“What’s that supposed to mean? Is anyone coming? Crap. Please don’t tell me they want to shove another suitor down my throat.” I hug my middle, trying to ward off the queasiness.
“I know nothing of the sort. Stop acting like you’re a heroine in a nineteenth-century novel.”
“Then tell my parents to stop trying to pair me up with a guy from a good family. Actually, that applies to you too.” I jump out of bed and pretend I’m not nauseated with the idea.
“We’re just looking out for you, honey.”
“Ugh. Cut it out. Your sweetness is giving me a toothache.”
Almost running, I reach the bathroom and lock the door. It’s a pointless action, since Fatima has all the keys that lead to me. A precaution just in case something happens. I have no privacy, but like I told Stephan last night, I have to pick my battles, and this isn’t one worth it.
I usually take my time in the shower, but I’m too anxious to find out what my parents want. Fuck, I hope Patrick isn’t coming to see me. He’s keen on pleasing his father, after all, even if it means flirting with me. My chains vibrate around my wrists as I curl my hands into fists. I won’t be able to bite my tongue if I have to face the jerk so early in my day.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m heading to my parents’ receiving room. Yeah, they like to believe they’re royalty. I have no idea what I’m wearing, but since Fatima picked out the outfit, my guess is I look like my mother. At least she left my hair alone. It dried naturally, and it’s unbound.
With my spine straight and chin raised high, I mentally prepare for whatever my parents want to throw at me. But my steely resolve falters when I catch a familiar fragrance seconds before I enter the room.
An ice-cold fever seems to run over me when I’m hit full bloom by his scent. Stephan is here. My traitorous heart takes off at warp speed while my mouth becomes drier than chalk.
“What are you doing here?” The question leaves my lips automatically.
“Andy. I’m glad you could join us. I believe you met Stephan Silverstone last night, didn’t you?” my father asks.
“Briefly.”
“We have wonderful news.” My mother approaches, wearing excessive perfume. It’s like she’s surrounded by a cloud of it. The strong smell goes straight up my nose, making my head throb.
I frown at her tone. She sounds too peppy, and I can guess why. Man, what did Stephan do to her?
She hugs me sideways and steers me forward.
“What kind of news?” I don’t hide my suspicion.
“We know it’s been your desire for a long time to attend a real school.”
“Only because being homeschooled is so lame. I’d be glad if I didn’t have to study at all.”
So not true, but I can’t just simply stand here and not be antagonizing. I have a reputation to preserve.
“Andy is joking.” My mother laughs nervously. “She’s a very dedicated pupil.”
“I’m sure she is,” Stephan replies in his smooth voice.
Ugh. Why does he have to sound so sexy?
I free myself from my mother’s hug and turn in his direction. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. Are you saying you’re a terrible student?”
I hear the mockery in his question. I bet he’s smirking now. Jackass.
“Of course not. I’m excellent.”
My father clears his throat to draw my attention. “As I was saying, we have great news.”
“Yeah, yeah. You already said that. What is it?”
“How would you like to attend Paragon Academy?” my mother asks.
I don’t speak for several beats, shocked by her words. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I asked if you would like to attend Paragon Academy.”
“Are you serious?”
“Of course we’re serious,” my father replies. “Isn’t that what you want?”
“Yeah, but you always said it was too dangerous for me to go to a regular school.”
“Oh, we’d still prefer if you were homeschooled, but Stephan pointed out that there’s no safer place in Hawk City than Paragon Academy.”
I glower in his direction. “Really? He said that, huh? And you believed him?”
“Andy. Manners,” my mother chastises me, which I promptly ignore.
Being blind doesn’t bother me as much as people think, just only on certain occasions, one of them being now. My parents don’t know about my chains, so I can’t use them to see Stephan’s expression and it’s killing me. Why did he go out of his way to help me? What’s his endgame? Scanning his body’s vitals isn’t revealing anything either.
“I thought you would be happy,” my mother says. “If you prefer to continue with homesch—”
“No! Not at all. I’m psyched about attending Paragon Academy. But didn’t class already start?”
