by K. Manna
No way! You gotta be shittin’ me.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Gage, my own stupid-ass brother, stood with his body touching Onnika—SUCKING FACE! They were leaning against the back wall of the bathrooms, hands all over each other, making out.
“And you said to ignore her,” I whispered with irritation.
Lottie shrugged, making no comment.
“Really, Gage?” The words shot out of my mouth. “What is wrong with you? Her? Really?” My self-control had left the building.
Gage swiftly unlocked his lips from Onnika’s and turned in my direction. Onnika simply stared back at Lottie and me, smiling.
That little slut! She had heard us coming. She knew we were there, but she didn’t care.
“She is nasty, and now you’re nasty, too. I can’t believe you!” I screamed at Gage.
“Yeah!” Lottie agreed loudly, which was all she could think to say during that uncomfortable moment.
Gage wiped his slobbery mouth with the back of his hand. “Oh, come on. This is nothing.”
It might be his stupid life and all, but my brother totally disgusts me. And Onnika disgusts me. The whole frickin’ scene disgusts me.
“Hurry up and go to the bathroom, Lottie. I don’t wanna be around them,” I demanded.
Back at the fire, I did my damnedest to distract myself and not think about what we had just witnessed. Ricky had stopped with the scary stories, and everyone was taking turns telling jokes and funny stories.
Just what I need right now: a good laugh.
We were laughing so hard that I actually cried. This had been the perfect distraction to improve my mood. It also helped not seeing Gage’s and Onnika’s faces since they hadn’t come back to the firepit yet. Lottie sat on the ground in front of me again when Cole came and sat down next to her. The two of them did what they did best: talk. I also caught a tiny bit of flirtation between the two of them.
Too cute.
Anton started to tell a funny story, all eyes and ears on him, when a loud, painful scream pierced our ears.
“What the hell was that?” Max asked, wide-eyed.
At the same time, Anton and Lottie said, “It’s Onnika.”
More screams echoed through the air, coming from the ocean.
Lottie and Anton stood up and started toward the ocean. Then Gage burst into the group.
“Hurry, Onnika needs help! We were walking in the shallow water when a big wave came in, and then all of a sudden she started screaming hysterically and grabbing at her leg,” Gage explained nervously.
The entire crowd followed Gage, as best we could. We were all trying to keep up with his tremendous speed, but Ricky and Elise were right at his heels. We found Onnika, screaming and lying in the sand a few feet away from the water. Tears were streaming down her face. “Somebody help me!” Onnika cried. “Please!” She was looking at Bree, Indee, and me.
I looked down at her leg where huge red blotches and swirls of raised swollen skin covered her ankle and most of her calf. Pale, string-like welts marked the very center of the wound on her calf, with chunks of open skin streaming blood.
“A jellyfish must have stung her,” Max said, pulling to unbutton his pants. “I heard you should pee on it.”
Onnika screamed, “You are not peeing on me! Nobody is! Please, somebody help me!”
I know I should help her, but I hate her. She disgusts me.
Bree looked at me and slowly started toward Onnika’s leg, but Indee moved in quicker.
“Ahh, don’t touch it!” Onnika screamed.
Indee backed away anxiously. “I have to if you want me to help you.”
“No you don’t, Indee. Remember what we did at practice? You can still heal without touching; it just takes more energy,” I reminded him.
Indee wiped his hand across his sweaty forehead. “Oh yeah, you’re right. I’m not thinking straight.” He took a big breath in and blew it out. “Okay, here goes—”
Onnika cut him off. “Hurry! Just do it. It hurts so bad.” More tears soaked her face, and her teeth had begun to chatter.
Indee held both of his hands over Onnika’s injured leg. But when his hands came close to her skin, Onnika jerked away out of fear that he would touch her. Indee tried his best to stay calm and cool under pressure. Again, he brought his hands close to her swollen leg. Eyes closed, relaxing his scrunched forehead, he began to hum and circle his head and shoulders. Everyone looked at him strangely. As time passed, a clearish liquid began to ooze from the pale, raised swirls of skin on Onnika’s leg, dribbling down onto the wet sand.
