by Abra Ebner
Jane:
I played the song mindlessly, knowing it so well that it hardly took any effort. I was angry at myself for making the comment about my father’s song. The last thing I’m sure Max wanted to hear about was my sad story. I couldn’t mess this up. I really liked him and his family—except Gregory, of course. I laughed as I stumbled over a fret, lost in my thoughts rather than the simple melody. The song ended.
Max stood behind me, sending a shiver down my spine as his hand grazed across my back. I watched as he moved to a nearby couch, looking exhausted with laughter. He propped one arm over the back of the cushion, resting his ankle on his knee. I thought about my dream, thought about the taste of his lips on my fingers. I had wanted to kiss him, but was too chicken to lean in. I placed the cello back on the stand, propping the bow beside it.
Max was looking into his lap, smiling to himself. He ran a hand through his hair, pulling it away from his face and revealing the small freckle near his ear. “My grandfather wouldn’t tell you, but he has a little magick. That’s why he knows what he does. He had a near death experience when he was a child, and ever since, he is convinced that he was supposed to die.”
Max said it as though it was no big deal, and I couldn’t help but let my jaw drop. “So, he has Sheol magick?”
Max shrugged.
“You don’t find that surprising?” I pressed.
“Not really.”
I shut my jaw, my head swimming with disbelief. Erik was like me. “Was he saved by an angel?”
Max picked at the fibers of the couch as he continued. “At least Erik seems to think so.”
I looked at the tattoos on his arms. “You sound like you don’t believe in angels.”
His blue eyes found mine. He smiled, but didn’t grace me with an answer.
I took his mocking expression as a no. How could he not believe? “So what if he really was saved by an angel?” I said tartly. “What’s so unbelievable about that?”
Max laughed then, bending forward. I grew annoyed, wondering why he was being so mean.
“Stop laughing,” I demanded.
He stopped, hiding his amusement. “I think you took that the wrong way. I do believe him.” He motioned to his arms. “I thought it was rather obvious.”
I frowned and crossed my arms against my chest, admitting defeat.
Max patted the cushion beside him, inviting me to come sit. I stood from the bench, moving across the room and sitting with a distance between us, too scared to give in and get close.
Max grinned, “You’re so far away.” He clasped his hand around my knee, yanking me closer. “I don’t like that.” His hand remained on my knee, his other touching my forehead, his finger trailing down my cheek. “I believe in what Erik says because I have to. He’s my family, but aside from that, I want to believe that there is something more, something magickal. Otherwise, what is living all about?” His eyes were searching mine, his words diving into my soul.
I found this conversation the first where I truly felt engaged, but I could tell there was something else, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I opened my mouth to reply, only to shut it as I saw that Max was leaning in. My heart leapt, but before I could shut my eyes, I saw Gregory enter the room. I jolted and leaned back. My chest tightened and my heart ceased to beat—the excitement drained from every inch of my being.
“Hey, guys.” Greg kept his gaze on me, and I gazed back. “Not interrupting anything, am I?”
Max said nothing as he moved away from me.
Greg sat on the couch between us, exhaling as he settled down into the cushion. “My family isn’t driving you nuts yet, are they, Jane?”
I shook my head, my lips arched into a frown. “No.”
Greg smiled, his eyes dark. He was handsome, just as handsome as his brother but with a mischievous glimmer in his eye. I must have seen him before. I looked between Max and Greg. I could tell he was the bad boy of the two, like Emily was in our family. Every family had a bad egg, it seemed.
“I met your sister at school the other day, Jane.” Greg looked dreamily ahead of him. “She’s a charming girl.” He clasped his hands before him, his own set of wing tattoos showing. They were just like Max’s, but with an added edge as each feather was tipped with a knife. I shuddered.
I saw Max glare at him, but so did I. I knew Greg’s type. He was more than likely one of those guys I often found myself peeling Emily away from. For all I knew, he was a dealer, too.
