Silent Circle

by Cassandra Larsen

  I style my dark hair into an elaborate up do with braids and twists, leaving a few wavy strands down in the front. Looking in the mirror, I’m notice that with my hair up, this dress also displays the small tattoo on the back of my right shoulder. It’s a tree similar to my clock, right down to the wolves and ravens, except one wolf sits calmly next to the trunk of the tree, the other laying down, while the ravens fly around, one in the upper branches and one in the roots. I had it done a year ago as a reminder of my mom. Usually, I get excited whenever I get a chance to show it off, but right now it’s an unwelcome reminder of my strange dream last night.

  My hair takes so long to style that I barely have enough time to finish my makeup before I hear Sebastian’s Mustang honk out front. I saunter down the stairs and out the door as fast as my stilettos can carry me. After the day I’ve had, I cannot wait to get to the party and work off a little steam.

  Chapter 3

  “Hey babe.” Sebastian leans over to give me a quick kiss. “You’re looking hot. What’s the occasion?” He grins crookedly at me, his eyes heating up. He changed into a tight black t-shirt and styled his golden hair into messy spikes. He looks sexy as hell. But I don’t let him know that.

  “Are you saying I don’t look hot normally?” I ask in my haughtiest voice, raising my chin slightly.

  “You know you always look hot, it’s just tonight,” he whistles appreciatively. “You’re looking really hot.”

  I roll my eyes at his linguistic prowess. Really hot? Is that the best he can come up with? What’s next? Really, really hot?

  Before he pulls away, he hands me a box with a small red bow on top.

  “What’s this?”

  “What’s it look like? It’s a birthday present. Go ahead, open it.” His eyes glow, his excitement palpable.

  Surprised, I quickly undo the ribbon and stare at the plain gray box with the words “Zed’s Jewelers” on top.

  “Seb, you didn’t have to get me anything. I know you don’t have a lot of cash to blow and this couldn’t have been cheap...” My voice trails off, my stomach twisting into knots. I don’t know why, but I have a bad feeling about this.

  “Don’t worry about that. Come on, just open it already!”

  I slowly lift the velvet covered lid and peek inside. Nestled among the pillowy satin twinkles a tiny diamond on a silver band. I stare up at him thunderstruck. This must be a joke.

  “Please tell me you're not proposing.” I’m too shocked to be polite.

  “Uh, well, not exactly.” His smile slips a little. “It’s a promise ring. Sort of like a pre-proposal. I mean, I know you just turned seventeen, but I’ll be eighteen in a couple months and I figured, well, we’ve been going together for a while now...”

  We’ve been together for a year, but it’s never been very serious. Definitely not serious enough to warrant a promise ring. I don’t know what to say. We have fun together, but...

  I look up at him again, at the nerves playing all over his face.

  “Look, it doesn’t have to be a big thing. It’s not like we’re engaged or anything if you wear it. It’s just to show, uh, that I’m willing to move to the next step. That’s all.”

  Still unable to respond, I do the only thing I can. I take the ring out of its cushy seating and slip it onto the ring finger on my right hand, rather than my left. I really don’t want anyone to mistake it for an engagement ring...

  The smile that lights up his face makes me feel guilty for wishing that I could just put the ring back in the box.

  We drive to the party in strained silence. When we walk through the door, we’re greeted by a very tipsy Kayla. Her blue eyes are ringed with dark eyeliner, her blond and pink hair in perfect spiral curls down her back. Music flows out from the house as she hustles us in, hugging Sebastian a little too enthusiastically. She finally lets go of him and stumbles in her five inch heels, giggling. She must have started early; it’s barely nine. We walk further into the house, the music beating a hypnotizing rhythm deep in my chest. Her house is packed, people everywhere, moving and gyrating.

  “I’m gonna go grab us some drinks.” Seb has to shout to be heard over the din. I nod and make a beeline for Olivia, who I spot across the living room. Her fiery red hair is loose, spilling over her shoulders in long waves.

  “Em! Yay, you made it!” She hugs me, grinning broadly.

  “What time did you get here?” I ask, hugging her back.

