No. All right, “Yes.”
“It’ll wear off shortly.”
“Hopefully not too shortly. I need her out of the way to win the crown.”
That was going to be the tough part.
A few minutes later, we walked into the gym and for a moment, I was taken aback. Unlike our usual lame dance decorations, the room was lit up by hundreds of fairy lights.
It was beautiful. Even the student body looked great. Except for the fact that both the kids and the teachers were roaming around looking thoroughly confused.
I hoped it was because Bethany’s control had finally, truly worn off.
Some upbeat, fun, flavor of the month song came on. This being a dance, and my classmates being teens, they drifted on to the floor soon enough, occasionally pairing up in couples but more often in groups of guys or girls.
Soon, the only student left standing looking lost was Veronica. Her slutty red dress made the tunic Jack had given me look like a nun’s habit.
I walked up to her. “You okay?”
She regarded me with suspicion. Fair enough, since she and I were historically less than friendly. Finally, she answered. “I dunno. My head feels weird. Have you seen B?”
“I saw her heading upstairs.”
“Oh.” She glanced at the clock on the wall.
An hour and a half to my meeting.
“We need to do the crowning,” she said.
The ghost of an idea formed in my brain. “Are the votes all counted?” I could waylay her, break into the ballot box, and throw them out. Or have Festos set them on fire and start again. Either way, with freely choosing voters.
Veronica looked confused. “Votes? What votes?”
Brilliant. Bethany hadn’t even bothered to have anyone cast a ballot, banking on her influence to ensure her win.
Sometimes the universe tosses you a break.
I heaved a disgusted sigh. “Yes, Veronica, votes. You can’t crown anyone queen without holding an election.”
Veronica chewed nervously on her lower lip. “Bethany is queen.”
I put on a patient smile, determined to win my way through my helpfulness and cheery calm. “Chosen by who? Nope. We’ll have to vote now.”
Veronica seemed uneasy. Probably worried that Bethany would turn on her if she didn’t ensure B’s victory. Let’s face it, she was right to worry.
I glanced around the gym, searching through the teens happily line dancing to some number that must have found its fifteen minutes while I was up in Olympus because I didn’t know it. I spotted Principal Doucette chatting with some other teachers and waved for him to come over.
He nodded approvingly at my change in attire. “What can I help you ladies with?”
I pointed to Veronica. “Veronica says it’s time for the crowning.”
He glanced at his watch. “That’s right.”
“Thing is,” I continued, “somehow there was no election.”
He frowned. “I thought Bethany had won it.”
“No sir,” I said brightly. “She campaigned, but no one actually voted. What would you suggest we do?” See how team player I’m being here, Doucette?
“Doesn’t matter,” Veronica cut in. “Bethany is the only one running.”
I shook my head, still smiling. Hoped it didn’t look as forced as it felt. “I’m running. If there was no vote then there needs to be a new election. And I’m a candidate.”
“You can’t run,” Veronica said flatly.
Doucette looked uncertain.
“Of course I can,” I insisted. “I feel that it’s important I take an interest in school activities.” Oh, if they only knew the half of it.
Doucette thought things over while I crossed my fingers behind my back and hoped he went for it. Finally, he smiled. “Good for you, Sophie.” He turned to Veronica. “My suggestion is that you have both Bethany and Sophie give a short speech right now, and may the best queen win.”
I couldn’t have phrased it better myself.
Veronica panicked. “I don’t know where she is.”
“Not my fault. She shouldn’t get special treatment,” I said.
Doucette nodded. “She has five minutes to get here. Otherwise, Sophie is up.”
He left. Veronica and I stared at each other and then both of us took off in different directions, her for the door to the gym (and I guessed Bethany’s room) and me to Kai.
I skidded to a stop in front of him. “Go flirt with Veronica.” I shoved him. “Now.”
He gave me an odd look but did as I asked and headed out after her.
