Something True (14 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

True

I stood in the center of Goddess Cupcakes on Sunday afternoon, staring into space as I dumped ceramic plates into a plastic bin. Ever since last night’s meeting with Harmonia, all I could think about was home, and what it meant to me. As I lay awake in the middle of the night, craving that feeling of security and comfort so acutely, I realized that my mind’s eye was not filled with images of my chambers inside my mother’s house, not of my earthen window. Not even Harmonia. When I thought of home, I saw only Orion. I saw our house in Maine, the small bedchamber, the rolling hills outside the windows. I saw him. His smile, his hands, his eyes, his hair. Home was Orion. Orion was home.

Yesterday’s kiss had done nothing but solidify that fact for me. I didn’t care whether I had to be mortal, whether I had to live out my days on this rock. As long as I was with Orion, everything would be okay.

“Tick-tock, Eros,” Artemis whispered as I passed blindly by her table. “I don’t know whether to root for you or against you.”

“Then why don’t you try shutting your mouth?” I suggested, dumping a coffee mug into the bin with a clatter.

My nemesis had been sitting at one of the corner tables since opening, sipping the same tea and tapping at her wrist every time our eyes met. Like she was doing right now as I turned my back on her.

I wondered what she’d do to me if she ever found out about Orion’s and my lip-lock yesterday. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t be pretty. And speaking of which, where was Orion? What was he thinking? Last night I’d been hoping against hope that he’d call, or better yet show up at my house and tell me he’d realized his mistake. That he wanted me. That he loved me. That he’d broken up with Darla—which would conveniently leave her free to be with Wallace. But thanks to Artemis and whatever bizarre scene had played out between the two of them, he’d probably spent the night in his bedroom, hiding under the covers.

My hand shook, and I dropped a plate back onto a table with a clatter. The two girls sitting there stared at me as if I’d offended them somehow. I took a deep breath. As long as I was stuck at work, there was nothing I could do to help Wallace and Darla along, and clearly I needed to distract myself from thinking about Orion. But how?

I picked up the plate and carefully placed it into my bin. It was a gorgeous, sunny fall day, and everyone in Lake Carmody had flooded downtown, hitting the shops and restaurants and parks hard and heavy. I had never seen Goddess Cupcakes so packed. Everywhere I looked, there were singletons just waiting to find a match. Slowly I smiled. Perhaps it was time to have a bit of fun.

Keegan Traylor had come in a few minutes earlier and now sat at the big window table with three of his friends. He was a jerk, but that didn’t mean his friends didn’t deserve to find love. I saw Josie Morrissey and two of her girlfriends about to snag the table nearest the bathroom and jumped into action.

“Oh, no, no, no. You girls don’t want to sit here,” I said, picking up Josie’s plate and its contents—a PB&J cupcake—and balancing the bin against my hip.

“Why not?” Josie snapped.

Another special one. Maybe she and Keegan would hit it off. They both had hearts as black as tar.

“See that pipe right there?” I glanced at the ceiling. “Plumber says it could go at any time. He’s coming to fix it tonight, but I wouldn’t hedge my bets.”

The three girls took a large step back. I pretended to ponder the crowded restaurant, like I didn’t know exactly where to put them.

“Hey! What about that table?” I said, gesturing with the plate. “I’m sure those guys wouldn’t mind sharing.”

Josie’s eyes lit up at the sight of the four St. Joe’s varsity jackets. She applied some lip gloss, tossed her hair back, and led the charge. I bet my father would like her.

“Hey, guys.” She leaned into the table, and every one of them checked out her tight shirt. “Have room for a few more?”

“Only if they all look like you,” Keegan said, shoving a friend over.

Seriously, it was like shooting oversexed fish in a barrel. I placed Josie’s plate on the table and left them to it. Maybe Josie’s sweet-looking blond friend and the cute buzz-cut kid in the corner would hit it off.

“Excuse me? Are there any tables free?”

One of the English teachers from school stood nearby with a cup of coffee and a salted caramel cupcake, a novel tucked under her arm. She was pretty—about forty—with jet-black hair, an artistic sense of style, and no wedding band.

Artemis tapped her wrist. I heaved an impatient sigh and tried to ignore my timekeeper. Mr. Carlson, the school librarian, was sitting at a table near the wall with his daughter, Zadie, both of them engrossed in their own reading.

Mr. Carlson was not sporting a wedding ring either.

