Abigail
“Abby.”
“I’m here,” I say, running my hand down the door like I would my sister’s hair if she were next to me.
“I saw the prince today,” she tells me, “riding a horse.”
I laugh lightly, “Lucky girl. Was he as handsome as they say?”
“I think so. But Abby, I think he can help you,” she whispers in excitement.
“How?”
“Maybe if I tell him you’re locked in here, he can get you out! Maybe he can bring you to his palace and-”
“Aw Cora, that's a sweet thought,” I cut her off, “But the prince is probably much too busy for me.”
“No Abby - I saw him! He looks so nice. I bet he would want to help you!”
“He doesn’t,” I say, a bit too harshly.
Cora is silent and suddenly I feel terrible for snapping. She’s too young to understand. There’s no harm in remaining hopeful.
“I’m sorry, Cora,” I say quietly, “I didn’t mean it. If you ever get to see him again, tell him about me, okay?”
“Okay, Abby,” she whispers.
Quinn
I awoke in an unfamiliar bedroom, far nicer than any place I’d slept before. The walls were painted burnt orange, all of the furniture a dark shade of polished cherry brown. Two of the walls were covered in floor to ceiling windows, deep red curtains opened to allow morning light to fade into the room. The other two walls were adorned with opulent paintings that looked like they belonged in history museums instead of a home.
Although the room was well-decorated, it felt cold. It was too big, the furniture was too far apart.
I sat up in the bed, head throbbing. The sheets crinkled and scratched me as if they’d never been used. I wondered if I was the first person to ever sleep in this bed.
Next to me was a large glass of water. I grabbed it and chugged greedily, trying to subside the dryness on my tongue. Hesitantly, I stepped out of bed and onto a plush red rug. One look out the tall window told me I was no longer on the West Side of the golden gates.
The large double doors leading to the room opened and a beautiful woman floated in. The timing was perfect and I wondered if she’d been spying on me somehow - waiting for me to wake up.
I’d seen Mrs. Ellroy just once before, standing just outside of the golden gates giving a speech that shook the town.
“You’re awake!” Mrs. Ellroy cheered.
“What am I doing here?” I asked, keeping near the window. Mrs. Ellroy’s lips merged into a thin line. She clearly wasn’t pleased with my lack of appreciation.
“You were… very ill last night. One of our patrol officers picked you up. You’re lucky it was us who found you and not someone else,” she said, the cheer in her voice turning sickly.
I crossed my arms over my chest tightly, noticing I was still in my crop top and jeans from the night before.
“Thank you,” I muttered flatly, “Er… can I go home?”
“Well of course you can, dear.”
I made my way back to the bed, bending down to grab my boots. I didn’t bother putting them back on as I stalked to the doorway. Mrs. Ellroy, however, stayed put - guarding my exit. I looked up at her, waiting.
“While you’re here,” she said - here it comes. I stopped myself from rolling my eyes.
“Yes?” I huffed. Her eyes narrowed as she looked down at me.
“Will you - kindly - stop torturing my son?”
I almost sputtered, fully taken by surprise. Who was her son?
“Atlas, I mean,” she said, smiling wryly, “Yes - he is in fact my biological son.”
“H-how?”
“Atlas wasn’t the only one frozen in time all those years ago. Atlas may have been turned to stone, but the rest of us were able to continue on with our lives. At least… to the best of our abilities.”
My eyebrows furrowed as I began calculating, trying to guess how old she must have been. “So you’re three hundred and -”
“A lady never reveals her age,” she smiled, too sweet. “But yes, everyone on the… on this side of Fairview has remained the same.”
Those residing in The Kingdom - in the same town - now claimed to have been hiding this secret? For hundreds of years? I wouldn't have been surprised if the West Side started believing this bullshit as well. We were so starkly separated from each other - by the gate, by wealth, by power. No wonder nobody noticed.
“So, as I was saying, Atlas-”
“Atlas is an adult,” I cut her off, “And if he has a problem with something I’m doing, he can tell me himself.”
I made to step around her, but she side-stepped me, blocking my exit once again.
“Atlas has always been such a kind hearted soul. He would never want to say anything to make you feel bad or-or pressured,” Mrs. Ellroy told me.
“Well I’m sure he doesn’t need his mom to do that for him,” I spat.
Mrs. Ellroy took a threatening step forward - towering over me.
“Listen to me, girl,” she said, her voice growing quieter, “You may be content playing children’s games with my son, but keep in mind that others are suffering with each precious day you waste.”
I took a step back in response, fear rippling through me with every word she spat.
“Suffering?” I asked.
