by Mary Martel
Apparently, I could hold a mean grudge. Something I hadn’t known until just then. I’d never held on to anything like anger or resentment before. I’d always chosen to let it go in order to maintain my own sanity and version of happiness. But times had changed for me and I did not like Chucky in the least bit.
On the first day of school Chucky had tripped me in class, causing me to fall to my hands and knees before an entire classroom of people. I’d been hurt and humiliated while they’d all laughed at my expense. A few days later Chucky had called me a freak show and asked me to go out on a date with him, all in the same conversation.
Yeah, I didn’t like him. Not at all. It was a wonder anyone did.
Thanks to Quint and his magic, Chucky and his not so nice friends had ended up puking up their own blood all over themselves during lunch one day. It hadn’t been their finest hour and had scared the crap out of a whole lot of people, myself included.
The sickness had only lasted for a few days then it had miraculously gone away. It was after that when he’d gotten weird on me in school and I hadn’t seen him since. Heck, I hadn’t even thought of him since he’d walked away from me in the hallway at school.
His smile slipped a little when I called him Chuck. I remembered him telling me before how much he didn’t like being called Chuck, which is why I kept on doing it. He preferred to be called Chucky because there was clearly something wrong with him. I preferred Chuck because he didn’t.
“It’s Chucky,” he reminded me like I figured he would. “We already went over this before.”
I wanted to roll my eyes but somehow managed to refrain from doing so.
I crossed my arms over my chest and frowned at him. “What… Are… You… Doing… Here?” I asked him slowly, enunciating each word so he wouldn’t miss anything. He wasn’t the smartest person I’d ever met and repeating myself was starting to grow tedious.
He tucked his hands in the front pocket of his jeans and shrugged his shoulders casually. “I missed you at school so I thought I’d stop on by to check on you, make sure everything’s okay. So, is it?”
I stared at him, dumbfounded. Now, why did these things have to keep happening to me?
If I wasn’t so ashamed of my own behavior, I would have marched across the grass and the driveway so I could smack Quinton upside the head for putting me in this position. After the whole bloody fiasco, he should have left Chuck alone. Instead, he had to go and mess with his head and I was the one who had to deal with it.
I didn’t want to deal with anything.
“Listen, Chuck,” I said as I took a step back so I could shut the door on him. “Thanks for stopping by, but everything is fine.” It wasn’t actually, but no way were we going there. “It was very kind of you to stop by and check on me. Now that you know I’m fine, you should probably be on your way. I’ll see you at school. I plan on going back next week.”
That last part was a complete lie. I had no intention of ever going back to that school. I’d rather take the test to get my GED and find something better to do with my time.
I stepped back into the house, intent on shutting the door but he didn’t let me. Quickly, he placed his shoulder in the door and pushed his way inside. I gaped at him as he moved past me.
“Wha… what are you doing?” I stammered out past my suddenly dry lips.
I didn’t want him in my house and I absolutely did not want to be alone with him.
Slowly, his lips moved up and he smirked at me. I swallowed past the sudden lump in my throat and dug my fingernails into both my palms. The sudden pain helped keep every other emotion at bay. I did not want to be afraid. Not of Chucky, not of anyone. Never again.
He glanced around the entryway nervously. “Nice place.”
Something in his voice had me cocking my head to the side, examining him closer. He’d sounded resentful and a little snide. Since the first time I’d met him, I wondered about Chucky’s life. What made him act like a dick? What did his home look like? Did he live with both of his parents? Were they nice? I didn’t want to know but I kinda did. I made no damn sense to myself sometimes.
“It’s not my place,” I murmured softly. “It’s Mr. Cole’s.”
And it wouldn’t be my home for much longer, nor would it be Mr. Cole’s. I pulled in a shuddering breath, that thought broke my heart. The only father figure I’d ever had and he wanted to take me away from the only people who would likely ever really understand me. And I was too big of a pussy to go over and explain the situation to them to see if they could help me get out of it.