“You missed two weeks of preparation, but I’m sure you can catch up,” Stephan pipes up.
My heart is now drumming away in my chest. I’m so close to getting what I want that I can’t hardly believe it.
“Andy is a great student,” my mother points out.
“We’ve stunned her into silence. That’s a first,” Dad jokes.
I know I should say something to Stephan. In fact, I want to say many things to him, but not in front of my parents. I opt for a simple “Thank you” instead.
Even without sight, I feel his intense gaze on my face, scrutinizing. I surprise myself when I dip my chin to avoid his stare. Hell, I’m acting completely out of character today, and it’s all his fault.
“I should go,” he continues.
“Why did you come here in the first place?” I blurt out, unable to hold on to my questions until we’re alone. “My parents could have told me the news themselves.”
“I, um….”
“The reason your mother and I agreed to let you attend the school is Stephan. He’ll personally see that your transition to a group school setting goes smoothly,” Dad explains.
“Uh, what?” I ask stupidly.
“I’m part of the school’s faculty,” Stephan replies. “I’ve requested to be assigned as your mentor.”
A surge of mixed emotions runs through me. I’m excited, terrified, and also mad as hell. I don’t know which feeling is stronger.
“Why?” I ask.
There’s a pause, and then I sense a shift in him. His heart begins to beat a little faster. My question made him nervous. On instinct, I know that whatever his answer is, it won’t be the whole truth.
“Andy, what’s the matter with you? You’re being extremely rude to Stephan,” Mom butts in before Stephan has the chance to reply.
“No worries, Mrs. Belfor. Andy and I will have plenty of time to chat next week. I’ll answer all hers questions then, but I’m afraid I have to go. I’m already late for an appointment.”
“Oh my. We don’t want to keep you here, then. Thank you so much for coming,” Mom replies.
“It was my pleasure, ma’am.”
Gag me. Stop buttering my mother up. You already have her wrapped around your finger.
My father thanks Stephan for coming, and then he’s gone. I know that without him around, I’m about to receive a lecture, which I’m not in the mood for.
Lucky for me, our family meeting is interrupted by the staff. While my parents are distracted, I slip out of the room and follow Stephan’s scent. Shit. When did I become a fucking bloodhound?
I can’t wait until next week to get answers. Unfortunately, I don’t catch up with him before he drives away. Since I can’t drive, I’m fucked. Unless….
I whirl around when I hear footsteps nearby. A quick whiff tells me Mario Quevedo, my father’s driver, is coming my way.
“Good afternoon, miss.”
“Hi, Mario. Are you busy right now?”
“I’m on standby. Do you need me to drive you somewhere?”
“As a matter of fact, yes. I
need you to follow someone. Can you do that?”
“Sure can.”
“Awesome. Let’s go, then.” I head for the car, getting in before he has the chance to open the door for me.
Mario has worked for my father for a long time. He’s a low-level Fringe, and typically someone like him wouldn’t qualify to work for a wealthy family like mine. But my father never cared much about the status of his employees or their power levels. As long as they did a good job and were loyal, he was happy.
“Are we following that young man who just left the house?” he asks as soon as he slides behind the steering wheel.
“Yeah. I hope we haven’t lost him already.”
The car barely makes a sound as it lurches forward. By the motion, I know Mario is putting the pedal to the metal. I’d wear a seat belt if I thought it would make the ride safer, but my chains provide better protection.
“Do you see him?” I ask after a moment.
“Yes, miss. He’s just a few cars ahead of us.”
I sag against the supple leather. “Good. Don’t lose him.”
We don’t speak for another minute or so before Mario asks, “I know it’s none of my business, but why are we following that young man?”
I don’t think twice before answering, “He’s going to be my mentor. I want to make sure he isn’t hiding anything.”
“I’m sure your father triple-checked him. He’d never allow anyone close to you who he didn’t trust.”
