A Demon's Kiss (Young Adult Romance) (10 page)

CHAPTER 13

Monday, at school, people treated me differently. Suddenly, I was Logan Ryan’s girlfriend. Suddenly, I had an
in
with the beautiful people. Not that I wanted in. I didn’t. At all. But they were Logan’s friends. His “crowd.”

And something that was kind of fun about that was seeing Summer’s reaction, ‘cause she wanted in—desperately. And she kind of was, a little bit. Sort of. She was on the outskirts of “in.” But she wanted totally in. She was like, obsessed with it. She could barely make a move on her own for fear the “in” people might not approve. It was weird. And lame. And seemed like a lot of work. I used to get tired just
watching
her kiss butt.

But this morning, Summer kept clear of Logan and me. She just glared at us from a far. And I could see her eyes blazing green. I bet she believed me now. I bet she was telling all her friends Logan had given me a computer.

That made me smile.

Logan spent the morning introducing me to everyone as his girlfriend. To football players, cheerleaders, Homecoming Queens, band members, teachers. Everyone. He seemed to be proud that we were together, though I couldn’t quite figure out why. Obviously, neither could his friends—I could tell. But Logan didn’t seem to notice their surprised reaction. Or maybe I exaggerated it. Maybe I made it into a bigger deal than it actually was. Maybe. But I don’t think so.

I heard to two cheerleaders whisper to each other once Logan and I walked away. “What’s up with
that
?” they both whispered, like the universe was suddenly spinning backward.

Logan had been holding my hand the whole time they were talking with him, telling him about Hayley Major’s upcoming party, how there was going to be a band. “Michaela should be in a band,” Logan told them, putting his arm around me. “She plays the guitar and sings. She’s good.”

I blinked, ‘cause how did he know that?

The cheerleaders blinked too. ‘Cause why should they care?

But that’s how he was with everyone. No matter what they said, he would turn the conversation to me. It was baffling. To everyone. Especially me.

Before first period Logan walked me to my class and stood with me at the door, holding my hand with his left hand, and running his fingers through my hair with his right. He kept pressing into me like he was going to kiss me, but kissing isn’t allowed at our school. So, he just kept drawing his mouth close to mine, almost kissing me, making me hot for it.

Finally, he backed away a little.

“Well, I better go,” he said, though he seemed to want to stick around, go to class with me maybe or something. Not that I minded. At all. He was yummy, drool-inducing gorgeous. And not only that, but sweet, sweet, sweet and his eyes, sexy as anything, kept looking into mine like I was the most beautiful creature that ever walked the planet. So, yeah, he was welcome to stick around forever. Only, Gage was going to be coming around the corner any minute and I didn’t want to be standing here with Logan when he did. Just ‘cause.

“See ya,” I said.

“Right,” Logan smiled taking a reluctant step away from me.

As he turned to leave, he almost plowed into Gage.

Ugh!

I didn’t see the rest of what happened. I’m a chicken, I didn’t want to see Gage’s reaction. I couldn’t take it. Instead, I ran to my seat.

Once there, I plopped in my chair, leaning my forehead against my desk. The words
Who is the most important person in your life?
and
Don’t crowd me
swirled around in my head, getting tangled, making it hard for me to breathe. I was practically hyperventilating. I had to concentrate on every breath, make them come out slow, even.

All through class, I could feel Gage’s gaze boring into me. But I didn’t turn around. Not once. I couldn’t. If Gage looked hurt, that would kill me. But if he didn’t look hurt, that would kill me, too.

When class was over Gage was at my heels. “So everything went okay at the hospital?”

I glanced back at him, surprised by his concern. Just for something to do with my hands, I fidgeted with the straps of my backpack, like I was adjusting them, but really, I was making them too loose as I’d had them perfect. “Yeah,” I said, loosening them even further, “I’m allergic to shrimp.”

He looked as though he wanted to say more, a lot more. He had that look, the one he had the night he kissed me, that come-hither-and-be-mine expression. It was in his eyes, all tender warm, and it got my heart beating so wild and jack-hammery, I was sure he could hear it. My breath caught as he reached toward me. But just then I saw Logan rounding the corner, coming toward us.

