CHAPTER TEN
"You're sure Lysander said a medical procedure that erases your memory?" Mirror asked curiously. Ever since Lysander mentioned that Wicked was the candidate for this scary-sounding procedure, I was curious. I'd gone to Mirror for help and she'd asked Nightshade, since Night was the doctor around these parts.
"I'm positive that's what he said," I affirmed. "Do you know if there's anything like that, Night?"
Nightshade frowned slightly, thinking. "Nae off the top of me head," she said. "But A will definitely ask me da' about eet."
I nodded and smiled. "I appreciate it very much, you guys. Keep me informed."
Waving goodbye, I ambled on home for the night to do some thinking on my own. However, Fate decided to run me into Spot again, who looked lost in his own thoughts, though he smiled when he realized it was me.
"So I was talking to Mirror and Nightshade about that procedure that Wicked almost got," I informed him as we fell in step together without so much as a word.
"Yeah? And?"
I shrugged. "Even Night is baffled. I mean, it sounds sort of strange, doesn't it? A psychiatric procedure that can erase your memories." I sighed. "It sounds just awful."
"It has to be. Nothing frightens Wicked. Ever," Spot said and I watched something flash over his eyes. He was very protective of the twins, I noticed. Not in a bad way, though. I wondered how many terrible things the three of them braved through together to bring them so close.
"Well don't worry about it tonight, Shade. Get some rest and please—" He took my hands and rubbed them, sending sparks of something warm down my arms "—be safe." He gazed at me intensely so I couldn't look away.
I was caught up in him again and it seemed he was just as caught up, because he was bending down towards me. At the very last second, though, he turned and kissed my cheek, but he was so close, I felt his mouth brush mine on the way to my cheek. Dear God.
"Goodnight," he whispered and then walked away, and I was left watching longingly after him, warm all over.
My dad was home. The first thing he asked me the moment I got in the door was: "Who's that boy?"
Inside my chest, my heart started racing in horror. "Uhm, what boy?"
My father glared at me and came over, standing in front of me. This was not a good sign. "The boy who dropped you off here just now."
"Oh…that boy."
"Yes. That boy. Who is he?" My father's teeth were gritted together and I had a bad feeling that he suspected Spot was not just 'some gang member'.
"Kern, the new boy from my work," I lied.
My father grabbed the front of my shirt and brought me up to his face. "Tell the truth now, girlie."
"It's Kern! I promise!" I insisted. But I knew my tone sounded too high. It gave me away.
My father growled. He threw me against the wall and let out an angry roar. "You're LYING! Dammit you're lying and I can tell! There's just no loyalty these days, is there? I'm your father for fuck sakes!" I made a noise of fear in the back of my throat.
Wrong.
"WHAT? You're crying?" My father's anger rolled off him in waves. He bent down and grabbed my shirt collar again. "I can do so much worse. Believe me. This is nothing. You, girl, need to learn how to take it!" He dropped me to the floor again and kicked my stomach with such force that I felt my breath hitch as I gasped for air.
My father growled and bent down roughly grabbing my chin and thrusting my face up to me his cold eyes. "Shut your damn mouth and take it like a man." He moved his hand to my neck and brought me up to eye level. "Now, you listen and you listen well. Stay away from that boy." He tightened his grip on my neck making me gasp for air.
"Stop making those noises!" He shook me.
"I… can't… breathe!" I gasped.
"Too bad!" My father roared. But after a second he dropped me to the floor, to my relief. "Don't you dare hang around that guy—I have a suspicion he's from the other side. You listening girl?"
I nodded in my slumped form, too hurt to speak.
"Good." My father said with satisfaction and then bent down, stroking my cheek as I lay there on the floor. I think I preferred the hitting. "You're learning. Always listen to me. Always." Then he left the room.
I sighed, prodding nervously yet again at the bruises on my neck and the one of my cheek. It made me look weak, like I had taken a hit without fighting back. I hated that. I'd come into the shop this morning and Harry just shook his head and patted mine affectionately. Rachel looked scandalized and wrapped some ice in a towel and held it to the bruise on my cheek to take the swelling down.
None of the customers during my shift said a word to me about the fingerprint bruises on my neck, which I was thankful for. Harry let me go a little early when he noticed Wicked and Joker hanging around outside the shop, probably waiting for me.
"Hey, girls," I greeted them and Joker shoved a basket at me filled with a strange food. I think it was a food.
"Hello, Shade," the both said.
Joke grinned. "Look! They're called French fried potatoes, Shade. Try one; they're really fantastic. They were selling them down at Sheepshead."
"Good Lord, guys. Did you really walk all the way from Sheepshead back here?" I laughed. "Did you not sell this morning?"
Joker and Wicked shared a devious smile. "Oh, we worked."
I rolled my eyes and decided that meant they spent the morning picking pockets on the way to Sheepshead. I decided to sample these French potatoes and found them to be quite greasy but strangely salty and delicious.