I tried not to think about it. Or start running after him. I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling physical pain in my gut at the scenario I’d just organized.
Theo and Festos hurried into the gym a couple moments after Kai had left. “What the holy heck is going on?” Festos demanded. “Why is your boyfriend chatting up some trollop of a girl?”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I responded, even as I started heading for Kai, unable to take it any longer.
Theo stopped me, firmly holding my wrists. “Don’t make me pull out the chain.”
I nodded and waited in miserable, tense silence until I heard the music cut out.
Kids groaned.
Doucette came on the mic. “Attention everyone. It’s time for the crowning of the Winter Formal King and Queen.”
King? I’d forgotten about that part. I racked my brain trying to remember who had been running, but as I’d missed the last two months, I came up short.
“Anil,” Theo clarified for me.
Oh, brother.
“Since we seem to be lacking actual votes, we’ll have our candidates come up and give a brief speech,” said Doucette. “Then do a show of hands. Sophie?”
There were more than a few gasps when I took the stage. I searched the crowd for friendly faces. Hannah was currently being held hostage and Kai was outside flirting with Veronica, so that left Theo and Festos.
And Cassie. She stood in front with a large group of kids, grinning at me and giving me a thumbs up.
That helped a lot. I braced myself and took the mic.
The gym doors slammed open. Everyone turned to look.
Bethany stood there in all her glory. “No need for that. Your queen is here.” She shoved through the crowd, sashayed her way onstage, and snatched the mic from my hands.
“You’re finished, Bethany.” I tried to grab the mic back, but she smiled and showed me her arm.
And the perfect tattoo still inked on it.
“Magic marker,” she smirked. “Fitting, huh? You broke the lines of the original tattoo and killed the power. I restored it.” She shoved me back and snapped her fingers. “Crown me.”
“I’ll get it from Veronica.” Doucette hurried out of the gym to retrieve the crown as the students began chanting Bethany’s name. Even Cassie.
Even, I noted with horror, Theo and Festos.
“Whatever Jack did to boost your power, he’s just using you. He’ll turn on you in the end.”
Bethany laughed. “Jack didn’t boost my power. He just showed me how to fully tap into what Delphyne gave me.”
And thank you Jack for that poor decision-making. “No,” I yelled into the crowd. “She’s forcing you. Fight it.”
“I love you,” Bethany crooned into the mic. “And you love being loved.”
The entire glassy-eyed student body sighed as one.
“Adoration is wonderful,” she said.
“It’s not adoration. It’s obsession,” I retorted.
“So what?” She laughed. “It’s a trip.” Then she raised her arms and let loose her magic.
Even I staggered back against the onslaught of emotion. I felt incredible. And all I had to do to keep the joy was love Bethany.
I needed an outlet for my happiness. I craved Kai so badly, I’d walk through fire for him. I headed off-stage. My body trembled as I crossed the room with single-minded intent. Find Kai.
&nb
sp; I wasn’t the only one wanting to share the love. Kids had coupled up all over the place. I passed Theo and Festos making out.
As I reached the back of the gym, some spurned lover threw the first punch.
Uneasily, I felt like maybe there was something I should do about it. But then Kai entered the gym and all else failed to matter.
Except for Bethany, of course.
Kai and I locked eyes and I doubled over in pain. I could barely breathe, barely stand upright. I pressed a hand to my side, just as Kai caught me. “The arrows,” he gritted out. “Whatever Bethany is doing is amping up the arrows. I can feel it now that I’m in here.”
I didn’t care. The pain didn’t matter. I just had to be with him. I reached for him.
“Snap out of it!” Kai shook me. “You have to win the crown.”
He didn’t understand. He hadn’t been here to witness the full unleashing of Bethany’s amazingness. So despite how much it hurt, I kissed him.
Only to be yanked off him and flung to the floor.
If Theo had broken us up, I’d kill him. Not figuratively. Really kill him.
But it wasn’t Theo.
