“Oh, that’s what this is about?” Tristan smiled, taking a sip from his bottle. It was as if that tidbit of information wasn’t the most embarrassing thing ever for me. “This is actually kind of lovely. It’s been a long time since she last blushed like that because of me . . . But you don’t need to hide that, Joey. I’ve got the hots for you, too. Always have, always will.” And he shot me a charming wink, which only made my blooming face even redder.
“What always will?” Josh asked, directing the attention of the whole room towards us. I felt like I was on the verge of passing out from embarrassment right there.
Harry jumped up from his seat, ready to spill the beans, when Tristan interrupted him. “It’s nothing. We were just saying I’m taking Joey back to our cabin so she can rest now. It’s almost dark and we’ve forced her memory far too much for one day as it is. I’m sure tomorrow she’ll wake up with a refreshed head on her shoulders, right?” he proposed, politely extending his hand towards me.
I took it and we stood up. Tristan squeezed my hand reassuringly. After we had said our goodbyes to the boys, he pulled me to the door. I could barely look Harry in the eye when I said goodbye. I knew he was going to tell everyone about my ridiculous crush after we’d left.
“Joey, wait up!” Harry called out, following us outside. I turned round and looked at my feet, feeling dejected as they’d all be making fun of me soon enough.
Harry closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me, giving me a tight hug. “I’m sorry I laughed so much back there. I wasn’t laughing at you, I was just laughing at the situation. It’s pretty surreal. I would never make fun of you. I won’t tell anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about. I promise.”
“Really?” I asked quietly.
“Of course. You may not remember now, but I’m your best friend in the whole wide world!”
“You are?” I asked, surprised, and looked into his eyes. They sparkled the most intense green with complete honesty.
“Yep,” he said, popping the “p”. “I’ve got your back, Jo-Jo. We all do, actually. You don’t need to be ashamed around any of us, ever. We are your friends. What would we do without you?” He gave me another hug. It made me feel all fuzzy and warm inside, as if it had magical powers of some kind.
“Thanks, Harry Bear,” I murmured in his ear. A thread of flickering images flooded into my head then. Harry running through the school’s hallway laughing, his spiked red hair bouncing all over the place; Harry holding me in his arms because I was feeling upset; us all piling on top of him in the practice room while he screamed and laughed; him crying beside me while I was in a hospital bed; dancing with me in a small Italian plaza, a sparkling ocean in the background, as bright and intense as his beautiful emerald eyes.
He stepped back, eyebrows arched in surprise. “You remembered my nickname!” he gasped with a happy smile.
“Yeah . . . it kinda popped into my head,” I murmured, slightly dizzy from the rush of memories, but I didn’t say anything more. Tristan was right behind me and he might feel hurt or offended that I had remembered Harry’s nickname before his.
“Come on. Let’s get you inside,” Tristan urged, holding me by the waist again as he noticed my dizziness. “We’ll meet up for breakfast tomorrow, okay, Harry?”
“I hear you, Captain! See ya tomorrow, then.” He saluted, beaming broadly as he waved us goodbye.
Chapter Sixteen
Fired Up
“WELL, WHAT DO we do now?” I asked, fidgeting on the couch.
I had insisted on making a call to my mother, so I could confirm this whole story about the best part of four years of my life being blanked from my head, and after a few confused replies from her, everything was duly verified. Tristan talked to her afterwards, reassuring her everything was fine and that he was taking good care of me, as always.
“What do you mean?” Tristan looked curiously at me, leaning against the kitchen doorframe, legs crossed at the ankles in a laidback stance.
The truth was that I didn’t feel prepared to be with Tristan in a private place like we were right now. I didn’t know how to act or how to hide the massive blushes I knew were about to bloom red all over my embarrassed face. It was only a matter of time before it happened, and I was desperately trying to find something, anything, to do that would take my mind off the fact that a gorgeous man was standing only a few feet away, looking as enticing and alluring as a man could look.
“I mean, w-we should be doing something . . .” I tried to explain, but the words failed me.
