Lies, Mistrust and Fairy Dust

by Xavier Neal

  Annoyed I keep an eye out the window, watching the driver's face that's floored in shock. “What do you want?”

  “I want you to come and work for me.”

  Immediately I deny the request. “I don't work for anyone. I work alone.”

  From the wall beside the balcony window I'm peering out, he mocks, “Oh yeah? And how's that working out for you?”

  Unhappy at the sight of the cops now pointing up to the window, I feel the pressure of this situation increasing when one speaks into a walkie talkie. “Damn it.”

  “Doesn't look good...”

  On a growl I ask, “Work for you doing what exactly?”

  “I need a con man of this world to help us blend in and get some business done. You my friend, are an artist with much to teach and room to continue to learn, but only if you join me...”

  “Join you in what?”

  His lips curl upward as he realizes he can have from me what he wants. I knew this shit would catch up to me one day, but I hoped it would be postmortem, and I’d have a page in a history book. Like a modern, classier Dillinger without the guns, or the crew, or the bank robberies.

  “Answers will be given.”

  “When?”

  “Later.”

  “How about now?”

  There's a sharp knock on the door. “Bruce Williams. It's the May County Police Department. We would like to have a word with you.”

  With another smirk he plays with his shirt collar. “Doesn't look like you have that kind of time.”

  They repeat, “Mr. Williams it would be in your best interest to open the door.”

  Best interest? Who do they think they're fooling?

  “Tick-tock,” the green shirt wearing jerk mocks.

  There's another knock before what I assume are keys fiddling with the locks. It should take them a minute since I convinced Evangeline to get those changed without her apartments’ approval. She's the Vice President's daughter. Might as well use that pull to our advantage.

  I stare into his bright green eyes that look even more full of con than mine. While I'm impressed, I'm not sure that's enough reason to buy into whatever it is he selling. Then again, what are my real options? Jail or trust this asshat that came out of nowhere? At least option two postpones the first one. Even if it's temporarily, it's better than nothing.

  With a wave of my hand I sigh, “After you....”

  My head jerks back and a wave of air rushes to my lungs. Struggling to fill my body with oxygen, almost as if I was just drowning, I take several deep breaths before attempting to talk.

  Once I'm settled and reassured that I'm back in my own reality I lock eyes with a concerned Justin. “Wow.”

  “First time with it is always the hardest.”

  “What exactly...what is this thing?”

  “A memory rock. You hold it in your hand, concentrate on the memory you wanna share, and it infuses itself into the stone.”

  “So anyone can do that trick with the rock?”

  “Yeah. But it's a one-time kind of thing. You can't relive it twice without me holding the rock again and putting the memory back in it.”

  “And you can do this with just any rock?”

  “Any of the stones that kiss Mermaid Island and the water.”

  “That's....amazing!”

  “It is.” His soft smile fades as he asks in an unsteady voice, “What’d you think?”

  “First of all it’s crazy that I could literally feel everything going on-”

  “You were literally living my memory as I lived it. My thoughts. My actions. My emotions.”

  “Yeah! It was...wild. You were so...focused. And dedicated. You were so impressive. It sucks though you had this elaborate escape plan only to conveniently come crashing down with Peter as the only other option. Oh my gosh! The feeling of your heart in your throat at the sound of the cops knocking on the door.”

  “It was scary, that's for sure. I had never been caught. Not even close. Part of me had always known the time would come, but not then. Not when I had been so damn careful with my final score.”

  “How exactly did they find out? How'd you slip up? Did you ever figure it out?”

  “Peter was the one who tipped them off.”

  I sharply gasp. “No!”

  “Turns out Peter is a little smarter than he acts. He'd been watching me from my last job. He studied everything I did as I seduced and casually stole from Evangeline. I was recorded with no clue it was happening. Peter knew when to contact the authorities to give them enough time to throw a rock in my getaway, but not haul me off immediately. He pin pointed the exact moment I would only have two real choices.”

  “Join him or join a jail cell.”

  Justin drapes his arm around my shoulder. “Exactly. I thought I had randomly been chosen. Peter’s was two steps ahead. He's always two steps ahead. Even when it came to deciding when to finally contact you.”

  “Really?”

  “To think this was a random idea or a random goose chase is to be fooled. An ancient African proverb says, ‘By the time the fool has learned the game, the players have dispersed’.”

  “And Peter was expecting me to be the fool.” I glance up to see him smile. “But I beat him at his own game.” Proudly I sigh, “I have a feeling that won’t be the only time.”

  In a soft whisper he agrees, “I have the same feeling.”

  With a large yawn, I close my eyes as Justin pushes my hair out of my face. He re-positions himself behind me once more, allowing my head to fall against his chest. Sweetly, he strokes the side of my face. Wow. I guess maybe I'm more exhausted than I thought I was.

