Midnight Runes (The Bestowed Ones)

by Celeste Buie

  I pretended to fuss with my backpack, unloading and loading my books, anything to waste time.

  The lot filled up. I waited a few more minutes, then heaved my bag over a shoulder and headed inside. There were only so many things I could pretend to do in my car.

  I entered my combination three times before I actually opened my locker.

  Elyse popped up behind me. “Hey, I thought you said you would call me last night. Or I figured you’d at least text if you couldn’t talk.”

  “Oh, right! Sorry, I forgot. I was distracted.”

  “What, exactly, distracted you?” she teased.

  “Uh, did I say distracted?”

  “Yeah, you did.”

  “I meant I didn’t feel right. My head hurt, and my stomach was uneasy. I didn’t do much of anything last night.” Except a lot of thinking. And worrying.

  “You still seem a bit weird. Is something going on with you?”

  “Unfortunately, it’s nothing that I’m aware of.”

  “Alright. You’ll just have to wait until lunch to hear the latest about my crazy family.”

  She always had entertaining family stories. “I’ll be on pins and needles all day.”

  “Don’t I know it.”

  • • •

  Landon didn’t show for two days. On the third morning, he casually rolled into first hour moments before the bell. He didn’t hold eye contact for more than a glance, and it seemed that when it did happen, he was indifferently scanning the class. I could give a cold shoulder with the best of them—thanks to Elyse—but I usually knew why someone deserved to be ignored. In this case, I didn’t know what the issue was. It irritated me beyond reason.

  I didn’t contribute much to the discussion and barely paid attention in class. Landon had no reason to explain that “old acquaintance” of his or his absence the past few days, other than we were sort of friends and he said we’d talk about another one of his abilities.

  The only logical explanation I could think was that maybe he changed his mind and that’s why he was suddenly avoiding me.

  I waited for class to end so I could confront him. As soon as the bell rang, I jumped up and trailed him into the hallway. I touched his arm to get his attention. He turned to look down at me and stopped. He looked hesitant and worried, but I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

  “What’s the deal?” I waited for him to respond, but he just stared at me. “Tell me,” I requested.

  “The whole situation.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning everything. What I’ve done, what I have to do.” His jaw clenched and unclenched. His hands were fists at his side. He took a deep breath to calm himself. “And now you’re involved.”

  “I’m involved? In what?”

  He closed his eyes and shook his head, as if he couldn’t believe he was discussing this with me, or regretting the fact that I had been pulled into whatever this was. I couldn’t tell.

  “Are you going to enlighten me?”

  “That’s going to be even more challenging.”

  “You just said I’m involved in this! I deserve to know. It’s something that concerns you. You have to clue me in.”

  “I don’t see how that’s going to help any.”

  “So?” I prompted.

  “So what?” he stubbornly replied.

  “So what’s going on? That scary guy shows up, you text me, you’re short on the phone, then you’re not in school for two days.”

  “I’m around.”

  “You were not around.”

  “You shouldn’t pay that much attention to my whereabouts.”

  “You’re unbelievable. Did you forget you said that we would talk about that day in class and what it all meant? I thought you were going to open up.” I thought a lot more things too, like he was going to prove to me that he could tell me things without me having to tell secrets first. “At least I know where I stand with Trevor. He never got my hopes up.” His eyes softened, and he looked sad, which reflected how I felt behind the anger. I started to turn away, but he grabbed my hand.

  “This isn’t how I wanted this to go.” The urgency in his voice was palpable. “I didn’t forget about what I said. I’m working on it. Trust me.”

  I pulled my hand away and drifted through the crowded hallway.

  That day ended up being one of the longest days in the history of the world. Each class dragged; I looked at the large silver clock every five minutes. I imagined the sound of each second ticking away. Even lunch hour seemed that it would never end, and he showed up for the last five minutes. At least Elyse didn’t bother me for an explanation. She assumed I still felt strange. That much was true.

  I didn’t want to think about Landon, or Trevor, or broken promises, or all the weird stuff going on. I hated that so much of it was out of my control. Concentrating on school didn’t keep enough of my mind preoccupied, so I checked out. Thinking about nothing was easier than I anticipated it would be, and the best part was that it took all my focus.

  It was my mantra for the day. The end of school couldn’t come fast enough. All I wanted to do was lock myself in my room, change into my comfortable PJs, and put on some music.

  My plans changed when I got home. My dog was ecstatic to see me so I took her for a walk. I had the rest of the evening to sulk.

  I mentally made a playlist to listen to as we walked around the neighborhood. By the time we returned home, I knew the order of the music for the night. I made a hot chocolate and headed to my room. I switched my MP3 player to stereo mode and turned up the volume. I sat on the edge of my bed and stared into space. I begrudgingly unzipped my backpack and pulled out my homework. I heard some papers land on the floor and figured I missed putting it in a folder. I looked down to see what it was.

  I stared at the envelope with my name written on it. It wasn’t familiar handwriting. Puzzled, I picked it up and pulled out the card.

  The art was a simple stick figure holding a white flag.

