Heavenly (34 page)

"Did you hear anything? I heard everybody was talking about him at school today."

"Yeah. But nobody knows anything."

"He'd die if anybody found out.
Die.
It's inevitable, though. Everybody will find out eventually. I only wish I'd thought to whip out my cell phone and take a picture of him. Humiliate him. Annihilate his overblown ego. Ha! Wouldn't that

have been sweet?"

Revenge was as ugly and black as those evil spirits I'd seen at the party. I wanted nothing to do with evil ever again.

I lifted a shoulder.

"What?" she asked. "You don't think Weston should get what he deserves?"

"Sounds like he has already."

"I'm not sure it's enough." Britt threw down the pillow and starred for the kitchen. I followed her. "I mean, as far as I'm concerned, he deserves to be scarred for life."

I didn't like how casually she tossed around something as potentially devastating as consequence. Where was her

mercy? "I thought you wanted to make up with him?"

She pulled open the fridge. "I did, until you came. But I think you're right. I'm better off without him."

"So leave him alone."

She reached in for some orange juice. "Want some?" I shook my head. "He's not going to mess with me without

severe punishment. If I stand back and let him get away with this, what am I saying to the rest of the female population?"

"He's covered in zits, Britt. What better punishment is there?"

"One that I enforce. I'm going to get a photo of him and spread it around school so every one of his fans can see how

ugly he looks. That will cool his engines—for a little while anyway."

Britt poured herself a glass of orange juice and let out an "Ahh." Then she put the container back in the refrigerator.

"I'll go back over and tell his mom another sob story so she lets me in—like I'm pregnant or something. Ha! Wouldn't that freak them out? They'd string him up by his—"

"Britt, that's cruel."

"So what. He deserves it. He's probably done this to more than one girl, Zoe."

"You really think you'll feel better making things worse for him?"

"Hell yes." She hoisted herself up on the counter top. "A guy who plays games deserves the hand he's dealt."

"What goes around comes around, you know," I said.

She cocked her head at me. "You have gone all narc on me. What's up, anyway? Is it that teacher dude? You still

seeing him? I feel like it's been ages since we've talked."

It had been. Lifetimes. Sharing any part of my life now and how I saw things, felt things I'd never felt before:

forgiveness, compassion, looking inside someone else's heart—Britt wouldn't understand any of it. Britt drew her legs up to

the counter and clasped them in her arms. "Is he hot? Have you hooked up yet?"

My stomach rolled with disgust. To label Matthias' beauty with a term used with the frequency of toilet paper

demeaned who he was. But to ask about hooking up? Intimacy with Matthias was an act I had not allowed myself to dream

of—the image blatantly sacrilegious.

"I better go." I turned and headed for the front door. I heard Britt run up behind me.

"So when are you going to tell me about him?" Her eyes glittered with the falling stars of gossip.

"Maybe later," I lied.

"Cool. I wanna hear all the juicy details, k?" She wrapped around me in a hug, and the transparent display of affection made me stiffen.

She opened the front door. "Looks like snow—again. That means I'll have to take Dad's car when I go back over to

Wes's. Hey, you want to go? We could do some damage after the deed. You know, go find some hotties after I snap Weston's

zit photo. Come on, it'd be fun. Like old times."

When I hesitated, she reached out and took my hand, swung it with hers. "You can put that teacher guy on hold for

one night, can't you? For me?"

"Can't tonight." I started out the door, taking a deep breath, glad I was outside. "Sorry, hon."

"You sure?"

"Positive."


TWENTY-TWO


Starbucks was warm with the comforting scent of coffee, made even more inviting with patrons lounging in chairs,

reading rustling newspapers or chatting with friends.

I scanned the place for Chase. He popped up from a chair at a window table. He had on the khakis I'd seen him in at

school, only he'd added a navy cardigan. Adorably traditional.

I pointed to the menu and texted him:
и
want something?

It took him a few seconds to figure out that I was texting him. I waved my phone. He dug for his and then nodded at

me.

hot chocolate, please, thx.

