Tainted Souls

by Alice J Black

  Becca returned in half an hour. Colour was back in her cheeks, and she smiled as she stepped into the room. “I feel human.”

  “You look human.” I smiled back. “Ready for the beach?”

  She took a moment and then nodded. “Yeah. Just let me put a little makeup on.”

  I sat on the edge of my bed, watching her apply cosmetics. Normalcy was returning.

  After she pulled on a two-piece that clung to her curves, and then shorts and a t-shirt, she looked a beach goddess.

  “Ready?” I slung my bag over my shoulder.

  “Ready.” She nodded. “Oh, and Red?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thanks for this.”

  Chapter Nine

  I loved the beach. My dad used to take me, and it became our thing. That treat day which every kid remembers. Every now and again, we would pack up, head down there, and spend the day. I remember the summer when I was ten, we went nearly every day. I would play in the sand and the sea while he watched from the safety of the banks. He fed me sand-encrusted sandwiches or chips from the chip shop up the road. We played football, and he helped me make sandcastles. I smiled at the memory.

  I hadn’t been to the beach much since my dad passed away, and something about it felt betraying. But there I was, agreeing to go to the beach to keep my best friend happy, and I would be spending the day with a girl I hated…despised.

  The bus trip took forty-five minutes, and by the time we reached the coast, the salty sea air whipping through the open windows, I was ready to head home. Of course I didn’t say that to Becca, who had slowly come alive during the ride.

  Someone rang the bell for the bus to stop, and Becca and I scrambled to collect our things. We headed from the top deck to the bottom, down the precarious winding stairs as the bus juddered to a half. I thanked the driver on our way out and then stepped onto the pavement. As the bus pulled away, we collected our bearings. We were standing just outside the chip shop my dad used to take me to. It looked like it had been overhauled, but the name was still the same. Inside, a small queue was forming for an early lunch, and I figured we’d be heading up there later. The smell of chips drifted from inside and I inhaled deeply.

  “Come on. Let’s go and find them,” Becca said.

  They were the words I was dreading. I knew exactly what I’d signed up for. I knew we were going to the beach to meet Becca’s friends, but I still felt hopelessness when I thought of spending the day with them. Particularly, Jenny.

  “Where will they be?” I asked Becca as I followed her across the road.

  She strode out, arms swinging at her side with each step. Her face was tilted up into the sky, catching the sun rays. It was like she had returned to her normal self.

  “The same place as always.” She threw a smile back at me and skipped across the pavement, toward the steps that led to the beach.

  Great. They had a spot.

  As we reached the bottom of the first flight, sand wormed its way through my canvas shoes. At the bottom of the second flight, the tips of my shoes were covered in grains, and as we reached the beach, I smiled. Despite who I was about to spend the day with, just being at the beach was lifting my mood, and I could tell it was doing the same for Becca.

  “There they are.” Becca pointed. “Come on.”

  I followed her, shading my eyes from the sun, and saw a group of people lounging on the sand. I swallowed. I knew Jenny and Melissa would be there, and a few others from school. Why did I sign up for this? I watched Becca as she continued towards the group, her heels digging into the sand and arms swinging wide. Her energy was returning bit by bit, and whether it was the sun or the beach or seeing her friends, I didn’t care. It was good to see her coming to life, and I remembered why I had signed up for a day of torture. I took off after her but struggled to keep up as her lean legs propelled her across the sand. We finally reached the girls lounging on their towels, and Becca grinned as Jenny pushed herself up onto her elbows.

  “Thought you’d never make it,” Jenny said. “And look, you brought a friend.”

  Her gaze roved over me, and I struggled not to snarl under her glare. The girl was toxic. For the hundredth time, I wondered what Becca saw in her.

  There were four girls sprawled out on towels, side by side. Jenny and Melissa were right next to each other, and beyond them I recognised Rachel, who lived at St. Helen’s, and another girl I didn’t have a name for. All four of them wore bikinis and proudly flaunted their toned stomachs.

  “I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it,” Becca said.