“Yes. He hasn’t told you. He would never say anything. But I am looking out for the greater good,” her tone, however, told me the opposite. “We are still frozen - unchanging - unable to move forward until the spell is broken.”
“I thought the spell was broken,” I said, unable to control my voice from trembling.
She laughed, shaking her head and looking at the ceiling.
“You stupid, selfish, blind child. Part of the spell has been broken, yes - but more remains. We remain encased in stone - metaphorically of course - until you two fulfill your end of the prophecy.”
I swallowed hard, “Meaning?”
“Hmm, I was sure Atlas told me he’d mention that part to you.”
I didn’t say anything. He had, indeed, told me the final part of the prophecy. He just hadn't shared with me the stakes. Mrs. Ellroy continued.
“Leave those low-life boy children alone. Fate has, for whatever reason, chosen you to be loved by and love my son. The sooner you accept it, the sooner we can move on with our lives,” she sneered. “We are, after all, extremely wealthy. I’m sure this should be a dream come true for someone from your side of the fence.”
She stared me down until I looked at my feet, lost for words and dying to get out of that large room - that suddenly felt suffocatingly small - as soon as possible.
“Can I go now?” I asked, not meeting her eye.
She simply stepped aside. On my way out, she grabbed my arm lightly, her red polished fingers delicate on my arm.
“This was a really great chat,” she smiled at me, flashing bright white teeth, “We should do it again sometime.”
I shrugged out of her grasp and continued down the hall where I saw a large staircase. A thought popped into my head, though, before I reached the stairs. I turned slowly to see Mrs. Ellroy was still standing in the doorway, watching me.
“Why would you want to continue aging again? Isn’t immortality - smooth faces and youth - all you rich bitches want? You’ll never have to pay for botox. You’ll never have to worry about dying. You already have everything,” I said. It was a bold question, but I needed to understand her reasoning.
She thought for a moment, crossing her arms.
“How would you like it,” she asked, “Forever frozen? Never moving forward? Time can become a prison of boredom and chaos. I wouldn’t wish immortality on my worst enemy.”
I surveyed her for a moment longer and then nodded, satisfied with her answer.
“And Quinn, I would accept the security we’ve so kindly allotted you. There are people that would do far worse than us, should your secret get out,” she said darkly, and then retreated into the bedroom.
Anxiety filled my stomach as her ominous words sank it. I made my way quickly down the winding staircase, shoes still in hand. I wasn’t planning on stopping until I was safely outside of those golden gates.
I opened the double doors leading outside and ran smack into Atlas. He took a step back, clearly surprised by my presence.
“Quinn?”
“I met your mom,” I muttered, stepping around him, “She’s a delight.”
Atlas stood stunned on the front porch of his mansion. I hurried down the long, circular driveway. When I reached the sidewalk, I picked up speed. The security guard must have seen me coming, because the golden gates were wide open when I reached the border of their neighborhood.
*****
My fingers trembled as I texted Kylee.
Come over - SOS!
A few seconds later, she replied with a thumbs up. I took a deep breath and put my head in my hands, running my fingers through my tangled hair. I still hadn’t changed from the night before and I was in dire need of a shower. There was dirt in my hair, and I realized in horror that the Ellroy’s guards probably found me passed out in Hannah’s lawn.
It only took Kylee 5 minutes to knock on my front door - one of the perks of living in a relatively small town. I opened the door to let her in and she looked me up and down, snorting.
“Dude, you look like shit,” she said, moving past me and plopping down on the couch.
“Kylee, I slept at the Ellroy’s house last night,” I told her, not bothering to sit down. I was too filled with nervous energy.
Her eyes widened, “You WHAT?”
“They have… they have security guards following me,” I admitted to her, the words spilling out faster than I’d intended, “I was too drunk at Hannah’s - passed out in the yard. They found me and took me back to their house. I woke up in their guest room this morning!”
Kylee looked enraged, “Those freaks! We should call the cops! That’s basically kidnapping!”
I nodded in agreement, “But Kylee - that’s not all. I met Mrs. Ellroy. Like actually met her. She came to the room and talked to me. She stood in the doorway… wouldn’t let me leave. She told me… told me when I kissed Atlas, I only released part of the spell. The rest of them, the people on the East Side - they’ve all been frozen in time. Immortal. And there’s this prophecy - it says Atlas and I have to - we’re going to…”
I looked down at my hands, not wanting to speak the words. Kylee just looked at me with wide, expressionless eyes.
“Quinn…” she said finally, “Are you hearing yourself?”
