#never mind his grinch feet that’s why we were at the pet store

[dogduocatquartet]

would you let him purchase goods and services from you?

[pjdredful]

The AV Club

Chapter 8

 “Get it together, losers. Move!” The all too shrill shout makes me pull an ear bud out and glance around for the source. For a second there are just too many people from the Winter Formal Committee milling around for me to get a good look and then they part before her in a hurried and nervous wave of bodies. There are bullies and bitches in every school in America. There are bullies everywhere. At work places, in grocery stores, in parking lots and at summer camps. It’s just a sad fact of human life. There are jerks everywhere you go. So I’m not surprised that there is yet another one here in my school but I cringe a little internally when I see the face attached to the voice. Oh God. Mo notices my utter lack of movement and stops fiddling with the light board to stare too.

 “Evie…is that…” I just nod once and swallow a little convulsively. Audrianna Saveedra. My worst nightmare in the flesh. It isn’t that she’s just a bully. But she’s my personal bully. Orson was always a dick but he never once came close to the horror and humiliation of Audrianna. It’s almost too much for my brain to compute, her being here of all places. Deep brown eyes scan the group assembled for a minute, as if she’s judging us all already. Her gaze passes over me and I let out a slight breath of air that I know no one can actually hear. Maybe its relief that she seems to not recognize me that makes me start to ease back against the hard metal of the folding chair. Or just sheer stupidity.

 The laser like focus redirects and swings back my way and I’m pinned by her stare. I pale just a little when her lips curl up in a very Grinch like smile before she clicks her way over and stands right in front of me. I try really hard not to flinch but it happens when the hem of her skirt brushes my knuckles gone white from gripping the box of mics and cables perched precariously on my lap. “Why Evelyn Rossi, I thought that was you. I didn’t know you went here.” Liar. I know she’s lying because her smug little pig nose crinkles just a bit in too much amusement. God. I can’t even believe I once thought she was cute.

 “Yeah. What uh. What are you doing here Audri?” It’s too casually said. Too familiar and that makes her smile even more. See I was hoping it would seem nonchalant and cool but it actually came out a little more nervous than intended. All it ended up doing was reminding her that we have a history and that I remember all of it. Mo looks back and forth between us for a minute, unsure if he should say something or not.

 “I go here now. Daddy has a new pet project going and it just makes sense for the family to be closer. Blessing is more than two hours away you know.” I know. I give her a non-committal hum and a slow nod, still watching her like she may lunge viciously at me any second. Like a snake swallowing a scared little mouse. And I’m the mouse. “You know…” She leans forward a little conspiratorially and I lean back just a hair. “If I had known you were going to be here I would have brought my camp album.” Whatever color had finally risen to my cheeks vanishes in an instant. I’m sure that album is filled with all the horrible things she did to me at camp every year. Including my spectacular and totally blindsided expulsion from the closet thanks to her.

 Mo finally clears his throat a little pointedly and she turns her dark haired head towards him with a jerk making the long perfectly styled locks fling casually over her shoulder. I wonder if she practices that. “So you’re here at this committee meeting why?”

 The predatory smile widens and I have just a fleeting second to think ‘shut up or she’ll notice you!’ in Mo’s general direction. Of course. He’s not a mind reader. And I don’t think he noticed my face before his words tumbled out. Either way, it’s too late now and we both know it from the look in her calculating eyes.

 “I remember you. You’re that Jewish boy from camp. What’s your name again? Slowmo? Momo? Homo?” My teeth grind together at the last part. Not because I think she’s calling him gay. I know exactly why she’s mentioning it. A reminder that she knows all my secrets and most of my past.

 “His name is Mo.” She gives a slow nod as if to say ‘oh yes of course, how silly of me’. Like that makes it alright or something.

