The Name Wrapped Around my Throat: Chapter 2
Authors Note: So here's chapter two! There is definitely a change in tone from the first chapter, but hopefully you guys will like it.
Gansey was surprised three days later when Adam walked into class without Ronan.
"Is he skipping?" Gansey asked, surprise in his voice. It'd been awhile since Ronan had missed class. By all accounts he had been doing better in school. He'd been showing up, passing tests, only occasionally making his teachers flinch at the sight of him. He'd shown vast improvement. Gansey was proud.
Adam raised a blond brow before looking at Ronan's empty seat. "It looks that way," Adam answered, the confusion in his voice asking for him, 'why should I know?'
"He stormed out three days ago. I assumed he was with you," Gansey explained.
Adam shrugged. "He's probably been at the Barns."
"Well I certainly wish he wouldn't miss class to be there," Gansey said, still rolling Adam's words over in his head. Ronan had seemed off.
"It's Ronan," Adam said turning to face the front of the room.
"He just seemed very upset when he left," Gansey confessed.
"It's Ronan," Adam repeated.
And Gansey supposed he couldn't argue with logic like that.
Chainsaw was getting pissy and Ronan wasn't fairing much better.
Four days. He'd been trying to dream something to remove Adam's name for four days, and Cabeswater was being a complete bitch about it.
He'd been able to visualize what he wanted, but Cabeswater wouldn't let him have it. Thorns had closed around it, nightmares had come after him, and hundreds of tiny voices kept telling him to leave it.
Four days of dreaming and he had nothing. That was why he was kicking his car as Chainsaw flew above him, shouting 'Kerah' as though letting him know that she, too, was ready and willing to tear shit up.
Ronan's phone buzzed again and he threw it against the ground as part of his tantrum.
Gansey had called and texted multiple times wanting to know if he was okay; he had missed school twice, had he been aware of that?
Ronan knew he couldn't spend another day at the Barns. He was one more day away from someone coming to look for him. He needed a new plan, one that didn't involve Cabeswater.
He'd already thought of one, but he was damn pissed about it.
He kicked the car once more, let out a frustrated grunt, and then finally picked up his phone. "Come on, Chainsaw! We're going to see Aunt Maggot."
As he settled into the car with a disgruntled Chainsaw, he muttered under his breath, "Cabeswater, this is your Greywaren speaking, and I am very fucking pissed, and if plan B doesn't work I might burn down a magical forest."
His threat went unanswered as he made the drive to Blue's.
"So you're not worried at all?" Gansey asked Adam for what felt like the hundredth time.
Adam was starting to get annoyed.
"Gansey, I'm sure he's fine. He hasn't skipped school in almost two months. He's probably proving a point."
"Yeah, he's got to make sure we all know he's still punk rock even if he isn't failing out," Noah added.
"Noah, can't you check on him?" Gansey asked, not for the first time.
"You only like me for my ghost powers," Noah whined, also not for the first time.
"Look, Gansey, give me your phone, we'll call him one more time. If he doesn't answer, then I'll go with you to look for him." Even as Adam said it he felt annoyed. He really didn't want to spend his day off looking for Ronan. Still, it looked like that was what was going to happen.
"Oh, Adam, you don't have to—" Gansey started, but Adam shook his head.
"It's fine, just let me call. If he doesn't pick up I want to leave him an angry voicemail," Adam said as he held his hand out for the phone.
Gansey put the phone in his hand.
As Adam scrolled to find Ronan's contact he vaguely wondered if he had a phone if Ronan would pick up when he called. He doubted it. No amount of 'secret' looks could make Ronan like his phone. Still Adam thought it might feel nice to be someone Ronan made an exception for.
He dropped the thought when the phone started ringing. It rang six times before Ronan finally answered.
"Fuck, Gansey, what? Are you going to call the truancy officer on me?" Ronan asked.
"He's definitely thought about it," Adam said as he turned to look at Gansey. Adam had no reason to be smug, but a part of him was anyway.
"Parrish? Why do you have Gansey's phone?"
"The doctor gave it to me after Gansey had his stroke from worrying about you," Adam joked, ignoring Gansey's, "I was not going to have a stroke."
"Great, make sure you put my name on the flowers," Ronan said. Adam could hear electronica music in the background. He was in his car somewhere.
"So, just to make Gansey feel better, can you tell me you aren't dead in a ditch somewhere?" Adam asked.
Ronan laughed. "No, one ghost in the group is too many. I've gotta go. Tell Gansey not to send the dogs after me." With that, he hung up.
Adam ended the call before handing Gansey back his phone. "He sends his best," Adam told the group.
