by MJ Fletcher
“Very funny, now let’s go.”
“Seriously, Cuz, I don’t think I’m even going to the dance. I mean—” Go on say it, admit it to yourself you coward. Damn but could I berate myself good. Good enough to finally admit, “I think Slade and I are done.”
“Did you say that you were breaking up with him?”
“No, but I told him that I never wanted to see him again.”
“Oh please that doesn’t mean anything. He’s just giving you space till you calm down.”
“Not very likely I’ll be doing that.” I said.
“All the more reason for us to go out since Brimstone is working on the Chronicle page and until we get that we can’t do anything but wait. So we might as well keep ourselves occupied.” She smiled and effortlessly looped her arm through mine and marched me to the door. She pulled her Skeleton Key out and activated it turning the door bright crimson and opening a portal to what I assumed was the ninth ring of hell or... a dress shop.
We stepped out of the portal onto a cobblestone street that winded unevenly between narrow rows of buildings. Signs hung above each of the doors of the small shops that dotted the street.
“Where are we?” The buildings were high enough and had canopies covering the store entrances to block out the sky so I couldn’t tell if it was night or day here.
“Passions Embrace,” Jess said with excitement.
“So we’re in a romance novel?”
“Very funny. No, it’s a pocket dimension that hugs Paris and Manhattan.” She smiled like the Cheshire cat and I feared I was about to be devoured. She grabbed my arm and dragged me to the storefront. We stepped down and Jess pushed the door open, a small bell jingled a greeting and announced us to the sales staff.
“Ms. Grimm!” A peppy twenty-something rushed forward and gave air kisses to Jess and I had to swallow hard several times to keep from throwing up.
“Tilda, this is my cousin Chloe, she’ll also be going to the school dance.”
Jess sure had a lot more confidence about that then I did.
Jess motioned me forward and I felt like she was showing off some prize possession. Tilda looked me up and down, inspecting every inch of me and making me feel like I should work out more often. She reached out grabbing my hips and tugging my pants tight, then nodded her head as if that had somehow helped. Before I could react she was walking around me and yanking my hoodie up to check out my butt. I tried to turn but Jess shook her head warning me to stay put. Tilda walked in front of me, her hand pressed firmly against her chin and regarded me with calculating eyes.
“She has potential,” Tilda declared, which made Jess smile and me gulp in fear. “Let me bring a few things out.” Tilda disappeared into the back of the store and Jess sat down and I stood there like an idiot not really sure what to do.
“This is going to be fun.” Jess had pulled out her phone and was busy texting what I assume was the entire world.
Tilda returned shortly with several dresses draped over her arm. She smiled at me as she stepped into a small room that Jess’ chair faced and hung the dresses on metal hooks. She then walked over to me and the next thing I knew she was shooing me into the dressing room. I looked back at Jess as if I was being lead to the gallows but she only smiled and waved at me. My immediate thought was that this day may end with me killing her.
Tilda shoved me into what to me was a confined prison cell and before I could protest she yanked off my hoodie and was going for my t-shirt when I grabbed hold of her hands with a death grip.
“I can handle it.” I forced a smile on my face.
“Very well,” she said reluctantly and with a pout. “Let me know if you need help.” She gave me one last stern look before closing the door and leaving me alone with the unforgiving, full length mirrors that surrounded me.
My hoodie hung on one of the numerous metal hooks and my t-shirt was half off, so I sighed and pulled it off. My time in the sun with Val hadn’t done much for me as my skin had nearly no color. I thumbed through the various dresses Tilda had chosen for me and realized that they were nearly perfect for my size. I took the first off the hanger. It was light blue, the material clingy and I stepped into it pulling the slim straps up over my shoulders and zipping it up as best as I could. I turned and looked at myself in the mirrors and wasn’t thrilled with what I saw.
“Well?” Jess’s voice carried back to me and I sighed forgetting that she had come with me, though perhaps that was wishful thinking.
“Not sure about this first one,” I yelled back.
“Get your butt out here so I can see it.”
I had a terrible feeling she was going to say that, I mean couldn’t she just shoot me instead. I checked myself in the mirror one last time, I was by no means a tiny girl I had curves and they didn’t look too bad in the dress. But I still wasn’t happy about any of this.
I took a deep breath and opened the door stepping out to find Jess and Tilda sitting there waiting for me. I almost turned around and went right back into the prison cell but Jess had a big smile on her face and waved me out. They both chatted on about lines and strapless being in and lots of other things I didn’t understand before shooing me once again back into the room and telling me which dress I needed to model next.
This went on for another hour and a half while, I don’t know how I did it but, I made it through several wardrobe changes. My head was spinning at the copious varieties and colors but at this point I was willing to cede to Jess. I wanted it done and over. Besides I trusted her fashion opinion. She knew this stuff, I didn’t. So if she said something worked for me or not, I took her word for it. But she still wasn’t convinced we had found the one. According to her the dress should speak to me. Now look, I know for someone who walks through dimensions and creates shields and weapons made from pure universal energy I should understand that. But how the hell is a dress going to speak to me? I was beginning to think I was deaf when it came to this girly thing.
