“Oh, my,” I said.
“Yeah,” he agreed.
We both laughed shakily.
“Okay, then,” I said, suddenly shy again. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?” I started trying to untwine my arms; somehow they’d ended up wound around his neck.
“Sure,” he said, trying to move me back to my seat. We both moved at the same time, and bumped foreheads.
“Ow!” we said at the same time. And then we were laughing hysterically. Mason opened the door on his side and tumbled out onto the ground, somehow landing on his feet. He pulled me out after him. I scrabbled for my backpack, and managed to snag it just before he caught me and set me on my feet. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. I hoped I wasn’t getting a bump.
“There,” he said, glancing at the house again. “That ought to just about do it.”
“See you tomorrow,” I said again. He smiled, and waited until I’d gotten into the house to jump back in the pickup and start it up.
I heard Kayla’s door slam as I moved into the living room.
Mission accomplished.
Phase One complete. Step-sister now a confirmed enemy. Not that there had been any hope that Kayla and I might ever get along.
I heaved a sigh and went to my own room, shutting the door quietly behind me. And I did not drift off to sleep that night remembering Mason’s kiss. Nope. Not me.
* * *
Phase Two began in English class the next day. Josh and I got there a little early, and made sure we were deep in whispered conversation when Ally arrived. She slid into her seat just as Josh said casually, “So I’ll pick you up at eight-thirty?”
I smiled hugely and said, “I can’t wait.” Josh looked smug.
We passed notes back and forth all class period. They didn’t say anything, really; they were just designed to keep Ally’s attention on us.
And it worked. She followed us out of class, and waited for roughly half a second after Josh squeezed my hand and, with a slightly goofy smile, headed off to his next class.
“Hey!” Ally said. “So you two got it worked out?”
“I think so,” I said.
“What about Mason?”
I didn’t have to fake the blush that came to my cheeks.
“Whoa! Laney! What’s up, girlfriend?”
I shook my head. “Nothing, Ally.” I didn’t sound convincing, even to myself.
And Kayla came through beautifully, too. By lunch, Ally had heard all about the steamy session in Mason’s truck when he’d dropped me off at home the day before. She was in the middle of recounting it to the rest of our lunch table when I got there from the gym. Her back was to me, so she didn’t see me approaching.
“And in English, she set up a date with Josh!” she said in the almost-whisper of the true gossip hound.
Everyone else turned guilty eyes toward me. Ally swiveled around slowly. “Oh, hi, Laney!” she said too brightly.
“Hi, yourself,” I said in my driest tone.
“Come sit over here,” Sarah said, indicating a seat next to her. Natalie sniffed and turned toward Scott so that her back was to me and Sarah.
“So,” Ally continued in that same overly friendly tone, “what are you and Josh doing tonight?”
“Going to a movie, I think,” I said, glad that Ally had given me the opening I needed. “He’s picking me up at eight-thirty, and I think we’re going to go to the nine o’clock show.”
“Really?” Ally said. “Because Andrew and Scott and Natalie and I were thinking about going to the movies tonight, too!”
Yeah. Right.
“Well, maybe we’ll see you there,” I said.
“What are you going to see?” she asked.
I told her. Bait taken. Phase Two complete.
Mason was waiting for me inside the yearbook room, which was buzzing with conversation when I got there. The conversation died as soon as I stepped into the room.
“Ready?” I asked him, ignoring Kayla’s snarl.
“We’re out of here, Mr. C,” he called. Carlson waved his pen at us without looking up.
“Sounds like we’re on track,” I said, once we were in the parking lot.
“Yep,” Mason grinned. “It’s amazing how many people wanted to help me out today by letting me know that you and Josh had a date tonight.”
“What did you say when they told you?”
He opened his hands in front of him, then let them fall. “Different things. Same meanings, though. It’s a free country; you can go out with anyone you want to. None of my business. You and I are purely casual.”
The lead weight was back in my stomach. “It’s really pretty amazing to me how many people are willing to think the worst of me.”
“It’s a small town, Laney. Not much to do but gossip. Don’t let it get to you.”
“I know. It’s just . . .”
“Just what?”
“I know it’s going to get worse before it gets better, and I’m only a sophomore. I’ve got three more years here.”
He opened the door to his truck and handed me in, then went around to the other side and climbed in before he answered. “I know it’s hard, Laney.” His voice lowered. “Believe me, I really do understand. But it’s this or . . . well, you know what the ‘or’ is—something much, much worse for you and everyone else.”
“So I’m the sacrifice for the rest of humanity,” I said bitterly.
“Not all of you,” Mason said with a sudden grin. “Just your reputation.”
“Fan-frickin’-tastic,” I muttered.
He smiled more gently and reached out to squeeze my hand. “It’ll be okay. Josh and I are watching out for you. You’re in good hands.”
Yes, yes I am, I thought. And that was part of the problem.
* * *
Phase Three started at the movie theater. Josh had picked me up at eight-thirty, and we drove to the small four-screen Cineplex. We bought our tickets to the latest action thriller and then hung out in the lobby, ostensibly—and ostentatiously—buying popcorn and candy and even stopping to play a video game.
