Midnight Rose (completed)

Chapter 13

Act normal.

Kendra, with her sparkling eyes and a bigger-than-life smile, ran to my car and jumped in.

"You're in a good mood. You do know it's Monday, right? There are thousands of memes to commemorate the not-so-joyous beginning to the week."

"So I'm happy on a Monday. Sue me." She applied her lipstick in the visor mirror. "What did you do this weekend besides work? This job is really getting in the way of our relationship." She smacked her lips together, showcasing a bright red sheen.

"I'll talk to Mr. Hunter. Maybe I can get Friday or Saturday nights off." I cringed when Kendra squealed wildly as I turned into the school.

"Do you think he'll give you this Friday off? Natalie is having a get-together, and I'm on the prowl for a date to the Winter Wonderland dance. I need my wing girl." She winked.

Focusing on Kendra was difficult this morning because my thoughts were heavy on last night.

"Abby?" Kendra was staring at me with a questioning look.

"Sorry."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. You know Natalie is the bane of my existence, right?"

"It's a means to an end. She has the best parties, and we don't have to talk to her. Come on. I can't do this without you."

The first bell rang. Grabbing our bags, we crossed the parking lot quickly.

"Fine. I'll go with you, but would you mind if I brought Wes?"

"So, you're like a thing now?" We rushed to our lockers, switching out books and being careful of our voices because classmates surrounded us.

"Yeah, kind of," I said with an embarrassed grimace.

"Ooh, so, you think he would set me up with Ben?" The romantic possibility brightened her eyes.

"He's actually taken, and it's pretty serious." I bit my bottom lip, anticipating her disappointment. Zoe and Ben had been together for over two hundred years, so being serious didn't quite cover it.

"Darn it, but I would've been surprised if he wasn't taken. He's dark, mysterious, and gorgeous. So the manhunt is still on for Friday then." She slammed her locker and bounced away, her white curls bouncing along with her.

A party was so trivial at this point, but Mr. Hunter instructed us to act normal, and I had already been distant with Kendra. If anything, going to this party would buy me a little time alone with Wes without sending up red flags.

Getting through the day proved difficult, so I was grateful when school finally ended. I made it to my car before Kendra and was shocked to see Elijah leaning up against it casually as if we were friends, arms crossed and sporting a confident grin. I wasn't ready for this. Last night, I had found out he had saved me. What could I say? Thank you just didn't seem adequate. But he was dishonest with me, and that hurt, so I straightened up and confronted him, my eyes burning with angry tears.

"You lied to me." I nudged him out of the way and opened the driver's door.

"About what exactly?" He slammed the door closed.

"Get out of my way," I demanded, tears starting to fall down my cheeks. The revelations were catching up with me, and the panic I had been holding back was surfacing.

"What did they tell you? That you should be afraid of me?" His voice pleaded.

"Shouldn't I be?" I glared at him angrily.