  “Why?” Jenny asked.

  “I’ve had a bit of a crap time.” Becca shrugged. “Ruby’s been looking after me.”

  “She has?” Jenny pulled her shades down to glare at me.

  Becca nodded.

  “So what’s up?” Melissa shielded her face from the sun as she stared up at us.

  “Jake broke up with me.”

  The four girls sat up ramrod straight and became a gaggle of geese as they pouted, cursed, and clucked. Jenny pulled Becca down into their fold, and the conversation began. From the very beginning, of course.

  I stood there, looking like a dork. I didn’t know whether to sit or stand. Finally, I plonked myself down, on the periphery of the group. It meant I didn’t have to sit next to Jenny but could still hear what was going on.

  I watched as the round of cuddles made their way through the group. Jenny offered a small squeeze before lying back on her towel as a guy passed, and then Becca recounted everything. It was good to know she was on the mend, and it was certainly an ego boost to have Becca admit in front of Jenny that I looked after her.

  There were lots of man-trashing comments made as Becca wrapped up the story. They were all hating him right now. All except Jenny.

  “Well, let’s forget about all this now,” Jenny said.

  My ears pricked.

  I didn’t know whether she was tired of not being the centre of attention for the entire half-hour they’d mustered over the topic, or whether it was something more. She hadn’t made as many trashing comments as anyone else, and her sympathy seemed a little fake for my liking. Then again, maybe that was just Jenny. She did deserve the Bitch of the Year Award, so maybe I was just looking for another reason to hate her.

  “We’re at the beach, the sun is shining, and there are a group of hot guys over there.” Jenny pointed.

  All five heads turned in the direction Jenny pointed. So this was the reason they wanted to come to the beach.

  Becca’s view drifted away first, and as she stared at the sand for a second, I knew she was thinking about Jake. I nudged her, and a smile flickered as she set herself up. After grabbing her towel from her bag, she stood up and laid it out before plopping down on it and peeling her t-shirt off to reveal her bikini.

  Jenny turned at the moment Becca’s hair tumbled down her back, and I smiled as I saw the vitality fully return to my friend. Jenny, on the other hand, glared down the length of Becca’s torso, eyes popping, and I knew the green-eyed monster was close at hand.

  “Great bikini, Becca,” Melissa gushed after she’d finally unstuck her eyes from the group of guys further down the beach.

  Jenny’s scowl deepened, but when she saw me watching, her frown dissolved and became a smile as thick as the marshmallow between her eyes. “Yeah, I totally love it,” she purred. “Ruby, you’ve obviously done the best you can while Becca’s been at home, but now it’s my turn to look after her.”

  I bit my lip. “We’re not babysitters, Jenny. I was looking after Becca because she needed it.”

  “And now it’s my turn,” she repeated, venom dripping from her fangs as her brows arched.

  “And how do you plan to look after her?” I asked.

  Becca’s head flicked towards Jenny.

  “By finding her a new man.” She gestured to the group of guys who were strolling along the shoreline.

  There were about eight of them, all different shapes and
sizes. It was hard to make out which one she had her eye on, considering the distance they were at, and I rolled my eyes at her stupidity. That was the thing with Jenny. Everything came back to a man. If she thought Becca could be fixed by having a one-time date with someone she didn’t care about, Jenny either didn’t know her friend at all or didn’t care enough to think about what she really needed.

  “Thanks, but I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.”

  Becca shook her head, and her golden hair fanned out across her shoulders.

  “Suit yourself.” Jenny tossed her hair back and refocused on the group of boys walking down the beach.

  They were a little closer now, and Jenny’s lips were set in a permanent pout and layered with lip gloss. Her skin glistened in the sunlight, and I knew she was either covered in suntan lotion or baby oil.

  All the guys were wearing shorts that reached their knees, and displayed sun-kissed torsos. A football rolled between them, and they playfully ran with it, tackling one another and shouting. The one that seemed to lead the group was tall and athletic. His blonde hair swept back to reveal a strong jawline and bronzed features. I had to admit that he was good-looking, but he had nothing on Vaughn.

