“I'm surprised,” she said.
“Me, too,” Anj said, slouching in his seat, his body tensing up.
Cheyenne shrugged. “I think it's sweet.”
“Do either of you want to play Phase 10?” Zes asked.
His brother shook his head. “I don't have enough energy for cards. I think I told you that earlier when you wanted to start Kings on the Corner.”
“Oh, yeah. We could do something else—”
Jewl smiled. “If you're still in the mood in a few hours, I'm totally in. Right now I'm kind of tired and in need of a shower.”
“In a few hours it'll be dinner. But after?”
“Yes, let's plan on that.” She gave Anj's hand one more squeeze before standing and letting go. His fingers lingered against hers, as if he didn't want to let her go, but he said nothing. She gave Zes and Cheyenne a polite nod before going toward the girls’ side of the dorm building. Just as she passed the front entrance to Athena Hall, Teague and Halyn walked in. Briefly her eyes met his, and then he broke contact. Halyn rubbed his back slowly like she was trying to comfort him, then the two joined the others.
Why did she feel like she should apologize to him? With a shake of her head, she left for her room, the single at the end of the hall on the first floor. I have nothing to feel bad about. It's not my fault. I didn't do anything wrong. But his pain was making her heart hurt, and she didn't understand it. Why do I care so much about him?
Her keys were just turning the lock when she heard footsteps approaching, strong and fast. For a moment she thought it was Anj. When she glanced over her shoulder, however, she saw Cheyenne. She wasn't being addressed, so Jewl opened the door and went inside.
“H-hey, wait up,” Cheyenne called out.
Jewl growled quietly, leaving the door open so Cheyenne could enter. “What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to make sure you were okay,” she said, staring down at her hands. It took her a minute to enter the room and close the door.
“Why wouldn't I be?”
“Because I know something happened while you were gone. No, Anj didn't say anything. But he was pretty off the entire time we were at their mom's house. It didn't start until after you called him during dinner.”
“You're much more observant than I originally thought.”
“I try to break what people think of me every so often.” She paused. “I know we still have a lot of rough stuff between us, but I'm willing to put all of it behind me if you are. When you want to be, you can be cool. Plus you mean a lot to the boys. It'd be nice if we could all get along, don't you think?”
She's talking like they're going to get married. She and Zes really did make a perfect match.
Jewl sighed. “I've been around a lot longer than you have, so this attitude you're giving me isn't appreciated. You invaded our group, not the other way around.”
“I didn't mean to come off as giving you attitude. I would just like to get along so there wouldn't be so much tension or whatever. And I can see how lonely you are. All you have are the guys, and that's cool. I can relate. Neither of us exactly have anyone in our camp. I just thought I'd try to tell you that you can trust me if you wanna talk. Sometimes it's hard to share some things with guys. They don't always get stuff. I-I want to be friends.”
“And I thought I told you not to expect much?”
“You did, but that doesn't mean we can't build and work our way up.” Cheyenne dared to sit down on the living room couch. She ran a hand through her long dark hair. “The look on his face after he got off the phone with you… it worried me. Not because it hurt him, but because I did feel real concern for you.”
“How did you know it was because of me?” She asked, pouring herself a glass of water from the kitchen. She needed something to do that didn't involve throttling the other girl.
“One of the relatives asked who was on the phone right before their mom shoved more food down his throat.”
Jewl laughed. “And I thought last year was bad. She kept trying to stop him from over eating, believe it or not.”
“I don't get it.”
“When you get to know the boys better, then you will. Don't take it personally if it takes a while though. It's a sensitive subject.”
“No, I don't get you.”
Jewl was stunned into silence for a good minute or two. “And what about me don't you get?”
Cheyenne played with her hands, her eyes never leaving Jewl as she moved across the room to sit down in a chair. She was trying to intimidate the girl on purpose, and was happy to find it working when Cheyenne started to stammer.
“You have people who care a lot about you, but it doesn't seem to mean much to you. I've never met someone who cared so little about what other people think of them. Anj pushes the envelope sometimes, but even he's not as bad as you are. If you don't want me to be concerned about you, I can stop. I'm sure the boys will too eventually as well if you make the message clear enough.”
Jewl rubbed her forehead and took a long drink from her water glass, taking the time to think before speaking again, only because she wanted to make life easier for Zes, though. “You can do and care about whatever you want to. The last thing I want, however, is for you to pretend you feel something for the sake of someone else. Fake emotions don't go far with me, or with them.”
“I'm not trying to be fake. There are moments where I do like you. Forget I tried. Never mind, I'm sorry to have wasted your time.” Cheyenne moved to stand up.
“Wait.” Jewl sighed. “I'm still trying to figure you out because I don't get you either. Some days you irritate me, and others I find you intriguing.”
“You and Anj really are a match made in heaven.”
“I'm going to pretend you meant that as a compliment.” How much did she want to tell? With a deep breath, she decided to take a leap of faith. “I'm Divine.”
Cheyenne nodded, but otherwise didn't react to the news. Why she started there, she wasn't sure. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Cheyenne was Divine as well. It was something they could bond over and use to relate to one another. Unsure of what it meant, Jewl continued.
