by C. M. Owens
Tallis looked at me for a moment—like he was hurting. I couldn't let myself care, though. He was just upset with me for not telling him about all the drama. He didn't care about me, and I couldn't deal with that reality right now.
School was finally over, so Henry and I headed to the car. I could see Tallis propped up against the school watching us. McKee was on the other side watching us. And everyone was watching them watch us.
I felt like I was on some teenage reality show—minus the cameras. I pretended not to notice them as we got in the car. I could only muster a brittle smile for Henry before I drove us away from the madhouse people assumed was a learning facility.
"Thanks for earlier. I caused a scene this morning with Tallis, and I shouldn't have. I knew there would be repercussions," I murmured at last, making sure we were far away from the prying ears of the immortals we left behind.
"No big deal. I consider you family now. We're all in this together—even the crazy mortal stuff," he teased.
"Yeah, because the mortal part is the crazy part," I mumbled sarcastically.
A different look spread across his face. Anger? Fear? I wasn't sure, but I knew whatever was on his mind was suddenly serious.
"I'm glad Lokan didn't hurt you. I would have blamed myself."
Whoa. That was a quick subject change.
"Why? He would have just wanted my essence like all the others. That has nothing to do with you; it's just my blood. It's the cross I have to bear right now—until I transform."
It was sad how normal that sounded coming out of my mouth. I almost hated myself for coming to terms with this... screwed-up future I had.
His eyes were looking down, and his voice was so quiet that I could barely even hear him when he finally spoke.
"I would've thought he was looking for me. I really wouldn't have ever thought he came for any other reason, but he had no clue I was even there."
"Why would he be looking for you?"
"My power. I don't want to tell you what it is and put you in danger, but it would be incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands. It would actually be more useful in the dark circle. I see no purpose for it with our people. He wants to change me so that he can use me as a tool—or a weapon, rather."
Shame cloaked him and weighed his eyes down toward the floor, making him unable to keep his head up anymore.
"Oh. I'm glad you're on our side then," I said, probably not finding the words he wants to hear.
He smiled at me, managing to bring his head up a little. "I would never choose the dark, but I will kill Lokan one day. I'll show him the same mercy he showed my family—none."
I just nodded. I couldn't blame him for wanting justice. Maybe I could help him one day. Unless I had some useless power. That would be my luck.
We detoured through town, grabbed something to eat, and talked for a couple of hours about non-magical things. It was just what I needed.
Reluctantly, we made our way back home. But when we got there, we saw Desmond in the driveway. He met me as soon as I got out of the SUV, and I looked around, worried something might be wrong. Desmond never came by without a reason, because he avoided Ash like she would set him on fire. Well, I suppose she could set him on fire. She had done it to Jay numerous times. My world was so messed up.
"What's going on?" I asked, wringing my hands nervously.
Desmond pulled his shirt off, and started using it to wipe away the enormous amount of sweat over his brow while answering, "A few of us are cresting to give you more protection, and some of the council are casting. This house will be locked up tight when we get done."
My eyes trailed away from him, searching the property. Then Desmond broke me out of my trance. "Tallis is on the back side, in case you're wondering."
"I wasn't," I blurted out quickly—too quickly. I couldn't help myself from hoping he would be here, even if I was mad at him. I was more confused than hurt. "He let me know about how angry he was this morning. I don't feel like going for round two," I added.
Desmond scoffed, "Yeah, well, you can imagine what he said to me for not calling him. I think he cursed me in every language he knows. It took him a while to finish, obviously. I was wishing he didn't know so many languages."
He laughed as though that was supposed to be funny. I just smiled. Then he turned his attention to Henry.
"So is this the pretty boy you were kissing this morning at school?"
His tone was obnoxiously teasing, per the usual. Desmond had two speeds—playful or brooding. He crossed his arms across his chest as he tried to make Henry uncomfortable.
"You're real funny, Desmond." I bowed my head, embarrassed, but Henry just laughed.
"Some girls were giving Aria a hard time at school because of the argument between Tallis and her. They misconstrued that as the breakup that happened a while back. They made some nasty comments, but a simple kiss shut them up. Pretty quickly, I might add."
Desmond's teasing expression was washed away by the replacement of anger. I suppose he had three speeds instead of two. "Who said something bad about you? I want names, right now!"
It was odd to see him so protective these days, considering how much he disliked me in the beginning. "Easy, Desmond. It's all good. People talk; it's a part of life. I'll be fine. I made a new friend today because of it, so something good came out of it."
Desmond smirked. "And I see you got your second kiss. I guess it went better than the first, since you're still standing upright and all."
I winced at that last part. Desmond noticed. He shrugged and pulled his hands up in an innocent sort of way. "What? Too soon?"
I just nodded as I walked away. I was laughing, but in all honesty, I was trying not to cry. I heard Desmond yell out across the yard, "Sorry, Aria!"
"No problem, Desmond." I threw one hand in the air. I didn't have to say it as loudly as he did. I knew he heard me, though.
Charging up the stairs, I wiped away the only tear that had managed to escape my death-grip. As soon as I reached my room, I looked out the window and saw Tallis with his shirt off. As if I needed that visual.
