by Safari Spell
“There’s never anyone back here. I don’t think many people know about it.”
“This is amazing. How’d you find it?”
“Just paying attention.”
I followed him over to a part of the fountain where a willow tree dropped down. He sat down on the smooth concrete first, pulling one bent leg up on the slab and resting his back against a pillar. I sat down a few feet away, trying to think how keep my thighs from spreading out to the size of watermelons. Emotionally exhausted, I just let the chips fall. He was looking in my eyes anyway, watching me from over his knee.
“Tell me what’s wrong,” he urged softly, his voice soothing and sweet.
I shook my head, taking another sip of the hot chocolate.
“No, it’s not a pretty enough conversation for this place. It’s great. I love it. Thank you for bringing me here.”
His arm draped across his knee, where his hand hung loosely.
“You seem upset. I don’t mind listening if you need to talk.”
I traced the plastic top of my cup. I felt myself opening up in that moment. I could never understand how or why it felt so natural to be so at ease with him.
“I just went to see one of my friends at the hospital.”
“What happened?”
I felt my emotions building, so I paused until I gathered my strength back.
“She might have tried to kill herself.”
His leg swayed slightly.
“Wow, that’s tough. I’m so sorry.”
I didn’t look up. I couldn’t believe I was telling him, but the words kept coming.
“It doesn’t make sense. She’s never done anything like that. She’s not a wild person, ok? She’s good. And what’s worse, I feel like I didn’t help at all by going. I think asked the wrong things or should have said less or something. I’m not very good with words. Maybe you’ve noticed.”
He dropped his leg down and rested his elbows forward on his knees. He looked over his shoulder at me.
“Just being there is important. You did help, even if it doesn’t feel like it.”
I drank more hot chocolate while I thought about everything I couldn’t tell him. Spencer. The tease. The break-up. The kiss. It all started to churn somewhere behind my eyes, collecting into tears. I would have to hold them back as long as possible. I was not going to cry in front of him. I picked at my uneven nails.
“She’s not crazy. A jerk really messed her up.”
He blinked and his head went full tilt.
“This isn’t – the friend of yours who was dating Spencer for a while, is it? What was her name?”
“Well, yeah actually. Rose. How did you know that? Anyway, they didn’t find anything in her system, but they think she tried to overdose. Everyone thinks Spencer might be involved. Like maybe he got her the drugs or something.”
Sage sat up straight, looking deep in thought. His posture and expression made me paranoid for sharing that information with him.
“Sage, please don’t say anything. I’m only telling you because I can’t shut up and you kind of bribed me with this,” I replied, tapping on the coffee cup. “And he was smoking marijuana at my friend’s house a few weeks back and I just – I mean – please don’t tell anyone.”
“It’s ok, Talor. I won’t say anything,” he assured me.
It was quiet. Both of us focused on the lights in the water beside us. Sage looked like he was searching for something, maybe words. I cleared my throat.
“Can I ask you something? Something a little weird?”
His gaze slowly climbed up from the water. He never gave me permission, but I went for it anyway. I sat up and flattened my palms against each other before bringing them to my lips.
“Do you remember the day you came back to the nursery and asked me if I was ok?”
He nodded, his eyebrows going up. I continued.
“Some super weird things had happened to me that day. Do you think that, ok, I know this is going to sound crazy, but do you think it’s possible that Spencer is into drugs? It’s just things happened that I can’t exactly explain. I know it sounds crazy.”
Sage’s eyebrows dropped as he looked away and stood up.
“What things happened that you can’t explain?” he probed, his manner introspective and wary.
I wasn’t telling him that story. It had a kiss in it. Oh, and me seeing things. I stood up, too. It seemed odd not to. I chuckled and waved him off as I scooped up my things.
“Oh, nothing. I don’t know what I’m talking about right now. It’s been a long day. I’m gonna go. I’m talking your head off.”
“But…you’re going?” he asked, caught off guard.
