Bet in the Dark (46 page)

I shuffled through the papers until I found a map of the campus. Junior AP English was located in the English and Arts Building, which appeared to be two buildings east of this one. 

“Please hurry,
Kiran. I don’t want you to be late for our first day,” a peculiar accent and heavy footsteps made me turn to see two figures walk through the brass double doors I had just come in. The bright sunshine illuminated the lobby; I was blinded for a moment as the doors slammed for a second time. My eyes took a moment to adjust again.

“Stop worrying; I’m royalty for God’s sake!” barked the second voice with a strong, aristocratic English accent that sounded irritated. As they walked closer, I could see that they were dressed in the Kingsley uniform, and close to my age. 

The first boy who spoke resembled a giant; he was at least 6’5 and extremely muscular. Good-looking with olive skin and dark hair, he seemed to speak with an Italian  or Spanish accent. He looked a bit rough, like he had been in a fight or two. He leaned toward the other in a strange way, almost as if he was bowing slightly. Although his eyes were a bit far apart, they were deep brown, with glints of gold, and said something about him, but I couldn’t determine what they might reveal. 

As I watched the two boys walk closer, I eventually noticed the second one, who was almost overshadowed by his friend until he was nearly five feet away. My mouth dropped open as I looked at him. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. 

Not usually the type to objectify men, or even notice them at all, my reaction was almost as shocking as his beauty. He had thick, dirty blonde hair that was unkempt in a way that said movie star. He ran his fingers through it slowly, moving it away from his forehead; I could swear it happened in slow motion. He had clear dark eyes, a color almost indefinable. They reminded me of the ocean, aqua at first; but the closer he got the darker they appeared. Suddenly they were turquoise and shining. A straight nose and perfectly full, but masculine lips completed his face. I hardly noticed anything else as I stared stunned and bemused into his eyes, eyes that happened to be staring back into mine.

“Excuse me, Ms. Matthews; you are going to be late for class if you don’t get going. Can you read the map, or are you already lost?” the stern voice of the secretary pulled me out of my stupor. 

“Um, no, I can read,” I said, sheepishly, still unable to take my eyes off the mysterious boy staring back.

“Of course you can read,” she said sharply, snapping my entranced head back to reality. “Now, get to class.” 

This time I obeyed, although hesitantly. I was thankful for my long hair, and let it fall in front of my face, hoping to hide my embarrassment. I could feel my tan cheeks burning with shame. As I started to walk past the eyes that had captured my attention, I began to experience the strangest, but not-so-unfamiliar feeling. 

My skin started to tingle as if I were being shocked a million times; my insides began to grow increasingly warmer until I felt like all of my vital organs were energized from the sun. Instantly my
blood began to warm and then rapidly heated to what felt like a strong boil. I picked up my pace and nearly ran out of the double brass doors into the fresh air, trying to catch my breath. 

It was only the end of August, so the sun was still hot and the humidity already overwhelming, despite the early morning hour. I pressed my face against the cool brick of the building, gasping for air and mentally calming my insides.

I realized that I looked ridiculous, but the physical changes that had just begun to occur in my body were usually a sign of pending destruction. Although I had never been sure of why my body suddenly felt like a giant microwave, I could always be positive that it would end in a great travesty. I pressed my face closer to the brick, allowing the shade of the building to cool me, calming the electrical impulses tingling beneath my skin.

I was officially humiliated by my erratic behavior. I was sure I left those inside thoroughly entertained and confused. I was just thankful I was able to stop the electrical build-up in time.

The first time I felt the electric pulses underneath my skin I thought they were bugs. In the middle of second semester of my freshman year, I thought I had been attacked by a swarm of insects. During gym class, I began to freak out, feeling the creepy-crawly sensation of the electricity building slowly inside of me. I remembered my gym teacher rushing over to my side and then I remember nothing. Supposedly I passed out, but not before screaming something about bugs being everywhere. When I finally woke up, I was outside in an ambulance, surrounded by hazmat guys. Apparently my school had become thoroughly infested with tropical insects, the really big kind. Unfortunately, I had implicated myself in what the school board assumed to be a serious prank, and I was respectfully asked to leave.

After pleading a pitiful case to the next school, I was allowed to begin my sophomore year on the provision of absolutely no shenanigans. I lasted all the way through the year until finals week when I felt the electrical sensation again. This time I tried to restrain myself and get it under control; I wished only to wash the feeling off. Again I must have blacked out because I woke up to find myself in another ambulance; the school had flooded spontaneously. The school board did not ask so nicely for me to leave; but Aunt
Syl forced them to give me passing grades by threatening a lawsuit, since there was no substantial evidence that I caused the flood.

Last week, the beginning of my junior year, I started my third prep school, only to experience what felt like my blood beginning to boil. I was warned it was my last chance to finish high school. Unfortunately for them, no one would be finishing anything at that school, since I magically burned it to the ground. 

I couldn’t explain what happened to me; I just knew better than to mess around. The powers in charge at Kingsley must have been brave souls to allow me entrance into their prestigious prep school, or had taken out an unusually large insurance policy.  

I was just glad I was able to stop it that time. I had never felt the impulses react so strongly. More than a sweeping sense of unconsciousness, the electrical impulses had felt alive, as if they were reacting to something. Who knows what would have happened had I let them continue…. possibly the Apocalypse? I had no idea why those things happened to me, or what exactly they were. I just knew that I was always the one responsible for something catastrophic. And I was seriously hoping to avoid closing this school down for good. 

I turned around, so that my back was to the wall, slid down slowly to the ground, and closed my eyes. I was utterly unconcerned with being late for class after all that; I had bigger things to worry about, like ensuring there was still a class to go to.