"These are not bad," I told the twins and they grinned at me.
"Told you," they responded and I laughed.
However, we all tensed up footsteps clamored up behind us. "We need to go. Right now," Lysander said quietly.
Joke and Wicked turned to face him and I felt my heart racing. "Why?" they demanded.
"It's Hayden and his gang. They know we're here. And they're armed," Lysander said.
The girls didn't waste time. Wicked shoved me at Lysander. "You take her home. We'll go and get Spot and Silver and take care of it."
Lysander caught Wicked's arm. "Are you sure you're going to be okay seeing him, Cassie? Please don't push yourself. You having a panic attack is what Spot would like to avoid."
Wicked nodded slowly. "It's okay. I'll be with Joke. I'm safe. I won't panic."
Lysander let her go and addressed Joker. "Tell Spot I'm taking Shade home. He'll know what to do."
And then we were running, dodging around innocent bystanders and then we started taking a bunch of alleyways. Part of me was excited. We were going to Spot's home. The place where he lived. It frightened and excited me, to be sticking myself in such a personal place. I wondered if I was finally going to meet Spot's little brother.
"Come on, Shade," Lysander said, pulling me behind a very run-down looking building.
He knocked three times in a certain way on the door and it cracked. "Have you been good to your mother?" a whispery voice asked.
"The question is, has she been good to me?" Lysander responded.
The door opened more and he tugged me inside. I realized this was like a coded question and a coded answer and it was very clever. I was impressed. I wondered if anyone on my side knew this code. I assumed not.
"Lysander? Is that you?" a voice called from down the hallway.
A very pretty girl made her appearance and she looked just like Lysander, which I found charming. They were siblings. How sweet.
"Oh, hello!" she chirped and held her hand out. "I'm Helena. And you must be Shade."
"It's nice to meet you," I told her earnestly, shaking her hand. "Your mother must have really enjoyed A Midsummer Night's Dream. Both of your names come from that play."
"And she's quick, too! Ah, finally Conlon found a smart girl!" Helena exclaimed and then took my hand. "Come on. You should meet Simon, Spot's little brother."
"Lena!" a babyish voice called and I smiled when we entered a sitting room, where the most adorable little boy sat on the floor, playing with wooden blocks that were cut to look like train cars.
Helena let my hand go to sit down on the couch in front of where Simon was playing. I took a seat down beside her and smiled when Simon grinned at me.
"You're Shade," he said. He had to be four or five years old.
"And you're Simon," I responded and leaned down when he stood up.
He hugged me tightly around the neck. "You're Benny's friend. I love you!" he exclaimed and it made me want to cry.
How could a tiny child like this make me feel so loved so easily?
"I love you, too," I said and then let him go.
"Shade, do you like the park? I like the park. Let's go to the park," he said and planted himself in front of his toys.
"I think Shade's tired right now, Simon. Besides, it's time for your nap," Helena said and picked Simon up. He waved at me and Helena winked and disappeared down the hallway again. I was alone.
However, I wasn't alone for long. I heard footsteps down the hallway.
"Helena?" a very familiar voice called.
My stomach dropped to my shoes. That voice. Caleb's voice. No, no. It couldn't be. It just couldn't. Could it?
I looked up and gasped when the footsteps brought the boy to the doorway. "Caleb," I sobbed. I jumped up and he met me halfway, squeezing me so tightly into him that I thought my spine would snap.
"Pippa, I'm so glad you're all right," he whispered. I could hear the tears in his voice. "I hope you're not angry at me for leaving you behind. I'm so sorry for leaving you alone, sweetheart. Please forgive me."
I laughed softly through my tears. "I'm not mad anymore. I've missed you so much."
We hugged for a long time, until Caleb let me go and we went and sat back down on the couch. I had so many unanswered questions that I wanted to address and it seemed Caleb had questions of his own. I heard the back door open again and I looked up when Caleb squeezed my hand.
"They're back!" Helena shouted, closing a door and rushing into the sitting room with Caleb and I.
The twins, Silver and Spot came into the room, looking slightly ragged but very triumphant. Except for Spot. He looked tired and he was breathing heavily, his eyes bright with fear until he spotted me on the couch beside Caleb.
He approached me. "I thought— I wanted to make sure—"
I could not move my eyes from his. They were intense. They were passionate. They were the eyes of someone who feared they lost an extremely important person. He embraced me, but it was not a hug between friends. It was something deeper.
"You're safe," Spot breathed in my ear.
And then the world didn't matter anymore. It didn't matter that Caleb was back in my life. It didn't matter that everyone was watching, because Spot bent down and finally closed the gap between us and kissed me.
Finally, right? Not much else to say except you should vote/nominate me for the summer FF awards. The link is in my profile. Go crazy, because then I would love you forever. :3
Hope you've enjoyed. Love me with a review? :]
CTB!
xx Wicked