“I know it sounds crazy Kylee, but they… I think they might be telling the truth,” I said, silently begging her to understand. “On Friday at the park Atlas told me-”
“You were with Atlas on Friday?” she snapped. Of course Kylee would be hurt that I’d forgotten to tell her. I was digging myself into a hole I had no idea how to get out of.
“Yes but- Kylee listen!”
“You’re unbelievable, Quinn,” she said, standing up from the couch, “Elaina I understand. But you? You’re getting yourself into this nonsense now as well?”
“Please, Klyee,” I begged as she headed for the door.
“I’m so done, Quinn,” she said. “Call Elaina. Put on some magic fairy wings and have a freaking tea party. But don’t involve me in all this.”
She yanked the door open and I whispered, “Please don’t go.”
She stared at me, eyes fiery, cheeks red, “Call me when you’ve come to your senses.”
And then she was gone, door slamming behind her.
I sank to the floor, eyes filled with tears. Kylee was gone. Elaina was gone. Even Jamie wasn’t speaking to me. My circle of people was so utterly small, and it felt like it had been washed away in the span of a week.
I let out a sob and sprang to my feet, desperate. My dad had stocked the freezer with a single bottle of white rum. I grabbed the bottle and flicked open the cap.
My phone buzzed. I opened the text from an unknown number.
I’m sorry about my mom.
Slowly, I lowered the bottle onto the counter and stared at the text. I debated deleting it. Debated blocking the number. Debated changing my own number.
But instead, I wrote back - Finally joined the 21st century huh?
I smirked at my cleverness, although tears still streamed down my face. Not 3 seconds later, I got a response.
Let me make it up to you?
Again, I turned over the message in my head. My instinct was to send something snarky or straight up cruel in response. But I was so, so lonely. Definitely not in a position to turn down friends.
How? I asked.
Anything you want - the world is your oyster.
I eyed the bottle of rum.
Meet at the park in an hour?
Should I be scared? He asked.
Terrified.
****
The shower brought me back to life. I ran my fingers through my dirty, knotted hair and scrubbed every inch of the night before off my skin.
I pulled on leggings and my warmest sweatshirt. The bottle of rum was waiting for me on the kitchen counter. I shoved it in my backpack along with 2 shot glasses.
Atlas was again at the park before I arrived. He sat on the same swing, but I gestured towards the picnic table. The day was chilly, but manageable. Especially combined with alcohol.
I sat down, smiling lightly at him as he sat across from me.
“You seem relatively happier to see me today,” he noted.
I shrugged, “I just had a good idea.”
He rested his chin on his hands, raising an eyebrow, “Enlighten me.”
I reached in my backpack and pulled out the handle of rum. I let it drop onto the picnic table, and then pulled out the shot glasses. His eyes widened in surprise.
“Don’t you people usually wait until 5 o’clock for this sort of thing?”
“Do you wanna play or not?” I asked impatiently. To be fair, he did have a point. It was hardly noon yet.
“Play? Oh, so this is a game?” he chuckled as I poured us each a hefty serving of rum. I met his eyes deviously.
“Truth or drink,” I told him, “You ever heard of it?”
“I haven’t actually.”
“Surprising,” I murmured, swirling my shot glass a bit.
“Not really. My people tend to play more… traditional games.”
I wrinkled my nose, “Your people.”
“Sorry,” he said quickly, “bad habit. Truth or drink - self explanatory.”
“I’ll go first,” I stated, “Has your mom always been a crazy bitch or did 300 years make her that way?”
I knew I was coming on strong, but I couldn’t help myself. I wondered if he was offended, but he just thought for a moment and then said -
“It’s definitely gotten worse since I was - um - stoned.”
I nodded, slightly disappointed. I wanted him to drink.
“My turn?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Do you believe me now? Everything I’ve told you?” he asked.
I downed the shot. I didn’t want him to know my answer - that I was leaning towards a yes. But I also didn’t want to admit it to myself. Saying it outloud - that would confirm that I was insane.
“Fair enough,” he said.
“Why did you leave the party last night?” I asked. I was pretty sure I knew why he left, but I wanted to hear him say the words.
Instead, he took the shot.
“What do you see in Jamie Fullman?” he asked without taking a beat.
I eyed my shot glass, debating how much I wanted to give away. Finally, I shrugged.
“He’s easy… fun. I don’t have to try with him, you know?” I said honestly, “Plus, he’s not bad to look at.”
“For a child, I guess,” Atlas said, rolling his eyes.
I sighed in annoyance, “Well, we’re currently not on speaking terms, anyway.”
“Why?” he asked. Crap, I shouldn’t have said anything. It was like giving him amo. I was going to have to take a shot to protect Jamie’s pride when it was Atlas’s turn again.
