Pure Redemption (Tainted Legacy)

by Amity Hope

  “Maybe because no one thought you’d be interested,” Ava carefully replied. In actuality, Julia and all of her obsessive compulsive tendencies could be a bit intimidating.

  “Of course I was interested,” Julia whimpered. “What kind of girl wants to sit home alone every weekend? Weekend after weekend?”

  Molly and Ava shared another look and they each knew exactly what the other was thinking. They’d assumed the kind of girl who’d nearly hyperventilated their freshman year after Molly reported back about her first kiss and Julia couldn’t stop fretting about the shared saliva and the mass quantity of bacterium it might entail would be the kind of girl who didn’t want to date.

  “Why didn’t you ever say anything?” Molly asked.

  Julia shrugged, looking miserable.

  “Well we can’t change the past, but you can make your date tonight memorable,” Ava optimistically replied. “Hopefully this will be the first of many. I agree with Molly. He asked you out because he obviously knows a good thing when he sees it.”

  They hadn’t been trying to placate her. Julia was pretty. Her friends both shared dark features. While Ava was tall and lanky, Molly was shorter but curvy. Julia was petite and looked almost delicate. Her short blond hair framed her pale face. Her big blue eyes made her look young and vulnerable.

  “Thanks,” Julia said as she blew out a breath. “But I’m still so nervous.”

  “If it doesn’t work out, I do know someone who I think might be interested,” Molly hesitantly told her friends.

  “Who?” Ava asked with a curious grin. Molly gave her a cautious look which, in turn, only piqued Ava’s curiosity more. “Seriously, Molly? You can’t say something like that and then clam up. Who is it!?”

  “Yeah, who?” Julia asked sounding completely baffled by the prospect.

  Molly scrunched her face into an apologetic grimace. “Dawson.”

  “Ava’s Dawson?!” Julia blurted.

  “He’s not my Dawson,” Ava assured her. She thought it over for a moment, while both of her friends watched with interest. “Actually, you and Dawson would be so perfect for each other! I mean, you know, if this Cam thing fizzles.”

  “Ava’s Dawson?” Julia repeated. This time, she threw the question directly at Molly.

  Molly nodded. “I knew he’d been asking Oliver about you. Oliver wasn’t supposed to tell me but he’s like a preschooler when it comes to trying to keep a secret. I wasn’t sure how serious Dawson was and really, I didn’t think you’d be interested because let’s be honest here, you’ve never really shown a lot of interest in boys in general. Well, other than Mitch. But I always figured you two had some bizarre safety obsession in common. But then the night we were at Tammy’s Dawson was asking me about you. He said for a while he thought it might be weird because of Ava, so he’s been trying to talk to her about it to make sure she wouldn’t mind. But he can’t ever get her alone,” Molly glanced at Ava who was adamantly shaking her head to say that ‘No, it wouldn’t be weird’. Molly continued. “But now that Gabe’s back, he was hoping it might be okay.”

  “It’s definitely okay!” Ava exclaimed. “Oh, come on! Don’t look at me like that. We broke up the middle of junior year. It’s fine. More than fine. I think you two would be perfect!”

  Molly sighed theatrically. “Look at you Julia. You’ve suddenly turned into a man-magnet. And I’d be willing to bet that if you ever bothered to ask, given his proven inability to stay upright, that Mitch would trip over his own two feet getting in line to date you.”

  “Thanks,” Julia said, looking totally overwhelmed by the conversation. “But I just need to get through tonight. Just the thought of being alone with him all night…”

  “Gabe and I will be there,” Ava reminded her as Julia shuddered. Granville was hosting a city-wide carnival of sorts with businesses doing drawings for giveaways, the streets were going to be closed down for a parade and there was going to be a carnival set up down by the waterfront.

  “Oliver and I will be there, too,” Molly said. “Except not until later because he has to work the closing shift. But we’ll be there eventually. And if you need anything, just call one of us.” She hesitated. “I really hate to bring this up. Honestly, I am so proud of you for even agreeing to go because I know this is really far out of your comfort zone, but…how well do you know this guy?”

