Melissa, Lance, Link, Nicole, and Seth had been waiting for them. Ava could feel all of their unease as she opened the car door and then closed it.
Link released a loud sigh. “I can’t believe we’re here.”
“I can’t believe they rebuilt it so quickly.” Melissa took a drag from her cigarette.
“I really don’t want to be here.” Nicole chewed on her bottom lip and hugged herself. Ava sympathized for her once she saw the terror in her blue eyes.
Link unclenched her arms and took her hand in his. “I’m not going to leave your side today.”
Melissa tossed her cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. “We can do this. It’s senior year. We have as much right to be here as any of them. Now let’s go.”
Ava slid her hand into Peter’s and he held it tight. “She’s right. We’ll be okay.”
Peter nodded and they made their way into the newly constructed part of the school. It smelled new. The freshly painted walls were a shiny gray. The lights were brighter. The floors glossier. And the stares from the other students angrier.
Ava envied that Melissa and Lance could walk with such confidence – like nothing bothered them or like they weren’t a target among the Ephemerals. Ava knew they were all vastly stronger than the humans, but they were supposed to protect them. Blend in with them. But it was difficult when the Ephemerals glared at them with such hatred and disgust for what had happened. No matter how many times Ava and others explained they were victims as well, they didn’t believe them.
“I feel like I’m going to have a panic attack.” Ava heard Nicole whisper from behind her.
Students watched them pass through the hall, their faces frozen in disbelief. It was daunting as they made their way to their lockers since the usual loud scurrying and locker slamming and chatting had ceased. But slowly, the noise began to pick up again.
The group split and Peter accompanied Ava to her locker and she tried to ignore the stares and whispers and jeers.
“I’ll see you at lunch,” Peter said, watching everyone pass by.
Ava grabbed his face and forced him to look at her. “Ignore them, Peter. I know it’s easier said than done, but we’re just as innocent as they are.”
He nodded and then kissed her on the lips. He turned around and braved the torturous walk to class.
Ava took a deep breath and made her way to English. She took the seat in the back closest to the door. So far, no one said anything as they entered the room. They all minded their business. A shy quiet girl dropped down in the desk next to Ava. She was so unassuming and had always kept to herself. Ava couldn’t remember her name, but she reminded her a lot of Kristen Miller, Xavier’s first victim.
Ava heard a loud clap, like someone had dropped a book on a desk, and jumped. She turned toward the noise and saw Drew sinisterly smile as he slid into the seat in front of her.
“Well, hello there, Ginger,” he said.
Ava rolled her eyes. “Like I haven’t heard that before.”
“Where are all your little buddies?”
“Probably in their classes. Just like all your little buddies.”
“So, what’s it like being a witch? Can you do spells? Make someone fall in love with you? Curse them forever?”
Ava leaned forward. “Why don’t you come to my secret lair and I can show you?” she whispered. The frightened look in Drew’s eyes made her laugh inside. “You really are stupid if you think witches exist.”
“Why do you wear that stupid necklace?” He pointed at it.
“Why do you have a tattoo of a Chinese symbol? Or why do people wear crosses?”
“Those are religions.”
Ava barked a laugh. “Chinese is a religion? I guess you learn something new every day.”
Drew leaned closer to her, and Ava gagged from his bad breath. “You act like you’re so much better than everyone else. But you’re just a sad excuse for a human.”
Good thing she wasn’t a human. “And you’re just a sad little boy who only feels better about himself when he puts down others.”
His face darkened. “You’d better watch it, or we’ll be the ones burning your house next.”
Ava stifled her building anger. “I have to have a house for that to happen.”
Drew laughed. “Omigod. You’re too poor to have a house. That’s hilarious.”
She stared at him, repulsed, wanting to use her power, but she withheld it. “My house burned down by the same culprit who bombed the school.” She wasn’t sure why she told him that. Maybe in hopes he would lay off or that it proved she was innocent. She hated stooping to their level.
“Likely story.” The bell rang and Drew rested his arm on her desk. “So what do you have to do to become a witch?” he whispered.
“Not letting this go, are you?”
He shrugged. “I’m just fascinated.”
“What do you have to do to be a part of any religion?”
“Come on. Be serious. I know you all did something the day of the memorial and the night that Thomas’s house burned. Trent would never hit me like that. You cut off his air. How’d you do it?”
Ava dropped her glare and saw that his hand was in a tight fist. She could really use Gillian’s mind manipulation right now. Or something. “Cut off his air? Do you know how dumb you sound right now? I think you’re paranoid. Might need to visit a shrink.”
He snatched her arm and dug his fingers into it. “You’re playing with fire right now. None of you deserves to be here after killing all of those people. Murderers should be locked up. Or killed.”
“Drew, I’m sorry you lost some friends. I lost some, too. So stop trying to blame all this on us because we didn’t do anything. We were all injured in that attack.”
“Didn’t they burn witches at the stake back in the day?”
Ava met his crazed eyes. Would he really rally the troops and try burning all of them? He was bluffing. She had to keep her breaths even or her necklace would go off. She wasn’t afraid of him exactly. Just of the unknown and of hurting him. “Let go of me,” she demanded.