 “Ah. Mo. I think it should be obvious by now don’t you? I’m here to organize this committee. Properly.” Properly. It’s those little snide comments that she says without so much as a flicker of emotion that gall me. The implication that we’re just too podunk to have a school dance and do it right. And okay yeah maybe I think it galls me a little bit more that this is the third committee meeting in a week and we still haven’t picked a theme or know what the hell we’re all doing yet. “We can’t do anything so tacky as…I don’t know…Under the Sea or….whatever the little theme was last year.” Under the Sea. Which is just dumb because it’s a winter ball. Why would Under the Sea be a good theme for that?

 Several people shift nervously and glance at each other. It’s probably pretty likely those are the ones that were pushing it the hardest. It makes me want to champion the theme just because Audrianna doesn’t think it’s good enough. “We haven’t actually picked a theme yet. So…” I trail off rather stupidly because I don’t know what possessed me to speak in the first place or what the hell to say next.

 “Hm. So I gathered. Well if you two are done playing with your….” She makes a vague gesture to the collection of sound and light equipment in boxes around us. The disdain on her face is clear as she realizes that this is all the equipment for the dance set up and it won’t be up to her standards. “We should just get started. I think a fundraiser should be the first order of business.” Audri clicks away with a twirl of her skirt and starts calling the meeting to order.

 “How exactly did she just walk in and take everything over without a fight?” I just look at Mo and shrug a shoulder. He didn’t have to deal with her much but he should remember her from a few of the camp mixers that shoved camps Little Hawk and Buffalo Trails together once a summer for a night of awkward slow dancing and sugary fruit punch. “Oh right. She’s Audrianna.” My one consoling thought is that she doesn’t have a gaggle of minions. Yet. Still our county is small and the towns in it are even smaller. Which means that Audri can have her cronies up to see her reigning the school with an iron fist at any time. I smirk but it’s not at all confident and becomes less so when Audrianna starts the group brainstorming for fundraiser ideas.

 There are a mix of them. Some stupid. Some okay. All of them met with an impenetrable cold stare letting everyone know they fail miserably. It’s almost funny and that little bit of nervous tension in my gut causes me to do something so dumb that even I want to smack myself in the back of the head. I laugh. All eyes drift toward me and I immediately stop laughing. My toe taps the floor experimentally and Mo elbows me with a whisper. “Stop looking for a Hellmouth to fall into.” He’s right. There’s never a Hellmouth when I need one and really what would I do if one actually opened at my feet?

 “Is there something amusing Evelyn? Are your fellow students’ suggestions just not good enough for you?” Oh you bitch nugget. Until I laughed she was thinking that exact thing. It was written all over her face and we all could see it. But it’s just like her to turn it around on me. There is no better way to gain support than by making someone else the bad guy. I clear my throat and roll a shoulder in a shrug before sitting up a little straighter. I have to fix this. Somehow.

 “No. Not at all.” It’s a little too quickly said and a few snorts and irritated looks are thrown my way. Mo starts to sit up himself like he wants to say something but I just clear my throat and sink a little lower in my seat. Eyes start drifting back to Audrianna, already looking to her for guidance. Gross.

 “Well then any suggestions? Since you seem to think no one else here has a better idea.” I never said that! Of course if I sputter and try to deny it she’ll only wave it off. The damage is done and I can see it in the accusatory looks directed at me.

 I’m not really so great under pressure so I fidget a little more and squeak out breathlessly. “Car bake thing?” Car. Bake. Thing. My face burns at the condescending laughter she sets off in the group. It’s not that I don’t know what they are. Car wash and bake sale. They are the staple of every high school booster club or fundraising experience. But put on the spot like that, the way she’s making me look like I’m the snob…I just couldn’t make the words come out right.

 Audri stops laughing after a minute and purses her lips as if having to explain something to someone as dumb as I am was distasteful to her. “I think you mean car wash and bake sale.” I resist the urge to mock her tone and roll my eyes. Whatever. Thankfully she takes her focus from me and sighs to the group dramatically. “I was told the school doesn’t even have enough in the budget to hire a DJ for the entire dance. We’re going to have to get creative people. Think big. Think grand.”

