"Ayla, she wasn’t in class again. Well not really.”
And I need a name for the guy.
"Class is over. Can we talk about something other than school work that won't bore me to death, like guys? Besides being the teacher's pet, I think Principal Wright would have given her notes." Evie re-linked their arms and like a ball and chain, frantically hurried across the courtyard.
"Don't worry, she's gone AWOL again," Luxor conceded.
“Hmmm…interesting,” Pandora chimed in.
"Typical. When we can't find each other, we meet up on the bleachers. If she had a mobile phone, things would be much easier."
"What's up with that? Who doesn't have a mobile?" Luxor asked.
Evie shrugged. "Trying to work Ayla out is a lost cause."
“She’s not that deep.” Pandora smirked.
Once they were at the bleachers Evie slowed down, then hyped up, jumping every second step until they had reached the top rafter. She was excessively hyperactive, more than usual. Luxor flipped open her lunchbox, and she pulled out a red apple to discard it.
"Reliving your apple experience?" Evie said smugly.
Luxor ignored her comment, annoyed Hunter had been forever associated with it. "What's the big secret about Ayla?"
Evie whipped her head about and when satisfied they were alone, she took a deep breath. "Making sure Ayla isn't around."
"What are you doing? Have you been drinking straight red cordial again?"
"Nope, this is crème de la crazy Evie mode. Anyways this is shocking news, so brace yourself. Ayla is… wait for it…" She paused looking around the empty bleachers for dramatic effect, "Seeing a guy."
"What! No way!" Luxor shrilled.
Pandora laughed. “If that isn’t the joke of the day, I don’t know what is.”
Luxor agreed, Ayla was the least likely girl she could imagine with a boy. Her pure and demure image made her appear like the little sister type of girl you'd want to protect from the big, bad, world. Every time the subject of boys came up she screwed up her face, twitched her nose, and went onto the defensive swearing males were the devils incarnate. Or maybe that just applied to Hunter.
"Yes way. I saw her down at the in the Village Bowl with this guy, who believe me, you gotta see him. Hot is the wrong word for him. I thought I was seeing things."
"So, what if he's not hot," Luxor said.
Evie rolled her eyes, face palming herself. "For a city girl you are clueless. No, you've got it all wrong, he's beyond hot. Blonde, buff and a babe with creamy skin and with über sense of fashion. It was a quick glimpse but my hotness radar was beeping, like beeeeeep, beeeeeep, beeeeeep, like I struck gold in sand. Believe me, he's to die for. I wish you were there, then we could have drooled together!"
The three B’s made mall guy pop in Luxor’s mind. "Maybe it was her cousin or something."
"Not possible, Ayla doesn't have relatives, it's just her and her dad. Besides they went into Cloud Nine, it's this up uber posh up-market restaurant. You only take girls you really like there."
"Is uber your word of the day?" Luxor smartly replied.
"Are you listening to me?" Evie threw her hands in the air, and huffed.
"Yep. I'd say lucky her," she mumbled under her breath, and tucked her phone away.
"What's up with you?" Evie bumped shoulders in an attempt to cheer her up.
"Nothing. Just more homework, I'm drowning it." Luxor would have to think of a new excuse, this one was getting stale. Besides she hardly ever did any.
“Speaking of, where has Mr. Bad Boy disappeared to? I want his take on his apple experience.”
"Ugh, yuck Evie. He’s vile and enjoyed it way too much. My care factor is a big zero." Luxor made the O motion with her fingers.
“Vile, but still oh so lush,” Pandora said.
“That’s not the point.”
Her mind wandered in the opposite direction and smiled at the prospect of seeing mall guy again. The coincidence was strong, and she didn't know why she badly wanted to see him again, just that she had to. Maybe it was more than that, fate perhaps? Her insides turned warm and fuzzy, like melted marshmallows. How could a guy she had hardly spoken to have this effect? The sooner Luxor could meet him again the better. Anything just to be around him.
Evie scratched her head and observed her, a mystified expression across her face. "Do you have Tourette's?"
