Anew

34

The first few days back at Avalon High since learning of her supernatural past and doomed future were a blur for Scarlet. But she’d successfully managed to steer clear of Gabriel and dodge most of Heather’s questions.

Until Thursday.

Scarlet sat in class, staring blankly at the front of the room. She was having a hard time taking English seriously.

When you’re cursed to die and come back to life every few years, essays just don’t seem as important anymore.

A small, wadded-up piece of paper hit her shoulder and Scarlet rolled her eyes.

Heather was a chronic note-thrower.

Scarlet looked over at her best friend before swiping the note off the floor where it had fallen.

Have you talked to your smokin’ hot liar of a boyfriend today?

Scarlet glared at Heather and shook her head.

She was ignoring Gabriel—and any other piece of her ridiculous past—until further notice.

She’d sent Gabriel a text a few days ago letting him know she needed space; time to digest things and wrap her head around her future.

Gabriel had responded politely, saying he understood, but she was sure a part of him was disappointed.

The weekend had been fairly unproductive. Scarlet had come to very few conclusions, but one thing she was sure of: She had to act normal.

What was she going to do? Run off with Gabriel to hunt for the fountain of youth?

Not likely.

Laura would call the police and file a missing persons report and then Scarlet would be caught and things would get ugly.

Funny how, just a few years ago, Scarlet spent weeks wishing someone would file a missing persons report for her. Now that she had people in her life who loved her, she couldn’t just disappear on them.

Scarlet inwardly smiled.

It was comforting to know she was loved.

It was also a little inconvenient. But mostly comforting.

She couldn’t leave town, but she also couldn’t ask Laura’s permission to venture off with her boyfriend in search of a mythical fountain.

So, instead, Scarlet decided to play it cool. She would go to school. Do her homework, and behave like a normal, non-cursed teenager until she had a better plan.

Unfortunately, part of Scarlet’s play-it-cool plan involved lying to Heather.

Which sucked.

Heather was the only person, besides Laura, who’d given Scarlet a chance. Lying to her wasn’t fair and the thought broke Scarlet’s heart. But she wasn’t ready to introduce anyone else to her circle of crazy.

Heather would have to stay in the dark—at least until Scarlet had a better handle on her situation.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class and everyone gathered their things. Heather approached Scarlet with a look of pity. “Are you okay? You seem…soggy.”

“Soggy?”

“Yes.” Heather nodded. “Like you’re a depressed spaghetti noodle or something.”

Scarlet sighed and shook her head. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine. You look...sad. And a little bit like a rag doll. What’s going on with your hair today? Did you lose your brush?”

“Not now, Heather,” Scarlet said, easing past her. She had more important things than her messy hair to worry about.

Like dying.

“Scarlet,” Heather said, coming up alongside her as they walked to their lockers. “What can I do to help? What do you need? Do you want me to beat Gabriel up for lying to you? ‘Cause I will. I’ll even break a nail if that’s what it takes.”

Scarlet smiled at the thought of tiny Heather trying to take on giant Gabriel. “No. No, I’m not even really mad at Gabriel. I’m…crazy about him. But I just…I just need time.”

Heather nodded, looking down the hallway. “Well, you’d better enjoy the next few seconds because I’m pretty sure Gabriel is headed this way.”

Scarlet looked up and saw Gabriel coming down the hallway, his handsome face fixed on hers. She wanted to turn and run away, finding solace in a broom closet or something, but she didn’t.

Because she had no idea where the nearest broom closet was.

And also because, despite the craziness of the last few days, she missed Gabriel.

She missed the way he smelled and his lovely voice and perfect smile.

Scarlet watched him approach, her feet planted next to her locker.

“Hey,” Gabriel said as he neared.

Scarlet nodded. “Hey.”

An awkward moment passed.

“Um….” Heather’s eyes darted from Gabriel to Scarlet and then back to Gabriel. “This is weird. And as much as I’d like to stick around and comment on Gabriel’s fantastic jeans,” she looked at Gabriel’s pants with a smile, “I’m gonna…go.” She exited the awkward tension and made her way to second period.

“So,” Gabriel said, looking at Scarlet with big, helpless eyes, “I know you want your space right now and I don’t want to pry my way back into your life, but,” he smiled sadly, “please don’t shut me out completely.”

Scarlet looked at him for a moment and realized her chest was hurting. She didn’t want to shut him out. She wanted her boyfriend back. She’d tried to be mad at him, she’d tried to hate how he’d lied to her, but she couldn’t. She’d missed him too much.

Not knowing what to say or how to undo the thickness between them, she leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his, her eyes falling shut at the touch.

He kissed her back gently, almost hesitantly, like maybe he thought she was going to change her mind and pull away completely. His hands went to her waist where he held her softly against him until their lips parted.

Still in Gabriel’s arms and on her tiptoes, Scarlet opened her eyes to see him smiling at her.

She couldn’t help but smile back at his little-boy grin. “What?”

“Nothing. I just missed you.”

She blushed.

“Things will get better, Scarlet. I promise.”

Scarlet nodded, her smile faltering for brief second. “I hope so.”

“They will,” Gabriel said, confidently.

Scarlet pasted her smile back on for his sake. She wanted to believe him.

Maybe someday she would.

Scarlet lowered herself back to the floor as Gabriel’s hand fell from her waist to her hand and held it carefully.

For now, she would take things one day at a time.

Today, she would hold hands with her beautiful boyfriend and let him back into her life.

Tomorrow, maybe she would run a brush through her hair.