Page 13

Chapter twelve

Auguries & Omens

Karma

Knock-knock. I stick my head into Patterson’s office, a bouquet of daisies in one hand. “You wanted to see me, Professor P?”

“Read this.” My mentor tosses a hardcover book across his desk without looking up.

What book recommendation does he have for me this time? It could be anything from 14th century Italian Renaissance to modern-day Japanese manga. “Let me set down these flowers for a minute,” I say, looking for a flat surface free of books.

“What are you doing with those?” The professor glances up from his work, narrowing his eyes at the cheerful white blossoms.

“They’re for someone I’m dating,” I tell him. “My roommate thinks that daisies send the right message—that I’m interested without seeming pushy. She says it’s too soon to give him roses. What do you think, sir?”

“I couldn’t care less.” He goes back to his work.

I set down the delicate bouquet and pick up the book from Patterson’s desk. “ The Ceranian Secret ? Ooh, I love Rodrick Domingo! “Opening the best-selling sci fi novel, I thumb through its familiar pages.

“You’ve read it?” He raises his eyebrows, then frowns. “Well, read it again. I need you to be ready for your summer internship.”

“Domingo is one of your influences?” Maybe Patterson’s novel won’t be so bad, not if his work is modeled after the reclusive South American author. Rumor has it that the saga is being turned into a movie. I hope Zendaya plays the part of Rêve.

The professor doesn’t answer me. He simply waves a hand dismissively toward the door.

Well, OK then—that was quick. As I say goodbye to my unresponsive mentor, I plan my next move with Josh. We’re meeting on the North Quad in between classes. It’s a beautiful day, and spending ‘quality time’ together is on my to-do list. Between that, my gift of flowers, and my speech-writing ‘act of service’, I might be well on my way to winning over my dream guy. Can you imagine? Me with Josh Malik .

When I arrive on the lawn outside of the Science building, I pick a spot beneath a leafy shade tree. Time to set up. I pull a thin blanket out of my messenger bag, then a thermos of iced chai. Next comes a container of healthy snacks—cucumbers, hummus, and freshly-washed grapes—in case he has the munchies. I spread the blanket out across the grass and arrange my offerings on it, the bouquet of daisies in the center. Evie would be proud.

“Karma?” Josh crosses the lawn a few minutes later, a backpack slung over one shoulder. His eyes grow wide as he takes in my impromptu picnic. “Wow… Is this for me?”

“It’s no more than a ‘King’ deserves.” I brush a kiss across his cheek before we settle ourselves onto the blanket. Picking up the flowers, I hand them to him. “A small gift for Your Majesty.”

“I love them.” He buries his nose in the blossoms, inhaling their light but fresh scent. “Um… I got a present for you, too, but it hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Spending time with you is all I want,” I tell him, twining our fingers together.

A golden glow spreads across his cheeks as he ducks his nose back into the daisies.

I think my plan is working—he seems to like my gifts. Now, it’s time to step it up to the next level. “So, would you like to work on your speech? I brought a notebook, in case you want to brainstorm some more ideas.”

Josh wrinkles his nose. Maybe ‘acts of service’ isn’t his love language, after all.

“Are you free tomorrow night?” he asks me. “I promise I’ll be ready to work on my speech then. Right now, I just want to enjoy some time together.”

How could I turn down a request like that? What my dream guy wants, my dream guy gets. “Absolutely, I’m all yours. Your wish is my command.”

His eyes brighten, and he scoots a little closer. “In that case, there is something that I have been wishing for.” He trails a finger along my forearm.

Goosebumps erupt across my skin. “What can I do for you, Josh?” There are a few things I’d like to do to him , but now isn’t the time or place. Whose bright idea was it to meet on the crowded lawn? Is my three-month sentence to celibacy over yet?

Josh inches a little closer. “Tell me about your tattoos. What do the words say? What do the pictures mean? I’ve wanted to know for the longest time.”