The guy had manners. I liked that. I ordered for us, waited while the server made our drinks, then took the two hot

chocolates to the table. I sat and unloaded my purse.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

"Thanks for the hot chocolate."

"No problem." Mine had hours to go before it was cool enough to drink. But it was a super hand warmer, and I kept

my palms around the paper cup, savoring the heat.

"So."

"Next time, my treat," Chase said, bringing his drink to his lips.

"You bought the first time. Watch out, or you'll get burned." I nodded at the cup he held at his lips.

"Thanks." Without taking a sip, he set the cup down, his brown eyes fastened on me. "So, did you find out what happened to Weston and Brady?"

"I didn't." He'd never be able to resist running a story. I had the feeling most guys who didn't dwell in Weston's social circle took any opportunity to slug him in the gut if given one. And Chase had a journalists mentality—go for the jugular no

matter what. Though he'd been respectful enough of Matthias and Deity to draw the line when it came to Godly matters.

"Too bad. I was hoping you'd crack the shell on this case."

I fought a grin. "Case? We're getting a little too CSI here, aren't we?"

"My favorite show."

"How did I know that?"

He laughed. "Can I help that I'm a CSI geek?"

"You didn't hear anything else then? From anybody?" I was curious who knew what. There'd been at least fifty

people at the party. Hadn't anybody seen Brady and Weston take me away?

"Nobody's talking. Weston's got to have some control over what's being leaked."

"Maybe you should just forget about it."

"I was so hoping that Brittany girl would tell you something."

"She and I aren't really close any more."

"Can I ask what happened?"

I shifted. "It's personal. We parted ways on amicable terms, though. Don't get the wrong idea." I had the impression that he might go ask her something, just to check out my side of the story. But then, a guy in Chase's social position—

intelligent geek—would never have the guts to approach a social diva like Britt.

Except for a story.

A thread of panic wound inside of me. I sipped my too hot drink, just for something to do. If you throw a dog a bone,

they usually go after it. "I do have something to tell you. I
did
go to the party."

"I knew it!"

"Keep your voice down."

"Did you see anything? Anything weird go down with Weston or Brady?"

"I didn't see anything happen to them. But I did see some weird stuff."

He leaned on his elbows. "What?"

"I saw these black... creatures." Chases eyes widened. "They were everywhere. Swimming in the air like... creepy apparitions. The scariest things I've ever seen. Matthias calls them black spirits. Have you ever seen them?"

His Adam's apple bobbed. He shook his head.

"Chase, these things were so evil, I..." A shudder quaked through me. "I can hardly talk about them."

"What did they look like?"

Even thinking about the black spirits caused a dread so great my insides trembled. If I talked about them, I was sure

I'd invite the depraved creatures into Starbucks. Trying to find the words to describe the soulless creatures bound my tongue.

My mind emptied of everything but their dark, slithering images. I opened my mouth, but nothing came. I had the strong

impression that to talk about them wasn't a wise move. "I don't want to talk about it. All I can tell you is they hung on Weston's back."

Chase drove his hands threw his hair and sat back, digesting what I was telling him. "Man-oh-man. They hung on his

back? They? How many were there?"

"Two. A male and a female."

"They're gendered?"

"Shh." I glanced around. No one was looking, thankfully. I leaned, he leaned. "Yes, they're gendered."

"Did you like,
see
something?"

"No of course not. And I wasn't looking. I'm telling you, it was terrifying. I got out of there."

"I'm blown away by this. Blown away." He stared at me, piqued interest in his eyes. "I have to know everything."

"Let's just say, I was at a party where people were drinking and getting it on, and that place was crawling with them.

Like roaches. Two of them even followed one couple into a bedroom."

Chase gasped. He slapped a hand over his gaping mouth, then parted his fingers. "Serious?"

I nodded.

"Disgusting." He shuddered like he'd just downed a bottle of lemon juice. '"That... that's depraved."

"Tell me about it."

