In the Shadows (5 page)

              She even impressed Mrs. Coleman with her interpretation of Catherine and Heathcliff’s passionate relationship and their destructive natures and how the intensity of it all was the cause of Catherine’s ultimate destruction.  Yeah, I felt like a moron in English for the first time—ever.

              On the upside, Ethan has barely acknowledged my existence and by the time lunch rolls around I decide maybe it’s not so bad having three babysitters after all.  Despite the fact that she makes me feel like an idiot, it’s actually nice having Adele here to hang around with during the day, especially since Hannah’s ignoring me.

              My bodyguards and I decide to eat at school today since it’s pouring down rain and I’m not particularly fond of getting wet. We find a table with two bench seats in the corner of the cafeteria. Grey and Adele take the seat across from Jacoby and me. It’s like we’re on a double date or something. I laugh out loud.

              “What’s so funny?” Jacoby asks.

              “Nothing,” I smile.  I notice Adele and Grey exchange a look but there’s no way I’m going to admit my random thoughts out loud. I don’t want to risk offending them since the idea of the two of them dating would imply they were shirking their guard duties. Nobody could accuse Grey of slacking in his responsibility though. Even when I practically threw myself at him a few months ago he barely even cracked.

              “I’m going to go grab another chocolate milk,” Jacoby announces. “Anybody want anything?”

              “Nope, I’m good, but thanks,” I say.

              “No, thank you,” Adele answers sweetly.

              Grey just shakes his head no and goes back to ripping his roll into shreds which he has been doing intently since we sat down. I’m not going to lie, that kind of irritates me. Those rolls are freakin’ delicious and he’s just wasting it. 

              “I’m guessing we’re working the same shifts again this weekend?” I ask.

              “Of course.” Grey looks up at me. “Why wouldn’t we?

              “I was just checking.”
And trying to make conversation to avoid any unnecessary awkward silences while also trying to distract myself from the way you are viciously mutilating that buttery roll of goodness.

              Jacoby’s laughter echoes from across the cafeteria and I know, without a doubt, that he heard my thoughts. I look up and return his smile with a shrug. What can I say? Those rolls are the best.

              Just then Hannah walks in with Kinsley and Beth . She doesn’t so much as look my way as they pass right by our table. I’m not sure which would be worse: her complete disinterest or if she were to give me the stink-eye as she passed. I miss my best friend so much that I’m leaning towards wishing she would’ve at least acknowledged me in some way.

              “Will you be able to get away this weekend?” Adele asks, and I suspect from the note of sadness in her eyes that Grey has somehow filled her in on the fallout between Hannah and me and she is trying to distract me. ‘Get away’ is our code word for Álfheimr since it probably wouldn’t go over so well if someone heard us discussing castles and elves and such.               They’d either try to lock me up in a mental institution or they would just assume we were World of Warcraft gamers or something embarrassing like that.

              “I’m only working Saturday evening this weekend since try-outs are that morning so I should be able to get away Sunday.”

              “Excellent. I know he worries when you aren’t there.” There’s no need to ask her who she’s referring to. I know that he is Alberico.

              Jacoby returns with an extra roll and I stifle a giggle before thanking him.

              I find myself unable to stop myself from glancing over where I know Hannah is sitting and I notice that she's staring at someone across the room. I follow her gaze and realize she's staring at Ethan. They seem to be having some sort of silent communication because suddenly she stands up and meets him over at his table. She sits down and leans in closely to hear whatever it is that he is whispering.

              “Grey,” I say is a hushed tone. “Do you see that?” I nod over in the general direction of where Hannah and Ethan are sitting. “Can you hear what he's saying to her?”

              “Why is she talking to him?” Jacoby asks and Grey tells him to be quiet.

              “He says that he has a message for her from Seth,” Grey says.

              “What? He's lying. Is he lying Jacoby?” I ask my aura-seeing boyfriend.

              “I think he might be telling the truth,” Jacoby admits.

              “He wants her to meet with him after school.” Grey continues.

              “We can't let that happen,” I tell them.

              “Maybe we should?” Adele asks.

              “What? Why?”

              “The information could be of value. Maybe we need to conduct a little reconnaissance mission,” Adele suggests.

              “Okay, but how?” I ask but before she can answer  the bell chimes signaling the end of the lunch hour.

              “We'll figure it out. Just trust us.”

              “Alright. See you guys later,” I say my goodbyes to Grey and Adele though I know I’ll see them both either in class or in between periods.

              Jacoby takes my hand as we walk to our class. I take my usual desk next to him and prepare to listen to yet another boring lecture. At least I have Jacoby’s side comments to look forward to and he definitely doesn’t disappoint. But I'm too distracted to fully enjoy his anecdotes.

              I'm so wrapped up in my thoughts of all the possible reasons why Ethan is taking a sudden interest in Hannah and how he would have information regarding Seth that the next two classes go by quickly and before I know it, it’s time for P.E.—the only class I don’t share with Jacoby. He walks me down to the locker room where Adele is waiting. I feel like the school day is just one long, slow-paced relay race. Grey, Adele, and Jacoby are the athletes and I’m the baton.

              We’re in our “track and field” unit and since it’s pouring outside we’re running around the entire length of the gym which is repetitive and sucky and doesn’t allow for much conversation.

              “Mia Carrington,” a booming voice says over the speaker. “Please come to the office.”

I change quickly before gathering up my things and putting them in my backpack since there are only about five minutes left in the hour anyway.

I walk down to the office, specifically taking the long way, so I can stop by Jacoby’s class and let him know where to find me after school.

              The door to his classroom’s closed but I know it won’t matter.

              “
Jacoby
,” I say inside his head.
“I’ve been called to the office. I’ll meet you there after the final bell.”

