"So, what do you think?"
I lean forward and peer inside the vehicle. The black leather upholstery is mostly in good shape besides a tear on the back of the front seat which has been patched up with silver tape.
"Toby, I had no idea you had a pimp heart."
He laughs. "For two hundred dollars, I could be anything, even a funeral director."
I raise an eyebrow. "Were you considering buying a hearse?"
"Yup. It was between Purple Delight here or the hearse." He rubs his hands over the car's steering wheel affectionately.
"You seriously named your car Purple Delight?" I pull the door open and slide in. The roomy seat almost swallows me whole when I sit down.
Toby shrugs. "I'm not very good with names. So, where are we going?"
"The party is at a sports bar in Emelton." I fish out the directions I was able to print from the library's computer. "Here, I got us a map."
"Thanks, but I can just plug the address in my phone." He grabs a smartphone from the car's cup holder and glances at me, waiting.
Shame makes my face hot. I assumed that because he's a Fringe on a scholarship, he didn't have access to luxury items. I'm an idiot. I must be the only student at Gifted Academy who lives in poverty.
I clear my throat, then read the address out loud. Once the GPS system on Toby's phone is all set, he drives off.
"Thanks for inviting me," he says.
"It's no big deal. Truthfully, I didn't want to catch the bus."
He chuckles. "I figured as much. I'd have given you a ride even if you hadn't invited me, though."
"That would’ve been so rude."
"Nah, I wouldn't have thought so. I guess I've been surrounded by Idols for too long. I don't know the difference between rudeness and downright cruelty anymore."
I let out a heavy sigh, almost as if I want to unload all the stress from the past week. Yeah, I pushed everything that happened to the side, but my body is still filled with the tension from everything I’ve endured.
"How long have you been a student here?" I ask instead.
"Since freshman year. My father works for a member of the school's council, and he pulled some strings."
"That was nice of him. I haven't come across many Idols who are kind to people they deem less valuable because they aren't blessed with godlike gifts. But it must be different for you, since you’re a Fringe."
I watch Toby's expression closely. The muscles around his mouth are definitely tenser than before.
Interesting.
"It's true. Most of my experience with Idols was on the positive side before coming to Gifted Academy. I quickly learned that I’d been living inside a bubble, something akin to the legendary Starlight Island."
My heart gives a sudden lurch forward at the mention of the island my father made me promise I'd try to find. Trying to sound blasé, I ask, "Do you think Starlight Island is real?"
Toby switches his attention to me for a second. "Ha, no." He chuckles. "It's a fairy-tale story, Daisy. Do you seriously believe that if there were such a place, the Idols wouldn't have found it and destroyed it by now?"
I laugh, attempting to hide my disappointment. I'm not sure what I was trying to gain with my question. I've spent the last seven years disbelieving the existence of such an idyllic place. So why does it bother me so much that Toby thinks the island is a myth?
"Right." I look out the window. The sun is out, but the temperature has dropped a few degrees. Thank heavens for that. It might be another month before summer is finally behind us.
"I know I've already asked you, but are you okay?" Toby probes, and I know he's referring to the fire incident.
"If I told you I was, would you believe me?"
"Nope."
"Honestly, I don't know what to think. Principal Fallon assured me Gifted Academy was a safe place, but I'm beginning to doubt that."
"You probably don't want to talk about it, but I'm beginning to suspect there’s something very shady happening at school."
I did want to have a day free of Idol drama and conspiracy theories, but I can't pass up the opportunity to learn everything I can about the place.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Well, for starters, there are the deaths of two Fringe students so far caused by overdosing on Silver-voltage."
"Do you think they’ve been targeted?"
"Well, low-level Fringes are always targeted by the most ruthless Idols. The Magnificent Four and Dreadzilla are known to be the biggest bullies at school."
"That doesn't surprise me." A heaviness settles in my chest, almost like a premonition that something awful is going to happen to me.