  “You mean, am I sure he’s not a felon or something?” Julia asked.

  Molly gave her an apologetic look as she nodded.

  Julia immediately looked concerned. “I don’t really know him all that well. But Ava didn’t know Gabe all that well and look at them now. At least, that’s what I keep trying to tell myself because…oh, this is really a horrible idea! What was I thinking?! I could never stop thinking about Mitch Allard from sophomore year on. But I couldn’t even get up the nerve to talk to him. Nice, safe Mitch! He was president of the chess club and he kept an economy sized bottle of hand sanitizer in his locker. It was the kind with a pump for crying out loud!”

  “I thought hand sanitizer was on your list of things to avoid? Too full of toxic chemicals or something?” Molly pointed out.

  Julia shrugged. “Sometimes it’s the thought that counts. At least he’s prepared to deal with contamination and sometimes you need to choose the lesser of two evils.”

  “Yes,” Molly somberly admitted, “I could see how you could easily mistake that for true love.”

  Julia ignored her. “And now I’m going out with a complete, total stranger who could be some crazed bank robber for all I know.”

  Ava sat down on the bed next to Julia and pulled her into a sideways hug. “I’m sure he’s a perfectly nice guy. Also, you’ll be in a very crowded place.”

  “I know,” Julia said, taking a deep breath. Ava could see her trying to keep herself from having a meltdown. “It’s the drive there and back I’m worried about. Because it’s out of town, it seemed silly to insist that I drive myself and meet him there. But, I mean, what if we never make it there?”

  “You’ll make it there,” Ava calmly told her.

  Julia nodded. “Okay, but if I don’t,” she solemnly told her friends as she plucked her purse up off the floor where it has been resting by her feet, “this might be useful.”

  “Useful for what?” Ava asked as Julia rooted around in her purse until she found a small, folded up sheet of paper. She handed it to Molly who unfolded it.

  “What is this?” Molly demanded. Her eyebrows had shot straight up.

  “It’s his license plate number,” Julia said without embarrassment. “I watched out the window when he was leaving. In case, you know, I disappear or something. That ought to help with the search for my body.”

  Ava frowned but Molly grinned as she messed up Julia’s hair. “Now there’s the overly dramatic, chronic worrier that we know and love!”

  ***

  “I’m thinking I shouldn’t have given all the money away,” Gabe grumbled.

  “Stop being a baby,” Ava told him.

  “I’m not!”

  “You kind of are,” she said as she handed him a jumbo hotdog. “You’ve been whining the whole night,” she teased. “But you should know that the entire time we were together before you never let me pay for a single thing. It’s perfectly justifiable that you let me pay for everything tonight. Or the next few nights, or weeks, whatever it ends up being. It’s pretty typical that your first paycheck is going to be a few weeks behind.”

  “It just doesn’t seem right,” Gabe told her as he took a giant bite. He followed Ava through the crowd to an empty bench. “I’ll pay you back.”

  Ava rolled her eyes at him. “It’s a hotdog Gabe, not a Harley. I think I can handle it. And if you think you need to eat again in fifteen minutes, I’ll be more than happy to buy you those cheese curds you were eyeing up.”

  Gabe settled onto the bench with Ava next to him. She was constantly scanning the crowd.

  “How is the job going?” she finally aske
d.

  He shrugged. “Okay. I guess. It’s definitely more work that I thought it would be.”

  “I’m pretty sure you never had to do something as mundane as actually work before,” Ava admitted. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think you were kind of spoiled.” She immediately frowned. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have said that. Your life was hell before. Yeah, you had a nice car and stuff but there is no way that was worth everything your family put you through.”

  Gabe didn’t have much to say to that. He finished eating as he watched the hordes of people milling about. They’d been looking for Julia but hadn’t seen her yet. Ava was tempted to send her a text but then thought maybe it would be best if she didn’t interrupt. Julia would get a hold of her if she needed to.

  “Now what do you want to do?” he asked as he finished off his food.