He raised a pleased eyebrow, a tiny smirk playing at the corners of his incredibly tasty-looking lips. “Should we, now?” he mused, suggestively.
“Oh! N-no! That’s n-not what I meant.” Curses. I could feel the heat creeping up to my ears already. “What I meant was that we should try to find a way to get my memory back, you know, like, like . . .” I stalled in panic, trying to find any distraction from what he was insinuating, even though he was only taking his cue from me and my big stupid mouth. “Like, hmm, that guy that showed up before lunch – Blaine, wasn’t it? He said he had things we needed to talk about. What if he’s discovered something? We could see what he has to say, right?” I suggested, gulping dry.
Tristan’s amusement quickly switched to worry. “Well, we are kind of stuck. I thought you would get your memories back after your nap, but you woke up and things are still the same. Maybe Simon does have something to say about this . . .” he said pensively. “But I don’t know, Joey. It’ll be dark pretty soon. I don’t want us roaming around after sunset. It could be dangerous.”
“The sun hasn’t even set yet. Come on, there’s plenty of time for us to go ask him before it gets dark.”
He sucked his teeth and stood thinking quietly for a moment. When we heard a knocking, he glanced at the front door and then back at me. “It’s probably Harry wanting to apologize again. He doesn’t like it when you’re mad at him . . .” He went to open the door.
“Oh, hello, there!” a girl’s syrupy voice greeted at the other side. “I didn’t know Joe had company. And, oh my, what company it is,” the girl purred seductively, making me rise from the couch pretty fast to check out the owner of the voice. “I’m Alicia Collins, by the way. It is so very nice to meet you . . .”
“Hello, Miss Collins. I’m Joey’s husband, Tristan. Nice meeting you, too,” he replied politely, but I noticed the assertive way he pronounced the word “husband”, making it very clear that he was a taken man. Brownie points to him for that, I thought to myself. It was good to know I hadn’t married a womanizer. A guy that gorgeous should by rights be all kinds of trouble for a wife to keep track of.
“Oh, is that you in there, Joe?” she asked, pushing past Tristan and already walking inside. “I thought I saw you. How are you? Are you still having trouble remembering things, darling?” she asked me in the same over-sweetened tone.
“Huh, y-yeah, sort of,” I responded. “I’m sorry if we’ve met before, but – who are you?”
She clasped a hand over her heart, giving me a look filled with pity. “Oh, gosh, that’s so sad! You really don’t remember me at all?” Her face portrayed the epitome of good-heartedness, but her eyes twinkled with an evil glint, betraying her real intentions. I may not have remembered her, but I knew she was up to no good.
“Her memory isn’t quite back yet, but she’s getting there,” Tristan intervened, closing the door. “She mentioned what happened between you two yesterday morning, Miss Collins. Before she lost her memory, of course.”
Alicia seemed to falter for a moment, but recovered fast, quickly pasting on a fake smile. “Oh, that? That was such a silly argument!” she cooed, wrapping an arm around my shoulder to show Tristan how friendly she was. “It was just a big misunderstanding. We’ve put all that behind us. We’re friends now, Joe and I. She’ll tell you all about it when her memory recovers. In fact, I was so worried about her that I had to come up to see how she was doing. I
felt so frightened when I found her collapsed at the bottom of the steps. Boy, what a scare! I start shaking just thinking about it. Look!” She showed us her trembling hands.
“Well, thanks for your concern, Miss Collins, but Joey’s fine now.”
“I’m so glad to hear that! I was so worried, you know.”
“She so wasn’t,” I muttered, so low only Tristan could hear.
“Miss Collins, can you please tell us why you’re really here?” Tristan asked, his patience finally starting to wear thin. Her concerned act didn’t seem to be fooling him, the same way it wasn’t fooling me.
“W-what?” she stammered, feigning bafflement.
“What do you want? Why have you really come here?”
She flicked her gaze from me to him a couple of times before finally giving up on her charade. “Fine. I came here to see for myself if she really can’t remember anything.”
“Why do you want to know?” I asked, curiously.
“Because I think you’re faking it!”
“Why would I fake this? What could I possibly gain from faking this?”
