Ill Appearances

Chapter 13: Carmen

It was Monday afternoon, and I still hadn't seen Mason. Dad didn't seem to think anything of it, reasoning that he'd probably stayed the night at a friend's house. I knew that Mason wouldn't go anywhere without telling someone. On top of all that, I hadn't seen Andy either.

"You think she knows?" I heard someone ask.

I tried my best not to turn to look at them.

"Probably not," another person responded. "Just look at her. She probably doesn't even know that someone caught her and Andy in the act."

At that moment, I froze.

"She heard you!" the first person hissed.

I quickened my pace as I walked down the hall to my last class. The moment I sat down at my desk, my phone pinged with a message from a girl in my English class.

Yikes!, the message read. Attached was a picture of Andy and me in the back of his car.

I let out a startled yelp.

So this is what those people had been talking about...

The memories from that moment flooded over me. They were still fresh in my mind, and it was like I could hear Andy whispering my name between our kisses.

He'd been so gentle, holding me close and telling me how precious I was to him.

I'd fallen so deeply under his spell, that I didn't realize that he was probably only acting off of his desire. He hadn't called or texted me since then. In fact, I wasn't even sure if he was at school.

Unable to stand being in the classroom any longer, I fled to the bathroom. I was almost there when I rammed right into someone.

"Carmen," Andy breathed. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Really?" I snapped. "And why is that?"

He frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I knew it," I growled. "You probably had someone take that picture."

"What picture, Carmen?"

I shoved passed him, my tears threatening to come flooding. "Just leave me alone."

"Carmen!" Andy called after me, but I didn't stop to turn around.

Once I'd gotten to the bathroom, I hid in one of the stalls.

Just then, someone walked in. She chuckled. "I didn't think this would actually work."

My eyes widened.

"Do come out now, little kitten. I have an offer for you."

I stood slowly, unable to tell my body to stay put. As soon as I exited the stall, I knew I shouldn't have.

Jackie grinned at me. "You figured me out, it seems," she said in a relaxed tone. She walked closer to me, tracing her pointer finger along the sinks she passed. "There's only one option now. Well, maybe there's two. I can't have Andy coming to me for revenge, now can I? So the question I have for you is very simple. Will you join us, or will you die?"

I took a step back, then another, and another.

Jackie followed, getting closer with each backward step I took. "You can't use your gift here," she sneered. "If anyone sees, then you really will be killed."

"I don't need my gift to fight," I snapped. "I've gone this long without it, so why should I need to depend on it?" I was bluffing, of course, in hopes that someone would walk in and stop Jackie.