Accidental Ashes: or that time I found out I was a demon, and all my friends were vampires and werewolves (Xoe Meyers Young Adult Fantasy/Horror Series)
Page 14
“Just wake up?” I asked her.
She practically jumped out of her skin at my voice. She whipped around and saw that it was only me, and put her hand to her heart in relief. “You scared me to death honey,” she breathed, then scrunched up her face in confusion.
“Are you feeling . . . okay?” I asked hesitantly.
She nodded and slumped down to sit on her bed. “It’s the weirdest thing,” she explained. “I can’t remember yesterday at all, or the night before really. The last thing I remember was having cookies and cinnamon rolls with you and your friends.”
Thanks a lot dad. “Um, did you hit your head or something?” I asked.
She cocked her head while she tried to come up with an answer. “I don’t remember hitting it, but then again, if that’s what made me lose my memory, I probably wouldn’t remember it. I do have a killer headache.”
“Do you want to go to the hospital?” I asked, keeping my fingers crossed that the answer would be no. There was no telling what they might find.
She shook her head, then answered, “I think I’m okay. I mean, besides the headache, my head isn’t actually sore anywhere. If I had hit it hard enough to do any real damage, I’m sure there’d be a lump.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, “I’m sure you’re fine.” If she had actually hit her head, I would have insisted she go to the hospital, but, well, you know. Before my mom could think too much about things, I changed the subject. “Happy Christmas Eve,” I said as if it was a question.
My mom smacked her palm to her forehead. “I completely forgot! Happy Christmas Eve Xoe. We better get cooking.”
I sighed sarcastically. “If we must.”
We always cooked Christmas Eve dinner in our pajamas, then showered and changed clothes before whoever we invited arrived. I raised my eyebrows at my mom’s purple polo and jeans. “You’re not in your pj’s,” I remarked.
She looked down as if just realizing her attire. “Oh!” she gasped. “I must have really been out of it last night.”
I raised my eyebrow even farther and tapped my foot in mock impatience.
My mom rolled her eyes at me. “You start the coffee, I’ll get changed.”
I nodded and left my mom’s room. I heard someone knocking as I began to descend the stairs, so I hurried the rest of the way, and even leapt over the last three stairs. I was feeling good-as-new. Let’s hear it for being a demon!
I reached the door and looked out the peephole (I knew better than to just answer it anymore). Jason was waiting outside with a little cardboard carrying thing containing three coffees and a bag that I sincerely hoped contained Danishes.
I opened the door and took in our breakfast delivery man. He was dressed in a horrible Christmas sweater complete with snowmen and little laughing elves and a crisp new pair of jeans.
“I’ll take the coffee,” I began, “but I don’t think I can allow that sweater in my house.”
“Have a little Christmas spirit,” he jested. “I come bearing Danishes.”
“Well in that case,” I swung the door open dramatically, “welcome to my humble abode.”
He gave me a good-natured smirk. “You are too kind.”
We both turned to see my mom coming down the stairs in full-blown footie pajamas done in blue and covered in snowflakes. It was a very sad day when I was the best dressed in green sweats and my old, ratty Bauhaus t-shirt.
“You better turn around now Jason,” my mom called after she spotted us. “The day when Xoe and I cook is a very, scary, day.”
“Don’t scare him mom!” I shouted back. “He comes bearing sustenance!”
My mom came to stand before Jason. “In that case welcome, how are you at prepping turkeys?”
Jason sighed in resignation and handed me the coffee and Danishes. He slid one of the coffees out of the holder and disappeared into the kitchen. I smiled to myself, boys will do anything.
“Is Allison coming?” my mom asked as soon as we were alone.
Lucy’s family required her to be home on Christmas Eve, but Allison always came to our dinners. “Yep,” I answered. “Oh, and Chase.”
My mom nodded. “What about Brian? I know you two aren’t too close anymore.”
Speaking of Brian, I still had that Christmas gift for him. He’d gone home after our reunion at Jason’s apartment. I had to assume that he was even less inclined to talk to me now than ever. “I’ll tell you in a minute,” I answered, then turned to run back upstairs.
I went into my room to dig Brian’s jersey out of my closet. I hadn’t had a chance to wrap anything, but since he probably didn’t want a gift from me to begin with, I doubted he’d care whether or not it was wrapped.
I trotted back downstairs with the jersey in hand, stopping to slip on some winter boots before heading out the front door. I looked down at the jersey as I trotted towards Brian’s house, then skidded to a halt, almost running into Brian as he jogged towards me.
We stared at each other a moment, then I held out the jersey. He took the jersey with one hand and stuck the other one into his pocket. When his hand came back out something shiny came with it. He held out a dainty silver bracelet with a heart charm attached to the clasp. Upon closer examination I noticed that the charm had my name engraved on it.
I hesitantly took the bracelet from his outstretched hand. “Since when do you get me jewelry?” I asked with a smile.
Brian looked down at the ground as he answered. “Since everything changed.”
My smile wilted around the edges. I wasn’t sure where he was going with this. I waited in silence for him to elaborate.
“I’m going to try harder to be your friend Xoe,” he said finally meeting my eyes. “I abandoned you because I couldn’t handle the . . . changes in your life, when I should have been there to help you handle them.”
A glimmer of hope surfaced in my mind. Too bad I had to squash it. “Being my friend puts you in danger Brian. You have to think carefully about this choice. I’ll understand if you say we can’t be friends. I just need closure one way or the other.”
Brian’s brow furrowed into angry lines. “We’re friends Xoe. End of story. I may not be able to handle everything all at once, but we’re both going to work on this friendship if it kills us.”
“It very well may,” I mumbled.
Brian sighed. “Shut up and invite me inside.”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “Are you sure? You risk great peril.”