He was pressing his palms against the side of the house, his attention solely dedicated to the task at hand. It seemed like every inch of the house had a crest on it. He was being incredibly thorough.
Immortals didn't sweat unless they used a lot of magic. He must have been working terribly hard, given the fact he was drenched. I found it mesmerizing—because I was pathetic like that. Yep.
His perfect body was so close to me again. The urge to run to him was almost painful to deny. I was captivated—staring at every inch of him like a fool.
He looked up to catch my... um... gawking. He smiled slightly, and I just half smiled back. He looked back down and continued on with the cresting process. I couldn't keep killing myself for him. I had to stop thinking of the relationship he apparently didn't want—the one that seemed to be forbidden. Why is it someone always want the things they can't have?
Iris walked up, noting where my eyes were. "He's been at it for almost two hours. He's probably exhausted. Cresting uses a lot of magic and a lot of energy. Most of us can only withstand thirty minutes at a time. Why don't you take him something to eat? I'm sure he's probably famished."
I just smiled and nodded, and then I headed toward the kitchen. I made him a sandwich and grabbed a bottle of water. Gathering all my strength, I forced myself to trudge toward him, feeling like my every step was weighted.
"Hey," I said, trying to sound casual.
He looked up and almost staggered backwards from his crouched position. He quickly recovered and rebalanced himself before replying, "Hey."
His weak stance made me cringe with guilt. He was so tired and exhausted, but he was actually worried about me. Now I regretted how harsh I had been to him earlier.
"Why don't you sit down and eat something? I brought you some water, too."
He took the bottle of water and began guzzling it down. Bits of it missed his mout
h and trickled down his neck then down his perfect chest and abdomen. I suddenly found myself staring uncontrollably again.
Then he poured the last fourth of the bottle onto his head and rubbed it down the back of his neck. I was entranced, and trying so hard to snap out of it before he noticed. It was too late. He cracked a small grin that he quickly covered with a serious face.
"Thanks for the water, but I'll eat when I'm done out here."
He squatted back down and pressed his hands against the wall. Then I saw his eyes grow weaker just before they rolled back in his head. He fell backwards, and I reached out to catch him. He collapsed in my arms and we both fell to the ground with him on top of me.
"Help!" I screamed, panicked as I tried to shake Tallis awake.
I heard the racing footsteps seconds before I saw Anesta's face. She reached over and felt for his pulse, her eyes narrowing in concentration.
"He's fine. He just collapsed from exhaustion. He's been doing this for too long. It wears you out when you use that much magic."
Desmond walked over and threw Tallis over his shoulder as though he weighed nothing. I followed behind him as he carried him to my room and placed him on the bed.
"Thanks, Desmond," I said through a sigh.
"No problem. He just needs to rest for a bit. Anesta can't heal exhaustion." Desmond sounded oddly chipper, considering Tallis had just collapsed. He started to walk away, but turned back around. "Hey, can I ask you something?"
I looked at him, possibly seeming a little eager to help him out for a change. "Yeah, sure."
"Has Ash been saying stuff about me?" He sounded almost childlike with the sweet innocence of his question. I fought back the grin that would probably end whatever moment of weakness he was experiencing.
"Nothing bad. She'd kill me if I told you what she had been saying, but I promise it's all good stuff."
He smiled big as he clapped his hands together once and walked away. Ash and Desmond. Everyone seemed compatible with the Verdan family—except me.
Air. I needed air. I had stared at Tallis for too long, and it was so painful seeing him back in my bed.
I had been on the porch for a while when he walked outside.
I raised my head up to catch his eyes that still looked a little weak. He rubbed the back of his neck as he groggily looked around. He had his shirt back on—thankfully. He looked a little worried and slightly embarrassed.
"How long was I out?" he asked, keeping his voice low.
"A couple of hours. Are you okay?" I stood up and rested the tips of my fingers in my back pockets, unsure how to be in front of him.
"Yeah, just tired. Is Des still here?" He rubbed his head as if it was aching.
Keeping my voice as casual as possibly, I answered, "No, he left about fifteen minutes ago. Do you need something?"
He shook his head. "Nah, I rode with him, but I can get Ayla to take me home. I don't feel up to running home just yet.”
"She's gone, too. She and Jay went to town for some supplies. They're working on some protection stuff."
He sighed. "Oh." He grabbed his cell phone to make a call.
"I'll take you home." He didn't even want to ask me to take him home. That's how much he wanted distance from me.
"No, I don't want to cause you and Henry problems." He looked away and turned his back to me, still texting someone.
I let out a loud, unbidden giggle. "Henry isn't the jealous type. Besides, he knows that you don't want me. He's completely comfortable with you around."
I wanted to drag out the humor in his false assumption. I had only assumed that he had heard Amelia, but I guess he hadn't. Perhaps he had chose not to hear.
"Oh, does he know about… us? Does he know about everything?"
"About what exactly?" I smiled teasingly.
