Chapter 2: A Shooting Star
"This is terrific!" he exclaimed, swinging her around. "My wife," he let her down and rested his forehead against hers. She noted in some small part of her mind not humiliated that his skin was very warm, but in a comforting way.
"But we can't marry right away," she warned. "I have to finish high school first, and then there's college and grad school. It could be five or six years."
"As long as the pledge is there, we must someday wed. That is all that matters." He pulled her against his shoulder and turned his beaming face upon Andrew. "And you are witness to this contract. Congratulate me, my friend."
Andrew was staring at Serena with a mixture of confusion and grimness. "Yeah, I guess I am. Congratulations." His voice was flat and resigned. "So, where do you guys go from here?"
"I hadn't thought of that." Serena admitted. "Where are you going to live? Do you still have any of your powers? What about birth records, a driver's license, a social security number…"
Endymion waved a hand a manila file appeared in his hand. "I have everything here I need to function in your world. The curse would not allow me out if it could not provide me with the tools to blend into whichever world I'm joining." Serena took the file and skimmed through the official looking papers. The curse had been very thorough. He even had a high school diploma, something she hadn't yet achieved. "What about living arrangements?" she asked. "My mom would never let a b-boyfriend move in with me." she stuttered over the word. It sounded even stranger to her than djinn.
Another wave of his hand he had a set of keys curled in his fingers. "Done." he said. Andrew and Serena eyed each other warily.
"So, this is actually happening." she finally convinced herself. "I am engaged to a genie." 'A hot genie,' she added to herself, which only succeeded in making her more uncomfortable.
"No longer a jinni," Endymion corrected her, glancing at the papers in the folder. "I am Endymion Rotham, student of history at Centerville Community College." he grinned at her, as if seeking her approval. She managed a weak smile back, ignoring Andrew's snort of disapproval.
"You won't be able to just snap your fingers and fit into this world." Andrew warned. "It's more complicated than going to a few classes and having your own apartment."
"I am aware of the intricacies of blending into the fabric of a community." Endymion replied, studying Andrew. "But you seem bent on dissuading me from this course. Unfortunately, the contract has already taken hold." His grip tightened on Serena's shoulder possessively.
"Serena, are you sure this is what you want?" Andrew turned to her, ignoring Endymion's glare. "You want to give up the chance of finding love in favor of a contract? That doesn't sound very romantic."
Serena shook her head at him, imploring him to understand. "This is probably my only chance of companionship. You've seen me at school. I'm not like other girls. What boy would want me?" Andrew stepped back, his mouth forming a straight line.
"I just don't like it," he said stubbornly.
"You don't have to like it," Serena snapped. "I've never even talked to you before today, so it's none of your business. Just go home and forget you ever saw anything. Forget you ever even knew me."
They glared at each other, neither willing to budge. Endymion looked from one to the other and chuckled. "Well, that is interesting." he said. Andrew quirked an eyebrow at him.
"What is?" Endymion gave him a knowing look. "I don't believe I have to tell you." Andrew paled a little and his step faltered.
"F-fine," he agreed, his shoulders slumping. "I'll go along with this."
"I don't know why you'd bother," Serena replied, still sulking.
"Me either," Andrew said under his breath. "I'll show him around and help him integrate. But you get to break the news to your mom without me."
"Um, duh! She doesn't know about you either. In fact, she's going to kill me just for being out here so late."
"Oh yes, when shall I meet your mother? And what of your father? I suppose I shall have to ask his permission before any official announcement is made, although the contract will prevent anything from happening to end it, except death, not even a magical contract can stop that," Endymion rambled, dusting off his tunic and running his hands through his hair.
"Wait, hold on." Serena said, throwing up her hands to prevent him from going near the house. She eyed his out of date clothing and bare feet and knew her mother could never meet her boyfriend like this, even considering she probably believed, like Serena, that she'd never have a boyfriend to have to meet. She still wanted him to make a good impression on her. "You're going to need to buy some new clothes and shoes. And a haircut wouldn't hurt either." she added, eyeing the flowing locks.
Andrew snickered as Endymion gripped his hair protectively. "Yeah, I'll take care of that to." he added, laughing as he headed back towards the fence. "Can whatever magic you have left produce a credit card?" he added over his shoulder. Endymion waved his hand, a card appearing between his fingers. He looked it over curiously.
"What is this?" he asked.
"Money," Serena supplied, ignoring Andrew's laughter.
"This is money?" he asked. "Why do so many ask for money? This appears easy to obtain."
"Andrew will only be too glad to explain it to you tomorrow, while he takes you shopping!" Serena exclaimed as Andrew disappeared over the wooden fence, his laughter turning to grumbling. "Until then, you'll have to stay away. I want my mother to have a good first impression of you." In Andrew's absence she realized how very close they were standing and she took a step back, her cheeks heating up.
