3 Conjuring (9 page)

I lasted most of the day before I confronted Laura. We
had all agreed to go to an off-campus party that night and everyone had showered and was getting ready in their respective bedrooms when I finally let my inner turmoil out to play.

“What were you guys really doing last night?”

Laura, who had slept most of the day, looked surprised by the question. “I told you, we went to a party. I’m sorry we didn’t invite you, but it kind of just popped up. I didn’t think you would want to hang out with Jessica anyway.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” I replied grimly.

“Then what are you talking about?”

I scanned Laura’s face for some hint that she was being
purposely deceitful, but all I saw was honest confusion reflected there.

“Have you been dabbling with witchcraft?” I figured I might as well go for broke. The
sooner we hashed this out, the sooner we could put it behind us.

Laura looked shocked by my directness. “Why would you think that?”

I bit the inside of my lip. When someone answers a question with a question, it’s a sign that they’re lying to you. She was trying to put me off just long enough to think of an appropriate lie. I recognized the delay tactic.

“Is that sorority full of witches or something?”

Laura’s pale features colored uncomfortably. “I don’t know why you would ask me something like that.”

“Maybe because you and Matilda came in at the crack
of dawn – well, actually three hours after the crack of dawn -- with drained auras this morning,” I replied matter-of-factly.

“Drained auras?” Laura looked surprised. “Since when can you see auras?”

“Since this morning apparently,” I answered sharply. “And don’t change the subject.”

“We weren’t doing anything,” Laura whined. “We just
were screwing around. It’s not a big deal.”

“It was a big enough deal to drain your aura this morning,” I pointed out.

“And what do you see now? Am I still drained?”

“I have no idea,” I shrugged. “You look normal. For al
l I know, this new little gift could come and go, though.”

“I’m fine,” Laura waved off my concerns and turned her back to me.

“You don’t seem fine,” I said. “In fact, you seem really different.”

“Different how?”

“You seem … different. Just different.”

“How would you even know?” Laura swung back around
. “It’s not like you spend any time with me.”

“What?”

“Since we moved into this room, you’ve shown more interest in Kelsey than me.” She sounded like a jilted lover.

“Is this about dinner yesterday? I told you, I thought you guys were eating later.”

“And you just decided to eat with Kelsey instead? Just the two of you?”

“We’re not joined at the hip,” I reminded her. “We can eat meals separately.”

“Or maybe you just like Kelsey better?” Laura suggested bitterly.

This conversation had taken a decidedly uncomfort
able turn. “I don’t understand why this has to be an either-or proposition,” I said. “I didn’t think dinner with Kelsey was somehow crushing to your ego.”

“Crushing to my ego? You really are full of yourse
lf,” Laura grumbled and, for a second, a hateful countenance washed over her face.

“You’re the one acting jealous,” I pointed out.

“I am not jealous,” Laura shot back haughtily.

“You could have fooled me.”

“Sometimes I think Jessica is right about you,” Laura said ominously. “She says that you only care about yourself. I told her she was wrong, but maybe she’s the one who’s right.”

I snorted derisively. “Jessica doesn’t even know me.
And, if you really think that, then maybe you should spend more time with her. It sounds like the two of you have a lot in common.”

With those words, I turned on my heel and stalk
ed out of the room. Kelsey was standing in the common room, eyes wide, just staring. “Did something happen?”

“It’s fine,” I shrugged. “I just need some air. I’ll wait for you guys downstairs.”

“Are you sure?”

“That I need air? Absolutely.”

Once downstairs, I used the restless energy washing over me to do something truly constructive: Pace.

I couldn’t figure out what was going on with Laura. I
was starting to realize I knew very little about her. When I’d agreed to live with her last spring, it was because I felt bad for her. When Paris had turned on her – in a really public way – she had been mostly shunned by everyone she knew on campus. The truth was, though, I hadn’t spent enough time with Laura to realize the depths of her abject neediness.

“You look like you’re deep in thought.”

I recognized the voice, even though I hadn’t seen the vampire it belonged to yet.

Why was he always skulking in the dark?

“Rafael.”

A figured detached from the foliage and moved in my di
rection. Even in the dim light of the streetlamps, I could see that he was as tan as usual. I was still getting used to that. Weren’t vampires supposed to be pale?

“It’s good to see you,” Rafael rumbled, hints of his
Mediterranean heritage wafting through his accent. It was barely there, but still detectable at times.

“You, too,” I replied. “It’s been awhile.”

“Yeah, since that whole sphinx thing,” Rafael agreed. “Speaking of, should you really be out here alone?”

“I’m right in front of the dorm, what could happen?”

