I looked around the kitchen. “Where’s Jen?”
“I don’t know. I called before I came over. She didn’t pick up,” Muriel said.
“Huh.”
“Is it always like that?” I jumped when he spoke from the corner. I’d forgotten he was there.
I turned to face Xavier. “Like what?”
“So violent.”
“No. Usually, it’s worse.” He flinched at my answer. “Now you know why we needed to know if you were trained in anything.”
“Well, you’ll be happy, and probably surprised, to hear that I refrained from peeing myself. Although, there were some iffy moments.”
I laughed. “Good to know.”
“Who was the new guy, Drew?” Chay asked.
“Gee, Chay, I didn’t stop to take down his bio. I’ll remember to do that next time.”
Chay opened the Coke can I handed him. “Funny.”
“Shayla said he’s a transfer student,” I said.
“You and Shayla were chatting? I got dibs on her next time.” Muriel stood and stretched. “C’mon, Drew. Walk me home.” She looked at me, smiled, and winked.
“Yeah, I should be going, too.” Xavier pushed off the wall.
I followed the three of them into the living room. Muriel hugged me goodbye before she and Drew left. Xavier hesitated in the open doorway. “Milayna… I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I didn’t help tonight.” His cheeks turned slightly pink.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s hard the first time. Next time will be easier.”
He groaned. “I don’t think I can deal with a next time.” He reached out and fingered a lock of my hair before sliding it behind my ear.
I stepped away from Xavier’s touch. I could feel Chay’s eyes boring into me, watching my every move, judging my reaction. “Goodbye, Xavier,” I said flatly, looking in his eyes.
He nodded once. “Bye.”
Closing the door after him, I snapped the deadbolt in place. I looked at Chay. I was right—he’d been watching. His eyes fell to the floor, and he shook his head. Laying the icepack on the table, he stood and grabbed his jacket. “I need to go. My parents will be worried.”
“You don’t need to go now. My mom called yours.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Chay. Don’t leave. Stay with me for a little while.”
He smiled as much as his busted lip would allow. “It’s late.”
“You gotta know—”
“Yeah, I saw. It’s him, not you.”
“Then why do I feel like you’re mad at me?” When he didn’t answer, I said, “You trust me, right? I’d never…” I let my words trail off.
He walked to me and lifted the hair from where Xavier had pushed it behind my ear. Chay let it flutter through his fingers and frame my face. “I know.” He bent forward and touched his lips to my forehead. “I love you.”
***
He holds the knife in his hand. Sunlight shines through the kitchen window and glints off the ornate metal blade. The jeweled handle sparkles. So pretty and so very deadly. He looks at me, his denim blue eyes dark, clouded with hate.
“Any last words?” he asks. It’s such a corny line, and I laugh despite my circumstances. He’s going to kill me. I have no doubt.
“Is that the best line you can come up with, Jake? Surely even you can think of something more profound to say before you plunge that knife in my chest.”
He looks up at the ceiling, tapping the flat side of the blade against his pursed lips. “Nope. I don’t need to be profound, Milayna. I have the knife.”
“Whatever. Just tell me one thing. Why?”
“Because I can. Because Azazel wants everyone to see that he can get to you no matter how old you are,” he says, as if it should have been obvious. Maybe it should have been.
He advances. The knife is pointed toward me. He stands in front of me and lays one hand on my shoulder. His touch is surprisingly gentle considering what he’s about to do.
I look down and watch the knife plunge deep in my gut. Blood seeps across my shirt. He withdraws the blade and I cover the wound with my hands, trying to staunch the flow of thick, warm blood as it spills onto the tiled floor, turning it crimson.
I look up, expecting to see a sneer on Jake’s face, or at least a look of satisfaction, of pleasure. Instead, I see something else. Someone else.
Chay.
I bolted upright in bed, sweat covering my body. It slithered down my back and beaded on my face. My hand flew to my chest. The other fisted around the bedsheet. My heart galloped inside my ribcage.
I swung my legs out of bed. My ankles tangled in the sheets, and I face-planted on the floor next to the bed. I didn’t bother to get up. I lay down on the soft carpeting and cried. Warm, salty tears ran down my face and into my mouth.
The dream had been so real. I could almost feel the blade jam into my flesh, the blood oozing through my fingers, Jake’s hand on my shoulder. Then it wasn’t Jake. It was Chay. Chay held the knife. My blood covered his hand.
Chay grinned as I bled, as I died.
9
Chemistry Lab
“You look like crap warmed over, Milayna.” Muriel leaned against the gold locker next to mine and picked at the peeling paint. “What’s up?”