Before I could say goodbye, my brother’s large tattooed body was out the door.
By the time I reached my locker, the bell was ringing for third period. I shoved a few books in and slammed the door. My mind was still whirling from my conversation with Hugo. Suddenly, arms circled my waist. Panic rushed through me. I spun, breaking the hold and threw myself against the locker.
Katie’s mouth gaped open in shock.
Where had that reaction come from?
‘Oh, hey,’ I said.
‘Man, you’re jumpy today,’ she said, recovering. ‘Can we try that again?’
‘Sorry about that.’ I returned her hug, chastised. ‘It’s been a weird morning.’
She tilted her head to the side, lips pursed thoughtfully. ‘How so?’
I started to tell her about Hugo and the guys, and then I remembered my promise to keep quiet. If the Romanys were as secretive as the Corsis, I doubted Katie had a clue about her Circe friend’s roots either. So I worked up a quick lie. ‘My brother’s just been stressed with stuff around the shop.’
Katie’s brows furrowed. ‘Well, I’m glad to see you’re okay. You looked awful last night.’
I hoisted my bag and made a face. ‘Please don’t talk about last night, Katie. I’m trying to erase all evidence of it from my memory as we speak.’
‘Must have been pretty embarrassing, huh?’ Her tone was sympathetic. ‘Josie said you hit your head pretty hard on the safety rail getting out of the car.’
I barely controlled my surprise. ‘She said that?’
Josephine probably didn’t want to scare her, I reasoned. Unless I imagined the whole thing. Suddenly, I wasn’t too sure of anything from the night before. Maybe I’d been suffering from feverish delusions. Or the flu.
Or I was just going nuts.
‘Don’t worry about it, Sebastian.’ Katie chirped, steering me into class. ‘It could’ve happened to anybody. Anyway, it was sweet of Quentin to take you home. He’s a really nice guy.’
‘Yeah,’ I replied. ‘Real nice.’
She peered up at me, studying my features under my hood. ‘You’re sure you don’t need to make a doctor’s appointment? You still look kind of…sick.’
Yup, definitely the flu.
‘I always look this way before class,’ I replied. ‘I’m allergic to math.’
The rest of the day was a blur until rehearsal. I shifted uncomfortably in the auditorium chair. There was no way I should’ve been in the play. Not Shakespeare. And definitely not a romantic comedy. But Josephine’s encouragement had stuck with me. Maybe I’d imagined that conversation on the Ferris wheel along with everything else, but I’d made up my mind to give this thing a try. Mitchell could laugh all he wanted.
I was going to act.
The auditorium door opened, and Josephine walked in, talking with another girl.
‘It’s so pretty,’ the girl was saying.
‘Thanks,’ Josephine replied, her fingers playing along her throat. ‘It was a really thoughtful gift, you know?’
My eyes flicked to the object in her hand. It was the pendant. The yellow dandelion shimmered brightly inside the glass. The symbol of the Outcast Gypsies. I remembered the way it glimmered when she’d shown it to me. The horrified look on her face. The whoosh of air from my lungs as I hit…
The room tilted, and I clung to the seat in front of me. I felt sick all over; hot and cold at the same time. I breathed heavily, willing myself not to pass out.
‘Whoa, easy man,’ Avery said, leaning away from me. ‘Please don’t tell me you’re going to barf.’
I shook my head, squeezing my eyes shut. Slowly, the feeling subsided to a dull, churning sensation in the pit of my stomach. ‘Danger contained,’ I said, offering a disarming smile. I mopped my brow with the back of my sleeve. ‘Note to self: Stay away from the corn dogs at lunch.’
Avery laughed so hard he launched his chewing gum.
By the time the room righted itself, Josephine was already in her seat. I wiped my face again. My body was picking the worst possible times to act up. But – sick or not – I had to go talk to her. I had to find out what really happened last night.
But I wasn’t going to get the chance. Not yet. Ms Lucian appeared in the aisle, toting a large notebook. She stopped at our row. Avery hid the wad of gum with his shoe.
‘I wasn’t expecting to see you today, Sebastian,’ she said. ‘I heard about last night. I won’t hold it against you if you miss this one rehearsal.’
