The Grove

by J. R. King

Dallas huffed. “I know you’ve been hanging around Aria.”

  Rome lifted his eyes from the page, letting the book fall to a close. “I wasn’t aware that I needed your approval,” he said.

  “Well now you know.” The smile on Dallas’ face was all agitation. “She’s not allowed to date. And if you met her father, trust me, you’d think twice. So why don’t you do yourself a favor and try for some lower hanging fruit?”

  “Excuse me?” Rome said.

  “She’s out of your league, kid. Even you can see that.”

  Rome grabbed for his bag, trying not to let Dallas bait him. He managed to take two steps before turning back around. “You don’t think I know that?” he said. “You don’t think I know how you all look at me? Like I don’t belong here. I know that I don’t belong here. But none of you have the right to tell me who I am or what I’m worth.”

  Dallas actually looked startled. “Look,” he said, “I don’t really care what you do or whoever else’s doorstep you darken. Just stay away from her, and we won’t have a problem.”

  “Why do you even care?”

  Dallas’ eyebrows pinched together. “I’m just trying to look out for her. Our families have been close for a long time. She’s like a little sister to me. I’d just hate to have to resort to violence because some schmuck came around and toyed with her heart.”

  “It’s a good thing you’re looking out for her then.”

  “It’s not me you should be worried about. Her dad is an elitist jackass with a gun and a badge. And the scary part is, he doesn’t need either of those to get to you. Did she tell you he works with S.I.?”

  Rome shrugged. “That means nothing to me.”

  “Special Investigations,” Dallas said. “It’s a criminal division run by the Witches Collective. He works as a detective in town, but that’s pretty much just a front. His real job is investigating magical crimes and keeping them out of the media.”

  “Sounds like a busy guy.”

  “Not too busy to put you in the ground if he found out you were chasing after his daughter. Richard doesn’t mess around. He’ll put you through hell if you get close to her. Believe me, he’s got her whole future mapped out. And trust me when I say, you are not a part of his master plan.”

  “You’ve made your point,” Rome said. “You’re just forgetting one thing. No one seems to have asked her what she wants in all this. If you really care about her, then maybe you should step back and let her make her own mistakes.”

  Dallas shook his head. “I’d rather save her from them.”

  ***

  Ariahna sat sprawled across her bed, flipping through pages of her Alchemy text as Scarlet’s voice undulated through the speaker. The nighttime phone calls had become a ritual of theirs. It allowed Scarlet to fill her in on all of the day’s gossip (regardless of whether or not she wanted to hear it). She shifted on the comforter, sighing quietly.

  “And then, would you believe she had the audacity to call my bag a knock-off? Clearly, somewhere between Hong Kong and New York’s street corners, hers had the terrible misfortune of becoming ‘unique’. It was missing the brand emblem! One of a kind, she says? P-lease! I spotted that ugly eyesore in a second.”

  Aria let out a laugh. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to see it.”

  “Speaking of, where were you earlier? You just disappeared.”

  “I had some reading to do.”

  Scarlet scoffed, disapproval apparent in her voice. “Sorry, under no circumstances does schoolwork trump shoe shopping.”

  Aria closed her book, shaking her head at the ceiling. “We clearly have different priorities.” She exhaled stiffly, weighing what she was about to say. “The truth is, I had to help a friend.”

  “What kind of friend?” Scarlet asked.

  Aria was about to speak when a knock at her door saved her from answering. “Are you still at your aunt’s?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “No reason. I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She hung up before Scarlet had a chance to complain, slipping out of bed and tiptoeing curiously towards the door. When she cracked it open, Christian was lingering on the other side, smiling mischievously from the darkened corridor. Aria’s lips quirked upwards demurely. “What are you doing out here? It’s late.”

  “I wanted to see you. You’ve been hard to hang out with, thanks to your personal boy repellent.” He watched her frown.

  “You mean Scarlet?”

  “I get the distinct feeling that she doesn’t like me.”

