The Hourglass Door Read Online Free PDF

setting, but, until opening night, they would remain bare.
    “Wow. I didn’t think you guys were this far along. It looks great, Jas,” I said.
    “I wanted to show you this.” Jason led me onto the porch. He pulled out a small flashlight from his tool belt and directed the white beam to a narrow corner of the wall.
    I caught my breath. Carved into the wood a small butterfly floated next to the initials “AE.” Reaching out, I traced the curved lines of the delicate wings. “Oh, it’s beautiful.”
    “I know you like them.” Jason ran his hand through his hair, exhaling with relief. “I know no one will see it, but I’ll know it’s there. And so will you. And we’re the only ones who need to know.”
    My eyes couldn’t stop tracing the initials Jason had carved into the wood. “Thank you. It’s perfect.” I turned toward him and held his face with my hands. I ran my fingers along his jawline, then traced his eyebrows and the slope of his nose. “ You’re perfect.”
    He grinned and clasped his hands around the small of my back. “I know it’s early, but . . . happy birthday.”
    He rested his forehead against mine, our noses touching.
    I swallowed, closing my eyes, breathing in his smell. The smallest part of me dared to hope that he would kiss me on the lips.
    Before we had started dating, Jason had told me that he thought we should date at least four months before we kissed. Those months would be up this Friday, our seventeenth birthday. That was Jason to his core—scheduling everything, even romantic interludes.
    But this small carving was a side of Jason I hadn’t seen before. It was a side I liked.
    I wanted to kiss him. I wanted him to kiss me back.
    I shifted my weight forward ever so slightly, balancing on my toes, ready to close the distance between us and—
    Jason stepped back. He hooked my hair behind my ears. “Tomorrow,” he whispered. “Don’t you want our first kiss to be special?”
    This is special! I thought, leaning closer.
    “We’ve made plans and everything.”
    I sighed. “I know.” I leaned back on my heels and stepped out of the circle of his arms. “Listen, about tomorrow—”
    “Where is everyone?” Dave’s voice suddenly crashed through the auditorium speakers. “I thought we were rehearsing a play! Abby! Abby, where are you? I thought I’d left you in charge.”
    I grimaced. “Sounds like my cue.”
    Jason caught my hand as I turned to leave. “I’m sorry. It’s just . . . see you tomorrow?”
    “Yeah. Sure.”
    “Abby! Where are you?” Dave, never the most organized person, had an edge of panic in his voice.
    “Sorry. I gotta go.” I pulled free from Jason’s hand. A cold, clammy sweat coated my skin and a wave of frustration coursed through me as I walked away from him.
    I’d known Jason almost my entire life, and he was still living his life according to routines and schedules. So why did I still expect him to be someone different? Someone romantic and passionate and spontaneous? I had thought maybe the carved butterfly was a signal that our relationship was changing. But honestly—skipping the perfect kiss because it wasn’t scheduled?
    I sighed and pushed the troubling thoughts from my mind. What did it matter? Jason was my boyfriend. I’d known him forever. That had to count for something.
    Didn’t it?

 
    Chapter
    3
     
     
    I ripped back the curtain with probably more force than necessary. The cast and crew had returned from the break and I saw Valerie as Ursula practicing her lines with Lily as Hero.
    Dave was flipping through my notes on the clipboard, muttering to himself.
    “Sorry, Dave. Were you looking for me?”
    “Abby! Where were you?” He didn’t wait for my reply; Dave never waited for anyone’s reply. “It doesn’t matter. I was just looking through your notes and, Abby, they are brilliant! You really have a gift. I am so impressed. I can’t tell you what a relief it is to come back and see how much you’ve