We’d made our way through the lighter colors which according to Tilda made me look like a glowing alien with bad eyeliner; yes she also didn’t like my choice in makeup. Now we were into the dark colors and Jess seemed to be much happier with how they looked on me.
While I was taking off the latest attempt at making me look like some prom queen, Jess swung the door open. It seemed my right to privacy had disappeared some time ago. Jess had an ear to ear grin and held out a new dress for me.
“This is it.”
I reached out snatching it from her hands and gave it a quick glance to appease her and smiled. “You might just be right, Cuz.”
“Of course I am, try it on and then we can figure out what to do about your hair.” She closed the door and my shoulders sagged. Crap, I thought the dress shopping would be it.
I slipped the dress on determined that no matter how it looked this would be it. I wasn’t going to try another damn dress on. It fit like a snug glove and there wasn’t a zipper in sight. I checked myself in the mirror and was surprised at how much I liked it. It was black, my kind of color, though I never would have imagined wearing a dress that bared one shoulder. Damn it, how did Jess do it? I laughed to myself and walked out to model the one.
“I told you it was perfect.” Jess smiled.
“You were right,” Tilda nodded. ”But what are we going to do about the rest of her?”
“I have some ideas about that as well,” Jess said much too gleefully to my way of thinking.
The next few hours were a whirlwind of activities. After we left Passions Embrace we hit several more shops looking for shoes and accessories to go with my new dress. Jess and I argued for a half hour over shoes with me insisting that my combat boots would look great and her adamant about how I would have to kill her before she let me wear them. I considered that but ruled against it and purchased the shoes Jess chose for me, though I drew the line at what jewelry to wear. We also made appointments to get our hair done the day of the dance. Though I was convinced the e
ntire time that I wouldn’t be going anyway so what difference did it make? We finished up our shopping with no casualties and found a little café and enjoyed lunch at the outside tables.
“Are you going to call him?” Jess asked as she sipped at her espresso.
“No.”
“Why not?”
I shrugged.
“What’s wrong? Come on spill it.”
I sighed. Maybe Jess was right. Maybe I did need to spill my concerns, my feelings. But how did I best describe them when they were even foreign to me? “It’s not just how he talked about the family. Slade is a great guy. He’s sweet and nice and always looking to help. That’s all wonderful and everything, but once in a while I wish he wasn’t so perfect. I mean he always does or wants to do the right thing or at least what he perceives the right thing to be. As for me,” —I shook my head— “I’m far from perfect and I feel like I disappoint him every time I make a choice. It’s frustrating.” I took a drink of my coffee as the waiter dropped off our food.
“He is a very upstanding guy,” Jess said as she poured dressing on her salad.
“I know, sometimes I feel like I’m dating Captain America.”
“At least you know how he feels, trying to get anything out of Nightshade is like trying to read hieroglyphics.”
I laughed feeling not so alone in my concerns with Jess sharing her own. “Nightshade is a handful. Has he heard anything new from Gavin?”
The corners of Jess’ mouth turned up a bit as if she was trying to stop herself from smiling. “Well, um, no, he says he’s getting closer but it’s still the same time frame.”
“What’s going on?” I found myself tilting my head like Dad did when he knew I was hiding something.
“Gavin is just so... interesting.”
I dropped backed against my chair shocked that Jess was paying attention to someone other than Nightshade. “How so?”
“He’s good looking, like so good looking.”
I smiled. “I thought you only had eyes for Nightshade.”
“I care about Nightshade, I always have, but it’s like you said it gets frustrating. I have no idea if he really sees me as anything more than a friend. It’s not like I think Gavin is interested in me. He’s a few years older than us. It’s just fun to fantasize about.”
“Nightshade is taking you to the dance,” I said trying to reassure her.
“I know,” Jess sighed as if more resigned than excited about it, “for a long time I thought he would never get over Lauren and I still wonder if he has. Lately he seems more interested in researching about the First Kind and Artifacts than anything else. I know it’s important and I get wrapped up in what we’re doing too. Sometimes I wish we were all normal and could just chill out.”
“Normal isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. I have a feeling Val would give up normal in a heartbeat to be able to be on the inside with the rest of us.” I frowned, thinking of my friend who was still angry with me.
“Have you talked to her?”
“She won’t answer any of my texts, she must be really mad.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m not sure, but I need to talk with her.” I pushed my plate forward having lost my appetite.
“I can come with you if you want.” Jess had her purse out and was dropping some cash on the table as we finished up. I pulled my own money out and paid my share. We got up and started heading back toward the doorway that would take us home.
“No, I think I’ll go to the Beanery and catch her at work. At least there she can’t run.”
“Let me know if I can help.”
“I will.” I didn’t want to mention that I was thinking of telling Val everything. I had asked Dad about breaking the rules of the Council for that reason. I was tired of keeping Val in the dark and I wanted to be able to talk with her about everything going on in my life.
I made up my mind as we walked through the portal that the next time I saw Valerie Hobson I would tell her the truth about the Doorknob Society.
Chapter 16
Status: I go for some coffee and get surprises.