  His voice instructs, “Sleep well, Peyton.”

  Caving to sleeps’ demand for my submission, I allow myself to drift off to the sound of the ocean and Justin’s soft humming. It's definitely a combination I'm glad I get to spend the rest of my life with.

  Chapter 7

  The sound of the ocean waves was soothing on my initial journey to sleep but somehow it has become the reason for my stirring. With my eyes still closed I listen to what sounds like splashing. Slightly shifting my body, I'm thankful for the feeling of still being in Justin's embrace. Before my mind has a chance to wonder if he got any rest, I hear the voice of someone else.

  “We didn’t know you could play the piano like that!” A female voice squeals with a giggle. How on earth did other chicks get on the beach with us? “That was amazing!”

  “Totally,” another voice, this one also female, but a little higher pitched, squeaks. “Why’d you keep it a secret?”

  He moves his arm and there's a universal, “Oh…”

  “Is that why Belle came to the stage and talked to you?”

  Justin strokes my arm gently. “Indeed.”

  “Is that her?”

  “It is,” he whispers.

  “So you two were on the beach to…” the end of the sentence seems lost, which steals my interest. A little curious if he'll confess that wasn't on his agenda or if he’ll lie to whoever it is to keep his reputation intact, I stay still with my eyes shut.

  “No,” he immediately answers. “We came to the Soul Cave.”

  There’s a large gasp, large enough that if I wasn’t still faking sleep would actually wake me up.

  “You didn’t,” a female voice whose tone is a lower octave than the other two, chimes in. “Tell us you didn’t.”

  Proudly he states, “I did.”

  “Wow! Justin Ryan actually gave his soul to a girl. Never thought I’d live to see the day,” the first voice speaks again.

  “Live to see it?” the higher pitched voice snaps. “I never thought it’d exist!”

  “Ladies,” he speaks a little firmer. “A little higher faith in me please.”

  “This from the same man who once said, and I quote, ‘Women are often like Chess pieces, waiting to be moved, desperate to be pawned, and always hoping to be the first to a check mate.’ That was you wasn’t it?” the
deepest voice recalls, her voice reminding me of a middle aged chronic smoker.

  “Mermaids really never forget anything do they?”

  The first word pops my eyes open. Mermaids?!

  A gasp escapes me as I admire three beautiful creatures lingering on the sands end, their elbows perched in the sand while their tails are splashing water around.

  “Looks like your wife is awake,” the furthest one on the left teases. She's the highest pitched voice. Quickly she gives me a three finger wave and giggles. I admire her bright orange hair that's lying on her shoulder, her orange fin not making nearly as many waves as the others, and the orange cloth wrapped around her chest keeping her boobs covered.

  Doing my best not to stare, I nervously look up at Justin who looks just as happy now to see me awake as he did before I went to sleep. He pushes the hair behind my ear, plants a soft kiss on my lips, and coos, “Good morning.”

  “Good morning,” I coo back biting the corner of my bottom lip still in disbelief that this is all real.

  “Good morning,” the three of them mockingly coo in unison.

  With a slight chuckle he clears his throat. Introducing them from left to right, he says, “Peyton, meet the Boyuat sisters. Nori, Lori, and Tori,”

  “Nice to meet you,” I meekly reply.

  “She’s cute,” Tori answers, shrugging her shoulder, so her long dark blue hair falls off of it. “I mean she’s no Stella Devay, but I can see the appeal.”

  Raising my eyebrows, I look up at Justin. “Who’s Stella Devay?”

  Justin huffs, “Must you always cause trouble?”

  She winks. “It’s what I do.”

  “Stella was the only other major girlfriend I've had in this world,” Justin says cautiously as if afraid it'll upset me. Come to think of it in a way it does. Not because I'm jealous he's had other girlfriends but the simple fact I know nothing about his past relationships. With the memory rock that was the first time aside from myself I had ever seen him really con a female. How can I be so in love with essentially a total stranger?

  The question falls out without much hesitation. “And why'd you break up?”

  “Couldn't put her first before work,” Nori's answer snatches my attention.

  “Couldn't stay faithful,” Lori's response moves it to her, finally admiring her purple features. Her hair is the longest. Her violet eyes are almost as captivating as her feisty attitude. It's like if Belle had fins instead of wings.

  “Wouldn't sign her Soul Wall...” Tori declares.

  Turning around I ask, “Which was it?”

  “All of it.”

  Surprised, but unsure of what to say, I leave my eyes stuck on his. He called her his girlfriend, but couldn't even stay faithful? How does that work? I mean we had that moment in Landlin when...and then I had a moment here when...You know what? It doesn't matter now. The past is in the past. He signed my soul and I signed his. Issue closed.

