Burning Roses

by Amanda Perry

  Cassie loops her arm in mine, and we stroll to the car together. Jaxon and Caleb lag behind us, having stopped at the bathroom on the way out. “Did you have fun, Ri?”

  “It was amazing.” I sigh happily. “I would love to come back again one day.”

  “We can come anytime you want, kiddo,” Dad promises. “Now, who wants food?”

  We raise our hands at once, and Dad chuckles. “Let’s stop at the diner on the corner.”

  The whole way to the diner, I can’t keep the goofy grin off my face. This was one of the best experiences of my life. It made me forget all about the turmoil from yesterday. Eventually, we’ll need to talk about what happened, though, I think. No one brought up the subject while we were at the zoo, and for that, I’m grateful. We simply got to enjoy our time there without issue or stress.

  Chapter 5

  The drive to the diner goes quickly, and since it’s between lunch and dinner time, the restaurant is quiet. The waiter promptly seats us, taking our drink orders before disappearing and allowing us to search over the menu.

  “So, did you enjoy the zoo?” Jaxon asks, his gaze hopeful.

  “It was amazing,” I gush. “I’ve always wanted to go to the zoo, and after the day we had yesterday, that was the perfect way to relax and have fun. Thank you, Jaxon. It was really kind of you.”

  “Anytime, sis.” He grins, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

  “You’re all pink.” Cassie snickers and pokes his bright cheek as he glares her way, promising retribution.

  The waiter shows up, ending their playful moment. He hands out drinks, then takes our orders before rushing off again. While we wait, we chat about our favorite parts of the day.

  “The animal communication thing was strange,” I admit. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that.”

  “You will,” Leanne promises. “Eventually.”

  Caleb rubs my back. “This will all take time. It’s not something that’ll be normal to you overnight. There’s so much to learn still. We can’t and shouldn’t teach you all at once, either. We’ll try to focus on the most important and useful aspects first.”

  I nod, knowing he’s right. “It’s strange to basically understand a language I’ve never heard in my life. That’s the best way I can describe it, anyway.”

  “That’s exactly how we describe it to others without Earth affinities.” Jaxon quiets his tone as the waiter approaches with our food.

  His presence brings our conversation to an end, and we wait silently for him to pass out our meals. As soon as he finishes, I watch with amusement as Caleb, Jaxon, and Cassie inhale their food faster than ever. I silently question them. They avoid my gaze, and I’m not sure if it would be rude to bring it up.

  “We have to head to the store before we go back to the hotel, baby,” Caleb tells me as the three of them stand. “Stay here and eat, I’ll see you in an hour or so, okay?”

  He leaves before I can comprehend what’s happening. It confuses me the way the three of them run out of the diner without a real explanation. I know they’re not about to go do anything bad, but the way they didn’t explain it more feels off.

  “Was that odd to you guys?” I look at Dad and Leanne.

  “Nope,” they say in unison.

  Their answer doesn’t make the situation any less strange, but I let it go and finish my food. Dad and Leanne order dessert, but I decide against it. The burger and fries I ordered filled me up enough.

  “Actually, we wanted to talk to you, kiddo,” Dad tells me between bites. He glances at Leanne briefly and she nods.

  Nerves flare in my chest. “Did I do something wrong?”

  Leanne pats my hand and smiles reassuringly. “No, we just need to talk to you about school.”

  “We know you had a hard year, but we need to get you finished with school.” Dad’s tone leaves no room for argument, but there’s a problem with their plan.

  “But, actually, I don’t—” I start, but they interrupt me.

  “Kiddo, I know you don’t want to go, but it’s important.” Dad’s tone becomes harder. “You can’t just drop out of high school. We let you have as much time to adjust as possible, but you can’t put it off forever.”

  “But I don’t—” I try again.

  “Honey, we get it,” Leanne interrupts me this time. “You can’t just stop going to school, though. We’re very strict about that. We don’t know how you did in school before, but we expect you to get As and Bs. We’ll help you if needed. You probably need to catch up quite a bit, but we will help you out, maybe we can even hire a tutor.”

