PANDORA

by Rebecca Hamilton

  “I’ll try to keep the cost down.”

  “Nonsense.” He shakes his head, turning back to his laptop. “It’s been ages since you asked for anything and besides money is made for spending. Just ask your brother.”

  I don’t think I am supposed to hear the last part seeing as how he muttered it. I know for a fact my brother is shameless in asking for money. Money burns a hole in his pocket faster than a lit match.

  An hour later, I’m having second thoughts. It’s my hair that has me nervous.

  “I don’t know about this, Saidie.”

  I eye the scissors in the stylist’s hands with trepidation.

  “Trust me, Alex.”

  “But to cut my hair that short?”

  “I promise, it will be perfect,” Jon, the stylist, tries to soothe me. “Your hair will be cut to here, just below your shoulders and allow all that natural curl to come out of hiding. All of this hair, it hides your face. We want everyone to be able to see you.”

  No, we don’t, the panic inside screams.

  I force my hands to unclench from around the chair arms. My hair is my shield. Whenever I needed to hide, down came the ponytail and my hair swung forward to keep prying eyes away. I’ve hidden behind it for years, my own personal security blanket. To take it away is like cutting off an arm. This is going to hurt.

  “Just do it.” I grimace and keep my eyes firmly shut, cringing with each snip of the scissors.

  Change. Change is good. At least that’s what I tell myself as I drag myself kicking and screaming into it.

  Major brownie points to me.

  “As soon as you’re done here we’ll find someplace for you to change into these new clothes,” Saidie chats away. “Then we can scope the mall for boys.”

  Two hours later, hair and makeup done, Jon turns me to face the mirror.

  “Wow,” I hear Saidie whisper.

  Truth time.

  I crack an eye and almost fall out of the chair.

  No, it can’t be me. I stare at my reflection in open disbelief.

  The girl who stares at me is . . . wow.

  “Here,” Saidie thrusts a bag into my hands, not giving me time to freak too badly. “Go change.”

  “Short shorts?” I ask timidly, looking in the bag.

  Saidie sighs in exasperation. “Alex, you have a figure most girls would sell their own mothers for. Show it off.”

  I’m embarrassed and uneasy as I stare at the stranger in the bathroom mirror. I’ve never in my life worn clothes like these. The shorts cover my bottom, but just barely. These clothes definitely show off my figure, but I’m not sure I want to show this much of it off.

  Be a little daring came the whisper soft voice in my mind.

  I blink. It sounds so real, like someone talking to me. Again, I catch that faint smell of musty leaves and fresh dirt. What is wrong with me?

  I look up and see the stranger staring back at me. This girl is not the old Alex. She’s daring, gorgeous, and not afraid of anything.

  The stranger is going to take some getting used to. It’s still me after all and I’m done hiding. I go back out to join Saidie with a smile plastered on my face.

  That has to be worth triple brownie points.

  Sadie grins from ear to ear. "Look at you! You're such a hottie and that hair! Do you know what I'd do for curls like that?"

  I touch my hair self-consciously. It’s so short.

  "Wait until everybody sees you tomorrow. They are going to so totally freak. I mean you were pretty before, but now, you’re just . . . wow."

  “No joke.”

  We both jump at the sound of Connor’s voice. He is standing a couple yards from us, looking a bit bug eyed. He waves off his friends and strolls over to us. “Good Lord, girl, what did you do?”

  Saidie beams at me.

  “She looks beautiful,” Devon’s voice wraps around me. I whirl to see him behind us. He glances at Saidie. “I take it you are responsible for this?”

  “Guilty. Isn’t she just fabulous?”

  He gives me a thorough once over, from head to toe. I feel the blush flame my face under his close inspection. “Yes, she is.”

  I start to squirm. Devon’s smile is lazy. His eyes hold a hint of laughter, aware of how uncomfortable I am.

  “So what are you guys up to?” Connor asks.