I compelled my nerves to calm down, and started slowly to relax. I forced my muscles to loosen up, mentally flexing them. My relaxation only lasted a second, though, as the Administration Building doors burst open. The two boys, from before, exited the building in mid-conversation. 

I prayed they would not notice me and crouched even closer to the wall. I could not have felt more humiliated. Although the gorgeous one did look in my direction, he acted as though he couldn’t see me and continued down the steps. 

“What are we doing here,
Talbott?” the one named Kiran demanded, almost growling. 

“Please sir, you know what we are doing here,”
Talbott replied, almost too softly to be heard. 

“No, I do not,”
Kiran snapped again. “Aren’t there any qualified girls in London? This is ridiculous. I don’t even know where we are. This is the ugliest place I have ever seen. I cannot possibly be expected to spend the next two years of my life here. I want to talk to my father,” his voice had almost turned into a whine, but his accent was so sexy that I hardly noticed.

“There are none in London with her pedigree and power. Your father looked. Your father looked everywhere. And this place is called Omaha…. Nebraska. I’m afraid he will not be moved; this was his idea,”
Talbott said humbly but persistently. Although inferior in looks, he certainly seemed to be the more mature of the two.

“This is ridiculous. Where is she?”
Kiran looked around himself with such pride and arrogance that I found his beauty quickly fading. Crouching closer to the wall, I could not believe they still hadn’t noticed me. 

“Please calm down. I believe you will meet her soon; but we must get to class now or you will be late on your first day,”
Talbott half smiled and started walking in the direction of the academic buildings; Kiran followed slowly behind, arms crossed, looking less god-like and much more child-like. 

I breathed a sigh of relief and slowly stood up. Reluctantly, I collected my papers and adjusted my uniform, which consisted of a navy-blue, pleated skirt and white button-down collared shirt, knee-high navy blue stockings and of course the classic prep school tie: navy-blue with red plaid. I gathered my nerve and headed in the same direction as
Talbott and Kiran, already afraid of the rest of my day.

Please enjoy an excerpt from Lila Felix’s newest Anguish, release date June 20, 2013.

Prologue

Two Years Earlier

              “Oh come on Breaky.” Why in the hell I’d put up with her calling me ‘Breaky’ for so long was beyond comprehension. It reminded me a song, sung by that mulleted country singer years ago. But I went along with it, blindly.  I went along with a lot of shit.  I complied when she took all of the money from our bank account on a weekly basis and went shopping. And I’d given her a debit card attached to my account, the most ludicrous decision by far.  I relented when credit card bills came in with my name on them that I’d never applied for, and certainly never charged fifteen grand on. I backed off when she asked for space. I didn’t even say anything when she claimed not to want to sleep in the same bed as me anymore because I snored.  I’d never snored a day in my life.  I thought I was giving her ample space. 

             
  All black clouds that portended the storm.

             
And then I was in the middle of a full blown panic attack, cowering in front of her friends. 

             
I’d walked into the party wanting to spend time with my friend Memphis who I hadn’t seen in a while.  I also just needed a break from being home alone all the time.  I hated it.  It was too silent, too eerie.  As soon as I opened the door to his apartment, he turned white as a sheet and tried to stop me from entering. 

             
“What the hell, man,” I asked him.

             
He looked left and right and gave me a glance that said apology and embarrassment.  I rubber necked, looking for the source of his shame and spotted it immediately.  Holly was straddling some guy on the couch, her hand down his pants, her tongue down his throat right there in front of God and everyone I knew.

             
I stalked over, the anger brimming to the surface and barked at her, “Jesus Christ, Holly!”

             
This is the part where she started her Breaky act in this play. 

             
The guy beneath her guffawed out a laugh, “Come on man, she’s been screwing me for months like this.  She’s been screwing you by robbing you blind.  Like you didn’t know.”

             
I didn’t.  I didn’t have a clue. 

             
His friends started in on me next and the more they jeered and the more cackles erupted from her mouth, I lost it.  I couldn’t do anything but stare at the sneer on her face as their revelations pounded in my ears.  The edges of the room fizzled into shadow as her betrayal sunk in.

             
“Where do you think all the money’s gone man? Or does Daddy give you so much you haven’t even noticed?  She’s been paying our rent and buying us beer.  Hell, I even got new shoes out of the deal—plus a piece of this fine ass,” He squeezed her behind and she yelped, a dog pissing on his property.

             
Drums beat in my ears, a creature clawed to get out of the confines of my chest, organs somersaulted, menacing salty waves clanged against my eyelids.  The density of the air changed and I sucked in molasses instead of air into my lungs.  It was that moment that ruined me.  It was in that moment I shed my former self and left it dead in Memphis’ house.  All the world faded.

             
Breaker

              “It’s disgusting,” I parroted her; she always got nasaly when referring to all things pestiferous.  The top items on her list of foul objects: Ground beef, roaches, carpet of any kind, and of late, me—well, my growlery in particular. 

             
“Don’t you sass me Breaker James Collins.  I could care less about your detest for my meddling.  Get it cleaned up before I show up next week or I will hire a maid myself,” she quipped. 

             
The shudder ripped through me at the thought and she knew it.  Damn her for knowing how to hit below the belt. 

             
“Fine.  I’ll take care of it, Mom,” I groaned back at her.  It wasn’t that bad.  Yes, the dishes were piled up in the sink and something growing a fur coat on one plate in particular—I think it was spaghetti, was being the operative word.  And maybe the dust could be seen flying in formation when the sun shone through the splice in the curtains.  But there was no soap scum ring around the bathtub, but that was because I never took baths, that has to count for something.  If I were a regular person, I would keep up with the everyday chores.  I would keep up with chores like emptying the dishwasher and washing my clothes.