Chapter 15: Fifteen

How Zack managed to come home.” He talked nonchalantly, waving his fork in the air.

“Enlighten me.” She humoured, her eyes shifting between Benjamin and me.

“If I tell you then I’d definitely have to kill you.” Benjamin said with a tight smile, his eyes remained resolutely cold, his smile widened until it resembled a lion baring its teeth.

I cringed and gulped. He had never looked more threatening. And I understood the warning – he’d kill my mother if I didn’t do everything he wanted and that included being his friend.

Janice failed to see the tension between Benjamin and I. She thought he was joking.

“I prayed.” I finally answered in a whisper. “I guess my prayers were answered.”

She looked at me with a raised eyebrow, not bothering to hide her curiosity, “Since when are you religious.”

I shrugged.

I ran to take a shower the second Benjamin said goodnight. I couldn’t bear the makeup any longer. After my shower, in order to escape reality I tried read. I threw the book against the wall after page three; it had nothing to do with the book but the fact that I’m not much of a reader. I never manage to get past the first page.

Winter was around the corner. The days were getting colder, the air dryer. The fresh colours of plants faded and most seemed to die. I felt just like them, an empty shell.

My uncle called before I went to bed, things between him and Jessica had not changed but gotten worse. I felt bad. Guilty.

By midnight I was on page hundred – mainly because the protagonist of the novel was Brad. I’d never gotten that far with a book before. I only read when I had to, like something for school. The second my laptop announced a new email, I packed the novel away for another day.

It was Annette, asking me what I’ll be wearing to spring dance Saturday. I wasn’t keen on going but with a reminder from Annette I realised I had no choice. Attendance was compulsory.

I called her. She picked up on the second ring.

“Anything would look good on you.” I could just imagine her dimpled face when she said this. She was one of those people who were always cheerful. It was strange to see her angry.

“Right.”

She laughed. “Do you think Christopher would prefer me in a black or nude dress?” she’d told me that she thought the man didn’t have a wife and she would be Mrs. Carter by the end of the school year. She was pretty confident.

“I think nude.” She had a nice fair complexion that would match lovely with nude, but I honestly didn’t think she stood a chance with Christopher. Age aside, he was actually way out of her league.

‘People like that don’t go for ordinary girls like us’ I’d wanted to tell her, when she’d first made me aware of her desire of being Bradley’s step mom. Pitifully, angels went for angels. And we were far from angels. When I saw the hopefulness in her eyes, I couldn’t bear to discourage her.

“Are you sure?” she’d asked cynically. She wanted to wear black.

I smiled. “Annette, you are beautiful, you’d probably rock anything. Wear whatever you’re comfortable in.”

“I think I’m going to go with black.” I could hear the excitement in her voice. "I could so match the colour of his eyes, don't you think?"

I smiled, “Of course.”

Friday morning, I was surprised to find Benjamin leaning on my classroom door with arms and feet crossed. He smiled when he saw me approach and the girls that were passing by giggled, running as they went. The news that they saw us ‘share a moment’ would be the talk of school by first period.

I rolled my eyes.

“Benjamin.” I greeted gravely.

He fidgeted and that made my heart creep gradually into overdrive. I was nervous.

“And so,” Benjamin said, shifting from one foot to the other, staring admirably at the flour. “Tomorrow is Saturday.”

“Yeah,” My voice betrayed me, I wanted to sound as eager about tomorrow as everyone else but I wasn’t convincing enough. I sounded distressed, even to myself.

He frowned, searching my face. “You don’t look particularly interested.” He looked miserable, clearly not pleased with my response.

I paused for a moment, feeling embarrassed. “I don’t do well in crowds.”

“But we’ll be dancing.” Disappointment coloured his voice.

I laughed nervously. “I don’t dance either.”

“Oh.” His eyes thinned and his nostrils flared.

Bradley, though, came to stand between us, as he waited for me to open the door. My hands trembled. He was breathing heavily, clenching and unclenching his fist; fuming and as the door opened he pushed past me. The electric current that passed between us zapped into me.

Benjamin followed behind me and he was perched on my desk when he continued, “But you’re going aren’t you.” He was hopeful.

Unfortunately, “It’s not like the headmaster gave us a choice.”

He smiled. “We could leave early.” He turned his gaze towards Bradley when he said, “I know some people make you uncomfortable.”

The only thing that made me uncomfortable was the tricky wizard in front of me. I shrugged.

“We could always go to the movies or hang out at the park.”

“I’d rather be at the party.” Feeling no sense of regret at wounding his ego I wondered at my sense of humanity.

He held up his hand to silence me. “For someone without a soul, you sure can be dramatic.” he turned dejected and walked out.

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. I hated the feeling of virtue that washed over me. I buried my face in my hands and exhaled sharply. When the final bell sounded and the door closed I made the mistake of meeting Bradley’s curious gaze. He trapped me with his gaze, making no attempt to release me. I couldn’t look away, as those eyes held me captive – I wasn’t brave enough to look away. He smirked and lowered his gaze, seemingly hesitant and I faced the teacher. I was perfectly aware of his gaze still on me and it made my knees weak. I felt ridiculous for letting him unnerve me.

My voice shook, betraying how high I held my head. I gave up on asking the question – I was too distracted by the inevitable presence in front of me, to even try concentrating.

I sat with my hair covering my face, although I’d sneak a few glances Bradley’s way. His gaze was still on me, unwavering, intense, making the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge. My palms began to sweat.

When the bell rang at last, I sighed in relief but to my dismay he didn’t leave, he didn’t even make an effort to get up from his seat. I knew getting up on my part wasn’t an option. My knees were too weak. I’d fall before I made it to the door.

And so, I stayed glued to my seat, wiping my sweaty palms over my jeans. Bradley I noticed balled his fist so hard his knuckles turned white, his jaw tightened. I bit my bottom lip hard.

“Elizabeth?” A musical voice murmured. Emotions shouldn’t have been pulsing through me just because he said my name. Yet it felt so natural.