by Navi' Robins
The principal took into account what Sarah had been through and decided to not discipline her, but he did let her know that this sweet mercy he was giving her would not last forever.
On Friday the coach called me into his office to fill me in concerning the new transitions the team had gone through in my absence and also to let me know that there were a lot of top-college recruiters interested in me and his office was being flooded with letters, emails, and phone calls concerning scholarships and visits to their campuses during the summer. He told me that I should review the colleges and pick my top five and visit those campuses during the summer to see if I was a right fit for their programs. I could tell coach was concerned but also proud to see another one of his players making such an impact. When I started playing football I always imagined this happening but now that it was actually happening it seemed a lot more overwhelming than I anticipated.
He asked me if I planned on just playing college football or going pro? If I had been asked this same question at the beginning of the season I would have blurted out “going pro” without hesitation, but things had changed so much since then that I was afraid to even consider the notion of playing football on national television. There were people out there wanting me dead and the last thing I needed was to parade my wanted ass on television so that they could find me without much effort. But then what were my options? Live in seclusion like Jaffrey? Hiding away from the world with no real contact with my family or friends just so that I can stay alive? What kind of life was that? I understood why Jaffrey had to do it but I’m not Jaffrey and I wasn’t planning on joining the fight either. I felt like a genie in a bottle. Possessing great power but greatly limited on living a life full of happiness and accomplishments.
Jaffrey sacrificed everything to stay alive and I wasn’t sure I was willing to sacrifice the same. I felt being limited like that was worse than death; a prisoner of your own greatness and power because others were threatened by it and hated you because of how it made them feel. I never asked for this but it was given to me nonetheless and as much as I wanted to I couldn’t give it back. This wasn’t the movies where I could take to the streets fighting crime and standing for justice in some weird costume. I was only seventeen and even though I was capable of causing entire cities to burn I didn’t have the mental fortitude to do it nor the discernment to know when to stop. I was afraid of my youthful impulses and the consequences they could bring. What happened at my grandparents’ house was a direct reflection of that. I had gone too far and the result was a dead eleven-year-old boy. I would never get his death off my conscience nor did I want to. His death was a constant reminder of why I shouldn’t join the fight. I needed to stay out of it because it wasn’t that I didn’t trust them, I didn’t trust myself.
Evil began because someone with great power and good intentions didn’t have the discipline of completion and restraint. I didn’t want to become what I feared and hated the most. Coach could tell I was dealing with a lot and he told me not to answer that question right now. Think about it and take your time, he said, even if it takes until NFL draft day to make my decision, he’s okay with that and I should be okay with it too.
I wanted this first week back in school to end quickly and I didn’t want to pay attention to much of anything. But what I did notice was the absence of Jasmine. She wasn’t anywhere to be found and trust me, I looked for her. I knew who and what she was now and she wasn’t going to get the drop on me again. If she tried that darkness curse on me again I would be ready and as much as I hated to get into another confrontation, I would with her. Whatever she did to Sarah was ruining her life and not even considering it was Jasmine’s kind that killed my father, I was in no mood for charity. I was confused and torn because on one hand I didn’t want to take a life, but then on the other hand I was always looking for a reason to take one of those monsters out. Like I said before about youthful impulses. I didn’t understand the real reason for my confusion until later but at that time I hated and embraced my confusion. Gotta love teenagers.
It was only April but everyone was talking about prom and who was going and with whom. Students were already getting their plans together. Limousines, suits, dresses, shoes, girls, boys, after-parties, alcohol, and sex. These were the main topics on almost every student’s lips, except mine because I wasn’t interested in going. Tony on the other hand was very excited and was planning on taking two girls to the prom, seniors to be exact; very beautiful seniors. They both asked and he told them he would go to prom if they agreed to “share the wealth”—his exact words to them—and just like silly seniors they accepted his terms. It was all over school about Tony’s arrangement and I was expecting Sarah to become furious but to my surprise she seemed uninterested. She was losing herself to her abilities and there wasn’t anything I could do to stop it. But who was I to judge? I was also losing myself to my abilities and as much as our mother tried to make things easier we just weren’t the same kids anymore.
My mom didn’t know what to do and I could tell the changes in us were tearing her apart inside. She tried to convince Sarah to go but it just wasn’t happening, so she went on a crusade to make sure I went, no excuses. She took me shopping for a suit and shoes and even went to great lengths to find me a date. That was when I had to draw the line. I could find my own date if I wanted one. I would go to prom but I was going alone and that was that. Maybe at my senior prom I would go with a date, but not this year, not during this transition in my life. I just wanted to either be alone or be around people like me who knew who and what I really was. Of course I wasn’t going to take Tony with me, so I decided to take Sarah. Yeah, I know, to some it was weird but since that night with Jason we had grown closer and to us it made sense. To others it didn’t but neither of us cared what others thought. I didn’t want to go, but if I was going then I wanted to get Sarah out of the house with me as well. And we agreed that if anyone even whispered the word “incest” they would regret if for the rest of their lives and both of us had the power to make that happen.