“Finally,” Josh muttered under his breath as he purposely let his game character die. “The rest of the crew is here.” Natalie and Scott came in holding hands while Sarah and Ally followed, both looking around the lobby for us. Josh took my hand and led me down the hallway.
We made our way into the theater and sat down about half-way up from the screen. “How much do you want to bet that they sit behind us so they can watch us?” Josh whispered.
I shook my head. “No way I’m taking that bet.”
He was right, of course.
We waited until ten minutes into the movie. Then Josh leaned over to me and whispered into my ear. “Ready for this?”
I took a deep breath and nodded. In the reflected light of the screen, I saw his lips curve into a smile. The light blended into his eyes, the colors a perfect match. Casually, he slipped his arm around my shoulder and tucked me in close to him. I leaned my head on his shoulder. He turned his head and buried his nose in my hair.
“I can’t risk a glamour with you,” he whispered almost noiselessly. “We can’t risk glowing.”
I wondered how much Mason had told him about our kisses.
I tilted my head just the barest fraction of an inch to let him know I’d heard. He reached across with his other hand and tilted my face toward his. He stared into my eyes for a long moment, then bent down to kiss me. I realized with part of my mind that he had waited for a big, bright explosion—the better to backlight you, my dear. But the rest of my mind was completely focused on the kiss.
When he pulled away, he glanced down at me and cursed softly. Not, I thought, the kindest response possible. But then I looked at my arm, and cursed too.
I was glowing. Barely, almost imperceptibly, but glowing nonetheless.
I pulled him back down to me. “I thought you said no glamour,” I hissed against his lips.
“It’s not me,” he mu
rmured. “I swear.”
The light from the screen dimmed for a moment. “We’ve got to get out of here,” I said, panicked that someone might see me shining in the darkness.
“Let’s go.” He pulled me from my seat, and we made our way swiftly to the exit that led directly outside—down by the screen, so no one could miss our going.
Back at his car, the silver sheen to my skin faded away as we watched the Cineplex for our followers. We sat close together, arms wrapped around each other. “Just to keep it realistic,” Josh said with a grin.
Sarah and Ally emerged a few moments later from the same exit we had used.
“Okay,” Josh said. “We’re on.” He pulled away from me and started the car, making sure Ally and Sarah had plenty of time to see us.
We left the theater parking lot and headed to the outskirts of town.
“So where are we going?” I asked. “Local make-out spot?”
He laughed aloud. “No. We don’t have one of those. We’ll just have to find an opportune place.”
“I thought all small towns had, like, a Lovers’ Lane, or something.”
“Not Fairy.”
“No. You just have demons.” I stared out the window, watching the headlights of Ally’s car as she dropped back to follow us from what I assumed she imagined was a safe distance. “I think I might prefer the make-out spot.”
Josh glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “How about both?” he suggested, wheeling into a darkened self-storage facility and parking the car between two rows of long, metal buildings. He turned off the headlights, killed the engine, and turned to face me again.
“Now what?” I asked nervously.
“Now we convince Bartlef that we’re following his orders.” He adjusted the seat so that it set as far back from the steering wheel as it could go. He pulled me out of my own seat and around so that I sat on his lap. “Swing this leg over me,” he said, tapping it.
I could feel my face flaming hotter and hotter as I turned to straddle him.
“Good,” he said.
“This is awful,” I said. I leaned into his shoulder so that his shirt muffled my voice.
He laughed softly. “Really? Because it doesn’t seem all that bad to me.”
I leaned back and hit him in the chest. “You’re not the one who’s going to get crucified at school tomorrow morning. It doesn’t work that way for guys.”
He ran his hand over my hair and looked up into my eyes. “It shouldn’t be that way,” he said softly.
“No, it shouldn’t,” I said.
“If I could think of any other way to save you, I’d use it,” he said, his voice solemn. His silver eyes glinted in the dark.
“I know,” I said. We stayed perfectly still for a moment, looking into each other’s eyes.
“I think our audience is here,” he whispered.
I had completely forgotten about Sarah and Ally.
“Where?”
He wrapped his arm tightly around my shoulders and pulled me down to him. “Don’t turn around. They got out of their car, and they're watching from around the side of the building.”
“I don’t know what to do!” I said, suddenly panicking.
“Shh,” he soothed, running a hand down my back. “Just keep looking at me like you were a minute ago.”
And then he was moving beneath me, slowly, sinuously. Like we were dancing. Or . . . I blushed and buried my face in his shoulder again.
“Good,” he whispered, turning his face into my neck and kissing it gently. I shuddered and felt him shiver in return. “They’re getting closer to the car,” he said, peeking out from behind my hair. He moved a little faster and I gritted my teeth in embarrassment.
“I can’t do this,” I gasped, sitting up straight and grabbing Josh’s arms.
“Perfect,” he said, sitting up with me so that he was leaning me back into the steering wheel and then going perfectly still. “Stay just like that for one . . . two . . . and three.” And then he slumped back into the seat.
