by Carly Marino
When the check came, he waved my money away and paid. Although this night didn’t start like a typical one, this was my first date. I smiled. Matt had both ended and restarted my dating life. If he hadn’t gone with that Resparé, I wouldn’t have had dinner with Holden. Funny how things worked out.
We got up, and he walked me to my car. I fiddled with my shirt sleeves. What if he kissed me? I’d have to refuse him. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but I also didn’t want to ruin dinner with one of his memories. Please, don’t kiss me.
We stopped at my car.
“Thanks for dinner. That was fun.” I opened my door, putting it as a barrier between us. “I’ll see you at school.”
His mouth formed a sweet, lopsided grin. “I’m going to ask you again. Thea Scott, will you go to homecoming with me?”
I rolled my lips together. Cole would teach me to control my ability by next weekend. I couldn’t lie to myself. I wanted to go to homecoming with Cole. But after this whole Yuanfen thing, why would I wait for something that could never happen? Like Nora said, he had a fascination with me. Nothing more. The love of his life had vanished, and his sole purpose was to find her. I scoffed internally at the thought of his perfect love story. Of course, Cole would have a Shakespearean-type romance.
Holden’s hopeful eyes gazed at me. He was a nice guy. He had an easy way about him and made me laugh several times during dinner. If I could control my memory reading, I could enjoy the dance like a teenager should: swaying with my date on the dance floor, smiling, having drinks after with my friends … maybe even a kiss or two. Whatever I wanted. For the first time, I could have a normal, unburdened night with an attractive guy.
My stomach flipped. “Okay, Holden. I’d love to go to homecoming with you.”
Chapter Thirteen
“There! It’s the one with the blue sign.” Wynter flung her arm in front of me from the passenger seat. “There it is!”
I whipped into the parking lot, and the wheels screeched on the pavement as I slammed on the brakes. Cars sped past, honking.
My heart jolted in my chest. “Don’t do that again.”
“Sorry. I’m just so excited to check this place out. It’s a consignment dress shop, but they only accept pristine dresses. If we get ours here, we won’t have one of those who-wore-it-best moments.” She scooted out of my car.
I rested in the driver’s seat and rubbed my forehead. The haze in my mind from last night’s excitement hadn’t cleared. My temples pounded and nausea churned in my stomach, almost as if I had a hangover.
If Wynter hadn’t burst into my room at ten this morning and forced me to go dress shopping, I could’ve laid in bed all day. I refused her, twice, but then remembered I actually needed a dress. Homecoming was in one week, and I was going.
I hadn’t told Wynter about Holden yet. Maybe a part of me still hoped Cole would ask me. Not that I’d say yes if he did. I made a commitment with a nice guy and would honor it. Regardless of how much I wished Cole had asked me.
A loud rapping on my window startled me. Wynter stared in. “Are you coming?”
With a hefty sigh, I got out of my car.
Orange and red mums and small pumpkins decorated the flower boxes under the windows of the gray house. A crooked sign with the scripted word, Antoinette’s, dangled from a hook on the white door. We stepped inside the shop and a tiny bell dinged above. Gowns of different styles and colors hung from circular racks. A glass case, containing costume jewelry, lined the far corner.
An older woman smiled at us from behind the counter. “Welcome to Antoinette’s.” She placed a pearl necklace on a felt display tray before gliding to greet us. Her burnt-sienna hair was full and curly to her chin. She wore an emerald, eggplant, and blue flower-patterned dress with several colorful beaded necklaces strung around her neck. She handed us each a pair of white gloves. “Before handling the ladies, you must wear gloves to protect the fabric.”
Ladies? I slipped my hands into the gloves.
The woman fluffed her curls. “Is there anything particular you girls are looking for?”
Hangers scraped the metal as Wynter pushed them to the side. “I kind of already know what I want. Something short in the front and longer in the back. I love lace, but I’m thinking satin…”
The woman escorted Wynter through the store, and I chuckled as Wynter rattled, describing her perfect gown.