It was Bethany.
“Kai,” she said, “Just in time to be my king.” She leaned in to him for a kiss.
I saw red. No way was she getting him.
“I got the crown,” I heard Veronica chime in.
I shoved her out of the way. She was interfering with me getting to Bethany.
I grabbed Bethany by the arms. This was going to end now. And it was going to be painful.
As I called out my ribbons of light, I had the sense that despite my rage, there was something very wrong about all of this.
I looked around the gym, now in total chaos, with students fighting and fooling around.
At Kai, shaking his head at me. Yelling something I couldn’t understand over the roar of my blood.
And finally, at Bethany’s face, her expression caught between fury and fear. I may have looked a tad unhinged.
I sent my light into her anyway.
No, not to kill her. To burn off the tattoo once and for all.
Third degree burns might be painful, but she wouldn’t be dead, right? Except, as I sent my light deep into her arm to wreck the thing at every level, I felt this, well, black lump in her.
I prodded a bit. It wasn’t a tumor or anything. More alive. Throbbing.
With one strong pulse of light, I destroyed it.
Bethany’s face paled. “What have you done?” she shrieked in horror, and ran from the room.
I blinked, coming to my senses. What had I done?
“Sophie?” Kai looked at me in concern.
I waved him off and wandered through the gym, checking on the other kids. Students were breaking apart—some with dazed faces, others bruised—everyone shaking their heads and looking around, trying to figure it out as well.
What a mess. I had to make everything normal somehow.
I trudged back up onto the stage and picked up the mic. “Uh, hello?”
It took a few minutes, but I finally had everyone’s attention.
I had no clue what to say. How could I possibly explain what had just happened?
“Obsession and teen hormones are a bad, bad combo,” I said.
My classmates looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to finish.
Yeah, no. That was all I had.
“Thank you, Sophie, for that,” Principal Doucette said into his own mic, giving me an odd look. “We seem to have gotten off schedule.” He looked around the gym, puzzled. “So let’s get back to crowning our king and queen. Do we have our contestants for King?”
Anil was a no-show and no other guy volunteered.
“This is highly unusual. Moving on to Queen. Is Bethany here?”
I tensed. But she didn’t return.
Doucette shook in head. “I guess then, this year our only royalty is Sophie Bloom.” He motioned for Veronica to come forward with the crown.
It may have been made of cheap gold plastic, its “jeweled” tips mostly broken from when I’d pushed Veronica away, but knowing this crown would win Hannah her freedom made it more valuable than any precious jewel.
Festos and Theo led the applause with obnoxious whoops, followed soon by Cassie, then a few other students, until everyone was cheering. Or at least politely clapping.
Doucette smiled as he led me off the stage.
“Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera began to play as the disco ball started spinning.
This was supposed to be where the King and Queen danced together.
I stood there by myself.
My cheeks flushed. My stomach churned. I swallowed down the bile rising in my throat. Any second and the whispering about my loserdom would commence.
I saw Festos start forward to save me but before he could, Kai said, “This one’s mine,” and pulled me into his arms.
I practically sagged with relief for not being left hanging or having a pity dance. Kids could sense that. They were vicious that way.
Kai kissed my forehead and tightened his hold on me.
I laid my head on his chest and just enjoyed it.
Okay, Even I’m judging me right now. Here I was dancing all la la la like I hadn’t a care in the world and Hannah was still tied up with a blade at her throat. Not to mention everything else that was on the line.
I’m not saying I was a good person for dancing but yeah, I took the four minutes that the damn song lasted and danced.
I’d never had a slow dance with a boy I liked. Never been the Queen, the girl who everyone else watches with smiles and you betcha, even envy. So shoot me. I was sixteen, and I freaking wanted my dance.
It was only the two of us on the floor for the first few seconds before everyone else started dancing. But that didn’t matter.
