by A. J. Downey
“Cool, and Sage?”
“Yeah?”
“Watch your mouth at school and in front of your sister.”
“You swear all the time,” he said as we moved to the door.
“Yeah, and so can you, after you’re eighteen. First milestone, that one.”
“Okay,” he said with a little laugh.
We hit the drive-thru, got more food than we probably should have, and I took him to school dropping him off. He leaned in and I rolled down the window.
“Thanks, Nox.”
“No problem, kid. I mean it about the bus, your sister is pretty much done like last night’s dinner and needs a rest. Give it to her for today, yeah?”
Sage looked thoughtful, “Yeah, okay.”
“You’re a good kid when you want to be.”
He gave me a cheeky grin, “Which isn’t very often.”
I rolled my eyes, “Born outlaw troublemaker. I know the type.”
He grinned wider and reached through the open window of my cage. We bumped fists and he ran off and into the building. I watched him go in and when one of the other citizen parents honked their horns behind me, I gave them the good old one fingered salute through my rear window.
Real mature and way to lead by example, I know, but I was out of fucks to give at the moment.
I headed to Maren’s school next, pretty much dreading walking in, and trying to figure out how in the fuck to handle this shit diplomatically by citizen standards; especially after having gone the non-traditional route with Sage.
I pulled into a visitor’s parking space and got out of my cage. I took my cut out of the backseat and ground my teeth as I locked it in the back hatch area of my cage, tucking it carefully under some clean sheets to keep it out of view. It felt like too much disrespect to my colors for my liking, but I knew for a fact that they weren’t going to buy me any favors in a public high school, at least not from the faculty. Tucking them under the sheets was for their safety, being as I didn’t want a window smashed and the colors taken because then I really would have to go kill somebody. Not to mention face the consequences the club would have to dish out to me – which was likely a fate worse than death.
I went through the front door of the school to a lot of stares and kids putting their heads together, whispering. My age, plus the biker jacket, which happened to be the only one I owned, drawing a lot of attention. I caught sight of Lucas out of the corner of my eye and he sort of half blanched, staring at me intently and eying my jacket, as if trying to figure out if I were one of the boogey men from that night. I gave him a second glance, before going into the main office, trying to judge if he recognized me, uneasy that I couldn’t be sure he didn’t.
“Can I help you?” the secretary asked from behind her rhinestoned purple granny glasses on their tasteful bead chain. I smiled at her, she looked to be about D’s age. So, late fifties maybe early sixties. Her white hair was in a fringe of bangs over her blue eyes and she was skinny, almost too skinny. She wrapped her purple cardigan tighter around her as I rested my hands on the desk, and I didn’t think it was because she was cold.
“Yeah, that’d be great. I’m Landon Fisher. Maren Tracy isn’t feeling well and I stopped by to get her assignments for her so she could get ‘em done from home.” I laid the manila folder of her last night’s homework on the wrap, up around the secretary’s desk and said, “These are her completed assignments she wanted to turn in.”
The secretary blinked at me and picked up the phone, her eyes never leaving mine. She punched in a three digit code on the keypad, without missing a beat and said into the receiver; “Yes, I believe Maren Tracy’s… boyfriend?” she asked me over the receiver and I felt my lips twist into a wry grin.
Well played old gal, well played. I thought to myself.
“Friend,” I said unequivocally.
“Yes, Maren Tracy’s friend is here to collect her assignments, it seems she won’t be in school today.” She paused. “Yes, of course.”
“Vice Principal Hunter would like to see you. He’s just through there,” she pointed and I raised my eyebrows, picking up the folder of Maren’s assignments that I’d taken from her backpack.
“Sent to the Vice Principal’s office just for walking through the door, that’s a record even for me,” I said lightly and dryly, trying to inject a little humor into the situation. The secretary did not look amused. Okay, then. I gave a nod, and said, “Thank you, Ma’am.”