“Yeah, I think I’ve taken up enough of your writing time with my crazy talk.”
“Talor, is there anything I can I do? Anything at all?”
I started to move past him, but when he asked that, I stopped. It was a genuine question. He meant it. I zeroed in on his chest. It seemed very inviting. I looked up at him, my hand daring to reach out. I felt like a hug from him would make everything so much better.
Then I remembered that I was wearing lotion for deodorant. It was probably not faring well in the emotional heat under my hoodie. Ok, Sage’s hoodie. His hands slid past my ribs and across my back like they knew the roadmap straight to my heart. One hand was closer to my neck than my shoulders, and it tilted my face up towards his. He looked me right in the eye.
“So beautiful, you know that? Inside and out. Just everywhere.”
He guided my head into his chest and covered me in the best hug ever. His fingers stroked my hair as I closed my eyes and leaned on him, my heavy conscience feeling a little bit lighter. I couldn’t believe I was in Sage’s arms. He took a deep breath.
“Well, one thing’s for sure, Talor.”
“What’s that?”
“This thing’s never smelled so good,” he chuckled, grabbing the shoulder of the hoodie.
I relaxed into him.
“Really?”
“Is that honeysuckle?”
He could smell the hand lotion under my arms. Maybe he thought it was lip-gloss or face lotion. It didn’t seem to bother him either way. I nodded, confused and embarrassed. And happy. Oh so happy.
“Oh, yeah. It’s, um yes.”
He laid his head over mine. I could tell he was smiling as he spoke.
“It’s a good smell. It’s you.”
I wanted to thank him for being the most amazing man in the world. I wanted to tell him how much he meant to me in that one moment. With a few kind, well-placed words, he turned my entire day around. I closed my eyes and savored his arms, all the while praying my happy heart wouldn’t shoot out through my chest into his, killing us both in its wake. It was a legitimate concern.
16
A week later, I received my invitation to Azalea’s Halloween party. It was obvious she’d decided against a mystery dinner because she invited too many people. She didn’t realize you could only have a certain number of people take part in a dinner party like that. She made it a costume party instead, including dinner.
Since our talk at Elements Coffee, I was feeling much more at ease around Sage. We still didn’t have long conversations at work, but we did talk more. As a result, I was bold enough to ask him to be my date. It would technically only be our second date, but I was ready to move us into relationship territory.
The costume party was less extravagant than the gala the month before, but nothing the Beaty family ever did could be considered small scale. There were at least 150 jack-o-lanterns spread all across the lawn and along the front porch. They looked like creepy flickering faces eyeing the arriving guests. An unseen fog machine covered a layer of the ground and shrouded guest’s steps in mystery as they walked along. A menacing-looking scarecrow stood leering in the open field just to the side. I think it moved periodically, making girls jump.
A headless horse
man – on actual horseback – chased people sporadically through the grounds. I was pretty sure it was Mr. Beaty from the get-go. It was something he would do. Screaming and laughing resounded through the lawn after each frenzied chase. He awarded those who survived the chase with candy from his large glowing pumpkin hanging off the saddle. Everyone got a piece. I stood at the gravel and watched the craziness unfold. A familiar voice startled the sleeping butterflies in my stomach, sending them fluttering without escape.
“Ariel, right? From The Little Mermaid?”
I turned to the trees on my left and saw Sage stepping out of the shadows with a grin. I beamed, spinning in my sparkly blue dress to show him.
“Yes! With the wig, I was worried people would just think I was a Texas beauty pageant queen. What gave me away?”
He pointed.
“The purple seashells, I think?”
Oh yeah. The boobs.
“Now. Let’s see about you,” I said, tapping my finger against my lips.