  The football came blasting towards us. Jenny squealed as the impact of the ball on the sand sent a spray of grains right over her. I lurched and kicked out with my foot to stop it just before it smacked her square in the face.

  “I think you owe Ruby a thank you.” Becca raised her brow, staring at Jenny. She was still lying supine, perched on her elbows, unperturbed by the invasion.

  “Yeah, thanks,” Jenny muttered as she dusted herself off.

  “Sorry!” one of the lads said, running over to collect the ball. He grinned down at us, a little sheepish, eyes lingering on Becca a beat longer than anyone else. “I kicked that a little too hard.”

  “That’s okay,” Jenny purred. She sat up and pushed her hair back with manicured nails, thrusting her chest forward. “I’m Jenny.”

  “Gregg.” He nodded, eyes moving back to Becca. “You girls enjoying the beach?”

  “It’s beautiful. I just love the beach, don’t you?” Jenny nodded too enthusiastically, hair bobbing.

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Yeah, I guess.” He shrugged.

  Jenny beamed, clearly not getting the message about his lack of interest.

  “Fancy a game of football?” Gregg asked.

  Jenny shook her head. “I hate football.”

  “Too bad.” He shrugged and turned away from the venomous blonde. “Anyone else?”

  As he scanned the rest of the girls lying on their towels, so did Jenny, daring them to say yes.

  Rage and amusement bubbled under the surface. I had already succeeded in annoying her once today, and it would be all too easy to even up the number.

  “I’ll have a go.” I grinned. “But I have to warn you, my football skills aren’t so great.”

  Actually, my football skills were non-existent. The last time I’d played was in primary school, and I was only an extra person to make up the numbers. I had avoided the ball.

  I stood up and dusted my hands against my shorts, ignoring the glares that burned my legs.

  “Great. Anyone else?” Gregg looked around. “We need to even the teams up.”

  “Come on, Becca.” I held my hand out.

  She stared up at me, lips parted, face twisted. “I’m not sure.”

  “If I’m playing, you are.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.

  Gregg appraised her. “You can be on my team.” He leaned into her.

  Becca grinned, revelling in the compliment.

  I smiled. The world was back to normal.

  I expected Gregg to look for another volunteer, but as soon as Becca was at his side, he led us to his group of friends. It wouldn’t have surprised me to find out that the ball curving across the sand at us wasn’t a mistake.

  The whole time I walked, I felt Jenny boring holes into my back. It was her choice if she wanted to sit on her towel all day and ogle half-naked guys while trying to flirt with whoever showed the slightest bit of interest. I’d rather be having some fun.

  With our now-even numbers, we played five a side. I played midfield—whatever that was—against Becca. She grinned like a loon and waved from the other side of the pitch, marked out by t-shirts strewn here and there. The goalposts were marked by bottles of water.

  One of the guys whistled, and the match started. Gregg was a striker, and he dribbled past one guy and then another. He was coming towards me. My stomach flipped as he barrelled towards me, bare-chested and sweating. I thought about diving out of the way and letting him past, but I wouldn’t give Jenny the satisfaction. Instead, as he made to swerve around me, I stuck my foot out. He tripped, stumbling forward and leaving the ball behind. I heard laugher, but instead of letting it distract me, I kicked the ball toward the opposite goal, belting it as hard as I could. I watched as it soared through the air and then stopped when the goalie caught it with his chest. Someone clapped me on the back, and then the goalie threw the ball back into play. This time, as the ball came towards me, Gregg swerved out of the way and towards the defence. Before he reached them, he cocked his leg back and kicked the ball with as much force as he could muster. The goalie dived the wrong way, taking a mouthful of sand while the ball went through the makeshift posts. The first goal of the game had been scored. Becca cheered, pumping the air and then meeting Gregg’s hand in a high-five, while on the sidelines, the four girls pretended to watch and offered a smattering of applause. So polite.