“Weren’t you attacked in front of the dorms last year?”

He had a point.

“I’m just waiting for my roommates. We’re going to go to a party.”

“Then why are you down here pacing like a caged animal?”

“I had a fight with Laura,” I admitted.

“Laura is your new roommate?”

“Yep.”

“I liked Paris.”

“I’m still friends with Paris. She lives a few doors away.”

“So why are you fighting with Laura?”

I told him the story. I saw no reason to lie. He had kept several secrets for me – and vice versa – so I didn’t think he would spread it around campus. Besides, he usually had some decent insight. Unfortunately, that insight usually clashed with Aric’s beliefs.

“Delta Omicron is not a place where anyone wit
h half a brain would spend any time.”

And sometimes they expressed themselves in very similar ways.

“What’s the deal with Delta Omicron?”

“It’s filled with insipid girls who like to cause troub
le for others,” Rafael replied succinctly.

“That’s all? That sounds like most high schools across America.”

“This is different,” Rafael said cagily. “These girls are different.”

“Why?”

“What?”

“Why are they different?”

“They just are.”

“You obviously know something,” I pressed. “Why don’
t you just tell me? Otherwise, I’m going to have to be angry with you – and no one wants that.”

Rafael smirked. It was a rare sight. It made his handsome face tak
e on a devastating quality that tugged at a small part of my heart. I tamped that emotion down immediately, though.

“Aric warned me about Delta Omicron, too,” I said, m
ostly because I wanted to make sure he was aware of my relationship status. “He was just as vague as you.”

“Aric Winters has different reasons for being vague,” Ra
fael said. “You’ll have to ask him what his reasons are. I’m not privy to them.”

“What are your reasons?”

“Let’s just say I’m trying to stay away from people who offer nothing to mankind and leave it at that.”

“That’s even more vague than usual.”

“Just take my warning seriously,” Rafael stressed. “If your roommates get involved with Delta Omicron, that will not be good for you.”

“Me? Not them, but me? Me specifically?”

Rafael frowned. “I can’t be sure, but I would say that you specifically are especially vulnerable to the kind of mayhem that Delta Omicron wreaks.”

“That’s really not making me feel better about any of this.”

“Just be careful,” Rafael warned. “Keep your head up and your eyes open.”

“I always do.”

“No, you do the exact opposite,” Rafael smiled again, but there was a tightness to the expression. “It’s your way. I should probably get going. I just wanted to see how you were doing.”

“Well, thanks for stopping by and being cryptic.”

“Any time.”

With those words, Rafael disappeared into the night.

My world was starting to feel like it had a very small focus – and that focus was directed right at Delta Omicron. That can’t be good. Right?

The rest of September was strained in our dorm room –
to say the least. Laura and I had made up after our uncomfortable encounter – kind of – and things had settled into a tense rhythm.

Kelsey and I had gotten much closer – mostly
because Matilda and Laura had become overtly secretive – and a clear delineation had taken over the room. Laura and I were still sharing a bedroom, but our conversations were mostly mundane and rarely personal.

I had taken to spending four nights a week at Aric’s place. And, even though
I knew he was purposely keeping something from me regarding Delta Omicron, things between us were comfortable and happy. At least I had that going for me.

On this particular Thursday night, though, I was home with my roommates.

Everyone had finished their studying for the night and we were all gathered in the common room watching
Grey’s Anatomy
.

“I don’t get this show anymore,” I admitted.

“It’s a show about doctors,” Matilda informed me dryly.

“I get that,” I replied sarcastically. “I just don’t get all th
ese new people. I could give a crap about all of those interns.”

“I think they’re trying to be like ER,” Kelsey sugges
ted. “When they lost their big stars, they added new cast members and it worked for them for a long time. That show lasted forever.”

“They did a better job of adding new characters,” I re
plied. “I liked a lot of those characters. These newbies are just annoying.”

“They are annoying,” Laura agreed. “Dr. McDreamy is still hot, though.”

“He’s okay,” I shrugged. “I like Alex better.”

“He’s my favorite, too,” Kelsey agreed.

“Of course he is,” I heard Laura mutter under her breath.

“I liked the one who died after the plane crash,” Matil
da announced. “He had a better body.”

“He did nothing for me.”

“Well, when you’re sleeping with Aric Winters, everyone else must look like a dog,” Matilda said giddily.

“Don’t tell Aric that,” I instructed her. “His head is already too big.”

“He has a right to have a big head,” Matilda laughed. “He is smoking. What’s he look like with his clothes off?”