 The alarm goes off on my phone and I silence it quickly. I slide the box of cables over into Mo’s lap and grab my messenger bag from the floor. Mo looks at me with a slight frown. He knows I’m going to meet up with Lirae to talk to her guy or whatever about following Tony around but I think he’s kind of annoyed at having to be stuck with Audrianna for the rest of the meeting. I give him an apologetic look mouthing sorry before trying to sneak out the door. I can just barely make out the sound of laughter as the door closes behind me, no doubt sparked by some mean spirited comment. And I’m pretty sure I know exactly who made it. I shake it off and jog the rest of the way from the tech room to the field. It’s not that far really and there isn’t any need to run but I need to get rid of some of this anxiety churning my stomach.

 I can see Lirae perched on some bleachers at the very top, her silver aviator’s flashing in the sun when she turns her head. The wind lifts a curl, pulling it out of the loose pony tail and dragging it across her face. Lirae’s head twists toward the wind and the lock blows back away from her. It was effortless and simple and somehow a thousand times hotter than Audrianna’s perfectly timed hair swish. I take the steps up carefully and drop myself on to the bench next to her. “Hey.”

 Lirae looks up, leaning back on the rail behind her and smiles. “Hey yourself. How was the meeting?” I don’t want to talk about it so I just wave vaguely and make some unintelligible mutterings. “Oh yeah that’s totally how those things go.” She laughs in amusement and leans in to nudge me playfully with her forehead. “You ready to go?” I like that she just accepts my non answer with a quiet joke. She doesn’t push me. It’s kind of part of why I like her so much. Everyone always wants me to just talk about things and stuff. Like all of the time. Not Lirae. She gets me and just lets me be me and it’s nice. Comforting.

 “Yeah. Mo says the boys will meet us after at the clubhouse. Orson is still pissed the door won’t stay up and wants another crack at it.” I could tell him why it won’t. My dad is a contractor after all and I’m totally a daddy’s girl when it comes to hanging out in the garage. But it’s more fun to watch him struggle to be a manly man. Lirae chuckles and I lean into her side a little more. We’re not exactly cuddling but we’re sitting pretty close and having a lot of little casual touches. Not unusual for us but it seems a little more charged these past few days what with the kissing and all.

 “Are you going to let him keep trying to get it right or just butch up and fix it for him?” It’s my turn to laugh now and I shrug.

 “I dunno. I kinda like watching him get it mad at the door like it’s defective.” It’s not like the door is fancy or anything. It was just a standard door we managed to pilfer from one of my dad’s renovation work sites. It would have gone in the trash anyway but only because it was old and kind of ugly. But that is perfect for the shack. At least it matches the structure. We make our way down the steps carefully, reaching the bottom at the same time. Lirae tugs me around by the arm when I start to head to the gate instead of the parking lot in the opposite direction. The momentum of it spins me around too fast and I put my hands up to keep us from crashing together. We do anyway and my reflexive jump back causes me to misstep. Lirae’s arm comes out like a whip, snagging around my waist to keep me from falling. And that only serves to make us over balance and topple back against a very hard concrete trash can. It hits my hip painfully but at least it saves us from falling completely to the ground.

 Although we’re now kind of awkwardly leaning against the trash bin without moving and in my case barely breathing. So close. Soooo close. “This is totally your fault.” I open my mouth to argue that and snort.

 “How?!”

 “You bumped into me!”

 “Because you grabbed me!” I laugh even though this is awkward and my hip hurts like a son of a biscuit. Her laugh echoes mine and her brow comes up before she pointedly looks down between us.

 “Oh yeah? Well it looks like you’re the one grabbing me now.” I blink once in confusion and let my eyes drift down between our chests. And that’s when I realize I’ve had my hands on her boobs this entire time. How does this keep happening?? I pull my hands back quickly and clear my throat. Boobs. Nope. Don’t think about it. Boobs. Damnit! My face is burning and I know by the tone of her laughter that I’m beet red.

 “Well that wouldn’t keep happening if you weren’t so…breasty.” I don’t…that’s not even a word. I just shake it off as she laughs and pulls back enough to let me wiggle away.

