No.3

No. 3: Pictures Don’t Change


Kaleigh’s eyes fluttered open when the sunrays that somehow managed to break through the grey cloud bank, warmed her face. The first thing she saw was the collage of pictures on the slanted ceiling above her bed. There she had posted most of the pictures she took with both the digital camera her brothers had given to her on her birthday only two days earlier, and the old film camera she had bought once she had gone to the mall for the first time in her real life when she was fifteen.

Her brain reminded her that it was Saturday. Smiling, she rolled back over and snuggled up deeper into her many blankets with the intention of not waking up until eleven.
Hey.
She groaned.
So much for sleeping in. She thought to herself. You do know it’s eight o’clock on Saturday right? She replied in her head.
Yeah, but I knew you were up. Brandon answered.
She dug her head under her pillow in a feeble attempt to block him out.
Their telepathy link had grown stronger over time, things seemed to be adding to it, so now they could not only talk to each other, but could tell what the other was feeling. Which also meant they could tell when someone was awake or not.
She was quiet for a moment as she sifted through his feelings. He was excited about something, nerves too, but mostly tired.
And you stayed up all night again didn’t you? She asked.
Yeah…I wanted to finish this painting. But that’s not why I’m keeping you awake.
And the real reason would be…?
Meet me outside your house in fifteen minutes.
Kaleigh groaned and rolled out of bed, throwing on a thick robe to keep her from the brisk air.
She shuffled over to her dresser and picked out some jeans and the warmest turtleneck she had.
You’re annoyed with me aren’t you? Brandon asked as she threw on her clothes.
Why do you always ask questions to which you already know the answers?
She could hear Brandon chuckle as she pulled on some thick socks and her snow boots. Then she pulled on another fleece long sleeve over her turtleneck followed by a jacket.
She ran a brush through her hair before putting a beanie on.
This had better be good. And should I eat now? She asked.
Nah, I’ll get you a cinnamon bun.
Kaleigh smiled to herself as she walked out of her bed room. She knew by the snores coming from the boys’ closed door, that neither of them were up yet. So she scribbled a note and set it on the counter for them before opening the door and walking outside, pulling on her multicolored mittens that matched her beanie and then on a second thought, scooped up her film camera.
Her breath came out in a cloud before her as she stood in awe for a moment, taking in the winter wonderland laid out before her.
Then something dropped in front of her, making her jump back a step.
It took a minute for her mind to registered what she was seeing, but she finally figured out that Brandon had been on the roof, and was now hanging from the veranda ledge by a single hand.
She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked an eyebrow.
“Now you’re just showing off.” She mumbled as he dropped to the ground and straightened his jacket.
“And what is with you and roofs?”
Brandon shrugged and readjusted his trademark orange baseball cap.
“Ready to go?” He asked. His stormy blue eyes lighting up like Christmas lights.
Kaleigh nodded and he opened his arms. She sighed and was secretly glad her brothers were still asleep.
She walked up to him, nestling herself in between his arms and wrapping her own around his waist as tight as she could. She could feel him laugh and looked up at him with a question on her face.
“You could loosen up just a little, I’m not going to drop you.” He said as she suddenly realized they were leaving the ground. Kaleigh looked down in slight fascination. With Brandon’s control over wind, he could go anywhere he wanted, and though the two of them were Partners, he had only taken her flying once before. (He did help her in the fight against Sage in the fall, but she didn’t really count that.)
“Yes well excuse me if I’m not use to boys flying me around everywhere.” She answered.
“Kaleigh,”
There was something in his voice that compelled her to move her gaze from the passing city to Brandon’s face.
It was a face that had become imprinted behind her eyelids, it always seemed to pop up in her dreams and that use to freak her out.
It was a face that was all angles, half his face covered in light, the other in shadow. His eyebrows were lost in his brown hair that swept across his forehead. But his eyes always seemed to be looking into her heart. She knew that even with out the link between them he’d be able to tell whenever she was lying. He could read her like an open book.
“I’m never going to let go. Okay? I promise.”
Kaleigh’s mind reeled, but no words would come. She eased her grip on his jacket slightly as his grip on her became slightly stronger. She rested her head on his chest as she watched the city pass under them.
Her mind came up with a thousand possibilities to what his promise meant, but she knew it would just eat away at her, so she decided to push it to the back of her mind as she prayed for strength to keep it there.
“So…where are we going?” She asked after the silence seemed to deafen her.
“There.”
Her eyes followed his finger and realized he was pointing to a plaza. She gasped as she realized what it was he was doing.
A squeal escaped her lips as the smile widened on her face.
“We’re going ice skating?!” She glanced up at him with such an innocent child like face that he couldn’t help but laugh as he nodded.
“We’re going ice skating!”
Brandon lowered them into an alley gently, but as soon as Kaleigh’s feet touched the ground she took off running.
Brandon smiled and shifted the backpack on his shoulders that held ice skates, before he followed her.