“You’ve got to stop asking me that.”
"Then are you high? One minute you're a downer, and now you're smiling with a glassy eyed look, like a kid in a candy store. I bet you haven't heard a word I said."
“Too much Skittles,” Pandora joked.
Luxor rolled her eyes. "Hardly. I was in La La land. What were you saying?"
"About Ayla and her new guy. But forget her, tell me. The only reason people smile like that is if they've hooked up with a guy, and I know you haven't."
Luxor averted her eyes. If there was anything to tell, she would have, but for now she wanted to keep her strange secret crush to herself for a little while longer.
"Shut up!" Evie punched her arm. "You better spill. Who is he? Where'd you meet? How long has this been happening?"
"It's not like that." Luxor rubbed her arm. “How do you put two and two together and get five?”
“I’m bad at math. This is so unfair. You have two guys wanting you. Ayla of all people has a guy, and now I feel like the ugly duckling," Evie complained.
"Believe me you are anything but ugly. As for two guys, I don’t have the name for one and Hunter, doesn't count, he is more like a mosquito, desperate to suck your blood," Luxor confessed.
"I bet that's not the only thing he'd wanna suck," Evie said cheekily. "Or vice versa for that matter."
"You are disgusting, I swear you need to start ingesting holy water." Luxor hid a small smile. Evie wouldn't be Evie without her crude and inappropriate comments.
“Don't ruin my ship, I'm rooting for you!" Evie said so adamantly, Luxor almost believed it.
Footsteps creaked on the aluminium steps as Ayla made her way up, with the mall guy a few steps behind. Evie and Luxor exchanged glances. Upon seeing Luxor, his eyes were firmly fixed on hers. She shuffled closer to Evie to make room for them, but was disheartened when they both took a seat on the opposite side of her.
“Hey, sorry I’m late, I was giving Xavier a tour,” Ayla said.
Xavier, finally a name.
Evie turned and blocked any view Luxor might have had. "Hello Xavier, I'm Evie," she said. "Wow, cousin. I didn’t think Ayla had any other family.”
“Not in Australia,” Ayla explained.
“So where exactly are you from?” Pandora glared, and straightened up. She poked Luxor’s thigh, and raised her eyebrows.
"Everywhere. My family are travellers,” Xavier said, his voice was soft and smooth, with an unidentifiable accent prominent.
"Ah like gypsies. So, you've never visited Australia?" Luxor leaned forward eager to hear his response. This was his chance to acknowledge they had met before.
“Never. This is the first town I’ve been to.”
“I literally just picked him up from the airport, he just flew in,” Ayla said.
Luxor snorted. “I’m sure he didn’t,” she mumbled under her breath. “Oh, for a brief second I thought you were a local. Evie doesn't he look like you've seen him before?"
Evie shrugged and furrowed her brow, as if to say ‘what the hell are you on?’”
"Are you sure?"
"I'm pretty sure I'd remember memorable places...or people." He tilted his head to the side as if challenging her.
What the hell?
Luxor tried to read his expression, her bullshit radar was usually strong, to see why he lied. When somebody lies, their expression changes, they become jittery, and look to the right side as if they are trying to make a story up. It's been proven a scientific fact. But Xavier stayed impassive.
“Whatever.” She looped her hands through
her backpack. “I’ll see you both later, let’s go Pandora,” she said to Evie and Ayla, then turned and gave a sidelong glance in Xavier’s direction. “It was nice to meet you, Xavier."
Not again.
And with that Luxor made her way down the stairs and rushed as far away as she could.
Luxor headed towards the student lounge in a sour mood, and humiliated beyond belief at being lied to and snubbed off. She wracked her brain as to why Xavier would do it, even if he didn't remember her, why lie? Obviously, she hadn't made any kind an impression on him.
Why couldn't it have been the same for me? And why did it bother me so much.
A boom sounded.
Luxor ran to the direction of the quad and into a place of mayhem. The quad whirled into a blur of frenzied screams as bodies hunched low and clambered again. A skinny boy with greasy hair waved a pistol about. The teachers of the facility held students back.