My tattoos? I love talking about my ink. Pulling up the arm of my t-shirt, I show off my masterpiece-in-progress. “Well, I’ve only got this sleeve finished so far, but I know what I want on my second arm. Each of the tattoos have their own meaning, but they combine to form a single theme. The whole design is kinda one concept piece based on one of my favorite poems. “

“A poem?” He traces a finger across the letters tattooed onto my skin.

The soft stroke of his hand sends a thrill up my spine. “Um, yeah.” I swallow, then lick my lips. “My left arm has the first two lines of the poem, and the next two lines are on my right arm.”

“Which poem is it?” Josh asks. He draws closer, trying to read the words running down my arm from shoulder to wrist. The feather-light touch of his breath creates goosebumps on top of my goosebumps.

I hold out my arm, showing him the flowing cursive script. “It’s Blake’s Auguries of Innocence . I know—it’s not exactly an original tattoo idea, but I don’t care what other people think. The poem is brilliant.”

“I’m not sure if I know it.” His eyebrows draw together. “It’s written by Blake who..? ”

“William Blake, a famous poet of the Romantic movement,” I say. “Y’know, ‘ To see a world in a grain of sand ..’?”

He shrugs, shaking his head.

Taking Josh’s hand in mine, I guide his fingers along the words inked into my flesh. “The verse on this arm says, ‘ To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower ‘. The images I chose for this sleeve remind me to approach life with a sense of wonder and possibility.”

“Like this unfolding lotus blossom?” He touches the pinkish-purple flower on the inside of my wrist.

God, it’s hard to think when he’s touching me.

“Yeah, and this one.” I point to my elbow. “It’s the tide pools on the beach near my hometown. My siblings and I would spend hours exploring them. And this one—“ I point to my shoulder. “This is my favorite tree on our family farm. I’ve read more books under that tree than I can count.”

“They’re beautiful,” Josh whispers, his fingers caressing the symbols of my childhood. “What’s written on your other arm?”

I lift up the other sleeve of my t-shirt, showing him the verse circling down my right bicep and forearm. “This is the next part of the poem. The entire stanza reads:

To see a World in a Grain of Sand

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand

And Eternity in an hour. ”

His eyes light up, a twinkle of curiosity shining within them. “What do those words mean to you? What tattoos do you have planned for that arm?”

“I want this side to be kind of a celestial theme,” I tell him. “Y’know, the sun and the moon… but also images that relate to time, like an hourglass or maybe a pocket watch. The words remind me to ‘seize the day’ . To live as if anything were possible.”

The way Josh is looking at me right now, I’d like to seize more than just the day.

“Wow,” he says in a breathy voice, a thousand more questions glittering in his eyes. “No wonder this is one of your favorite poems. Mr. Blake is a very good writer.”

“Well, he was .“ I laugh. “ Auguries of Innocence was written over two hundred years ago, but the words are just as meaningful today. That’s the power of art—it transcends time, distance, and cultures. That’s one of the reasons why I want to be a novelist.”

Josh blinks. “You do? But I heard you were in business school. Aren’t you planning on owning a business?”

“It’s complicated.” I dodge his question. “I’ll tell you about it when we have more time. Right now, I’d like to talk about you .”

“OK.” He gives me a shy smile. “But first, I have one more question. What does the word ‘augury’ mean?”

Hmm… What would be the best definition? “It’s kind of like a prediction. A prophecy of things to come.”

“A prophecy?” Josh’s eyes widen.

I nod my head. “ Auguries of Innocence illustrates how we can predict certain aspects of our own futures. For instance, acts of kindness usually lead to more joy in our lives, while cruelty toward others brings pain and unhappiness for ourselves. It’s basically the Law of Karma.”

“The Law of…?” He stops himself and gulps. “Y-you have a prophetic law tattooed onto your skin?”

I’ve never thought about it like that before. “I guess I do, in a way.”

Lightning flashes overhead in the clear, blue sky. A moment later, thunder rumbles. “I’ve got to go.” Josh scrambles to his feet, grabbing his backpack and the bouquet of daisies. He hurries back toward the Science building without so much as a kiss goodbye. “I’ll see you tomorrow night,” he calls over his shoulder.

I’m left there, sitting on the blanket alone. What the hell just happened?