“Not your turn,” I said. “Who turned you into stone? And why?”
“Pick 1.”
I huffed, “Fine. Who?”
“A… I guess you could call her a manipulator of the elements. She was a stranger from the West Side - I’m not even sure of her name. She was incredibly powerful. But she was woefully untrained. That kind of power takes years to hone. She was never taught and one day… one day she snapped.”
I stared at him, surprised at his brutal honesty. And that he’d answered the second part of my question without realizing it.
“Sorry, I know that was a lot at once,” he said, offering me a small smile. “Why aren’t you and Jamie speaking?”
There it was. I took another shot. Jamie would have to thank me for this one.
I thought of something I really wanted to know, but then I remembered that I wanted to get Atlas drunk. I searched for a question he wouldn’t answer.
“What’s your deepest, darkest secret?” I asked.
“Not fair,” he protested with a smile.
“Drink up, then.”
He did as he was told, swallowing the shot and then pouring us each another one.
“What about the other one? What do you see in him?” Atlas asked, not breaking eye contact with me.
“Other what?”
“That boy… from last night.”
It took me a minute to recall the memory. The sloppy kisser that I’d clung to the previous night. I cringed at the memory.
“Jonah?” I laughed, “Nothing… nothing at all. Again, easy.”
Atlas furrowed his eyebrows, looking at me more intensely than before. He shook his head, “I don’t understand.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
I shrugged, “Maybe you’re just old fashioned.”
“Could be. Your turn.”
“Have you kissed anyone? Since waking up?” I asked before I could stop myself.
He smirked at me and took the shot. That bothered me more than it should have.
“You have!?” I almost yelled, “Who?”
He shook his head, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and smiled wider. His turn.
“Why do you say easy like it’s a good thing?” he asked.
That question would take us towards dangerous territory. Daddy issues. Abandonment issues. Self-esteem issues.
I drank.
“What’s a manipulator of the elements? How does that work?”
Again, it was two questions. He let it go.
“300 years ago, people were… different - more powerful. Some were more in touch with nature than others. They found they could bend energy to their advantage. No one really knew how it worked. You were either born with it or not. The manipulation began to show itself around puberty. It is - was more common in girls, but some boys have been known to possess the ability as well.”
I thought for a moment, and then asked, “Can you?”
“That’s another question.”
“Two for two?” I asked, burning curiosity getting the best of me.
“Deal,” he said. “No, I wasn’t born with it. My mother, however, was very powerful. As were many members of the East Side. The one who turned me, she was the first and only manipulator born on the West Side.”
I waited for him to say more, but he fell silent.
“I… see,” I said, not totally sure I understood.
“What can I do to make you see I really am telling the truth?” he asked.
I drank. He rolled his eyes.
“Fine, number two,” he said, thinking, “Why did you agree to see me today so willingly?”
I wanted to drink again, but I was ahead of him. I needed to pace myself. The game would be short lived if I became incoherent.
“Kylee and I had a fight,” I admitted, looking at my hands. “She doesn’t like that we’ve been interacting.”
“I see,” he said, “And Elaina?”
“I’ll get around to it,” I muttered, feeling my cheeks blush.
“High school girls,” he mused to himself, “So much drama - it never seems to end.”
“It was worse in middle school,” I shrugged.
My turn.
“Why do you say your mom was very powerful? What happened?”
“When I was turned to stone, everyone else ceased to age. They also lost their manipulation. The prophecy does talk about the return to mortality, but it says nothing about the powers coming back. Everyone assumes they’re gone for good. That she somehow washed it all away.”
“That sucks,” I said, although I was finding it difficult to feel any pity for his mother.
“They’ll live,” he said, “Especially with today’s technology. No one needs that kind of power anymore.”
The warmth of the liquor slowly started taking over. I felt the tingle in my fingertips and the slight pressure in my head.
“Why do you dislike me?” he asked.
I opted for honesty. “It’s not just you… it’s everyone on the East Side. We call it the Kingdom. Everyone there is so… isolated. They look at us like we’re garbage. My dad and I couldn’t afford to heat our home one winter. That same winter, your people threw a days long winter celebration within the gates. Everyone on my side seems to have a story like that.”
Atlas’s face fell.
“I’m sorry,” he breathed, “Really. I understand why you hate them…us. We must seem so heartless.”
I looked down at my hands again, feeling embarrassed by his compassion. I wanted to tell him that it wasn’t his fault - that he hadn’t had any part in that as long as I’d been alive. But I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. Instead, I asked the question that had been burning on my tongue all day.
“So, the only reason you want to spend time with me… is so your family can get better,” I said, realizing that it didn’t come out like a question at all.