“We’re pretty jammed today, but it looks like there’s an empty seat at Mr. Carlson’s table,” I said, lifting my chin.

The woman hesitated. “I couldn’t interrupt him and his daughter.”

“They don’t exactly look like they’re in the midst of a tense discussion.” I laughed lightly. Or at least I tried to. With Artemis’s eyes on me, everything seemed to be coming out strained. “Follow me.”

I moved sideways through the tight space between occupied chairs and stepped over someone’s tuba case on my way to the Carlsons’ table. The teacher took the longer route, sticking to the outskirts of the café and watching me with a sort of nervous anticipation.

“Hi, Mr. Carlson?” I said.

He looked up from his book and smiled. Man had an awesome smile. His dozens of long black braids fell free over his shoulders, unlike at school, when he wore them back in a ponytail, and he was wearing a polo shirt and jeans, rather than his usual button-down and tie. The shirt totally showed off his arms, and I saw the edge of a dark tattoo peeking out from under one sleeve.

“True,” he said pleasantly. “How are you today?”

“I’m fine, thanks. Listen . . . the place is pretty busy, and I noticed you have an extra chair at your table. Would you mind if . . .”

I looked over at the teacher, who had just arrived at my side, clutching her book tightly to her side.

“It’s Ms. Day. Amelia,” she said, tilting her head apologetically. “Hello, Maurice,” she said to Mr. Carlson. “I don’t want to interrupt. . . .”

“Oh, hi, Amelia.” Mr. Carlson sat up straight. “You need a seat? Of course! Please, join us!”

“Thanks.” Amelia’s smile practically glowed. “That’s very kind of you.”

“Hi, Ms. Day!” Zadie said enthusiastically. She was wearing a white dress with short sleeves that made her look younger than her fourteen years, and her many Hello Kitty bracelets slid down her arm as she reached for her iced tea.

Amelia shot me a grateful look as she placed her cup and plate on the table. “Thank you, True.”

“Anytime,” I said as they settled in, looking like the perfect erudite family. “You guys let me know if you need anything.”

I glanced around, making sure not to look directly at Artemis so I could maintain this cautiously optimistic feeling brewing inside me. Maybe being permanently banished to Earth wouldn’t be so awful. Not if I could help people find happiness.

Then the door to the shop opened, and in stepped Orion. The sight of him after our encounter yesterday took my breath away. He was wearing a dark-blue sweater with a thick white stripe across the chest, and his glossy hair was freshly washed and brushed back from his strong cheekbones. As he walked toward me, Artemis’s body went rigid, her eyes wide, like a dog who’d just spotted a bone. I gave her a warning look, and she didn’t move. Luckily, Orion didn’t notice her.

When Orion’s eyes met mine, I saw the pain and hesitation there. He spotted Darla’s friends—Veronica and the two other girls they were always with—sitting at the center of the room. Time seemed to stop as he stood there, considering. Then, finally, as if he couldn’t fight it, he approached. I reached up to touch my hair self-consciously. What was he was going to say? That he was in love with Darla? That he was in love with me? I wondered, I wondered, I wondered. And then, he was there.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” I replied.

“Listen, about yesterday . . .”

My heart filled my throat. “Yeah?”

Orion glanced behind him at Veronica and her cohorts. They blatantly stared him down. I could hardly breathe, and he was stalling. Artemis was still as stone. The silver arrow around my neck burned a hole in my skin.

“You were right,” Orion said, lowering his voice. His gaze darted to my chest, to the spot where the arrow was tucked beneath my sweater. “I do have feelings for you.”

My heart caught. This was it! He loved me! He was going to break up with Darla so we could be together.

“But I don’t know where they came from,” he continued under his breath. “I’ve been having all these . . . I don’t even know what they are. Daydreams? Flashbacks?” He laughed sarcastically. “No. They can’t be flashbacks. I didn’t know you until a couple weeks ago.”

I could hardly breathe. Was he actually remembering things from before? Remembering us? I grabbed his wrist. “Orion, what do you—”

“What the hell is this?”

The whole café fell silent. Apollo stood near the door, which was still swinging shut, his feet in a fighter’s stance, his fists clenched at his sides. The black button-down he wore was open too deep at the neck, exposing the hair on his chest and his defined muscles. His acne had gotten worse, traveling down the bridge of his nose and across one cheek, and his lips twitched as he glanced at his sister, who, for the first time in her vain existence, looked like she wanted to disappear.