She reverted her eyes back to her screen, back straight, shoulders back, perfect posture. I tried not to laugh and went to the door she’d indicated, which opened up to a man in a suit, looking me up and down. He stood aside, and let me in, greeting me with a simple, “Mister..?”
“Call me Nox. Mr. Fisher would just make me feel like I’m in some kind of trouble,” I said smiling.
“Should you be?” the Vice Principal shot back.
“Not for the reasons you’re clearly thinkin’,” I said coolly.
“Have a seat, Mr. Fisher,” he said and again I told him to call me Nox. I took a seat in one of the two chairs opposite his desk, and he sank into the expensive looking leather office chair across the expanse of, what looked like, cherry wood. Rush would have been so proud at the identification.
We stared at one another for a long minute that may have even stretched into two, and I have to say, he had this Vice Principal shit down because I was beginning to sweat. I finally broke the silence with, “Are you going to take these and turn them in, and get me the assignments she has to do for today, or not?”
I tapped the manila file folder against the edge of his desk and gave it a toss onto the blotter in front of him. He picked it up and gave me a sardonic grin.
“It’s against school policy to accept work, or to give work to anyone but a student or their immediate family, such as a parent or guardian.”
I let my look flatten out, “Guess you best make an exception to the rule in Maren’s case. She doesn’t have any immediate family left, and in case you weren’t paying attention to the goings on around here,” I leaned forward and said conspiratorially, “I’m most definitely her guardian, even if it isn’t by any official citizen standard.”
His blue eyes grew keen and his gaze sharpened on me. He picked up his phone and punched in three numbers. When whoever picked up on the other end spoke, he answered into the receiver, “Yes, Jean, do me a favor and pick up these assignments I have here in my office, make a quick tour of Maren Tracy’s classes and get the next assignments from her teachers.” He paused and then said, “Now please, I believe this gentleman has places to be.”
He hung up the phone and we waited, staring each other down. The door opened and he handed the folder to the secretary saying, “Thank you, Ms. Cox.” I tried not to snort. More like Ms. Cocks I thought to myself as she gave me a sour expression before shutting the door behind her.
“I’ve noticed that Maren has been… safer in these halls the last few weeks. That was you?”
“What was me?” I asked raising my eyebrows.
He shifted in his seat uncomfortably, “Fair enough. It’s probably best I don’t know.”
“You have to be pretty smart to get the job as a Vice Principal, I take it.”
He smiled but it held no humor, “Quite.”
“Good to know,” I said.
“What precisely is it that you do Mr…”
“Nox, and I’m a massage therapist.”
Hunter looked surprised and I chuckled a little, I think he was warming up to me a little. I certainly was thawing out in his direction.
“You know I can’t approve of a thirty-six year old man and a seventeen year old girl being together. I can’t quite fathom how something like that even came to be.”
Well alright, if he wanted to be blunt, I could be too.
“I think we both know Maren might be seventeen but she’s way older than that; given everything that’s happened. Trust me, I never once went for anything remote
ly resembling jailbait before but something about her is different. Plus, not that it likely makes any difference to you, I haven’t laid a hand on her. I like my life, I like my practice, and I’m not about to flush either for anyone or anything. If it’s going to go anywhere, it can wait until she’s eighteen and legal. I’m just trying to lend a helping hand around the house and with that brother of hers.”
“I see,” he said and leaned back in his seat, fingers pressed in a steeple before him. He rested his ankle from his opposite foot on his knee and regarded me carefully.
“Ask her yourself if you don’t believe me.”
“I intend to,” he admitted and we sat in a stalemated silence. I gritted my teeth. The last thing I’d wanted to do by coming here was cause Maren any more grief.
“Why that look, Mr. Nox?”
I rolled my eyes, “It’s just Nox, and in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m trying to make Maren’s life easier, not harder. So if you’re going to get involved, or get the authorities up my ass – which good luck on that one, she’s emancipated and considered an adult anyhow… just do me a favor and don’t be giving her the third degree.”
