Rebel Without a Clue

by Cathy Gaitan

  It never really bothered me before but for some reason this week it’s all I think about. Maybe because Mercy and Pink are so happy right now. Or maybe seeing them just made me realize how lacking my own relationship is.

  He uses you. The thought comes to me and I can’t shake it because it’s true. He takes what he wants from me then ignores me until the next thing comes up. Part of me says that’s not true but I ignore it.

  I can’t allow this to go on. Either Titus gives me what I need or I move on. I am not the kind of woman to wait patiently for a man to realize my worth. If he doesn’t want to give me my due, he can find someone with lower standards.

  Somewhere in the back of my mind there’s a voice saying this is all nonsense. He loves me. He respects me. He always has my back. That voice is so faint though. I can barely hear it. It doesn’t stand a chance against the louder voice telling me Titus is a waste of my time.

  I look in the mirror and arrange my hair in a chignon. I wonder why I’ve never worn it this way before. I don’t normally pay much attention to my make-up but today I really want to look good. I make sure the purple strands are arranged as attractively as possible. I put on a red lipstick. I bought it on impulse yesterday. It’s not at all like me but for some reason I feel the need to change. I’m not wearing camouflage today. I’m actually wearing a dress which I purchased along with the lipstick. I spritz on some perfume. When I remember Titus’ words I dab on a little more. The perfume is not for him anyway. I’m raising my sights higher. Wait, what? Who else would it be for?

  I leave the house with every intention of going to the training facility. It’s my routine. That’s what I do. And I never deviate from routine. Discipline is crucial if you want to achieve results. I don’t end up at the training facility though. For some reason I turn left instead of right and end up at Zephyr Ozgood’s house. I had no advance intention of seeing him but when I arrive there for some reason I’m not at all surprised.

  I check my reflection before I exit the car to make sure my hair is in place and my make-up isn’t smeared. All is well. I don’t know why I care how I look to Oz. Hell, I don’t know why I’m here to see Oz in the first place.

  I straighten my dress as I approach the door then smooth my hair before ringing the doorbell. To be honest I’m not really happy with myself right now. I’m not behaving like myself and I am not okay with it. I just can’t seem to do anything about it at the moment. It’s almost as though my body has a mind of its own.

  Oz opens the door and his eyes widen when he sees the way I’m dressed. He looks toward the car as though expecting to see Titus. “Julia. What are you doing here?”

  When he doesn’t make a move to let me in I take the initiative and slide past him into the house. “I just wanted to see what you were up to,” I tell him as I take a seat on his couch.

  “Uh, okay. I was just working on a couple of spells.” He seems reluctant to discuss it. “Where is Titus,” he asks. He’s nervous for some reason.

  I smile and lean back against the cushions crossing my legs. “Who cares?” I pat the seat beside me. “Why don’t you sit over here.” Why am I acting like this?

  He tucks his hands under his arms and shakes his head vigorously. “Nope. I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Oz’s eyes are a little wild. It would be funny if I wasn’t so freaked out inside.

  I agree that it’s not a good idea and yet I say, “Don’t worry. What Titus doesn’t know can’t hurt him.” Everything inside me cringes. Outwardly though, I don’t see a thing wrong with it. I think I’m in serious trouble right now.

  Oz looks like he’s ready to run from his own house. “Did you and Titus have a fight or something?”

  I roll my eyes. “Why are we wasting time talking about him?” What is wrong with me?

  “He’s your boyfriend,” his voice is high and shrill. “I thought Mercy was the crazy Zombie.”

  I snort out a laugh. “Are you a Warlock or a boy scout?” Outwardly I’m annoyed with the way he’s brushing me off. Inwardly I’m hoping he keeps it up.

  “What’s up with you? Why are you acting like this?” He cuts right to the chase. Good question. I only wish I had an answer for him.

  “Look, Titus and I are just about played out. We don’t see things the same way,” I lie. I could never find anyone better suited for me than Titus. This Warlock doesn’t even come close. “A Queen needs a King. Do you really think Titus has it in him to be that?”