              I can’t see him so I feel a little silly just standing here. I look around and thankfully there isn’t anyone in the hall witnessing me creeping outside my boyfriend’s classroom.

              “I’ll be there as soon as the bell rings.”

              I hear his response. Something about his voice, even just inside my head, always causes my insides to turn all fluttery. I smile to myself. 

              Manhattan High School’s laid out in such a way that it’s impossible to get lost.  It’s divided into six different first floor hallways connected by a large stone commons area in the middle. The second floor is just one giant hallway directly above the commons with a large staircase on either side for easy access. The gym is on the north side of the school, the library’s directly opposite from it on the south side and the office is just right off of the commons directly across from the main entrance. 

              I open the heavy glass door leading into the office and stop at the front desk to talk to Mrs. Green, the little old secretary with graying hair and too-big-for-her-face glasses attached to a silver-beaded chained that’s tucked carefully behind her ears.

              The front of the desk is covered with brightly colored flyers announcing upcoming events but the counter top is pretty empty except for the sign-in sheet and a rather large bouquet of flowers. Mixed in with unnaturally deep blue roses and baby’s breath are several gorgeous solid white flowers with black centers that I would guess to be some sort of lily hybrid.

              “Um, hi, I was told to come down to the office,” I stutter. I’ve never been called to the office for anything so I’m not really sure what to expect.

              “Oh yes, dear. Here you go,” she smiles brightly as she points to the flowers. “Special delivery.”

              “Really?” My birthday isn’t until next week but even then I wouldn’t expect flowers. Nobody has ever sent me flowers before. Mom prefers to paint flowers in lieu of giving people fresh ones. She has painted me many bouquets for my birthdays over the years. She always says that real flowers wilt, but the painted ones last forever so they mean more. It’s kind of weird, but my mom is kind of sentimental like that.

              Of course, I’ve never had a real boyfriend before this year to give me any kind of gift.

              She just nods cheerfully and you would think she was the one getting flowers from her level of happiness at the sight. “I’ve never seen such stunning flowers before!”  

              Assuming the flowers are from Jacoby to cheer me up, I pluck the card out and open it immediately.

You’ll be mine soon enough.

              My heart stops.

              That certainly didn’t seem like something Jacoby would say to me. Mrs. Green has gone back to shuffling through some paperwork so she isn’t paying any attention to me.

              I clear my throat to catch her attention, “Excuse me?”

              “Yes, dear?”

              “Do you know who these are from? They aren’t signed,” I ask.

              “No, dear. I’m afraid I don’t. I went to use the ladies room and when I returned they were just sitting there, nice and pretty, on the countertop.”

              That’s very weird. An unsettling feeling comes over me as I stare at the unusual blooms.             

              Just then the final bell rings dismissing school for the day. I pick up the large crystal vase of flowers and walk over to one of the benches just outside the office to wait for Jacoby. I set the flowers beside me, still wondering about the mysterious sender and trying not to allow myself to consider the possibility that the flowers are from Dugan. I don’t want to think about it.

              Only a moment passes before I see his face amongst the crowd. He smiles widely at me with his sparkling green eyes and the butterflies in my stomach flutter like they always do when he’s around but this time the butterflies are competing with the acidic bile in the pit of my stomach that’s threatening to overtake them.

              The crowd parts and as he gets closer, his smile melts away when he sees my expression.

              “What’s up?” he asks, a worrisome frown upon his face.

              I wordlessly hand him the note. His eyes narrow as he reads the words then he looks more closely at the flowers and his eyes widen in surprise.

              “No. That can’t be possible,” he whispers more to himself than to me as he grabs the bouquet out of my hands.

              “What?”

              “Those flowers,” he says as he points to the white and black blooms, “are
Noctis vigeo
.”

              “They’re what?

              “Night Bloom,” he says expectantly like that should somehow make sense to me. When I still look confused he reverts to speaking in my mind,
“Flowers of the Underworld.”

              “So it is--.” My voice cracks as a flood of emotions overtakes me. I knew when Ethan showed back up here that the Dark Elves weren’t exactly hiding anymore but now—”

              “Where did you get them?” Jacoby interrupts my thoughts.

              “Special delivery,” I respond quietly. “I thought they were from you but then I read the note.”

              “Damn. This isn’t good.”

              “No, it’s not. First Ethan comes back and now this,” I gesture to the flowers. “What do you think--”

              “What’s going on?” Adele says as she and Grey approach us, concern etched into her face.

              He fills them in and Adele promises that she will stay with me during cheerleading clinics so Jacoby can go to Álfheimr and report it to Alberico.

              He tucks my hair behind my ear and as the tears begin to pool in my eyes, he pulls me closer, “Hey, hey, relax. We’re going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

              He brushes the tears away and presses his lips to the top of my head.

              “It’s not just me I’m worried about.” The faces of all of my family and friends flash before my eyes and my heart aches at the thought that something bad could happen to any one of them.

              “I know but you just have to have faith that we’ll be okay. All of us. C’mere.” He pulls back so he can look at me but keeps his hands on my shoulders. “What are you doing tonight?”

              “Spying on my best friend,” I deadpan. 

              “After that I mean,” he says with a slightly amused smile.

              “Um, nothing actually. I thought I’d just go home and hang out with the family. I figure I have some major sucking up to do after skipping school the other day.”

              “So I guess I should probably steer clear of your house tonight then, huh? Since my delightful presence won’t exactly work in your favor with your Mom.”

He tries to brush it off as a joke but I can tell it really bothers him that my Mom doesn’t like him. It’s not like she’s ever been flat out hateful to him but she doesn’t really hide her disdain either—which isn’t fair at all because he hasn’t done anything to deserve her contempt.