  “Maybe a few rides?” she suggested. The parade was over and the sun was setting. She thought for sure she’d run into her friends by now. But the crowd was also bigger than she’d thought it would be. Apparently, everyone for a hundred mile radius appeared to be looking for something to do and Granville’s 2nd Centennial Celebration was the place to be.

  “Sure,” he said as he got to his feet and pulled Ava up with him. He held her hand firmly in his as he led the way through the crowd.

  The closer they got, the noisier it became. Carnies began calling out to them as well as every other person walking by. Gabe offered to win her something but she declined. She knew that with his enhanced abilities he’d soon decide it felt like cheating and she didn’t want him to feel guilty. Instead, they continued to walk around. The sound of the games and the roar of the rides rippled through the air. The blinking lights were more noticeable now that it was getting darker out.

  “Maybe just a ride or two and then I’ll give Julia a call,” Ava decided as she pulled Gabe out of the way of a stream of kids.

  “Okay,” he agreed. “Which one first?”

  She glanced around. All of the lines were a lot longer than they’d been earlier in the day.

  “Why is the line for the Ferris wheel so long?” he wondered.

  She noted all of the couples lined up. “Probably because it’s such a romantic ride.”

  “That’s a romantic ride?” Gabe asked in bewilderment. “Why? I don’t get it. You just go round and round. It looks pretty boring.”

  “Well, when you put it that way,” she admitted, “it does sound kind of dull.”

  “Now that is a romantic ride,” he proclaimed as he pointed to The Scrambler.

  Ava couldn’t help but laugh. “How so?”

  “What’s not romantic about two bodies being indelibly brought together by centrifugal force for the entire duration?”

  Ava batted her eyes at him. “You are such a romantic.”

  “So, The Scrambler?” Gabe asked with a hopeful grin.

  “The Scrambler,” she agreed.

  She soon decided he was right. Gabe had his arm across the back of her seat so he could brace himself and not squish her too badly. But he just grinned when it was her body that was flung into his.

  “There’s Julia!” Ava pointed into the crowd as the ride began slowing down. It was her coral sundress that had caught her attention. “She’s talking to Tammy, a girl we know from school.” She frowned. “I didn’t see anyone else with them, though.”

  When the ride came to a halt and the bar was swung off of them, Gabe stepped down and then lifted Ava to the ground. “So chivalrous,” she said.

  “Consider it payback for the hotdog,” he replied. “Now, which way is your friend?”

  “This way,” Ava said as she started leading him through the crowd. She came to an abrupt halt when she came eye to eye with an unfortunately familiar face.

  “Kara,” Ava said as she forced herself to smile.

  “I have a message for you,” Kara cooed to Gabe as she ignored Ava and leaned in close. “Rafe says welcome back.” Before Gabe could stop her she leaned in and pressed a kiss onto his lips.

  He immediately grabbed her by the elbows and pulled her away. “Don’t ever do that again!” he snapped as he pushed her aside.

  She smiled and winked before saying, “You just might change your mind about that pretty soon.”

  Gabe was about to protest but she disappeared into the crowd. “What was that about?!” he demanded of Ava.

  “You’re asking me?” she wondered with a grimace. “I’m actually a little more concerned about the Rafe comment than I am about the kiss. Do you think he’s here?”

  “I haven’t—,” he started to say but Julia burst through a cluster of people. She smacked him across the chest with as much strength as her tiny body could muster.

  “What was that about?” she also demanded of Ava.

  “It wasn’t his fault,” Ava pointed out. “This random girl just came up and kissed him.”

  Julia glowered, clearly not convinced.

  “What are you doing all alone?” Ava wanted to know.

  “I wasn’t alone. I ran into Tammy and we started chatting. Cam offered to go get me some cotton candy. He’ll be right back. But I saw Gabe with someone else’s lips on his and I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

  “I’m fine. It was just…I don’t even know what that was. Other than it’s nothing for you to worry about.”

  “You two are good?” Julia asked, needing to be sure.