I snorted with disgust, finding his reference to my sister was laced with noticeable vulgarity. “Emily can posses a certain charm, at times.” I replied only because I didn’t want to seem rude in front of Max.
Greg tilted his head. “I was telling Max earlier that she’s just my type.”
I didn’t like the way he said it, as though Emily were a piece of meat he could simply buy at the market.
Greg snapped out of his daydreaming. “Well, kids, better take off. I do have a party to attend tonight.” He rose from the couch, smoothing his shirt. “Unlike you losers.”
“A party?” Max’s voice sounded hallowed.
“Yes.” Greg looked at me. “If you want to be less drab, then you guys should come. Our house is hardly the place to bring a date, Brother. You’ll bore poor Jane to tears.” He pouted dramatically at me, as though I were a baby.
Max looked at me with curious eyes, asking me if I was at all interested with a series of deep stares. I could tell his desire to go was laced with ulterior motives, and not the good kind. He wanted to keep an eye on Greg, as did I.
Greg left the room, a noxious wave of cologne following him. “Come if you dare!” his voice trailed down the hall.
Wes:
I held Emily’s hand as we walked down the street, the thump of music guiding us in the right direction.
“Emily, I’ve never really done this before.”
“Done what?” She looked confused, but then understood as her eyes scanned mine. “You mean go to a party?” Emily squeezed my hand and giggled. “It’s not as reckless as it seems, Wes. More than anything, it’s just a bunch of students trying to get drunk or laid.”
I rolled my eyes. “That seems pretty reckless to me,” I murmured.
She continued, not noticing I’d said anything, but I knew better than to think she hadn’t heard. “It’s actually one of the best places to disappear, because in a crowd, it’s always easy to disappear.”
I raised my brows, sighing. “Sounds great.” I was less than excited, but it was Emily, meaning it was worth putting up with.
Emily smiled at me, pulling on my hand despite the obvious fact that I’d flooded my thoughts with disdain. We stopped on the sidewalk. Emily stood in front of me, lacing her hands under my arms and across my back. Her cheek rested against my chest. “Oh, Wes. Don’t tell me you’re nervous.” Her face was buried in the wool of my sweater, her auburn hair glittering under the streetlights.
“Emily,” I exhaled sharply and rolled my eyes, trying to squirm away from her.
She giggled, tickling my sides.
I laughed, grabbing her hands to stop her. “It’s not that I’m nervous, Em. I just don’t feel comfortable with my little issue, if you know what I mean. What if someone wants to pick a fight? They’ll be faced with an animal, maybe even that lion you’re so fond of.”
Emily giggled some more, but finally understood. “I see you’re side of it, I do. Just let me know if you start feeling that way, okay?” Her voice was comforting, and it was hard to see how I could ever let her down. She blinked, looking up at me as though I were her protector, her everything. I ran my hand through her hair, kissing her on the forehead. I shut my eyes, a flash of Jane’s face lighting up my mind. I shook the image away, but not fast enough.
Emily stepped away from me, dragging me forward with a glare on her face. Though my gut knew this was a bad idea, I followed. Whatever happened, I had Emily to help me through it. Emily, not Jane.
Emily smirk
ed.
Max:
“Why do you really want to go?” Jane eyed me from he passenger seat of my car.
I knew she was too smart to believe I wanted to go just to hang out. “I need to keep an eye on my brother. I don’t trust him.” I started the car.
“Why don’t you trust him?”
Jane’s curiosity toward him was a concern of mine. I knew the dream had thrown her off, but it wouldn’t happen again.
“Greg is someone that needs to be watched,” I replied plainly.
I saw her face turn to understanding. “I get that.” She laughed sarcastically. “Perhaps Emily will be there, and then we could both benefit from the night.”
I felt guilty for making her go, especially when I’d had a more meaningful night planned. “I know this isn’t really your thing. I’m sorry to drag you along.”
Jane was looking out the window as we reversed and turned around in the driveway. I saw her shrug from the corner of my eye. “I guess if you’re there, though, I can handle it.”