"Did he say where he was?" Gansey asked.
Adam shrugged. "He was in the car. Probably on his way back from the Barnes."
"I suppose I should be thankful for that and not upset that he ignored my calls," Gansey said, and his whole demeanor seemed to calm with the statement.
"For sure. Now will you guys watch my card tricks?" Noah asked holding up a deck of cards. Within the last couple of days Noah had decided that card tricks would make for a good hobby. He was terrible at it, but at least he was trying.
"Of course, Noah," Gansey said as he sat down on his bed. Adam could tell that the smile he wore was forced, but that didn't seem to deter Noah.
"Adam," Noah said before sloppily fanning the cards out in front of him. "Pick a card."
Adam sighed before he picked a card. At least it was a deviation from picking tarot cards.
When Ronan made it to 300 Fox Way, he positioned Chainsaw carefully on his shoulder before going to the front door and pounding on it.
Mr. Gray answered the door, looking not at all surprised to see him.
"I need the short one," Ronan snapped before Mr. Gray could say anything.
"I think she's in her room. I can call her down," Mr. Gray offered.
"I'll get her," Ronan told him before shoving past and going toward Blue's room. He'd only been inside the room once, but he remembered where to find it.
On his way he passed a couple of kids and a woman he'd seen before but didn't know the name of. He was thankful not to see any of the physics he knew. It wasn't until he was a couple of feet away from Blue's room that Orla showed up.
"Who let the snake it?" Orla asked, although not with any malice. No, it was pure flirtation.
"Gray. I need Blue," Ronan said as he tried to angle Chainsaw to hide his newest 'tattoo.'
"All by yourself? Tell me the truth, are you all dating my little cousin?" Orla was closer now and Ronan was on edge. He could deal with the unwanted attention, but Adam's name was not something he was willing to let Orla see.
Chainsaw seemed to get the point and let out an evil sounding caw when Orla got too close. She immediately stepped away and Ronan quickly went around her.
"Nope, married to my bird," Ronan said quickly before opening Blue's door and slamming it shut behind him.
He turned only to find enough of Blue's exposed skin to go wide eyed.
Blue turned to face him at the same time and upon seeing his wide eyes, she screamed.
"Oh my God, Ronan, get out!" Blue yelled as she covered herself.
Ronan finally had the sense to cover his eyes. He hadn't meant to stare. Hadn't even wanted to. But hey, now he'd seen boobs, and that was something else he wished he could dream away.
"I said get out!" Blue screamed as she threw some type of clothing at him.
"No way, Orla is out there!" Ronan yelled back, turning toward the door. "I'm not even looking!"
"I don't care! Why did you just barge in like that?" Blue screamed.
"Because I thought if you were naked the door would be locked!" Ronan hissed.
"I live in a house of women! And people who know how to knock!" Blue hissed back.
"Well, damn, I'm sorry I don't know the fuckin' door knocking etiquette of psychics!"
There was a moment of silence, followed by a sigh, and then finally, "What are you even doing here?"
"I need your help," Ronan mumbled.
"Did you just say you need my help?" Blue asked.
Ronan didn't reply.
"Ronan, turn around," Blue demanded.
"Do you have clothes on?" Ronan asked.
"I wouldn't tell you to turn around if I didn't," Blue snapped.
Ronan turned around. Blushing was an instant reaction for both of them upon meeting each other's eyes, but Ronan thought the good thing about Blue was that she was as willing as he was to pretend that it wasn't.
"Now, did I seriously just hear you tell me that you need my help?" Blue asked.
Ronan groaned. "I don't need to repeat myself, your ears aren't broken."
"You know, that's not the attitude of someone who needs a favor," Blue pointed out.
Ronan almost turned and left. He almost said fuck it and decided to find someone else to help him. He could surely figure something out before Gansey or Adam could find him. But he knew this was his best option. So instead he took a deep breath through his nose before letting it out his mouth.
Blue's face seemed to change all at once before she asked, "Wait, is something seriously wrong?"
"Look, Sargent, I just need you to promise to help me," Ronan demanded.
"Yeah, okay," Blue agreed as though she'd picked up on Ronan's discomfort.
"And I need you to not tell anyone," Ronan said, angling Chainsaw again to cover himself.
"I won't," Blue agreed.
"You promise?" Ronan asked, eyeing her warily. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, but showing her this was basically the same as confessing his feelings for Adam. She would be the first person he had let know. He didn't know if he was really ready for his secret to be shared.
"Pinky swear," Blue said as she held out her pinky finger.