 “Oh so it’s my boobs’ fault you keep touching them. Classy, blame the victims.”

 “They keep touching me!” My defensive tone makes her laugh even harder and I duck my head to try and hide my own smile. Fine I give up. I throw my hands up in defeat and Lirae takes one with a little squeeze. “Okay. Are we going now or are you going to continue to assault me with your bosoms?”

 “Dude…you just said bosoms.” She laughs again tugging me toward the lot. I let her lead the way when I realize we’re headed to Orson’s truck. Well. More like his grandmother’s truck. It’s an old Ford Bronco II that has seen better days. It belonged to Orson’s granddad and she never had the heart to sell it so it was her daily driver. I hop in to the passenger seat and buckle my belt. It is hot as hell and I crank the window down as Lirae gets the truck started. “So what do you think?”

 Of? I look around and frown. “What do I think about what?” Are we still talking about her boobs? Because those are good.

 “My new ride.” Who’s new ride? Hers? Which? This car? I open my mouth but close it with a click before starting again.

 “Grandma sold the truck to you??” She nods full of pride as she pets the steering wheel. It’s seen better days yeah but it’s a pretty solid ride. The idle is smooth and strong and not at all like Mo’s Taurus. I run a hand over the burgundy dash board and smile. “It’s great Lirae. This is so cool. But like how did you pay for it?”

 She shrugs and I can see the slightly embarrassed but clearly pleased expression in her eyes when she turns away to put the truck in gear. “My um foster mom bought it for me. I got a 4.0 and I’m gonna get to graduate this year with everyone." It's huge for her. HUGE.

 She’s never stayed anywhere long enough be able to show any kind of accomplishment or get any kind of validation or reward for doing anything. Things changed for her when she was placed with her current foster mom, Janine. It wasn’t like things changed overnight or anything but slowly Janine has managed to convince Lirae that she wasn’t about to get rid of her any time soon and that she did have a safe place she could call home. I lunge as far as the belt will let me and wrap Lirae in a tight hug. “That’s awesome! Why didn’t you tell me you got a 4.0! I need to start cheating off you in World Civ by the way. We should celebrate!” My tone changes going from excited to playful as I bob my head a little “I know what’chu want girl.” Yup she knows what’s up.

 It’s kind of really adorable that she blushes at whatever I just said. “If you say ice crea…” my tone doesn’t change even a little.

 “Ice cream cake, y’all!” Lirae covers her face with her hands for a second then shakes her head with a laugh. Who doesn’t love ice cream cake? The devil, that’s who. “Yeah girl. You know you want it.”

 “You’re a dork.” That is one hundred percent true and I give her my best cheesy grin as she starts to pull out of the lot.

 “Whatever. You love it.” She doesn’t say anything to that but she doesn’t have to. It takes me a second to realize that Orson is probably going to be annoyed that he didn’t get the truck for himself. “Does Orson know?” She flicks her eyes at me then away going a little quieter as we drive. It makes me start to wonder why she’s acting like talking about him is awkward. We talk about him all the time. Or we used to anyway.

 “Yeah. He’s cool.” She’s a little shifty about that but I let it go because I’m not sure I really want to delve into that whole thing right now.  Lirae changes the subject on me as she lowers the radio. I look back from the window at her and raise a brow. “So listen. When we get there. Do not, Evie, DO NOT freak out.”

 I blink once at that. “What? Psh. No. I’m not gonna freak out, why would I freak out?” I’m totally going to freak out. And probably only because she told me not to. I think she knows it too because she rolls her eyes and takes a left on to the main drag before speaking again.

 “Because that’s what you do. Freak out.” I don’t say anything for a minute, just deciding if it’s actually worth it or not. I shrug like it’s nothing, making a dismissive wave with a hand because it’s no big deal. “Evie, I love you but you still look at me like you’re gonna freak out.” Well. She has a point but it’s probably not for the reason she thinks. And I’m going to totally ignore the fact that she said she loves me because if I don’t I’ll fixate on it for the rest of my life. So moving on.