I grinned, wanting to feel my own body react to the happiness, but it only felt her. Jane’s attention remained on the world outside the window. I watched her, unconcerned with the road, not that it really mattered if I watched it. I didn’t have to. What was important was that she was beginning to like me.
“Max?” She finally made a move to look at me, so I quickly turned my gaze forward, pretending to be responsible.
“Yes, Beautiful?” I shifted in my seat, trying to look as though I hadn’t been staring at her.
She grinned. “Thanks for letting me meet your grandfather. It really means a lot to me. I don’t think you can understand just how much.”
I nodded. “I can understand.”
She exhaled with a smile. “Yeah, I suppose you do.” She sat up straight with a change of energy toward the coming situation. “Well, it’ll be an adventure at least. Don’t you think?” She changed the subject.
I laughed once. “Yeah, you’re right about that,” I agreed.
Emily:
I saw Alexis from across the room. Our eyes met and she gave me an excited wave. Her wave faded as her eyes wandered to Wes beside me, a noticeably confused look on her face. Wes tapped me on the arm, leaning close to my ear.
“I’m going to find the beer. Maybe it’ll help keep me calm.” He chuckled, nibbling my ear. “Do you want one?”
I nodded, not bothering to look at him as my eyes remained locked on Alexis, not wanting to lose her in the crowd. I made my way toward her, and Wes and I parted.
Alexis yelled over the music as I reached her, “Hey, Em. What are you doing with him?” She looked disgusted that I’d even talk to Wes. She knew he was a far cry from our regular type, but then again, she had no clue that my lack of chastity was a lie. Unfortunately hers wasn’t.
“Leave it alone, Alexis.” I hissed, hoping to sound mean enough that she’d drop the subject.
“Fine.” She glared at me, but brushed it off rather quickly. “So, I saw that new guy here.” She took a sip of what looked like a sugary malt beverage, but she’d taken the label off the bottle to avoid letting anyone find out she drank anything but beer and hard liquor.
I felt my stomach twist. I grabbed her. “Which new guy?” I searched her eyes, finding my answer.
Alexis looked at me slyly, withholding the information just to piss me off. Too bad it didn’t really work on a mind reader. “You know, the mysterious new boy.” She traced her tongue along the rim of her bottle.
I looked away, disgusted.
Alexis giggled, narrowing her eyes. “The dark one, of course. Who’d you think I meant? The poser brother, Max?” She laughed. “I mean, he’s cute, too, but I can tell he’s a goody-goody underneath it all. It’s the green-eyed one I’m interested in.” She pressed her chin into the air.
“Greg?” I gawked. “I don’t know,” I mumbled. A loud sigh passed my lips and I shook my head. “There’s something about him I’m not too sure about, Alexis.” I was trying to deter her attention away from Greg.
Alexis snorted. “You think he’s bad news? Since when do you care?” She sounded mad that I’d tried to warn her, but then again, she was always mad. Her weight shifted dramatically. “See, there he is.” She looked across the room from under her lashes, trying to look sultry.
I attempted to follow her gaze, shivering as I pictured his dark face from class. I didn’t want to be near him, knowing that I lacked control in his presence.
Greg spotted us, staring for a moment before approaching with a mischievous grin. Alexis adjusted her top suggestively. I was thankful that he was looking at her and not me, but as he got closer, his gaze suddenly locked with mine. Alexis’ elbow found its way into my side. I winced, but the pain didn’t matter. His glowing green gaze had already grabbed me.
Where was Wes? I felt my heart begin to race, the screams from Greg low, but still there. My skin was crawling from the noise, my body freezing as though suddenly made of stone.
“Hey, girls.” Greg nodded toward me. “Emily.” His voice snaked above the screams in his head.
I listened to them for a moment, trying to calm my own mind enough to hear what they said. I heard children’s voices, women and men. Some screamed for help, others screamed in plain agony.
I shook them away with a grimace. “Leave us alone.”
