Falling into Fiction

23 The Meeting

Most of the time, intimidation tactics don't work on me. If people want to stare and scowl and throw evil looks, then fine. They can have at it. Ash, on the other hand, has mastered the art of burning holes into people's heads.

I would know because she's doing it to me right now.

Andrew walked me over to my house, waited for me to change, then walked me back over to Dee's house. Ever since then, he's sat next to me with this protective stance and a hand on my leg. I think that's part of the reason for Ash's fury right now.

Mr. Garrison doesn't seem too thrilled either based on the distasteful looks he keeps throwing at Andrew's hand. He hasn't said much either, apart from asking why I'm here in the first place.

"She..." Andrew hesitates, "she ran into some Arum last night."

Mr. Garrison clears his throat. "I'm assuming they just waltzed into your field party after the dance last night?" he asks sarcastically.

Andrew clenches his jaw, and Daemon answers for him instead. "To put it bluntly, she was kidnapped and ran into the woods to escape."

Mr. Garrison's face turns red at this revelation. Good, he should be embarrassed for assuming anything.

"And you ran across some Arum out there?" he asks me directly, his eyes flicking once again to Andrew's hand on my leg.

I nod. "Trust me, I don't like these encounters any more than you do. I'm tired of being choked out."

"I-" Mr. Garrison starts to say something but stops himself before he can finish. He might not have realized that I'd encountered any Arum before this. "And why is she here too?"

His question is now about Katy, who is also here for our little meeting. Her own alien protector is perched right next to her as well. Ash must have an even bigger hatred toward me for stealing her brother away than she does toward Katy for stealing away Daemon. I haven't seen her look away from me yet.

"Because she knows, too," Daemon says with a shrug.

Ash's jaw drops to the floor as her gaze finally turns to look at Daemon. "She knows?"

Daemon just shrugs again.

Ash gives a slightly hysterical laugh. "If it wasn't bad enough that we had to worry about saving you," she points at me for emphasis, "now we have to worry about Katy, too?"

"I'd watch what you say, Ash." Andrew grips my leg a little tighter.

Another hysterical laugh bubbles up in her throat. "Oh, really? And what are you going to do about it, Andrew?"

Ash stands up from her position across the room and moves toward us. I shift uneasily, watching Andrew for his reaction

"Ash, enough," Mr. Garrison says firmly.

She doesn't listen, though, her path still directed toward Andrew and I. "I'm not going to stand by and watch one of my own as God knows what happens to them. This will not end like it did for them."

Ash nods her head toward Daemon and Dee.

Andrew stands up as well when Ash gets too close, his body shielding mine. "Ash, let it go," he says lowly.

"Let it go?" She stops abruptly and looks around the room at all of us. She looks on the verge of tears, and Mr. Garrison takes a small step toward her. "What exactly am I supposed to let go of, Andrew? You when she almost certainly gets you killed?"

Nobody responds, not even Andrew, and I can't see the look on his face to know how he's feeling.

Ash pinches her lips together as a few tears fall from her eyes, and before I even realize it, she's gone. The only proof she left is the sound of the front door slamming.