  Oz takes a moment to think about it seriously. Finally, he nods. “Of the Zombies? Yes. From what I’ve seen of all of you he fits the bill perfectly.” He doesn’t seem to have any doubt. Inner me breathes a sigh of relief. “I’m beginning to think crazy is a requirement for the job,” he mumbles beneath his breath.

  I ignore that last comment after all I can’t really argue the point. Just between me and you, I’m feeling a little insane right now. “Well then it’s a good thing you don’t get to decide this for me,” I tell him standing and moving toward him. Great. What now? Oz backs up but I keep moving until he’s up against the wall and I’m pressed against him. “And I choose a magic man.” What the hell am I thinking?

  When I slide my hands up his chest Oz grabs hold of my wrists. “I can’t fault your taste but this is wrong. So wrong,” he mutters pushing me away from him. Little sparks crackle between us and he frowns at me. With narrowed eyes he looks me over again.

  All of a sudden Oz reaches forward and stabs his forefinger into my temple. I feel white hot pain slice through my head and without conscious thought I defend myself in a way I didn’t even know I could. I send a literal bolt of lightning through his ribs. It scorches a hole into his side and he shouts in pain releasing his own hold on my mind.

  Now those lightning bolts are falling like rain. The fury I feel is mine but not. It’s coming from inside me but it belongs to someone else. I know this.

  Luckily for Oz he’s got mad defensive skills. There’s a neon glow around him. A not so invisible shield that has those bolts bouncing off and ricocheting back to me. I guess my skills aren’t so shabby because the lightning falls harmlessly to the floor burning the wooden planks until we’re surrounded by flames.

  “I should have recognized you sooner. I must be slipping,” Oz laughs. “Only you could make someone like Julia unattractive. It must be the dragon breath.”

  With a shriek of outrage, I send what feels like a grenade toward his head. He ducks and the wall behind him blows open. “You are hardly a prize. You’re just a small step up from Zombie.” Lovely. I’m housing the Dragon Lady. Just what I never wanted.

  I try my damnedest to reach inside and get a grip on her evil ass. It turns out fighting the demon inside yourself is a lot harder than hand to hand combat. She’s sneaky and has had a lot more practice. “You got this, Julia,” Oz encourages me. “It’s all mental. Just picture that hag then point and shoot.”

  I feel another grenade slide into my hand and I hurry to do as he said before she can launch it at him. I imagine the Dragon Lady in my sights and pull the trigger. The Witch is gone before the bullet hits.

  I’m so angry right now I’m tempted to send that grenade flying anyway. She was inside me. She tried to ruin the best thing in my life. I am going to hunt down that rotten Witch and send her back to hell! Just watch me.

  “Are you okay,” Oz asks me wrapping his hand around my forearm.

  I yank my arm out of his grip and shove him away. “Don’t touch me.” His hands don’t belong anywhere near me.

  Oz lifts his hands in front of him. “Fine. Just tell me if you’re hurt,” he says patiently.

  “I’m fine,” I snap. This is not his fault but I am not feeling friendly right now.

  “That’s good.” He chooses to ignore my tone and focus on the response. “How long was she with you,” he asks me.

  Just thinking about it makes me want to puke. “At least a couple of days I think.” I leave off the attitude this time. “Maybe longer,” I admit.
“I’ve been a little off this week.”

  He nods grimly. “I bet you have. She’s good at inserting herself into your psyche.” He pauses and reluctantly asks, “Did you do this with anyone else,” he gestures to my dress and hair.

  “No!” I’m mortified it happened with Oz. I’m also kind of grateful. Grateful he brushed me off and also that he caught on to the Dragon Lady. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if he’d been into it.

  “It makes sense. She wouldn’t lower herself to mingle with Zombies.” Of course she wouldn’t.

  “Oh, but she was perfectly fine with hijacking my body,” I grumble.

  Oz grins and eyes me up and down. “She may be evil incarnate but she’s got good taste.”

  I glare at him. “Do that again and you’ll be wearing your eyes on a chain around your neck.”