 “Okay first of all it is not at all my fault you were a juvenile delinquent in your former life. And not to put too fine a point on it you did totally shake me down for my pocket change the first day we met. Furthermore, I only look at you like that because I’m usually trying not to get caught staring.” At her chest.

 Lirae reaches out and smacks me playfully as she drives. I can’t help but notice that she’s laughing and it makes her face look totally different. I like it. “Okay if you bring up that lunch money thing up one more time…”

 “You’ll what?” I’m honestly curious. “Ditch me for the star football player?” We just keep tap dancing around the whole weird love triangle thing. God, I can’t believe I actually used the phrase love triangle in reference to myself. It feels like so much bad romance novel even I want to throw up a little.

 “Shut up.” I snicker at her response but let it go as I watch the town slide past us. Truthfully it’s not really that funny because she and Orson are pretty tight and like I said before, they’re more on again than off again. It’s a worrisome situation for me. I don’t even know where I fit in. I mean I know we have on occasion recently made out but I have no idea what this is beyond that. “I’m serious about not freaking out though. If you look too nervous he’s going to think something is wrong.”

 I frown slightly. “What exactly am I going to be freaking out about?” She goes silent. I frown deeper. She doesn’t say anything at all she pulls into a parking lot of a rundown strip mall. It’s not the best part of downtown but it’s still light out and there doesn’t seem to be many people even around. We park and Lirae pauses after opening the truck door sighing as if she thinks it’s better to just get it over with now. That does not at all make me feel better.

 “I don’t know. I guess nothing.” It’s too casual and that makes the hairs on my neck stand on end a little. I get out of the truck, making sure to slam the door a few more times when it keeps popping open again. It finally catches with a click and I spin on a heel nearly plowing into Lirae. “Okay he might maybe kinda hit on me.”

 Oh. Well. I clear my throat and give a slow nod. “Oh.” I’m not really sure what to say to that. “Why would I freak out about that?” She gives me a look, her lips going tight before she rolls her eyes at me and starts walking.

 “Just come on already.” I have to jog a second to catch up to her. We’re almost at the door to the beauty supply and nail shop before I realize it’s our goal.

 “Uh…are we in the right place?”

 Lirae smirks as she pulls the door open and saunters in like she’s been there before many times. I follow along behind her trying not to look like I obviously don’t belong. I’m halfway sure I’m pulling it off when Lirae stops in the middle of an aisle and puts a hand on my chest to keep me from continuing on. “What is wrong with you?”

 “What?”

 “Why are you walking like that?” Like how? I blink at Lirae and clear my throat.

 “I don’t know what you mean. I’m just being cool. Like. Chill. Lo-pro.” Lirae gives me a very slow blink and turns away. I am apparently NOT pulling off any of that. This is probably what she meant about freaking out. Note to self, pimp-limp does not equal cool. I have to jog again to catch her before she waves at one of the nail ladies and ducks behind a beaded curtain leading to a hall. We pass an open doorway to what looks like a storeroom before stopping at a closed door. Lirae knocks a complicated staccato before opening the door and waltzing in like she owns the place.

 “Hey Chuckles.” The guy she’s talking to looks over his shoulder from his game of dominos and grins widely. He has spinners on his gold teeth. I didn’t even know that was a thing. For a second I’m mesmerized by them wondering the how and why of it all.

 “Hey Rae Rae!” He’s easily six and a half feet when he stands and pulls Lirae into a bear hug that lifts her feet from the ground. I can feel my lips pulling down in a frown and I have to force myself not to have resting bitch face. “Damn girl I thought you forgot how to get here. Where you been at?”

 “Nah just been busy doing that whole school thing. This is my girl Evie. Evie, this is Chuckie. We go way back.” I know that she didn’t mean it like I’m her girlfriend. It was probably totally just a ‘this is my friend who is a girl’. And really it shouldn’t make me all flustered and bubbly inside but it kind of does. I just wave at Chuckie when he gives me a nod still trying to decide why I’m there at all. “How’s business been?”

