Pretty Dark Nothing (15 page)

Ami pushed her glasses up her nose and looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening.

“So dish with me, girl. You weren’t really caught doing drugs, were you? I mean, not you, Quinn. Please tell me this is just a nasty rumor. I want it straight from the horse’s mouth so I can use my gossip powers for good and squelch this nasty hearsay.”

“Unbelievable!” Quinn folded her arms over her chest. “Next, she’ll be telling everyone I’m some kind of brain-sucking alien. Come on, Ami, you know me. Do you really think I’m some druggie?”

“Of course not, but honestly, the brain-sucking alien thing would be easier to disprove than this. This is serious. Look at the evidence. I mean, you’ve been acting kind of erratic lately. Your grades, the fainting thing, missing the pep rally, the suspension, your hair, the break up with Jeff … ”

“Wait, wait, wait! He broke up with me, or has everyone forgotten? And what does that have to do with anything?”

“I don’t know. There are so many crazy things being said, I don’t even know the truth. I’m just telling you what I heard. So tell me, what’s real? As your friend, I want to hear the whole story.”

Heat rose in Quinn’s face. “I have not, am not, and will not ever take drugs. Here. Look at my arms if you want. Do you see any needle marks?” Quinn held out her arms. “Any powder on my nose?” She lifted her chin, exposing her nostrils.

“Quinn, you don’t need to … ”

“As for why I fainted, if everyone just
has
to know, I didn’t sleep well, and I didn’t eat breakfast, so my blood sugar dropped. Why I missed the pep rally is nobody’s business, and neither are my grades. Never once did Coach White accuse me of being on drugs. Why? Gee, maybe because I’m not. And for the record, Jeff sent me on a one-way trip to Rejection City. I still don’t know why, but I didn’t summer in Druggieville. You can pass that information on to anyone and everyone you want to.”

Ami squeezed Quinn around the shoulders. “I knew it wasn’t true! I never believed it.” She squealed, and then released Quinn from her loving constriction. “Well, I’m off to spread this news to the masses.
Ciao
!”

Drugs? Would Kerstin sink that low? Quinn looked back at the crowd. Every eye in the stadium bored into her, judging her, pitying her, laughing at her. Kerstin’s rumor mill was turning so fast it made her head swim. Quinn looked up and blinked, trying to pretend she didn’t know they were talking about her, that they weren’t whispering her name, boldly staring at the freak show. She snapped her head back to the field, making herself as small as she could. Burying her head in her hands was her first instinct, but she didn’t, she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing her cower in a corner, wouldn’t give them any more ammunition to throw at her by looking guilty when she wasn’t.

A section of lights flickered, shading Quinn as the bulbs dimmed and darkened, one by one. A cluster of moths fluttered around her face. She batted at them, scattering them away. A large one settled on her shoulder. Its dark, gossamer wings fluttered in time with her heart. Each wing beat carried the words of her peers directly to her ear, damaging her resolve to stay calm. A tremor started in her foot and moved up her leg. All the moisture in her mouth evaporated.

“Poor Quinn.” Students gossiped behind her back, spreading the lies like an STD. “No wonder Jeff left her. Brian heard she stole a hundred dollars from him to support her habit.”

“I heard from Jordan that he tried to get her into rehab. He drove her to a clinic and offered to check himself in with her.”

“I heard that, too. I also heard she tried to stab him with a pair of scissors.”

“No, no, she tried to stab
herself
with a pair of scissors.”

The story grew more ludicrous with every telling.

“Have you seen the black circles under her eyes? She’s a total druggie.”

Quinn resisted the tears that ached to be shed as the words ripped through her body like bullets.

“That’s why her father left. He couldn’t face it.”

She tried to swallow, but her tongue had doubled in size, a boulder threatening to block her airway. A sharp intake of breath sent shockwaves of pain through her chest. She wanted to tell them all they were wrong about her, but who would believe her? She didn’t even believe herself. If she were in their shoes, wouldn’t she be thinking the same thing? Quinn bit her bottom lip until the bitter metallic taste of blood brushed her tongue. She sucked at the wound, trying to transfer the pain from her heart to her flesh.

A moth tickled her ear. She slapped at it until it flew backward from her shoulder and hovered above her head. “Everything you heard is true. It’s in their minds, on their lips. It’s what they really think of you. You may not be a druggie, but you thought it yourself, who would believe you?” Quinn swatted at the moth again. It spiraled out of reach, laughing. “Look at you, Quinn. Trembling like a leaf, batting at insects, hearing voices.”