“Douglas, put the gun down,” Principal Wright urged. His palms glowed a light green as he placed them up in a placating gesture.
“Move away,” he choked out. He half-turned and let out a shot into the air. “You too,” he ordered Coach Davis who was about to sneak up on him.
“Tell us what you want,” Principal Wright said.
“I won’t submit, I won’t submit.” His arm quivered as he waved the gun about, while he flung his glasses to the ground with the other and stomped on them.
“To what?”
“Death. I won’t be a killer.” He shook his head. “Watch your back.” Fear entered his dark brown eyes, glistening with tears as he directed the words dead on to Luxor.
“No, stop,” she yelled out, stepping forward.
Doug stuck the pistol in his mouth and pulled the trigger. The bang shot through the air followed by a hysteria of screams and students scrambling away.
Blood splattered Luxor’s face. She remained bolted to the ground, anaesthetised to the carnage, unable to avert her attention from Doug’s slumped form. He was wide-eyed, with brain matter and blood pooling from the hole at the back of his skull.
Evie choked out a shriek, and turned away.
“Shhhh.” Luxor held her close, and rubbed her back. “Let’s get you out of here.” She held her upright and moved to leave.
Principal Wright assisted Coach Davis and hurried to cover the body with a sheet, while the other teachers hustled students towards the Locker Block. On the far end of the quad near the office, Ayla hung her head low, her palms glowing baby pink. Xavier was beside her, unmoving, with a blank and almost bored expression. His attention caught Luxor’s, his small smile sending a ray of sunshine her way.
Xavier averted his gaze, and turned towards Ayla. “Is this a typical day?”
“No.”
“Oh, good.”
“Usually demons are providing the shock factor.”
Principal Wright approached with a steady purpose, his stride rigid. “Miss Everstone, may I have a moment?” Ayla quickly arrived by his side with an equally grim expression.
Luxor passed over a still trembling Evie over to Pandora, and moved away from their earshot. “Let me guess, this isn’t normal?”
He passed a handkerchief over. “Unfortunately, not.” His lips were set in a thin line.
Luxor wiped the blood from her nose and cheeks until she was sure she had removed it all. “What does this have to do with me?”
“Apart from Douglas directing the clear message to you? Everything it appears. That’s why I’m suggesting you not return to school.”
“You’re expelling me? How is this my fault?” she shrieked.
“Not expelling. More like home schooling,” Ayla said. “I can help if you fall behind.”
“In other words, suspended. This is a crock of shit and you know it.”
“See that body, I fear there’s more to come. And I cannot—”
“Expose students’ safety, yeah I get it, I’ve heard it all before.”
“I’m sorry, my decision is final,” he said.
Once he was out of sight, Luxor picked up a rock and threw it down the path she had come. She regretted running to see what had happened, but the urge to witness destruction had pulled her.
Becky Tan jumped to the side and blocked her path. “We need to talk,” she said bluntly. “Come to the theatre near the Village Bowl, and come alone.” She left without looking back.
“Excuse me?” Luxor called out. She had never spoken a word to the girl and until today she didn’t even know her name.
“What was that about?” Pandora asked.
“I’m not quite sure.”
Luxor remained stunned long after Becky disappeared from the school grounds. She didn’t have an inkling of what Becky could possibly want, and she procrastinated, tossing up whether to even turn up to the theatre. But Becky’s insistence had been solid, and if she had to be honest, she was intrigued.
Luxor attempted to wrangle herself from Evie but the ever-persistent Evie invited herself, and Pandora tagged along as her constant protector. The door to the theatre slid open easily and unlike the last time Luxor entered, she felt more uneasy. Last time despite she took it upon herself to lounge back without permission to collate her thoughts after reading the letter from her mother.
Becky emerged from the back room carrying a broom and dustpan, and set it aside. “You actually turned up.”
“Ummm, hi.” Luxor summoned a smile and held up a palm.