Brian grinned. “I’ve eaten your cooking before Xoe.”
I playfully punched Brian in the arm, then turned to walk back up my driveway. As we reached my door, I noticed a small burgundy box with an understated gold bow tied around it. Brian stooped to pick it up. He turned it over in his palm, then handed it to me with a shrug. “No name on it.”
I took the offered box and walked to sit down on my front porch swing. “Go on inside,” I told Brian. “Make sure my mom doesn’t burn down the house.
Brian gave me a final considering look, then let himself into my house. I stared at the box for several minutes before finally untying the delicate gold bow. I removed the lid to reveal a somewhat gaudy ring and a folded piece of stationary. I slipped the ring onto my index finger then unfolded the note. It read simply:
This ring is a family heirloom. Its origins are unknown, as are its magical properties. Have a merry Christmas, and give Libby my best.
-A
Well, the A had to stand for Alexondre. I placed the note back inside the box and examined the ring more closely. It was composed of a brownish red gemstone the size of my thumbnail set in delicate, spiraling silver designs that twisted to form the band of the ring. As I watched, a flare of light emanated from the center of the stone. I blinked my eyes in astonishment then looked at the stone again. As far as I could tell it was an ordinary stone once more. I’d have to ask my dad about it at our first official lesson. I gathered up the box and ribbon and headed into the warmth of my house.
Over the next few hours I helpe
d my mom bake and mash and baste while Jason and Brian tried to be cordial over a game of chess. By the time Lucy, Max, and Allison showed up, my mom and I had both showered, and the boys had managed to set the table with mismatched plates and silverware.
I was beginning to think that Chase would be a no-show when the doorbell rang. I answered the door to find him standing in a deep red button up shirt and charcoal gray slacks.
I raised an eyebrow at him. “You know this is a casual event, right?”
Chase shrugged. “I’ve never been to a Christmas dinner before.”
My jaw dropped. “Never?”
Chase shrugged again, seeming embarrassed. I tried to usher him inside as a change of subject, but instead he grabbed my hand and led me out onto the porch, closing the door behind us.
“I wasn’t sure if I should get you anything . . . ” he began as he fished around in his pocket to pull out a small gray box. He handed me the box, then watch expectantly for me to open it.
I cracked the lid to find a charm in the shape of a curling serpent, with tiny green gems for eyes. “Gee,” I began, “I go my whole life without anyone buying me jewelry, then I get it all in one day.”
“If you don’t like it . . . ” Chase began.
“Oh no,” I cut him off. “It’s perfect.” I held up my wrist with Brian’s bracelet, and twisted the loop of the charm onto the clasp with the heart on it.
Chase smiled and met my eyes and the moment suddenly became way too intimate. I blushed and grabbed his arm to usher him inside. As we came through the front door we ran into Jason, apparently coming to check on me. Chase relinquished my arm and the three of us walked awkwardly to join everyone else at the table.
The dinner was interesting, to say the least. The mashed potatoes closely resembled soup, and the candied yams probably weren’t supposed to be tinged with gray, but at least the turkey came out perfectly. That was probably because Jason cooked it, but no one needed to know that little fact.
We all served ourselves, and much to my chagrin everyone avoided the yams. Out of spite I stood and grabbed the bowl, the proceeded to pile a heaping spoonful onto everyone’s plates. Lucy was the first trooper to place a dainty bite into her mouth. We all waited while she started to chew, then laughed as she ran into the kitchen to spit the bite back out.
All seemed well again in the Meyer’s household and we finished dinner and watched old clay-mation Christmas movies together. By midnight everyone had passed out except for Jason and me. Allison and Max fell asleep holding hands. Who saw that one coming?
Jason and I crept upstairs to my room where we snuggled up with my comforter wrapped around us. I reached over the end of the bed and pulled out the books I got Jason. I hadn’t got around to wrapping them, but figured Jason wouldn’t really mind. He accepted the books with what I hoped wasn’t fake enthusiasm.
He stood up and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead. “I’ll be right back, your gift is in my car.”
With a blur of motion he hopped out of my window. I was left to wait alone on my bed and reflect. When the year had started I led a normal life. Now I had a boyfriend, a dad, a werewolf pack, and Chase. I wasn’t too keen on investigating what I meant to Chase. Ignore it and it would go away? Doubtful, very doubtful. The more disturbing question was whether I really wanted him to go away.
Jason interrupted my thoughts as he popped back into my room through my window. He handed me a rectangular box wrapped in bright, reindeer covered wrapping paper with a big red bow on it.
“Tell me it’s not jewelry,” I said sarcastically.
Not understanding my humor Jason cocked his head in confusion.
I shook my head. “Nevermind.”
I tore open the wrapping paper and let it fall to the floor to reveal a box with a pretty laptop computer on it. I shook the box by my ear. “Is it . . . shoes?”
“No,” Jason laughed.
“A puppy?” I questioned.
Jason grinned and took the box from me so he could open it and pull the computer out of it. He set it on my lap for me to examine. I looked up at my ancient hand-me-down desktop computer, then back at my laptop. I smiled. “I knew I should have bought you something better than books.”
Chapter Seventeen
The next day was the least eventful day I’d had all week. Able had shown up personally to apologize for not reaching Shelby in time to help. He wished me a merry Christmas, then left with a knowing smile and a ‘see you soon.’
School would start up again soon, along with my how to be a demon lessons. Even more daunting was the looming coalition meeting. I still didn’t know how I was going to convince my mom to let me go.
All of those worries were for another day. Just for Christmas, I ignored all of my worries. I went sledding and watched more Christmas movies with my mom and Jason. I was somehow happy with my new strange life. And that was worrisome enough.