It’s not real, it’s not real
,
I’m dreaming. I must be.
Quinn pinched herself, and pain flooded her arm.

Aaron. Her thoughts always went straight to him when she felt threatened. She focused on the memory of his soft voice and reassuring touch, the way he always knew when she was in trouble. Somehow, he made her feel safe. She pictured his arms around her, protecting her. The voices dulled inside her head as she pieced together a mental barricade. The darkness retreated from her mind.

Six mercurial threads descended from the moth as the demon tethered itself to her skull. The twisted ropes pulsed, pushing past her barriers and deep into her mind. “You think Aaron cares about you? He doesn’t. Look, Quinn. Look for yourself. Look how much he cares.”

She chanced a glance behind her. Aaron had his arm around the dark-haired girl. He pulled her close. Their lips touched, just a peck at first. The girl pulled away, ran her hand down his arm. He leaned in again, and they kissed, urgent. A full passionate kiss. His hands roamed her body, and she returned the affection in the most blatant show of PDA she had ever seen. She had thought Aaron was different, that they had a connection. And to think she had almost trusted him. The voices were right. Aaron didn’t care about her. He was no different than Jeff, ready to run off with another girl the minute she needed him most. Quinn’s defenses crumbled.

“You’re alone. He doesn’t love you. He doesn’t even like you. Nobody does. Listen, Quinn.” The demon shoved the thoughts into her head. “Listen to what they’re saying about you. It’s not a dream, Quinn. It’s real. We’re real. Look for yourself.”

The words from her peers found the cracks in her facade, bursting through as the last of her wall disintegrated. She rocked, hugging herself tight to keep from exploding.

“It’s like she’s stalking poor Jeff.”

Quinn rocked faster, wiping her brow, running trembling hands through her hair, pulling the ends as each accusation hit its mark.

“I can’t believe she actually came to the game. If I were her, I would switch schools.”

Moths, thousands of them, spread through the crowd. Each time one landed on a shoulder, she received a stare or a point of a finger. Then, they were off again, landing on different people. Realization hit her like a head on collision, they were influencing the crowd’s reaction and making sure the lies spread. A fit of laughter bubbled to the surface, and she covered her mouth. “I see what you’re doing,” she murmured. “I see you.” Anger, red and hot, moved from her stomach to her mouth. “I see you,” she snapped. “No more hiding in the shadows.”

As if in challenge, the eclipse of moths turned toward her. Their dark wings flapped in unison, pulsing above their victims like beating hearts. One by one, they gathered into a dusky mass, an ominous storm cloud ready to explode. The cloud rushed her, and she ducked, covering her head as they spiraled her body, encasing her in a living whirlwind. Why had she provoked them? She regretted outing them, regretted mentioning that she could see what they were doing to the others. Her breath came in quick, short bursts, and she gasped for air. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she focused on staying still. The beat of their wings grazed her skin. She swatted at her hair, her arms, and her face, but she couldn’t shake them off.

“Ohmigod. She’s totally lost it,” a girl two rows behind her said.

With a stab of laughter, the demons zoomed straight up into the sky and disappeared into the night. All but one.

“Everyone’s laughing at you, Quinn,” the demon still tethered to her head whispered. “They’re all watching you. They all think you’re crazy.”

Am I the only one who sees them?

“Are you?” the demon asked.

“She’s crazy, look at her.” A boy pointed.

“He’s right, isn’t he? How else do you explain us?” the demon asked. “You know where the crazies go, don’t you
,
Quinn?”

Quinn whirled around; her bright red cheeks a stark contrast from her cool, violet-blue eyes. She folded her arms over her chest, the tension in her jaw growing. “I think she’s high,” the redhead whispered to her neighbor.

Pinching her lips together, she sucked in a deep breath. The whole stadium breathed with her, holding in anticipation.

“Shut up!” Quinn screamed
.
The demon retracted its tentacles, floated into the air, and blinked out in a puff of smoke as Quinn bolted for the exit.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Aaron blinked as he emerged into the bright stadium lights. He scanned for Jenna but found Quinn instead, staring at Jeff with drool practically dripping down her chin. She waved at Jeff, and he waved back. Aaron frowned. Wait, why did he care? He was totally over Quinn.