We deadlocked into another stare while he considered my words, until we were finally interrupted by the secretary who looked like she could use some cock. She rapped lightly on the door and Hunter called out for her to come in. She slipped into the office with the same manila file folder I’d brought Maren's work in, only this time it was filled with crisp, flat paper, fresh sheets of new assignments.
“Ms. Tracy’s assignments,” she said handing it over to her boss smartly.
“Thank you,” he said and after another careful look in my direction handed the folder over. The secretary ducked out and closed the door behind her. I stood up, I needed to get going if I wanted to stop back over at Maren’s before I had to head to work.
“Will there be anything else, Nox?” the Vice Principal asked standing with me, buttoning his suit jacket. I was hit with a flash of sudden inspiration.
“Yeah, when you catch me breaking into Maren’s car on Valentine’s Day,” I opened the door, “do me a favor and don’t call the cops.”
I shut the door on his perplexed expression and gave a nod to the secretary on the way out. “Ms. Cox.”
She looked startled as if she hadn’t expected the nicety, and she probably hadn’t which is exactly why I’d done it. I really was out to make my girl’s life easier, not harder, but on some things it looked like we were in this struggle together. Dammit.
Chapter 20
Maren
“Wake up, Angel.”
I shifted slightly and winced, feeling as if I’d somehow rusted overnight. Nox brushed my hair away from my face and I cracked open my eyes.
“What time is it?” I asked, and even my voice sounded rusty with disuse. Jesus, what had I taken?
Nox chuckled lightly and said, “It’s eight-thirty,” and I bolted upright.
“Oh my god, I’m late!”
“Easy, Angel, you aren’t late, you aren’t going anywhere.” I stared at him in disbelief as he lightly gripped my shoulders and eased me back into the pillows.
“I’ve already dropped Sage off at school, he’s taking the bus home. Plus, I’ve already been to your school and turned your work in. While I was at it,” he lightly plucked my manila homework folder off my nightstand, “I picked up your next round of homework, you can do it today while you take a rest and reset.”
I stared at him, speechless. “Why would you do all that?” I asked when I could finally find my voice.
“Because you’re at the end of your rope and need to regroup, so I bought you some time to do it.” He stood up, “Now as much as I hate to say it, I’ve got to go. I’m going to be late if I don’t.”
He bent down to place his lips against my forehead but I jerked my chin up at the last moment, so they landed on mine. Nox made a slightly surprised noise but it quickly gave way to a guttural moan of approval. I twined my fingers in his dark hair and kissed him soundly, and he returned the favor, breaking it at the last possible second.
“Angel, I’ve got to go,” he murmured and I let him go.
“Sorry,” I said breathlessly and he straightened.
“Don’t be,” he said seriously and left out my bedroom door.
I stared for a long time at the empty space where he’d been, my heart thundering against the inside of my ribs with the impression of his kiss, his body, pressed against mine.
***
A little under two weeks or so later, I was back to struggling again, not with Lucas, but with his now ex-girlfriend, Chelsea Day. She and her little group of girlfriends were back to tormenting me again because Lucas had dumped her ass for not leaving me alone. He was still treating me like I had a case of the plague, punctuated here and there with bizarre but pleasant behavior such as holding doors for me. Which given the way he’d treated me up until now, I was still fine with either of those things. Still, I just wanted to be left alone by all of them.
They still didn’t know about Nox, which was fine by me; still, the remarks about being alone on Valentine’s Day and no one caring was still cutting a little close for comfort. Especially because I had sent a ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’ text to my much older boyfriend that morning, and hadn’t received anything back.
Speaking of much older boyfriends… my first day back to school had been somewhat of an adventure. Mr. Hunter had pulled me aside like first thing to have a little chat about Nox and whether I felt safe and if Nox had done anything inappropriate. I’d had to sigh and endure this talking to like I was Mr. Hunter’s own daughter for a good forty-five minutes and it’d left me with some seriously mixed feelings.