Ronan was pretty sure he'd never made a pinky swear in his life, but he decided that it was better than no swear at all. He took Blue's pinky in his own and shook, in his mind deciding if she broke the promise he was going to break her pinky.
"So what's up?" Blue asked.
Ronan sighed as he shooed Chainsaw to sit on Blue's bedframe. He then opened his jacket and pulled it off, revealing his neck to her.
"Oh," Blue uttered softly.
"I dreamed it. I didn't fuckin' mean to. Gansey and Noah woke me up, and I guess I just took it with me. Fuck, shit! I didn't mean to. And fuckin' Cabeswater, the damn bitch, won't let me dream anything to take it off," Ronan explained quickly as he paced around Blue's room, more curses occasionally slipping out of his mouth even after he'd finished his piece.
"That's why you've been gone to last couple of days," Blue said to herself.
"Yeah," Ronan laughed bitterly. "Four days and nothing to show for it."
"So, what's the plan? I don't think mom's got a tea to clear up tattoos." Blue asked.
"Fuck, no. What part of don't tell anyone didn't you get?" Ronan snarled. "No physic help."
"Then what did you come to me for?" Blue asked indignantly.
"Because you're a girl. Put some makeup on this thing and make it disappear until I can convince Cabeswater to help me out," Ronan explained.
One look at Blue's face told him he'd messed up somewhere.
"Right, because I'm a girl I automatically have makeup and can just contour your tattoo away. I forgot I just spend all my time in front of a mirror hiding my blemishes," Blue snapped.
"Look, can you not—Look, I just need help here, okay? I know there's makeup in this house, so can you fix this or not?" Ronan asked angrily.
Blue glared at him for a moment before letting out a huff. "Do you have your phone with you?"
Ronan took a step back. "Who are you calling?"
"No one. I just need your phone to look up tattoo cover-up tutorials. This might surprise you, Mr. Misogynist, but I don't know that much about makeup," Blue stated before putting her hand out for the phone.
Ronan grabbed the phone out of his jeans pocket, thankful he had brought it in with him, and sat it in Blue's hand.
"Alright," Blue said as she sat on her bed and patted the spot next to her. "Let's see what we can do."
It took forever. The tutorials made it look like it would be easy, but Blue and Ronan were struggling every step of the way.
First off, no one in the house had the same pale complexion as Ronan, so finding something to match his skin tone had been a nightmare full of mixing different makeups together to get the right shade. Second, the tattoo was so dark that the lines seemed to always be visible under the surface. And finally, Blue and Ronan had both become frustrated by the third try, and Orla's constant knocking, wondering what they were doing, only added to that.
But finally, a couple of hours later, Ronan was looking into Blue's mirror, the tattoo completely concealed. Ronan let out a relieved sigh as he fell down on her bed.
"I never thought we were going to get it," Blue confessed as she lay down beside Ronan.
"Tell me about it. Sorry for assuming you'd be good at makeup. You really do suck, Sargent," Ronan said, a smirk on his face.
Blue punched his arm, but it was light. They were both proud of themselves.
"I'm better than you are. You can never get the 'd' covered," Blue said before laughing.
"Whatever. Also, I'm pretty sure there's a dick joke in there somewhere," Ronan said before lifting his hand up to brush against Chainsaw's feathers. She'd need fed soon.
"Probably," Blue agreed. "I'll help you cover it until you can dream up tattoo-be-gone."
Ronan nodded. He suddenly felt tense, like now that the problem was taken care of he'd be expected to talk about Adam. It wasn't happening.
"You don't have to tense up like that. I'm not going to ask you about it," Blue said with an exaggerated eye roll. "I mean, what? You think we played with makeup and now we're going to sit and talk about boys together? This isn't a sleepover, Ronan."
Ronan knew she said it for his sake. She had to be curious. If he was a different kind of person he'd thank her.
Of course he wasn't.
"Damn, and I really wanted to know the steamy details behind Gansey's late night phone calls."
Blue gaped at him.
"What? Our bathroom is not the best place to make private calls. I do have to piss sometimes," Ronan said nonchalantly.
"I guess we couldn't hide it forever," Blue said finally.
"Are you hiding it because of Parrish?" Ronan asked.
Blue sighed. "Mostly. Do you think we need to?"
Ronan simply shrugged. He wasn't sure enough to make that call. He thought Adam was over Blue, but that could just be wishful thinking. More than that, it didn't mean Adam would be okay with her dating Gansey.
"Let's just go show everyone at Monmouth that you're alive," Blue suggested after they fell into silence.
"Might as well," Ronan agreed.
Blue rode shotgun in the BMW for the first time that day, and Ronan thought it was pretty okay.