  Jenny shouted, “Well done, Gregg.”

  He didn’t react, and I smiled, smugly.

  I was hot and sweaty. Running on sand proved to be tough, and I wondered why I hadn’t thought to do some training there to ramp up my fitness.

  The ball moved left and right, and then Greg skirted it past me for the third time. I stopped to catch my breath, and Becca bumped my hip.

  “Since when do you like football?”

  “Since Jenny didn’t.”

  Becca rolled her eyes, but a grin erupted, and I smiled back at her.

  The game ended in a draw, so at least I hadn’t sucked too much. I mopped my brow with my t-shirt, drawing a couple of glances my way, before letting it fall. Becca spotted me and was moving towards me, when Gregg stopped her. I was in hearing distance and listened.

  “Hey, Becca. Today’s been fun. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to do it again some time?”

  “Sure.”

  She reeled off her number, and he typed it into his phone.

  “I’ll call you soon. Nice to meet you, Ruby.” He jogged away to catch up with his friends.

  “Well,” I said, as we ambled back towards the towels, “aren’t you glad you came now?” I wound my arm over Becca’s shoulders.

  “I sure am.” She grinned.

  “Did he just ask for your number?” Jenny glared but hid it behind a fake smile.

  We plonked back down on the towels.

  “Yeah.” She nodded.

  “You shouldn’t have given it to him.” Jenny shook her head. “He’s clearly a player.”

  “I’m not exactly looking for anything serious, anyway.” Becca shrugged. “There’s no harm in a little fun.”

  “Becca, he was flirting with me,” Jenny said.

  “More like you were flirting with him.” Becca scoffed. “You should’ve come to play if you liked him that much.”

  Jenny snarled and dropped back to the sand. She put her sunglasses back on and refused to say anything else.

  Becca winked at me, and I stifled a giggle. Having Jenny knocked down a peg or three was a boost for my confidence. And hopefully she’d come to her senses soon and realise that not every guy who looked in her direction was desperate to take her out.

  The rest of the day passed uneventfully, and it didn’t take long before I was bored again. I sunbathed some, checked my social media, and even read. When
Becca announced she was ready to head home, I was more than happy to oblige. I stood up, shook my towel off, ignoring the way Jenny threw her hands up to ward off the sand that flew towards her, and packed it into my bag.

  “You want to do something tomorrow?” Becca asked Jenny as she also shook her towel.

  “If you have time for me.” Jenny nodded but shot me a glare. “Send me a message.”

  “Sure. It’s been fun, girls.” Becca grinned.

  We said our goodbyes to the group of girls, who were clearly going to see the day out until the sun disappeared. Then we meandered across the beach and up the stairs.

  I was so ready for home.

  Chapter Ten

  After a long day at the beach, vegging in front of the TV was all what I wanted to do. Once we dumped our bags upstairs, I changed into my pyjamas and then we went to the common room. There were a few people already there watching the soaps, Melody included. Becca took up an arm of the chair, while I took the centre cushion between the two and sighed as I sank into it.

  “Hey, guys. Good day?” Melody asked.

  Becca nodded. “The beach was awesome.”

  “Yeah, it wasn’t so bad.” I nodded.

  Despite trying her hardest to make me feel uncomfortable, Jenny hadn’t succeeded, and I think I had aggravated her. So all in all, a good day.

  “Have you been up to much?” Becca asked.

  “Not really.” Melody shook her head. “A lot of people don’t want to hang out with me now.”

  I grimaced.

  “It’ll get better,” Becca said.

  “I hope so.” Melody turned and stared at the TV.

  I felt sorry for her. Under control of a demonic sin, she hadn’t been herself when she was stealing all those things. None of the town had. Yet she was being held accountable. Luckily no criminal charges were brought against her, so at least she wouldn’t carry a record like many Black Haven citizens. But a girl her age losing friends wasn’t a walk in the park. I knew she was suffering, but she did it in silence. She still had us, and I knew Eva hadn’t turned her back. Slowly but surely, everyone would come around.