“Take a seat.” Becky pointed to the table and chairs near the door. “I see you brought company...Interesting.”
“Hi to you too,” Evie said. “Can you make it quick? We have places to be.”
“Evie,” Luxor warned.
“The invitation didn’t extend to you,” Becky snarked.
Luxor made the first move and headed over to take a seat since everybody loitered around as if unsure on what to do. She took a seat, and Evie and Pandora followed suit. Becky brought a tray of Cokes and placed them down on the table.
“I like the renovations,” she said, to break the ice. “Are you officially open?”
Previously the theatre had a sign indicating it was under construction, and the inside was a dull sepia which severely dated the theatre. The cabinetry and fixtures had been replaced, not to modernise, but to give a classic old theatre feel.
“How would you know what it was like?” Becky narrowed her eyes.
Luxor scrambled for a reply. “I’m a movie buff, I glanced through the window,” she replied quickly. “What’s this about?”
Becky seemed content with the answer. She sat down and fiddled around wringing her fingers. “I had the conversation all set out and now I don’t know where to start. I didn’t expect to have an audience.”
“Oh well, you’re lucky we turned up at all,” Evie said.
“Evie please,” she said, shooting her a warning look, and turned her back to face Becky. “What’s up?”
“It’s about what’s happening. The suicides,” her voice wavered.
Luxor frowned. “It’s a tragedy, something I’ve only seen on the news.”
“One that could have been avoided,” Becky said.
“Yeah, with a shrink and pills,” Evie scoffed. She reclined her legs, and faux yawned.
“It goes beyond that. What do Robby and Doug have in common?” she said in a steady voice.
“I hardly knew them, just of them.”
“Besides being loners, nothing,” Evie said.
“Exactly, they were loners. Like me. Easy prey for demons to lure for a deal,” Becky said. “Who doesn't want to belong?”
“Demons?” Luxor, Evie and Pandora yelled out at once, at different tempos.
“Don't act dumb, I know all about that world, and I know you aren't normal.” Becky directed the comment at Luxor.
“What world?” Evie asked.
Luxor squirmed in her chair. “I don't know.” She composed a confused expression, but inside her heart rate spiked.
“Maybe your witchy nonsense has you making up bullshit,” Evie remarked.
“In my culture, demons represent the evil of humans. I mean aren't serial killers and paedophiles considered monsters?” Pandora said.
“I am not talking metaphorically, and you know it,” Becky spat.
“If you say so, keep playing with knives for excitement instead of making up fiction,” Evie said, standing up, and moved towards the door to leave. “I told you she was weird.”
“Well that was a waste of time,” Luxor said, and followed her out without saying goodbye to Becky. She lagged behind on the pavement as Pandora and Evie crossed the road on the way to The Hive. But a nagging feeling had her stopping. She hated she was about to make somebody else question their sanity. “Hold on, I forgot my jacket,” she called out. “Meet you there.”
Luxor returned back to the theatre for more answers. Innocent lives were being affected, given the opportunity of a lifetime to either have everything they wanted or kill Luxor. Now she had another factor to worry about and worse still was they could be hidden in plain sight.
“Becky?”
“What do you want? Back to make me look crazy?” She sneered. She continued to sweep the floor with a vengeance, and growled each time the popcorn refused to slide into the dustpan.
“No, that's not my intention. I can't stay long.” She peered through the window and saw Evie and Pandora laughing, and knew she had to be quick as their friendliness wouldn’t last long. “You caught me off guard. Evie doesn't know of this world, and I want it to remain that way.”
Becky stopped and propped the broom to the side. “Pretty hard when her best friend is lying to her,” she said plainly. “I’ve seen what you did to Scarlett, you scorched her wrists, and previously when you damaged the history class. And how miraculously the solution had been fixed in a tight little bow.” She ticked off the incidents. “What are you? You're not pure like Ayla and Principal Wright, or a Nephilim like Coach Davis, but Pandora is clearly your familiar which is strange in any case. Only witches have familiars.”
Betrayed: The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone Book Two Page 13