She’d heard? As far as I knew, only three people had seen my accident. Everyone else just thought I’d been a klutz. Maybe that’s what she thought, too.
‘It’s nothing, really. Didn’t even leave a mark. But I’d like to stay, if you don’t mind, Ms Lucian. I don’t want to miss anything.’
‘Very well,’ she consented.
I smiled as she continued up the aisle, but I felt terrible. My insides were gnawing at me, and I was convinced someone switched on the heat in the auditorium. My wrist burned under the sleeve of my jacket. I rubbed it tenderly, wondering if I was allergic to the ink. Avery leaned against the armrest and nudged me from my thoughts.
‘Man, I can’t believe some of the people Lucian let in this play.’
‘Look,’ I said, ‘I never wanted to audition in the first place, so just give me a br…’
‘Not you,’ said Avery, cutting me off, amused. He pointed. ‘I meant him.’
Alex Graham lounged on the front row, his head in the lap of a girl who was wearing way too much make-up.
‘Oh,’ I said, bringing myself back to reality. ‘It’s funny, but I thought you had to, you know, actually attend school to participate in extra-curricular activities.’ Alex spent more time in suspension than anyone in the senior class. I sighed. ‘What’s he doing here?’
Avery snorted. ‘What do you think?’
I turned away, disgusted with the ensuing make-out scene between Alex and the girl. ‘Maybe Ms Lucian’s making him do the play as punishment.’
‘Some punishment,’ said Avery, his tone laced with sarcasm. He crossed his arms and slouched in the chair, clearly moping.
‘You’re actually jealous, aren’t you?’
‘Dude, he’s swapping spit with Candace Steinberg. Who wouldn’t be? In fact, I’d go congratulate him, if I didn’t hate his guts so much.’
‘Wow,’ I replied. ‘Classy.’
Ms Lucian held up her hand, bringing us to attention. ‘Congratulations are in order,’ she announced. ‘You beat out the competition. Now we’ve got a lot to do. This may be an abridged version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but we only have a couple of weeks, so there’s no time to waste. I want everyone on stage with a partner, one you don’t know very well.’
Avery leapt out of his chair with an excited whoop. Couples formed quickly, but I noticed Josephine lingering near the curtains, surprisingly partner-less. I hesitated, rubbing my aching shoulders. She hadn’t acknowledged me since arriving. What if she didn’t want to talk to me after last night? What if I’d freaked her out with my unintentional stunt?
Our eyes met suddenly. A strange expression flittered over her face, and her hand strayed to the pendant. It was only then that I became aware of the increasing pain in my wrist, as though I was holding it over an open flame. Josephine moved towards me. A vibe of electric current hummed through my body, steadily building as she came closer.
A shadow passed across my face, blocking Josephine from view. Alex Graham towered over me, his lips turned up in a foul smirk. I rolled my eyes. Seriously, what had I ever done to this guy to put me on his radar? I tried to step aside, but he pushed his hairy face into mine. His breath choked me. I wondered how Candace Steinberg could even stand being near him.
‘Didn’t you hear me, man?’ he sneered. ‘I said you’re too late.’
I blinked, confused. ‘Too late for what?’
Alex dug his fingers into my bicep. ‘Go find another partner. Josephine’s with me.’ He sh
oved me backwards with a laugh and turned to face her. ‘We don’t know each other very well,’ he said, leering obscenely. ‘So I’d say that makes us a perfect match.’
Josephine’s green eyes went wide.
His words rammed into my brain. Josephine’s with me.
Something inside me snapped. I whirled on Alex.
‘No, she’s not,’ I hissed.
Alex’s face registered surprise, then irritation.
‘Back off,’ he spat.
I scanned him quickly, noting his body mass, his posture. My brain locked it all into place, without me even trying. Before I could figure out what was happening to me, Alex took a swing.
I dodged the clumsily thrown punch. My upper lip curled as fury scorched through me like a forest fire. Heat burst through my shoulder blades. I sprang forward, a fistful of his shirt in my hand before I even knew I was moving. Then Alex was on his back, staring up at me in shock.
‘Sebastian!’
The voice was Josephine’s. A cold chill doused the current like water on a flame. It was then I realized I was crouched over Alex, my other hand poised to strike. I swallowed hard as I met Josephine’s gaze. She looked confused, and perhaps a bit horrified.