If I didn't have to worry about anyone else besides me, I'd probably run away. But I can't do that to Rosie. I have to make sure she has a roof over her head. As long as she's as far away from Idols as she can be, then I'll endure whatever wicked games they have in store for me.
"Silver-voltage is expensive, and Fringes know to stay away from the stuff,” Toby explains. “But there are always the stupid ones who’ll try, so those deaths aren't that suspicious."
"You're thinking the fire was targeting those Fringe girls."
Toby's grip on the steering wheel becomes tighter. "Yeah." He whips his head around to face me. "But please don't breathe a word about that to anyone."
"Who am I going to tell?" I nibble on my lower lip and stare at the road. "I don't get it. Who would want Fringes dead? Norms, yeah, I get it. Idols hate my kind. But Fringes?"
"I used to think the same before I came to Gifted Academy. But Idols hate Fringes almost as much as they hate Norms. If they aren't powerful enough, they’re worthless in the eyes of the most fanatic Idols."
"What do you mean by fanatic?"
"There's a small and powerful group of Idols who believe Norms and Fringes must be purged from the face of the Earth. They blame us for the demigods’ disappearance, and they believe the only way to bring them back is by getting rid of the filth—us."
I curl my hands into fists. Maybe I've been too complacent all these years, just worried about getting somewhere safe. My parents’ murder comes to the forefront of mind. Those Idols killed them without mercy. I wish I could’ve avenged my parents right then and there. At least, I managed to kill one of those sons of bitches, and it felt good.
A simmering rage surges in the pit of my stomach.
You have a weapon that kills Idols, Daisy. What's stopping you from putting it through the hearts of your tormenters?
"Daisy? Are you okay? I didn't mean to bring the mood down."
"I'm fine, Toby. Just processing what you told me."
"Honestly, I wish there was a way to defend ourselves from them," Toby continues.
"Yeah, for real." My reply is without conviction.
"All right, enough about those motherfuckers. Do you want to listen to some music, get into the groove?"
Toby turns the radio on, and country music fills the car, mega loud.
"Oh my God. What the hell is that?"
"Oops, sorry." He quickly switches stations as his face becomes adorably red. "I must have accidentally changed it while I was dusting the dashboard off."
"Riiight. There's nothing wrong with country music, Toby. If that's your thing."
"No, no. What do you like? Pop, rock, classic?"
I shrug. "How about we listen to The Freaks? They usually play a nice variety of songs."
"The Freaks it is." Toby tunes in to the station that’s owned by a Fringe and staffed by a mix of Fringes and Norms.
It's one of the reasons I started to listen to it when I moved to Saturn's Bay. The vast majority of the entertainment industry is controlled by Idols, which means we rarely get to see or hear anything by Fringes or Norms.
One of my favorite songs comes on, and I begin to sing along under my breath at first, but then Toby turns the volume up and joins me. We lock gazes right before we belt out the lyrics, bouncing our heads to the beat of the song.
/>
The gloominess finally begins to dissipate. Then the car's engine starts to sputter.
"Hey, what was that?" I ask.
"I don't know." Toby frowns at the dashboard.
The car slows down, and a moment later, smoke comes out from underneath the hood.
"Shit!" Toby turns on his hazard lights and exits the highway.
We both get out of the car to check what the problem is. I don't know much about car mechanics, but I know enough to be aware that we aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
BRYCE
I had every intention of sleeping the whole day away. Wishful thinking. I'm exhausted, and yet at the crack of the dawn, I was wide awake. For the past week, sleeping a full night has been impossible. I’ve never been one to suffer from insomnia, but it seems since Daisy moved in next door, I've developed the problem. A simple Norm shouldn't be responsible for so many disruptions, which begs the question: Who is she, really?
There's no question that she’s a Norm. I don't sense any power coming from her. But she's definitely not ordinary.
Restless, I yank the tangled sheets off my legs and throw them to the side of bed. Leaning forward, I rub my face while I think of a way to get rid of the foreign feeling. Numbness I know. I embrace it. This jittery feeling, on the other hand, is quite annoying.