“Heard your mom skipped town,” Chucky said quietly, cutting into my thoughts.
My head lowered, and I closed my eyes, searching for strength. Yeah, I just bet he heard all about my mother supposedly skipping out on us. I was willing to bet that the whole damn town was whispering about the harlot who fucked Marcus Cole over and the bastard she’d left him with. Leaving the house at this point would be a brand-new horror simply waiting to befall me.
I could see it in my head. Me, parking my sweet Rover at the grocery store. Getting out, beeping the locks and heading towards the entrance. I wouldn’t notice them until it was too late for me to do anything about it. They’d hold in their hands rocks, glass bottles, one brave sucker would probably have ahold of a brick. They’d snarl ugly names at me while lobbing their heavy objects at my body. And I’d stand there like a fool and do nothing about it. I’d be too shocked to use my magic in defense.
The image faded away before the first object could crash into my face. I blinked, slowly coming back to the room I stood in. My thoughts were heavy, slow, like I was treading water and not moving. I had to stop doing this to myself. I’d probably get another headache. Seemed I couldn’t go a day without getting one of the stupid things.
“Hey,” he murmured as a cold hand brushed against my warm cheek.
I jerked back, the touch of his skin against my own making me feel funny, and not in a “ha ha I’m gonna laugh my ass off” kind of way.
I slapped his clammy hand away from my face and stepped back.
He laughed at me, causing the skin on my arms and the back of my neck to prickle as my hair rose.
My back straightened as I lifted my chin. I squared my shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. He would not intimidate or frighten me. Not in my own home, not anywhere. Not ever again. I wasn’t alone or a weak little girl anymore, my magic would never let me down or abandon me. I was stronger than this A-hole. Not physically, but I could kick his ass with my magic any day of the week. I’d been practicing.
I stared him down and whispered vehemently, “Do not touch me again. Not unless you’re invited to do so. And just so we’re clear, Chuck, I wouldn’t hold my breath while waiting for that particular invitation because you’re never gonna get one. I can promise you that.”
His nostrils flared like a wild beast and he snapped at me, “I knew it. Nobody believed me when I told them, but I knew I was right. You’re fucking Tyson. What I want to know is why. What’s so fucking great about Tyson Alexander? Why does everyone want to ride that? Because he’s got money? It can’t be because he’s so damn nice. He’s a dick, Ariel. I saw the way he treated you on the first day of school. What’s so different with the way he treated you from the way that I did? I already said I was sorry. What more do you want from me? I already got on my knees and begged. What more do you want from me?” He finished speaking in a tortured whisper.
My eyes were as wide as they could get as I took a step back and away from him. He’d started out practically snarling at me and ended sounding as if I had done something to personally torment him.
I’d never done anything to him that would make sense for him to be speaking to me in such a way. And I’d done absolutely nothing to garner his devotion. No, crazy Uncle Quinton had gone and done that.
Quinton’s name and the offenses stacked against him were quickly filling up the empty slots on my shit list. Soon, I’d be forced to re
taliate in some way. I couldn’t let him get away with doing this shit to me, even if it was involuntary.
“I’m not-” I started to tell him I wasn’t sleeping with Tyson but snapped my mouth shut. What business was it of his who I was sleeping with? Not that I was sleeping with anybody, but…
He grabbed my chin forcefully and jerked my face towards him.
“Don’t even try to lie to me,” he snapped as he put pressure on my chin, likely bruising me.
I’d had enough of people trying to push me around or abuse me. More than enough.
I closed my eyes and concentrated as he kept snapping words at me. I ignored him and his brutish behavior. All the books the boys had given me had stressed the importance of concentration and control. If I let my emotions rule me, there was no telling how this would go. I needed control or I might fry him, and I didn’t want to run to the neighbors and ask them to dig another hole. I shuddered at the thought of Chucky’s body being buried beside my mothers.