  The inside contained a hand-written message. My heart rate increased.

  Brynn,

  This paper is spelled. Only you can see the writing, to all others it’s just a blank piece of paper. I’m working on what I said I’d do, but have to take additional steps to ensure it’s safe, which takes time. I’m not happy about this either.

  Landon

  He snuck a card into my backpack. What a thoughtful trick. I should make him sweat it out like he did to me, but what if he didn’t do it on purpose? I debated texting him tonight or waiting until I’d see him in the morning…if he’d be at school tomorrow. What if he disappeared for days again? That thought decided me.

  I understand.

  My phone chimed a few seconds later: TY.

  I joined my parents for dinner and helped clean up. I relaxed on the main level with them and watched a few DVRed shows. Then it was time to finish up homework, so I headed upstairs and changed into my comfy PJs.

  Sleep came easy after an emotionally draining day.

  It didn’t surprise me to dream about Landon and Trevor. I was frustrated with both of them for different reasons. They were constantly on my mind, and I didn’t know what to do to resolve the issues I had with each of them.

  • • •

  The next day I approached Landon. “Hey, I’m sorry I compared you to Trevor.”

  “It’s true,” he said honestly. “But not because I choose it to be.”

  I stared at him, knowing there was significance to the words he picked. “It’s tricky…I get it. I’ll have some patience. But you’re going to have to make up for it.”

  “It will all be resolved in a few days. One way or another.”

  CHAPTER 35

  After school, I checked my phone and saw a message from Trevor asking if I wanted to meet for coffee.

  I found him in our usual booth, tucked in the back corner, holding a cup of his favorite blend. He had ordered a cup for me. Two scones were on a plate in the center of the table.r />
  I slid in across from him. “Hey, how ya been?” I hadn’t heard from him since his offer to get together after the Halloween party.

  “Do you care for him?”

  The simple question froze my body. That straightforward question, asked by someone I cared for and promised to never hurt, brought it into focus. It was one thing to be teased by Elyse and harassed by Emilee. It was another to have Trevor directly ask me. I could no longer avoid it. My heart pounded. It resonated through me as the silence stretched. My mind reeled.

  “I mean, I figured you did, but I wanted to hear it from you.”

  Even he could see it, sense it. I was lying to myself. I hadn’t admitted it—I hadn’t wanted to admit it. The consequences were immense. I had to be honest with him, and with myself, no matter how much it hurt us. Forcing my eyes to meet Trevor’s, I owed both of us that much.

  “Yes.”

  I felt like I was fading from the moment. Instead of feeling empowered or uncomfortable, I stayed right in the middle, not letting emotion wash over me. I had to deny the temptation to feel it. To feel something other than breathing. Was he enraged? Did he hate me? I felt like I betrayed him, betrayed myself. I didn’t want to think about Landon so much. I knew I had no right to.

  “Thank you for being honest with me,” Trevor said.

  There was more to it than that. I wasn’t a simple cut-and-dry thing.

  “I need to explain—”

  “No, that’s not necessary. I get it. I understand. Really.”

  “But I don’t know what it means!”

  “It means that in my absence, you fell for him. And the fact that it’s him is the worst part of this! Landon, who’s a lying, conniving, poor excuse for a man.”

  “Don’t talk about him like that. He’s not the horrible person you make him out to be.”

  “You’re talking like you think you’re friends with him,” Trevor accused more than asked. He was volcanically angry and trying to keep it in check.

  “You asked me how I felt about him, and friends care for each other.”

  “It doesn’t count as friendship if the feelings aren’t reciprocated.”

  For a second, my resolve faltered. Maybe the doubt crept in from Landon being MIA these past few days and him taking so long to do something he told me he’d do.

  “Why did you say that? I can be friends with anyone I want to. Besides, you don’t have a say-so in my life. You weren’t around. You kept me at arm’s length. You pushed me away. It was your decision!”

  “That’s because I was trying to protect you!”

  “You weren’t there when I need protecting!”

  “Protecting you by keeping you out of it! Protecting myself from being in a situation where I’d have to choose sides!”

  “What are you talking about?”

  He took a calming breath and looked at me with sorrowful eyes. “You have no idea what we’re involved in. I wanted to keep it that way. I tried to cut you out of my life so they wouldn’t be able to use you against me or make you choose a new direction for your life.”

  “I’m sorry I’m such a liability,” I snapped. I knew it was unfair, but I didn’t care.

  “Don’t think it was easy for me to walk away from you. I hated making that decision, and I hated myself for what I chose. The only reason I did it was to guarantee your safety. And where did it get me?” He bitterly laughed. “It was all for nothing. The only thing I can do now is try to protect you from what little I can. I’m willing to pay those consequences though, because I truly love you.”

  “I’ll be okay between the both of you,” I reassured him.

  “Don’t you see how he’s manipulated you? He weaseled into your life, and you just let him in.”

  “What are you saying? That I’m too stupid to know when I’m being used? That I can’t tell the difference from someone who’s being genuine and someone who’s not? That’s really offensive, Trevor.”

