Darkly Sweet

by Juliann Whicker

  their key to affection, their love key. Did he like physical affection, visual attraction, acts of love, gifts, attention or appreciation? It was definitely a different way to look at attraction. The basic keys were a pretty face, kind words, thoughtful acts, small gifts, and gentle touches. I rolled my eyes and closed my computer. I would have to craft the key to Zach’s heart over the next week. He’d shown interest in lollipops. That was either acts of love or gifts.

  He’d kind of ignored me during the video game thing, maybe I hadn’t given him enough affection or kind words or something like that. I hadn’t apologized for almost breaking his elbow. I slid into the white, boring twin bed and hoped that it was the last night I’d spend there.

  The next morning was lovely. I wore my cute customized uniform with a pink ribbon beneath my peter pan collar that matched my shoes. I skipped down the hall, smiling and greeting all my wonderful friends, giving them sincere compliments, validation, friendly touches, and beautiful smiles.

  They gave me mutters, snarls, flinches and glares. Honestly, I loved it. I had no idea it could be so fun to be nice. When I walked into my English class, Witley sat looking glamorous and glorious.

  “Witley, you are in my class. I can’t wait to hear what you think about Pre-Raphaelite poetry.” I patted her shoulder and skipped to my seat on the other side of the

  classroom, my back to the wall. She glanced at me a few times that I noticed, saying things in a low voice to the students gathered around her, evenly split between girls who wanted to be her and guys who wanted her.

  I concentrated on my work because I had no idea about Pre-Raphaelite poetry. At the end of class I hurried out, but Wit was already standing, waiting for me. She hooked her arm in mine and pulled me against her.

  “You must tell me how you caught Drake. He’s such a difficult fish.”

  I glanced at her before I kind of laughed. “He is difficult. The truth is that he’s only using me so that people don’t know that he’s actually gay.” I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand. “I shouldn’t tell you this. I should never reveal the shocking fact that Drake broke Jackson’s arm because he likes him so much and can’t bear him to touch another woman.” I sighed dramatically, using the movement to take my arm out of hers and pat my chest woefully. “The path of love never did run smooth.”

  With that, I gave her a small wave and skipped off to my next class. After two more classes, I was on my way to Linguistics when Drake sidelined me into a wall. He had his arms on either side of me, his green eyes dark and brooding beneath his lowered eyebrows, his sensitive lips in a hard line before he leaned close, brushing my cheek with his and whispering in my ear.

  “I can’t thank you enough for agreeing to be my decoy so no one knows how I really feel about Jackson.” He leaned closer, his body pressing against mine, his breath on my skin making me shiver while my body tightened in the weirdest places. “You’re so generous, allowing me to use your body this way.” He slid his hand down the wall until his palm was flat beside my hip. “I had no idea you read between the lines so intuitively.”

  I shivered and then when he put his hand on my leg, right below the edge of my skirt, I shuddered, a wave of awareness shooting through me. His hand slid a little bit higher over my skin and I gasped. He stuck a lollipop in my mouth while my lips were parted, stepping away from me, crossing his arms while he scowled.

  I sucked on it helplessly, trying to breathe like normal, but my heart was racing and I still felt his hand on my leg and smelled black cherry. I shouldn’t eat anything that someone I couldn’t trust gave me, but it was already in my mouth and it tasted like lavender and dirt. I pulled it out, stared at it for a second then looked up at him.

  “Thoughtful gift, or kind act? Did you make this?”

  His mouth tightened as he leaned forward, but his dangerous hands were still tucked against his chest, the chest that had been pressed against mine so very recently. “I am the captain of the Chemistry club. I think I can tell what’s in a lollipop, even one as weird as yours. You need that kind of lollipop even without cars?”

  I put the lollipop back in my mouth and stared at him, letting my eyes get big and puppy-dog before I took it out and gave him a wincing smile. “I’m sorry about the Jackson thing. I think Wit is bad for me. She starts talking and then I start talking and I have no idea what’s going to come out of my mouth. I mean I’m responsible for everything I say, don’t get me wrong, it’s just that I feel kind of like I want to…”

  “Jackson does like boys.”

