The Art of Revenge

16 - Three Things

I laughed as I sat on Jace’s lap in Alyssa’s family room. Luke had said some joke, which made every person in the room burst out in hysterics. Dillon tried to top it but failed when the room went silent. We’ve been at Alyssa’s little party for a few hours already and I don’t regret coming because even though they’re all seniors that I don’t really know, they have some interesting things to say.

            “Guys, food is outside.” Alyssa called and some people left the room but Jace, Dill, Luke, and I stayed.

            “Aren’t you guys hungry?” I asked them but they all just shrugged.

            “We can wait until everyone else is done, it’s no big deal.” Luke said while Dillon sat there gruffly, probably wanting the food then and there but not wanting to get up to get it.

            “You-know-who is getting fussy,” I muttered to Jace while referring to Dillon who perked up after I talked.

            “Voldemort?” He said excitedly.

            I rolled my eyes then turned to Jace again, “At least he’s thinking.”

            Dillon just gave me a gummy grin and relaxed in his seat. I felt Jace pull me closer to him and I rested my head against his chest. I told him about the thing with Lindsay earlier and he avoided her the entire day then zoomed home after practice so she couldn’t talk to him.

            “Peyton!” I opened my closed eyes and looked at Dillon who was rubbing his stomach. “Can you get me some food?”

            I rolled my eyes and I felt Jace’s face go into my red hair. “No, get it yourself because you obviously need the exercise.”

            He turned to Luke with his eyebrows up then in his best girl voice he said, “did she just call me fat?”

            Luke looked at me and did the same voice, “I think she just did.”

            Dillon gave me a mischievous look. “Let’s get her.”

            Before I knew it, I was thrown over Dill’s shoulder and I knew we were running outside. I was laughing the whole time and I saw Jace following us by his shoes because that’s all I saw.

            “Come on, Dill.” I heard Jace laugh and I saw the concrete of outside and people started laughing. “Just let her down.”

            I was put to my feet, facing Dill with a laugh. “So, what’s for…” I started turning around but then froze in my tracks as I saw the huge blaze of a bon fire in front of me.

            Let me tell you something about my phobia. Like I said before to Jace, I’ve been deathly afraid of fire since the time when I was fire and I sent the whole house in flames. I try my best to block out the memories of it, but whenever I even see fire, I freak out and it’s like I’m that five year old again.

            I felt like my throat was closing up as I kept on staring at the blaze. I backed up and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dillon’s eyes widen.

            “Pey… It’s okay.” He said gently and by now I was completely in the house with only Jace and Dillon. Luke had shrugged and got some food while everyone else didn’t even seem to notice.

            I remembered the pain of the fire, the hate that I felt for myself for making it happen. How I couldn’t breathe and everything went black. How I ran through the house, not being able to open the doors because they were locked. I didn’t know where my mom was and there were too many stairs to climb plus flames blocked them out.