Gage saw him coming too. He set his jaw, pulling his hands back, stuffing them into his coat pocket. Without saying a word, he started to walk away, but then, he didn’t. He turned back toward me. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

***

After gym, I breezed through the swinging doors at the back of the school, just as my ex, Seth, was coming out. I accidentally smacked him in the head with the door. Really hard.

 
“Seth, geez! I’m sorry,” I gasped, really truly meaning it, ‘cause I’d smacked him
hard
. (Of course, I’d dreamed of smacking him often, all the time, especially when we’d first broke up. But doing it for real wasn’t as satisfying as you might think, maybe it was because it was with a door instead of the back of my hand. Or maybe because I’m a pacifist at heart. Anyway, I felt bad.)

“Yeah, you’re sorry,” Seth growled, rubbing his head where the door had smacked him, his eyes blazing. “You are one sorry—” He started calling me a bunch of filthy names.

I dropped my jaw. But I kind of knew why he was so upset. It didn’t all have to do with his head. It had to do with his car. A few weeks ago, I saw it parked out in the school parking lot and I couldn’t resist. I knew where he kept his keys. ‘Cause he’s a creature of habit. They were under his right front tire.

So...I moved his car. Just parked it on the other side of the parking lot is all. But I guess he freaked when he went to his Jeep’s parking spot and it wasn’t there. He thought someone stole it. He called the police and everything. I guess he was pretty embarrassed when it turned out to be only a few rows down. I guess a lot of people laughed at him. And I guess he figured out it was me that moved it.

And now he was cursing me out. Big time. Calling me horrible, filthy names. I mean, nasty, nasty, nasty.

All of a sudden, out of nowhere, Gage was on him. He threw Seth against the lockers and started pounding on him.

"Gage stop!" I yelled, but he was out of control. Poor stunned Seth was bleeding all over the place.

A teacher came by, Mr. Whirly. He tried breaking up the fight and almost got his nose broke. “Office. Now!” he shouted, his face beet red and his shirttails hanging out.

I stood there against the wall, watching Gage and Seth go, wondering if I should follow, tell what happened. But I didn’t. Instead I went to my next class.

CHAPTER 14

After school today, I got a strange phone call from Emma Lutz. Or it might have just seemed strange ‘cause when she called I was taking a nap. And at first I was confused and thought it was early in the morning.

Still, no matter what, it was strange that she called. I mean we were close friends—once. But it was a long time ago. Back when we were in grade school. Back when all it took to be friends was to live near each other and own a bike.

Now it seemed the only time we even spoke was when she got a case of the “Old Times,” like the other day when she had it in her ditzy-dyed-black head that Gage had “declared his love” to me. She ate lunch with Izzie and me that day as though she did it on a regular basis. Which she didn’t. Ever.

But I guess that lunch got her thinking we were dear friends, ‘cause she called out of nowhere to diss me out. And you have to feel pretty confident you’re friends with someone to think you can do that.

But, in my head, it was too early in the morning for Emma’s chirping. It made the hairs on my arm stand on end. “Not that you care,” she said, “but Gage got suspended for fighting today.”

I furrowed my brow. “Serious?”

“Yep. For three days. And guess what else.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. It was
too early for Emma
. “What?”

“Addison dumped him.”

I cringed. “Really?”

“Well, yeah. Can you really blame her, though? It was like Gage was begging her to do it. First he tells the whole school you’re the most important person in his life, then he gets in a fist fight over you. What do you expect?” Emma went on, “So now what, Michaela? It’s your move. Are you—his best friend—going to let him wallow all alone?”

I clinched my jaw. This was
so
none of her business. Still, I tried not to growl, “Emma, I’m asleep. But thanks for all the cheerful news.”

I hung up, and rolled over in bed, wanting to catch some more Z’s. Actual sleep was hard for me to come by these days. But now I was wound up. I couldn’t sleep.