It took him a full minute to think of a response. I almost told him to just take the shot so we could move on. But finally, he looked up at me.
“I’ll admit, I’ve had a lot of pressure to - say - woo you from my parents. But it’s been more difficult than I’d expected. Honestly, there’s no timeline on the prophecy. My people aren’t hurt or sick or in danger. They’re just bored. Maybe they secretly hope they’ll get their manipulation back once they can age - once they’re more in tune with nature. I refuse to force anything.”
I nodded, not sure what to make of his answer.
“I will say,” he added, “that I have no expectations of you. I would like to be your friend, but after everything my mother put you through today - just say the word and I will back off. And again, I’m sorry she threw all of that at you. It wasn’t fair.”
“Thank you,” was all I said.
“Where do you see yourself in a year?” he asked casually.
“Hmm… not in Fairview, that’s for sure,” I snorted, and I couldn’t help but notice the twinkle of sadness that spread across his face momentarily. Or perhaps I just imagined it. “Maybe in university… if I can get into one. My grades haven’t been great lately. Or I’ll get a job far away from here - maybe working with kids or animals or art.”
And then I took another shot for good measure. Atlas raised his eyebrows, accepting the challenge. He took his and then poured both of us another.
“Question me,” he said, a lazy smile finding its way onto his lips.
“Hmm,” I thought, tapping my chin. “What’s your favorite position?”
“In football?”
“Don’t be daft,” I told him.
He only smiled at me and took his next shot.
“Wait, you’re not a virgin are you?” I asked in shock, “I mean… I know you’re from the past but like-”
He cut me off, “It’s not your turn, Quinn.”
I shut my mouth, smirking. I held out both hands, allowing him to take the stage.
“What’s your favorite position?”
He should have seen this one coming. I took my shot as well. He raised one eyebrow.
“I wouldn’t want to taint your virgin ears,” I said, giggling.
He laughed back at me, humorously. I wondered again if I’d offended him with my question. I looked up at him, debating whether or not to apologize. I caught him looking at me, intensely. I couldn’t read his face, though I continued to study it.
His phone chimed, breaking the silence, and he looked down at it.
“I need to go in a minute,” he told me. “I’ll give you one more question.”
I thought for a moment, knowing I would regret asking a stupid question. Knowing I would regret asking something he wouldn’t answer.
“Why me?” I asked finally, “I mean, I know you don’t know the answer to that but… why do you think it was me?”
He rested both arms on the table as he thought.
“That’s a good question. And you’re right, I don’t know the answer. But I wonder if there’s a reason it was you - something about you or… or us? Compatibility, maybe? Or perhaps this was all arbitrary… a coincidence. I would like to think it’s deeper than that. But that would make things more difficult.”
I wanted to ask what he meant by difficult, but he had to go.
“Can I ask you one more?” he asked.
I nodded.
“When can I see you again?”
I tried not to blush like a schoolgirl, “I’ll be in school tomorrow.”
“Promise?” he asked.
“Yes.”
The prince looked like he was going to stand up, but I was wondering one more thing and the alcohol convinced me to blurt it out.
“Do you wish it had been someone different? Someone… nicer or more open? Maybe Elaina?”
He didn’t have to think to answer that question.
“No, definitely not. I’m glad it was you.”
Atlas stood up, grabbing his jacket and phone. I threw him a questioning look. He just walked around the picnic table until he was standing directly over me. I turned around in my seat so I was facing him. I had to lean my head back slightly to meet his eyes. He looked at me with such intensity that I was nearly taken aback. I felt frozen in place as he hovered over me. It looked like he was debating whether or not to say something.
“I’m not like you, Quinn,” he said softly, “Or… I’m not like what you say you are.”
My mind was stalling. I couldn’t make sense of his words. My heart thudded in my chest and I prayed he couldn’t hear it.
“Like I said, I have no expectations,” he repeated, but then he leaned closer - just inches away from my face, “but I do like a challenge. Even before the stone, I never went for easy.”
My heart picked up as his words sank in. My stomach dropped, mind went blank. What was he doing to me?
The prince pulled back slightly, but then changed his mind and came close again. I could hear his deep, rugged breathing as he brought his lips an inch from my ear.
“And I am definitely not a virgin,” he whispered.
He pulled away, leaving me stunned.
“See you in school tomorrow,” he offered, his voice returning to its normal pitch.
“See you,” I muttered, barely audible.
I watched him walk away - tall and confident and muscular. Somehow feeling like he had won a game that had no winners.
What the fuck just happened?