"Um…I assume you'll have no trouble finding your place? I guess the contract will help you out. I…um…have to go now. My mom will be getting worried." she gave a half wave and turned to gather her things. Endymion wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him, pressing velvety lips against her forehead.
"Thank you…Serena." he whispered, smiling down at her before seeming to vanish into the night air.
"Serena!" her mother called as she threw open the door. "I told you to get inside! It's freezing out here and it's almost midnight!" Serena turned to her mother, hoping she wouldn't notice the blush in the darkness.
"I'll be right there, I just…I saw a shooting star."
The next morning dawned foggy and cold. Condensation had formed on Serena's window, dripping onto the windowsill. Her alarm clock erupted in a shrill singing and a groggy hand crawled from beneath the quilt to shut it off. Serena sat up on her elbows and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, trying to catch the thought that was gnawing at the edge of her mind, something she should remember. She looked at the window, watching as more droplets formed on the window and spilled onto the wood. The fog had settled outside in a thick blanket and it would be slow going on her way to school, until the sun had a chance to burn the fog away that is.
Burn. The rolling fog was the same gray as ash. Ash. Ashes on a black surface. Black eyes staring into her green ones.
Serena sat up, almost falling from the bed. "Endymion!" she exclaimed. Had it really happened? Did she dream the whole thing? Her telescope and quilt were still propped in the corner behind her door where she'd discarded them the night before. She jumped from her bed and ran to her closet, digging through a box on the floor until she pulled out the black bottle she'd stashed where her mom was least likely to find it and ask questions.
So the whole thing with the falling bottle had actually happened. At least she hadn't hallucinated that much. But she could hardly bring herself to believe the bottle had contained a mythical, wish granting being who'd convinced her to marry him to set him free. Maybe she'd been hit in the head with the bottle and dreamed everything after seeing it, waking up only after her mom had come out to call her in. Serena held on to that hopeful thought as she prepared for her day, pulling on her usual pair of jeans and floral top. As she was tying her sneakers her mother came to her door and knocked, announcing they'd be leaving in five minutes. She grabbed her backpack and headed to the kitchen to grab an apple and froze when she saw Andrew sitting at the kitchen table with her mother.
He waved at her as he looked up, her mom turned to smile coyly at her. "Serena, you should have told me your little friend lived next door! I'd have sent over a plate of cookies." she turned back to Andrew.
"She never talks about any of her friends, I had no idea you two were so close." Serena glowered at Andrew from behind her mother, panicked at the thought of what he'd told her.
"Oh yeah, we're best buds, right Sere?"
"Aw!" her mom cooed. "Sere, how sweet! Do you need a ride to school Andrew?"
"No!" Serena exclaimed at the same time Andrew said, "Why thank you, that'd be great, ma'am!"
She followed her mother and Andrew to the car, sliding into the front seat as she threw an irritated look at the seemingly inconspicuous Andrew.
"So Andrew told me you have home room together and that's how you met." her mother said as she threw the car in reverse and pulled out onto the highway.
Serena glanced back at Andrew, again wondering just how much he'd told her.
"Oh yeah, we've been homeroom buddies all year." he lied smoothly. Serena snorted, eliciting a frown from her hopeful mother.
"That is just so lovely. I'm glad to meet one of Serena's friends. I'm just sorry it took until nearly the end of the school year to do it."
"Yeah, me to." Serena mumbled.
"So, I came over this morning to ask if you'd let me take Serena to the mall this evening. There's this big expo going on at the planetarium next door, but we wanted to grab lunch first. Is it cool?"
"Oh, I think that'd be great!" her mom practically screamed, the car wavering a little in the lane. Serena flushed at her mom's over excitement but also at what Andrew had said. The mall. She knew the planetarium was not having an expo. She'd be among the first to know since she subscribed to their monthly newsletter. He was lying again and Serena knew why. The whole Endymion thing had not been a dream. They were going to the mall to get him some new clothes, she was sure of it. This means…she really was engaged. Her sigh of resignation was lost in Andrew and her mom's chatter and she rode the rest of the trip in silence, mindlessly curling a loose strand of hair around her pinky as her thoughts rested on Endymion.
Andrew had said she was giving up a chance at finding love. Maybe he was right. If she wasn't so scared of people perhaps she could find a boyfriend. She wasn't hideous; her only abnormality was her ears. It certainly wasn't the worst affliction one could be stuck with. But she'd never allowed herself to think of her as being pretty. She was afraid attempting to date would only worsen her shyness. But she'd been able to maintain a semblance of control around Andrew. After getting over that initial shock. Now it seemed like nothing to go up to him and chat, although they had witnessed what was arguably a miracle and that did have a hand in helping people bond. She looked back at him in her mirror and he grinned. She couldn't help but smile back. It seemed he had that effect on people.
They arrived at the school none too soon and Serena climbed out thankfully, ignoring the looks people were shooting her as Andrew climbed out as well. They waved to her mom as she drove off, smiling a goofy grin, and made their way into the school amidst fevered whispering.