  “Well, we’ve got at least a couple hours or so before Mom’s done window shopping, so we’re just going to hang out.”

  Connor slaps Devon on the back and grins at the glare he gets. “Come on old man, let’s take these girls to the movies. I want to see that new horror movie.”

  “Which one?” Saidie asks him as they turn and head in the direction of the theater at the other end of the mall. That leaves me standing with Devon, alone. I swallow hard. My hands start to sweat and I squirm even more under his emerald gaze.

  “Do you want to see a movie, Cara?”

  Not particularly, but I’m so not gonna pass up on the opportunity to sit close to Devon in the dark where I can stare at him while he’s busy watching a movie. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

  “Sure, why not?”

  His eyes darken and I have the distinct feeling he knows exactly what I’m thinking. My mouth goes dry and I want very much to hide from what I see in those eyes.

  I almost jump out of my skin when he takes my hand and starts pulling me toward the retreating backs of Saidie and Connor. His hand is like a live electrical circuit in mine. Electricity runs through it into mine.

  We never make it to the theater. Saidie waves us down in front of the ice cream shop. She and Connor decided to stop and get ice cream. The movie they want to see doesn’t start for another forty-five minutes. Connor settles himself into the booth beside Devon and Saidie slides in next to me. Devon devours his ice cream in a minute flat. Even Connor is impressed with that. Saidie and I eat slower than both of them. I am not getting brain freeze.

  Janna strolls in and comes to a halt beside our table. Her eyes are narrowed and there is a fury in her eyes I’ve never seen before. She simply stares at me, mouth slightly open, brown eyes blazing with rage.

  “Blue?”

  My eyes skid past her to Tom. He’s right behind her. Janna reaches out and grabs his hand. My own eyes narrow. Are they on a date? Janna is practically biting her tongue in two. She knows Tom and Jason are friends and so she can’t say what she wants to. It’s killing her. It’s the small things in life that make me happy. At least until I see Tom’s hand clutched in hers.

  “Hi.”

  Even I hear the frigid tone in my voice. Something in the back of my mind stirs to life again and I have the need to pull him away from her clutching grasp. He doesn’t belong to her.

  His eyebrows shoot up and he grins. “What are you guys up to?”

  “We’re waiting on our movie to start,” Saidie tells him. Her eyes are darting from me to Tom, to Devon, and then back to me repeatedly.

  “You guys going to watch the new slasher flick? Janna and I are heading over there. We can all go together if you want.”

  When hell froze over and pigs sing halleluiah.

  “I’m sure they don’t want to join us, Tommy,” Janna smiles at him and he winces at the name. He hates to be called Tommy. “Besides, that kind of movie might be bad for Alex’s health.”

  “My health is just fine,” I say through clenched teeth.

  “I’m not sure Janna’s is going to be fine much longer,” Connor laughs. “You guys go on. We’ll head over in a bit.”

  “He’s seriously going out with her?” I burst out the minute they are out of sight.

  “Jealous?” Connor laughs at my disgusted look.

  “Of course not.”

  “Sure you’re not,” he grins.

  Okay, so maybe I am. Just a little. Tom has been a permanent fixture in my life since I was four years old, the only person to treat me like I was sane after everything happened. I’ve had a crush on him since I was ten, but ne
ver had the nerve to say anything to him before. When I saw him with Janna just now, I realized how much I didn’t like him out on a date with another girl, especially Janna. He’s too good for that little mongrel, that scrawny little she-bitch.

  “I guess watching the movie is out, huh?” Connor laughs.

  “Oh, no way are we missing that movie,” I grind out between clenched teeth and slide out of the booth. “Let’s go.”

  Devon grabs my arm and an electric current runs through me from head to toe and I snap out of my semi-rage. I remember why I wanted to go to the movies in the first place, to drool over him in the dark where he can’t see me do it. Well, I can still do that and spy on Tom and Janna too.

  “Why don’t you let me drive you home, Alexandria?”

  “What?”

  My eyes swing up to his face. It’s unreadable.