****
I woke up for school on Monday in a frenzy of emotions. Nervous to face Kylee on our walk to school. Frustrated at Elaina and my classmates for the drama they’d caused throughout the school. But I was also - in some strange way - excited to see Atlas again.
I felt like yesterday we’d come to an understanding, although it was never put precisely into words. I could breath deeply for the first time in over a week as I pulled on a pair of jeans and a red and black flannel. Atlas only wanted friendship - and it was up to me when and if that had ever happened.
This was at least what I told myself, trying to forget his final words to me the previous day. I do like a challenge.
I shook my head to get the words out of my brain, yet unable to ignore the flutters in my stomach.
My stomach sank when I realized Kylee wasn’t waiting for me at our usual spot. I stood under the lamppost for 5 minutes, but had to give up when I realized I would be late for school.
I was making a plan in my head to talk to Kylee again - practicing how I was going to explain everything to her. Atlas hadn’t told me to keep any secrets. Kylee was my best friend. Anything anyone told me, Kylee got to know, too. I had to swallow my pettiness today. After I worked on Kylee, I would go to Elaina next. Kylee and I would go together. That would be best.
The school was buzzing with chatter as I entered the double doors that lead to a locker lined hallway. But the students fell silent, one by one as they watched me enter. Their eyes - the way they landed on me and then quickly looked away, finding an excuse to whisper to a nearby friend - told me one thing: the secret was out.
I pretended I didn’t notice their stares or the word “spellbreaker” being whispered over and over again. I kept my attention on my phone as I made my way to my locker.
“Quinn,” I heard Elaina’s voice from behind me. I decided that I didn’t need to go to my locker this morning. I continued walking past the stares and into the girls bathroom.
I was pleased to find the bathroom empty. I threw open the window and whipped a cigarette out of my back pocket. I struggled to light it, the cold air blowing in and putting out my lighter. My hands trembled.
“Fuck,” I muttered in annoyance.
The bathroom door opened and Elaina walked in, alone. Anger flared through me when I caught her sheepish face.
“You told them,” I growled, marching up to her.
“No Quinn, I swear!” she yelled, putting her hands up in defense but not backing away.
“Why should I believe you?” I yelled in her face - sizing her up.
“You- you shouldn’t,” Elaina admitted, “I-I’ve been a bad friend to you. I didn’t listen to what you wanted. And I should have warned you this morning that someone talked - but I didn’t. I was too cowardly. I’m sorry Quinn.”
She’d admitted all of that to me in one breath.
“You didn’t say a word?” I asked, making sure I heard correctly.
She nodded, eyes wide. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug. I felt her breath a sigh of relief - I wasn’t usually so forgiving.
“But,” I said, pulling back, “You know who talked, don’t you?”
She nodded again.
“Atlas?” I whispered, hoping she would say yes. Because the alternative was far worse.
Elaina looked down at her feet and shook her head.
I felt sick with rage. I stopped caring that everyone was talking about me. I stopped caring that I was in school. I stopped caring about everything.
I stormed past Elaina, red hot with anger. My fists shook, my breathing grew choppy.
“Quinn, wait!” I heard Elaina say from behind me. I could hear her following me, but I didn’t listen to her protests. Kylee had done the one thing I had made her promise not to do. Even Elaina had managed to keep her mouth shut. And Atlas - who I barely knew! Rage grew thicker.
I burst into History class, knowing right where Kylee would be.
“You bitch!” I yelled, fists balled. I moved quickly towards her, ready to knock her off her chair with a punch to the face. I felt Elaina’s hands on my arm, trying to pull me back. “Who did you tell!?”
Kylee jumped out of her seat, backing up in fear.
“Oh they were going to find out sooner or later!” Kylee shouted back, “You really think you can trust him and his freak family?”
I took another step towards her, “Well I can clearly trust them better than you!”
“Clearly! Why don’t you go spend another night at their house then - if you trust them so much!”
I froze - everyone in the class now knew where I’d been Saturday night. They would only assume the worst.
“Kylee,” I heard Elaina whisper in disapproval from behind me.
I got as close to Kylee as possible and then pushed her backwards. She tried to stand her ground, so I pushed her again.
“You piece of garbage!” I screamed.
“SLUT!” she yelled at the same time.
I drew my fist back, ready to beat her fucking face in. Elaina couldn’t stop me now.
Arms wrapped around my body, pinning my elbows against my side. I didn’t look to see who it was as they pulled me backwards.
“Stay away from me!” I screamed. Kylee tried to chase after me, but Elaina stepped in front of her, preventing her from moving forward.
“Enjoy The Kingdom bitch! Enjoy being the prince’s WHORE!” she yelled. Her words made me fight harder against the arms restraining me.