Because all I was aware of was Kai holding me as he gently swayed me around the room. How his head rested on my hair and his splayed fingers were warm even through the cloth on my back. I could smell the faintest odor of seawater and fresh air, and feel the cool smoothness of his shirt front against my cheek.
A deep-seated feeling of contentment ran through me and I gave a blissful sigh.
And when Kai sang that I was beautiful in every single way? I thought I’d die of happiness.
For those four minutes, I was just a girl, dancing with her boy.
And every single one of them was precious.
Nineteen
Like all songs, this one eventually ended.
I glanced up at Kai and our eyes met. Not in a sexy-time way. There was something deeper and more profound.
Scarier.
Yikes. So didn’t want to think about all this.
So didn’t have to. Because Theo and Festos showed up and broke the moment. “Foyer,” Theo said. “It’s where Jack dumped us, probably where he’ll pick us up.”
I saw Doucette eyeing us so I made a point of fanning myself like I was really hot and needed a drink from the hall fountain. “Act casual so he doesn’t suspect.” Although he probably had enough on his plate to overlook me leaving the gym.
I shot a quick glance at the clock as we exited. An hour until the meeting.
We made it to the foyer with no trouble and sure enough, once there, we blinked out.
It was over. We were back at Jack’s house, out in the backyard this time. We stood on a teak deck, in a lounge area, defined by an outdoor rug woven in subtle blues and reds. The space was furnished with slate grey wicker patio furniture with green cushions. Jack’s gauzy white curtains billowed out from the inside, fluttering softly in the breeze.
An intricately landscaped bamboo garden framed the deck.
“Congratulations,” Jack said blandly, from his spot before a massive stainless steel BBQ. “You’re the first to win my home edition of Endgame. Hot dog?” he asked, sauteing some onions on a small frypan on the grill.
My mouth started to water. But I wasn’t here to eat. “Hannah.
Where is she?”
“Not very polite, are you?” He rolled his eyes but in the next moment, Hannah appeared in front of us, in her normal clothes. Theo and I rushed her for the biggest group hug imaginable.
“Like you better without the whole blade look, Saul,” Theo joked. But I could tell from the fact he was still hugging her, how relieved he was.
Hannah disentangled herself. “Whatever are you weirdos talking about?”
That effectively killed the hug. Theo and I exchanged worried glances. Had Jack adiosed her memory?
I gave her an encouraging smile. “Endgame? You all trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey?”
“Plus the whole,” Theo made a slicing motion across his neck as he and Festos made themselves at home on the psychopath’s patio.
Kai stayed standing, propped casually against the frame of a chair but alert.
To my utter shock, Hannah glared at Jack, hands planted on her hips. “You are a terrible person.”
“Hannah, baby, I’m a Trickster in name and in game, what did you expect?”
“You’re better than that.”
He shook his head, laughing, “No. I’m exactly that.”
I nudged Hannah. “I’m confused,” I whispered. We squished in beside Theo and Festos.
“I don’t know what you all thought you saw,” she said, “but I’ve been here this whole time. Except for a few brief disappearances, Jack’s been showing me all nature of terrible creatures while you completed some quest.” Her eyes glowed with a scary fervor. “He even has a lion fish.”
Jack beamed at her fondly. “Get some credentials, then come back and see me in ten years. With those looks and that passion, I’m gonna make a killing off you. You can have your own nature channel.”
“See,” Festos drawled, “he’s not all bad.”
“Nope,” Hannah agreed cheerfully. “Just mostly.”
“And then some,” I added. Nice that they could move on, but I was firmly stuck in grudgesville. I shot Jack a dirty look. “You put us through all that and she wasn’t even in danger? Why not?”
“Thanks, bestie,” Hannah said.
“You know what I mean.”
Kai spoke up this time. “What makes you angrier, Sophie? Believing your friend was in danger and then saving her? Or believing she was in danger, saving her, and then finding out she was fine all along? Jack lives for head trips.”
My Date From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy Book Two) Page 25