 He narrows his eyes at Lirae and then at me again before he shrugs and settles on to a futon couch against the wall. “It’s alright. You lookin’ for work again?�� The way he says it is just a little predatory and it makes me wonder when she worked for him before and what she did. Lirae gives him a shrug and settles on an overturned bucket leaving me to stand awkwardly a little behind and to the side of her.

 “I’m good on that but I could use some help with something. It’s personal.” She doesn’t have to look at the other guys still sitting at the small folding table. They all lay down their tiles and get up without complaint. Lirae must know them from before as well because they wink or reach out to nudge her playfully as they leave the office, closing the door behind them with a solid click. Chuckie’s attention goes directly to Lirae as soon as we’re all alone again.

 “What’cha need?” His tone is oddly quiet and professional and that just weirds me out because he looks anything but professional. It’s probably the tattoos he has on his face instead of eyebrows that’s throwing me off.

 Hazel eyes drift to me and I give her a nod. Lirae reaches into her back pocket and takes out a business card. It’s Tony’s. “We kinda need this guy followed. Nothing big. Just see where he goes, what he does, who he talks to. No contact.” Chuckie takes the card and reads it then leans back in his seat.

 “What’s the dude look like?” This time she slips her phone out from where she stuck it in her bra and flips to a picture of Tony. How did she even get that? I frown slightly and raise a brow that she just smiles and shrugs off. I may never find out how she managed that. “I know this building. I got Marcus running this block. Lots of customers in those corporate plaza offices.” I don’t know why his statement makes this all suddenly more real but it does. We’re really doing this. This isn’t just investigating the paranormal. Now we’re investigating people. Lying bastard Tony people, but a real person none the less.

 “You’re not going to ask why?” I wasn’t planning on speaking at all but the question just came blurting right out of me. He gives me a look as he hands Lirae back her phone, his fingers lingering a little too long for my comfort.

 “Don’t need to. If Rae Rae is asking it’s for a good reason.” Okay. Well. That answers that. He definitely isn’t going on my Christmas list any time soon but at least he’s not into asking too many questions.

 Lirae smiles at him and punches him in the shoulder. “So what’s it gonna cost me?” Chuckie looks her up and down like he’s wondering how far he can push her with me sitting right here.

 “We can call it square if you go out with me again.” Oh. OOH. Oh shit. They were a thing. THIS is why she didn’t want me to freak out. My eyes cut to Lirae but she’s looking directly at him giving him a look I can’t quite see from my spot.

 “You know that’s not happening. How much?” Well at least I know he’s not really competition. I hope. It’s hard to compete with someone who’s a foot taller than you and wears your body weight in gold on his teeth. Chuckie waves at her like it’s her loss for not choosing the date. Though date may be putting it politely.

 “We’re cool, Rae Rae. I got this.” So that’s not so bad. We don’t have to pay him any money but I get the feeling that he’ll be asking her out again. His calculating dark eyes flick over to me then back to Lirae. He’s probably wondering if I’m here to keep him from asking again. I’m not so sure he’d be wrong if he thought that. “So what is it? Mr. Football? ‘Cause you know I don’t care about your little boyfriend. I know you ain’t in love with him.” Wow he’s still going for it. I thought he would at least wait until next time to bring it up.

 Lirae stands and tucks her hands into her back pockets and she starts for the door. She pauses to look over at him with a lazy smirk on her face. It’s…kinda of super hot. “That’s exactly why he’s not my boyfriend anymore.”

 “So then?”

 Her smirk gets wider and she shrugs as she swings the door open. I think Lirae is enjoying this as much for his reactions as mine. “Said he wasn’t my boyfriend, didn’t say I wasn’t taken.” She clucks her tongue at him and winks as she pulls me along behind her. I have just enough time to give a half wave and a squeaked out ‘thank you!’ before we’re too far down the hall for it to matter. Okay then. So she’s taken. I let that tumble along in my brain, my feet moving on autopilot through the shop. It isn’t a big place but all the shelves are stacked high with all kinds of cosmetic chemicals. The smells give me an instant headache and I groan.