‘What are you doing?’ she whispered.
It was smothering quiet. The eyes of the entire cast, including Ms Lucian, were riveted on me. No one moved. No one spoke. My hand shook as I released Alex’s shirt. He scrambled up, his face crimson.
‘That’s enough!’ said Ms Lucian firmly. ‘Alex, to the principal’s office. Now.’
Alex glared at her. ‘Yeah, whatever. I’m done with this crap anyway.’ He jumped to the floor and shoved open the doors. They banged loudly behind him as he stormed out.
Ms Lucian dumped a pile of scripts on the stage. ‘Everyone, I want you to read the first scene of the play on your own.’ She turned to me. ‘And Sebastian, I want to see you in my office.’
Ms Lucian settled behind her desk. I stood in front of her, hands clenched to keep them from shaking. My head was pounding like the subs at a rock concert.
‘So,’ she said finally. Her expression remained pleasant, even amused. ‘Want to tell me what just happened?’
A wave of erratic emotions crashed over me. I felt the lingering burn of anger in my veins, the overwhelming desire to beat Alex Graham senseless. But it was nothing compared to the embarrassed shame that flooded my face and turned my palms sweaty. ‘I’m really sorry, Ms Lucian. I don’t know what got into me.’
‘Well, I’m sure Alex started it,’ she replied with an irritated sigh. ‘I didn’t want him in my cast, but I was told it would give him an incentive to attend school. After this, he can consider himself cut from the show.’ Ms Lucian propped her elbows on the desk. ‘But we’re not going to talk about Alex. We’re going to talk about you.’
I looked down. ‘Okay.’
‘I must say, I was surprised by your actions,’ she went on. ‘I’ve always thought of you as the quiet, easy-going type. Such aggression doesn’t seem like you at all.’
No, it definitely doesn’t.
‘I’ve just been feeling a little…off, lately.’
‘Is there something going on, Sebastian? Anything you’re having difficulty dealing with?’ Her gaze passed over my forehead – noting the gray scruffs of hair poking out of my hood – and then continued across my face. ‘Is there something that’s troubling you at home, or making you angry?’
Her questions caught me off guard. ‘I…I’m not sure.’
A slight hardness appeared in the corners of her eyes. ‘You don’t have to tell me, Sebastian. But you should talk to someone. Does Hugo know you’re not feeling well?’
My head jerked up. ‘You know my brother?’
She smiled at me; a weird smile. ‘We’re old friends.’ Ms Lucian studied my face carefully, as if she was reading a book. ‘And no, I’m not a Gypsy, if that’s what you’re wondering. I just happen to know a few.’
I stepped back, shocked. Even my drama teacher was in on the whole secret Gypsy society thing? It was like some bizarre movie plot. ‘How did you…I mean…’ I broke off, unsure of what to say.
‘I’ve lived in Sixes a while,’ she said. ‘But before that, I knew some Corsis, down in Savannah.’
‘But I thought Gypsies didn’t really reveal themselves to…’ My mind fumbled for the still unfamiliar word. ‘…gadje.’
‘That’s true. But once you’ve befriended a Gypsy, those rules can sometimes change.’ Ms Lucian pushed herself away from the desk and crossed the room. ‘But back to the matter at hand. I’m not going to turn you in for this incident, Sebastian. But you’re going to have to promise me one thing.’
‘What’s that?’
‘You need to tell Hugo what happened today.’
I groaned. ‘Can’t I just take a detention instead?’
She smiled slightly. ‘Sorry. Not an option.’
I hesitated. Telling Hugo I’d almost gotten into a fight was the last thing I wanted to do. But if Ms Lucian really was a friend of my brother’s, chances were, she’d tell him anyway. ‘Okay. I’ll talk to him.’
‘Good,’ Ms Lucian replied, opening the office door. ‘Now, let’s get on with rehearsal, shall we? But I’d like you to sit out for a few minutes, just until you’ve collected yourself.’
‘Thank you.’
I followed her out, feeling more dazed than anything. I collapsed into a chair in the back row while Ms Lucian divided the cast up into scenes and began rehearsal. It didn’t take long for the rest of my group to find me.