  I stopped talking and stared at him.

  He shrugged. “He likes girls too. I personally don’t like anyone, but you knew that.”

  He slid a handful of lollipops in my bag. “Be careful what you say, Penny, because it might come back to bite you.” He gave me a sharp smile showing his teeth before he turned away, leaving me a shaky-kneed lollipop sucking fool as I stumbled to class.

  Chapter 19

  In linguistics, I edged over to Zach where he was beside the Chinese flag in the little Chinese alcove, where some girl was pouring green tea in these really ugly mud cups.

  When everyone’s attention was on the girl I used the phrase I’d learned particularly, with

  just the right accent, something like, “Thank you for your help with my room. I’m sorry if I hurt your elbow.”

  He smiled slightly and shrugged. His response didn’t have any of the words I’d looked up for, ‘no problem,’ or whatever. I bit my lip and studied him until he shook his head and leaned forward to whisper the translation in English. “It’s a relief to know that you’re not entirely defenseless. You probably shouldn’t use ju-jitsu against someone with a bat, though.”

  I blinked at him and nodded as I remembered the words he’d used. I’d definitely heard ju-jitsu. I accepted a cup of tea from the girl, giving her the traditional thank-you I’d learned the week before and then nodded and smiled mostly while she talked about her sick cat. Or her sick grandmother, or something.

  Zach wasn’t in Dressage and Drake wasn’t in Business class. Riding wasn’t as bad as the first day I’d been in class with the girls. I didn’t fall off Henrietta, but I made the teacher come back and fix absolutely everything I did over and over while the rest of the class glared at me.

  In Business, I struggled not to notice that Drake wasn’t there, like he didn’t have to show up if he didn’t feel like it, and apparently didn’t. What a jerk. I thumped my leg where it still tingled traitorously from where he’d touched me. Stupid chemistry, stupid Chemistry captain and stupid me for wanting something so bad for me. Maybe it was

  the lollipops. Every time I pulled one out my leg started tingling along with my fingers while I saw his eyes in my head, daring me to want him. Jerk.

  In History, I looked over, surprised when I saw Viney next to me. She glared at me for a second before it softened into a more neutral expression.

  “What are you doing after class?”

  I shrugged. “Homework?”

  She took a deep breath and gave me a tiny smile, the first one I’d ever seen and it was terrifying. I flinched before I beamed back at her, my smile chasing away hers.

  “Anyway, there’s a really effective study lab that you might want to try. I can take you after class and introduce you to the brainy bunch.”

  “Brainy bunch? Is that like the Chemistry Club?”

  She snorted. “No. It’s like the anti-Chemistry Club.”

  That sounded promising. I’d had enough chemistry for one lifetime. After that Professor Vale came in and spread her hand, capturing my attention like a magician. I loved her class so much. Learning seemed so effortless. Afterwards, I went with Viney out of the classroom, feeling kind of nervous because why would she be helping me? It made no sense, then again, maybe she was anti-Witley and therefore on my side. I wasn’t sure why I was anti-Wit, she hadn’t done anything besides look much better than

  I did, but of course I didn’t look good, I di
dn’t have my life back yet. I could look as good as Wit if I had the right makeup and hair conditioner. Wishful thinking.

  I sighed as we walked up marble stairs, then more stairs, then more stairs in the enormous building that was apparently the library, and the study area must be at the top. I sucked on a lollipop as we went, our steps echoing on the wide halls with cavernous ceilings, dim chandeliers lighting the passageways.

  Finally, we stepped out into a large room with tables and computers. Papers rustled and people talked in low voices, an all-over buzz that seemed to stop when Viney’s boots thudded across the marble, me following in her wake. She walked right up to a large desk that took up the middle of one wall and slammed her hands on top.

  The sound reverberated through the room. I wanted to offer her a lollipop to calm her down, but I wasn’t about to give her something Drake had given me. It wasn’t safe.

  Surely one of them would be poisoned or have a laxative. It had nothing to do with the fact that no one else got to touch something Drake gave me.