"Why can't people just mind their own business?" Serena whispered as she kept her eyes on her feet and willed her blood to stay away from her cheeks.
"If only they knew the truth, eh?" he chuckled, nodding at one of his guy friends. He followed her to her locker and leaned against her neighbor's. "So, we'll be meeting Endymion at the mall at 3:30." he supplied, his grin slipping. He left me a note on my bed when I got home last night."
"A-alright." Serena stuttered, fumbling with her books.
"I don't like it though, Sere." he said again. "He still has some kind of power. It's not natural. What if he's lying and he's really some kind of succubus?"
"Um…I think a succubus is a woman." Serena couldn't help but giggle. "A male is called an incubus."
"That's not much better!" Andrew half shouted, still ignoring the looks people were shooting. "I think you should call this whole thing off."
"I don't think I could, even if I wanted to." Serena explained patiently. "It's a magical contract. I don't think they can just be fed through a shredder."
"Humph." was Andrew's reply as he followed her to home room. More people watched as Andrew took the usually vacant seat next to Serena, turning it slightly so he could still converse with her. He seemed immune to the incredulous looks and whisperings but Serena was acutely aware of them. Her face was beet red, she was sure and she tried to keep her gaze locked on her desk. "Well, I'm going to keep my eye on him." Andrew assured her. "There is something odd about him."
"Of course there is, he's a genie." Serena mumbled miserably, as the whispers seemed to turn into screams in her overly sensitive ears.
"What's wrong?" Andrew asked, finally noting her discomfort. Serena turned wide eyes on him in surprise.
"You don't care that they're spreading rumors about us?" she asked.
"No," he replied nonchalantly. "They do that all the time. This is just the first time you've noticed."
"What?" she squeaked. "What have they said about me?"
"That's you're mute, a serial killer, a foreigner, and stuck up." he listed on his fingers. "None of which are true and everyone secretly knows it." he tried to reassure her.
"I can't believe I've been walking around school with that plastered on me." she whispered, burying her face in her hands.
"It's just because you're quiet." Andrew said. "Nobody knows what to think of you so they make stuff up."
"Why do they have to talk about me at all? Why can't they just pretend I'm invisible?" she asked through the space in her fingers.
"Because that would be boring." he smiled at her. She attempted a weak smile back and lowered her hands. Maybe if she had heard about this the day before she would have broken down, but having Andrew there to talk with seemed to make the discovery easier to bear. School passed in a blur. Andrew invited Serena to sit with him at lunch, making waves again in the whisper mill, but she tried her best to ignore it and stammered and blushed her way through lunch with his friends, two skater boys who didn't know what an asteroid was and a cheerleader who actually turned out to be really nice and helped to ward off the fledgling testosterone from the three boys.
Before Serena was really ready for it, the end of the school day was upon her and Andrew was waiting at her locker, a grim and determined look on his face. "Are you ready to meet your fiancé?" he asked, somewhat mockingly.
Serena took a deep breath and closed her locker door, girding herself as if for a great battle. "As ready as I'll ever be." she replied, a little weakly. The burn of his lips on her forehead still resonated in her mind and she felt as if they had left a permanent mark there that anyone might guess what had happened in her backyard that last starry night. But no…nobody knew about Endymion, yet. If anything, from the rumors she'd managed to not tune out, everyone thought she was dating Andrew. Which was ridiculous enough in its own right, but she hoped it would keep people busy enough not to notice Endymion anytime in the near future.
They caught the city bus and held onto the straps as the after school crowd chattered loudly in the stuffed seats. The girl who sat with Andrew at lunch, Molly, got on the bus, waving to Andrew as she took the only available strap beside Serena.
"Hey, Molly!" Andrew greeted her, gripping his strap as the bus pulled away from the curb, moaning under the weight. Serena wondered in panic if the bus would even make it to the mall.
"Where are you guys headed?" Molly asked after waving at Serena who smiled shyly back.
"The mall. I need some new wheels for my skates and Serena is meeting up with somebody." Andrew replied readily.
"Oh?" Molly seemed surprised. After what Serena had learned today it was no shock. Molly was probably surprised Serena knew anybody else. "Who?"
"Her boyfriend," Andrew blurted before Serena could think of a suitable lie. She stared in open-mouthed panic at Andrew, oblivious to the knowing, somewhat triumphant smile of Molly. Andrew shrugged at her, attempting to rein in his smirk.
"Ooh," Molly cooed in shocking resemblance to her mother. "What's his name? Does he go to school with us?"
"No," Serena replied in a subdued voice. "He goes to the community school here." She wondered in Molly was heading to the mall as well, and if she was she'd surely see Endymion and his strange clothing. "He actually," she began, her mind working quickly. "He just got back from a study abroad program in…India." His clothes had been vaguely Asian. "He lost all his clothes at the airport though and we're meeting him today to help him pick out some new ones." She was feeling proud of her lie until Molly replied with a squeal.
