Chapter 138: Pain's Party
I sighed and flipped over my English exam. Last one of the semester, thank goodness. And my least favorite. Ms. Fiat looked at me over the rim of her glasses as I stood up and walked the line of desks to her.
Was that a smirk on her face when I handed in my paper? Likely. Which meant I'd not be receiving the best score from her. I was just happy to be done.
When I arrived at school and again found no Pain in sight, my worry notched up another gazillion levels. Blood quickly assured me she was fine, however. Had a touch of the flu. Her exams were already over, so it wasn't like she had to be there anyway. But he did promise she said she'd be there for her party so that was something at least.
The rest of us huddled, exam weary over our lunches. Simon looked particularly harried though I knew he'd have the highest marks in class of anyone.
"Quite the hurricane heading our way." He wiggled his nose, his glasses working their way back up the bridge only to slide down again when he stopped. His favorite dessert, a chocolate pudding cup, sat half empty in front of him, spoon greasy with the remains he'd missed with the last mouthful.
I adored Simon, but he was the most disgusting eater I'd ever met.
Beth nodded, ignoring how icky it was as he crammed another load of the brown goo into his mouth.
"Mom and Dad are worried," she said. "They are thinking about taking us to my aunt's for a few days."
"Where are they?" Alison played with her salad, a favorite mealtime game for her. I stole an orange slice and let the juice fill my mouth as Beth answered.
"St. Louis," she said. "Aunt Netta's been calling. She's pretty worried."
I found it hard to swallow the pulp past the lump in my throat. I'd been so selfish all this time, worrying about my family. They were witches. They could take care of themselves. What about my innocent friends? And all the people in the path of the Wild Hunt?
"Cool," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic. "Road trip."
She dimpled and nodded, bob swinging. "It would be fun. I haven't seen my aunt in forever."
I hoped they would go. That they would all go. Suddenly the idea of retreating to the lake house seemed foolish. Until I realized if Mom failed it wouldn't matter really where I was. The Wild would ruin everything anyway.
Way to depress yourself, Syd.
I stayed that way all afternoon, and finally left school early. It wasn't like I had to be there. And hanging out with my friends in the echoingly empty halls seemed to make matters worse.
Home wasn't much better. Everyone was busy, locked up in the basement. Even Sassy was with them, leaving the hollow, normal girl to fend for herself.
I almost let the wallowing take me. Until I remembered Pain's party. The last thing she needed was for me to fall apart and be all gloomy. If anything, I owed her a happy time. It might be her last one, ever.
So, I showered, did my makeup, dressed in something nice that still involved jeans, but went beyond the layered T-shirt look I usually sported. I even wore earrings. Not the giant diamonds from prom night, but nice, tasteful gold studs Mom gave me when I was little.
I drove to Johnny's a full ten minutes early, unable to waste any more time at home. At least I could score us a seat if I made it before five and the old people dinner rush. As luck would have it, our favorite booth was empty, the one near the front picture window. I slid across the plastic seat to the inside and smiled at the waitress who brought menus. I didn't bother opening mine, instead looking out onto the street.
I had a lot of memories in this place, more than any other town I'd lived in. Probably because this was the first time I actually had friends. They sort of force you into doing stuff with them. My mind went to the giant black dog, Galleytrot, who watched me in this very booth, the day Meira lost her disguise and had to run home looking like her demon self. And the time I'd stood outside that same window while my friends cheered and Brad kissed me and gave me a gold locket that, despite its grasping nature, ended up saving the entire coven.
I sighed deeply. It was quite likely all of this would be gone in a few short days and I was determined to enjoy every last moment I could.
"Well, look what dragged itself in."
Good mood ruined. I looked up and met Page's eyes. She leaned on the booth beside me, nasty smile on her overdone face. Her usual posse hovered behind her. I was about to answer when I spotted Brad sitting across the place, watching. He and his football buddies. The bastard was snickering.
And I let him kiss me? Jerk.
"Piss off," I snarled, so not in the mood.
Page leaned forward, grasping the ketchup bottle in her hand. "Make me." She swirled a design all over the menus and table before tackling the bench seat across from me. When she finally set the bottle down, she paused to lick her finger clean of a spot of the red stuff.
More than anything I wanted my demon back. So I could kill Page on the spot.
She laughed and sauntered off while I reached for the napkins. The waitress came running with a damp cloth and a scowl, but not for me at least.
"I'm so sorry," I said, wishing Page would spontaneously combust.
"Not your fault, hon," the woman said with a nasty look for Page. "That one's got it coming."
Just thinking about it made me smile. I kept smiling as I met Page's eyes. Which naturally made her scowl.
I love a happy ending.
I'm sure Page would have stirred up more trouble with me if the rest of my gang hadn't piled in at that very moment. Alison waved with a cheery smile, totally ignoring the furious cheerleader she pushed aside. Simon and Beth stayed close behind her while Blood entered last, Pain beside him.
My eyes were only for her. She looked okay, but her hands shook and when she smiled at me it was like she wasn't all there. Drugs? Maybe. Likely. Or Mom screwed up the memory wipe. And I couldn't see that happening.
"Hey, Pain," I said. "How are you?"
Her eyes were way too bright, smile wavery. "Great!" She turned to Blood, frowning a little. "Did I get it right?"
He sighed and patted her hand, his other arm around her shoulders. "Perfect."
Alison looked horrified. "What-"
Blood just shook his head. "She's fine. Just give her a minute."
While I wasn't so sure, he seemed to be right. The longer we sat there, with the others chatting around her, the more present she seemed to be. In fact, by the time our food arrived, she appeared totally back to normal.