I didn’t know whether to be grateful, that anyone would look out for me in such a way or if I should feel annoyed at the fact that no one seemed to think I could handle myself anymore. I think I fell somewhat on the side of the latter and it was a turning point of sorts. I pulled myself up a little more by the bootstraps and went to my doctor. She prescribed me a low-grade mood stabilizer, not just an anti-depressant but also an anti-anxiety, for as long as I needed it.
It helped, surprisingly so, and I felt like I probably should have gone in for it a little sooner.
The bell rang, and I heaved a sigh of relief. I was seriously bored in my last class of the day, being leaps and bounds ahead of the curriculum. English had always been my strong suit and while we were supposed to be on chapter ten of the required reading, I had finished it my first night. So, I spent most of my time, while my English teacher droned on about it, working on my homework so I could get a head start on it. Except it’d been a light homework day so I’d finished it in the first twenty minutes of the class.
I just wanted to go home, but nope, I had to work tonight. Too bad Valentine’s Day wasn’t considered a holiday. Time and a half, even at minimum wage, sounded really good right about now.
“Have fun spending the night alone!” Chelsea quipped as I shut my locker and I smiled sweetly at her.
“You too!”
She gave me a dirty look and I wrapped my fingers around my keys in my pocket until they dug into my flesh uncomfortably. I checked my phone for like the millionth time and sighed out harshly.
Still nothing.
I stopped just beyond my car and had to push through the kids surrounding it and taking pictures. Some were laughing and pointing and I felt my heart sink. What did Chelsea and her fucking friends do to it? Was my first thought, but when I got through the crowd, I just stopped. It wasn’t that. It wasn’t her at all…
This had to be Nox.
A larger than life teddy bear sat in the passenger seat, buckled in and ready to go, I could see his rounded head and ears just barely over the dozens and dozens of red roses that packed the back seat. I carefully stepped to the driver’s side and unlocked the car, which I was sure I had locked when I’d left it that morning.
Despite how cold the weather was, the smell of r
oses rolled out to greet me. I shook my head and plucked the envelope taped to my steering wheel off of it, written on the front was I bet you thought I forgot…
I opened it to a beautifully hand drawn card, and when I opened that, read the message penned inside:
I could never forget you on a day like today. It’s been killing me maintaining silence all day. I wanted to surprise you and let you see just how loved you are. Call me.
Nox.
I put my bag in the trunk and shooed my classmates away, taking a particular bit of satisfaction in the fact that Chelsea was glaring at me with her single rose from whichever basketball player she was sucking off now.
I didn’t wave or even acknowledge her, instead, I got into my car and started it up so it could warm up while I phoned Nox. He picked up on the first ring as if he was waiting for me and I think that melted my heart even more.
“Hey, Angel.”
“Oh my god, I love you,” I said breathlessly, the first happy tears sneaking free. I was getting a good look at the giant chenille teddy bear and it had a motorcycle vest or cut on it. A Sacred Hearts one and it said Nox on the little name patch.
It was ridiculous and goofy, and just so perfect.
“You okay?” Nox asked laughing.
“You know I am! I’m surprised you didn’t get arrested breaking into my car.”
“Nah, I sort of pre-arranged it with your Vice Principal the last time I was there.”
“Mr. Hunter was in on this?”
“Not exactly, I just told him not to call the cops and have me arrested if he saw me breaking into your car on Valentine’s.”
I laughed, and murmured, “I wish I could see you tonight.”
“Night’s not over yet, Angel.”
“That’s a bit dangerous isn’t it?” I asked. My birthday was something like three and a half or four more weeks away.
“Probably, but I like to live dangerously.”
“I miss you,” I told him and he was quiet for a half a second.
“I miss you, too. This is taking forever,” he sighed harshly.
