Chapter 35: Boyfriend Material
I guess the coven had more serious things to worry about than my indiscretion because I slept through the entire night without being hauled from bed to be burned on a pyre for breaking the rules.
They really didn't do that kind of thing anymore, but I worried they might resurrect it just for me.
In fact, when I went downstairs for breakfast, I could feel the house was empty. Aside from a note on the fridge from Mom that instructed me to practice my shields, there was nothing. I had my bowl of cereal in privacy and silence on the porch as I slowly and carefully practiced over and over, so into it by the time I took a bite my crispy bits were soggy. I returned for a fresh bowl and instead used the time to let what happened the day before sink in.
No, I hadn't done anyone permanent damage or anything. Not this time. I shuddered as I considered what my demon may have done if I told them all to drop dead. Not a nice thing to consider. I was pretty sure nothing would have happened, but not positive. Which worried me more than a little. It was time to grow up and take it like a woman. My power was permanent, and I was becoming a danger to myself and others. No matter how much I wanted to shed this life, it didn't want to let me go. I still hated the thought of being trapped, but I knew I had to get my demon under control and keep her there before someone was seriously hurt.
Now that I officially made my decision, I tried to ignore the imaginary sounds of slamming bars and the rattle of chains. Knowing I would have to someday lead all those witches terrified me. A fate worse than death. I crossed my fingers my mother would live forever. A healthy forever, I added to myself as I thought of poor broken Gram.
Amen to that.
I went back inside and put my bowl in the dishwasher. I leaned against the counter, looking out the window. I half expected to feel the weight of a fat cat body wind its way around my legs, searching for food. The sadness returned. I cried enough the night before I didn't feel the need for fresh tears on the subject, but my throat was tight. I had to push myself away from it before it went so far again.
A knock on the front door was a nice distraction. I made my way through the house to answer it.
Imagine my surprise when I saw Brad standing on my front step.
He was pale. I winced, realizing he was caught in the spell with everyone else. A spark of anger surfaced. Served him right for not helping Alison. I was at war with myself as I stood there with the door wide open.
Brad broke the silence.
"I'm sorry, Syd," he said, and the war was over. How could I stay mad at that?
"It's okay," I said. "Alison is all right, by the way."
He shuffled his feet. "Yeah, I know, I've already been to her house."
I thought better of him for checking on her.
"Can I come in?" he asked.
Probably not the best idea. I stepped outside and closed the door.
"Rather go for a walk?" I asked. Not that I didn't want Brad in my house, but with all the weird stuff going on lately I figured it was better to keep him away from my family who could arrive home at any time.
"Sure," he agreed.
We headed down the street at a stroll. He didn't look like he was up for much more. A block from my place, I took a seat on a bench. He sat next to me, squinting into the sun.
"You don't look very good," I said. "Are you okay?"
His embarrassment was obvious. "Yeah, only... after you left, everybody got... sick. Really sick. I think it was the punch or something. It was pretty awful."
I had to know, like digging at a scab even though it hurt to get rid of it.
"Really?" I said, trying to be sympathetic while hiding my own embarrassment. "Everybody?"
"Yeah, wow, you're lucky you left when you did. I've never seen anything like it, kids puking everywhere. The house... some kids ended up in the front yard and the neighbors called 9-1-1. The ambulance came and Suzanne's parents were called. They were pretty mad at her, but she was so sick at the time I don't think she cared."
Part of me thrilled at the revenge but the rest of me wanted to crawl in a hole and die.
"Sounds awful," I said.
"You have no idea," he said. "They didn't know she was having a party and when they found the punch... they called all the parents. Most of the kids are grounded and the football team's been benched for two weeks."
Oops. He didn't seem upset about it, though, so I tried not to beat myself up.
"Sorry," I said.
"It wasn't your fault," he answered. "I'm glad you and Alison are okay."
He was just so sweet I wasn't sure if he was real. I wanted to tell him it was my fault but knew no matter how I felt about it, confessing I was a witch was a terrible idea all the way around.
Besides, in a way, I was getting my punishment after all, worse than I could have ever gotten from my mother.
"Anyway," he said, "I wanted to apologize for yesterday."
"It wasn't your fault, either," I said.
He wouldn't meet my eyes. "I didn't do anything to stop it, Syd. That makes me as guilty as the ones who did it."
I didn't want to tell him I agreed with him. Too cruel.
"Hopefully no one else will ever have to go through that," I said.
"Don't hold your breath," he said. I saw, for the first time, a tightness in his face, a loss of innocence. Not that I'm the most worldly, mind you, but Brad was so naive when I first met him. I was sad that changed.
"I won't," I answered.
"I didn't realize," he said softly, "what they were like. Really like. The whole bunch of them. Even the guys knew, Syd, what Suzanne and the squad had planned."
"But you didn't?" I asked, kind of relieved to hear it.
"No way," he said. "I would never have let them if I had known."
He was so earnest, I believed him.
"That's why they didn't tell you," I said, touching his arm. "They knew you would stop it or warn her."
"I guess," he said. "I had no idea they were such jerks."
"It's high school," I shrugged. "Eat or be eaten."
I might as well have hit him.
"It shouldn't be that way," he said.
"Tell them," I answered. We both knew exactly who I meant.
"Well," he said, straightening up a little, "I'm not doing it anymore."
"Sorry?" I said.
He squared his shoulders. "I'm quitting the football team. And all of them, too."
The very fact Brad Peters dumped the pops blew my mind.