‘Hey, guys,’ I said, trying to be casual.
They didn’t buy it.
Mitchell stared at me as if I’d just yanked off all my clothes and streaked across the stage. ‘Dude, what was that?’
Avery beamed like a proud parent. ‘You almost had Alex soiling his pants, man!’
I remembered Alex’s face. I remembered the electrifying current. And I remembered the intense need to…
‘Josephine!’ I snapped, nearly jumping out of my seat. I frantically searched the auditorium until I saw her on the far side of the large room, reading over lines with a group of girls, mercifully oblivious to my latest outburst. ‘Is she all right?’
Katie seemed irritated. ‘You mean other than being freaked out by you?’ She shook her head at me. ‘What’s gotten into you? One minute you’re doing your little socially awkward thing, and the next, you look like you’re going to rearrange Alex’s face!’
I flinched. ‘I’m not sure what happened.’
‘Jeez, Sebastian,’ Katie reprimanded, ‘I don’t get you lately.’
Avery clapped me on the back. ‘Oh, don’t listen to her. It was awesome, man! I’d never seen that guy look so scared! I thought you were going to go all Animal Kingdom on him!’
‘I guess I should have skipped rehearsal today,’ I said, rubbing my forehead.
‘Maybe so, Sebastian,’ said Katie, her irritation fading. ‘You’re not acting like yourself.’
I couldn’t have agreed more.
9. Darkness and Light
I’d avoided Hugo most of the afternoon, trying to figure out what to say to him. He wasn’t going to be happy about my near incident with Alex. But I had to tell him – not just because I’d promised Ms Lucian, but because something was definitely going on with me – something a flu shot couldn’t fix.
I leaned against the counter, watching Vincent count up the money from the register, but my gaze kept shifting to my reflection in the small vanity mirror. My pewter hair accentuated the sallow tone of my skin and highlighted the hollowed places above my cheeks. Even my eyes seemed different, more grayish than their usual hazel. Katie was right. I did look sick. I turned the mirror away from me.
‘So how much longer am I stuck with this hair color?’
Vincent opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Hugo stormed into the waiting room from the hall. His eyes fixed on me.
‘I need you to go back
to the apartment, Sebastian.’
I looked up in surprise. ‘Excuse me?’
‘Go to the apartment,’ he repeated, his tone serious, even tense.
‘Why?’
‘We’re expecting visitors.’
Visitors? Since when did the Gypsy Ink ever have visitors? Friends, yes. Customers, definitely. But visitors? That strange, unbidden anger fluttered inside my stomach. ‘Are you having some dinner party you neglected to tell me about?’
‘No time,’ said Vincent, pointing to the window.
There was nothing out there; not a single car in the parking lot. Nothing but fog.
Fog.
‘Hugo,’ I began, feeling my neck prickle. ‘The other night, out by the dumpster…’
He shoved me towards the counter. ‘Hide,’ he commanded. ‘Now.’
The door of the shop swung open, and I ducked behind the counter. I clutched my abdomen as an icy sensation spread through my guts. It was the same thing I’d felt when I met Quentin Marks; the same coldness as when I’d seen the smoky mist behind the shop. Was it some kind of warning?
I knelt on the tiled floor and stared up at the Gypsy painting. I could see the reflection of the waiting room in the glass. Three figures hovered side by side, just inside the door. They were bundled as though they’d just stepped off a ski lift. Hats and scarves obscured their faces. Long jackets clung to their shoulders. The dark fabric swirled together in a mixture of hues that seemed to shimmer in the light.
Hugo positioned himself in front of the counter. ‘Can we help you?’
‘We’re here for our appointment,’ said the shortest figure. It was a female voice, smooth and deep. Somehow familiar.
‘Right this way,’ Vincent said steadily.
The tattoo artists retreated to their rooms, and the three figures followed as though they knew exactly where to go. Their movements were slow and heavy, yet graceful. As they passed the counter, the coldness twisted inside my belly. The air turned foul. I gagged and hastily covered my mouth, holding my breath until the figures disappeared down the hall. Every inch of my body was on edge and frozen.
Grey (The Romany Outcasts Series, Book 1) Page 9