  “Oh, around eight or something. What took you so long? Did Sebastian have a surprise for you?”

  “You knew?!” I gasp. “How dare you not warn me, Liv! I was caught completely off guard!” I glare at her as she grabs my left hand to look at the ring.

  “I couldn’t! It was a surprise! I-where is it? I thought...”

  “It’s on my right.” I hold out my other hand so she can see the small rock winking under the fluorescent lights.

  “Why is it on that hand? He told you it’s a promise ring, right? It’s supposed to go on your left, to hold the place of an engagement ring.”

  I shudder. “I don’t want an engagement ring.”

  “But...” Her face falls. “I thought you liked him...”

  “I do, but I’m seventeen Liv! Why would you think I’d want to be engaged?”

  “It’s not an engagement; it’s a promise to get engaged eventually. There’s a difference.”

  “I so don’t want to be having this conversation right now. I need a drink.”

  Thankfully, Seb appears, wrapping his arms around me from behind and handing me a large cup with reddish liquid in it. I sniff it.

  “What’s in it?”

  “No idea. Josh made ‘em.”

  “That means it’ll be 90% alcohol and 10% juice.” I eye the liquid warily.

  “No one makes ‘em like Josh,” Olivia says, grinning.

  Shrugging my shoulders, I smile back and down my drink, before joining Kayla and Mei on the makeshift dance floor in the living room. I lose myself in the beat of the music and rhythm of my body as we bounce and shimmy around.

  Eventually, Sebastian joins us, along with another guy I’ve never seen before. He’s nearly as big as Sebastian, with light brown nearly reaching his jaw line and brown eyes that flash gold in the light.

  He walks straight up to our little group and pulls Olivia into his arms like he owns her. She giggles, but doesn’t protest as he begins dancing with her, more concerned with groping her than the beat of the music. I catch her eye, asking if she’s ok with this, and she winks at me. I laugh and turn my attention back to Sebastian. Kayla and Mei begin shaking and grinding with each other, soon drawing over a couple of guys of their own.

  I’m finally enjoying myself, letting go of all the stress from today. We continue dancing and drinking and laughing for what feels like hours. At some point, Olivia and that new guy disappear, probably to an upstairs bedroom, but Sebastian and I stay, our moves becoming more and more sexually heated. I look up as he hands me my fourth drink – or is it my fifth? – and moves up behind me, grinding himself against me to the beat of the music.

  *How much has she had to drink?*

  I whip around at Caiden’s voice. I glance quickly around the room, but I don’t see him anywhere. I must be hearing things. This isn’t exactly the type of party he’d be at.

  “I need a break,” I shout to Sebastian over the music. We move away from the other gyrating bodies.

  “Hey! Seb!” Josh calls from the kitchen. He’s leaning against the counter by the keg, his white muscle tee stretched tight across his chest. Mei and Kayla are perched on the counter next to him, Kayla’s eyes eating Sebastian up as we walk over.

  Chris is standing on the other side of Josh, his arm slung around a young girl with blond hair. I think she’s a freshman, but I’m not sure. His dark skin stands out sharply against the girl’s alabaster complexion. His eyes light up when he sees Sebastian.

  “Hey, don’t you have an arm wrestling match to finish?” He taunts.
>
  Josh smiles like a shark and crosses his thick arms over his chest. “He knows he’s outclassed.”

  “Outclassed my ass. Let’s go, right now!” Seb immediately starts clearing empty cups and chip bowls off of the kitchen table.

  I roll my eyes. He can never turn down a challenge. It looks like Sebastian will be distracted for a while. I turn to Mei and Kayla. Kayla is watching the approaching match eagerly, while Mei stares on with the affected bored look she’s perfected. I stand there, feeling slightly out of place. I’ve never been very close with these two, not the way I am with Olivia. Speaking of which, she’s been gone for a while...

  “I’m gonna go find Liv,” I tell Sebastian. He nods, barely glancing in my direction.

  I’m fighting my way through the close packed people in the living room, when white agony slashes through my mind. I double over, grabbing my head. It’s throbbing in time with the music. The noise around me is too bright, the people too loud. There’s a kaleidoscope of color surrounding everyone. They’re all talking at once, screaming in my ears.