I was dragged from the classroom just as Mr. Tanner was entering, briefcase in hand. He’d missed the entire thing - and it was sheer luck that kept me from getting suspended.
“Good morning Mr. Tanner,” I recognized Atlas’s voice, “Quinn isn’t feeling well this morning so I’m just going to take her home.”
Atlas didn’t wait for Mr. Tanner’s response as he pulled me down the hall. I stopped struggling as soon as we were out of the classroom. He kept his arms around me, pinning my arms down until we were all the way outside.
I chewed on my lip, anger and adrenaline still pulsing through me.
“If I let go of you, are you going to go back in there and try to rip Kylee’s head off?” he asked.
“Yes,” I growled.
“Quinn,” he said, a warning.
“Bitch.”
“She’s your friend,” he told me, “plus, she’s bigger than you. She could probably knock you out quickly if she were really trying.”
“She’s not my friend.”
“Perhaps not at this moment,” he agreed.
I willed myself to take a deep breath.
“Can I let go now?” Atlas asked me cautiously.
I nodded, feeling more in control outside in the cool air. Slowly, Atlas let my arms go. He took a step back, watching me. I didn’t go back into the building. Instead, I sat on the step and took out a cigarette, hands trembling. I tried lighting it again, but the breeze kept blowing out the lighter.
“Damned thing,” I grumbled, switching the lighter over and over again.
Atlas stood in front of me, using his hands to shield my lighter from the wind until I could light my cigarette.
“Thanks,” I muttered, not looking at him. I inhaled deeply, willing the nicotine to calm me.
“This is probably not the best time to mention that smoking is terrible for you, is it?” Atlas joked.
“Not in the mood,” I told him.
Atlas took a seat next to me on the step.
“I’m sorry I dragged you into all this,” he said sadly.
I shook my head, “Not your fault. You kept your mouth shut.”
“True - but I also infiltrated your life. I came to your school, I befriended Elaina. I could have - should have stayed away,” he said. “You deserve a normal life.”
“Oh yeah, Elaina and I made up. You can call off the guards now,” I said.
“I already had - didn’t you notice after Friday?”
“No… I guess I didn’t,” I said, looking up at him, “I hadn’t fulfilled my end.”
He shrugged, “I felt bad anyways. The only reason they saw you outside of that party on Saturday was because they were watching me. Your old security guard recognized you and picked you up.”
“Oh.”
“I wish they had brought you to me instead of my mother. But their loyalty remains to her I guess.”
I stayed quiet, bouncing my knee and staring at the cars driving by the school. I counted them - one, two, three, four…
“What are you thinking?” he asked me.
“You got a shot?” I asked, not wanting to share.
He chuckled, “Unfortunately, I don’t.”
I sighed, “I’m thinking… how could she do that to me? After everything we’ve been through together?”
He nodded in understanding.
“Maybe she’s threatened,” I continued on, “Kylee lets very few people in. Those she does, she keeps very close. Maybe she’s afraid of losing me - and in some backwards way it made her push me away further.”
“That’s very intuitive,” Atlas said. “Do you think you guys can come back from this?”
I inhaled the last of my cigarette, rubbing the end on the concrete.
“It depends.”
“On?”
“How the school reacts to all this. A bit of staring and whispering I can handle. But anything past that… I don’t know if I could forgive Kylee,” I admitted.
“She can’t help how they react,” he said. “She can’t take back what she did. But I’m sure she regrets it, even if she doesn’t realize it yet.”
I snorted. This man had been sleeping for 300 years. What did he know about girl drama?
“I think you would be a lot to lose, Quinn,” Atlas said, “She’ll realize that sooner or later. And then she’ll be sorry.”
My eyebrows furrowed and I turned towards him. There was no sarcasm or malice written on his face. Just honesty. I wanted to address what he’d just said, but I felt too embarrassed. I shut my mouth and pulled another cigarette out of my back pocket.
“There’s something else,” I said.
Atlas looked at me curiously.
“Your mom said something to me on Sunday - something about there being people that would do far worse to me if they knew the truth,” I said, barely a whisper.
“I don’t want to scare you,” Atlas said.
I shook my head, “No, I need to know the truth. I’m already knee deep in this - there’s no going back.”
Atlas took a deep breath, and then began.
“Back in the days of manipulation, that kind of power was something to be coveted, desired. People born without the abilities - which were most, keep in mind - some of them went to extremes to try to form the manipulation in themselves.”
“Extremes?” I asked, needing clarification.