 My hand goes to my messenger bag instinctively reaching for the bottle of Advil tucked in a pocket. I’m relieved when we exit the shop but my headache only intensifies as dusk deepens around us. I thought it was the smell of the place but even outside my head throbs evilly. This is not the kind of headache Advil can fix but I pop two in my mouth and dry swallow them quickly.

 “Hey… you okay?” I give her a nod and blink a few times to clear my focus. It’s still too bright out for the street lamps to go on despite the growing shadows as the sun sinks on the horizon. Unease settles in my stomach and I glance around at the dilapidated shops in the strip mall. A thrift store, a tattoo parlor that could give me hepatitis just from looking at it, and a pawn shop. Everything else looks empty and abandoned. This isn’t the greatest place for us to be right now. In the back of my mind I realize it must be my beacon radar going off.

 “We need to go. Like now.” Lirae glances around quickly but doesn’t see anything out there that would make me react like this. It doesn’t stop her from taking my hand and starting toward the truck a little faster though. The wind kicks up and drags a plastic bag across the pavement in front of us. It rises off the ground in an updraft and floats a few inches into a narrow walkway between two buildings directly in front of the truck. My feet stop suddenly and Lirae gets jerked back a little by it. “Wait.”

 There wasn’t movement exactly. I can’t really be sure what made me stop. I just know that there is something there. A few more tense breaths pass before the sun finally dips low enough for the lights to click on. A hum of electricity starts but the bulbs only flicker for a second before going dark again. Lirae looks up at them but I haven’t peeled my eyes from the darkness of the walkway. I need light.

 The second I think it the lamp splashes light into the walkway. That’s weird. The source seems to be lower than normal. I glance up but the street lamps aren’t lit. Then it dawns on me. It’s me. I’m the light. Oh crap. “Oh shit, Evie. Your eyes.”

 “I know.” And so does whatever is watching and waiting.

 “What is it?”

 “I don’t know but we need to get out of here before more come.” My free hand comes up and wraps tightly around my sigil trying to ground myself before I go full on spotlight again. We start forward together toward the truck and whatever is in that alley. It’s almost a relief when we get into the car unmolested and slap the locks down on the doors but that feeling vanishes when the wind slams into the truck with a hard gust. Lirae and I scream a little in surprise. Okay. I scream a little in surprise. Lirae just jumps and gives me a ‘don’t do that!’ look. “Just go!”

 She doesn’t argue, she just puts the car in reverse and backs out faster than she normally would. Something dark flashes in front of the headlights but it was too fast to make out. Lirae mutters a curse and peels out of the lot. I start feeling better the further we get from the strip mall. Gradually my light dims and my headache eases. I still haven’t stopped clutching my sigil but I don’t think I can let go even if I wanted to now. My hand has cramped around it from gripping so tightly. “I thought that thing was supposed to keep this from happening.”

 She looking at me from the corner of her eye as she drives and I sigh. “It’s a little touch and go sometimes.” She snorts at that and without looking at me, reaches over and squeezes my hand. That reminds me.

 “So you’re taken?” This is so not the time for this. I know it and she knows it. But here it is because I need to be distracted from what almost just happened. I need a distraction from the heavy weight that comes with the knowledge that my time of safety is running out quickly and I need answers now.

 “Maybe.” I raise my brows at that but she laces our fingers together in my lap. Okay. Maybe I don’t need to hear it again. We drive in silence for about 45 seconds more before I realize that yeah I kinda do need to hear it again.

 “So like…”

 “Oh my God! Yes Evie. I’m taken.” She didn’t say by me but I decide not to push it because her side eyed glare at me says I might not like her next response. I grin happily at her, content with just holding her hand as we ride.

 “Kay.” My easy surrender earns me a suspicious look but then she smiles a little nervously at me. Like this is new for her too. I guess maybe it is. We’ve never talked about it but I’ve never seen her with a girlfriend before. Well I’m pretty sure my brain is going to overheat now from obsessing over every single word between us today. I may think of nothing else ever again.