Fiendish: A Twisted Fairytale (83 page)

“Trying to get the attention of anyone in particular?” I asked softly, looking over at her then back to Malcolm.

“No,” she replied, shaking her head. “The outfit was Macy’s idea. She made it, well altered it. We went shopping at Goodwill because she didn’t want to do the standard costumes, and since she knows how to sew, she was sure she could do better. I would have gone as someone who wore more clothes, but she wasn’t having it. We had to be a set, so to speak.”

“And you looked great just like I knew you would. And caught the eye of a few of
Mal’s friends,” Macy added with a smile.

“And I got the nastiest looks from that cheerleader girl and her friends.”

“Oh, pish posh. Whatsherface was just jealous since Mal decided to take it upon himself to play the unneeded bodyguard.”

“Unneeded my ass!
All of my buddies knew better than to try anything with you. Ginger, however, they all looked at her like she was fresh meat. I knew them; I couldn’t leave her to those vultures.”

“That was the point!” Macy exclaimed. “She wanted to be noticed.”

“No, you wanted her to be noticed,” Malcolm countered.

“Same difference,” Macy retorted.

Calida kept her head down, eating her food quietly as they bantered back and forth. The conversation continued on with questions being asked about the different costumes. Mitch’s parents were interested in Macy’s hobby of fashion designing and things seemed to be shifting away from the original topic. The table got quiet. Then Mitch asked Macy what kind of teenage party games were played since he knew what kind of games he played at that age. Both Macy and Malcolm looked in Calida’s direction smiling like the cats that ate the canary. Macy then looked over at her parents who also looked very interested in the answer to that question.

“What happens in the closet stays in the closet,” she replied before changing the subject.

Malcolm’s gaze lingered on Calida who kept her eyes diverted, but I didn’t miss the tremble in her hand when she picked up her wine. Something happened that night, something that wasn’t very brotherly. After dinner, Mitch turned on the TV to catch one of the many football games. Audrey asked Calida to accompany her to Mitch’s office to review the ideas she had. Calida glanced back at me, looking reluctant to leave me alone in the company of her friend and their families.

“So, Seth, how have you been feeling?” Macy asked, taking a seat next to me.

“I’m feeling fine. Why do you ask?”

“Because,” she said, lowering he
r voice. “Lee told me you were…sick.”

“She told
you I was sick?” I inquired with great interest.

I
’d never asked Calida what she said to Macy to mend things, but now I got the answer.

“Yes. I would imagine a man like you would be too proud to want people to know. But she was so stressed and confided in me over lunch a few weeks ago.”

“And what exactly did she tell you about my…sickness?” I asked, curious now to find out what Calida could have given as an explanation.

“Not much, which I guess is to keep your privacy. She just said that it was a brain thing. She didn
’t talk about your treatment…or if you’re even getting treatment. You look healthy enough, but guess it could have no outward signs. Anyway, I just wanted to see how you are feeling.”

Macy stared at me, searching for something.
A crack in her friend’s story possibly?

“Well thank you for your concern,
but I’m feeling just fine. And you’re right; it’s not something I want people knowing about.”

“Of course.
I understand,” she replied quietly, patting me on the hand.

She got up to go sit with Mitch
, and I glanced around the room, noticing that Malcolm was missing. As I started to get up to go find Calida, Deidra took Macy’s exit as a chance to grill me on my ‘intentions’ for Calida. I thought answering these type of questions from her father and mother was enough. However, she had yet another person wanting to know how I was going to treat ‘their girl,’ so I smiled politely and gave the standard, appropriate answers.

***

“Well, I think with these additions, the place will really look great,” Audrey stated once she finished giving me the list of her ideas.

“Yes
, ma’am, I appreciate your input. And feel free to email me if you have any other ideas.”

Audrey
gave me a warm smile before heading out of the office. I sent myself a quick email so I wouldn’t forget what we discussed.

“Okay, enough working,” Malcolm said as he stuck his head in the doorway.

“I’m just finishing up,” I replied, glancing back quickly then powering down Mitch’s computer.

“Hey, hope we didn
’t embarrass you too much at dinner…with that whole story, but he asked. Well, we didn’t give him the
whole
story, but I figured some things don’t need to be discussed in front of parents and such.”

Malcolm strolled
and took a seat on the sofa. I dropped my eyes to stare aimlessly at the keyboard.
Embarrassed?
Embarrassment was the least of my concerns; dealing with Seth was the real problem. He would be full of questions, and he didn’t always ask nicely.

“No, of course not,” I said, shaking my head as I turned to look at him. “You know how much I enjoy being the center of attention and having tales of my awkward teen years shared with others,” I said sarcastically.

Mal threw his head back, laughing loudly. “That’s the Ginger I know.”

“What?”

“Sorry, but seeing you today, something is off. Different. So what’s up?”

“Nothing
’s up. You’ve just been gone too long. I’m the same ol’ me,” I replied, standing. I knew I needed to make an escape before he asked too many questions.

“Ginger,
” he said softly, blocking my path. “Calida. It’s me.”

His fingers lightly caressed my cheek reminding me of our almost night together. He was my first kiss. He was the first guy to ever touch me in a sexual way. He could
’ve been my first that night had I not tensed up when I felt his hand between my legs. I’d replayed that night over in my head countless times, wondering how things would have been different. I pulled away from his touch. I couldn’t think about that night or my old crush on him.

“Calida, I
’ve known you for a long time, and while you’ve always been shy around me, we could always have fun and joke around. But now, today, you barely look at me.”