I took a deep breath, let it out and focused on his fingers on my face, trying to crush my jaw. I could see the flame in my mind, burning bright, waiting for me to play with it. It was at my disposal. Completely and utterly mine.
I licked my lips and focused on the rough feel of his fingers on my face. I pushed my flame out and into Chucky’s fingers.
He screamed, dropped his hand and backed away from me. His eyes were huge in his head as he held his injured hand cradled to his chest protectively.
“What… what did you just do to me?” He whispered in horror and, I was surprised to see, awe.
I couldn’t stop my lips from curling up in a small smile. Finally, I had a means to take care of myself, to fight back.
“Babe,” a deep voice rumbled from behind me. “You can’t just go around doing shit like that to people.”
I sighed.
Why didn’t I shut the front door? I knew better.
Chapter Three
Quinton stood in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest and his shoulder against the doorframe. He looked the same as he had the last time I’d seen him, only a whole lot more amused.
Quinton Alexander was a dangerously beautiful man. Tall, broad shouldered and slim-hipped. He wore his dark brown hair buzzed close to his scalp. His eyes were so dark brown they were almost black, and they were always, always burning with something I couldn’t quite read but was almost positive it wasn’t ever anything good.
Today he’d switched out the small, silver hoops in both his ear lobes for black ones.
The black, long-sleeved button up shirt he wore hid the orange and red flames he had inked into his skin. They started at his wrists and slithered up his forearms. I wanted to see the ink and wished he hadn’t hidden it away.
He had on a pair of dark, blue jeans tucked into black, scuffed up cowboy boots.
The cowboy boots were a nice touch.
He looked hot.
My face smoothed out, the smile now entirely gone, and I tried my hardest to look innocent. When he smiled at me, I’m pretty sure I failed.
“Shit like what?” I asked sweetly. “I didn’t do anything.”
Funny thing, lying to Quinton made me feel like crap and my stomach started to hurt. I fought the urge to rub at it, and I won.
He chuckled as he shook his head. I think I amused him. I didn’t like him laughing at me. Not at all.
Instead of calling me out on my lie, he turned those dark, dark eyes on Chucky, his smile fading as soon as he locked eyes on him. I was thankful not to be on the receiving end of Quinton’s scary look. He could be one downright frightening man when he wanted to be.
“What the fuck are you doing here at Ariel’s house, boy?” Quinton growled.
Chucky shrugged his shoulders casually, seeming to not care about Quinton’s growling, and said, “That’s not really any of your business. Man, it’s not like it’s your house or anything. And, I could ask you the same thing.”
I sighed and rolled my eyes.
Boys were so stupid. Especially Chucky. One look into Quinton’s dark eyes should have been enough to let him know how dangerous he was. Any smart person would have kept their mouth shut.
Quinton laughed. I jumped, not having expected it. I stared at him with big eyes. What was he playing at here?
“Uh, hey, Chuck,” I said loud enough to be heard over Quint’s laughter. “I think you should be leaving now. Like, right now.”
That made the laughing stop.
“Ariel,” Chucky whined. “I’m so sorry. You just make me so crazy that I can’t help myself when I’m around you. You haven’t been to school in weeks. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen you last and I feel like I’m lost. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. All I think about is you. Morning, noon, middle of the night. It doesn’t matter. You’re always on my mind. Please, please don’t kick me out. I’ll be nice, I promise. Just don’t kick me out.”
He sniffled and wiped at the wetness under his eyes. Good God, he was crying. The big football player was crying. Again.
I couldn’t take it. Fearing it might set him off if I laughed at him, I quickly looked away, hiding my face from his view.
Quinton caught my eye and he made a rough noise in the back of his throat when he saw the look on my face.
It wasn’t funny. It really, really wasn’t funny. So why did I want to laugh so badly? I could tell Quinton wanted to laugh too.
“Who are you?” Chucky asked as he sniffled again.