  *Oh man, I’m gonna be sick. I shouldn’t have had that Jaeger Bomb...*

  *Damn she’s hot. Look at her, rubbing up against me. I am so going to score tonight...*

  *God, this guy is such a loser. Why won’t he just go away?*

  I stumble my way out of the crush, gripping my skull to keep it from coming apart. Up ahead are two doorways, side by side. I blink and they start to waver, coming into focus. Shit, I’m seeing double. I stumble forward, pushing people out of my way. Tears of pain blur my vision.

  *What is her problem?*

  *Crazy bitch.*

  Another surge of agony rips through my skull. Spots appear in front of me. I barely feel the hardwood floor as my knees connect with it. How did I end up on the ground?

  “Em?”

  Strong hands wrap around my ribcage and lift me to my feet. I can’t see who it is, but he feels familiar. He places my arm around his shoulders and helps me across the room. I’m blinded by the pain. He guides me through a door and the voices become muffled.

  There’s a cool breeze along my arms and back. I’m forced down onto the soft grass, hunched over, just in time to vomit spectacularly into the bushes. I get sick over and over again, my throat burning, tears running down my cheeks. After what feels like an eternity, my stomach finally stops heaving and I catch my breath. The world comes back into focus.

  I’m outside in Kayla’s backyard. It’s a beautiful night, the stars twinkling above in the dark sky. There’s an outside floodlight above the door on the other side of the bushes, casting shadows over me. I squint, trying to see who my mysterious benefactor is.

  “Oh no, not you again!” I groan as a familiar head of messy dark hair and piercing green eyes looms over me.

  “How much have you had to drink?” Caiden asks, studying me.

  “What are you, my father?” I rise on unsteady legs and sit on a low stone wall by the garden. He passes me a bottle of water and I rinse my mouth out before gulping a few sips.

  “Answer the question, Emerson.” He sits next to me, staring at me intently. “Did you pass out from drinking or was it something else?”

  “I didn’t pass out! Just fell down. Tripped. Thanks for your help, but I’m all good now. You can leave.”

  The nausea has gone, but I’m feeling weak and shaky, my forehead still pounding. I swipe my fingers under my eyes, trying to fix the makeup I know must be smeared from my tears.

  “It happened again, didn’t it? You’re headache came back. Did you see auras again? You must be transitioning faster than I thought...”

  “Oh God, please don’t start with that X-Men crap again.” I rub my temples, avoiding his eyes. “Yeah, I have a headache. Common when you drink too much. And I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about with auras. ”

  “The colors you saw. They were around people's heads and shoulders, right? Those were auras. I know you don’t want to believe me, but you’re a witch.”

  “No, I’m not!” I growl at him.

  He studies me calmly, before reaching out and running a finger along the back of my right shoulder. I jump at the feel of his warm touch. Goosebumps tingle up my arm.

  “Why’d you get this tattoo?”

  I stare at him blankly for a moment before I realize what he’s talking about. “The tree?”

  He nods, his hair ruffling in the wind.

  “It’s just a tattoo. It reminds me of my mom.”

  “The Yggdrasil reminds you of your mom?” His eyebrows disappear into his hairline.

  “You know what it is?” No one’s ever recognized it before.

  “Of course. The Tree of Life. Why does it remind you of your mom?”

  I stare into his emerald eyes, mesmerized. I answer without thinking. “She gave me one, just before she died. A clock. She said ‘Odin’ would watch out for me. Silly, I know, but...”

  “It’s not silly at all. So that was her patron God, huh?” A thoughtful look enters his eyes.

  “Patron God?”

  “Don’t you see? You’re a witch. Your mother was giving you a clue about your bloodlines.”

  “You’re insane. Witches don’t exist.”

  “Yes we do, and you’re one of us.” His compassionate tone disappears. “And ignoring it isn’t going to make it go away. You have no idea how dangerous it can be if you don’t let us help you. Not just for you, but for everyone around you. You could end up hurting somebody without even trying.” The arrogance in his voice makes me want to shatter his calm exterior.