"What did you get for your birthday from your folks?" Beth munched a French fry.
Pain paused a moment as if trying to remember something before smiling. "A new pretty. See?" She held it out for us to admire. It was beautiful, a tennis bracelet full of diamonds. But I couldn't fail to notice the small gold disk attached to the hasp with a medical symbol on it. I glanced up at Blood who shook his head.
Okay, fair enough. So she had a couple of thousand dollars worth of medical alert bracelet. To each his or her own.
I know things would have gone very well from then on. Pain was balanced, in control of herself and actually having a good time. But some things just aren't allowed to be.
This particular interruption arrived in the form of a vindictive cheerleader with a streak of jealousy a mile wide. Just as Pain lowered her arm, her bracelet still extended, Page swooped in and grabbed it, jerking it from her wrist.
"Nice bangle," she said, dangling it in front of Pain's shocked face. "Thanks, I'd love to keep it."
She turned to go, ponytail swinging behind her. Before any of us could break free of our shock, Pain lunged to her feet and grasped Page's hair like a handle, using it to jerk the girl's head back so hard she slipped and fell to the floor. The diamond bracelet hit the ground with a tinkle and slid across the tiles, under a table.
Pain ignored it. I started shoving against my friends, knowing what was coming, needing to get to her before she totally lost it and her magic broke out. I knew she would kill Page, knew it in my heart and as much as I wanted to do the same, I couldn't let it happen.
As the cheerleader screamed in outrage and the table full of football players lurched to their feet in slow motion to help her, I slipped down under the table and forced my way past legs until I was free. I grabbed Pain by the shoulder, spinning her around. Her blue eyes blazed with power. My free hand found hers over Page's ponytail.
The protective magic lashed out and shut Pain down. I rocked from the fury of it, saw the fire die in my friend's eyes as her magic was snuffed out. She stared at me like I'd done something horribly wrong while the world raged around us.
"Why did you stop me?" Giant tears leaked from her eyes, streaks of black makeup tracking down her pale cheeks.
"I'm sorry." I was. Thank goodness for the magic that held me. Somehow it always knew what to do. "I had to, Pain."
She snuffled, her fingers flexing and letting go. Only then did I notice the uproar. Page staggered up, hand pressed to the back of her head, her own face wet with tears but her eyes full of hate.
"How dare you touch me!" She lashed out at Pain, only to have Brad grab her from behind and haul her away. I glared at him and was gratified to see him blush.
"Leave off, Page." He lifted her off the ground where she struggled for her freedom. "You started it."
"And I'll finish it!" She scratched his arm. He grunted in pain and dropped her. But before she could come after Pain again, Blood stepped in her way.
He didn't have the chance to tell her where to take herself. By then the manager waded into the middle of the mess.
"Everyone out!" I'd never had a problem with the short and portly man, but even though I knew we were innocent of wrong doing, pleading our case at the time wasn't going to do much good.
We found ourselves on the sidewalk, the football boys grumbling their way down the street toward Brad's truck while Page and her friends slunk off. I was the last one out, pausing as the waitress stopped me with a touch to my arm.
"Here," she whispered, glancing over her shoulder at her still furious boss. "I'll talk to him. It'll be okay." Something cold and slender landed in my hand. As the door swung shut behind her, I looked down into my palm. The diamond bracelet lay coiled there like a broken-backed snake.
I turned to give it to Pain only to come face to face with Brad. Shocked, I waited for him to say something. Which he did. Eventually. After a lot of humming and umming.
"I wanted to say I was sorry." He ran one hand through his blond hair. I didn't find that gesture at all attractive anymore. "For Page. And Pain. Is she okay?" We both looked over at where Blood helped her into his car.
"No," I said. "She's not. And your apology isn't accepted."
He looked startled, almost like I slapped him.
"You shouldn't be saying it to me." I turned and walked away from him, heading for my friends. I didn't care what he did after that.
I crouched next to the car door and the open window. Pain sat there, looking stunned and more than a little shaken. Her eyes met mine again and she grabbed for me, but instead of her making the catch, I beat her to it. I grabbed her wrist and dumped the bracelet in her hand, closing her fingers over it.
"Syd," she whispered. "I can't do this anymore."
"I know," I whispered back. "I'll find a way to fix it."
She nodded quickly, more tears flowing. Her fingers tightened on mine, held them even after Blood started the engine. I finally let her go with a sad wave for her boyfriend and backed up as they pulled away.
"Holy crap," Alison said, linking arms with me, hugging me to her. "That was intense."
"Is she going to be okay?" Simon shook like a leaf. I took his hand and nodded.
"Yup," I said, determined to make it happen. "She is."
I left them there, my Mini turned toward home. With great calm and poise I'm proud of myself for, I entered the kitchen and went right to the basement stairs. I didn't rush or hurry, took my time and kept my temper. When Mom looked up from the pentagram, she seemed almost angry.
"Syd," she said, "you're not to be down here."
"Mom," I said, "you forgot about Pain."
Her guilt was sudden and immediate. "Something happened?"
I shrugged, only then realizing Dad was there. He reached for me but I shook my head and he backed off.
"I know this is important," I said, "that it's life and death. But so is what's happening to Pain."
Mom stood up, brushing her hands over her long, full skirt. "I'll go right now."
I just wished I believed she could help. But I didn't. It wasn't until I reached my room, hearing the rumble of her Mustang's engine, that I knew the only one who could help Pain was me.
And I was powerless.
***