“Hey, loser.” Jenna snuck up behind him and covered his eyes. Her hands were warm and smelled of honey. Sparks of nervousness filtered from the ends of her fingers through his eyelids, and his wall went up in reflex.

“Hey, beautiful.” Aaron turned to give her a hug. “I’m glad you made it.”

“I said I would, didn’t I?” She spun around and struck an exaggerated model pose, full lip pout included. “So, what do you think? Losery enough to blend in?”

Jenna wore a Westland High t-shirt that hugged in all the right places and skinny jeans that showed every curve. “Where did you get that?”

“Charity shop.” She grinned.

“The loser-look works for you. No one will even suspect.” He brushed a stray hair from her face. She flushed and looked away. “It was hiding your eyes.”

Jenna tucked the strand behind her ear. “Thanks.”

“Where’s Cade?”

“Oh, he said he wouldn’t be caught dead in the enemy camp. He’ll meet us after the game. Where should we sit?”

Aaron shaded his eyes from the bright floodlights and looked from row to row. “It doesn’t look like we have much of a choice.”

“Yo! Bro!” Marcus waved up at them.

“Subtle, isn’t he?” Jenna crossed her arms.

“You cool if we sit with him?”

“He’ll just follow us if we don’t,” Jenna said.

“You know him so well.” Aaron grabbed her hand and escorted her down a few rows. His arm tingled as the sense of her emotions flitted from surprise, to joy, to doubt, and joy again. Her feelings for him ran deeper than he’d suspected. He wondered if he was doing the right thing. And why couldn’t he learn to love her? People fall in love with their friends all the time. Weren’t the best relationships built on friendship anyway? And at least he always knew where he stood with Jenna, unlike Quinn.

“Hey, gorgeous.” Marcus winked at Jenna. “It’s kind of crowded, but I saved a spot just for you.” He slapped his thigh three times. “Nice and warm.”

“Hey Marcus, isn’t that your girlfriend waving at you from the field?” Jenna crossed her arms and cocked her head.

Gaining his attention, Reese beckoned Marcus with a finger. “Busted.” Marcus handed Jenna an enormous red tub of popcorn. “I’ll be right back. Try not to eat it all while I’m gone.”

“We wouldn’t dare.” Aaron sat and patted the empty space next to him.

“What about your lap? It’s not spoken for, is it?” Jenna broke into a wicked grin. “In case things get a little too crowded when he gets back.”

Flirting with Jenna had always been easy. They’d been playing at it for months, innocent banter, nothing serious. Tonight, something had shifted. “My lap is unattached at the moment.” He would’ve blushed if he’d said that cheesy line to anyone but Jenna.

She broke into a fit of laughter and plopped down next to him. “I think we’re about to cross a line we shouldn’t.” She punched him on the shoulder, and a hint of her excitement and nerves rushed through him. Her nervousness mirrored his, and he wondered if he should take their friendship to the next level. Is that what she really wanted? Did he?

“You’re the one with the dirty mind.” He grabbed a handful of popcorn and savored the greasy, fake-butter flavoring. A rush of intense rage assaulted him like a psychic punch to the stomach, and the rough seed caught in his throat. He choked and coughed.

“Are you okay?” Jenna patted him on the back.

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat and shoved the emotion away, tightening his defenses. “It went down the wrong way.” He scanned for Quinn and found her in the front row, face red with rage, hands flying as she argued with Ami.

“Want a drink?” Jenna asked.

“No, I’m fine.”

Quinn’s humiliation lashed against his barrier as she buried her head in her hands. He was determined not to let her through and steeled his heart, his resolve, and his mental wall against her.

“Who’s that?” Jenna followed his gaze to Quinn. “She looks ready to kill.”

“She used to be head cheerleader. Probably some sort of cheerleader drama.” Could he be anymore two-faced? Sitting with Jenna while watching Quinn and lying about knowing her. It was Quinn’s fault. She was making him crazy. All he wanted was Quinn to leave him alone so he could move on.

“Oh, is she that Quinn girl who got suspended for doing drugs or something?”

“What? Where did you hear that?” Aaron whipped his attention from Quinn to Jenna.

“Everyone in Eastwood is talking about it. Haven’t you heard? She doesn’t look like a druggie. She looks upset, though. Do you know her?”