“I wouldn’t keep showing your faces around here. But if you do, you’ll be the center of our bonfire next month.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“Let go of me.”
He glared at her and then released her.
Ava didn’t pay attention in class. It was the first day and it was a very wild atmosphere. Everyone tried to be upbeat and start a new beginning, but the solemnity lingered around like some gnat. Always in someone’s face.
When the bell rang at the end of class, Ava followed the line out the door and into the hallway. Maybe once everyone saw them every day the glares and whispers would end, but Ava highly doubted it. She took a seat in her government class and ignored the group of girls staring and laughing at her.
Ava looked right at them as if to challenge them and realized two of the girls were Valerie Hammond and Amanda Russo, Peter’s old friends. She could only imagine the rumors they were starting.
Valerie made her way toward Ava and stood over her. Ava assumed it was meant to intimidate her, but it only annoyed her.
Anger leaked out of Valerie’s brown eyes. Her long brown hair was straight but her bangs curled under a little.
“What do you want, Valerie?”
“Whatever you did with Peter, give him back.”
Ava let out a small laugh. “Excuse me?”
“He was kidnapped and then suddenly he’s hanging out with you and your friends.”
“Same with Seth,” Amanda said.
“Maybe you should talk to both of them. It was their choice.”
“You think Peter and Seth are stupid enough to just join your cult or whatever? I know you did something to them. And we know it was you and your friends who bombed this school. You’re a heartless bitch.”
Ava ignored her. She had to keep calm. After a few seconds, Valerie and Amanda finally walked away.
Getting blamed
for the bombing had gotten old, but Ava knew that was something they would have to deal with since they returned. What was so wrong with homeschooling? Okay, so they weren’t supposed to run from their problems, but what if that one problem they were entrusted to protect tried to attack them?
As soon as class was over, Ava found Peter by her locker and they silently walked hand-in-hand to the new cafeteria. She could feel his frustration and annoyance and squeezed his hand.
He gave her a sad smile and squeezed back.
Once they walked inside the lunchroom, they got in one of the lines.
“At least they could have changed the looks of the lunchroom,” she said. It was identical to the previous one with its high warehouse-like ceiling and gray painted concrete walls. Windows lined the very top of the walls, but didn’t let much light in.
After they got their food, they sat with Melissa and Lance. Ava figured Gillian, Jeremy, and Thomas ate by themselves since they didn’t want to be around her or Peter. It was ridiculous.
“Well, today sucks a big one,” Melissa said.
Ava nodded. “You’re telling me. Drew Foley is in my English class and threatened me.”
“Fantastic. Trent is in my science class and did the same. I really need a cigarette.”
Lance rolled his eyes. “We’ll go out in a second.”
Nicole, Link, and Seth walked up to the table.
“Can we sit here?” Link asked.
Melissa moved her bag from an empty seat and set it on the floor. “Of course.”
They dropped their trays down, and looked around like they expected something to happen.
Ava stabbed a piece of lettuce on her plate. “It’s so somber in here.”
“Well, did you expect it to be all puppies and rainbows today?” Melissa fidgeted with her fork.
“I was only making a statement.”
Link leaned forward on the table. “Does Savina realize exactly what each of us are going through? This isn’t normal bullying. We are not welcome here, and I don’t need to fear for my life from my old friends.”
“They can’t hurt you,” Melissa said. “You just have to keep telling yourselves that you or any of us weren’t responsible for that bombing. It was Devon and Xavier. You had no control over your actions. At all. And you need to start believing it, or the Ephemerals will keep badgering you.”
“Has it always been like this for you all?” Nicole asked.
“Like what?”
“The constant stares and the whispering.”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Ava said. “Maybe not this bad, but people have nothing better to do than gossip about someone they know nothing about.”
“I can’t stand it. How do you deal with it?”
“I’ve learned to ignore it, but sometimes it’s hard,” Melissa said. “It will eventually end.”
“Just don’t sit there and take it for too long,” Ava said. “Otherwise they’ll walk all over you for as long as you let them.”
Nicole nodded.
“Where are Thomas, Gillian, and Jeremy?” Seth asked.
Ava sighed. “Still avoiding us. Well, Peter and me really.”
Melissa took a bite of her salad. “They’ll come around eventually.”
Seth frowned. “I wish I could say the same about Amanda. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to talk to her. What if I told her about me, it would change her mindset. How did you do it Ava?”
“She was very wishy-washy for a really long time,” Melissa said and then smiled. “It was kind of annoying after a while.”
“It was a hard decision.”
“True, but you’re madly in love with Peter and practically obsessed over him for a while.”
Ava shifted uncomfortably. “Really, Mel?”
Melissa lifted a shoulder. “What? It’s true.”
“What was your reaction when you found out about Ava?” Seth asked Peter.
“At first it was surreal but I don’t know.” He shrugged. “It didn’t matter to me. I love her.”
Ava glanced at Peter and smiled.
Melissa groaned. “Okay, lovebirds.”
“Please. Like you and Lance aren’t obvious. Always sneaking off in the woods.”
“At least we’re private about it.”