  I grow frustrated with them. They won’t let me get a word in edgewise, and it reminds me of my old home. My thoughts and opinions didn’t matter to anyone. Weren’t they just told they should listen to me? “I’m not—”

  “Riley,” Dad barks, frustrated and a bit angry. “You are going to school, and that’s final. We’ll enroll you when we get back. School starts in about a week. That gives you plenty of time to get ready. Do I make myself clear?”

  My dad has never been upset with me before, and my heart aches. His words ring through my mind over and over, “Do I make myself clear?” My father’s voice morphs into one I’ve tried my best to forget.

  “You don’t have friends, you little shit. You will never have friends. Do I make myself clear?”

  “If you ever try to steal food again, it’ll be the last thing you do. Do I make myself clear?”

  “I don’t give a fuck if you can’t help the nightmares. If your screaming wakes us again, I’ll give you something to scream about. Do I make myself clear?”

  When Samael said those words, I knew what he wanted to hear, and I knew to say it, then shut up and try to make myself invisible. My father must be truly mad to say the same thing. Hopefully, he only wants to hear the same words Samael did, then he’ll leave me be.

  My head drops forward, and I clasp my hands in my lap. “Y-y-yes, sir,” I whisper.

  I don’t want him to take his sudden anger out on me, and I’ll do whatever I can to keep that from happening. It makes me wonder if he’s more upset about the school conversation or about the meeting with the gods and goddesses from last night. He may blame me for the trouble they all got into. Technically, the gods and goddesses never would have scolded them if not for me.

  “Riley?” Leanne sounds confused, but I’m not sure why, unless my response to my father was wrong.

  I swallow hard, holding my hands tightly in hopes of hiding the shaking. “Yes, m-m-ma’am?” I keep eyes down. I don’t want her mad either.

  “Hey, Riley,” my dad whispers, leaning across the table and extending his hand toward me. I flinch back and squeeze my eye closed, hoping he doesn’t hit hard. Samael never hit me in public—he’d never allow witnesses.

  Nothing happens, though, so I open my eyes again and wait.

  I hear my dad let out a loud sigh. “Let’s go.”

  He quickly pays for lunch and leads the way to the car. I silently follow and get in, wondering if he’s waiting for us to get back to the hotel before he lets loose. The silence on the way back is heavy and oppressive. My mind wanders to what I could have possibly done to set my father off. The only thing that comes to mind is the events of yesterday and last night. Maybe he and Leanne were simply waiting until we were alone to release their anger over what had happened. It could be the reason Caleb, Jaxon, and Cassie took off so fast. Dad may have told them to leave the three of us alone for a while, so he and Leanne could deal with me.

  The ride to the hotel drags on, but I don’t mind. I wish it would last longer, so I can avoid whatever waits. All too soon I find myself in Dad and Leanne’s suite, though. Leanne murmurs for me to sit on the couch, and I do so without a word. My eyes track the pattern of the floor, wondering if the staff will question the red stains on the light beige carpeting. From experience, I know there are plenty of ways to get blood out of carpet. I wonder if I should try it before we leave or if I’ll e
ven be able to.

  While I wait for them, Dad and Leanne go to their room. I hear them whispering, but I can’t understand what’s being said. They remain in their room for a while, and eventually, I hear the front door open. I don’t dare look up at who came in. Dad and Leanne obviously haven’t decided on my punishment yet, and if I anger them more, it’ll only be worse.

  “Lucy! I’m home!” Cassie calls, walking up to me and standing in front of me. “Lucy? Are you sleeping?”

  I hesitate, wondering if I should answer her. In the end, I decide ignoring her would be worse and shake my head slightly to show I’m awake.

  “Baby girl?” Caleb calls, full of anxiety.

  “Riley’s upset,” Dad explains, coming back into the living room with Leanne. “We had the talk about school with her, and she got very upset with us. She won’t talk to us or look at us now.”

  Jaxon sighs in frustration. “Sis, you have to go to school. It isn’t an option.”

  “Baby, I’m sorry, but they’re right.” Caleb effectively kicks me in the stomach with his words. He sided with them, without question. “School is too important. Getting upset with them won’t help the situation.”