"Oooh! Shopping! Can I come? I am really good at choosing clothes for guys, you wouldn't believe!" She turned hopeful, brown eyes on Serena and she couldn't find a good enough reason to turn her down.
"Nice job," Andrew whispered in her ear as the bus slammed on its breaks as it neared the drop off station by the mall. "She was probably just going to head home to." he chuckled at the glare Serena gave him and ushered her and Molly off the bus so the majority of the throng could exit behind them.
"I didn't know the mall would be so crowded." Serena commented.
"It's the place to hang out after school," Molly answered, waving at several people. "Haven't you ever been to the mall after school?"
Serena avoided Andrew and Molly's eyes as she answered. "I've never been in the mall, at all." Molly gasped in horror before turning pitying eyes on her.
"Is your mom that strict? I had wondered if your antisocial behavior was really because of an overbearing parent, but I didn't want to mention it before…"
"Give the clinical analysis a rest, Molly." Andrew joked. "Serena just doesn't get out much, right Sere?"
He was trying to help her save face. Serena gave him a grateful smile. "Yeah, I'm just…a hermit." she giggled. Andrew laughed with her and Molly gave them a confused look.
"So, where are we meeting this Endymion guy?" Molly asked as they walked into the brightly lit atrium. Just a little stunned from the bustling crowds and echoing voices, Serena searched the room for the one person who was sure to stand out amidst the rush of middle class suburbia.
"Over there," Andrew whispered, guiding her eyes with his pointer towards the entrance to the food court. Endymion was standing by a fast food, burger joint, looking incredibly out of place in his stitched tunic, munching on a box of fries, calmly surveying his surroundings. Serena was surprised they'd let him in at all without any shoes. She supposed the security guards had been too entertained to stop him. He certainly stuck out like a sore thumb.
"Poor dude," Molly said sadly, taking in his attire and shoeless state. "He is sorely in need of some fashion guidance. Don't worry, Sere." Molly said solemnly, putting her hand on Serena's shoulder as though offering comfort. "I know exactly how to help him."
Endymion spotted them from across the room and waved energetically, shouting a greeting which nearly shattered the atrium's roof. Serena never knew her face could be so hot as Endymion jogged across the atrium, throwing his arms open as he neared them and taking Serena into his arms in a passionate embrace. He placed his lips on her forehead as he had last night and was slow in pulling away. Andrew snorted and Molly went doe eyed, while Serena fought between wanting to stay in his arms and hide and wanting to run as far away from his as possible.
"We should get started," Serena finally muttered, settling for pulling away from his lips and keeping her gaze pointed at her sneakers. "I have to be home by five."
"No problem!" Molly exclaimed. "Hi, Endymion, I'm Sere's friend, Molly. I'm going to help you with your new wardrobe!"
Endymion gave her a dazzling smile. "I'm very grateful for your assistance Miss Molly. I want to look my very best for my darling Serena." he grinned down at Serena, who still refused to look up.
"Aw!" Molly swooned, eliciting another eye roll from Andrew.
"Let's go," he said in an irritated voice. "The men's clothing department is this way." He led the through the crowded walkways, Endymion wrapping a protective arm around Serena, Serena trying to focus on not blushing and walking at the same time, and Molly chattering about Endymion's skin tone and height and the perfect wardrobe to compliment both his appearance and personality.
"You are uncomfortable?" Endymion asked as they neared the clothing store. Serena looked up, hoping to belay his suspicions but found she couldn't lie when he turned those black eyes on her.
"Only a little," she admitted. "I've never had a boyfriend before, so it's a little awkward."
Endymion smiled at her and released her shoulders, settling on walking a few inches away from her. "Is this better?" he asked. Serena smiled back at him, breathing a secret sigh of relief and nodding earnestly.
"Thank you," she said fervently.
"You are welcome. I want you to be comfortable with me, but on your own terms." he said. "I do not want to force myself on you. Love will come soon enough." Serena flushed again, but not as bad as before. As his fiancé, she knew she'd have to get comfortable touching him and being near him. But she appreciated that he was willing to give her time and space to reach that zone of comfort.
Andrew sauntered into the men's clothing store, glancing at the racks and shelves with little interest while Endymion took in his surroundings with wide eyes. "These are clothes men wear these days?" he asked, pointing to a bedazzled t-shirt with an image of a skull.
"Yuck! No!" Molly exclaimed, sending a withering look at the garment. "Not unless you're on a bad reality show." She pulled him over to the rack of button down shirts and jackets, throwing them into his arms by the bunch. Before she was finished she'd loaded Andrew and Serena down with equal amounts of clothing, adding jeans, polo's, and solid colored T-shirts, as well as an array of hats she stacked pancake style on each of their heads. "To the fitting room," she announced when they complained of the heavy load.