“You’re allowing this to happen?” he demanded of her.

“What do you want me to do? He has no clue who I am.”

“You again?” Orion stepped in front of me as if to protect me, which melted my heart like a glob of ice cream on a hot stove. “True, that girl is crazy. You should get out of here.”

I glanced around the crowded shop. Mr. Carlson stood up from his table, sensing something was about to happen. A couple of Orion’s teammates sat on high alert, a close eye on Apollo. All these people. If Apollo snapped, they could be hurt. But what was I supposed to do?

Apollo approached us, shoving aside chairs that were occupied by customers and knocking one man over in the process. Someone squealed. Apollo looked at me over Orion’s squared shoulders.

“My sister may have struck a deal with you, but don’t think that doesn’t mean I won’t end you right here. Harmonia’s not around to save you anymore.”

Orion lifted his chin. “Dude, back off or I’ll call the cops.”

“Son? I’d do as he says,” Mr. Carlson said, stepping up behind Apollo.

Apollo ignored him. He looked Orion in the eye and snorted, stepping so close to him Orion had to tilt his head back to keep from kissing Apollo on the lips. “So pathetic you are. I’ll never understand what they see in you.”

“I said back off,” Orion said firmly, shoving Apollo back with two hands. Apollo slammed Mr. Carlson in the shoulder, and he reeled back.

“Daddy!” Zadie shouted.

Apollo pulled his arm back for a punch and Veronica screamed, but Artemis was on him like a pouncing jaguar, grabbing his wrist with both hands before he could strike.

“Brother, let’s go.”

He whipped his arm out of her grasp but let it fall. Then he leaned past Orion, bringing his mouth ever so close to my ear. The tendons in his neck were taut, and I could feel tiny pulses of tension vibrating off him. One wrong move and he was going to snap. His breath smelled like rotten fruit.

“You may not care for your own safety, but I know you care for his,” he whispered. “I’ve ended him before. Anger me, and I’ll do it again.”

“Apollo!” Artemis snapped.

He stood up straight, smiled wickedly at me, and walked backward toward the door, deftly stepping over backpacks and chair legs as he went. His eyes never left mine, and it wasn’t until the door closed behind them that I finally breathed again.

“Are you kids okay?” Mr. Carlson asked.

“We’re fine. Thanks, Mr. C.” Orion turned to me, his face lined with concern. “True? What did he say to you?”

My whole body shook. I couldn’t look Orion in the eye. Apollo, as ever, knew how to strike where it hurt. He’d threatened Orion’s life. Even though his sister loved him, he’d threatened him. And I knew he would make good on that threat. He’d caused Orion’s death once before when she loved him. There was nothing to stop him from doing it again.

I was putting him in danger right now, simply by continuing in his presence.

“I have to go,” I said, taking a step back.

“Wait. True—”

“I’m sorry,” I told him, meeting his gaze just long enough to feel my heart break. “I have to go.”

It wasn’t until I had locked myself into the tiny employee bathroom that I finally allowed myself to cry.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Darla

Wallace reached for the door of Goddess Cupcakes on Sunday afternoon, and it opened right into his hand.

“Son of a!” He pulled his arm into his chest, almost dropping his iPad as he bounced around in pain.

“Wallace! Are you okay?” I blurted, reaching for him. His knuckles were bright red. “We might need to get you some ice.”

“No. It’s fine.” He shook his fingers out. “I’m good.”

Orion stepped out onto the sidewalk, distracted. He looked like he’d just thrown up—totally pale and tense. Which was a shame because otherwise, nice outfit.

“Sorry, man. You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah. Fine.” Wallace winced as he flexed and curled his fingers. “May never play the piano again, but it’s not like I wanted to anyway.”

“Where’re you going?” I asked Orion, glancing inside the cupcake shop, which was, as predicted, slam-packed. “We just got here.”

“I’m sorry. I’m really not feeling well,” Orion told me, glancing over his shoulder. “I think you’re gonna have to do this one without me.”

“Oh no! Really?” I asked. “But look! Everyone from school is here.”

I had so been looking forward to this—working the crowded hangouts as a couple, holding hands and chatting people up. Nobody ever campaigned outside of school, so when Orion had suggested it, I was sure it was really going to bump up our numbers. And now this.

“Well, if you’re sick . . . ,” Wallace said in a leading way, looking at me pointedly.