I rolled my eyes, but smiled. The four of us hadn’t been this comfortable together since, well, ever. I was hoping it was a portent of thi
ngs to come. Maybe we just had some growing pains as new roommates.

“So, are we going to do anything this weekend?” Kel
sey asked. She must have been feeling the new vibe as well. “I’ve heard about a few parties we could go to.”

The sudden rush of warmth I had been fee
ling only a few moments before evaporated when I saw the furtive look that passed between Matilda and Laura. I just knew I wasn’t going to like whatever was about to transpire.

“We actually can’t,” Matilda said warily.

“Why?” I heard the sudden edge that tinged Kelsey’s question.

“We, um, we’re busy.”

I tried to keep my voice even. “Doing what?”

Matilda and Laura exchanged another look. “We mig
ht as well tell them,” Matilda said.

“I guess we have to,” Laura agreed.

“Tell us what?” I asked suspiciously.

“We’re going to be busy this weekend,” Laura started.

“We got that,” Kelsey said irritably.

“We’re going to be busy with pledge events,” Laura continued.

Pledge events? No way.

“You’re rushing a sorority?” Even saying the words out loud sounded ridiculous.

“We’re rushing Delta Omicron,” Matilda said happily.

I slid a look in Laura’s direction. She didn’t seem a
s oblivious to my disdain as Matilda. Of course, that could be an act. “Why would you do this?”

“Why not?” Laura asked. “It’s going to be fun.”

“But why do you feel the need to join a sorority?”

“Because it’s fun,” Laura replied simply. “I like all the gi
rls there and I think it would be fun to be part of something.”

“Part of a sorority?”

“Part of something bigger,” Laura countered. “You know, sororities are actually really good for networking. They can help you find jobs when you leave college. They provide a … a … .”

“Sisterhood,” Matilda provided helpfully.

“Sisterhood,” Laura immediately picked up on the provided thread. “Sororities essentially give you friends for life.”

“Doesn’t actual friendship do that?” I asked pointedly. “You know, with friends you don’t pay for?”

“That is really insulting,” Laura countered. “I don’t see why you have so much Greek hate.”

Oh, I don’t know, maybe because a fraternity tried to
kill me once? “I don’t see why you see the need to waste money on something like this. What did your mom say?”

“She thought it was a good idea,” Laura said. “She already sent me a check.”

Of course she did.

“I still don’t understand,” I pressed. “Why now? Why
not wait another semester and see if it’s what you really want?” I was grasping at straws, but I had the verbal warnings of a connected werewolf and an immortal vampire echoing in my head.

This whole scenario was frightening.

“Why wait when we can do it now and get it over with?” Matilda asked earnestly.

“I’m not exactly looking forward to the pledge proces
s, but I am looking forward to putting it behind me. It’s better to just pull off the Band-aid and get it over with.”

“So you want to go through the rush process? Drink
ing from a toilet and freezing each other’s bras or whatever it is you do when you rush a sorority?”

“I think you have rushing confused with a high school sleepover,” Matilda said.

“They just make us do a few embarrassing things, I think. Sing in public. Hit on a guy when everyone’s watching. Stuff like that. It’s not a big deal.”

“I still don’t understand,” I turned to Laura pleadingly. “This doesn’t seem like you.”

“Maybe it doesn’t seem like you,” Laura countered coldly. “I like the idea of it, though. I like the idea of belonging.”

“You belong to yourself,” I replied. “Why can’t that be enough?”

“Kelsey is rushing a sorority,” Laura said angrily. “Why aren’t you angry with her?”

“I’m rushing a business sorority,” Kelsey answered
stoically. “We don’t have rush events and the only thing you need to get in is a 4.0 grade-point average. We don’t even have regular meetings. It’s just something to put on my résumé when I graduate.”

“Well, it’s still the same thing,” Laura whined.

“Not even close,” Kelsey said. “I’m doing it for networking reasons. You say networking reasons are why you’re doing it, but you’re really doing it because of the parties and whatever else it is the two of you do when you’re hanging out with them.”

I eyed Kelsey curiously. Did she know something? N
ow was definitely not the time to ask.

“We just like the girls; why is that such a terrible thing?” Matilda asked petulantly.

I couldn’t help but wonder if she was being purposely obtuse or if she was really that naïve. Maybe she was just a consummate liar? It was possible.

“Just think about this before you do it.” I turned back to Laura beseechingly.

“We’ve already talked about it,” Laura got to her feet angrily. “You’re not the boss of me. I’ve made my decision. I don’t need you to make decisions for me. I don’t need you to tell me how stupid I am. Just let it go. We’re rushing Delta Omicron.”

Why is it that just when I think things are getting
better they get so much worse instead?