I head for the window and open the blinds. The sun is up, scorching the beautifully landscaped grounds of Gifted Academy. It doesn't matter that there's a drought in Saturn's Bay, there's no lack of irrigation water here.
Filled with a sudden impulse, I put on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and head out. Maybe a walk in the heat will get my head in order.
But peace of mind is not meant to be. Just before I'm about to push open the door of the building, I catch sight of Daisy waiting by the curb. I stop automatically, and my hesitation baffles me. Since when do I avoid Norms? They should be the ones cowering away from us.
A purple Cadillac menace parks in front of her. Even from where I am, I can see it’s about to fall apart. It ought to be towed away by the Department of Highway Safety. Daisy slides in, and soon after, the car takes off. I didn't see the driver, but I can guess who was behind the wheel—that vanilla ginger Fringe boy.
Toby’s managed to fly under our radar through most of high school. He's a low-level Fringe who, thanks to his unremarkable status, blended with the background. Now that he's been assigned as Daisy's guide, he's definitely on my radar. But Daisy is the enigma I must decipher.
Before I can think too much about what I'm doing, I whirl around and head for the garage. It's high time I find out more about the Norm girl who’s taken not only my head for a spin, but also Rufio's, Phoenix's, and Morpheus's as well.
27
Daisy
"I can't believe this." Toby puts his hands on his hips and glares at his overheated carburetor. "I just had the car serviced."
"How old is this piece of—I mean, how old is Purple Delight, anyway?”
"Nineteen."
I gasp. "Nineteen? It's older than us. I'm surprised it runs."
Toby whirls around and points a finger at me. "Hey, no dissing my car."
I raise both hands in a sign of peace. "Sorry. I didn't mean to offend. What are we going to do?"
I glance at the long road ahead of us. Not a building in sight. We're probably twenty miles away from Saturn's Bay city center, and I promised I'd pick Rosie up early before we headed to Emelton.
"I need to call a tow truck.” Toby sighs. “Crap. That's going to cost all the money I've managed to save this month."
"I'd chip in if I had any to spare." I shove my hands in my skirt’s pockets.
Toby waves his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. It's my car, my problem."
The sound of a vehicle approaching has both of us glancing into the distance. It's a black luxury SUV, shining under the sunlight. It slows down before parking just behind Toby's car.
The windows are tinted, so I can't see who’s behind the wheel, but I know it must be an Idol or a very well-to-do Fringe. The door opens and out comes Bryce Kent in all his Idol glory. Shit, there goes the possibility of a semi-decent day. Car problems aside, I was looking forward to spending quality time with my friends without worrying about Idols.
"It seems you're in need of roadside assistance." He approaches us, eyeing Purple Delight’s open hood.
"Don't tell me you moonlight as a car mechanic?" I ask.
Toby elbows my arm and tries to convey a silent, urgent message with his eyes: Shut the hell up, Daisy.
Crap on toast. He's right. It's like I have a disease or something. I see an Idol and I can't help but want to antagonize them.
Bryce turns his attention to me. "No, but I can get one here quickly."
"It's okay. I appreciate the offer, but I'm just going to call a tow truck," Toby quickly replies.
"Are you sure?" Bryce raises an eyebrow. "It could take a while."
Nodding fast like a bobblehead doll, Toby says, "Yes, yes. I'm sure."
He's jittery and tense. I don't blame him. I'm also uneasy in Bryce's presence. He doesn't seem to be out to screw with us, but you never know with these guys.
Toby walks away with his phone glued to his ear, leaving me alone with Bryce, who is now watching me closely. His honey-colored eyes drop to my red cowboy boots and then travel up my body slowly. I decided to wear the short denim skirt Felicity gave me last year for my birthday. It's minuscule to the point that if I bend forward just slightly, my uterus will show, but it makes my legs seem longer, and I wanted to feel pretty today.
Bryce's eyes are shining with appreciation when they finally make it back to my face. A change from his usual bored expression. I’m not sure if I like it.
"Where were you headed?" he asks.
"To a birthday party in Emelton."