  “Y-y-yes, sir,” I whisper, making sure to acknowledge him, so he doesn’t grow angry with me, too. The last thing I want to do is make the situation worse. Just acknowledge them and try to become invisible. I repeat the mantra over and over in my mind, a calming technique I used when I was in trouble with my mother and Samael.

  “Riley, stop acting like a bratty kid. It’s not okay,” Jaxon scolds sharply.

  I don’t mean to, but I flinch at his words. I don’t know what behavior he considers childish, so I’m not sure how to stop.

  “I’m s-s-sorry,” I stutter, trying to figure out what they want from me. The fear causes my body to shake harder, and I can no longer control it. I told them I would go to school. What more do they want from me?

  “We should all take a breather,” Leanne suggests finally. “Let’s talk about this later.”

  No one gives me permission to move from the couch, so I remain seated.

  “Baby, do you want to go rest in our room?” Caleb’s question takes me by surprise.

  If I say yes, I’m doing so without permission. Part of me wants to go with him and forget the last few hours ever happened. Really, I wish I could simply be alone for a while. When I do the wrong thing and get in trouble, I’m used to being left alone afterward. I’ve never been asked what I want before, and I don’t know what to do.

  “Riley?” Caleb waits for an answer I don’t have.

  Even with my eyes on the ground, I can feel everyone watching me, waiting for me to respond. My chest tightens and breathing becomes difficult. My mind works overtime in an attempt to come up with some kind of answer. My fight or flight instincts kick in, and though I know running will only lead to more problems, I can’t stop myself from jumping to my feet and rushing for the door. My movements are too fast for anyone to react before I manage to pull the door open and race down the hall. I hear multiple voices shouting for me to stop, but the shouts only spur me on, my feet pounding faster down the hallway.

  The door to the stairway resides next to the elevators at the end of the hall and around the corner. I manage to turn the corner before anyone comes close to catching up with me. I press the button for the elevator, and the door to one of them opens immediately. I reach in, pressing all the buttons. I don’t get on, though. Instead, I push open the door to the stairs as quickly as possible. The elevator door closes at the same time as the stairway door. I press my back against the wall and hold my breath. I listen silently as everyone runs up to the elevators, shouting for me to stop. From my position in the stairwell, I can see them, but they can’t see me.

  “She’s stopping at every floor!” Caleb presses the button to the elevator over and over. “We need to split up to find her. Jaxon, go all the way up. Leanne, check the room she and I are in. Mark, go to the lobby. Cassie, search the other floors. I’ll check the front of the hotel and make sure she doesn’t go outside.”

  The building shakes, and to anyone else, it would seem like a small earthquake. I know it’s because of my fear, though. I feel my connection to the Earth surge forth. The fear of what may happen if they find me causes me to lose my control over it, and the Earth shakes the building.

  “Maybe we should let her calm down,” Cassie suggests, glancing around at the shaking building. “She seems really upset.”

  “You want her to go fuck knows where, without anyone knowing where she went, with no way to contact her? All while Samael is after her?” Caleb asks incredulously.

  “No, we’ll find her, and we’ll bring her back here,” Dad growls as he hops onto the open elevator. “Go with Caleb’s plan, now.”

  My father, Leanne, and Caleb take the same elevator down while Jaxon hops on his own to go up. Cassie remains behind, stepping to the side and out of my line of sight. I don’t dare lean around to try to find her for fear of getting caught. Instead, I focus on pulling in steady, deep breaths to calm my racing heart.

  Just when my heart rate slows, and the Earth stops shaking, the door to the stairwell swings open. I gasp in surprise and turn to run. Cassie grabs my arm and pulls me to a stop before I can make it more than two steps.

  “Riley, stop,” Cassie demands softly when I cry out and try to duck away from her. She uses her light grip on my arm to pull me closer, enveloping me in a hug. “Calm down, please. Everything’s going to be okay. Just breathe.”

