Tightrope

A Ferocious Band of Chipmunks

I was stunned.

Austin—the golden boy of the golden hair, sweet face, pure heart and nerdy athleticism—was threatening me. Blackmailing his own sister, of the equally sweet face and pure heart. Forcing her to consort with the devil, as if he was Cerberus, guiding me gently into hell and thrusting me into my eternal torment.

I thought I'd raised him better, honestly. This is what happens when you hire a nanny; you know, absent parents and everything. Take notes.

Austin looked smug. It was a grin I'd seen Jace wear. Clearly on the uniform requirements for the hellish legion, along with a football uniform.

"Wow," I said, dazed.

Austin shrugged. "You need this."

"I can't believe you've done this."

"Vine is dead, Lena. Let it go."

Vine was only one of the many things I couldn't let go. I would never let this go; my baby brother, corrupted by forces of evil. This would haunt me forever, as would the day that followed. I couldn't let Austin expose Cole. Not because Knight mattered or anything, but because Dad would be mad. He might also kill Knight for spending the night in my room, and I could just tell that Cole would be a very annoying ghost. He was an attention whore.

I turned my head to look out of the window, watching as the train rattled past trees and neatly lined houses. With all the willpower I could muster, I willed the train to stop, to slow. Jace would get on in three stops, and I was going to have to be nice to him. Despite the awkwardness of last week before, and the revenge he would likely enact.

Despite the irritating fact that Jace had won in that recent encounter, and I did not want Austin to force me into waving a white flag after a loss.

After telling Jace I could prove myself.

Austin tapped me on the shoulder. "Oh, and one more stipulation."

"I want to break my leg again," I said.

"This is not a passive situation. You will be actively nice to him. You won't avoid him. Got it?"

I gaped. That was my entire plan. Avoidance. My hopes were dashed. 

But fine. I had one class with Hartley, and then lunch. That was two hours, maximum. I could survive. I could. It was the kind of lie you had to force yourself to believe, if you were ever going to survive. "Fine," I gritted out. 

The train pulled in to Armadale station, where Alex and Chance were waiting on the platform. Chance was waiting patiently, while Alex was jumping up and down, waving, as if we were on a departing boat in the harbour during the 20s. It was an enthusiasm I strived to adopt. I waved back to them, thrilled to have someone to talk to externally to my traitorous brother.

"You also can't be mean about him. Glowing reviews to everyone."

I groaned. "Oh, fuck you to the moon."

"Wouldn't be surprised if that was you and Jace after today," said Austin. It was a phrase that filled me with unparalleled levels of anger and rage. He made an obscene gesture with his hands that made me feel sick. I was a Molotov cocktail of negative emotions, and I was ready to explode.

I mimed a violent gag, but Austin looked at me warningly. Well. Okay. No negative reactions towards anything of the Hartley variety. I see how it is. My nightmare come to life.

Active, Austin mouthed.

I swallowed my rage. It burned a fiery path down my throat and stirred in my gut. For the first time, Jace was not the only person against whom I would contemplate homicide.