  “How do I know that you’re not the one causing this? I felt fine until you walked in! Then you show up and so does the dizziness! What did you do? Slip something in my drink?”

  “What?” His eyes narrow at me, mouth set in a rigid line, teeth clenched. “I think you’re confusing me with those ‘friends’ you surround yourself with. That’s not my style,” he spits out.

  Then, as quick as it comes, the anger is gone and he turns thoughtful again, studying me like I’m some strange kind of creature.

  “Before your mother... died...–”

  “We’re done talking about this!” I jump up to leave just as the light bulb above the door explodes, raining tiny pieces of glass down onto the patio. I stare above the door in shock.

  “Are you going to keep ignoring this? That could easily have been a glass in a friend’s hand. Think about it.”

  “You think I did that?”

  “Well, it wasn’t me. Doesn’t it seem strange that whenever you’re angry, something around you breaks?”

  “What are you talking about? I didn’t break anything!”

  “Did you forget about the door at school already?” He runs his hand through his hair in frustration.

  “The door to the bathroom?” I remember walking out of there with Olivia, and seeing the splintered door frame where the deadbolt should have been. Was that me?

  Sensing my doubt, Caiden plows ahead. “What would happen to your father if he was driving and suddenly you snapped, lost your temper, and the windshield exploded? Do you want to hurt him?”

  “Of course I don’t want to hurt my dad! But what you’re saying is crazy! How the hell could I cause a doorframe or a light bulb to break?” He’s delusional. It’s the only explanation.

  “Look, you need to meet with Caroline before this gets out of control. She’s our leader. Your mother asked her to look after you.”

  I’m about to storm into the house, tired of listening to his ramblings, but his words stop me dead. “I - what? She knew my mom? When? We were only here for a few months before she–” I’m baffled. If what he’s saying is true...

  “You can ask her yourself when you meet her.” My head is spinning. I turn back to him, studying his face. “How did Caroline–”

  “Em! You out here?” Sebastian’s voice calls out from behind the bushes.

  “Shit! Caiden, you need to hide,” I hiss, panicked. “He can�
�t find you here!” Sebastian will flip. With the amount he drank tonight, it won’t take much to set him off.

  Sebastian walks further out and shuts the back door behind him. “Em? I know you’re out here.”

  Oh Lord, I don’t need this right now.

  I jump up and walk out of the shadows so he can see me. “I’m here. Sorry, I got sick...”

  “Are you alright?” He asks, gently cradling my face in his hands. “You’ve been gone awhile.” I try to move him toward the back door before he can see past me, but then Sebastian’s nostrils flare, his blue eyes flashing gold. “Who’s with you?”

  “No one, let’s go back in.”

  He pushes past me, rounding the shrubs, his eyes fixing on Caiden with a feverish glint. “What the hell is this?”

  Caiden just stands there, watching Sebastian.

  “Seb, calm down, it’s not how it looks.” He doesn’t even glance at me.

  “What are you doing out here with Em?” He demands, fists balled up at his sides.

  People from the party start appearing outside, drawn by the yelling. Sebastian and Caiden continue to stare each other down, one in a rage, the other cool and unruffled.

  Then Sebastian lunges forward, grabbing the front of Caiden’s shirt in his fist. “You deaf? I said, what the hell do you think you’re doing with my girl?”

  Caiden’s placid demeanor shifts in a blink, like flipping a switch. His eyes narrow, his mouth thins.

  Sebastian’s grip goes slack all of a sudden, his eyes glazing over. He stares dumbly into Caiden’s glittering emerald eyes. Then Caiden rips Sebastian’s limp fist from his shirt.

  “Don’t - touch - me,” Caiden says, his voice quietly threatening. Then he shoves Sebastian toward the patio, sending him crashing through a glass coffee table.

  “Oh my God!” I run to Sebastian. There’s blood on the ground below him.

  “Are you okay? Where are you bleeding from? Let me see.” There’s a gash on his palm, blood welling, bright red drops spilling over onto the concrete.