“Well, that only applies to strangers. Stephan Silverstone is from a good Idol family; hence, he already comes with a pre-approved seal.”
“I see. Then you’re right for making sure he’s a good fella, unlike that O’Neill kid.”
“Patrick? You don’t like him either, huh?”
“What’s to like? He has the personality of a teaspoon and the brains of a gnat.”
I laugh. “That’s a pretty good description.”
“Someone destroyed his Ferrari last night, and he went on a mad rage. Almost got some of the other drivers in trouble. If your father hadn’t intervened and promised to pay for the damages, he would have destroyed many lives.”
Guilt makes my chest tight. In my thirst for revenge, I didn’t consider what my actions could do. It was stupid of me to not foresee that Patrick would seek to blame someone. Even if he knew without a shred of doubt that I was responsible for it, he wouldn’t accuse me and risk getting on my father’s bad side.
“I’m glad Dad was able to appease him,” I say in a small voice.
“Hmm.” It’s all I get from Mario.
My mood plummets to sewer levels. Remorse is a jagged little pill going down my throat. I thought I was over the sentiment, but until I learn to control my impulsiveness, I’ll keep finding myself in situations I’ll regret later.
If I could see, I’d try to get lost in the landscape passing by. Unfortunately, I have nothing to distract me from the thoughts in my head. They’re dark and shameful. It was better when Stephan had the monopoly in there.
Minutes go by before I notice a change in the car’s motion. We cease to stop every so often thanks to traffic lights. We’re going much faster, which means we must have taken the highway.
“What’s going on? Where is he going?”
“I’m not sure, miss. It seems he’s headed to Constance Island.”
“Huh. I thought he was a city boy,” I mutter to myself.
The watch on my wrist lets me know how much time passes before we begin to slow down. Eleven minutes to be exact, and then we finally stop.
“Where are we?”
“Constance Island’s cemetery, miss.”
“What? What is Stephan doing here?”
“I don’t know.”
“Ah, sorry, Mario. I was talking to myself.” I reach for the door’s handle, stopping at the last minute. “Is it safe to get out?”
“Yes, miss. He’s left his vehicle, and I also parked at a safe distance.”
“Good. Wait for me here. I shouldn’t be long.”
I get out and immediately wish Fatima had selected a dress with short sleeves. It’s frigging hot outside, and there isn’t any breeze.
My chains unfurl from my wrists and help me navigate the unfamiliar territory. There are lots of trees and small hills. The smell of wet grass fills my nose, masking Stephan’s scent a little, though not enough to prevent me from knowing where he went.
I don’t take a straight path to him since I’m trying to remain hidden. Every few steps, I stop behind a tree and wait. After a moment, he stops. He’s with someone now.
“Sorry I’m late,” he says.
“It’s not like they’re going anywhere anyway,” a second male voice replies. His timbre is similar to Stephan’s, so my guess is they’re related.
“What’s that in your hand?” Stephan sounds angry now.
“Nothing.”
“Soren… what the hell, man. Silver-voltage, really?”
“Why do you care? You think I don’t know about your coping mechanism?”
Whoa. Things have escalated fast. I feel bad for spying on Stephan. This sounds like a conversation he’d prefer not to have any witnesses for.
“How…? Never mind. Can we just stop arguing for a minute? They deserve as much.”
“They deserve to be alive, not buried six feet under.”
The bitterness in Stephan’s companion’s voice is absolute. Who are they mourning?
“I know.” Stephan’s reply is so sorrowful, it makes my chest ache.
My conscience tells me I should go, but my legs won’t obey. The need to find out what caused Stephan so much pain is overwhelming.
A minute of silence passes, and in that time, the weather changes. A strong gust of wind comes from the east, making an eerie sound as it picks up speed. Thunder in the distance announces a summer storm is coming.
“Come on. Let’s go home before we get caught in the rain,” Stephan says.
“Home? What home? We haven’t had one since the Neo Gods killed Sabrina and Mom.”
I gasp out loud, then cover my mouth with my hands. My blood turns ice cold as my entire body freezes.
