by Trisha Lynn
Chapter Eighteen
She'd gotten no sleep. Zilch. She needed to tell Marissa something, not only was it killing her to not have the support of her best friend, but to have her best friend think she had betrayed her somehow, was eating her up inside. Even though in a way she would still be betraying her, still be lying to her. Marissa could never know the whole truth. It was much too dangerous for her to know, even Adeila who still knew so little about the Fae realm, knew how dangerous letting people know about it would be. Throughout the tears and self-pity she formulated a plan to gain Marissa's trust again. She would give her a small snippet of the truth. Even if the Fae thing was a hoax, she was questioning her parentage. So she formulated a - hopefully solid - plan.
First period class, she put on a determined, if not a little sad, face and approached Marissa. Whom ignored her, just like she had yesterday.
“I need to talk to you.”
“I've heard just about -”
“No, you haven't. Something huge is going on with me and you’re my best friend.” She allowed her words to be emphasized. She used the most no nonsense attitude and tone, and looked Marissa right in the eyes, to let her know that there was no question here. It had to be done. “I need to tell you about it. Today. After school.”
Marissa's eyes widened, but with that, Adeila sat at her desk, and took out her things. Allowing the sadness and hurt from the last week to etch lines in her face for the dramatics of it. Not that it was a far fetch, considering she tried to hide everything going on with her most of the time, it was kind of nice to let that slip and show some of the confusion, hurt and her own feelings of betrayal overshadow her features.
Marissa kept casting her small glances. Being friends for so many years had made them in tune with each other and it was no surprise to Adeila that Marissa was in shock at the way her tone of voice had gone and the look she carried. She knew Marissa would feel bad about being mad about something so petty once she spoke with her, and that was some of her goal, but she also just wanted her support. Even though she knew she could never tell Marissa the entire truth. There would always be a lie, an untruth, between them; she still craved the girls support and friendship.
.~.
At lunch Marissa was silent. When yesterday she'd made a big show about talking to everyone but Adeila, today she didn't speak at all. She kept sneaking small glances at Adeila as if she'd sprouted a horn and fangs. Adeila couldn’t help but run her fingers over her scalp. It wouldn't surprise her at this point if that were the truth. She had no real idea what being Fae was, only what Loki told her. Which, since they hadn't really spoken much wasn't as much as she wanted to learn.
“So you’re hanging out with Marissa after school?” Erik walked her to class. Funny, she didn't say anything to him about her and Marissa meeting after school. He must have spoken to Marissa; she tried to get around the strange feeling that brought on.
“Yeah.”
“Okay, maybe we can get together this weekend or something.”
“Yeah, maybe.” She turned to him, knowing she wasn't being entirely fair to him since she found out what she was and everything else. She was being more and more distant with each passing day. The idea of dealing with a boyfriend right now on top of everything else just seemed so daunting. She should really cut him loose, but knew she wouldn't. Couldn't. Instead she'd continue to awkwardly string him along, as horrible of a person that made her.
She touched his arm. “If not then definitely next week sometime.”
He smiled, dimly. He knew something was up, she could tell. He leaned down and kissed her very lightly on the lips. She smiled at him, he really was a great guy, and she really liked him. She twined her hands around the back of his neck, and kissed him deeper. He pulled away when several people stared. He cleared his throat, and whispered wow in her ear. She grinned at him. When everything seemed weird with them, they could always get back into a good place with a kiss. It was promising.
She watched him walk away, and wished everything could be that easy.
In Chemistry class she still brewed over exactly what she'd say to Marissa. It was funny – interestingly funny - how just giving her a small gesture of her gaining the truth of what had Adeila out of sorts these days, had placated her friends anger.
Just as the bell rang, a zinging electrical sensation sped up her spine, and she turned to see Loki standing close. He leaned into her; it was too quick for her to step back.
“I'm not sure what you have planned, but be cautious with what you say. It is now your secret to keep, Princess.”
How the hell did he always know everything? Maybe it was a Fae trait. Boy, did she hope she gained that power, just so she could use it on him.
.~.
After school she waited at her car for Marissa. Her chem class was closer to the front door then Marissa's drama class, so she always reached her car a moment or two before her friend. When her eyes found Marissa, it was who she was chatting with that shocked her. Loki's tall form was hunched slightly to be able to speak to Marissa's tiny five-three stature. Even, Adeila, at five-six had to look up at him, seeing Marissa and Loki was slightly comical. It was other feelings that came over her, however, that made things go from funny to weird. Uncomfortable, foreign feelings. Similar to the ones she felt when she saw the girl in the car with him.
She crossed her arms over her chest. Why did she feel this way? She didn't even like Loki, as a friend or as anything romantic. She was beginning to trust him, which was about it. Maybe it was a weird Fae connection thing.
When Marissa touched his arm, Adeila uncrossed her arms and had to resist the urge to glare at them. What the hell?
Annoyed with herself, she turned away and leaned against her hood. Her elbows resting on its smooth surface, her belly against the fender.
“Hey.” His voice cut through her foggy mind, she turned her eyes to his golden gaze. Then hearing the strangely shy, small voice beside him, she let her eyes rest on her friend's honey brown ones.
“Hey.” Was the only thing she could come up with to say as she resisted the urge to sigh.
Loki grinned, like the asshole he was, and gestured to both girls. “See you ladies later.”
She had no idea what they had spoken of as they'd walked over together, and she severely hoped that it did not conflict with what she was about to tell Marissa. If it did, she was going to wring Loki's Faerie neck.
Adeila gestured to the passenger seat, and went around to the driver’s side. She took a breath as they both settled down, and started in.
“I'm so sorry for what you saw. I had intended to tell you everything in time, I'm just wrapping my head around everything myself.” She took a breath, and her words were heavy with emotion, that was not an act, when she continued. “I'm adopted, Marissa. I found out that Loki's parents know my real parent’s, that is the only reason I was speaking to him that night. I'm still ironing out the details.”
Marissa's gasp was what she'd expected from this confession, and saying it made it all seem so much truer. “I haven't confronted my parents yet, but I did some digging and the evidence is there. I think I was adopted at, like, a week old. The lack of resemblance is a definite, but I understand that’s not a real indicator. I can't find any photos of my mom pregnant with me, and considering I'd have been her first pregnancy you'd think there would be. No photos of me at the hospital, and none from younger than a week old. I'm sure they'll have some excuse if I asked, but they are so unemotional I'm not even sure I would want to ask them without knowing the truth first. I just haven't dared to go straight to that level yet. Loki may be able to get me a meeting with my real parents this weekend, but I need an alibi with my hum - adopted parents.” Almost slipped up on that one. Whoops!
“Oh my God!” Marissa turned toward her completely, tears in her pretty eyes. It caused the porcelain skin to blotch red. “I am so sorry! I cannot even believe this...Well, I can... But you know, I -” She flung herself across the conso
le to crush Adeila in an awkward car restricted hug.
Adeila let all the insecurities, fear, betrayal and sadness seep out of her, at her best friend’s compassion. This was what it was to be loved; pure and unrestricted. Emotional and sometimes unstable, but it was real. Adeila craved this more than anything else in the world.
After three hours sitting in the school parking lot together, they went their separate ways, but Marissa had happily agreed to be her alibi that weekend. Now the real fear and insecurities set in. She was really doing this; really going to another realm. Really meeting people that may very well be her real blood parents, and she was frightened and nervous and every other emotion that could come along with going to another realm you had no idea existed – literally an entirely different world, or meeting parents you also had no idea existed. Not to mention her whole life had literally been a giant lie. She expected she felt what most would feel if ever in her situation.