“Er… don’t freak out… this is an extreme really - but,” he looked at me, “some people think drinking the blood of a manipulator can allow the drinker to possess some of those powers as well.”
I felt my face turn into a grimace at the thought of drinking blood. Atlas continued on.
“Lots of young manipulators were targeted, kidnapped before they could learn to defend themselves. There were a lot of innocent lives lost during the craze.”
“And now?” I asked.
“And now… my mother thinks that it might happen again, especially because so many people think they might get their manipulation back since I’ve been reawakened.”
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I tried to piece everything together.
“But what does that have to do with me?”
He sighed again, looking up at the sky.
“There are… talks on my side that - whoever it was that reawakened the prince and broke the original spell might be a manipulator - the first one to exhibit powers in 300 years,” he said.
“But I’m not… I don’t have…” I couldn’t finish.
“You’re right,” he said, “they’re just rumors. People on my side love to speculate. My mother was trying to give you a warning… in the nicest way she knew how.”
I felt the anger flaring inside me again. I squeezed my first tightly, taking a long drag of my cigarette.
“So Kylee didn’t just spread gossip throughout the school. She… I mean… Am I in danger now?”
“No, Quinn,” he said quickly, “Please don’t worry about that. We’ve got watchers all over the neighborhood. We can put someone on you again.”
I felt myself starting to hyperventilate. My leg bounced faster and I ran a shaky hand through my hair. I could handle gossip and rumors, but this was a whole different ball game.
“Quinn, are you alright?” Atlas asked, sounding panicked.
“So what does this mean, Atlas?” I asked, “Do I have to spend
my whole life now looking over my shoulder?”
“No, Quinn! We can help you,” he stressed, “We will help you. And then after you graduate, if you want to move away where people don’t know who you are, you are free to do that. We’ll give you whatever you need. Please, don’t lose a minute's sleep over this.”
His pleading eyes made me want to trust him so badly. So I nodded, trying to push down any fear.
Silence filled the space between us, though Atlas kept glancing down at me, probably to check if I was hyperventilating. I puffed on my cigarette and bounced my knee, not sure where I should go from here.
“Are you hungry?” Atlas asked me suddenly.
“What?”
“Do you want to get food?”
“Um… now?”
“Yes,” he said, “Or I could take you home. I would prefer to take you out to eat, though, so you don’t start drinking at 9 in the morning.”
I ignored the jibe.
“Fine. Food,” I said, putting out my second cigarette.
*****
“Um… who’s going to eat all this?” I asked in awe, staring at the 10 different dishes sitting on the table between us.
I’d gone to the restroom when we got to the diner, and when I returned to our table, Atlas told me he’d taken care of ordering. I didn’t realize that meant he’d ordered the entire menu.
Atlas looked up from piling pancakes onto his place and grinned.
“Us,” he said, “Duh.”
“But this is… I mean… we’re just two people!”
Atlas paused for a moment and set his fork down.
“Quinn,” he began, “I didn’t eat for 300 years. 300 years without tasting sugar, or salt, or butter, or anything. I need this.”
I stared at him for a moment and then burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all.
“Just don’t ask me to roll you out of here when you go into a food coma,” I said, scooping eggs onto my own plate.
“No promises,” he said with a mouth full of pancake.
Atlas had devoured half of the food by the time the bill came out. I couldn’t eat more than 2 plates worth.
“You eat like a bird,” he said, judgment glittering his tone.
Atlas didn’t even look at the bill as he handed the waitress a shiny black credit card. I rolled my eyes.
“Don’t worry,” he said, “I’ll let you pay on the next date.”
My eyes widened. “Wh- This was not a date!”
Atlas threw his head back and laughed at my frustration.
“Of course it wasn’t, I’m only teasing you.”
He stood up from the booth and I followed, punching him in the arm.
“What was that for?” he asked, fake rubbing his arm,
I walked past him and out the doors of the restaurant. When I could feel him closely behind me, I stopped abruptly and turned around. He froze in his tracks. It was my turn.
I looked up at him through my eyelashes and took a step closer, holding his gaze. Just like he had done at the park the other day, I stood on my toes to bring my lips close to his ear, touching his shoulder lightly with one hand. I took a breath, and then -
“I don’t like to be teased,” I growled softly. I felt his arm tense underneath my light touch.
Then I pulled away and threw him a pleasant smile.
“See you at school tomorrow,” I chirped, backing away.
Atlas looked baffled, and I turned on my heel. Once more I called over my shoulder, “Thank you for the food!”
“Any time,” I heard him say shakily.
I smiled deviously to myself, though I couldn’t help the blush that crept onto my cheeks. The smile stayed on my face for the entire walk home.