Serena rushed in and deposited her load on the low seat before rushing back out and taking a seat beside Molly. Andrew was on his way out when Endymion questioned the use of the belt and decided he'd better stay and help him maneuver the foreign clothes. He yelled to Molly that Endymion wasn't used to having a stylist dress him, flattering her enough to stop any questions about Endymion's ignorance of modern clothing.
He came out in a button down first, with a black, fitted jacket on and casual jeans, a fedora perched almost negligently on his blue-black hair. Molly whistled at him, jostling Serena as she clapped her approval. Serena had to admit, it was a vast improvement over the saggy pants.
"Serena?" Endymion asked, searching her eyes for her acceptance. She smiled up at him and clapped as well.
"You look great!" she agreed. He smiled with relief and returned to the fitting room where he tried on all the clothes and modeled them before Serena and Molly. Once Molly had deemed his wardrobe to be complete, for the summer season, anyway, they headed to the checkout, leaded down with his purchases.
"Paper or plastic?" the slightly bored cashier asked.
"Neither," Endymion answered before anyone could answer for him. "Little silver card." he said, proudly flashing the credit card he'd produced last night.
"Ha ha," the cashier replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes. He took the card from a confused Endymion and swiped it, printing out the receipt and shoving both at Endymion.
"What did I say?" Endymion asked as they exited the store. He was dressed in one of his new purchases, the casual jeans and a green polo that enhanced his arm muscles so that Serena was having a hard time concentrating on not blushing, again.
"The card is made of plastic, so when he asked you paper or plastic, he meant paper money or the card."
"Well, that is not so obvious." Endymion replied disdainfully. Serena laughed and agreed as they made their way to the shoe store, since Endymion was still walking around barefoot. After being sized, Molly took him through the aisles, stacking up boxes in his arms to match his attire.
"It's a good thing you made a platinum card." Andrew commented as his arms were drafted into carrying shoes.
"The contract is very thorough." Endymion replied.
"Yeah, about that contract," Andrew started but was stopped by Molly squealing over a pair of leather boots.
"These would look so hot on you! Oh you have to have them!" She requested a pair in his size and the boots went on immediately. Molly looked over her creation, a frown creasing the skin between her eyebrows. "There's still something missing." she tapped her chin, while Andrew and Serena sweated under the load of Endymion's purchases. "Aha!" she practically screamed, grabbing his hand and leading him to the cashier to pay, prancing around impatiently before leading them to the salon next door. "Make him movie star gorgeous!" she commanded the stylist. "This one's on me," she winked at Serena, who feebly smiled back through a gap in the packages. Andrew carelessly discarded his on the seats in the waiting area and unloaded Serena's. She thanked him, while rubbing her sore muscles, once again thinking about the way Endymion's looked in that shirt. She shook her head as she sat beside Andrew who was watching Molly and the stylist make over Endymion.
"I suppose you're glad you made that contract now." Andrew said grumpily. "Take away the funny clothes and shaggy hair and you've got a stud for a fiancé."
"I wouldn't mind if he wasn't a stud." Serena replied truthfully. "He's nice and he understands me." she smiled as she watched him endure the squealing of the two women in control of his hair. He caught her eye and winked at her, causing her heart to flutter. It was a foreign feeling to Serena, flirting with a guy, having one flirt back. But she liked it.
"Well, like I said, it doesn't hurt that he's a stud." Andrew said again, his voice a little down. Serena turned to ask him what was wrong but an even more obnoxious squeal than anything that had exited Molly's slips erupted from the salon door and everyone looked up to see what had caused the commotion.
Alexia Highwater gawked at Endymion, her perfectly manicured hands flying to her perfectly coifed hair, ensuring her strand was in place before she plastered on a fake-white smile and sauntered into the salon. "Well, hello, Mr. Hottie!" she said in what was supposed to be a sultry voice, but seemed to grate on Serena's ears like nails on a chalkboard. Alexia was head of the dance team and the school heartbreaker. She was voted best-looking, most likely to succeed, and most popular in the senior poll and with good reason. Even with her grating personality, she was the most beautiful girl at school and knew it. Her cerulean blue eyes slid over Serena and Andrew, but landed on Molly with disappointed malice.
"Hello, Molly," she greeted, turning her fake smile on her. "Are you with Mr. Hottie here?"
"Sort of," Molly replied, sending an amused look at Serena. Endymion was watching her with an air of distaste.
"But you're not dating him are you?" Alexia clarified, batting her heavy eyelashes at him.
"No," Molly replied. Before she could say anything further Alexia sauntered up in front of Endymion and planted herself on his lap, her micro-mini shimmying up her tan thigh, no doubt exactly the way she wanted it to.
"How about you take me out for some frozen yogurt, Mr. Hottie?" Alexia proposed, skimming a white-tipped nail along his firmly set jawbone.
"Who do you keep calling this, Mr. Hottie?" Endymion asked, glaring at her. "My name is Endymion Rotham. He stood and dislodged her from his lap, much to the dismay of both Alexia and the stylist, who'd still been working on his hair, though was watching the scene with glee. He went to Serena and pulled her up to stand beside him. "And I am engaged to Serena Marshal." he announced proudly.