  She chuckled quietly. “Maybe because she doesn’t.”

  “Her loss.” Christian nodded at the door, moving into her room as she stepped back to accommodate him. “I was thinking of escaping. You wouldn’t want to come with me, would you?”

  She sucked in a breath, scrambling to come up with an excuse.

  “We’ll be back before anyone even knows we were gone,” he said. “Scout’s honor.”

  “And where would we go this time?”

  He slipped a set of keys out of his pocket. “It’s a surprise.”

  “We can’t leave the school,” she said. “Where did you even get those? You don’t drive, do you?”

  “Relax. Dallas gave me his spares.”

  “Dallas never lets anyone touch his car.”

  “I guess I’m the exception.” Christian shook his head. “I don’t really get it, but I make it a point not to question it.”

  Ariahna drifted over to the bed, picking her phone up off the comforter. The time blinked back at her from the screen. It was late enough that Shawn and the others would be out of their path, probably checking the rooftop or the upper floor. She took a deep breath. “This could seriously impact my chances of becoming an RA,” she said.

  His mouth spread into a grin. “And that’s a bad thing?”

  Ariahna smirked, albeit shyly. “Promise me we won’t be gone too long?” she said.

  “Of course. I’ll have you back before breakfast.” The look on her face provoked a laugh from him. “I’m joking.”

  “Come on,” Aria said. “Let’s go.”

  The hinges moved with a creak and they peered carefully around the hall before slipping out. Christian waited as she locked her door, keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings.

  “This is going to be fun,” he said.

  “Don’t. I can’t believe I’m even going along with this.”

  Christian slipped a hand into his blazer. “Why are you going along with it?” he asked. “Dallas gave me the impression that you don’t do things like this.”

  Aria frowned. “Dallas was talking about me?”

  “I may have gotten a few things out of him when he was threatening to end me. He warned me about your father, too. Does he really work for S.I.?”

  “Dallas and his big mouth,” Aria breathed. “My father does assignments for the Collective from time to time. Yes, I guess that technically makes him an S.I. Law Officer. Before you ask, he’s never shot anyone.”

  “That you know of,” Christian said.

  “He won’t hurt you for looking at me…”

  “Dallas seems to think otherwise.”

  Christian guided her down the stairs and through the main hall, pressing a gentle hand to the small of her back. He was serious when he spoke. “Is it true you’ve never been on a date?”

  She looked worried. “What else did Dallas tell you?”

  “Nothing,” he said. “But it’s nice to know that you still have some secrets.”

  They traipsed quietly through the parking lot, zigzagging through cars. Dallas’ beamer sat two rows away, lights flashing as Christian located it with the remote. “And we’re in business,” he said. He climbed into the front seat. “What do you say we call this your first date?”

  “This isn’t a date,” Aria said.

  “I hope that’s not what you’re going to tell our grandkids. They’re going to want to know that we were madly in love.” He watched as her cheeks came to riv
al the color of her hair. “Do you believe in things like that? Like fate, or love at first sight?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe,” she said. “Anything’s possible.”

  ***

  Rome tucked his arms behind his head, staring thoughtlessly at the ceiling. He was listening to what few sounds the night had to comfort him. But the quiet afforded little peace, and the restless shifting just beyond his headboard was disrupting the fragile illusion. “Can’t sleep?” he whispered. He could hear Kaleb’s soft chuckling through the wall.

  “Not when some plaster and wood is all that’s separating me from my enemy.” He sighed at Rome’s quiet unease. “Old habits.”

  “Instinct,” Rome said. He closed his eyes as a draft moved through his window, cooling the heat of his skin. He lay quietly in the dark, longing for a time when things weren’t so complicated. “I can’t imagine what all of this must be like for you.” Rome hadn’t expected an answer, but Kaleb’s silence was rather telling. “If someone did try to use me to get to you, don’t you think we should do something about it?”

