Murphy's Law Coffee

Myra posted a deleted scene from Hourglass as part of the Triple Threat Tour. Here’s the full scene along with Myra’s notes in italics:

In the original draft of Timepiece, Kaleb leaned way too close to angsty. This early scene with Lily takes place at his house, where Lily has just discovered (via testing done by Kaleb’s dad) that she has the time gene. Parts and pieces of this scene made it into the final draft, including the apple/snake section.

 

“I’m only here because I was worried about you.”

“Why? Is being nice to me your good guy act for today?” she asked. “So you can check it off your list and go back to insulting people and grabbing random body parts?”

“Absolutely.” I met her eyes. “Don’t you think you should be protecting yourself? Really, who knows what I’ll grab next?”

Lily made a loud sound of frustration and leaned against the wall, dropping her bag on the floor. “I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at the situation.”

“You have the time gene.”

She nodded.

The hallway was dark and a little spooky, the only light coming from the display case in the huge grandfather clock that stood in the entry way. I thought about asking her into the living room to sit down, but I figured she take the opportunity to make an excuse and leave.

I didn’t want her to.

“I know you probably want to talk to Emerson about all this stuff first, and I really do fear retribution for even asking, but if you need to vent …” I pointed at my ears.

“Not vent, more like … ask insanely stupid questions.” She slid down to the floor and dropped her head onto her knees.

“I don’t think it’s stupid to want to know about something that’s a part of you.” I sat down, too, leaning my back against the wall. “I’m listening.”

“Why?” she asked, her voice muffled. Her hair was up in a sloppy bun, but somehow it was still shiny black. I wanted to touch it. Maybe to comfort her, maybe just to see how it felt in my hands. “Why didn’t I know about this before now?”

She looked up. No makeup. Dark circles. Bloodshot eyes.

Still breathtaking.

“I don’t really have an answer. All of us displayed indicators – Dad hates it when we say symptoms – at different times in our lives. The fact that you haven’t shown any yet -

“But the rip, the other night. Was that an indicator? What if I am a traveler? If I am, how come I don’t have that buzzy thing that happens when Em and Michael touch each other? I’ve touched Michael before, and I’ve touched Em a million times, so how could I be like them and not know?”

“I don’t think you’re a traveler. I think the fact that so many of us can see rips now is a sign something is … not right in our world

“Our world.” Lily rested her chin on her fists. “I’m part of your world now, huh?”

“If you want to be. The good news is that you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself. I can … I mean, my dad can help you.”

“Are you admitting you can’t help?”

“I’m … um … he’s better at that kind of thing.” And he wouldn’t be thinking about how it would feel to touch her skin if he were here instead of me. “I’m more of a troublemaker.”

“No, not a troublemaker.” She had the same look of reassessment on her face now as she’d had the other morning in my kitchen. “I think you’re the exact kind of boy my grandmother has always warned me about.”

“Boy?” I was flirting a little, but she needed the stress relief, and it was working. At least that’s how I justified giving in to it. “What kind of man would I be, exactly?”

“A temptation.” She smiled a half smile at me.

I leaned over to bump her shoulder with mine. “Like the snake in the Garden of Eden?”

“No. More like the apple.”

“The apple?”

“Yeah. I’m pretty sure Eve never considered taking a bite out of the snake.”

“You want to take a bite out of me?”

“Maybe.”

I did some kind of snort-laugh that ended in a cough. Dead sexy.

“It’s confusing. You’re confusing,” she admitted with a shrug and a smile. “You were a jerk at the masquerade, then you kept me from being sliced open by falling glass from the chandelier. One second you’re all cute and awkward, the next you’re blocking my view of a murder. You do honorable really well.”

I realized my mouth was gaping open, and it probably would’ve been a good idea to shut it, but I couldn’t seem to remember how.

“Obviously I’m attracted to you, even when you’re wearing a pirate costume. And in Speedos ….” She trailed off. I could hear her blushing. “But you’re exactly like a hundred other guys I’ve dealt with in my lifetime. Cocky, confident, a game player.”

“I can’t stop thinking about you.” Admitting it out loud was a rush.

“How did I know you were going to say that?”

“I didn’t even know I was going to say that.” I was being as honest as I knew how to be. “You’re … different.”

“Hearing she’s different is what every girl wants from a boy like you. One who’s looking for a hookup, but swears he’d totally change if he could just find the ‘right girl.’” She used air quotes. “Then she gives in, starts to feel feelings, and ends up disappointed.”

“You’re lumping me in with a stereotype. It’s not fair.” Even if up until this point in my life, it had been true.

“Actions. At the masquerade –

“If you’re going to judge me by my actions you have to judge all of them. I already apologized for the way I acted, and I won’t do it again, because I meant it the first time. And the second time.”

“You’re acting like this matters to you.” She was genuinely confused.

She wasn’t the only one.

“Maybe it does.” I should have kept my next thought to myself, but somehow I ended up saying it out loud. “But you’re probably right. I’m just saying what you want to hear.”

“Wow.” She laughed bitterly and started to stand up. “I guess I should appreciate your honesty.”

“Hold it.” I grabbed her arm to stop her. “You don’t understand.”

“I don’t?” She tried to jerk away but I wouldn’t let go.

“Please?”

I let go of her wrist and she sat back down beside me.

“Whether you believe it or not, Lily, I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“You just did that honorable thing again. All it does is add another layer of confusing.”

“Does it help if I tell you I want to do all kinds of things with you that aren’t honorable at all?”

She dropped her head back against the wall and belly laughed.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “But it really matters that I do this right. Whatever it is that we’re doing.”

Her emotions radiated from underneath her skin, and the way she felt made me think maybe I could wrestle alligators and win.

“I guess that’s an answer I can live with.”

She stared at my lips for a second before looking away.