“Ow!” Onnika screamed, clenching clumps of sand in her hands.
Indee raised his hand a little higher to show the healing had begun. Very slowly, the bright-red outline of the wound began to fade inward, becoming smaller and smaller. The swelling went down, and the open patches of skin healed together. Everyone pressed tightly against each other, bending down for a better view. I heard them say, “OMG,” “Holy shit!” “Wow, I can’t believe it!” The whole sight was absolutely amazing.
When the wound was fully healed, Indee fell back on the sand. He looked as exhausted from the whole ordeal as Onnika did. Hands patted Indee’s shoulders and gave high-fives to congratulate him on doing such an incredible job. He deserved every bit of it with the way he had handled Onnika. In a way I felt guilty for not stepping up and helping the wounded, but how could I with all the crap she had said and done? Onnika was truly one hundred percent snot that needed to be wiped up with a tissue and tossed in the trash. All of the other girls here would surely agree, except for Elise; naive, softhearted Elise.
Onnika crawled over to Indee and gave him a hug. “Thanks, Indee.” Then she whispered into his ear.
Lottie leaned toward me and whispered, “Onnika just told him that she hopes he wins for best healer for the Royals Rise, and that he is the only one worthy of it.”
I rolled my eyes.
That snot never fails to have something rude to say.
I no longer felt guilty for not helping her because she deserved every single and last second of pain.
She had it coming. Karma’s a bitch.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
TRADING PLACES
It was a dreary day, not that I could notice through the thick canopy of pines. It was colder than usual, and the ground was wet with dew that seemed to find its way into my shoes despite my best efforts to keep them dry. To make matters worse, a thick fog crept in and hung about where the land dipped and sagged. It was an odd sensation to walk through. I could make out individual patches of fog that looked so soft and fluffy, like I could just wrap myself up in them and sleep. But you could never actually get near them. You’d get to the spot where the inviting fog had been, and it wouldn’t be any foggier than where you had just been.
I was alone but hadn’t really noticed until I was deep enough in the forest to start thinking about things watching me through the trees and fog. I’m sure the boys would have loved to know how their pranks continued to make me uncomfortable. It was a good thing I was wearing my hoodie; not only did it keep me warm, but I felt safer hidden under its protection. I pulled the hood low over my head and the sleeves down to cover my hands. My arms wrapped around my body in a great bear hug.
The next thing I knew, I was flying forward, tripping over a stupid rock. Stumbling, I caught my balance, shakily mumbling to myself, “I hate when that happens. Thankfully no one is around to notice.”
I continued to walk—where, I didn’t know—with my head down, still shivering. A loud swooshing sound started in the distance, startling me and causing the wind to pick up so strongly that I could no longer walk in a straight line. My legs were being pushed in one direction and then another. My hood was flapping uncontrollably in the crazy windstorm that had begun so suddenly. Clenching my hood over my head, I looke
d up.
“Holy crap!”
The largest owl I’d ever seen flew high in the sky, looking like it had eyes only for me. Its gigantic golden eyes were looking right into my own.
Oh no, I’m its next meal!
I booked my tushy as fast as I could through the stiff grass, weaving around trees in hopes that this would make it more difficult for the owl to spot me. The monstrous owl made it quite a challenge, though, and didn’t seem the least bit concerned by my attempts to outrun it. A new tactic was called for: hide. I came upon a large shoe-shaped rock and crouched down behind it, hoping that the owl would pass over and lose sight of me. My heart beat in my chest so loud that I was afraid the bird would hear it and come back for me. My heavy breathing wasn’t doing my hiding efforts any favors, either. After what seemed like an eternity, I peered around the corner to confirm that the owl was gone.
Did I lose it? Please tell me I did.
I slowly began to crawl away from the rock and …
WHOOSH!
“Aw, OMFG!” I screamed frantically.