  He laughs not at all concerned. “I guess the Witch truly is gone now. Too bad.”

  Instead of being angry I find myself laughing. “You are so full of crap, Ozgood. That Witch had me throwing hard passes and you were ducking and dodging like your life depended on it.”

  He actually blushes in embarrassment. “It’s just because I sensed her. That’s all.”

  “If you say so.” Let him keep his illusions. “Personally, I think you’re holding out for a certain, annoying as hell, Witch.” His eyes light up when he sees Bibidee Bea the way Mercy’s light up when she sees candy.

  “Why does everyone say that? I’m not interested in her,” he lies. “I just respect her work.”

  “If you don’t want everyone to know you like Bea you better work on your answers. That one is just lame.” It’s a good thing he’s the only Warlock in town. He’s holding onto the title of ‘Magic Man’ by default at this point.

  “Does it even matter,” he growls. “She can’t seem to keep her eyes off of Titus.”

  “She better learn how,” is my automatic response. I don’t know why I still let it get to me. Titus has never given her any reason to think she stands a chance. At least not that I know. I hate that the thought even crosses my mind. I can’t even blame that one on the Witch. It was all me.

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Oz replies. “I don’t know what you see in him.”

  I drop down into the flame scorched couch and cross my arms. “He’s sexy,” I answer. It slips out before I can think better of it. I frown at him. “Do not tell him I said that or I promise I will make you hurt.”

  Oz settles in beside me. “Trust me. I have no intention of letting those words ever pass my lips,” he promises. “In fact, I wish I’d never heard it to begin with.”

  I grin. “On second thought, tell him. I want to see his reaction.”

  Oz rolls his eyes. “As if you have to wonder. His head will expand to three times its size and he’ll post direct quotes to Twitter and Facebook,” is his droll response. “And of course remind everyone he is the reigning ‘Sexiest Zombie’ according to People magazine.”

  I laugh because that’s exactly what would happen. Titus has an unhealthily large ego. I don’t know why I find that attractive but I do. “He’s confident.”

  “He’s something,” Oz tells me as a knock sounds at his door. He holds his side as he rises.

  “Are you okay? Did I hurt you,” I ask him following behind him and putting my hand on his ribs where the Witch nailed him with that lightning bolt.

  “You did but if you want you can kiss it and make it better,” he quips with a wink as he opens the door. To Titus. Oh, hell!

  Titus is quiet for about five seconds as he looks me over from head to toe. Taking in the hair, the dress and my hand on Oz’s side. The next thing I know he grabs Oz by the back of the head and shoves his face into the wall. The snap of Oz’s nose breaking fills the silence. It’s the only shot he gets before Oz sends him flying through the door like a rocket. The back of Titus’ own head cracks against the sidewalk.

  “I’m so sorry, Oz.” He’s hand is cupping his face. Blooding is dripping through the cracks of his fingers and down his chin.

  I go to check on Titus. He’s up off the ground not even giving any notice to the blood dripping from the back of his head and soaking his t-shirt. He’s furious. If he had Carmony’s magic I’m pretty sure Oz and I would be burnt to a crisp about now.

  “Your messing with that Wizard now,” he points at Oz.

  “NO!” I need him to hear me to understand but he’s not even listening. His hands are shaking when he reaches for me as though he wants to strangle me then pulls back before he touches my skin.

  “I trusted you!” He shouts the words and they embed themselves like arrows in my heart.

  “It’s not what it looks like,” I grab him by the arm when he turns to walk away. “I wouldn’t do that to you, Titus!”

  “No?” He yanks the hem of my dress. “Oh, is how you dress for every early morning visit,” he asks. “The red lipstick was a nice touch.”

  “Titus you have to listen to me,” I’m trying to remain calm but I’m starting shake.

  He shakes his head vigorously. “Oh, hell no! I’m done listening to you!!” He turns and marches to his truck yanking open the passenger door. “You said you wanted romance. Right?” When I don’t respond he looks over his shoulder at me. “Right?!”