“The reason Anj was so concerned was because I was staying with my legal guardian. I made the mistake of mentioning she had kidnapped Teague and me. Not like it was a lie, but that's beside the point. She wants to use me now to make a deal with your stalker.”
“I don't have a stalker. Unless you're talking about Denver, but he's backed off since… the incident.”
“I was referring to Lucien.”
Cheyenne's face paled. “What does she want with him?”
“I have a feeling if I knew, I wouldn't have agreed to help her.”
“You did what?” Her fists tightened at her side. “I can't believe you would do something like that. Forget about what he did to me, but what about Zes? Isn't he just as important to you as Anj? Or are you only making nice with him, too?”
“He's like my brother, so don't even go there.” Jewl was tempted to slap her for the insinuation. “In fact, it's because of him that I'm doing this. The last thing he needs is to be hurt even more.”
“And Anj knows all of this?”
“No, and he's not going to hear about it either. Not from you, at least,” Jewl said, staring Cheyenne down.
“I wouldn't do that to you or him.”
“He doesn't know I'm Divine, but I'm sure you've figured that out by now. The only thing I've told him is that my guardian is bad business.”
“Which is why he was worried when you said you were there.”
“Correct. And now I need to know everything about Lucien.”
Cheyenne sighed and started to play with her hair. The whole time she bit on her lower lip. “There isn't much to tell. We're supposedly married, but that's not something I want to broadcast. Only Zes and Halyn know about it, and a few of the teachers of course. They're hard to keep things from I've noticed. What I can tell you about him is that he's manipu
lative and knows how to do it well. Back out before it gets too complicated. I don't think you making deals with him is going to help anyone, especially Zes.”
“It's already too complicated.”
“It'll get worse.”
“I don't need a lecture. I need help.”
“The only thing I know for sure is he wants power and he'll go to any lengths to get it. From what I understand, he's Divine, but not a direct heir from Hades. I'm not sure how this works. Mr. Thantos called him partner, and said he's a fallen angel. Whatever Lucien wants, it'll only be to make things better for him. He certainly doesn't care about anyone else.” She rubbed her arms. Jewl actually started to feel bad for the girl.
Biting on her lower lip, she shifted the conversation. “Does he still try to talk to you?”
“No, I haven't seen or heard from him since the ceremony and I want to keep it that way. Sometimes I dream about going there, to the underworld, but those aren't real,” Cheyenne said. Her eyes stared down at the floor, and Jewl didn't know if she should believe the girl or not. Dreams meant an awful lot sometimes, especially among those in the world of myth and magic. She didn't press on the subject though. It was something Cheyenne would have to deal with on her own, and Jewl knew to respect that for the time being.
“Is there anything else?”
“I barely understand everything that's happening right now. You know this is all new to me.”
“Yes, I do.”
“So why are you expecting so much?”
“Because I'm desperate,” Jewl whispered.
Cheyenne stared at her and she recognized the look of pity instantly. “If something comes up, I'll tell you, but that's the most I can offer right now outside of begging for you to reconsider. I don't know what's in it for you. Maybe someday you'll feel like you can tell me. But whatever it is, I can't imagine it being worth this kind of a cost.”
“Thanks for trying at least.”
“What happened while we were gone? It changed him.”
Jewl raised an eyebrow. “How so?”
Cheyenne laughed. “I don't know if you've noticed, but Anj is not exactly giving you the cold shoulder anymore. In fact, this is the first time I've ever seen him be affectionate. Yeah, he was worried a lot the whole time, but he also sang when he thought no one was around. And smiled. Maybe I don't know him as well as I think, but he doesn't do that all too often.”
“No, he doesn't.” Singing? Anj? That was one of his talents he didn't like to display. She'd only heard him do it once, and that was at camp the summer they first started dating. When she made the mistake of commenting on how good it sounded, he grew quiet and didn't so much as hum around her ever again.
“So again, what happened? He hasn't said anything. Are you two back together? Because, it sure looks like it. Not even Zes knows.”
She shook her head. “No. We just agreed to have a long talk about things. Who knows though? He did say it was a date, so it's an eventual possibility?”
Cheyenne gave her a soft smile, which was unexpected. “At least some things are falling back into place.”
“You say that as if the world is going to pieces.”
“No, I didn't mean it like that. Ever since I got here though things have been chaotic. Outside of your recent situation, I feel like life is starting to calm down and return to normal. Anj might think it's fun, but I didn't exactly enjoy his mind games over Homecoming. I'd like to get to know the real him.”
“Wouldn't we all.” Jewl rolled her eyes.
“It's funny you say that since you know him better than anyone. Sometimes I can see how jealous Zes gets when they talk about you. I can't imagine how lonely it makes them both feel.”
“Good thing he has you to occupy him.”
The other girl stared down at her hands and bit on her lower lip. “It's complicated.”
“I didn't mean it in a bad way Chey. Though you should know that Anj feels a little left behind,” she leaned forward. “So now I'm curious how it's complicated. Are things not as blissful for you two as they seem? You're always all over each other.”