Was it my fault Addison and Gage broke up? No...only, I guess, in a way, yeah. Addison was so insecure about her relationship with Gage. And insecure about
my
relationship with Gage. Face it, the girl was insecure. But I had to admit, I wouldn’t want my boyfriend saying some other girl was the most important person in his life. And I wouldn’t want him to get in a fight for some other girl just because a jerk started bashing insults. I mean, he made Seth bleed.

But was that stuff my fault? Was it my fault Gage didn’t know how to treat his girlfriend? Okay, I sort of hoped, yes.

I got out of bed, staring out the window at Gage’s house. I ate my Cocoa Puffs, staring out the window at Gage’s house. I rinsed my bowl and spoon and put them into the dishwasher, all the while, staring at Gage’s house. Then I sat at the kitchen table, doing nothing—just staring at Gage’s house.

Finally, he came outside. He had a bucket and sponge with him. He was going to wash his car. I walked diagonally across the street, to where he stood, unraveling the knots in his garden hose. He flicked a quick look up at me, then continued working.

I folded my arms, watching him a moment, kind of knowing what I wanted to say, but not knowing if I could get the words out. “I heard Addison broke up with you.”

He raised his eyebrows, still concentrating on the hose. “News travels fast.”

I looked down at the ground, at his shoes. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, well, I’m sorry too,” he said. “Sorry I told you to back off.” He stared up at me. “Michaela, do you get it? I’m sorry.”

I nodded, feeling tears in my eyes. “I know. It’s just …” Grrr! I was going to cry. “You hurt me,” I choked.

“Michaela …”

He went to put his arms around me, but I backed away. “You can’t help me with this.”

I ran back across the street.

***

It was kind of painful and awful to go to first period every morning and see Gage’s empty seat. I felt guilty. And awful.

“How’s Gage doing?” I asked Gage’s drummer, Conner, catching up to him after third. As usual, he had his girlfriend, Raven, in tow.

“Michaela!” Conner smiled, his eyes lighting up, looking pleased to see me. Which was, of course, sweet. Conner was a good guy. “How have you been?” he asked. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

That’s because he hadn’t. Conner used to be one of my closest friends—next to Gage and Izzie. But now that he and Raven were together, he sort of ditched me. Or Raven made him ditch me. Or whatever. But I wasn’t sure Conner even realized I’d been ditched. Guys have a way of being clueless.

Raven stood off to the side of us, looking impatient, staring up at the ceiling. I tried ignoring her. I don’t do well with my friend’s girlfriends, apparently. They all hate me. That’s okay, though. I don’t care too much for any of them, either.

“Yeah, I miss you,” I told him. “But how’s Gage? Is he okay?”

Conner shook his head with a sad smile. “The dude’s down. You need to talk to him.”

I bit my lip, nodding. Hearing this from Conner was so different than hearing it from Emma, like, it Mattered. “I know.”

Raven pulled Conner’s arm, tugging him away. “Come on. We’re going to be late.”

“See ya,” he called to me over his shoulder.

Right.

***

So, Gage stuff was bad, as usual. But Logan stuff was good. Really good. He was like, incredibly into me. It was weird, but awesome. Sadly, I had to work, like every day. But he would come with me. And help. I mean, he would hang up clothes, straighten racks, whatever needed to be done. Hot turn on!

And during my breaks, we would hang out in the food court and talk, and I’d look into his eyes, and get all goose-bumpy, and think, “Wow!”

I was jazzed for the dance, super excited. But this morning—Friday morning—the day of the dance—no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get my car started. I swore unintelligible profanities at it as I explored my options. Mom was at work, Izzie had already left by now, the school bus was long gone, if I used my magic, I’d have ghouls at my door—nope. I had no options. I swore again, turning the ignition key and pumping the gas pedal with all my might.

“You know that does no good, right?”

Shock! I looked up to find Gage was standing at my car door, smiling. “All that pumping—it just floods your engine.”

“Duh. I know,” I grumbled. “But pumping—it makes me feel like I’m doing something useful.”