  “I want to talk to you. Will you let me take you home?”

  Tom. If I go home with Devon, then I might not be able to stop Tom. Stop him from doing what though? My mind is whirling with all sorts of emotions and I’m confused. I’m furious with Tom and hurt. How can he be going out with that mangy little mongrel? But then here is Devon staring down at me with those gorgeous green eyes and I want to melt into them. Where is Morgan when I need some of that calm he can usually inspire?

  “We can go to the movies if you like, but I really, really want to talk to you, Cara.”

  I swallow. Cara. He’s only ever called me that once before. His eyes are all liquid heat and my stomach flutters with a horde of butterflies.

  “So which is it, Cara?”

  Tom or Devon?

  His voice is velvet and I can’t resist it, not really. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to resist its soft, warm timbre.

  “You can take me home.”

  A grin so wicked, it belonged on the face of a fallen angel appears. It makes him look even more dangerous and my knees go a little weak. All that keeps me steady is the burning weight of his hand on my arm.

  I mumble good-bye to Saidie and Connor as Devon leads me away from the crowd and to the quiet confines of his car.

  Oh, God. What have I gotten myself into?

  Chapter 10

  Devon owns a Lexus. Comfort beyond comfort, but then again, the sleek black car seems to be an extension of his personality. Its interior is as black as the car itself. There is no color except for the display on the stereo system. It’s nice and cool and I’m surprised at how comfy it is despite its classy, expensive look.

  We drive in silence for a while, the radio a low hum. Devon looks preoccupied and I can’t believe I let him take me home. Am I nuts? He could do very bad things to my poor mental health, but then again, so could Tom. Either could end up hurting me and it wouldn’t even be their fault. I know Tom thinks of me as a little sister even if he does appreciate the new look. He might have no other feelings for me. Then there’s Devon. He throws off so many mixed signals, it’s hard to keep up with him. One minute he’s all intense and steamy, the next cold and dismissive.

  How in God’s name did I land myself in this mess? I am not a girl given to flighty nonsense, but here I am, sitting in the car with one boy and worrying about what the other might think of me. I almost prefer the comfort of the mental institute to all the chaotic thoughts Tom and Devon inspire in me. It’s terrifying. I am trying to cope with hearing voices, mad dashes through the woods in the middle of the night, and now I have mixed feelings for two different boys to deal with. Being normal is turning out to be a lot harder than I thought it would be.

  “Are you always this quiet?”

  Devon’s question startles me out of my internal rant.

  “Does that bother you?” I ask him.

  He laughs. “No, it doesn’t. It’s quite refreshing actually. I get bored with girls very easily who natter on and on incessantly.”

  Natter on? Who uses words like that?

  “What did you want to talk to me about?”

  “Nothing, really.”

  My head snaps around. “What? Then why did you tell me you wanted to talk to me? We could have gone to see the movie.”

  “You mean we could have gone to spy on the jock.”

  “So? What do you care?”

  He smiles wickedly, but asks something else. “Why does Janna dislike you so much?”

  I sigh. It’s a long story and requires giving away more about myself than I want to. “Because she does.”

  “That’s not an answer, Cara.”

  “Nope, it’s not,” I agree.

  “He’s not at all your type.”

  “How would you know what my type is?”

  “I know it’s not him. You’d be bored in a month.”

  “You don’t know anything about him. I’ve known him since I was little. He’s one of the nicest guys I know and he’s never treated me like I was . . . ” Oops, too much information.

  “Like you were what?”

  “Like I was just Jason’s kid sister.” I wince. A good liar I am not.

  He snorts. I think he knows I almost said something else, but he doesn’t push. Smart boy.

  “Why were you really in the woods the other night?” I ask him, hoping to catch him off guard.

  “Taking a walk.”

  “At three in the morning?”

  “You were out running at three in the morning in a very short I can see your undies nightshirt.”