His hair was different. It was brushed across his brow and had a wave to it that normally wasn’t there. Thick stubble had grown thick enough to be a beard – a real one. He was wearing a white Henley with some crisscross ties dangling down his open chest. A deep gray coat covered one arm and tied under the other shoulder. It was lined with fur on the collar and went almost to the ground. It all looked seriously vintage. A real sword hung at his side and weathered leather boots climbed up his shins. I licked my lips, unable to control the impulse.
“You’re a sexy prince, right?” I asked, catching myself. “Oh, I mean, just a prince!”
His expression changed like I’d said something wrong. He shook his head urgently like he was trying to physically cast some thought out of his mind.
“Wait. The costume. Yes. Yeah, I am.”
He approached apprehensively, offering a tiny bouquet of honeysuckles. I breathed them in, remembering it’s what Sage said I smelled like. I hoped it was a good thing.
“You know, I’m actually impressed. Most guys just bring just me sea weed.”
He bathed me in an adoring glow.
“I’m not most guys.”
“No, you’re not. Where did you find these in October?”
“They’re still around. Just have to know where to look,” he answered.
His soothing eyes settled somewhere in my soul. I was glad for the honeysuckles. I pretended to smell them again when I felt like fainting.
“Much like gentlemen,” I murmured. I didn’t know whether or not he heard. He didn’t respond, so I assumed he didn’t.
His elbow bowed out, so I slipped my hand in the crook of it and we started along our way up to the house.
“So, is that a real sword?” I asked.
He swung his coat out and tapped the sword hilt with his free hand.
“Yeah. It’s actually been in my family for centuries. Kind of an heirloom, really.”
“Ever use it?”
He laughed.
“Not often, no.”
I laced my fingers tighter around his arm and followed him to the entrance. The Grim Reaper stood blocking the door with glowing red eyes. I stopped. Sage pulled out his sword and pointed it at the Reaper.
“Well, what else is a sword for?” he asked.
The Reaper put its hands up in surrender and moved to the side to let us pass. Once we were inside, I heard Azalea descending the stairs in a noisy, sparkly flapper girl outfit. I was afraid to look at Sage and see him ogling her like most men would. I risked it. He was still gazing down at me, a soft smile easing my mind. Azalea spread out her arms wide and swallowed me in a big hug. When she let go, she took my arm out to the side and eyed my costume.
“Nice stems, doll,” she said, joking in a typical mobster accent, moving her eyebrows up and down rapidly.
I pretended to be offended with a mock gasp and fake slap. She moved her jaw around like I’d hit her before checking out Sage.
“And for this one,” she pondered, eyes going wide. “Gimme a minute here, chum.”
She looked him up and down and gave me a thumb’s up. He looked confused. I scowled. She shrugged and pinched her chin.
“I really expected a cowboy with that walk.”
I remembered what she said that day at Cypress College when she met him for the first time. He had a cowboy swagger about him.
“But instead I see a sexy swordsman, I think?” she guessed.
“He’s a prince,” I corrected, my tone a little sharper than I meant it to be. I didn’t like her calling him sexy, even if it was true.
“Oh. You’re missing your crown if you’re a prince,” she said to Sage, pointing to his head.
“Not all princes wear crowns,” I said.
Azalea shrugged it off and brought us into the grand dining room. It was a room so large it was almost never used. It was located at the back end of the mansion and had a stained glass ceiling. I could never figure out why a room would have a stained glass ceiling in the first place, but it added eeriness to the night since you could see the moonlight overhead and shadowy black branches from bare oaks reaching over.
There had to be hundreds of tall candles lighting the area. They made it brighter than I thought it would be in there. Four butlers dressed as statues stood in corners. Ominous music played from musicians with an oboe and violins. One servant dressed as a zombie came over to us with a tray of wine glasses holding a thick red liquid.
“Blood?”
I narrowed my eyes to look at it.
“Oh. Ew. It does look like blood. What is it really?”
“Blood,” he repeated, monotone.
I shook my head.
“Ohhhk. I think I’ll pass.”