I ran my hand down the side of a navy-blue dress. The silk slid through my gloved fingers and crinkled under my touch. I glided the hanger over and studied the next gown. A gray beaded bodice connected a taffeta full skirt with a silver belt. The hem swished on the carpet. I smiled and excitement bubbled in my chest.
Three years of high school and I’d never worn a gown like this. Never even tried one on. I had no idea where I would start.
“Thea, I’m going to start trying on,” Wynter yelled from the back of the shop.
“Okay,” I called.
I turned to browse another rack and then jumped. The woman was waiting behind me.
“You seem like you could use a little help deciding.”
How could I decide? Every dress was beautiful in its own way. Each had a story. Weddings, dances, parties, and lavish dinners, these dresses had probably enjoyed some wonderful moments. A first kiss perhaps or an employee-of-the-year award. I frowned. Some might not have as happy of a story. I imagined myself crying in my gown, tears creating circular watermarks on the satin after Holden stood me up.
She gently touched my shoulder, and my muscles tensed. I quickly shrugged her off, glad I didn’t suffer the consequences of this woman’s past. Maybe the aftermath of last nights “adventure” with the Resparé delayed my memory reading. If that was the case, I should fight for my life more often.
The woman hummed sweetly. “These dresses have shared wonderful memories with their owners, everything from dances to lavish dinners.” The woman smiled. “Perhaps even a first kiss.”
I widened my eyes. Didn’t I just think that? Could this woman be Inflexaen? I swallowed. Or Resparé. No, if she was Resparé, I’d already be drained. It didn’t sound like those parasites had regular jobs, and it’d be way too coincidental for her to be Inflexaen. She was just a woman who loved dresses. A lot. Either way, I’d be cautious around her.
She tilted her head and studied me in a thoughtful way. Her arm raised in a grand gesture, as if introducing the gowns to me. “The dress picks her owner, not the other way around. Girls that come in tearing through racks to find the perfect dress never truly find the right one. Tell me, do any of these beauties call to you, dear?”
Although her notion of the dresses choosing sounded crazy, they did have a strange magic to them. Plus, I had no clue what to wear anyway. I trailed my fingertips as I ambled around racks. With my eyes closed, I let invisible energy draw me to the right one. I stopped and pulled the first dress my hand touched. I giggled. How silly. The dress was a royal-blue sequined mermaid gown with a white satin flared bottom.
I returned the hanger and paused. The dress behind was exquisite—classy, sexy, simple and oddly enough calling to me.
The woman removed it. “Mmhm, this is definitely it.” She peeked at the inside tag. “You are in luck. A size two.”
“Won’t I look pale in this? It’s so white.”
“Eggshell or more antique white. This dress is vintage, versatile, and will shine on you.” She nodded. “Yes. This is definitely it. Follow me.”
“Shouldn’t I get another dress to try? What if—”
“You won’t need to.” She smiled over her shoulder.
I guessed I didn’t have a choice. I ducked behind the black fitting room curtain next to a room with a ton of dresses hanging outside that I assumed were Wynter’s.
The dressing room had an oval mirror, a small red velvet chair, and stylish iron rod hooks to hold several gowns-in-waiting.
“Thea? You next door?” Wynter asked.
“Yeah.”
“You better come out when you find one. There’s a big mirror outside to look at the back.”
I admired the dress. I couldn’t imagine something like this would look nice on me. “Okay.”
After undressing, I gently opened the side zipper and slipped the dress over my head. The fabric hugged my body perfectly. It was more revealing than I liked but beautiful.
“Thea, I see the end of your dress. No hiding.”
I sighed and peeked behind the curtain. “I—I don’t know.”
Wynter started forward, and in fear she’d grab me, I stepped outside.
“Thea, that dress is—”
I clamped my hands over my mouth. “Wyn, you look amazing.”
“Yeah?” She grinned and hopped on the raised platform in front of the four angled mirrors.