  I’m crying now. I can’t speak. All I can do is nod and try not to sob. When he tosses a huge bouquet of roses at my feet I lose it. I’m a mess and I don’t care.

  “I guess you found what you wanted somewhere else. Good for you,” he rumbles.

  “That’s not true,” I argue. “You’re what I want. You’re all I want.” How can I make him understand?

  “Well, then that sucks for you because I am done,” he tells me with a sad shake of his head. “We are done.” He turns and climbs into the truck. I watch helplessly as he drives away.

  **********************************************************************************************

  Titus Remington

  I feel like the bottom just dropped out of my world. This is not the way I imagined this relationship with Julia would end. If you’re surprised that I expected it to end don’t be. I knew she was out of my league. I figured she’d wake up to that fact sooner or later.

  I never thought she’d cheat on me. Sure as hell not with that bag of magic tricks. We were good together. Better than good. She got me like nobody else. I thought I knew her just as well but I was wrong. The Julia I knew never would have gone behind my back like that. If she wanted out she would have given it to me straight.

  I don’t even know what to think about all this. She ripped my damn heart out. I want to hate her but right now just thinking of her makes breathing difficult.

  My head is still bleeding. I probably need to do something about that. It doesn’t hurt or at least not as much as the gaping hole in my chest.

  I drive home. I need to grab my things before Julia comes back. I don’t think I can handle another scene with her. I’m aching for another scene with Oz though. One that involves my gun and his head. Yeah, probably better if I stay away for a while.

  It doesn’t take me long to pack. The truth is Julia and I are always ready to move. Just one more reason I thought we clicked.

  I load up the truck but before I can make myself leave I turn around and head back into the house. I walk into the bedroom and pick up the shirt she slept in last night. I hold it to my nose and take a whiff. Yep, still smells like her. I tuck it inside my shirt and head back to the truck. One day soon I’ll burn it I promise myself. Not today but soon.

  I head back to the truck then sit in the driveway for a moment trying to decide where to go now. Then it comes to me. I’ll go to Pink’s. The way I see it he started all this. Him and his stupid ‘romantic’ gestures put me in a bad light, made Julia doubt me. Pink ruined my damn relationship! Okay, that’s probably crazy thinking but I don’t feel sane right now so I’m going with it.

  When I arrive at Pink’s house the light is on
and his car is in the driveway. I knock once. Then twice more. When he still doesn’t answer I begin to pound with my fist. When he finally opens the door he’s barefoot and his shirt is inside out. “What the hell, Titus,” he growls trying to block me out. Yeah, nice try. I give him a gentle shove and he bounces off the door. I guess I don’t know my own strength.

  “I need to crash here for a few,” I explain as I drop my bag by the couch.

  “NO!” Pinkerton objects as Mercy pushes her face around his back. “What happened? Did you and Julia have a fight,” she asks chirpily. I should have known she’d be here. They’re practically inseparable these days.

  When she gets a good look at me she gasps. “What happened to your head? Did Julia do that,” she walks over and touches a gentle finger to the back of my head.

  I wish to hell she would quit saying that name. I move her hand away from my head because it’s starting to pound. So much for numb. “No Oz did this after I broke his nose.”

  “Wait. What,” asks Pink.

  “Why did you and Oz fight,” Mercy once again dives head first into my business.

  “Because I caught them together,” I swallow the lump in my throat and blink away the burn in my eyes.

  “Caught them doing what,” Mercy looks at me clueless.

  I look at Pink and see, from his expression, that he at least gets it. “Is your woman really this stupid or did you jiggle her brains too hard. Maybe you ought to try a different position.”

  “Titus! You’re disgusting,” Mercy hisses. She drops the twenty questions so that’s good I guess.

  “She cheated on you? Are you sure,” Pink ignores both our comments and goes straight to the heart of the matter.

  “She had her hands on him. She was wearing a dress and red lipstick for him,” I bite out. Red is starting to cloud my vision. Just thinking about it makes me want to smash something. “She was wearing perfume.” It wasn’t the first time she’d worn that scent. She knows I like her natural scent. How long was this going on?