Authors: Linda Pohring
All I wanted to do is make things right for her, sis.
I empathize with you, but please, let’s get out of here.
No, I need to find Kip.
Pepper, from the dance committee, overheard Maxim wanting to find Kip, so she dodged the chaperone to speak to him. “Listen guys,” she bent down to whisper for whoever had ears to hear. “Kip is headed for the ‘After Party’ at his brother’s house on Pinewood Lane.”
Maxim’s head jerked up and stared at Pepper with eyes full of agony while taking in what she said.
“
And you, sister,” she glanced down at Oddily’s sprawled out body. “I know the timing sucks, but I want us to sit together at lunch Monday…okay?!”
Oddily tried to roll over in an attempt to hide her face in the grass, but Maxim wouldn’t let her.
Pepper straightened up and stepped back. “Sorry guys, but we have some immature jerks at this school.”
Before turning his attention back to Oddily, Maxim waited until Pepper left.
“
Oddily,’ Maxim stroked her head. “Did you hear that? Pepper was talking to you, and she wants...”
“
Leave me alone,” she interrupted with a moan. “I don’t ever want to see you or anyone else again.”
Stunned, Maxim became overwhelmed with pain from her rejection. His handsome features twisted, and a dull ache started to pulse in his eyes as he whispered a throaty, “I’m so sorry.”
Oddily’s lying to you.
Nexa squeezed his shoulder.
She’s overwrought with humiliation, so you mustn’t take it to heart. Come on, it’s time to leave.
I won’t leave her!
Maxim sounded both stubborn and passionate.
Settle down Romeo. That’s not what I’m suggesting.
Maxim stood up with Oddily in his arms and headed for his car even though another chaperone tried to stop him, claiming an ambulance was on its way.
Oddily moved to be free, but he held on relentlessly. She shrieked and struggled beneath his hold, then drooped against him in submission, her body soft and pliant against his chest. Maxim began to tremble, and it wasn’t from the cold.
“
What is the spell you have on me?” he whispered.
Maxim barely made it out of the parking lot when the sirens screeched in the distance. He wanted to make sure Nexa followed. He glanced into his rear view mirror, but she wasn’t behind him.
Where are you, sis?
I’m on my way.
Do you know where you’re taking her?
I’m thinking of the Stafford Manor for tonight.
Maxim, that’s a heroically stupid thing to suggest.
I’m suggesting just one lousy tonight.
No! Have you gone entirely mad?! You can’t bring her into our world, and that’s final. What if she finds out something she shouldn’t? Are you going to continue to block her memory every time there’s an incident?
Where do you recommend?
Take her to the River Lodge. It’s not too far from here, and the place has private bungalows.
Our lives are going to be forever changed, sis.
Does this mean you plan to share all of our secrets with her?
You know I wouldn’t do that.
Do I, Maxim? You need to give me some time to let this sink into my head. We can figure out this whole assorted mess later when you’re thinking rationally again. I’ll join you soon.
22
Nexa kept her pale hair hidden under a beanie while she wandered among the crowd of rowdy students hanging out at the party. Smoking, gossiping, and drinking were going on, including laughter about what happened to Oddily with snide remarks concerning her body.
Nexa strolled over to the two girl’s who laughed the loudest, piercing their minds with sad thoughts, and their annoying laughter turned into one large crying fest. The two females looked startled when they couldn’t stop.
Then a few guys gathered around vying for the blonde’s attention, making innuendos and even blatant invitations thinly veiled as jokes. Nexa ignored them all until a friendly voice asked, “Who are you, you sweet looking thing?”
A cute guy eyed Nexa up and down. She searched his memory and discovered he was Frankie, Kip’s older brother, who had been trying to get her attention since she arrived.
“
You’re so damn hot!” He started a hospitable conversation, but wasn’t able to strike the spark that would lead to further advances.
“
Can I get you a drink?” Frankie attempted to get Nexa drunk, and then try again.
“
No, thank you. Where’s your brother?”
Her question took Frankie by surprise. She didn’t give him the response he desired.
“
He’s probably in the backyard tinkering with the sound equipment. We’re getting ready to jam.”
Nexa silently stared at Frankie while listening in on his dirty thoughts until her scrutiny made him uncomfortable.
“
Come with me and I’ll take you to him.” Frankie went to put his arm around her waist, but Nexa dodged his attempt.
“
Please keep your hands off me.”
Frankie raised his arms in surrender and led Nexa outside to the front of a makeshift stage. She sat in the front row of chairs all the while eyeing Oddily’s tormenter, who was too busy with the sound equipment to know of her presence.
Frankie started to jump onto the stage, but Nexa stopped him. “Don’t tell Kip I’m here yet. I want him to be surprised.”
“
Fine with me,” he shrugged with an edge of sarcasm in his tone.
Nexa kept her head down with the collar of her sweater bunched up around her neck and waited while the party-goers gathered around the stage. She didn’t glance up until she heard the band start up with Kip belting out the first song. Her pulse began to throb and leap to the rhythm of the loud music. The sound was unusual and certainly, no Beethoven! Her instincts were to place her fingers in her ears to muffle the loudness, but she decided to grin and bear it.
As Nexa listened, her keen hearing detected Starla’s shrill voice cut through the music and drunken chatter. Her head tilted in the direction of annoyance and she knew Starla was headed her way. Nexa readied herself until Starla was almost in front of her, and then stuck out her leg. Starla came down with a thud.
“
Oh my God,” Kendall yelled. She’d been walking close to Starla when she fell.