He found her leaning over the railing, her eyes wide as she watched the other couples skating before her.
“So, you have been skating before right?” He asked, guiding her to a bench.
“Yeah…well…okay in which life?” Her eyes were full of mischief and fun, making Brandon’s heart skip a beat.
Dang this girl drives me crazy. He thought to himself, careful to make sure she couldn’t hear him.
He handed her a pair of white figure skates and pulled out a pair of hockey skates for himself.
“Okay, can I ask where on earth you got these?” She asked, pulling off her snow boots.
“My mom, she hasn’t used them in years so I asked if you cold borrow them.”
She nodded several times as she laced them up. Her eyes watched the people gliding across the ice effortlessly, but her mind was occupied with the feelings radiating off Brandon. When she had made the joke about her virtual life verses her real life, she had noticed that one feeling spiked higher than normal, but she couldn’t figure out what feeling it was.
Shaking her head, she decided to push it all away and enjoy ice skating.
“Ready?”
She looked up and saw that Brandon was standing in front of her, offering a hand.
“Ready.” She took his hand and let him pull her to her feet.

It was slightly awkward walking from the bench to the frozen water, but once she got there she hesitated a moment. Brandon had already gone out on the ice, gliding like it was no big deal. She drew in a breath and put her first foot out on the ice.
Once she was out there, it took her a minute to find her balance on the thin blades. But with the intense training she had gone through lately, it only took a moment, and then her reflexes kicked in.
“If I didn’t know any better,” Kaleigh jumped when Brandon appeared next to her. “I’d think you were born on skates.”
She tried to hide the blush on her cheeks, and just shrugged.
“Let’s just say I’m a fast learner. Okay?”
Brandon laughed, and grabbed her hand.
“Okay, but you could pick up the pace a little.”
Kaleigh stuck her tongue out at him, but followed anyways.
“So…what is this, exactly?” She asked, falling into stride with him.
“Um this is called ice? What are we talking about?” He looked confused though she knew he was just messing with her. She punched his arm, sending him the message that she knew he was playing.
“You know what I mean.”
He chuckled, and gazed off into the distance.
“This is…me holding your hand, me sounding like a complete idiot,”
Kaleigh burst out laughing, startling him for a moment before he smiled at her.
“Me making you laugh, I don’t know Kale, what do you want this to be? I totally suck when it comes to girls. Not like Venn who actually knows what he’s doing. I’ve never done this so, I’m clueless.”
Kale smiled up at him. They had coasted to a stop, and she took advantage of it, reaching up and planting a kiss on his cheek.
“Well then I guess we’re both clueless so we’ll have to figure it out as we go along.” She stated, letting go of his hand and skating backwards in front of him, leaving a stunned Brandon who seemed to be dazed.
“However, we could be in a bit of trouble if you freak out when I simply kiss you on the cheek.” She called to him, spinning around on her toe pick and picking up her speed.
The wind whipped through her hair, she shivered as the cold started to get to her. Rubbing her mitten covered hands together, she jumped when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind.
“Well we both know you’d faint if I actually kissed you.” Brandon whispered.
Kaleigh’s eyes grew wide as she glanced over her shoulder at him. His eyes were dancing bright and she wondered if for a moment he really would.
“But,” Yep, she thought there might be one of those. “I’m not going to.” He said, letting go of her and coming up beside her.
“Not…that I’m disappointed or anything,” She started slowly. He glanced at her with a cocked eyebrow and a cocky grin. “But why not? Just out of pure curiosity.”
“Because you’re expecting it.”
She let out an exasperated sigh and looked at him with a hard look.
“Oh that’s just cruel.”
Brandon chuckled and came up in front of her, skating backwards.
“No, it’s just what my family believes in.”
“What?” She questioned, not getting his meaning.
“Well…My dad only kissed my mom when he knew he was going to spend the rest of his life with her. Only when he knew for sure.”
Kaleigh let a small smile cross her lips. It was sweet. She realized he was trying to make sure he didn’t lead her on, he didn’t want to jump to conclusions or give too much of himself away.
Personally, she was touched by how much he had thought about this. And she commended him for sticking by his beliefs and not letting the world get to him.
She nodded and smiled at him.
“Good for him, and I’m glad you stand for something. Because if you didn’t, you’d fall for anything.” She focused on skating for a moment as he came up beside her once again. “Or at least that’s what Cliff says.” She added.
Brandon laughed, shaking his head as he did. His brown hair falling in his eyes.
Kaleigh smiled, capturing the moment with the camera she had brought onto the ice, wanting to remember him smiling.
Little did she know, that it would be his last in a long time.