Alexis nudged me again. “Emily,” she hissed. “Don’t be so rude!”
Greg turned his attention back to Alexis. He blinked twice, and then smiled. “Do you want to dance, Alexis?”
I calculated his movements with meticulous attention. My head was screaming as the voices in his were. No, Alexis. Don’t! I wanted to say the words out loud, but my lips wouldn’t move.
Greg glared at me as he put his arm over her shoulder, walking her away from me. I was helpless to stop them, confused by what was happening. The screaming faded as they disappeared into the crowd, the music flooding back to my ears. My frozen skin began to melt and I felt a release in my chest. I inhaled, finding I’d forgotten to breath. I could move again, but all I could think of now was finding Wes.
Jane:
We walked up to the party. I was too distracted to care about advancing my relationship with Max at the moment, too worried about where I would find Emily, and with whom. At least this time, I had Max to help me.
I know I didn’t know Max all that well, but there was something that made me trust him, made me feel safe enough to tell him things I never told anyone. I wanted to tell him about my ability to foresee death, but there was always something stealing the moment away. At the same time, though, maybe I was too scared.
As Max and I entered, I scanned the room for Emily, but didn’t see her among the faces of my peers. The music pounded in my ears, leaving them ringing. Max put his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close to him and protecting me within a shell of his arms. People danced all around us, their arms flailing in their inebriated states. I didn’t care about any of them, instead shutting my eyes and breathing deep, Max’s musky scent tickling my senses.
He squeezed my arm to get my attention. “I’m going to try to find Greg,” he yelled.
His voice stung my ears, but I nodded in agreement.
Max left me standing in the middle of the room as everyone seemed to stare. They saw me as a threat, a party wrecker, and most of all, a complete loser. I licked my lips and dropped my gaze to the floor. I quickly worked my way through the crowd, trying my best to disappear to the side of the room. I was being thrashed around, the house filled to the brim with bodies, reeking of beer. The ground below me shook from the weight, covered in a thin sticky layer of—I didn’t even want to know. I began to wonder what parent would allow their kid to do this sort of thing, but most parents were oblivious, or at the very least, in denial.
I squeezed my way along the wall, moving toward an arch that led into an adjoining room. Reaching it, I slipped into what looked like the kitchen. I stood in the middle of the space,
finally finding some air. A kid from my English class walked in and went straight to the fridge. He grabbed the remnants of a six pack from the middle shelf and handed me one of the two that were left, not bothering to ask if I’d even wanted one. As though he was in a trance, he left the room, re-entering the dance party that was happening in the living room.
I stared at the beer for a moment, the chill of it comforting on my hot hand. The can began to perspire, and I found myself suddenly thirsty as the condensation began to drip to the ground. I popped the top, bringing it to my lips. The tart smell of barley filled my nostrils and I took a sip. I wrinkled my face in distaste as I swallowed. It was horrible, but the bubbles felt good on my dry throat. As I lowered the can from in front of my eyes, I saw Emily among the crowd in the living room. She was scanning the swarm with a look of fear on her face.
Finding a nearby table, I placed the beer down and brought my hands to my mouth. “Emily!” I tried to yell over the crowd. She didn’t seem to hear me, so I began to walk toward her, pressing through the swarm and slowly gaining ground. “Emily!” I yelled again. This time she heard me and her head snapped in my direction, her auburn hair flying about her shoulders. Her face was filled with relief as our gazes met.
“Jane!” She yelled back, waving. She ducked her head and began to make her way toward me. We met in the middle.
“Emily…” I was almost out of breath, my arms feeling taxed as though the sea of people were in fact the sea itself.
Emily grabbed my arm. “Jane, I need to find Wes.”
I furrowed my brow. “Wes is here?” A small part of me felt better knowing that he was.
Emily rolled her eyes, grabbing me as she pushed through the crowd, trying to get us back to the kitchen where it would be easier to talk. We finally made it to the room a moment later, my arm red where Emily was still grasping me.