Nexa jumped up and pretended to help Starla to her feet while, at the same time, making sure her high-heeled shoe pressed against the hem of Starla’s dress. It worked! Starla’s shiny bodice dropped down off of her breasts. Starla gave out a mortified gasp when her falsies popped out. Girls began to point and laugh while the guys started to hoot and holler. A student from the football team snatched up one of the oval shaped sponges and started to toss it around like a football. Even the band stopped to join in on the fun.
Nexa retreated into the background and watched from afar as Starla pulled up her dress and spun around to see who had tripped her. She accused everyone in the immediate area, including Kendall.
“
You bitch!” Starla shouted at her best friend.
“
I didn’t do it, you dumb-ass blonde!”
Nexa smirked in satisfaction.
“
Hey, where’s the music?” Some of the kids shouted at the band.
Kip and his band mates started up again, only this time they were pumped with adrenaline from all the excitement.
It’s your turn, punk!
Nexa penetrated Kip’s mind and waited for the real fun to begin.
Kip sang into the microphone when all of a sudden his perfectly tuned voice sounded like he couldn’t sing his way out of a paper bag. Surprisingly, he didn’t stop right away, but his eyes grew wide with disbelief while he listened to the strange off key notes flying from his mouth.
“
Boo! Get off the stage!” The audience started to heckle him until he stopped.
Kip’s brother Frankie began to argue with him while nuts and chips were tossed at them. Nexa had a semblance of vindication over the atrocity done towards Oddily while she zeroed in on her last victim. She found him off in a corner, gawking at all the chaos.
Paul, who reminded her of an obedient puppy when dealing with his obnoxious friends, turned his head and stared directly at her. Did he realize she was the one responsible for the silly antics going on tonight? Nexa penetrated his mind and found him to be too busy chastising himself for him to pay any attention to what she had done. He went over the events of the evening in his mind and became angry with himself for not helping Oddily. He also felt like a complete jerk for being a part of the mean group that tormented her. Nexa changed her mind about him and decided to leave him alone—for now.
Where are you, sis?
Nexa froze when Maxim’s voice entered her head.
I’ll be there in a few minutes.
What are you up to?
Nexa cringed.
Don’t ask unless you want me to lie to you.
Please hurry, I need help with Oddily.
With one last glimpse of satisfaction and a twitch of a smile, Nexa returned her victims back to their hateful right minds and glided out the side yard gate. She knew she did wrong by using her powers, but it seemed so natural and right.
23
All was quiet in Maxim’s car except for the faint, humiliated sounds of Oddily’s sufferings. Giants sobs racked her petite body as she gulped and sputtered, trying to breathe. Tears slid down Maxim’s cheeks as well.
He felt like a failure; angry at himself for not keeping Oddily safe. No matter how hard he tried to help her, to protect her, a dark cloud always seemed to follow her around. He now knew the name of this dreariness—Kip Bellini.
Another burst of raw emotion threatened to overwhelm him as he thought of Oddily’s tormentor. His eyes became hooded and unwavering, wanting to go back and find him. Instead, he pulled in front of the impressive River Lodge. The lodge resembled an English tavern. It was built in the early nineteenth century when two eccentric sisters desired to create a bit of paradise. Nexa was right; this place was perfect. The main lodge appeared to be surrounded by private, rustic bungalows set along cobblestone paths, each cabin secluded amidst a canopy of trees.
His first priority continued to be Oddily, so he pulled up in front of the old lodge and climbed out. “I’m getting us a bungalow. I’ll be right back.”
For a moment, Oddily’s mind focused. One word stood out among her tortured thoughts. Did Maxim say he was getting a room for…us? No, she must have misunderstood him. Who would ever want to be in the same room with her?
Oddily had never experienced this level of tiredness in her life. Was this to be her existence forever? She hadn’t thought about the future much. There was no future to consider…only the strange present. Another giant sob escaped as the agonizing pain of memories from the dance returned, engulfing her into a renewed, deeper level of despair.
Maxim returned. The passenger door opened and Oddily was lifted out of the car. She stared at the night sky until the ceiling of a room came into view.
Maxim placed her on a soft couch and knelt down to check her for injuries again. “Your wounds are superficial,” he poked a small scratch near her elbow, but she pulled her arm away from him.
“
Leave me alone,” she moaned.
“
Look at me!” He leaned forward, his face only a few inches from hers—his breath touching the back of her hands that covered her face.
“
No, I can’t,” she sobbed with renewed suffering.
“
Yes, you can.”
“
Please, go away!” Tears dripped between Oddily’s delicate fingers. “Don’t ever lay your eyes on me again.”
“
Stop it,” his voice became thick with emotion. “I’m not leaving you.”
Oddily shook her head in disbelief and whimpered, “Why are you doing this?”
“
I can’t imagine life without you now that you’ve entered my world.”
“
No, you’re lying! Who would want me when I don’t have all my body parts?”
“
Body parts,” Maxim repeated. “I don’t understand.”
“
Yes you do,” she started to weep harder than ever.
“
I’m sorry; I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“
Boobs!”
Maxim sat back on his haunches and went red in the face. He didn’t know what to do for her, except ask, “Why does it matter what size your breasts are?”
“
Boobs are everything! Guys love them—big ones.”
Maxim’s brows knitted together distorting his handsome face. How could he explain that what he felt towards her was beyond appearance? How could he tell her how strongly his reactions to her were becoming every time they touched, or the emotions running through him when she smiled up at him with that crooked grin of hers? He barely understood these new feelings himself let alone could he explain them to her. And the more their lives entwined the stronger the feelings.