She blushed. “Things are good. I don't want either of them to feel like they're being left out though. So much has happened, and life is so short. I want to hold on to every happy moment I have. He could come back at any moment and…”
“So long as you mean everything you feel, I won't hold it against you. Though being discreet would be nice as well.” Jewl couldn't believe she was having that conversation. It felt all too much like 'the birds and the bees' talk. It was not only her responsibility to do, but it was uncomfortable. Still, it needed to be said. If Anj wasn't going to talk to his brother about it, then she would. She also needed to grill Cheyenne some more to understand what she was feeling given the Denver factor of the equation. Being supportive of Zes was important to her, but she wouldn't do it if he was leading himself into heartbreak. It was the least she could do for him after all of the times he'd helped her so selflessly. And being able to go to and from the dorm without witnessing their tonsil hockey would be an added bonus.
Cheyenne sat quietly, chewing on her lower lip with a slight blush on her cheeks. “You're right. I do care about him a lot, just so you know. The definitions aren't exactly solid, but it's a strong feeling, whatever it is. Like I said, so much has happened. It's easy to get carried away.”
“Yes, like you said,” Jewl echoed, then took the time to collect her thoughts. “Don't let Lucien scare you so much. You should be savoring your moments, not plowing through them. Just a suggestion.”
“I know.”
“Consider it pay back for the lecture you gave me,” she winked. Cheyenne's sense of humor was hard to read. Whenever Anj was sarcastic, she seemed to pick up on it. But if Jewl was, Cheyenne stared like a deer caught in the headlights.
The girl cracked a small smile. “I needed the reminder. Not necessarily about going too fast, but about not letting Lucien rule me through fear. That's letting him win, right?”
“Sure.”
“Thanks, I'm glad we could talk like this. I knew you'd be cool if I gave you the chance.”
Then she did something unexpected. She got up and hugged Jewl, who wasn't sure how to react. Few people ever hugged her, especially girls. Much like when Teague had done it, she felt a little on edge. She'd tolerated it from him because he was such a child and had been so afraid. What Cheyenne was doing was completely new to her. Was that what it felt like to have girlie friends? Should she hug her back? Squeal? She wrapped her arms around loosely, gave her a couple of pats, and then pulled away.
“I should go,” Cheyenne said.
Yes, you should. “I need to sleep. ”That sounded a lot less rude than anything else Jewl wanted to say.
“I'll come by and make sure you get up before dinner.”
“I plan on eating here. If the boys still want to play games, you can wake me for those.”
She nodded, and then left the room. Jewl shut the door and locked it before lying down on her couch. She could finally get some real sleep. Though she was curious about the dreams Cheyenne was having. Perhaps getting to know each other better would be a good idea. They could figure out a way to help one another.
Just as she was about to close her eyes, she noticed the shadow demons again. This time one lurked in the far corner of her living room. She sat up and glared. “Why are you following me? I told you to leave me alone and stay out of my room.”
“I follow the orders of my mistress. Where she goes, I also will be,” it said.
“Is she here now? No? So you can scram.”
The demon stared at her, its face as blank and empty. For a moment, she sensed something similar to sadness radiating from its dark tendrils of smoke. It was as if she were feeling the emotions of the creature for herself. So pure and raw, it was almost overwhelming for her.
“What are you doing to me?” she asked, tears pricking her eyes.
“I am doing nothing but sharing in
the loss my lady feels. She fears for you, and her emotions summoned me here just as she left.”
“Who, your mistress?”
The demon nodded. “I will take my leave now.”
“Good.”
It disappeared. Jewl stared at the spot where it once stood, almost to be certain it had indeed left. Or maybe it hadn't been there to begin with and she was imagining things in her exhausted state of mind?
No, it was real. I was being followed at Eyde's too. But why would anyone from the underworld care about me?
“Cheyenne,” she whispered as the realization dawned on her. She was the legal companion of a demon. Who else would the minions of darkness call their mistress? Why would Cheyenne lie to her though? What wasn't she being told? More importantly, why?
Chapter Seventeen
Anj and Jewl walked through the school halls, arm in arm, much like they used to back in the 'good old days'. What a great way to start her classes again on Monday. Did she miss some kind of a memo? Were they back together and she had blanked out on that part of the conversation? Or was he jumping the gun? Or maybe he was simply feeling more cuddly than usual. Whatever the reason, she wouldn't complain even if he was lying about needing her help to get around to all of his classes. He was a capable young man. More often than not, he always protested when anyone tried to help him. If he was using it as an excuse to be close to her, she'd happily pretend as well.
“About our date,” he said as they walked to Mr. Thantos's classroom.
Jewl had been avoiding going anywhere near the dark angel ever since the incident in Teague's room. Not like she sought him out, but because Anj was close to him interaction was bound to happen on occasion. She'd been doing a good job of keeping her distance. Hopefully enough time had passed that the man wouldn't ask her about what happened. He hadn't forced her into his office to talk about it, so that had to mean something.
“Are you paying attention to me, darling?” Anj asked.
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