His face wasn't humorous; it was actually riddled with pain. "The kiss that almost killed you." His voice cracked slightly as he responded to me. "At least his lips aren't toxic to you," he muttered, and I don't think I was meant to hear that part.
Now I just felt like a jerk. "Henry and I are not a thing, nor will we ever be. He's a really good friend that heard those hyenas making fun of me. He heard them saying I was nothing special and stuff about you being better off. He was just trying to help me out. I needed a friend worse than I realized, and that's what he is—that's all he is."
His eyes came up as he winced. "Yeah I heard them, too. I was going to say something, but he beat me to it. Well, I don't guess I could have done anything that dramatic, but I promise I was going to do something. I wasn't just going to let them beat you down."
I just turned one corner of my mouth up in a forced smile. "No big deal. I've heard it all year. It's really nothing new. I never thought I was anything special, and it doesn't bother me that they point it out. I don't need anyone trying to shield me from their remarks."
"Aria, you—"
"Don't. Please don't," I said while holding my hand up.
I knew what he was going to try to say, but I couldn't hear it. Not right then, and certainly not from him. I was still too fragile. I couldn't let him be nice and tell me he thought I was special. It was too painful to have him feeling sorry for me. I felt low enough without having him throw me a pity party.
Fortunately, Henry walked up and disrupted our awkward moment.
"Hey. Is everything okay?" He was referring to Tallis's collapse—I think.
"Yeah, he's recovered and awake,… obviously." I was rambling, sounding like my mother when she was nervous. "Could you give him a ride home? Desmond ran off and left him, and Tallis worried you'll get jealous if I take him home."
I laughed slightly as I poked fun of Tallis's misconception again in an effort to nix the heaviness our conversation taken on. Henry laughed, too.
"Did you tell him that we—"
"Yeah, I told him." I shook my head as I walked in, escaping the tension cloaking me.
I could hear them both chuckling slightly. I was kind of relieved that Henry was the one taking him home instead of me.
Sinking to the floor of my room, I stared blankly at the wall. I sighed out deeply, and the tears began flowing down the trails they had carved out over the past several months. No one was there to see me, and I had held it back all day. I just didn't have the strength to hold it back anymore.
Chapter 5
Festivals and Festivities
I curse the saints who tell us to have patience and understanding, because I'm left feeling inferior when those qualities evade me.
"Aria! You're going to be late if you don't get going!"
I squealed as a shattering startled me worse than the obnoxious warning. Jay's yelling had just caused a bulb to burst in my bedroom. I was growing more and more irritated with constantly replacing the bulbs all the time.
I rolled my eyes as I sprinted down the stairs. "Yeah, Yeah. This is the first day I've ever been running late."
I was hurriedly putting my shoes on as Jay chuckled. "I know. I just like giving you a hard time."
I sighed in exasperation, and then grabbed a banana for breakfast.
Jay spoke while I was still dashing around to get everything I needed. "Hey, tonight is the big town festival. You going? You can ride with Ayla and me if you want to."
I started racing to the door while eating. My mouth was full as I answered, "Yeah. Sounds good."
Then I darted out the door before he could say anything else. I couldn't believe I overslept. It had been a rough night, though. I dreamed about Tallis all night long. Every time I would wake up, I would simply go back to sleep and the dream would resume right where it left off. I found myself crying in my sleep far too often these days.
I drove as safely as possible to school. Henry didn't seem fazed by any of my haphazard curve speed. Of course, he was immortal—to an extent. A car wreck wouldn't have given him a scratch.
Fortunately, I managed to grab a seat just before the class bell rang. The day drug by so slowly.
I was so happy when lunch rolled around. The banana I had eaten earlier just wasn't enough to satisfy my grumbling gut.
After overfilling my tray, I sat down across from Amelia. Taryn and McKee were both absent. I was glad, though. McKee had been more determined than ever to be around me now that Tallis was done. It was a nice reprieve to just be able to sit and enjoy lunch.
Henry sat down beside Amelia and spoke quietly to her. "So, are you going to the festival tonight?"
I grinned at his subtlety. Amelia smiled much larger than I think she intended to. But the smile fell almost as quickly as it had spread.
"I don't know. I haven't heard anything about it."
Henry tried to sound casual, even though I could still tell he was nervous. "It's pretty cool, actually. I've only been to it a couple of times when I came to visit Grayford, but they have a bunch of carnival type activities. There're a few rides and stuff, too. It would be my treat if you wanted to maybe… go with me."
For Henry's age, you wouldn't think he would sound so unpracticed, but it was almost comical to witness. He was suddenly a real teenager with a crush. Actually, I was pretty sure teenagers had more swagger than him at that moment.
Amelia blushed a vibrant crimson, then she sheepishly responded, "Yeah. That sounds good. Tonight would be a good night."
I was trying not to giggle as they planned their first date. It was a little awkward to be listening in, but I couldn't help myself. I needed the distraction.
"Can I pick you up around seven? Just tell me where you live."
Her eyes changed suddenly. Something was wrong, but I didn't know what exactly. Her hands shook, so she put them under the table.
"No. I'll just meet you here—at the school—at seven."
"I don't mind picking you up at your house. It's really no problem at all."