“Because you’re trying to put the blame on me, that’s why!” she snapped. “Celeste came to interrogate me, as if I was some petty criminal. Me! The insult!” she scoffed. “She’s been asking all kinds of suspicious questions all day about what I’ve been doing – when, where, with whom. I didn’t understand it at first, but then I got it. She was trying to find out if I was the one behind the wolf attack, whatever happened at the lake and now your blackout! She thinks I did all those things. Me!”
“Why would she think that?” I asked, confused.
She gave me a long, hard stare, her lips pursed. “Oh, you’re good. I can almost believe you really don’t remember anything.”
“I don’t!” I snapped, feeling just as irritated as she looked.
“Right. Fine, whatever. I’ll play along. Celeste thinks I’m doing this to get back at you because of that stupid little scene in the meeting hall. Like I care about that.”
“It was a pretty good burn she gave you,” Tristan pointed out. “You might be wanting revenge now.”
“Oh, please. So what, she pranked me. That potion was crap, anyway. It had no effect. It can hardly count as a burn if it didn’t even work,” she grumbled, picking at her nails distractedly. “Serves me right for buying things from filthy gypsies. Everybody knows they only cheat and steal, the bastards. I’ll bet that crystal pendant is crap, too. I can’t wait to graduate. Then I’ll learn how to make spells myself and won’t need to beg other witches for things, or buy from them tramps.”
“So, you’re really not trying to get back at Joey?” he asked cautiously.
“No! How many times do I have to spell it out for you people?” She rubbed her temples, looking annoyed. “And now Luna thinks I’m trying to get back at Joe out of envy, too. So what that she was the only one who didn’t fall for the prank at the lake? Big whoop dee doo. I’m not going to fake wolf sounds in the middle of the woods just because of that. I’ve got more important things to do with my life, you know? And how could I possibly be behind that thing at the lake? Tell me that! I don’t even know what happened there. No one is telling us anything!” she wailed in protest.
“Look, I’m not taking the blame for all this stuff, you hear?” she continued when Tristan and I said nothing but continued to regard her suspiciously. “You wanna know what I think is really going on? I think this amnesia story is bull. As soon as people started asking too many questions – bam! – she can’t remember anything. How very convenient. I think you’re the one behind all these creepy attacks, Joe Gray. You’re doing it all and now you’re trying to put the blame on me. Well, think again, sister. I’m not taking the fall for you. Nuh-uh.”
“Hey! I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t remember any of those crazy things you said are happening! This is nuts. I would never attack people. I would never hurt anyone!” I snapped, my temper rising from all the accusations.
“Miss Collins, you have my word on this: Joey is not responsible for any of those attacks. We want to find out who’s behind this, too. I swear to you,” Tristan said.
She watched him in silence for a moment and then let out a deep sigh of resignation. “Okay. I believe you. I swear I’m not behind any of it, either.” She uncrossed her arms and stopped pouting childishly. “Can you please ask Miss Harker to lay off me? I can’t take her long-suffering interrogations any more.”
“I can try,” Tristan said, in an attempt to appease her temper. “But we can’t really tell Celeste what to do. I promise I’ll ask her, though.”
“Thanks. That’d be marvelous. Say, can I get a glass of water, Joe? The hike up the hill and all this talk has left me parched,” she said, her attitude changing abruptly; her mood had gone from sour to sweet again in the blink of an eye.
“O-okay,” I muttered, giving Tristan a quizzical look as if to say, What the hell was that about? – to which he responded with a puzzled shrug. I went into the kitchen to get her a drink.
“So, you two are really in a band?” I heard her ask Tristan.
“Yes, we are.”
“That must be so exciting!” she exclaimed. “My little sister is a big fan of yours.”
I grabbed a glass from inside the cabinet and when I turned round again, I could see her leaning too close for comfort towards Tristan.
“I haven’t met the other members of your band, but I have to confess, Tristan, you are already my favorite!” She giggled – flirting shamelessly – and pressed a hand lightly against his chest.
I frowned and balled my hands into fists. Had that girl no shame, trying to seduce a married man? He’d just told her he was my husband! The nerve of the girl!