He wasn’t gone, not by a longshot! The creep had been waiting for me. He grasped the back of my sweatshirt with his talons and flew higher and higher until I could see the entire island and the endless sea beyond. The weird thing was that I could see every last detail of the land below. From that height, everything should’ve looked small, but instead it was like looking through binoculars—I could see like a freakin’ eagle! That was when I realized that the owl did not think of me as its next meal. Apart from the fact that he hadn’t dropped me yet, somehow I just knew I was okay. With my neck cocked back at an odd angle, I looked into those giant golden eyes, my reflection looking back at me. His eyes spoke to me. He wanted to show me something.
We flew over the long stretch of deep-blue water. The mainland of Alacor became closer with every flap of the owl’s wings. My body dangled from its claws so freakin’ high in the sky. Then we flew over the mainland: homes, office buildings, cars, and people. So many people.
What is going on here? Why are there so many people gathering?
My eyes focused in on the crowd, which was pushing and shoving, but nothing looked of much importance. It didn’t make sense. There was no stage, no carnival, no obvious signs of danger, no reason for the people to be there, and yet it was obviously what I was meant to see. I scanned the crowd again, this time paying closer attention to the faces in the crowd. Then I spotted them: the Zyon and Eli. The two of them stood together closely, talking.
I looked back up into the owl’s eyes. “But why? What does this mean?”
The owl stared back at me as if I should already know. Turning my head, I found the Zyon and Eli again, still talking. Seeing the two of them together made me more than a bit nervous. The flash of cameras bathed the two in glorious white light as Eli reached out to shake the Zyon’s hand. They smiled and posed for the paparazzi before turning to leave in opposite directions.
What were they saying to each other? Were they talking about me? And their gorgeous smiles. Whom are they smiling for if they don’t see me?
They were not smiling at or for me, but without me. Then I noticed two people in the crowd that I did not expect or want to see.
My voice came out in a whisper. “Onnika and Brook. Ugh, it can’t be. Owl, please just drop me now.”
With my eyes still closed, I rolled my eyeballs back and forth and yawned. Sunlight glowed brightly through my eyelids, waking me.
Dammit, Lottie, just because you get up earlier than me doesn’t mean you have to open the stupid curtains. That is so flippin’ annoying.
I so badly wanted to stay in bed and sleep in, even if it was for just one day. Why did we have to wake up at the butt crack of dawn every day to eat and practice? I thought this would be a vacation. There hadn’t been one day, not one, where we could sleep in as late as we wanted to, not even Saturdays and Sundays.
Oh, quit your complaining, Margo. You have so much to do in this lifetime. When we are all dead, we will have plenty of time to sleep, remember?
That’s how my dad would put it when I would pull my covers over my head and complain that I didn’t want to get up for school in the morning.
Lottie’s voice sang out, “Rise and shine. I know you’re awake, Go-Go. I see your eyes moving back and forth like they usually do when you’re talking yourself into getting outta bed.”
I didn’t move.
Maybe she will give up and go away.
“Oh really, do you think I’m that stupid? You’re not fooling me. I know you’re awake.” Lottie plopped down on the bed beside me. “I’m looking right at you, Go-Go, right at your big noggin. If you can hear me, then you better not smile. Are you … ? Is that a … ? Did I just see … ?”
I tried my hardest to think of something other than smiling, but I couldn’t.
Think of something boring, like homework, going to the dentist, anything but smiling. Don’t even think of the word. Ugh, dammit!
Nothing, no other thought seemed to work. My lips started to quiver then stiffen, and then …
BAM!
I lost the battle and a big fat smile stretched across my face.
Lottie laughed. “Ha! See, I knew it. I know you better than you think, you little dork. You can’t fool this sista.”
I opened my eyes, finally. “Blah, blah, blah. You got me. There’s a first time for everything.” I yawned and stretched my arms over my head. “What day is it? The time is flying by so fast, I’m losing it.”
“Thursday. Just think, in a few days it will be the big day. The Royals Rise. I can’t believe it.” Lottie smiled then. “Thankfully, I’m doing better. At least now I think that I actually have a shot.”