  “We’re perfect,” Gabe said as he pulled Ava into a hug and kissed the top of her head. She wrapped her arms around his waist in return.

  “There you are!” an unfamiliar voice said as someone appeared beside Julia. He slid his arm around her as he handed her a puffy pink and blue cloud.

  Ava’s heart took off in an erratic beat at the sight of him. She felt Gabe tense under her embrace. She slowly let her arms slide free so she could face her friend.

  “I’m Cam,” he said as he held out his hand for Gabe to shake. Gabe grimaced and refused to take it. “Alright then,” Cam said as he let his hand drop back to his side. “I know you two are Gabe and Ava, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  Julia was glaring at Gabe, infuriated by his rudeness.

  “Julia,” Ava cautiously said, “maybe you should come with us.”

  “What?” Julia asked, clearly stunned by the offer. “No. I’m having a great time.”

  Cam towered over Julia, much as Gabe did. Like Gabe, his features were a little too perfect. His hair was an unusual caramel color; a little too unusual to miss. His eyes were just a tad too brilliantly green. He was breathtaking, really. When he saw Ava looking him over, he treated her to a lecherous wink even as he pulled Julia in closer to him. She beamed up at him and Ava thought for sure she was going to be sick.

  “It is getting late,” Gabe calmly said. “Why don’t you catch a ride home with us?”

  “And what would be the point of that?” Cam challenged. “I’m perfectly capable of getting my girl home safe and sound.” At the declaration of being his girl, Julia seemed to glow.

  Ava was tempted to rip her from his grip.

  Gabe seemed to realize that’s what she was thinking. He looped his arm around her waist again and drew her into his chest. She looked up at him, her face full of fear.

  “We’ll see you later,” Julia said, clearly hurt by what she perceived as her friends’ rude behavior.

  “Wait Julia! I really do think it’s better if you came home with us.” Ava’s voice sounded desperate. She knew it. Cam knew it too and it caused his grin to widen.

  Julia gave a curt little shake of her head. “I don’t think so. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  Ava was about to lunge at Julia but Gabe held her back.

  “I can’t let her leave with him!” Ava said.

  Gabe sighed. “We can’t really stop her. It’s not like we can drag her out of here screaming at you that she doesn’t want to go.”

  “This is so, so bad,” Ava whimpered.

  “I know
,” Gabe agreed. “The black around him was nauseating.”

  Ava blinked in surprise. “The what?”

  Gabe gave her a surprised look in return. “The black that was surrounding him.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The blackness,” he said, enunciating each syllable, as if it should be as obvious as the moon in the sky. “Isn’t that what you noticed?’

  Ava shook her head. “No. I noticed how similar he was to you. What do you mean the blackness?” she asked with raised eyebrows.

  Gabe frowned at her. “Surrounding him?” he said again, decisively, but faltered when she shook her head in confusion.

  “You saw black surrounding him?” Ava asked, for clarification.

  “You didn’t?”

  She gave him a subtle shake of her head. “Noooo.”

  Gabe shook his head in disbelief. “Do you know who else has a blackness like that?”

  Ava shook her head again, prickly needles of dread poking at her spine.

  “My brother.”

  Chapter 18

  After the initial shock of Gabe’s revelation had worn off, Ava was insistent on finding Julia and dragging her away, kicking and screaming or not. They had searched for her and hadn’t been able to find any trace of her or Cam. After a while, out of options and with Julia refusing to respond to her phone calls, they had given up and driven home.

  Ava had called Molly though. She’d explained the situation as vaguely as possible, only admitting that they perhaps had offended Julia and Cam. And that Julia didn’t seem to be speaking to her at the moment. Ava asked Molly to try to get a hold of her and to let her know if Julia was okay. This, of course, had resulted in a string of questions that Ava struggled to answer without being dishonest. Not a simple task without explaining exactly why Cam’s presence was so frightening.

  So far, they hadn’t heard from Molly again. This meant that not only hadn’t she run into Julia at the carnival, but she wasn’t returning Molly’s calls or texts either—and Ava’s nerves were frazzled.