I rolled off of him and slid into my own seat. “Did they see?” I asked, pushing my hair away from my overheated face.
“Definitely,” he said.
“That was awful,” I said.
“I know,” he said. “I meant for it to be.”
“What?”
“Shh. We don’t want them to hear us talking.”
“Why would you want it to be horrible?” I was back to hissing.
“So you wouldn’t turn all glowy,” he said from between clenched teeth.
“Oh,” I said, slightly mollified.
“Now, pretend you’re adjusting your clothing,” he said, following his own advice. “Gotta aim for realism here.”
“You sure know a lot about this,” I said.
He grinned. “Really? Huh.”
“Anyway,” I said, finally taking in the steamed windows around us, “How much can they see in here, anyway?”
“More than you’d guess,” he said. “And I used a little Power on them just to be sure,” he added.
“We’re going to have to have a longer talk about what all you can do with that Power,” I said.
“Later,” he said, starting the car. “They’re leaving.”
I peered out the window and caught just a glimpse of something moving away from us.
“Where did they leave Ally’s car?” I asked.
Josh shrugged. “Not our problem.” He pulled out of the storage facility and headed back to town. “What do you say we go finish our date?”
“Do we have to?” I asked plaintively. All I wanted to do was go home, curl up in my bed, and possibly die before going back to school the next day.
Josh glanced at me. “I think we need to. You need to be able to look at me tomorrow without cringing away from me.”
“I’m not cringing!” I said.
“Well, now you’re not,” he said with a smile.
“Fine,” I said. “Let’s go finish our date.”
“I promise to have you laughing about this before I have to take you home,” he said quietly. “Besides, I think we were porn-tastic.”
I smiled grimly. “Pornariffic,” I agreed.
“Pornalicious.”
“Porntabulous.”
“Pornormous.”
It wasn’t until we’d run through about three more versions of the word that I started laughing—and then realized that he had managed to keep that promise.
Chapter 16
I woke up early the next morning. I was beginning to recognize the knot in my stomach as if it were an old friend. Mom had gotten home while I’d been out with Josh, and was waiting up for me when I got home to discuss my date. We used to do that all the time in Atlanta. When I was younger she’d come in from a date and tell me all about the food she’d eaten, the movie she’d seen, the play she’d gone to. When I got to high school, we kept up the tradition; I told her all about my dates when I got home.
This time I didn’t want to talk about it. There was too much I simply couldn’t tell her, but I made up some inconsequential details, told her we’d skipped out on the movie early and gone to get a rootbeer float at Sonic. I just skipped the part where we tricked our friends into thinking we had sex.
Then she gave me my new cell phone, a really fancy one. “I know you miss Leah and the others,” she said. “Maybe this will help you keep in touch with your new friends and your old ones.” She stroked my hair. “And I know this week was hard on you, Laney. John is doing the best he can; I’ll talk to him about clarifying limits before he springs another punishment on you, okay?”
I nodded, too upset by her kindness to say anything out loud.
So the first thought in my mind that morning was something along the lines of God, I hope the rumors we’re setting up about me don’t get back around to my mother. I hated lying to her.
I comforted myself a little with the thought that if she hadn’t married John Hamilton, none of this would have happened. A
very little.
“Did you have fun last night?” Kayla asked snidely as we got into her car. I didn’t answer, just stared out the window at the barbed-wire fence rolling by. If I couldn’t just ignore her now, I’d never be able to control myself once she found out about last night’s scene with Josh.
Honestly, I was a little surprised that no one had told her yet.
Maybe Ally hadn’t started making her speed dial calls as quickly as we had hoped, I thought.
But I was wrong. I knew it as soon as we stepped out of the car and into the school parking lot. Word just hadn’t gotten back to Kayla yet.
But it’s about to, I thought as one of her friends called her over and started whispering excitedly. She turned around and looked at me, eyes wide. Then she smirked in a way that made me want to slap her.
It was like that all morning. Everywhere I went, people around me whispered. Unless I got too close. Then they all just shut up.
I could feel my face burning every time anyone looked at me.
I stood at my locker after Geometry, staring blankly at my books as I tried to remember where I was going next. “Hey,” Mason said.
“Hey,” I mumbled.
“Chin up, Harris,” he whispered. “If we’re going to do this, let’s make it look good.”
I looked up at him, surprised out of my reverie. “Do what?” I whispered back.
He grinned. “Phase Four.”
Phase Four? No one had told me anything to me about a Phase Four.
Just then Josh came around the corner from the stairwell. He joined us at my locker, leaning in close and whispering “Just play along.” Right before hauling his fist back and slamming it into Mason’s face.
Mason’s head snapped back and blood flew from his mouth.
I screamed and jumped as Mason lunged at Josh. They went down to the floor in a tangle of limbs. Other students gathered around in a circle, some of them cheering one or the other of the boys on, some watching in horrified fascination. I saw one head downstairs.
Josh and Mason scrambled back to their feet, then circled each other for a moment. Mason rushed Josh again and they crashed into the lockers. I heard Josh’s head thud against the metal door.
Paranormal Magic (Shades of Prey Book 1) Page 36
