enigma
○ failure is an enigma. you worry about it, and it teaches you something. ~ james dyson ○
🥀
"I'll come with you."
"No, Dad," I refused. "I'll be fine, I'm just going back to Hailee's."
He let out a sigh, obviously not agreeing with my decision, but knowing that he couldn't change my mind. "At least let me take you back to your car."
I nodded, knowing that this was the best deal I was going to get. With one last wave to Amber after exchanging phone numbers, Dad and I left her penthouse, my mind trying to ignore the subconscious question of where the hell Daemon went.
The car ride back to the bar parking lot was quiet. I wasn't usually someone that could really be shut up, so the fact that I wasn't speaking a word to my dad of all people was new to me. I couldn't stop the sigh of relief I let out as we pulled into the lot, which was just starting to fill up with cars as the day slipped away.
"Well, here we are." I didn't say anything, fiddling with my fingers awkwardly. "Do you need anything before I let you go?"
I shook my head, turning to my dad to meet his eyes for the first time since we got into his car back at Amber's. "Thanks for the ride."
He nodded, looking away from me as he climbed out of the driver's side. I followed, leaning awkwardly against Hailee's car as we said our clumsy goodbyes, our hug stiff and unlike us.
The drive home was long and only made me more tired. By the time I turned into the Ayuri's driveway, my eyelids were begging to fall. I was honestly lucky that I hadn't gotten into an accident on the way over here, with how drowsy the setting sun was making me.
However, I became wide awake as soon as I opened the front door.
"Noah!"
I ran to my other best friend, jumping into his arms.
"Lina, is there a reason I haven't seen you in almost a month?" he asks sassily as he puts me down. "Hailee here was telling me that you two see each other every day, but nope, Noah is just the side-piece that no one cares about."
"Oh, shut the fuck up, Spade," Hailee spat jokingly. "You look like a Smurf, of course no one wants to hang out with you."
Noah frowned, running a hand through his electric blue hair. "Does it look that bad?"
I laughed, throwing an arm around his shoulders with some difficulty- Noah was too tall for this shit. "She's kidding, dumbass. Your hair always looks great."
Hailee rolled her eyes, ruffling Noah's hair. "Whatever you say. Anyway, Lina, what happened in Woodlake?"
My grin faded as yesterday and today came rushing back to me. What was I supposed to tell my friends? Clearly, the Umbra wasn't common knowledge, and it didn't seem like information that could just be thrown around to just anyone.
So I did something I've never done to my best friends, ever. I lied.
"It was great."
~~~
The rest of the night was filled with me attempting to distract myself from the whole... Umbra thing with old sitcom reruns and Disney movies. But another bag of popcorn, a whole bar of chocolate, and a shit-ton of childhood favorites later, I still couldn't stop obsessing over what I had been told earlier today. The supernatural existed, and not only that, I was part of it. It was safe to say that I was sufficiently freaked out by all of it, and there was no bringing back my ignorant mind.
What was bothering me the most, though, was Daemon's eye. Why had it turned black? What was the concoction Amber had put together to treat it? Did it actually work, or was it just a temporary fix? And last, but definitely not least, was I the one that caused it?
"I'm gonna head out," Noah said, standing up from the chair and stretching his arms all around his body. "I have to get back to campus soon or I'll hate myself tomorrow- damn my morning classes."
I nodded, noting that Hailee had already fallen asleep on the couch again. "I'm just going to crash here, I doubt this one minds," I joked. "Text me when you're home, Spade, no excuses."
"Of course," he said through a yawn. "Here's to hoping I don't fall asleep on the road."
~~~
I woke up the next morning to the smell of breakfast cooking in the kitchen, making my mouth instantly salivate. My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten a real meal since Saturday night.
I got up from my bed, moving into the bathroom to get rid of my morning breath. I cringed at the dried spit I had in the corner of my mouth, washing it off with a splash of water before brushing my teeth.
I went on my phone to text Noah and see what he was up to, but stopped at the message I saw in my notifications.
Amber: Your grandpa dropped something off for you here. You're going to want to see this.
My toothbrush nearly fell to the ground as the picture from Amber downloaded in my messages.
It was a book. But not just any old paperback- Mom's journal.
