The Demon's Ballerina

Ch 9 - Charlotte

Monday morning, bright and early, Danny was blowing the horn outside. I pulled myself from my bed and stumbled through pulling on some jeans and a hoodie. I got all the way outside on the porch before I realized I didn't have my backpack. I had to run back upstairs to get it. When I finally climbed into his truck, I frowned when I realized we were alone.

"Where are the guys?"

"Eve took his car." We always carpooled.

"Why?"

"Because we need to talk."

"About what?"

"After school, ok?" I frowned at his words but didn't push it.

The school day was rough. I was so tired I couldn't focus on anything. West made it even harder because he started having guys catcall at me until Danny and Abe ran into him alone in the bathroom. Then it stopped and no one looked my way again.

When we left school, Abe rode with Everett again so Danny and I were alone.

"I called Grandpa." I looked over at Danny, frowning at the blunt he was offering me. "Got you the day off. We need to have a talk."

"I don't need the day off." I turned back to the window and watched the trees pass. "I have a job – might not be much, but I like it. Just because I'm tired and sore from last night-"

"Grandpa already cancelled class for today." Damn. It was that serious?

"Ok, I'll bite. What do you want to talk about?"

"Uncle Zane." I frowned in response.

"What about him?"

"When I came down for breakfast this morning, Mom told me about the guest last night at Sunday dinner."

"Guest?"

"Uncle Zane's high school ex-girlfriend." I accepted the blunt he offered, confused. Zane had left us in the mountains yesterday and by the time we'd left, he hadn't come back. "Charlie, she's pregnant." The ring on my finger suddenly felt very heavy. Yet I couldn't bring myself to take it off.

After an afternoon of smoking in some random field just outside of town, Danny dropped me off at home around dinner time. Mom, Dad and Zane were already at the table when I got in.

"Charlie." Mom whispered when I took my seat and started filling my plate without greeting anyone. Mom had cooked lasagna and garlic bread tonight, my favorite. I glanced up at her and frowned at the look of concern on her face. "I see a bruise-"

"Sorry." I mumbled, rubbing at my jaw to try and fix the foundation. I'd noticed the smudge when I was getting out of Danny's truck but figured Mom wouldn't notice. "I'll cover them better next time."

"It's ok." She assured me softly. "Your father says your sponsor is a good man. Is that true?"

"Yeah, Priest is a good guy." I assured her. It wasn't even a lie. I noticed the demon across the table stiffen at the mention of Priest. I wonder why. "How was your vacation? I thought you guys would be out of town until tomorrow?"

"Your mother found that none of the pillows were as comfortable as her own." I chuckled at Dad's words. "How was school, kiddo?"

"Good."

"And the fights? How much money did you make this weekend?" Mom teased with a smile. I shrugged in response, and she started frowning. "Charlie, if you want to continue having your freedom, you should at least make an effort to converse with us about your life. Regardless of how miniscule you believe it to be, I like hearing about your day."

"Sorry. I'm just tired." I confessed, though it was only a half lie. I wanted to be anywhere but here. "Yes, I made a good chunk of change last night. They didn't hold belt matches so it was a free for all, honestly. My bruises aren't normally this bad."

"I heard they rose the number of fights a belt holder can have." I nodded at Dad's words, my mouth full of lasagna. "I got in contact with my old sponsor last night. He said you were the reason they rose the number – something about the amount of money people were offering them to have a match with you regardless of your belt."

"I got a cut of that money, too." I agreed when I swallowed my mouthful. I grabbed my soda and took a few sips. "I've got enough in the bank to buy a nice little house, a good car, and pay for school."

"How long have you been fighting, Charlie?" Mom asked then, suddenly serious. I bit my lip at the look on Dad's face in response to her tone.

"Two years." I heard Zane's chair creak as he shifted in his seat in the silence that followed.

"How much do you have in the bank?" She demanded then, setting her fork and knife down.

"That's where I draw the line." Dad chuckled at my response, and Mom huffed.

"Fine. If you have enough for that, you have enough to buy some new clothes for yourself. I'm tired of seeing these raggedy, hole-filled jeans and yoga pants."

"You're right." I agreed, keeping my gaze on my plate as I ate. "Now that you know about the money, I can spend it without having to hide. I'll start replacing my wardrobe."

I was too tired to do anything except go upstairs and sit in bed to do homework. Zane sat in his room on the weight bench, lifting as he watched me. He hadn't spoken to me since I got home – and that was odd in and of itself. Come to think of it, he didn't talk at all during dinner except when Mom pulled him into the conversation. Even now, he was silently watching me. I'd taken the rings off, though I'd put then on the gold chain around my neck. No one could see the rings, though. And when I'd taken my seat, the first thing Zane had looked at was my left hand.

"Charlotte." I jerked awake at the sound of his voice. "Wait, please-"

"Get out." I ordered, shoving at him when he tried to pull me into his arms. "You-"

"It's not what you think." I couldn't fight him because he was so much stronger than I was. "Will you just let me explain?"

"Get out, Zane." He silently walked back to his room, though he left both doors open. I rolled over and fell back asleep, too tired and annoyed to do anything else.

The next morning when I went down for breakfast, he wasn't there. He hadn't been in bed when I woke up, either. Dad was the only one at the table.

"Where's Mom?" I asked as I took my usual seat.

"She isn't feeling well this morning." He watched me fill my plate before he spoke again. "You really have enough to buy a house, kiddo?"

"Sure." I avoided looking at him as I cut my French toast and covered it with syrup. "Why do you ask?"

"Your mother and I discussed it." I set my fork down to look at him. "With you going away for college-"

"I thought we agreed it was ok that I didn't want to leave for college."

"We did, yes. But if you change your mind, it would be a good idea for you to invest in some real estate." I went back to eating, trying to eat fast because Danny would be here any minute. "We also think it's time you bought a car, Charlie."

"But Danny-"

"Your cousin can't be there every time you need him. Kelly called this morning – Danny woke up with the flu, so he'll be out of school for a few days." I opened my mouth to say something but instead started coughing so bad I spit my French toast across the table. "I think you need a day off too, kid. You work so hard that if you don't rest, you won't ever get over it."