Immortal by Gillian Shields

dream is another’s reality.”
    “But I cut myself. You touched the glass, and then it was mended. That wasn’t a dream.”
    He walked abruptly to the edge of the lake. “It was nothing.”
    “But—”
    “Honestly, it was nothing. I just pulled an old trick on you, a stunt; that’s all. I wanted to impress you. To please you.”
    “Why?”
    “I behaved like an arrogant idiot when we first met. Then you were so upset over that photograph and I wanted to do something for you.” His voice sank low. “I know what it’s like to lose someone you care for and have nothing left but their image.” He began to cough, a hoarse sound that seemed to rack his whole body.
    “Are you ill?” I asked, stepping closer to him.
    “No…no…I’m getting better.” The coughing fit subsided. “I’m not ill. I’m just tired. I’m tired of being alone, Evie.”
    “So am I,” I said blankly. The silence hung between us, and our eyes met. I felt as though he could see right into me, as though we could look at each other forever and not get tired of it…. I dropped my gaze and moved away.
    “How do you know my name?”
    “It was easy. I’ve been hanging around the school since we met, hoping to catch sight of you, trying to find out all about you.” He suddenly caught hold of my hands and drew me to him. A thousand pinpricks swept up and down my spine as he begged, “Let me get to know you. I’m sorry if I frightened you; I never meant to. Please promise you’ll see me again.”
    A voice in my head, a million miles away, was saying, Don’t be silly, Evie; you don’t know anything about him. He might be crazy. Be sensible….
    I didn’t want to be sensible Evie any longer. Being sensible, not making a fuss, putting on a brave face—where had it gotten me? Stuck all alone in this dreary wilderness, miles from everything and everyone I cared about. But this boy wanted to get to know me. No one else at Wyldcliffe did. I looked up at him, trying to see into his mind.
    “What’s your name?”
    He hesitated, as if searching for something from far away.
    “My name is Sebastian.” He held my hand even tighter. “Please say yes.”
    “Yes,” I said simply. “Yes, I promise.”
    His pale face flooded with a smile as joyful as sunshine. Gently he turned my hand over and pressed his lips on the almost invisible scar.
    “Tomorrow night, then.”
    I didn’t reply. His coat fell from my shoulders and I fled, not knowing how I got back into my bed, knowing only that my heart sang with every step I took.
     
    The next day flew by. Everything in school was just as dull as before, but now I had a secret, like a delightful dream. Now there was a voice in my head keeping me company, the voice of a hollow-cheeked boy with mocking blue eyes. He seemed to be with me wherever I went that day, talking to me, teasing me, guiding me. When I hesitated over the way back to the classroom from the school library, I heard him say, It’s the left turn, Evie. For the first time since arriving at Wyldcliffe I didn’t feel alone.
    It couldn’t last. When I got into bed that night, the impossibility of seeing Sebastian again crowded in on me. I had gotten away with one reckless hour of wandering about on the school grounds, but it wasn’t safe to do it again.
    But you said you would meet him tonight. You promised. Just one more time, I argued with myself.
    It’s too risky , my rational self answered back. You’ll get caught; you’ll get expelled.
    I won’t! I’ll be so careful.
    He might not even be there.
    I knew he would. All I had to do was slip down the back stairs and I could be with him again.
    Don’t do it, Evie. Be sensible.
    My sensible side won the argument, of course. I wasn’t the kind of girl who broke the rules for the sake of a handsome face. Bashing my pillow into shape, I closed my eyes and drifted into an uneasy sleep.
    In my dream, Miss Scratton was furiously angry with me for something that I had done, but I