And suddenly I felt like an ass. Three days ago Orion had accused me of having a one-track mind for homecoming, and now here I was, proving him right.

“God, sorry. Of course. If you’re not feeling well, of course you should go home. I’ll call you after.”

“Okay.” Orion nodded, his eyes off somewhere down the street. “I’ll talk to you later.”

He gave me a quick, dry kiss on the cheek and speed-walked toward his car, which was parked at the curb, its cherry-red paint job gleaming in the autumn sun.

“Guess it’s just you and me then,” I said to Wallace.

He lifted his eyebrows in surprise. “You sure? You still want to do this?”

“Why not?” I asked. “Homecoming’s in six days. It’s now or never.”

I yanked open the door and held it for Wallace. There was a distinct buzz in the air inside the shop. It was noisier than usual, and everyone seemed to be gossiping. But then again, that wasn’t so odd. Almost every person in the room was a teenager. Gossiping was our national pastime. I pulled out a fistful of my cards and was about to start working the room, when I saw Veronica at a center table with Kenna and Mariah. She spotted me at the exact same moment.

“Hey, D. I didn’t know you were gonna be here,” she said.

Mariah and Kenna looked away. That was when I got that icky feeling in my stomach. Clearly they’d made a plan to meet up here today, and the plan hadn’t involved me.

“Me neither,” I said, walking slowly to their table. “I mean, I didn’t know you were going to be here either.”

Her eyes flicked past me and took on that glint that I knew so well. The one that meant she was about to eviscerate someone. I almost sidestepped in front of Wallace, as if I could possibly stop a word-bullet in midair.

“And with Wallace Bracken. Wow. You two sure have been spending a lot of time together,” she said loudly.

A couple of guys from the soccer team snickered. My face flushed.

“We came to campaign, actually,” I told her. Wallace stared down at his iPad with his jaw clenched, but I could tell he wasn’t really looking at it.

“Oh really? Shouldn’t you be doing that with your boyfriend?” Veronica said pointedly.

She glanced around at some of the kids from our school to make sure they were paying attention. Why was she doing this to me? But then, of course, I knew. Veronica saw me as a real threat in the homecoming race. She’d as much as said so before the game on Friday, and Josie had pretty much sealed it when she’d said she was going to vote for me. It looked like Veronica had finally decided to declare war.

And I was officially terrified. Yes, I had fantasized about winning. Yes, I had imagined what it would feel like to be declared more popular, prettier, better than Veronica Vine. But my best friend was not about to go down without a fight. And if there was one place no one wanted to be, it was in Veronica Vine’s way.

“He said he wasn’t feeling well,” I told her quietly.

Mariah perked up. “Yeah, well, you should have seen what just—”

Veronica brought her hand down on Mariah’s arm, and Mariah’s mouth snapped shot.

“Maybe it was the sight of you slumming it with the dork of the century that made him nauseous,” Veronica said, earning a few laughs. “But then again, I guess it’s okay, since he was in here two minutes ago having a very intense conversation with that True freak. Maybe the four of you can set up a date for a loser foursome.”

“Burn!” the guys from the soccer team shouted, slapping hands.

My stomach flopped over and wheezed as Veronica took a casual sip of her coffee.
Say you’re just kidding,
I willed her silently.
Take it back.

Part of me knew I should walk away. That I shouldn’t stand here and let her humiliate me like this. But it was a teeny-tiny part. The rest of me knew I needed her. I needed her to laugh it off and invite me to join them. I didn’t want her to leave me out in the cold. I loathed myself for it, but I couldn’t stop feeling that way.

“Oh, look,” Veronica said with a smirk. “I made him flee.”

I turned around just in time to see Wallace shove open the door to the shop and walk out. Not that I could blame him. He was probably having traumatic flashbacks to Veronica’s seventh-grade torture.

Veronica looked up at me and smiled. But it wasn’t a wicked smile or a victorious smile. It was a nice smile. A welcoming smile. Instantly my insides began to relax. How did she do that? How did she switch gears so quickly?

“Want to sit? I’ll split my red velvet with you,” she said.

The defiant part of me still screamed to turn my back on her and bail, but it was far, far too weak. When I sank into the chair, it was with total and utter relief. Everything was forgotten. Orion, Wallace, homecoming, the two pounds of business cards in my bag. Everything.

I hadn’t lost Veronica. I hadn’t lost my place. At that moment, that was the only thing that mattered.