Prom night, it might have been Halloween for all I cared. People without class dressing up as if they had tons of it and those with class being made to feel as if they didn’t belong. But I guess for at least one night we all could pretend to be normal, even Sarah and I could play along. The months leading up to prom night were slow and uneventful for the most part. I eventually laid eyes on Jasmine but she made sure our paths didn’t cross. I’m sure she was aware that I was aware and she didn’t want any trouble and I was cool with that. I wasn’t going to pick a fight with her. Because that could lead to someone coming up missing and this wasn’t Spain; trying to cover up her disappearance in a town recently rocked by murder would be a tall order to fulfill. Plus I suspected that if she was a Shadow then it stood to reason that her entire family were Shadows and taking into account from Jaffrey that Jasmine might be one of the most unique and powerful Shadows he’d heard of could pose a problem for me. Her parents and siblings may be more than I could handle alone.
Plus, my family’s safety would be in jeopardy; what they couldn’t do to me they could certainly do to those I loved. It was a lot to process for a seventeen-year-old but I was learning and growing and beginning to think first and act later. To say it was easy would be lying because my impulses urged me to pursue Jasmine and rid the school of her darkness but I had too much to lose so I stayed my hand. For now. I am ashamed to admit this but even though I loathed her existence and wanted nothing more than to send her somewhere just as dark as the places she had sent me, she was still the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes upon. And it seemed like her body had gotten more developed in my absence.
She was already built beyond her years but now it was on another level. I guess that’s how it goes, huh? The forbidden fruit can’t be so forbidden if it didn’t look so damned good. If this were another reality in another life, I would definitely try to date her and only her. It didn’t make sense having a girl that beautifu
l and deciding to sample other dishes just because you could. But because she was what she was and she did what she did, I couldn’t entertain dating her for too long. I had to stay focused and on my toes because I knew one day she would try something and I wanted to be prepared for it.
I was dressed in a black Armani suit with a white dress shirt underneath, no tie, and an open jacket. Sarah was dressed in a black and white Vera Wang print dress that was absolutely stunning. She wore a pair of black three-inch heels and my mom’s black and white diamond necklace to make it all come together. At first she had her hair tied up but then decided at the last minute to let it flow down her back. She was absolutely beautiful that night and for the first time in months she was smiling and blushing. She even threw a few zingers at me about me not wearing a tie—I mean classic Sarah-zingers. For that moment everything felt like it used to, no Baraqu, no Shadows, no special abilities, and no killer boyfriends. Just us being a family again.
We decided to forego a limo and drove to the prom in my Camaro. My mom spent so much money on our clothes we didn’t feel right letting her spend even more on a limo. Plus it would have been over-the-top weird, even for us to have her and me go to prom and jump out of a limo together. Yeah, that would have felt too much like a date instead of a big brother taking his kid sister to prom. The prom was being held at a hotel ballroom in the nearby township of Lincolnshire. Many of the students had already secretly gotten rooms upstairs in the same hotel, planning on having some very interesting and over-the-top after-parties. Tony was invited to about…all of them! But he assured me that he had enough on his hands with the two seniors he was going with and the only after-party he was going to was his own. He was going to be “Jack Tripper” tonight. I didn’t understand what he meant by that at the time, but later on, after watching an episode of Three’s Company, I understood completely.
Tony and his dates were waiting for us outside when we arrived. Tony’s eyes almost fell out of his head watching Sarah get out of the car. I don’t think Tony has ever seen Sarah the way she was tonight and I was worried about that change of perspective, so I warned him that if he wanted to live on Mars for the rest of his life he should keep looking at my kid sister that way. Tony’s dates didn’t get it and laughed as if it was a joke, but Tony wasn’t laughing because he knew I could and would do it, so he turned his gaze away from Sarah. Sarah smiled, watching Tony’s reaction to my threat and whispered in my ear, “Don’t be so mean to him, he can’t help it I’m beautiful.” I smiled because again, it was classic Sarah showing herself and I was hoping and praying that tonight would help bring her back.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
As much as I hated to admit it, after arriving at the prom we began to have a lot of fun. Sarah was by far the most beautiful girl here and I was getting a lot more attention from the ladies than anticipated. The music was great, the food was great, and the energy was intoxicating. This prom was well planned and we all were having a great time. This made me look forward to my senior prom and I made a personal note to request those that planned this one to plan next year’s as well. Just when I thought things were getting better, things took a turn for the worse—and for the worse meaning Jasmine. I was standing by the refreshment table watching Sarah dance with Peter Swartz, the captain of the debate team.