I sat up in my bed. “I always knew you had it in you. You’re the one who had to prove it to yourself.” I turned to one side, cracking my back. “In my group, it’s anybody’s game.” I turned to crack the other side. “I try not to think about it because if I do, I will end up obsessing over it and making it harder for myself.”
The real reason I hadn’t been obsessing over the Royals Rise was because I was too busy obsessing about other things, other people, or should I say another person in particular: the Zyon. I couldn’t stop thinking about him, and I still hadn’t seen him since Sunday.
Will I ever see him again, in person, alone?
Sure, I could see him on the Z-Screen, but that wasn’t enough. People were still screaming, fainting, and falling at his feet. Sadly, the people in town saw him, but not me.
Lottie waved her hand in front of my eyes. “Earth to Go-Go, are you in there? Let’s stop talking about the Royals Rise because I see you’re thinking about it now.”
Ugh, if she only knew. She thinks I’m dazed over that. Clearly, she doesn’t have a clue, but that’s good, I guess.
I still couldn’t bring myself to tell her about my growing feelings for the Zyon. I had never even told her about Eli, and that was in the past. My feelings for the Zyon were definitely stronger than those that I had felt for Eli.
Lottie tugged on my hair. “Okay, that’s enough thinking. Hurry up and get ready. I’m almost ready to go.”
“Woman, you’re always rushing me,” I complained, rolling out of bed.
“Well, you’re the slowest person ever, and I’m hungry,” Lottie said with a teasing smile.
I walked past Lottie and flicked her head with my finger. “Whatever. You suck.”
“You suck!” Lottie yelled, pinching my arm.
“Ow! That really hurt, you punk,” I complained as I rubbed my newly acquired bruise.
Lottie laughed again. “Then don’t be saying I suck. Besides, if anyone sucks here, it’s you. You suck at pretending you’re sleeping. It only took a few seconds for you to crack.”
I stuck my tongue out at her.
In many ways, she’s ri
ght about me.
“Oh, you guys again?” Indee asked, looking at Sasha, Cole, and Jeremiah.
“Yup, it’s my turn to do the torturing today. I lost a stupid bet to Sasha, and this was the deal,” Cole admitted.
Indee shook his head. “This can’t be good.” Indee looked at me with concern in his eyes.
I shrugged my shoulders and asked, “What about your instructor? Doesn’t she mind?”
“Nah, she’s pretty cool. Eugene talked with her about everything, and she doesn’t mind us having practice in the afternoon instead,” Sasha explained.
Bree ran up and joined us. “What’s with all of you coming out here again? Shouldn’t you be at your own practice?”
“Nope, inflicting pain is much more exciting.” Cole smiled.
Bree rolled her eyes, looking at Sasha. “Whatever. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming out again?”
“Because I didn’t feel like it. Besides, don’t you like surprises?” Sasha asked.
“Uh, I think we have all had our fill of those. Wouldn’t you agree?” Bree asked, looking from Indee to me. We nodded in agreement.
Yes, we have had our fill of painful surprises, but I’m still waiting for more surprises to come from the Zyon. Any surprise from him would be worth waiting for. I hope he has more surprises up his sleeve for me, and who cares how small they are. They could be anything, but I need some kind of sign, any reassurance that he is “about me” because I am so “about him.”
Instead of the three muscle monsters sitting idle, waiting for us to finish our meditation and energy work, Eugene decided to include them. Even though my eyes were closed, I could tell that they felt silly practicing our strange exercises. Eugene had explained to them that meditation was beneficial for everyone, not only those who could heal, and that it calmed the mind and helped to circulate energy throughout the whole body.
Sasha tried humming along with Indee but kept laughing, obviously because of Indee and his strange ways. Eugene had to shush Sasha’s laughter, and then he shushed Cole, too. Cole asked too many questions and wouldn’t keep his mouth shut for more than a few seconds. Jeremiah sat quietly, barely making a peep. He seemed interested in what we were working on, trying to follow along. A few times, when I couldn’t help myself and peeked, I would catch him grinning from ear to ear.