  Kaleb tapped the back of his skull against the wall. “The only thing I need to do—the only thing I can do—is wait. Unless you have some idea of how I could make myself an even bigger target?”

  Rome sat up slowly, feeling the comforter drag beneath him. He twisted to stare at the textured space, allowing the quiet to breathe. “How is it that we’ve come to exist in the way that we have?”

  “I’m not sure I’m following,” Kaleb said.

  “You’re not the bait because you want to be. And I certainly didn’t sign up to be the instrument. We are pawns. And we’re going to be pawns until we find out exactly who’s moving the pieces.”

  “And how do you suppose we do that?” Kaleb said, a challenge riding the lilt in his voice.

  “I get it,” Rome said. “You don’t trust me. You have no reason to. But until I know more, it’s hard to say.” Rome slipped the keys from his nightstand, contemplating his next move. “A few days ago you told me to take a good look at who my enemies were. I did that, but I’m not sure you have.”

  “I’m afraid my trust is not so easily given.”

  Rome felt a chill move through him, his eyes searching the darkened room. “I don’t trust you, either,” he whispered. “But if you still want to get out of this place, then there’s something I want to show you.” He could hear Kaleb standing from the bed and moving towards the door. “Is that a yes?” he asked.

  There was no reply.

  Rome slipped his shoes on and made for the hall. When he opened the door to his bedroom, Kaleb was leaning against the frame, blocking his exit. “We probably shouldn’t linger.”

  “After you, then,” Kaleb said.

  ***

  Redwood Elementary sat on the far side of town. At night, it looked like the perfect place for a murder. Other than a few green-tinted security lights, the complex was bathed in darkness. The quiet sounds of swings swaying in the wind and tetherball chains clinking around their poles permeated the air. Sprinklers sputtered to life in the distance, giving the illusion of whispering voices. Ariahna closed the passenger door, gazing over the roof at Christian. “This is where you wanted to go?”

  “I come down here all the time,” he said. “It’s quiet.” He grabbed the basketball from the trunk and dashed towards the covered courts. “Come on,” he called, hopping over the fence.

  Aria was still standing beside the car, gripping the handle like it was a lifeline. The sound of Christian’s footfall echoed across the blacktop. She was counting her heartbeats, listening for a scream or some other telltale sign of a lurking predator. A breeze whistled by at her back, and she spun in a circle, staring off into the night. She took a few quick steps backwards before turning and running after him.

  “How about a little one on one?” he said.

  Basketball was not Aria’s sport, but she wasn’t about to refuse. She caught the ball as he tossed it to her, turning the textured leather over in her hands. “What do you like about this place?” she said, tossing the ball at the hoop. It flew past the bottom of the net before rolling off into the night.

  “Sometimes you need a bit of distance,” he said. He ran to get the ball before it reached the playground. Aria’s face was red when he stepped back onto the court. “How about I show you how it’s done?”

  “Oh really? Please, be my guest.”

  Christian licked his lips, feeling his face split into a grin. He slipped past her, coming to stand on the invisible three-point line. “It’s all about confidence,” he said. “About knowing your own body.” He sent the ball arcing through the air, taking pleasure in the uncomfortable blush his words had provoked. The rattle of the chain echoed off the tin covering, and Christian beamed at his success. “Perfection.”

  Aria rolled her eyes. “You are so full of yourself,” she said.

  “I have little reason not to be.”

  They took turns lobbing the ball at the hoop. After a moment, Aria struck up the conversation again. “Do you want to know why Scarlet doesn’t like you?”

  “Because she’s just as self-obsessed?”

  Aria’s lips formed a straight line. “I was going to say, because you treat people like objects. Her words, not mine.”

  Christian watched the ball hit the backboard and fly at him like a stone. He caught it out of the air, the hoop still vibrating from the hit. “I suppose she’s not wrong,” he said, turning to sit against the brick. He spun the ball around in his hands a few times, allowing Ariahna the time to join him. “I’m ‘that guy’.” He watched as she gave him a puzzled look. “The guy that only wants one thing.” Christian shook his head. “Either you use or you get used,” he said. “One day I guess I got tired of losing.”