And then images started to flash in my head: A red-haired woman in a tight red dress pressing herself up against Tristan in a narrow hotel corridor. She was a breath away from kissing him. Glass shattering everywhere, the tinkling, crackling noise filling my ears along with sinister, angry whispers and loud rattling chains. I remember the anger: fiery, searing anger taking over my whole mind.
Heat rushed through my veins. The room suddenly felt stuffy and too hot. When I glanced down, I realized the heat was emanating from my very own hands.
My hands were actually sprouting real, burning flames!
“Oh, God!” I gasped when the fire licked at the towel hanging off the bar close to me. I waved my arms, trying to put the fire out, but that only made it spread faster. I looked around frantically, grabbing at the burning towel, tossing it into the sink and turning on the tap in panic.
Tristan had noticed that something strange was happening before Alicia had figured out what was going on. He must have seen the smoke coming out of the sink, and his eyes widened in realization. I thought he was about to cry out, and draw attention to what I was doing, but he grabbed Alicia’s arms and turned her around so she had her back to the kitchen – and to me.
“As I was saying, Miss Collins, thank you very much for being honest about the reason for your visit, but I think it’s time you got going . . .” He kept taking surreptitious peeks over her shoulder while he spoke.
I watched in relief as the flames on my hands and the towel extinguished under the cold water. “What’s that smell?” Alicia asked, wrinkling her nose and sniffing the air.
“What smell? I don’t smell anything,” Tristan lied, but Alicia wriggled out of his hold and came towards me in the kitchen.
“Oh, it’s the cookies, that we were, erm . . . baking, honey,” I improvised. “I’m afraid I forgot about them. They’re all burned, sorry.” I gave Tristan a weak smile and turned off the tap, stepping away from the sink as fast as I could.
“It’s okay. Baking is not for everyone,” he said nervously. I could hear the relief in his voice as he forced a playful laugh.
“Oh, I know how to make the most delicious chocolate chip cookies ever,” Alicia chipped in, clearly trying to impress him.
>
“I’m sure you do, Miss Collins, but again, if you wouldn’t mind, it’s really time for you to leave.” He pushed her gently towards the front door.
She made a Eureka! face then, suddenly remembering she had one more card up her sleazy sleeve. “Oh, I can’t believe this, I’m such a silly airhead! I can’t walk back to my cabin alone, not with all these dangerous creatures attacking the camp! If it’s really not Joe doing this, then it’s very dangerous for me out there. What am I going to do?” Her lips trembled, as if she was ready to cry.
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll manage to get back in one piece. Nothing happened on the way here, and I’m positive nothing will on the way back,” I countered swiftly.
“I can’t keep counting on sheer luck all the time, Joey!” she admonished. “What if my luck runs out? Would you be so kind as to accompany me, Tristan? If I had a strong, valiant man like you by my side, I wouldn’t be so scared.”
Tristan hesitated, looking conflicted and unsure what to do, but then he sighed and nodded in agreement. “Of course, I can’t let you walk back alone.”
Alicia gave a victorious smile, her eyes glinting with a predatory glow.
“Okay. Can you excuse us for just one sec?” I said, grabbing Tristan by the arm and pulling him to the bedroom, where we could whisper in privacy. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? I’m not letting you go with her!” I said, crossing my arms stubbornly. “I may not remember that you’re my husband right now, but the fact remains that you are, so you can’t go.”
“Joey—” he began to argue, but I cut in.
“She’s not even scared! I can see it in her eyes. She just wants you alone so she can make a move on you.”
He tried to swipe the pleased, amused grin from his face, but made a half-assed job out of it, the cheeky smirk still there. “Joey, sweetheart, it makes me very happy to know that even with your amnesia, you still care, but if you could remember things properly right now, you’d also know I was brought up to always do the right thing. I can’t let that girl go back all by herself. It really is dangerous outside: something might happen to her, and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself, knowing that I could have prevented it. I know you would feel guilty too if something were to happen. Wouldn’t you?” he reasoned.
Lost and Found Page 12