  A tall guy with clearly dyed black hair that could use more shampooing came up to the desk, his shoulder twitching like he was waiting for Viney to hit him or cut off his head.

  “Oscar, this is Penny Lane. She needs help with her studies. I want you to set her up with your best tutors. I want her to try out all of the top ten to see which one she likes best. Okay?”

  She gave me another small smile that made me lean away from her before she turned and stomped out, her exit eliciting a breakout of hushed exclamations. I turned back to Oscar who was scowling at me as darkly as Viney ever did. Maybe it was the only way to deal with brainy types, sheer overwhelming domination.

  “Hi, I’m Penny Lane. It’s so nice to meet you!” I grabbed his hand, over the desk and shook it vigorously.

  “I know who you are. Everyone knows who you are.” He was sneering at me. Drake’s sneer was somehow attractive, but this guy’s was just annoying.

  I smiled brightly. “Great. Well, as fun as it is to chat, I hate to waste your precious time. Let’s get started.”

  “Fine!” He turned around, searching the room before he swung over the desk in a not half clumsy way and stalked across the room, his long legs still not as fast as Viney’s vigorous stride. This guy and her would make kind of a cute couple, a study of opposites, Viney short and roundish, him tall and angular, but both of them scowling at the world adorably.

  “Lars, Viney wants tutors for Penny Lane. Don’t screw it up.”

  Lars, a large blonde with blue eyes that looked rather vacuous, blinked at me, then after Oscar where he walked off before looking back at me. “Um, hi, I’m Lars.”

  I waved at him and slid into the seat beside him. I took out my books and went right to linguistics. “I don’t understand the basic structure of Chinese. Every time I think I have a grasp on it…”

  Soon Lars showed that he was indeed as sharp as the proverbial tack. I didn’t have to look cute, and I didn’t have to be polite, and it really helped when trying to understand something. He pulled out a little music player and went through it until he’d downloaded something he handed to me with a little headphone set.

  “Listen to this when you’re not doing anything else. It will help settle it in your head.

  I’d focus on one language at a time, for a week or so. I can’t imagine jumping into advanced conversational studies as a beginner. Hopefully the instructor grades you on improvement.”

  He gave me a large smile, because he was large, his face large, his whole body kind of enormous, not just his blue eyes.

  I stood up. “Thank you. I appreciate your help.”

  He stood up and started walking with me. “It’s my pleasure. I’ll be here on Wednesday if you’d like to study with me again.”

  “Wednesday she’ll be with Dude, tomorrow Orc.” Oscar glowered at Lars who looked vaguely confused instead of threatened.

  I left the two guys and the room where everyone seemed absorbed by their studies, but I caught a few quick glances.

  Maybe I should marry someone like Lars or Oscar. Zach seemed easy-going, he had to be to hang out with Viney, but he hadn’t opened up to me about anything, even in our horse lessons. Not that he’d been at my last one. Why did that feel like a betrayal?

  I bit my lip and unwrapped another lollipop Drake had made. Maybe he’d put something addictive into it because I couldn’t stop eating them in spite of the risk of eating strange lollipops. I went downstairs, out the doors of the library, down the covered pillared walkway over to Lilac Stories.

  I should have come right back to work on my room. The maintenance guys had been working in there all day Saturday and Sunday. I expected piles of boxes, my new bed and brewing supplies, but instead I stopped in the doorway to the Commons and stared at Viney who was wearing a skirt. It was really cute and she had great legs, if short, nice and curvy above her black boots. She had her arms crossed over her black vest and skull t-shirt.

  “Viney, you look really cute.”

  “Doesn’t she?” That was Drake, seated at a table wearing a creamy cravat with a diamond pin with his black suit and black top hat. His green eyes glittered dangerously and my idiotic knees went weak.

  “You don’t. Here, change and then we can get started.” Viney gestured at Zach who I hadn’t noticed until then stood in the doorway of his room wearing a black suit that was pants and vest over a t-shirt, without a jacket, but he also had a black top hat. He handed me a bag and nudged me across the floor towards my temporary room.