"Oh. That's a little far from the diner."
Why is he bringing up Poppy’s Joint?
"I'm not from Emelton." I fidget on my feet, wishing Toby would finish his call already.
"So where are you from? Your accent is different. East Coast?"
A sliver of dread rolls down my spine. I don't want to tell him anything about my past. Toby returns just in time to save me from answering Bryce.
“I’ve got bad news,” he tells me. “The tow truck won’t be here until the end of the day.”
“What? You’re kidding.” There’s a tightness in my chest now. I have to get to Saturn’s Bay.
I pull my cell phone out of my purse. Maybe Poppy can pick us up. But is he Poppy today or Mr. X? I nibble on my lower lip. I can’t call Mr. X. I don’t even have his phone number anyway.
“I can you give you a ride,” Bryce offers.
I look up from my phone with mouth agape. “What?”
He curls his lips into a rueful smile. “Don’t look so shocked. I was headed that way anyway.”
Toby glances at me. “We really don’t have much of a choice, Daisy.”
He’s right, but damn, I don’t want Bryce to know where Rosie lives. I’ll have her grab a taxi and meet me at Poppy’s Joint.
“Okay.”
Bryce rewards me with a victorious smile full of teeth. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him do more than smirk.
“Stop that,” I snap.
“Stop what?”
I make a circle in the air with my finger, pointing at this mouth. “The smile. It’s weird.”
He arches his eyebrows, his eyes widely innocent. “Why is it weird?”
“I’ve never seen you crack one, that’s why.”
Bryce walks backward, keeping his gaze locked with mine. “I’m not one to smile for no reason.” He finally opens the passenger side door, and with a flourish of his arm, he says, “Shall we?”
Damn it. I don’t want to ride shotgun, but refusing will sound stupid.
Without a word, I slide into the chilled interior. The smell of brand-new supple leather and Bryce’s sandalwood cologne fills my nose. Something str
ange unfurls in my stomach, a crazy reaction to the combination of scents.
The cold leather bites against my naked legs, and goose bumps break out on my skin. My skirt rose up when I sat down, but no matter how much I tug on the fabric, my thighs are exposed.
Toby enters Bryce’s car before the Idol can circle around the front of the vehicle.
“Are you okay, Daisy? I’m sorry I made you accept his offer.”
“I’m okay, Toby. And you didn’t force me to do anything. We really didn’t have much choice.” I give him a tight smile right before Bryce joins us.
His eyes immediately zero in on my naked legs and linger there for a moment. I clear my throat to snap him out of his ogling. He lifts his face to mine, and maybe I’m imagining things, but it seems he’s embarrassed to be caught staring.
As quick as a whip, he switches his attention to the road without a word and drives off. The engine is silent; if I didn’t know better, I wouldn’t believe it was on. I’ve never ridden in such a fancy mode of transportation before, and it’s impossible to keep from gawking at everything in wonder, but I try to do it in an inconspicuous manner. I’m poor, but I don’t need to show it.
“Where am I dropping you off?” Bryce asks.
“At Poppy’s Joint.”
“Really? You want to visit the place where you used to slave away on your first weekend off?” He glances at me.
“I have friends who still work there.” I cross my arms over my chest.
I don’t miss when Bryce’s gaze drops to my cleavage. I’m not wearing a super low-cut top, but my breasts can make anything sexy. For most girls it would be a blessing, but to me, it’s a curse. I don’t have time for, nor want, the attention of boys.
“Eyes on the road, please,” I say.
Red spreads across Bryce’s cheeks, and to say I’m shocked is an understatement. I made an Idol blush. And not just any Idol, a fucking level seventeen Idol, the closest to a real-life demigod I’ll ever see.
With a clench of his jaw, he heeds my words.
The radio is off. I wish there was at least some music playing in the background. It’s better than this heavy silence, which is just increasing the tension in the air. It’s so thick you could make sushi with it.
Wicked Gods: A Paranormal High School Bully Romance (Gifted Academy Book 1) Page 15