Ava rolled her eyes. “We try to be,” she said under her breath. “Seth, I don’t think it’s a good idea to tell Amanda.”
“Why? I mean, I would wait a while before telling her.”
“She won’t understand. They weren’t exactly keen on me sitting with them for lunch one day. It got ugly.”
“That’s because Valerie has had this thing for Peter for a really—.”
“Seth.” Peter cut him off.
“What? I’m sure Ava figured it out. Anyone could.”
Ava assumed it was true, and the way Valerie spoke, it was still the case. “I don’t think that was it though,” she said. “They ragged on me for wearing my necklace and claimed I was in love with the devil.”
Peter sighed. “They were also really stressed because Seth had just been kidnapped and became friends with Xavier.”
Why was Peter so quick to defend them? Didn’t he remember how awful they were to her? “So that’s no reason to treat me like crap.”
“They really aren’t that bad. Maybe we could all hang out so that you could get to know them.”
Ava met Peter’s eyes. “Maybe I don’t want to get to know them.” She didn’t speak up about what Valerie had said earlier. For some reason, she feared Peter wouldn’t believe her. Why were they so special? They were just weak little humans. Every one of them. What was the point of protecting them?
Ava stiffened. Where had that come from?
“Earth to Ava.” Melissa snapped her fingers.
“What?” she barked.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.”
“Come on. Don’t keep it all inside.”
Ava stared at her. “Maybe I don’t want the entire world to know what I’m thinking.”
Melissa held up her hands in surrender. “Fine.”
Ava felt guilty. “I’m sorry. It’s just—.”
The bell rang and the noise in the cafeteria amplified as students rushed out the door and their voices echoed even more.
Ava and Peter walked hand-in-hand through the crowd. She couldn’t wait until things calmed down but had a feeling it would be a long while before that happened.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WHERE THE DEMONS HIDE
Ava stared at the back of Drew Foley’s head. She wanted to smash it against the desk or imagine him drowning, suffering alongside Xavier. So the trio of jerks weren’t Hunters. Gabriel and Joss realized that quickly, but Ava wasn’t sure how. They said there was definitely a lot of pent up anger, and they were itching to get revenge.
But they had already started, hadn’t they with Thomas’s house? There was no way that was a Cimmerian attack, and Ava wasn’t sure why she thought that in the first place. It was the Ephemerals all along.
Ava was sick of them and their taunting. For two weeks, they were relentless.
Drew twisted around in his seat. “Now that I think about it, I think your mom deserved to die. I mean, if she had lived, she would have seen her pathetic daughter lash out and bomb a school.”
Ava gripped her desk so tight her knuckles were white. “Maybe it was a good thing your friends died so they couldn’t see what a loser you turned out to be.”
A shadow darkened Drew’s face. “I can’t wait until the bonfire this Friday.”
“Me either. I can’t wait to see you try to burn us. We’re crazy and you never know what we’ll do.”
The stark fear in his eyes satisfied Ava, but only for a second.
She couldn’t believe she had said that. What was wrong with her? Her thoughts sounded like a Cimmerian. Was she turning into a Cimmerian because of her growing hatred of Ephemerals?
She shook her head. That wasn’
t true. She didn’t hate all of them. Just certain ones. But ever since Marcel told her about her mother and the annoying dreams, Ava wondered if she had bad blood in her veins.
She had to find out if her mother was a Cimmerian. She could ask Savina or Aaron, but would they tell her anything? What about Colden? And then Link’s stupid idea about the Necromancer popped in her head. It was ridiculous. How could someone want to talk to the dead? Like necromancy actually worked. Ava almost laughed at the thought.
When the bell rang, Ava left the room and halted once she saw Peter outside. “Hey.”
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Sure.”
“Did Drew piss you off again?”
“Yes.” She leaned against the wall of lockers. “I’m honestly not sure how much more I can take.”
“I know what you mean. Why don’t we hang out tonight? Just the two of us.”
She felt her shoulders slack. “I’d like that.”
“It’s a date.” He smiled, showing his dimples. Ava missed seeing them. He kissed her and just like that, she got a second wind.
But then her necklace warmed and she felt Gillian’s anger, then guilt. She exchanged a confused look with Peter. She wasn’t sure why she felt guilty, but maybe Gillian was beginning to realize how silly it was to be so angry that Ava and Peter were together.
The late bell echoed in the hallway and students scurried to their classes.
Ava looked up and saw Jeremy rushing toward them with a worried look. “Have you guys heard?”
“Heard what?” Peter asked.
“Trent Gattis went inside the mall today and shot a bunch of people before shooting himself.”
Ava felt her jaw go slack. “What?”
“It’s all over the news. He killed twenty and injured twelve.”
“Why would he do that?” Peter asked.
“This has to be the Cimmerians.” Jeremy lowered his voice. “They convinced him to do this.”
“I think you’re right,” Peter said. “Maybe one of them redirected his anger or compelled him to do it.”
“This wasn’t a Cimmerian attack,” Ava said. “Trent did this on his own volition. He couldn’t kill us so he decided to take out his anger on others.”
Under the Burning Stars Page 12