Her canary-yellow dress drew attention to her thin waist, and a flared skirt did the same for her shapely hips. The front of the dress stopped mid-thigh and the back grazed the floor. She spun, her ebony locks swirling with her.
“Wyn, it’s perfect.”
“Thank you. I think so too. And yours…” She shook her head. “It’s beautiful on you.”
“I’m … not sure.” I wrinkled my nose.
She waved me over. “Get up here and look at yourself!”
I stepped onto the platform. Wynter removed the elastic from my hair and wheat-blonde strands fell to the middle of my back. Careful not to touch the skin on my neck, she swept the strands over my left shoulder and moved to side to give me the stage.
I peered at myself. The A-line dress had a natural waistline. Scalloped lace overlaid the sweetheart neckline and fitted bodice. Taffeta covered the satin skirt and stopped just below the hem. The dress accentuated the curves I never showed off. Yet, I still looked sweet and classy.
I caught the shop owner smiling at me. She tapped her finger on her lips before her whole face lit up, and she disappeared into the maze of dresses.
I tensed, channeling the warmth to fingers, ready to fire balls of light if need be. Well, if I could again, anyway.
I relaxed when she returned with a band of fabric in her hand. I was seriously paranoid.
“White always looks more beautiful with an accent.” Her heels clicked across the wooden platform. My core tightened as she fastened the royal-blue belt around my waist. A flower hid the clasps at my hip.
“I guess it does.” I brushed my hands along the skirt.
She leaned closer to my ear. “You look lovely, dear.”
“Thank you. For all of your help.”
The woman admired my reflection. “Of course. That’s my job.”
Wynter hopped from down from the platform, and her dress fanned behind her. “I’m starving. Let’s pay and get lunch.”
I nodded and headed in to change.
After we had redressed, we paid, and the woman zipped our dresses in large white bags. “Now, girls, don’t close the bag completely as the dresses need to breathe.” She handled the fabric with such care and affection. Her love for her job was refreshing.
“We won’t,” we said in the sing-song voice we used with Wynter’s mom and Aunt Karen.
“Perfection. Thank you for business. I’m so very happy the dresses found a good home.”
Wynter giggled, eyeing me, before she sashayed outside.
“Thea, dear.” The woman’s blue eyes glinted in the track lighting, and I paused before trailing behind Wynter. “Don’t worry about your date. You’ll look absolutely stunning in that dress. If he stands you up, he’s a fool. Enjoy your dance.”
I swallowed. Maybe she was Inflexaen.
****
Wynter waved before she closed her front door, and I pulled into my driveway, surprised to see the silver sports car parked in front of my garage. Cole sat on my front stoop. He didn’t stand, just glared in my direction. What was his problem?
I slid from my car and removed the white garment bag from the back seat. I took the few moments to slow my rapid breaths. What was he doing here? I exhaled. Keep it together. Avoiding eye contact, I held the hanger high to keep the end from dragging on the ground. Cole stood up as I approached.
I wanted to confront him. Why had he flirted with me if he had someone else? And why didn’t he tell me about his mystery girl? What was the point in devoting all this time to help me if he had a girlfriend? I wanted to spit out a loud, bah! Girlfriend. Soulmate. More like it.
But I’d keep my promise to Nora.
I slipped around him to unlock the door. “What are you doing here?” I asked, casually stepping inside.
“What am I doing here? We were supposed to meet today at noon, but you didn’t answer your phone. I was worried about you.”
I patted my back pocket. “Shit.” The tide owned my iPhone now. “Oh, sorry. I lost my phone. Have you been sitting here since noon? It’s three.”
Beads of sweat trickled down his temples, and damp strands of hair stuck to his face. His light-blue shirt had water spots on the chest. I imagined under the arms too if he raised them. His eyelids drooped low, and his usual sun-bronzed skin was pale. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” Cole strolled into the conjoining kitchen, opened my fridge, and took out the pitcher of water. He poured himself a glass and chugged, practically gasping for air when he finished.
“Help yourself,” I muttered.
He slammed the glass on the counter, making my shoulders tense. “What if something had happened to you?”