  I gripped the handle and turned to survey the group. “What are you guys dressed like that for? Is there a funeral?”

  Viney rolled her eyes. “I might wear a skirt, but I’m not wearing pink. Come on already.”

  She shoved me into my room. When I closed the door, I opened the bag and pulled out an outfit a lot like Viney’s, only the skirt looked suspiciously shorter. My shoes were platform Mary-Jane’s instead of boots, and I had fish-net stockings and a vest with little skull buttons. It was so cute. A white slip went under the skirt, and the lace at the bottom of the floofy thing was also skulls, to match the buttons.

  I dressed hurriedly, my fingers shaking from excitement mixed with fear. What were they planning to do to me?

  I opened the door.

  “Finally. Can we get this over with?” That was Viney.

  I walked slowly in my platform Mary-Janes, feeling really weird in so much black without my black hair. “Get what over with?”

  Zach gestured towards my old room. “We’re having a tea party to celebrate your room being finished.”

  I stared at him, his nice smile and then at Drake, his smirk and eyes gleaming with wicked anticipation. I shook my head. “You don’t like tea parties.”

  “It’s not really a tea party, although there will be tea, but I know that you need to eat about five pounds of food at each meal, so the catering will be a little heavier than your usual tea.” Drake opened the door and gestured me in.

  Somehow the maintenance guys had managed to salvage some of my tapestries, and everything looked perfect, better than perfect. The shelf on the side holding my assortment of glass vials was curved like a tree branch, carved with leaves and small flowers in a way that wouldn’t catch on my clothes. Everything was like that, carved intricately, like my bed, hanging from the ceiling had an elaborately carved headboard

  of roses that matched the backs of the three chairs around the table. The swing on the far side had incredible silk roses that looked real and felt real when I touched them.

  Sounds played in the background, wind rustling and water falling, exactly how it sounded in the grove between the trees and the waterfall where I was going to build…

  On the table, on my grandmother’s lace tablecloth, a gingerbread house rested on a plate with roses carved into the pale ceramic edges.

  I turned and shoved Drake against the wall, covered in the tapestry with the mysterious figures that were either kissing or kill
ing. I stared at him, my fingers curling in the lapel of his coat until they turned white and I struggled with my own kiss or kill impulses.

  Finally, Drake pulled my fingers down, and dragged me over to the swing where he wrapped my fingers around the rose twined ropes and then pushed me onto the bench before taking his seat across from me.

  “She’s in shock. I never thought Penny Lane would be shocked into silence.” Drake grinned at Zack. “We should have a tea party every week.”

  Zack shrugged and sat down, pulling a tea cart closer that was heavily laden with food. He put a plate in front of me while Viney sat at my right and held out her hand impatiently for hers. I didn’t eat right away because my heart was pounding and I felt so sick and panicked I wasn’t sure whether I was going to scream or cry.

  I bit my trembling bottom lip, trying to control my reactions. This didn’t mean anything, it was just… I stared at Zach, his smile a little bit shy before he nodded at my plate. “Do you need a poison tester?”

  I didn’t say anything but Viney grabbed a chunk of meat off my plate and shoved it into her mouth then Zach speared some vegetables with his fork before chewing on them.

  Drake winked at me when I looked at him. I quickly looked away, gripping my fork before I forced myself to take that first bite, which was always the hardest. The first meal I’d had after Poppy died… I blinked rapidly while my chest rose and fell.

  “You should have worn a shirt under your vest. I can almost see cleavage.” Viney pointed down at my chest which made me look down, and then up to grin at her.

  “I think you’re right. Might need to get out a magnifying glass, but definitely a small trace of cleavage.” I put a hand on my chest and felt my heart race, but I didn’t look up at Drake. “This is really a lot.”

  Zach leaned over, resting his hand on my shoulder for a second. “You haven’t even finished the first course. There is a lot more.”

  I smiled at him and tried to really see Zach, nice, brown haired, lazy smile, sweet, easy-going guy I was going to marry, but my eyes craved Drake, and Zach’s hand felt heavy until he pulled it away.