"But, you're a Senior, captain of the team. Aren't you up for a football scholarship or something?"
"Yeah," he said. "I told my dad. He wasn't very happy. But I don't want..."
"What?" He couldn't throw away a chance at a great school over this. Talk about a sudden awakening. Part of me wanted to put him back to sleep until high school was all over.
"I don't want to turn into them," he whispered.
Was my internal conflict spilling over onto other people or something? This was the second person in two days who came to me-me-for life-altering advice. Talk about overwhelming.
"Brad," I said firmly, wanting no misunderstanding between us, "you will never, can never, be one of them. Ever. End of discussion."
"Really?" He seemed like he wanted to believe.
"Never ever," I told him. "Trust me, I have been to more junior and senior highs in the last five years than I care to admit and I have never met anyone like you who has ever turned into one of them."
Couldn't say it any clearer than that. I was pretty sure it worked because his whole body relaxed. He leaned back on the bench.
"Bet you're going to be a psychiatrist when you get older," he said.
If he only knew.
"Guess we'll wait and see," I mumbled. "Please don't give up your chance for a scholarship."
He thought about it. "Maybe you're right," he said. "Maybe I should play, to spite them."
"They aren't worth it," I said. "And from what I hear, college is way different."
"Thanks, Syd," he said.
We stood up and continued walking, more because I felt restless all of a sudden than because I wanted to.
"I was hoping we could see more of each other," Brad said.
I hadn't prepared for this talk, but he wasn't about to give me the chance to change the subject. He grinned at me like he knew I was uncomfortable, his soft blonde hair falling over one eye.
"I'm not pushing you," he said, "and I don't want to freak you out. There is something about you, Syd." He stopped and faced me, transparent green eyes seeing only me.
I stared into those eyes, drowning in the color, and I knew I had never seen anything in my life quite so amazing. I could feel the two of us getting closer, drawing together. I was unable and unwilling to fight it. He stood so close to me I could feel his breath on my cheek. I knew in that instant if he kissed me, really kissed me, I would pass out at his feet.
Saved by the crazy lady. Gram's cackle snapped my head around. I had to dive for her as she hustled past me, hands outstretched, making a beeline for a parked car. I could feel her on the edge of her aura. I knew if I didn't act right then, Brad and I would not only be witness to a light show but would probably end up in the hospital, or worse, if I didn't manage to stop her.
"Gram!" I grabbed her and hauled her around, panicking as I realized I had neither of her vices on me as enticement. I pushed against her spell as hard as I could. My demon obliged. I pushed so hard, in fact, Gram staggered and slipped from my grasp, landing hard on her butt on the sidewalk. I was surprised this time the nausea and dizziness wasn't so bad.
Maybe I was getting the hang of it after all.
Gram glared up at me as if she was seeing me for the first time.
"Thief!" She shrieked at the top of her lungs. "Give it back! It's mine!"
That old line again. I felt her power build and gritted my teeth. Viciousness radiated from her in waves, and I knew a blast of power had to be a short breath behind. I saw motion next to me. Damn. Brad was still there. Unable to do anything about it, I glared at my grandmother and shoved her magic down, smothering the air energy with as much earth as I could pile on her, acting on pure instinct. I took a moment to make sure my eyes were normal before I glanced at Brad. He stared, mouth open.
"My grandmother," I offered as way of an apology. "I'm sorry, I have to get her home."
Thank goodness nothing we did so far magic-wise was visible to normals. I would be forced to have someone in the coven wipe his memory and I worried they might take too much. I wanted him to remember he was going to kiss me. Weird thing to think about while trying to keep my grandmother from totaling half the block, but hey, I was a teenager.
Brad watched Gram as she struggled, snarling and spitting from her sprawl on the ground. She made heavy grunting noises, her face twisting in frustration.
"Is she okay?" He asked.
"No," I said. "She's nuts. I really have to go."
I started pulling on Gram, hauling her to her feet, using my demon to help. She clutched at me, eyes blazing. I considered knocking her out, but Brad was still there. He was such a gentleman, I knew he would frown on that sort of thing. I had a flash of his lips and had to fight my way back.
Focus, Syd, focus.
Gram turned on me, hissing.
"Can I help?" Brad frowned, clearly worried.
"Thanks but no thanks," I said, tugging her toward home, winning a little. Thank goodness we were only a block away. "See you!"
He waved and turned to leave, glancing back once or twice. When he was far enough away, I released my demon and let Gram feel my full power even though I had no idea what else to do with it.
"Okay, Gram," I growled. "We can do this easy or hard. You pick."
She pouted like a petulant child caught doing something naughty. "You have it and I want it back." Her lower lip quivered. I felt like leaving her there.
"Look, I don't have it, whatever it is, and I never have."
Tears welled in those pale blues, but I knew better than to feel empathy. She could turn on me like a wild cat in a flash.
"Can we please go home now, or do I have to make you?"
"I don't want to go back there," she pouted.
"Tough," I answered. "We are going back, end of discussion. How do you keep getting out?" The last was more a question for myself as I steered her up the street.
I didn't even bother to try to listen in on her one-sided muttered conversation as we walked the rest of the way home.
I checked around to make sure there were no witnesses. A huge, black dog watched me from a nearby driveway. There was something familiar about him, but I couldn't put my finger on it. It wasn't like he really counted or anything. Besides, he seemed friendly enough, tongue lolling out as if he was laughing at us.
Stupid dog.
***