I hooked my dress over the entry closet door. “Now you know how I felt when you disappeared on me.”
He opened his mouth, closed it, and squinted at the garment bag. “What’s that?”
“What?”
“What’s in the white bag?”
“What it looks like. A dress.”
He walked around the kitchen island. “For?”
I groaned. He was going to make me answer. Fine. “For homecoming. You know, the dance next Saturday. High school kids drink sugary punch, get dressed up, and dance to loud, censored music.”
“I know what homecoming is. Why are you going?” Cole shifted closer.
I moved away and dropped on the recliner in the living room. Having him that near brought unwanted heat to my body. Not the angry kind either. “Why wouldn’t I go?”
“It’s not safe.” He arched over me with his hands on the armrests. His hair tickled my cheeks, and my heart hammered on my ribcage. Warmth swelled in my chest and flipped my belly.
I inhaled a deep breath. “Nothing’s safe anymore. Why is this any different?”
A side-smile twisted on his face, and his Caribbean-colored eyes sparkled. My body slackened as he leaned in. His lips just brushed my ear. “You’re not going.”
I pushed him, slinked under his arm, and moved to the sofa. “You can’t tell me what to do. I’m going. Deal with it.”
He sat next to me, and his fingers massaged his forehead.
“Teach me to control my ability,” I blurted.
Cole rested on the olive-colored throw pillows, eyeing me. “I want to work on your light first. Since you did it the other day, I want to see if you can do it again.”
“I can.” Crap. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. He was already having a shit-fit about the dance. What would he do if he knew I’d thrown myself in the middle of Matt and a Resparé? He’d freak.
I tensed, the Resparé’s yellow orbs pinching at the back of my mind. Then again, maybe I should tell Cole. She’d gotten away and could come after Aunt Karen, Wynter, Ethan, or … me. Plus, she’d said they were searching for me. Though, I didn’t have a clue why. I was half-human. Nothing special here. She must’ve mistaken me for someone else. I chewed the end of my pinkie, debating if spilling to Cole was the smart thing to do.
“Oh, yeah?” he asked, interrupting my internal argument. “You sound sure of yourself.”
His cocky tone confirmed why I couldn’t tell him about the Resparé on the beach. He was way too protective, and I really
wanted to go to homecoming. I’d take my chances with one Resparé. I’d scared her away once. I could do it, again. Right?
I secured my blonde hair into a messy bun. “I’m just saying it wasn’t hard for me in the field.”
“I think we should test it out anyway.”
“I’d really rather learn how to control my ability. I’m sick of reading memories.”
Cole scooted until his knees pressed to mine. He curled his fingers in front of him as if holding an invisible ball. “Put your hands like this.”
I humored him. I’d blasted that Resparé last night. I didn’t need to practice something I did with ease when I had to. I needed to control my ability. Otherwise, the dance would be a bust.
“Okay, to generate a light charge, you need to focus on drawing energy to your hands.”
Yellow light sparked between his fingertips, and a round ball formed in the center of his hands. Bolts spidered outward but didn’t leave the sphere, reminding me of those globes with electricity inside. I had an urge to place my hand on the outside to see if the currents would outline it.
He tilted his hands palms up, and the ball of light sucked into his skin.
“That was amazing,” I said.
“It’s not about making the light. It’s about controlling it.” He cupped my hands and formed a frame for the ball of light. “Channel your energy.”
Glow. I envisioned the fiery currents traveling down my arms. No sparks. Not even the slightest tingle. I gritted my teeth and clenched my eyes shut. How had I done this last night? Come on. Glow.
I huffed and dropped my hands. “I can’t do it. I don’t know why. I did it so easily yesterday.”
His dark eyebrow arched. “Yesterday?”
I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut. “I meant the other day. Let me try again.”
Cole cradled my hands, and his thumbs stroked my index fingers. Energy radiated off of him and seemed to flow into me. A thickness invaded the air, lifting the hair on my arms, and snaps prickled against my eardrums.