This can’t be. The Neo Gods don’t kill Idols. Ugh. I’m so stupid. What do I know about them?
I don’t dare to breathe too loudly, even though my pulse has skyrocketed. Stephan and Soren show no signs they heard me earlier, but I can’t be too careful.
“Don’t say that,” Stephan retorts, obviously frustrated. “We still have a home. We’re a family.”
“You’re pathetic for believing that, brother. All we have right now is the job. That’s the only thing moving us forward.”
I swallow the huge lump in my throat. What does he mean by “the job”?
“Where are you going?” Stephan asks.
“Anywhere but here.” Soren’s heavy steps crush the grass on his path. He’s moving fast, but not in my direction.
I stay put, hoping my hiding spot is solid. The tree trunk behind my back feels wide enough.
Stephan curses under his breath and follows his brother. Only when I hear the sound of cars driving away do I dare to move. To make sure they’re truly gone, I let my chains explore my surroundings first. There’s no sign of the Silverstone brothers or anyone else.
The wind keeps howling, and the faint smell of rain reaches my nose. I have only a few minutes before the sky pours down on me. Quickly, I run to the spot Stephan and Soren had been standing a moment ago, then drop to my knees where two stone plaques mark the burial places of Sabrina Silverstone and.
… I run my hand over the second plaque. The engraving isn’t in braille, but I can make out the letters. Sadie. That must be their mother’s name. I continue my inspection, my fingers tracing over the second line engraved. She died on August 4th, 2011.
I tense. Today is August 4th. Dipping my chin, I press my palms against my thigh. Tears form in my eyes as a wave of shame consumes me. It’s the anniversary of Stephan’s mother’s and
sister’s deaths, and here I am snooping. I feel sick to my stomach for more reasons than one, and some of them are unforgiveable.
8
Andromeda
I don’t say a word during the drive back home. What I learned by spying on Stephan is eating me alive. I didn’t know regret could taste so bitter. I shouldn’t have followed him. And yet, as soon as I get home, I fire up my laptop and search for the event responsible for his pain. His brother said the Neo Gods were to blame, which can only mean a terrorist attack.
Bile pools in my mouth when I find the news article. As the robotic voice reads it out loud, my belly hurts. I shut the computer halfway through the reading and run to the bathroom to empty the contents of my stomach.
When there’s nothing left, I sit on the cold tile floor and hug my knees. A terrible weight rests on my chest, making it hard to breathe. Eight years ago, a ferry boat filled with Norm and Fringe workers exploded. Somehow, Sadie Silverstone and her daughter, Sabrina, were on that boat. They were the only Idol casualties. The Neo Gods didn’t take responsibility for the attack, and the shoddy investigation done by the police led to a dead end, as it usually does when the crimes committed are against Norms or Fringes. But I know the Neo Gods were behind it. Their goal is to rid the world of beings they deem inferior. They call it The Great Cleanse.
My invisible scar itches. I cover the spot with my left hand, but it’s futile to pretend it isn’t there. Just like it was futile to try to forget the biggest mistake of my life. I’ve been left alone for the past six years, but who knows how much longer it’ll last.
Shakes run through my body. My throat begins to close up.
No. I can’t go down that path again.
Jumping to my feet, I force the past back to a dark corner in my mind. I brush my teeth, then head out. If I stay cooped up in my room, it’ll be hard to ignore my ghosts. I need a distraction.
I search for Fatima, but she isn’t around. She must be with my mother. Typical.
Before I know it, I’m outside the gates of my gilded prison. It’s the second time today that I was able to move freely without someone trying to stop me.
Without having any idea where anything is or where the road will lead, I let my ears and chains guide me. My parents’ neighborhood is quiet, but eventually I reach a busy street. I don’t move from my spot for several minutes, soaking in all the different sounds and scents of my surroundings. A great sense of freedom wraps around me, lifting part of the heaviness in my chest.
Reckless Times: A Paranormal Romance (Paragon Society Book 1) Page 4