  “You’re missing the big picture here. He doesn’t do anything because he likes you. He does it because it’s an order.” He snapped his mouth shut like he said too much.

  And it was. It was just too much.

  I looked into his eyes. He believed what he said.

  I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. That couldn’t that be true, could it?

  An order implicated direction from someone else. That it wasn’t just chance he showed up here. It meant a greater purpose.

  Maybe Trevor’s admission wouldn’t have impacted me so much if I didn’t have feelings for both of them.

  “An order from whom, Mr. Know-It-All?”

  He just shook his head. I hated that he looked at me like I was a child who didn’t want to listen to reason. Remorse was the icing on the cake.

  “You and Landon act like you’re better than everyone. He’s the only one who’s ever showed me anything, and he’s still holding out. All you’ve done is shut me out and given me warnings. I hate all of you high-handed boys!”

  “I thought you were safer when you didn’t know, but I was wrong. I wanted to protect you from people like Landon.”

  “I don’t know who you are anymore.”

  His shoulders slumped. “Please believe I only want the best for you.”

  “Thanks for being brutally honest with me. Please go away.”

  I was mad at Trevor. I was mad at Landon. And I had no idea how to resolve anything with either of them. I didn’t know who to trust. I didn’t know if anyone was trustworthy. I put my face in my hands in an effort to find some privacy and buy some time to think.

  Was he just making this stuff up to hurt me? It was pretty effective. And how would he know Landon’s motivations for being around me, anyway?

  He cleared his throat, and I restrained myself from snapping at him. Instead I asked, “Didn’t you say everything you wanted to say? What other revelations do you want to share?”

  I waited a beat then peeked through my hands and gasped. Landon was standing by the table. “Where did you come from?”

  “I have to get you out of here. They’re coming for Trevor.” To Trevor he said, “There’s your warning. Don’t say I never did anything for you.”

  “You can’t take her anywhere,” Trevor said.

  “Watch me. It’s your fault it’s playing out like this. Keith will recognize her if he sees you with her again, and that will make everything worse. They might even take her, too. You shouldn’t be around her without taking the right precautions.”

  “I do the best I can with my limited knowledge. Why don’t you share your infinite resources?”

  Landon scoffed. “Right. Like that’s going to happen.”

  “Will you two shut up a minute?” I had to get them to take the focus off themselves and answer my questions.

  “I’ll shut him up,” Trevor said, but then they were both gone in a blink of an eye, and just as fast Landon was back.

  Confusion crossed my face.

  He shrugged. “You wanted Trevor to leave. I expedited the process.”

  “You can’t just take him away!”

  “Sure I can. I am high-handed, after all.” He flashed a fake smile.

  “Where is Trevor?” I asked.

  “About three hours away.”

  “How long are you going to leave him there?”

  “TBD. Listen, you can’t be around him anymore. Maybe once he perfects his skills, but he puts you at too much risk.”

  “You both put me at risk.”

  “He’s an amateur. And it’s only recently someone’s been good enough to attempt to monitor me.”

  “What’s the real reason you’re here? And not here as in sitting across from me, or here as in existing on the planet. Here as in going to my school, working your way into my circle of friends. We both know you had a motive your first day of school, so it’s not a big surprise I’m asking you.”

  “Trevor’s going to have a lot to answer for. He’ll be in major trouble for this, by the way.”r />
  “I want to hear you say it.”

  He ran his hand through his hair. “I can’t start this now.”

  I’d never been so furious at myself or someone else in my life. I wanted to scream until my throat was raw. I wanted to break something. A lot of somethings. I suspected he was up to no good but stupidly thought I could figure it out without getting hurt in the process.

  “Then I’ll start so I can be finished. How about your transfer here? That’s a nice place to start. It isn’t random that you’re going to my school, is it?” I accused. I meant to stop there, but my emotions were an unstoppable force. “It must have been so horrible to be forced to be around me. I’m so sorry that you had to save me time and again. I must look like a helpless damsel in distress. Ever vulnerable,” I said with an inferior shrug. Then his other comment registered. “And don’t even think of hurting him,” I threatened.

  “The consequences of his actions are mostly out of my control.”

  “I’m not kidding.” I couldn’t even fathom life without Trevor.

  “I can’t promise anything with regards to him.”

  “Oh, sure, but you can for other things?” I asked sarcastically. “What happened to that talk we were supposed to have?” I was tired of waiting. I was tired of being the one in the dark. “We’re done until you tell me.”

  “I can’t be as reckless as Trevor. Which brings us back to we have to go.”

  “Trevor isn’t here anymore, so I don’t think we have the same urgency. Talk.”

  It was his turn to glare at me, and in that moment we measured each other. He knew I wasn’t going to reconsider. “It’s not random I’m at your school. It’s not a coincidence we have classes together.” His voice was so controlled. Tight. Strained. “You were…an assignment of sorts. I had an obligation to watch over you—and protect you, if necessary, for as long as it required. It was supposed to be an easy job to prevent others from finding you. I started doing it because I had to, then it was no longer obligation keeping me around. If you want me to apologize for saving you, that’s something I won’t do.”