From the corner of my eye, I could see someone walking up as Sage visibly stiffened. It was Azalea with Mannix. Mannix was dressed as a cowboy vampire. He had longs fangs that looked real. Azalea leaned her head against his shoulder as he tipped his cowboy hat at us. I looked him up and down.
“Wait. You couldn’t decide between a vampire and a cowboy? Was it really that hard?”
Azalea kissed his cheek.
“I love it! It’s out of the box. Genius, right?”
Mannix hadn’t said a word yet. He was just standing there with some snarky smile.
“If you were going to combine costumes, you could’ve been a leprechaun loser,” I suggested.
Azalea frowned. Sage covered a smile with his hand. Mannix kept the same smug face.
“Well, see now, princess, those don’t exist. I happen to know.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Oh? By all means, let’s keep it confined to reality, Mr. vampire.”
Azalea took her index finger down the length of his fangs and dropped her jaw when she rubbed them.
“Seriously, that’s amazing, Talor. They feel so real. Touch them.”
“He’ll probably bite me,” I said, eyeing him.
“Go way outta that,” Mannix said.
“Huh?” I asked.
“Uh, Talor –” Sage started, scratching his ear.
Unable to resist, I reached out and lightly brushed against the enamel. They felt as real as fangs on a person could feel. I brought my fingers to the sharp end.
“God, that’s too sharp. Aren’t you scared you’ll bite your tongue?”
Mannix actually laughed. Like, a real laugh. It threw me, so I smiled. Like, a real smile. Azalea looked pleased with our interaction for once. Sage was the only one not smiling.
Mannix licked across the fangs.
“They bother you, mate?”
Sage sighed.
“Talor, would you like something to drink?”
“Thank you. Anything non-alcoholic. Azalea?”
Azalea nodded and pointed to a table across the room.
“Everything on that table is as virginal as you are,” she replied, winking.
Sage started off, catching my ey
es for a moment with a smile that drew my shoulders up to cover my blistering ears. I took the opportunity to glance around the room. That’s when I saw a girl I recognized from the pool party. She was standing alone near the musicians, dressed as a ghost in a sheet that didn’t cover her head. She was basically a marshmallow in a white poncho. I walked over and touched her shoulder.
“Valerie, isn’t it?”
She stared at me blankly.
“Yeah. Who are you?”
I walked around to her front.
“I’m Talor. We met a few months ago here at the pool party. You don’t remember me?”
She looked at me like she wanted to remember, but she just couldn’t. Blinking once, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and ignored me while I was still standing there.
“No.”
“Oh,” I said, rolling my eyes and pulling off my red wig. I’d forgotten about it. “I’m not usually wearing a gigantic red wig. Do you remember me now?”
“Can you go away? I don’t know you,” she snapped.
I balled up the red wig in my hand, a little surprised at the aggression. It wasn’t like I’d asked her to show me her breasts. I didn’t say anything back, and since she was playing a game on her phone, it didn’t matter if I did. I got a few steps away from her when Sage caught up to me. He handed me a glass of clear fizzy punch. I thanked him and put my wig back on.
“Everyone, find a seat. It’s time to start,” Azalea called.
The crowd murmured and everyone shuffled around the table that spanned the entire length of the room. It was covered in a bright white linen cloth and real silver candelabras that dotted along every few seats. Sage and I found chairs across from Azalea and Mannix. He pulled my chair out for me and let me sit before settling beside me. Azalea was too busy snoozing up to Mannix to notice the clockwork chivalry.
I tried not to stare at him, but I couldn’t help myself. I blushed like mad when he caught me. In return, his fingers brushed loosely against his lip, going back and forth to hide the smile underneath. A woman stepped inside the room and let out such a piercing scream that I grabbed ahold of Sage’s leg because it was the closest thing to me. I recoiled my hand bashfully as a zombie butler stood at the head of the table.
“The banshee has screamed. One of you will die tonight. But dinner first. It is bad manners to die on an empty stomach,” he announced.