  “Not everyone’s like that.”

  “Don’t give me the ‘there are good people’ speech. They’re too few and far between to matter.” He watched Aria hug her knees to her chest. “I didn’t mean it like that. You matter, okay?”

  “But to what degree? If I can’t console you, what good am I as a friend?” she said.

  Christian stared out at the darkened playground. “It’s not your fault. To do that I’d have to tell you things I’ve never told anyone—not even Dallas.”

  “Why haven’t you?” she asked.

  “I don’t want him to look at me differently.” Christian could see the hint of curiosity in her eyes. “I’m kind of tired of dancing around the truth, though.”

  “You don’t have to tell me anything,” she said.

  “That’s the thing… I think I want to.” He shifted his weight, turning slightly to face her. “Do you promise not to tell anyone?”

  Ariahna nodded. “Of course.”

  Christian stared at her for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. He couldn’t help but wonder as to where this sudden urge had come from. “…I grew up in and out of foster care,” he said. “I don’t know who my parents are, or why they gave me up. It feels like I’ll never know who I am. Like I’m going to walk through my entire life with this chip on my shoulder.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said. The words seemed wanting – lacking of any real comfort. “Have you tried tracking them down?”

  Christian nodded. “There wasn’t much of a paper trail.”

  The sudden sound of belligerent laughter interrupted their conversation. Christian and Aria got to their feet, listening as the voices grew louder from around the side of the building.

  “Do you think we disturbed someone?” she asked.

  “Not unless we woke the dead.”

  Christian moved to get a closer look, signaling Aria to stay back. He leaned around the corner, trying to catch a glimpse at what was going on. Three men were approaching the front office. They were peering through the large windows, and their behavior left little doubt in his mind as to their intent.

  “We need to call the police,” he said.

  Ariahna glanced at the car, switching
spots with him as he dialed. “We can’t be caught here, either,” she whispered.

  “Just keep a look out…”

  ***

  Rome crept down the bumpy lane, parking his car behind an old maple tree. He turned his key back in the ignition, staring out at the iron fence. Large, arching letters swept over the gate, reading: East Hill Cemetery. He could feel the chill in the air as it moved past his open window, ghosting over his skin.

  Kaleb shifted in the seat beside him. “This is where you decided to take me?” His gaze was stony.

  Rome smirked. “Can you just go with it for a second?”

  He got out of the car, not bothering to wait. Either Kaleb was going to follow him or he wasn’t. The gate creaked as he pushed it open, allowing just enough room for them to slip past the chain holding it closed. The metal was so cold against his fingertips it felt wet. It was hope that carried him down the winding stone path and into the reaching darkness. Rome hadn’t been here since the beginning of summer. He didn’t get many chances to, but when he did he’d stay out all night, usually until sunrise. “What do you think happens when you die?” he asked.

  Kaleb stared uneasily back at him, reluctant as they ventured off the lane and into the soft, unkempt grass. He stepped over a broken headstone and started to really wonder about why they were here. He shrugged. “Half-breeds usually never live long enough to ponder such things. But you are managing to make me rather uncomfortable.”

  “Sorry… Can you at least tell me how old you are?”

  Kaleb chuckled hollowly at him, shaking his head. “How old do you think I am?” he asked.

  A lone frog croaked off in the distance as Rome thought it over. Honestly, he had no clue. “One hundred and twelve?”

  “I think I’m going to eat you now.”

  “Hey, I didn’t say you looked one hundred and twelve.”

  “Do you think I act that old, either?” Kaleb said.

  “I suppose you have a point…”

  Mossy, aged headstones were scattered around modern new ones all over the lawn. Kaleb found himself looking at the dates and reading the names of the deceased, confused about why the very recent were mixed in with the very old. Many of them were from the 1700s, and so weathered and worn they were illegible. Rome seemed to be scanning the names as he went.