  Nori sighs, “I heard Stella was hooking up with Alex.”

  Lori follows, “I heard she was hooking up with Hook.”

  Proudly Tori corrects, “Funny thing is, I saw her and Peter going at it last night at the club as they slipped into the bathroom.”

  “Way to pick em,” Nori jokes causing Justin to shake his head.

  “Look, whichever of the scenarios is true, good for her.” Justin carelessly shrugs. “I've moved on. I hope she does too.”

  “When did you date Stella?”

  “When I first got to Neverland. A very very long time ago...” He tries to reassure. “We were together constantly and inseparable for a few months. It was fun and that's all I was looking for at the time. Times have changed.”

  Nori teases, “Have they?”

  He gives her a brief glare before looking back at me. “I've changed.”

  Tori wiggles her fin in the air. “Oh no, are we causing trouble in paradise.”

  Knowing they want a good show, hoping to rile me up, I give my hair a ruffle and sigh, “Nah. I've got my name on his wall. There's nothing to worry about.”

  Casually Justin stands to his feet before helping me to mine. “On that note, if you ladies will excuse us, we need to head back. We're heading out today.”

  Lori whines, “Already? You guys just got back.”

  “And we're just leaving. You know the drill Lori,” Justin says before he grabs the blanket we were resting on.

  The two of us are headed back to the jeep when they sigh in unison, “Bye Justin...”

  He glances over his shoulder and gives his hat a tip, which dismisses them from the sound of their splashes. Like a gentleman, he helps load me into the vehicle before climbing in himself.

  As soon as he starts the ignition I word vomit. “And which of the mermaids have you slept with?”

  Taken off guard, he drops his hands from the wheel and shoots his head at me. Why beat around the bush? I'm starting to see a very obvious pattern from the guy. Since I'm now his wife, or girlfriend or soul mate person thingy, I have a right to know.

  “None of them,” he corrects me with a stern look.

  Sarcastically I snap, “Right. And I was born yesterday.”

  “Look, I've had a little less than innocent fun with all three of them but none of us have ever taken it to that point. We all realized friendship would be better. Nothing to worry about.”

  “I know,” I hum while buckling my seat belt. “My name is written on your wall. I was just...curious.”

  Relieved he pulls off down the sandy path we came. “I don't go on and on about my past endeavors because they're just that. In the past. But, if you do have questions, you have every right to know and ask anything you want about them. Okay?”

  I nod and move my attention to the warm morning air that's lifting up my disheveled hair.

  After a small stretch of silence, Justin ponders, “So...do I have any ex-boyfriends to be concerned about?”

  My eyes glance over at Justin knowing he knows I didn't have friends when he met me let alone a boyfriend, so to ask me such a silly question, is well ridiculous. Plus we both know he could easily look into my past to find out how innocent my past really is.

  Knowing the anticipation is killing him, I cock a smirk that resembles one he would throw at me. “Nick?”

  His head tilts at me as he shifts gears. After a long sarcastic look he rolls his eyes, and let's one hand stroll over to fold with mine, almost as if paranoid my joke wasn't just that. Is it bad I like him a little jealous too?

  Justin drives back to Main Shore and surprisingly to the same little place Kendall took me to. I smile half heartrendingly. Noticing my reaction he clears his throat, and asks, “Hungry?”

  “A little,” I answer preparing to get out of the vehicle.

  He puts his hand up to stop me. “It's okay sweetheart. I'll just run in and grab you something. No need for you to get out. I imagine your feet aren't dying to put those heels back on.” I groan at the thought. With a light chuckle he question, “Want anything in particular?”

  “Um...how about a doughnut? Or something that resembles a doughnut. Oh! And croc's breath.”

  “Croc's breath? Really? Have you been here before?”

  “Kendall brought me.”

  Impressed, he pulls his wallet out and smirks. “He's got good taste.”

  Thankful he took the answer as well as he did, I grin in return. Justin strolls away while I watch the busy city that looks like it never sleeps. During my observing, I tap my fingers out on the outside of the jeep, smiling at passing couples. It's nice to be on this side of love again.

  “Enjoying your time here?” an irritatingly familiar voice asks from behind me.

  “I was...” I say, adjusting the side mirror to see Alex's reflection behind me. He gives me a wink and I let out a small gag. “What do you want Alex? Shouldn't you be keeping yourself occupied with Stella?”

  Alex leans over closer to me, his face directly beside mine. “And what do you think you know about St
ella?”

  “I know Lola might be jealous.”

  “Only because that's one more girl Justin has given himself to that isn't her.” I turn my head to face him. “And unlike my cousin, I have yet to see Stella naked among other things.”

  Swallowing my irritation, I find myself not feeling as threatened as I usually do. “What do you want?”