“I’m the neighbor,” Quinton told him.
“I thought Tyson was your neighbor, Ariel.”
“He is,” I told him.
“So am I,” Quint said.
Sounding confused, Chucky asked, “You live with Tyson?”
Once again, I sighed. This was not how I envisioned my day going. I could not win for losing here.
Quinton kept the information flowing and told Chuck, “Ty’s my nephew. He’s lived with me for a few years now.”
“Huh,” Chucky said. “I knew his folks were dead, but nobody said anything about him living with an Uncle.”
My lips parted in surprise as I watched the two of them interacting. I wondered what would happen if I were to tell him it was Quint’s fault he threw up blood all over himself? Or, what he’d think if I told him his sudden infatuation with me was also due to the other man in the room? And, oh, hey, we’re witches.
“Yeah,” Quinton said. “They died a few years ago. Look, I need to ask Ariel about a few things and I’m going to need you to be gone for that. How about you go, and she’ll see you in school tomorrow.”
I didn’t care why Quinton was here, but I was happy he was. I’d had more than enough of Chucky and having Quinton here to get rid of him worked really well for me.
Chucky gave me a hopeful look as his eyes lit up. “You’re going to be at school tomorrow?” He asked.
I absolutely was not going to be at school tomorrow. If I was lucky, I’d never go back to that place.
“Sure,” I lied easily. “I’ll see you tomorrow. At school. Definitely not at my house.”
“Ariel,” Quinton said, interrupting me.
Right. I snapped my mouth shut. I’d been rambling. I did that when I lied or got nervous.
Chucky exhaled loudly. “Good,” he said. “Good. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I feel like I have to be around you, or I’ll go crazy.”
Being around him was going to make me go crazy. I hoped Quinton would be able to reverse whatever it was he’d done to the football player.
“You promise?” Chucky pushed it.
“Sure,” I told him cheerfully. At this point I’d tell him just about anything to get rid of him.
He ran his hand through the hair on the top of his head and nodded. “Alright,” he said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He grinned at me and his dimples popped out. Then he was gone.
One down, one to go.
“What are you-”
I didn’t ge
t to finish my sentence because he rushed me. He came at me fast, stalking me. I backed up and kept going until I hit the wall. He didn’t stop until he hovered over me, mere inches away from my body. His body hovered over mine as he placed both his hands on the wall on either side of me.
I was caged in and had no idea why.
His intense eyes roamed over my face. “I felt you, ya know?” he whispered. “I felt you when your mother was drowning you and I felt you just now when you were afraid of that stupid fuck. I don’t know how you do it but when you’re feeling something extreme, you call out to us with your magic. What did he do to you?”
My breath caught in my throat and I struggled to draw in air.
“Don’t talk about her,” I croaked.
“Why?” He shot back. “It’s true, she tried to drown you in the bathtub. She beat on you. And I felt you panic and we all felt your pain. She’s dead now and you’ve got no reason to hide from her anymore.”
He was wrong. So very, very wrong. There was still plenty to hide from. Like my feelings. And her. I’d never escape her. I couldn’t hide from her when she was alive. She was always there, like my shadow, ready to drag me down kicking and screaming by my hair. Now that she was dead, she haunted my mind and my dreams. I thought about her every day, the guilt never left me alone for very long.
I couldn’t talk about her yet. Not with Quinton. Not with anyone. I wasn’t ready.
Maybe he saw it, maybe he didn’t, either way he left it alone and went back to his original topic. “What did he do?” He demanded.
I sighed. Lying to him wouldn’t do me any good and I knew he’d be relentless until he got what he wanted.
“He got too pushy with me and it freaked me out a little.” I glared at him. “It’s your fault he’s like this. You need to fix whatever it is that you did to him so he will leave me alone.”
A wall slammed shut over his eyes, hiding his intense emotions from me. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized just how much he hadn’t been holding back from me.
