Cursed, Charmed, and Uninsured

Curse Detecting Lip Gloss

Words fled her brain.

Kay had held onto her anger the whole perilous ride down here, good and frothing by the time she made it to Serena's cell, but when she finally arrived, face to face, her thoughts scattered like cockroaches under a kitchen light. She sputtered, her hands grasping the air as she tried to gather the shreds of her indignity for a thorough tirade.

The golden vixen deserved it! She deserved Kay's rage! She Cursed Kay's cell phone with a capital C!

Serena watched her with growing concern. "Are you well? You look a little tired--"

"Shut up!" Kay snarled, finally finding her anger at Serena's patronizing tone. The golden princess bit her lower lip in a clear attempt not to laugh in Kay's face, a gesture she didn't appreciate at all though her stomach did a flip. What was wrong with her?

The cell phone whacked against the side of the jar, startling her. She yanked the jar free from her coveralls pocket to shake it in the princess's face. "This! This is your fault," Kay hissed. The cell phone smacked against the confines of the jar with renewed vigor now that it was out in the open. Serena didn't spare it a glance, her gaze locked on Kay, the humor gone as an unreadable expression slipped onto her face. Kay wanted to hate her, and hated that she didn't. The jar wobbled in her grip, threatening to slip free of her sweaty palms.

The open door creaked behind her. Her already frayed nerves snapped. Kay shrieked and dropped the jar. It shattered at her feet, broken glass skittering across the cement floor as her cell phone feebly flopped and fluttered across the ground, clearly stunned by the impact. She whimpered and slumped back against the wall, covering her mouth. It was too much, this was finally too much. She squeezed her eyes shut, not caring if Stanley or Shaffer herself found Kay with the damning evidence at her feet.

She was exhausted, her best friend wasn't speaking to her, and she was constantly lying to the people she cared about. All for what? A paycheck? Even if she walked away now, she hadn't worked here long enough to get past the probationary period, which meant that daming black mark would still be the first thing on her record. Kay now keenly understood the paradox of 'damned if you do and damned if you don't'. Would Fantasy Land Inc even let her quit? Perhaps not if they had so much 'invested' in her to keep quiet.

"Kay?"

She shook her head, determined to ignore Serena. Maybe she could just go about her business, act like nothing happened, and then when Stanley came down here and found her mess, it would be over. She wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. Or maybe he would cover it up for her. She inwardly flinched at the thought. Stanley hadn't known her that long and while he said she lasted longer than most employees in this department, it didn't excuse breaking the rules.

"Kay, look at me."

Was Serena part siren? Kay opened one eye. Her cell phone was currently flutter-crawling toward her, probably intent on giving her a good zap for dropping its container.

"Eyes up here," said Serena. Kay released a resigned breath and looked up, both eyes open. Serena blanched and sank down in her ridiculous skirts. She ran a hand over her delicate mouth, somehow not smudging her makeup. Was she wearing makeup or was she that perfect. Oh goodness, her lips really were that dark and lush without a drop of lipstick.

"Kay, I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to be you."

Kay shook herself, prying her attention off Serena's mouth. "You keep saying that like it's supposed to make it okay you cursed my cell phone and put my best friend in mortal danger."

"You say that like a guilt trip will phase me after being imprisoned for centuries," said Serena. She arched one of her golden brows.

Kay groaned and scrubbed her tired face. She couldn't look at Serena without losing focus on the reason she came here. Instead she watched her sentient cell phone, nudging it away with her foot before it could attack her. "Can you reverse it?"