Suddenly Em had a burst of inspiration: the dance. That was where she would confess her feelings to JD. It was the perfect way to assuage any of JD’s unfounded fears about her being embarrassed by him. Screw the Furies and their threats. They hadn’t kept up their end of the bargain—to leave her alone—so she wasn’t going to abide by the terms either. She wasn’t going to let them manipulate her with the constant fear of retaliation. She was going to tell JD everything. She would recapture the remnants of her former life, reestablish her best-friendships, and reveal the truth to JD—broadcast it, even, in front of everyone.
Not only was she going to the dance, she was going to go all out. Furies be damned. Instantly, she felt lighter than she had in weeks.
“I’ll drive,” Fiona was saying, pushing her glasses up her nose. “If I can borrow those blue suede Steve Madden heels, Em.”
“Sure, Fi. I’m not wearing them,” Em said.
“Which reminds me,” Gabby said. “What are you wearing, Em? We’ve barely discussed it.”
“Oh, I was thinking I would just wear my black wrap dress,” Em answered. An old standby.
“Um, no,” Gabby said emphatically. “You’re too pale for black. You’ll look vampy. How about that light purple one? The one with the sheer-ish skirt?”
Em smiled. “That’s a great idea, Gabs. And I was thinking of getting my nails done after school,” she added, spur of the moment.
“Boo, I can’t.” Gabby pouted. “I promised my mom I’d come straight home—it’s like she thinks I’m going to break or something.” Then Gabby beamed a smile at Em. “You should go, though. No offense, but you really need it.”
“None taken,” Em laughed. The lightness was still there. She would get her life back.
? ? ?
After school she drove to the strip mall—the one with Pete’s Pizza and Princess Nails—to get a manicure. Back when Em’s mom was working superlong hours (before she had seniority), she used to take Em here on her days off for a coat of nice, sensible pale pink polish. A special treat. “Taking care of yourself is the first step in taking care of others,” her mom used to say. That’s what Em was going to do today.
But just as she approached the salon door, Em froze.
There, in the window, was Ty. She was sitting with her nails under the dryer, her black-brown hair falling in waves over her shoulders. Em still couldn’t believe that she’d dyed it, couldn’t believe she’d gotten rid of that beautiful red mane.
They caught each other’s eyes through the window. The afternoon sun burned orange in the winter sky, casting its reflection on the window, making it seem as though Ty was appearing beyond a thin sheet of flame. Ty raised her eyebrows and smiled, as if to say, Imagine meeting you here! Em curled her lip and watched Ty gathering her things.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she asked as soon as Ty walked out the door, trying to sound menacing. But she knew she sounded afraid.
As usual, Ty was underdressed for the frigid early spring air, wearing a loose T-shirt, jeans, and flats without socks.
Ty smiled. “Just getting my nails done. A good manicure always brings me so much comfort, you know? It’s like a fresh start!” Her voice was breezy, and it seemed to snake through the air, around her neck, tickling the hairs behind Em’s ears.
“Did you know I was planning to come here?” Em’s voice became small and shaky.
“I know one thing—you’re a life saver,” Ty said. “Thank god you were able to come to Gabby’s aid.” At the mention of Gabby’s name, Em thought she heard those same high-pitched giggles drifting through the air. She couldn’t tell if she was imagining them or really hearing them. “Things may not go so well for your other pals,” Ty added in an offhand way.
“My other pals? What’s that supposed to mean?” Em choked out.
Ty blew on her nails daintily and avoided answering Em’s question directly. “Spring is my favorite season. Did you know that?”
The tone of Ty’s voice confirmed Em’s suspicions. The Furies were planning something. They were baiting Em, screwing with her. Well, she wouldn’t bite. Not now.
“Get away from here,” she spat, stepping closer so she and Ty were just a few inches apart. “Leave. Us. Alone.”
Ty raised an eyebrow but didn’t step back. “You know, maybe JD would like you better if you learned how to control your temper.”
Immediately she figured out Ty’s strategy: bring up JD in order to remind Em what was at stake—her love. Despite knowing it was a ploy to enrage her, Ty’s words sent her spinning off the edge.
She lunged for Ty, the blackness inside her propelling her forward.
All of a sudden she found herself flattened, driven forcefully against the side of the brick building. It seemed as if Ty had barely moved. But she was very close now, practically whispering in Em’s ear.
“You want to know about those seeds?” Ty breathed. “You feel it, right? Moving inside of you—that anger, that smoky rage. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?”
Em clamped her mouth shut, refusing to answer. But of course, yes, she knew.
Ty released her, examining her nails to make sure her polish hadn’t smudged. “Careful, Em. Remember that we aren’t so different, you and I.”