Squeals from Molly and the stylist drowned out the disbelieving scream of outrage from Alexia who sized up the girl she'd never cared to pay attention to before. A girl who showed absolutely no cleavage or leg and wore her hair in that tacky bun every day and could pick up Wi-Fi with those ears, but had managed to land the hottest man in Centerville?
"You're engages?!" Molly cried, rushing to grasp Serena's hands and jumping up and down in excitement. "It's so romantic!"
Serena held back tears of panic and anger, knowing Endymion had not realized what he'd just done, but mortified anyway. Alexia would spread that all over school now and then what would people think? Engaged in high school? Serena Marshal? Scandalous!
"Dude," Andrew whispered. "I think she wanted that to be a secret for a little longer."
Endymion looked down at Serena, looking extremely goofy with only half of his hair cut and frizzed up, though his gaze was completely serious. "Is it true, Serena? Have I done something wrong?"
Serena stared back at him through her tear filled eyes and let out a sigh instead of the angry yes she so wanted to emit. He didn't know. "No, you're alright. It's just a little…inconvenient." As Serena said them, she knew the words were true. People had been saying she was a serial killer. This had to be a way better rumor than that. "You'd better finish getting your hair cut. Five o'clock remember?" she ushered him back to the salon chair, again reassuring him she was alright.
"Why'd you do that?" Andrew asked irritably. "You should have told him off!"
"It wasn't his fault." Serena replied in a tired voice. "He probably thought he was defending my honor or something."
"But Alexia's going to spread that all over school now." Andrew warned.
"I know." Serena said. "It's okay. I think I'm going to have to become impervious to rumors. Besides, it was only a matter of time before people found out anyway." Andrew grunted and sat back in his chair, arms crossed.
The stylist and Molly resumed their stations over Endymion's hair, Molly making suggestions while the stylist snipped away at the ebony tresses. Finally, after a good sized mountain of hair had accumulated on the black and white tiled floor, the stylist grinned and announced he was finished, tearing off the smock and twirling Endymion around simultaneously. Andrew and Serena gasped at the transformation a haircut had made. No longer past his shoulder, his black hair curled against him tanned neck and faded upwards into a delicately layered style which complimented his strong jaw and high cheekbones.
"You look…great!" Serena exclaimed, clapping her hands together. Molly and the stylist glowed over their creation and shook hands before they left the salon, once more laden down with Endymion's new wardrobe.
He led them out into the mall parking lot, searching through the cars. "Ah, here we are." he announced as they approached a red corvette. Andrew's jaw dropped as he saw the flashy car and he fumbled with the boxes of shoes.
"Did you…that's a stingray corvette!" he exclaimed. "How did you get it?"
"It was a gift from the same one who introduced Serena and me." Endymion replied cryptically, raising his eyebrow. "Of course."
"Well, who is he and where can I get one?" Molly asked, looking over the car with appreciation for its sleek lines and pristine paint.
"I do not think that would be a good idea," Serena laughed nervously. "It's a tad extravagant, though. Maybe you should trade it in for something a little more low key?" Serena pictured Endymion driving up to her house to meet her mom in a sports car. It would not be pretty.
"I will…do my best." Endymion promised haltingly.
"Andrew will help you." Serena exclaimed. "Right, Andrew?" she looked pleadingly at him, hoping her eyes would convey the message her mouth could not with Molly standing only a foot away and looking at them all curiously.
He exhaled tiredly, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Fine," he said. "I'll go with him to…the car dealer and trade it in."
"Too bad," Molly pouted as Andrew climbed into the passenger seat, with a little trepidation. "That car is totally hot." She leaned close to Serena and whispered in her ear. "But so is your fiancé so who needs a car?" she giggled and Serena blushed while Endymion watched them with a grin playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Should I take you all home?" Endymion offered. Andrew scowled at him from the passenger seat before moving to the back.
"Um…I guess. You can drop me off a block or so from my house." Serena concluded. Molly squealed and jumped in the back seat with Andrew.
"You look lovely today." Endymion whispered as they stood beside the car. Serena smiled shyly and ducked her head as she climbed into the passenger seat, Endymion not far behind her.
"You do know how to drive, right?" Andrew asked. Serena was startled by the new thought.
"Of course, one of my old masters taught me how a few decades ago." he replied. Everyone in the car was silent before Andrew cracked a sarcastic laugh.
"Haha, dude. You're killing me." Molly giggled with him and Serena relaxed, sending Endymion a cautious look. He looked sheepishly back and mouthed an apology before turning on the car and putting it in reverse. The car rode like they were flying on a cloud and Serena mourned the loss of it but she wanted him to make a good impression on her mother. She was still thinking about the car when Endymion reached over and took her hand. His skin was warm, warmer than seemed natural, just as his lips had seemed to burn into her skin those times he kissed her forehead. She had thought it had just been blood rushing to the spot from her blush, but it seemed his internal temperature was higher than hers. She wondered if he had a fever and only barely resisted the urge to press the back of her hand to his forehead. Funny how he had changed her so completely that she wanted to touch him, even if only to see if he was okay.