The next day I got ready quickly and yelled out to Dad that I was heading out for coffee. I stood on the front porch and shaded my eyes with my hand as I raised my face to the sun. It was already warming up to be a beautiful day. Summer was just around the corner and school would be over shortly. I had less than a week until the dance and according to Jess that would be around the same time we’d finally get a look at the Chronicle page, which could lead us to the artifact or be a complete bust.
I walked down Mission Way toward the Cape Beanery. I didn’t know how Val was going to react to seeing me let alone how she would handle what I was planning on telling her. I was sick of lying to her and after how she stood by me and defended me against my mom; the truth was the only way to go.
I spied the Beanery ahead, took a deep breath and headed straight for it. I swung the door open, the little bell ringing loudly, announcing my entrance. I stepped in and saw the morning line for coffee and stepped to the side and hopped onto a stool figuring I would wait till Val came my way.
It didn’t take long to see her dashing around refilling coffee cups and chatting away. She turned my way and stopped when she saw me. She walked behind the counter putting the coffee pot away and making a new drink. She came back my way and slid a mug of hot coffee in front of me.
“The usual.” She looked at me, hands hugging her hips.
“I’m sorry,” I sighed and was about to keep talking when Val launched herself at me, wrapping her arms around me and hugging tightly.
“It’s okay. I should have been more sensitive to what you were going through. Your crazy mom shows up threatening you and I go and get mad at you. Whatever is going on I know you’ll tell me when you’re ready,” she whispered, holding on to me and I found myself returning her hug most willingly and feeling better already.
“Thanks.” I smiled and she released me and slid into the chair opposite me.
“I’m on break, is everything okay? Did your mom come back?”
My mother’s threats still lingered but I had been doing my best not to dwell on them. She had given me two weeks, which of course coincided with the school dance and fit with the whole... my life going to hell thing.
“Things are okay and no, Mom hasn’t returned.”
“That’s good. How does Slade feel about it?”
“Actually, we’re fighting. I’m not even sure we’re together anymore.” I shrugged and half grinned.
“You’re kidding, why?”
“It’s stupid. I got mad at him.”
“What about the dance?” Val smiled, her fingers drumming on the table.
“Well, I got a dress but I’m not sure that we’re going.”
“But you have to go, it’s a big night. Plus I figured we would all get together afterwards. I want to hear all about it.” Her smile was even bigger now.
“Am I missing something?”
“You could say that.” Val laughed and her crazy curly hair bobbed around her.
“What?”
“I got a date that night.” Her eyes sparkled and I couldn’t help but smile at her excitement.
“That’s great with whom?” I had a pretty good idea who it was but I wanted to let her tell me.
“Well, he goes to your school.”
I kind of figured that part out but I was letting her enjoy her moment. “That is so cool do I know him?”
“I think you do.”
“That’s even better who is it?” The bell over the door jingled and Val’s smile got impossibly wide along with her eyes.
“Here he is now,” she practically squealed and I bit my lip trying not to laugh. “Sweetie, you know Chloe don’t you, she goes to Paladin Academy too?”
“I think I do.”
The voice sounded familiar but it wasn’t the one I expected. I turned to face him as Val hurried behind me and threw her arms arou
nd the guy. My voice caught in my throat and I swallowed hard.
“Jasper?” Faith’s ex who had followed her and I to Nightshade’s place and I had unceremoniously punched in the face was hugging my best friend.
“Hi, Chloe, good to see you again.” He smiled at me and I didn’t like the way his eyes gleamed.
“It’s great that you guys know each other. I was just telling Chloe we could all hang out after the dance. Jasper isn’t going to the dance, we’re going to dinner and I figured we could meet up afterward.” Val was clinging to Jasper’s hand and smiling hopefully in my direction.
“Like I said I’m not even sure I’m going.” My mind raced, trying to figure out what the hell to do or say. I wanted to get this slime-ball away from my friend. That she seemed so happy with him worried me. He wasn’t to be trusted but how did I tell a starry-eyed Val that?
“We can still hang out that night,” Jasper said, his fake smile annoying me. I had no idea what he was up to, but I damn well intended to find out.
“Yeah, I suppose,” I said not wanting to spoil Val’s excitement.
“This is going to be so much fun.” Val grabbed my hand and squeezed. “Talk with Slade, work it out, and then we can all get together”
My heart sank. I didn’t want to see her get hurt by this louse. So even though I didn’t think all of us getting together was a good idea, I said, “I will and I’ll talk to Jess and Nightshade too.” At the mention of Nightshade’s name Jasper flinched and a flash of anger crossed his face. He was up to no good alright and I was glad that at least one of us in the group made him uncomfortable.
“I better go, sweetheart.” Jasper leaned over and kissed Val on the cheek and then once again turned his phony smile on me. “Chloe, nice seeing you again. I can’t wait for all of us to get together. I’m sure it’ll be a blast.”
“Right.” I nodded wanting to punch him in his smug face all over again. He turned and walked out of the Beanery.
“Isn’t he great?” Val smiled and looked incredibly happy.
“He seems fine.” I gritted my teeth as I said it.