"You said Matthias called them black spirits. Was he there?"

"Guardians can't be where evil is, remember?"

"Obviously, your life wasn't in danger then. Lucky for you. What made you decide to leave? I mean, besides being

surrounded by a bunch of floating devils?"

"Evil isn't anything to make light of. If I hadn't seen them crawling all over everybody myself, I probably wouldn't

take it seriously, either. But they are just as seductive as Matthias is powerful."

Chase's right brow lifted. He studied me for a few long moments. Then he sipped his drink. "Okay, I agree that

guardians are powerful. But something else happened that night. What?"

"Why do you think something else happened?"

"Because your face is white. You really did have some kind of monumental encounter with those things. But you're

here. You survived. So, what else happened?"

"I told you, I left."

"Just like that? They didn't see you or try to stop you or anything? You're
good,
for crying out loud. Didn't they try to do
something
to you?"

"They don't have bodies, Chase. They can't
do
anything. They can only entice. I saw it over and over."

"Huh." He thought on that a moment. "I'm almost tempted to do something evil just to see one." He grinned.

"Are you serious? If you'd do something that stupid, then—"

"Just kidding. Jeez. It's one thing to play with the light. It's another thing to play with the dark."

"You shouldn't
play
with either one. Both are forces that need to be respected."

"Okay, okay, I was only joking."

"Maybe if you'd looked hell in the face like I did you'd have more respect."

He propped both elbows on the table and clasped his hands. "You're not a very good liar, Zoe."

Nothing pleased me more than to hear that news. "Really?"

"Yeah. I like that about you."

After Britt shoveling me in with her pile of skanky friends, Chase's compliment, sincere as it was, vindicated me.

"Thanks, Chase."

He crossed his forearms and leaned close. "I know you have feelings for Matthias, but... if that ever changes..."

"I don't. I can't." My heart started to pound. "I mean, anything with Matthias is impossible. So, what's the point?"

His lips lifted in a slow grin. "Like I said, you're a lousy liar."

Chase and I shared a slice of coffee cake and another round of drinks— his treat— talking about his little brother who

had ADHD and Abria's autism. He was amazed at the similarities in their disorders, and wanted to come over and meet Abria

sometime.

He walked me to my car, just as a light rain started falling. He held the door open for me and I got in.

"Thanks for the drinks and coffee cake," I said.

He held my gaze for a moment, then, suddenly placed a kiss on my cheek. A little buzz of shock tingled where his

lips left their imprint. "Bye, Zoe. See you on Monday."

My mouth was open, but my voice wasn't working. I smiled, nodded. He shut the door and stood in the rain, next to

my car, as I started the engine and backed out. I sent him a wave, keeping a curious eye on him through my real-view mirror

as I navigated the parking lot toward the street.

Finally, he walked to his car.

Warmth trickled from my cheek where he'd kissed me, to my toes. How sweet. I drove through now-bulleting rain,

my heart beating in time with the hum of the windshield wipers.

"He's a good chap, Chase is."

Thrill raced through my veins. "Hey. What are you doing here?" I was so pleased to see him. The car lit with his

presence like a beam from the moon had dropped from the night sky.

"I think he has feelings for you, too."

"Yeah, he does. I can tell when a guy likes me."

Was that why he was here?
Is he—dare I think the word—jealous? Oh no. No.
I cringed.
You idiot. He can hear what
you're thinking!

I couldn't look at him, too embarrassed that I was thinking impossible thoughts. Matthias would never be jealous. He

was better than that. A fact I loved about him.

I came to a stoplight and closed my eyes.
Get a hold of yourself, Zoe. Enjoy the time you have with him. Keep your

thoughts real.
My eyes opened.

He smiled, and the car flashed with a brilliant light.

"You're going to blind me with your... your beams."

He laughed. "My beams?"

Beams, beams, beams. Beamdabeambeamer—
anything to keep my mind off how hard my heart was beating.

The light turned green and I drove on, every cell in my body exploding with heat—as if I'd been plugged into the sun.