"You guys make the cutest couple!" Molly said from the back seat when she noticed their clasped hands. "I want to be at this wedding, can I come, Sere?" she asked, hopefully. "Can I be a bridesmaid?"
Serena paled at the thought of a wedding, the thought of standing in front of people and talking…and then…kissing Endymion." she thought she was going to be sick.
"Serena will probably elope." Andrew spoke up from behind her. "That seems to be more her style."
Eloping. Serena calmed down and allowed herself a smile of relief. Of course she could elope. But then she'd still have to kiss Endymion. Her stomach clenched again. It seemed there would be no escape from that particular embarrassment.
They took Molly home first, following her directions to a nice, upper middle class neighborhood with two story houses and winding drives that ended at faux gates. Her house was a Victorian style two story with an expertly manicured lawn and stone lions guarding the driveway.
"You take the bus?" Serena asked wonderingly.
"Unfortunately." Molly frowned as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Mom has this whole belief that I should work my own way up so she refuses to buy me a car. So I'm protesting by riding the bus."
Serena chuckled as she waved to Molly, glad that she had met her, even if she'd had to step out of her comfort zone.
"She's nice," Serena said as they drove off again.
"Yeah, she's cool." Andrew agreed before the car settled into silence. Endymion continued to grasp Serena's hand, his warmth becoming a comforting presence on her skin. She could imagine herself getting used to it someday. She managed a smile at Endymion who grinned back at her, steering the car as though he'd been doing it his whole life.
"So, one of your…masters…" she stumbled over the word, not liking the way it sounded and resolving to come up with something else to call them. "They taught you how to drive?"
"Yes. It was a long time ago. They learned I had come from a time with no automobiles and did not know how to operate one so they took it upon themselves to educate me. I could not say no."
"Did they let you out to drive sometimes?" Serena asked.
"Only when they needed to go somewhere and were too intoxicated. Which is why, I learned, they taught me." he replied with a frown. "I had not driven since then."
"Seems cruel," Andrew spoke up from the back. "To teach you how to run away but know you could not."
Serena glanced back at him but he was staring out the window at the passing houses. He seemed sad. She remembered to ask him what was wrong with him later.
"Yes, they were not the kindest of masters." he replied. "But not all of them were so. I have had several people who wished for things to help their friends and family."
"Did you ever have anyone wish for world peace?" Serena asked curiously.
"Of course. That one was very popular among the kind ones. However, my powers are not so all encompassing. The most I could manage is to stop a quarrel among friends or perhaps bring somebody home from a war. That was another popular request."
"So your power had restrictions?" Serena asked.
"Of course. I was only a jinni, not a god." Endymion replied. "I could not resurrect. I could not change nature. Those types of things. It was a sort of power within reason. I had even less power than a natural born djinn."
"You mean the genie," Serena began. "It's its own species?"
"The djinn are beings. They are born of fire and air and their magic is natural to them. They choose to reveal themselves to humans and grant their wishes, some for the benefit of humans, and others to cause mischief. Though not all djinn choose to be bound to lamps or bottles. Some reside in certain locations and reveal themselves to travelers."
"So what about the djinn like you?"
Endymion considered her question. "An enchanter turned me into a jinni, to the extent that a human could become one. It was a punishment."
"What did you do to be imprisoned?"
Endymion sighed and pulled the car over on a deserted street, putting the gear into park before turning to Serena. "I really did deserve my punishment." he began. "You see, in my…previous life, I guess you could say, I was a ladies man."
Andrew snorted and Serena shot him a warning look.
"I know, I know," Endymion chuckled. "It was not the most exciting beginning to my tale. But you see, I courted many women in my day and I was not always delicate with their feelings. I often jumped from one to the other without looking back. Let's just say, many fathers wanted my head on a silver platter." he paused, laughing bitterly. "That would have been welcome to the seeming eternity of servitude." Serena tightened her hold on his hand and he smiled at her, stroking her palm with his thumb. "I…began courting the Sultan's daughter, secretly, of course. I was a commoner, but I was ambitious. I believed if I could capture the heart of the Princess I would truly be a man. But I went too far. The Sultan discovered us and sentenced me to death."
"That seems harsh," Andrew grudgingly admitted.
"Perhaps by modern standards, but you must understand the way of ancient Persia. The Sultan was considered holy, ordained by the gods to rule Aria. His daughter, the princess, was deemed just as holy and untouchable. She pleaded for my life and my sentence was reduced to exile."
"So, how do you go from exile to eternal imprisonment?" Endymion's face darkened at Serena's innocent question.