“As long as you know you’re not.”

I couldn’t really look up at him, but it was so good to see him, good to know his suspension was finally over, that he’d be back in school. That his seat wouldn’t be empty anymore.

“So do you want a ride?”

I wet my lips, still not able to look up at him. “I’m surprised you haven’t left already.”

“I was waiting for you,” he said. “So, do you want a ride?—or are you planning on staying home and watching soap operas?”

I grabbed my backpack and headed for his car. “Are you coming?”

He smiled. “Right behind you.”

We talked a little in the car, on the way to school, but then Gage didn’t take me to school. He drove past it.

“Hey, what are you doing?” I asked, watching out the window as we passed the school. “I know it’s been a couple days since you’ve been there, but that was our school. Back there.” When he just kept driving, I asked it again, “What are you doing?”

“We’re going to talk,” he said. “Because we haven’t done that in a long time. Not since...I kissed you.”

Oh! He said it. Out loud. He kissed me
.

“I don’t want to talk.” My eyes were already welling with tears. I grabbed on to the door handle, wanting to hop out, run away, but Gage sped up, not down.

“You don’t have to talk,” Gage said. “Just listen. Okay? Just give me a chance to explain. Because there’s an explanation. It’s just kind of complicated. That day at Pikes—when I said back off—”

Just hearing those words again brought new tears to my eyes. I clutched the door handle tighter, not planning to jump or anything drastic like that. I just wasn’t able to let go.

“I didn’t mean it,” he said. “Or I kind of meant it, but only because it was after I kissed you and all of the sudden I was really confused. I mean, you were my friend—my
best
friend. Only, suddenly I wasn’t seeing you just as a friend—and it had me really messed up. I mean, I’ve taken great effort our whole friendship to make sure I didn’t cross a line—because crossing that line.… It screws up friendships.”

I looked out the window, clenching my jaw. “No kidding.”

He glanced over at me. “Yeah.”

Gage parked his car out in this abandoned field, out in the middle of nowhere.

I bit my lip, nervous that this was happening, we were talking. Going to be honest. Maybe.

“Where are we?” I asked, just to say something.

“Um, I’m not sure,” Gage said distractedly. “But when I said—what I said—it was just because I was scared. Man, I was terrified. I couldn’t just think of you as a friend anymore. You weren’t just a friend. Suddenly you were everything.” Gage laid his head against the steering wheel, gazing up into my eyes. “I was scared, Michaela. Don’t you understand? Suddenly, you had all this power over me. I mean, you could blow me away. And you did, Michaela. After I kissed you—you avoided me.”

Feeling tears come to my eyes, I looked away. Yeah, after his kiss I avoided him. But he avoided me too. And he wasn’t the only one scared. I’d been scared. But I didn’t tell him to
Back Off
or not crowd me. I’d never do that. Not to him.

After a moment of us sitting in silence, me trying not to cry, gazing out the side window, Gage staring straight ahead, he finally went on, giving me quick glances as he spoke, “And then Logan bought you that dress. And I don’t know—I just needed...I don’t know—space. Time to think. To get a grip. But nothing’s changed. Not really. I’ve had all this time—all this space—but I still can’t think of you as just a friend. And seeing you with Logan—it kills me.”

Hearing all this, Gage pouring out his heart, filled me with warmth and a comfort I don’t think I’d ever had, not in a long time. Finally, I felt like maybe everything would be okay, maybe even better than okay. Almost all of the knots in my stomach, they all went away. I didn’t really have time to dwell on my feelings though, or bask in giddy happiness, because just then, Logan came pulling up into the field. Logan!

Gage shook his head. “Great,” he muttered.

All I could do was stare in wonder. My jaw was probably hanging open. How did Logan find us? How did he know we were here?

Logan got out of his car and shot over to us. He looked mad, but seemed to be trying to stay calm. “When you didn’t show up at school this morning, I was worried. I came looking for you.”

He seemed to be answering the question I didn’t actually ask.

I smiled, a little. Or I tried to smile. “You found me.”