bag.  She picked it up, but not before allowing as much water to drain from it as possible, and opened it.  Inside was a roll of money, mostly twenty- dollar bills.  She took three hundred dollars from the bag then returned her saving s to the toilet tank.  She washed her hands, grabbed a brush and her makeup bag and opened the bathroom door.
    “I’m all set,” she said.
    “Really?” Luke asked surprised.  “I thought we’d be here for hours.”
    “Why?”
    “I don’t know.  Every time my sister packs, she takes forever.  I thought all girls were like that.”
    “Well, I’m not like other girls, and I’m not like your sister,” she said and winked at him.
    “No, no you’re not,” he said seriously.  “And I’m really glad you’re not.”
    He moved toward her, slowly closing the distance between them.  She stepped back instinctively and found her back flush against a wa ll.  He placed both hands by her ears, trapping her between him and the wall.  But she did not feel trapped.  Her heart raced excitedly.  He stared at her, allowed his gaze to drop to her mouth.  She ran her tongue over her lips, readying them to be kissed, tempting him to ki ss her.  Luke dropped one of his hands and placed it on her hip.  He pulled her close to him so that her chest pressed against him.  She felt the planes of his body, warm and hard, touching the softness of her own.  Kiss me already , her mind screamed.  He slid his hand from her hip up the side of her body grazing the side of her breast and cupped her face in his hand tenderly.  She felt his hot breath on her face and did not want to wait any longer.  She tipped her chin up and kissed him. 
    She did not kiss him with the tenderness he’d touched her with.  Instead, she kissed him with abandon , wrapping both arms around his neck then raking her fingers through his hair.  He lowered his hand and grabbed her backside.  She could feel his excitement through his jean s pressing against her belly.  She writhed against it and heard him moan. 
    “Do I need to get a hose in he r e , or something ? ” she heard her mother’s voice say suddenly.
    Neither of them had heard her m other come in.
    Luke let go of her embarrassedly.  She saw ribbons of scarlet streak his cheeks as he hunched forward to hide his excitement.
    “Hi Ms. Rose,” he said, his eyes darting anxiously.  “Nice to see you again.”
    “Nice to see you, too,” she crooned.  “Luke, right?”
    “Yes, ma’am,” he replied sheepishly.
    “Ma’am.  I like that.  So respectful.  Arianna, this one’s a keeper,” she said loving every moment of Arianna and Luke’s discomfort.   Then she turned back to Luke and said , “Did I do that to you?” gesturing to the obvious bulge below his belt.
    “All right, mom.  Enough!   Can you give us a minute?”
    Her mother did not say another word.  She