"Surrounding Aria is a vast desert. No one would dare travel it alone, certainly not without extensive supplies. I carried nothing with me besides the clothing I was wearing when the Princess and I were discovered. I walked for a day and two nights before I collapsed. I was near death, I wish I had died." Endymion clasped his dark hair in suddenly trembling hands. "I was rescued," he laughed sarcastically, bitterly. "By a tribe of si'lats,"
"What's a si'lat?" Serena whispered.
"A female jinni. They live in groups entirely of women. They discovered through one of the women who had a strange gift of discerning truth that I had misused the Princess. They took it upon themselves to impart justice. It was the tribe leader, Beryl, who sealed me to the lamp."
"That's terrible," Serena touched his arm gently. "What they did to you was wrong. Nobody deserves what they did to you."
"Perhaps not, although I have more than learned my lesson. I have developed quite a healthy respect for women, perhaps even a fear." He turned sad eyes on Serena. "But you are special. I don't feel quite like such a villain in your eyes. You…forgive me if this seems impertinent, you remind me of the Princess. She too looked at me as though I had done no wrong, even though I broke her heart. Even though I persuaded you to give up any chance at a future of true love. I am a selfish fool." He rested his forehead on the steering wheel and was silent.
"How long was it before you were released from the lamp?"
"I felt the lamp being thrown through space and perhaps time itself, and landing in a cold and wet land where I waited five years for someone to release me. It was an old man, his skin was pale and he wore the pelts of animals in thick layers. He spoke a language I had previously never heard, but understood through my newfound magic. He said I had landed in a country called England, ruled by a King called Richard, the Lionheart. He wished for a fortune, a beautiful wife, and a knighthood. Still being bitter and new to my powers I gave him foreign money, an ill wife who died soon after, and a knighthood in a cult that plotted the murder of the King. He was put on trial and beheaded. After that I was kinder, though sometimes I messed up a wish on accident, learning to use my power. I remember everyone I granted wishes to, and I know exactly what happened to them after they received those wishes. The first man still haunts my dreams. I wish I hadn't been so cruel."
"Wow," Serena breathed, unaware she'd been holding her breath.
"I am sorry you have to have a fiancé with a tainted history such as mine. I am truly sorry for what I did to those girls and I repented long ago, but the spell does not recognize repentance. I learned the ways out of the spell through the years as well. There were several librarians I gave wishes to and they understood my need to know about the spell surrounding me. They gave me access to historical documents, some written even after the curse was placed on me. That is how I learned of the marriage loophole. And why you are here with me today." he turned thankful eyes on Serena. "You have saved what is left of my life. You do not know what you mean to me." His free hand came up to cup her cheek, his rough thumb caressing her soft, pink cheek. "You blush far too much for one so beautiful."
Serena could not speak, though Andrew grunted. She realized how he had managed to lure in so many women. He was a natural lothario. And he would one day be her husband. The air in the car seemed too hot and she turned away finally managing to catch her breath. "I'm late." she said, pointing to the clock on the dashboard that read five o'clock. Endymion smiled and dropped his hand, turning the car on and pulling back onto the road.
Serena directed Endymion to stop at the end of her street and she and Andrew climbed out of the car, waving to him as he drove away.
"I'll help him choose another car when he comes over tonight." Andrew assured Serena when she began to fret over the attention the car gained, driving down her street.
"He's coming over?" she perked up.
"To my house." Andrew reiterated. "I promised I'd help him fit in with modern day men after all." Andrew threw his shoulders back proudly.
"Thank you, Andrew." Serena said. "Without you I have no idea what I would be doing now. This whole thing is just like a dream I feel like I could wake up from any moment."
"You've certainly changed fast enough." Andrew commented. "Two days ago I'd never heard your voice and now I can't get you to stop talking."
Serena stopped walking, frowning at him. "That's mean. Why have you been so grumpy today? You were the one who talked to me first…technically." she added. "If you don't want anything to do with this, just say the word and you'll never hear from me again."
"I believe it." Andrew said, smiling slightly at her. "You definitely seem like the kind to hold a grudge." He laughed as her frown deepened and threw an arm around her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sere. I'm just a normal dude and being around perfect Endymion makes me feel inadequate. The way he just flew from the sky and swept you off your feet, I guess I'm just a little jealous."
They began walking again, Andrew's arm still casually slung across Serena's shoulders.
"Jealous? Of Endymion being with me?" Serena asked, shocked.
"Just of how quickly he convinced you to marry him." Andrew assured her. "It takes much longer than that for a girl to even consider dating me." He sighed dramatically. "Like Molly. I asked her out a week ago and she's still "thinking about it"."
Serena raised an eyebrow up at him. "You and Molly?" she asked dubiously.
"What? Don't you think we'd be good together?" he said defensively.
"I don't know. She's nice and everything, but I just don't see you two as being an item."
"Says the girl who promised to marry a genie." Andrew replied sarcastically. Serena rolled her eyes but laughed along with him.