He stood close, too close,
and his hands lightly skimmed across the exposed flesh of my shoulder. Those forgotten memories were replaying freshly in my mind. Our interactions were always playful and flirty, but I knew this was different. The way he looked at me during dinner, and the look he gave me now, was reminiscent of that night. I didn’t know what game he was playing, but it was a dangerous one.

“I don
’t know what you mean,” I lied, forcing myself to make eye contact with him. “Maybe I just didn’t want your ugly mug ruining my appetite,” I said, laughing nervously, hoping to drop this conversation.

“Ha, now I know you
’re lying,” he replied grinning. “But seriously, you and this Seth character. If he’s not good to you, tell me, and I’ll go kick his ass.”

He gave me his signature
playful grin. I could see he was trying to get back to that lightheartedness, but it still wasn’t the same. I smiled up at him then stretched up on my tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. I tried to step back, but Malcolm’s arm wrapped around my waist, hugging me tightly. He was warm and comforting. I felt momentarily at ease in his familiar embrace, safe from the world around me.

“Thanks
, Mal, but I’m okay. Really,” I said, letting my head rest against his chest. We stayed that way until I heard his voice.

“I
’ve been looking for you.”

I could only pray that the terror that overcame me at that moment wouldn
’t show on my face. I stepped around Malcolm and tried not to shrink back in fear from the hard look Seth gave me. The tension that filled the space was stifling, and since Malcolm made no move to leave my side so I had to force myself to walk towards Seth.

“I
’m just finishing up,” I began, knowing I had to explain. “Mal was just apologizing for embarrassing me at dinner with that old story.” I looked back at Mal, hoping he would take the hint.

“Yeah, I wanted to make sure she was okay. She seemed upset, and I since I don
’t like it when she’s unhappy, I wanted to make sure she wasn’t hurt.”

My eyes widened when I looked at Mal, and I saw the
faint smile appear on Seth’s lips because he picked up on the same subtle warning that I did. Malcolm was playing a very dangerous game of chicken, and I feared he would come out on the losing end.

“Yes, and I was letting him know
I’m fine
, and he has no need to worry,” I said, linking my arm with Seth’s.

I looked over at Mal and gave him what I hoped was an encouraging smile. It seemed to work as he said something about getting pie before exiting the room. I turned to leave
, but Seth pulled me back. He held me close to his body, one arm securely around my waist, his other hand under my hair, pulling it so tightly it made me whimper. If anyone walked by, it would appear to be a quick intimate moment between lovers.

“Seth, please,” I begged
in a fevered whisper.

“Please what
, my dear? Not embarrass you the way you have been embarrassing me?” he hissed angrily in my ear.

“I…I wasn
’t.”

“You were. You have been flirting and flaunting yourself with that man since we arrived, and then I walk in here to find you all cozied up with him.
Very disrespectful of you.”

Seth pulled tighter on my hair as he spoke
, making tears spring to my eyes.

“We were just talking. That
’s it, Seth, I swear,” I said in a fevered whisper.

“It looked like it would have been more than talking had I not walked out here. And I know there is something you have failed to mention about your relationship with him.”

I needed to leave, to get him out of here before he really lost his temper. I was terrified of what he might do if that happened. I felt the walls closing in on me, and I needed to leave before the shameful truth of my life was exposed. I had put everyone I love in danger with my blindness, and I couldn’t let them pay for my inability to pay attention to the warning signs I should have seen.

“Hey you two
, dessert is served,” Mitch said, walking into the room.

Seth loosened his grip on my hair
, and I rested my head on his shoulder to hide my distress.

“We
’ll be right there,” Seth replied calmly as he rubbed small, comforting circles on my back.

“Take me home please,” I whispered
.

“But you are having so much fun. I wouldn
’t want to deny you that.” I heard the malice in his tone, and I knew he was making us stay to watch me squirm.

“Seth.”

“We stay. Now, let’s go get dessert.”

Without another word
, Seth grabbed my hand and led me back to the living room. I spent the rest of the night avoiding Malcolm and staying close to Seth. The car ride home was quiet; Seth didn’t even look in my direction. I was trembling by the time we got back to the house. I headed upstairs, turning towards the right to head into the room when Seth stopped me.

“Wrong way, Ginger,” he growled, yanking me towards the old room.

My blood ran cold hearing him call me by that name. Seth’s fingers dug into my arm as he pulled me down the hall. He pushed me, and I felt myself falling forward as I tripped over my own feet. I winced in pain as I landed hard on the hardwood floor. Seth slammed the door, and I quickly scrambled to my feet as he approached me.

The look on his face was
terrifying; it was the same one he wore the night of his birthday. My fear ran rampant and everything in me was saying run, but running made it worse. He enjoyed the chase. Seth stood directly in front of me, glaring at me with his cold eyes, causing a shiver of terror to run down my spine. I fought to keep from shaking; I was scared more in this moment than I was that night.
Do I beg for his forgiveness? Apologize and promise to never see Malcolm again?
I closed my eyes, trying to figure out how I could save myself and them.

Swallowing my fear, I acted on some strange instinct. I circled my arms around Seth
’s neck and kissed him. I could tell he was not expecting it; hell, I was shocked at my own actions. However, I took advantage of his temporary shock, pulling my body closer to his as I drove my tongue into his mouth. All our intimate interactions were initiated by Seth because no matter what I tried to tell myself, I wasn’t at that level of comfort with him. But having him call me Ginger then pulling me into this room, I knew I needed to act rather than react. I had to give him the one thing I’d been holding back.