  It’s my turn to snort and he laughs. My favorite BTR song is playing and I reach to turn the stereo up. He groans at my choice of song, but I ignore him and do something that shocks even me. I start singing along to the song. I am extremely comfortable with Devon and I don’t even worry about singing in front of him. That has never happened to me before.

  “Tell me about Compton Academy.”

  “What do you want to know?” I ask cautiously. If he thinks to lull me into telling him all my secrets, he’s got another thing coming.

  “What do you want to tell me?”

  “It’s a school.”

  He sighs and I get the distinct feeling he hopes I’ll confide in him. He can hope on. Not gonna happen, buster. I am not telling my own personal fallen angel lookalike I’m the crazy girl just released from the psycho ward.

  “You need to trust me, Alexandria.”

  “I don’t know you.”

  “But you will.”

  “I’m not sure I want to.”

  That outrageously dangerous smile is back in place. “Yes, you do.”

  I manage not to drool, but just barely. Kudos to me.

  “Says you.”

  “Says me.”

  I shake my head at the arrogance in his voice. “You are very cocky too, aren’t you?

  “No,” he denies. “I just know what I want.”

  “And what do you want?”

  “I’m not sure yet.”

  “You just said you knew what you wanted.”

  He glances at me and his eyes are swirling with questions. “I mostly know what I want.”

  “Care to share?”

  “Care to tell me more about Compton?”

  “Nope.”

  “I’ll share when you do.”

  “This is a ridiculous conversation,” I tell him, frustrated.

  “No more ridiculous than you thinking Mr. Football is someone you want to go out with.”

  “Are you jealous?”

  “No,” he denies. “I’m simply trying to save you some trouble.” He parks the car and I look up to see that we are now sitting in front of my house.

  “I will go out with Tom if I want to.”

  “Will you now, Cara?”

  His voice has gone all soft and deep. It slides over me like warm velvet and I shudder. He leans closer to me and my pulse speeds up and the butterflies in my stomach flutter so hard, it feels like they are in a mad dash for freedom. His breath is soft and warm against my cheek and it drives my hormones a little mad.

  I manage to get out some kind of noise that
counts as an answer, at least I hope so.

  He chuckles and pulls back. It takes me a minute to get my breathing and my heart rate under some sort of control. I’d thought there for a minute he was going to kiss me. No such luck.

  “You really are a stubborn wench aren’t you?” he laughs and then peers at the curtains moving in the front windows. “Who is that trying very hard not to look like they are spying on us?”

  I smile. I’d seen Emma’s red curls. “That’s Emma.”

  “I guess you’d best go in before she does permanent damage to the curtains.”

  “Will you pop the trunk so I can get my bags?”

  He gets out before the words are out of my mouth and is opening my door. He finds my hand and pulls me up, his body momentarily pressed to mine. My blood pressure shoots sky high in that brief minute and then he leaves me to gather the multitude of shopping bags and carries them to the porch. I follow and am shocked when he drops them and plants a quick kiss on my forehead. His lips burn like a brand against my skin.

  “I will see you soon, Cara.”

  Then he’s gone and Emma all but rips the door open which makes me laugh. She is full of questions as she helps me carry everything upstairs. For the first time in years, her eyes are full of hope when she looks at me. That doesn’t stop her from giving me the third degree, though. I settle in to answer her questions, happy and content for the first time since I came home, and all because of one very arrogant green-eyed boy.

  Chapter 11

  It seemed like the even the elements had turned against me.

  The wind wailed around me while the salt from the fog stung my eyes. Branches tore at me cutting into my skin, trying to slow me but I refused to let up. I couldn’t. They were behind me.

  I ran hard and fast. My breath came out shallow and labored as I struggled to pull air into my lungs, trying to ignore the fire slowly expanding in my chest. The stitch in my sides turned into a burning agony.

  They were so close.

  I could hear them all around me. Whispered laughter taunted me.

  I knew it was useless to run. They were faster than me, but I forced myself forward. If I stopped for even a second they would have me.