  For a few long minutes, I stand stunned while she continues to hug and promise me everything will be all right. Finally, I can’t hold onto my emotions any longer, and they pour out like a flood. I wrap my arms around her and hug her back, sobbing into her shoulder.

  I try to tell her through my tears that I didn’t mean to do anything wrong, but my voice shakes. I stutter too much for the words to come out correctly. “I-I-I’m s-s-sorry.” My stutter mainly stems from not knowing what to say and the fear of saying the wrong thing, but crying makes it worse. I only hope she understands me.

  “Come on, Ri.” Cassie pulls back from the hug and takes my hand in hers. “We’re going somewhere to talk. Leanne’s checking your room, so let’s go to mine.”

  She doesn’t wait for me to agree; she simply pulls me along with her, out of the stairwell and into the elevator. We ride in silence to her floor, then make our way to the room she and Jaxon share. She flips the top lock, ensuring no one can enter even with a key. Before saying a word, she grabs two waters from the mini fridge and gestures for me to sit on the freshly made bed with her.

  She sits next to me and hands me one water. “Okay, explain.”

  I blink at her in confusion, unsure what she wants. She doesn’t yell, her hands aren’t balled into fists, and her tone is calm and even. I don’t understand what’s happening, and she picks up on it.

  “What happened when Jaxon, Caleb, and I left the diner? Don’t leave any details out,” she urges.

  I repeat to her what my father and Leanne told me at lunch. It takes a while because as hard as I try to simply speak to Cassie, I can’t stop the fear of what might happen if my dad and Leanne don’t want me to repeat the conversation. My voice shakes, and my words come out muddled. Finally, I’m able to get the whole story out, and Cassie waits silently for more.

  “What did you say to them?” she finally asks when she realizes I have nothing else to offer.

  I shake my head, silently telling her I didn’t say anything to them.

  “Did you reply at all?” She frowns deeply. “Did they ask you to explain?”

  Again, I shake my head. “I t-t-tried. They d-d-didn’t w-w-want to h-h-hear it.”

  “So, you were trying to tell them you don’t want to go to school, and they wouldn’t listen? Is that what has you upset?” she asks.

  “N-n-no, I don’t m-m-mind school,” I mutter, then give myself a heavy shake, hoping it eases my stutter. “I graduat
ed a y-y-year early, though. I a-a-already have my d-d-diploma.”

  For a moment, she sits motionless and silent, then grits out, “Is that what you were trying to tell Mark and Leanne?”

  I simply nod, exhausted from the whole ordeal. The day started out wonderfully, but I ruined it by upsetting everyone, again.

  “Unbelievable!” She stands and paces around the room.

  Her abruptness startles me, and I jump back on the bed.

  She notices the move and pauses her pacing to study me. “You’re afraid of them, aren’t you?”

  There’s no way to deny her question. I’m terrified of what my father will do when he finds me. Caleb and Jaxon weren’t happy, either. Even Leanne appeared upset with me. There’s no telling what they might decide to do. My father made himself clear, and I still managed to make a mess of the situation.

  You are going to school, that’s final. Do I make myself clear?

  He’ll be murderous when he finds me again. That’s how Samael always was. It’s the reason running was a bad idea. If I simply stayed and dealt with his wrath, it wouldn’t be nearly as terrible as when I would try to run. Somehow, he always found me, no matter where I went or how much I tried to keep myself hidden.

  I’ll always find you, sugar. Do I make myself clear?

  My vision blurs as more tears fall. “I-I-I’m s-s-sorry,” I whisper aloud, unsure if I mean it for Cassie, my father, or Samael. Maybe, it’s for all three.

  Cassie sits back down on the bed and wraps one arm around me. As she does, she uses her other hand to pull her phone out of her pocket and press a few buttons. She hits the call button, then speaker, and the phone rings twice.

  “Did you find her, sweetheart?” Jaxon sounds out of breath.

  “Where are you?” Cassie asks. Her tone remains neutral, but her eyes shoot daggers at the phone.

  “I checked the top floors, and she’s not there. Mom and I just met with Dad and Caleb downstairs.”

  “Good.” Cassie still glares at the phone. “Put me on speaker.”