Sarah was having a good time dancing with Peter who wasn’t that great of a dancer, but he made up for his clumsiness with effort and not taking himself too seriously. He would crack on himself every time he missed a step or went offbeat. Sarah found him funny and relaxing to be around. I figured because of his good nature Sarah found it easier to befriend him and soon they were good friends. I knew he was wishing on some distant star that the both of them would one day become more than friends and find teenage love. But I knew that the only way that would happen is if they actually lived on that distant star. Reality being we all lived on Earth and he just wasn’t Sarah’s type; he was placed forever in the friend zone. Keep wishing, buddy; it’s never gonna happen in this lifetime.
Sarah was laughing with Peter when her entire demeanor changed and her smile instantly disappeared as she stared at the ballroom entrance. Soon half the room was staring at the entrance. I turned to see what the commotion was about but I already knew who they were gawking at. I just didn’t know how extreme the visual content would be. My mouth automatically flew open as I beheld the most amazing and beautiful girl I had ever seen. Jasmine was absolutely amazing. She wore a mid-thigh- length red dress that seemed to caress every curve of her body. It was strapless, exposing her beautiful tanned shoulders and neck. She had her hair pulled up, exposing an exquisite red ruby necklace. Her hair seemed blacker than usual and the contrast between her hair and the dress blended perfectly. Holding up her goddess- like frame were her long, toned legs sitting atop three-inch high heels that were the exact color of her dress. Her attire was simple yet elegant, and even from across the room you could tell it wasn’t cheap either.
And much to my surprise on her arm was none other than our starting quarterback Brian, wearing a black suit with red accents that paired perfectly with Jasmine. He seemed exceedingly proud of himself as he walked into the ballroom with Jasmine. Their entrance seemed to suck the air out of the room as all eyes were on them.
I became enraged at the sight of them and the attention they commanded. I mean who does she think she is? If everyone knew who and what she really was they wouldn’t be so taken by her. And what the hell was Brian doing? Why would he even come here with her? I know he didn’t have all the details but he knew Jasmine and I were not on good terms. I can’t believe this! My anger began to get the best of me and I started to let my teenage impulses take over. I knew I couldn’t start anything here, so I quickly turned storming out of the room into the hallway to avoid any eye contact with Jasmine. I was afraid that if she gave me that smirk again I would go all “Stephen King’s Carrie” at this prom and that wouldn’t be good at all. In the hallway I started pacing back and forth rubbing my hands together. I was trying to calm down, but I couldn’t. What was wrong with me? Why was I so upset? I felt Tony walking up behind me and I should have turned around to face him but I couldn’t.
“Dude? What’s up?” Tony asked with concern in his voice. “Did she do that thing again? Dude, talk to me, what’s up?”
I couldn’t answer him nor face him because I didn’t know what was “up.” Tony decided he had enough talking to my back so he came around to face me.
“Aiden bro, you got to talk to me right now. You are standing out here pacing and tweaking out right now and I am nervous, very nervous, because if you and the dark princess get into it here a lot of people could get hurt or worse.”
“I know Tony, I know, but honestly I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Tony stared at me and then his eyes got wider as I could tell he just had an epiphany. From his reaction I knew it was amusing as well as terrifying.
“Dude! You are hating on Brian! You like this girl! Or at the least you are attracted to her. Oh shit, dude, that’s crazy!”
“Huh? Tony, you are tripping right now. I don’t want her!”
“Dude, I’ve known you since the sandbox days and I know when you are jealous. Like that time my mom got me the PlayStation and your mom waited a full year before getting you one? Yeah, you were ‘jealy,’ my friend. You refused to even play with me on that thing until you got yours.”
“Dude whatever, I wasn’t jealous. I just didn’t feel like playing video games at the time.”
“You are a horrible liar, you’ve always been. You are attracted to Jasmine. It’s freaky and dangerous but I don’t blame you. That girl is off-the-charts beautiful and to see her prance in there with Brian, the little brother of your nemesis, is almost poetic justice.”
“Shut up! You don’t know what you are talking about Tony!” I snapped back.
“Dude, you can get angry all you want but the truth is the truth and you are attracted to Jasmine. That’s c
razy though because you guys are mortal enemies. Man, I tell you God has a sick sense of humor. The one girl that gets you all emotional and involved is the one girl you can’t have.”
“Whatever!”
“Hey, wait! Aiden you know you can’t have her, right? You and her dating would be bad, very bad, especially if she’s connected with the assholes that tried to murder you and your family. You ever heard the term ‘sleeping with the enemy’? Yeah, that would be it if you decided to date that girl. I wouldn’t even suggest you let anyone know how you see her because they could definitely use that against you.”
“Tony, I’m not even getting involved in their crusade!”
“Dude wake up, you are already involved. You took out not only one of their top guys but you took out his entire crew too! Oh trust me, you are involved. You may not want to organize with them but you are involved, so I would suggest you keep those feelings to yourself.”
“Tony, I already told you, I don’t want that girl! I’m just upset about what she did to Sar-”
“What? What she did to who?”
I had to catch myself because I was going to spill the beans right here about Sarah’s abilities. You see my point here? Teenage impulses causing you not to think before you speak.