Sēdecim

With the homecoming game this Friday, both the football team and the cheer squad have been running constant drills. The field has been home to boisterous voices throughout the warm afternoon, adding to the pounding that has taken residence behind my eyes.

Oakley and I have been like passing ships at sea. Avoiding each other and what happened ultimately, but I'm not stupid. We've both momentarily gone back to our own corners to lick our wounds and come back stronger. He struck last so I think it's about time I returned the favor.

The cheer squad is packing up our gear and exiting the field just after the sun has gone down, each of us looking forward to the shower that remains just inside the gym doors. I hang back and help Poe pick up any lingering pom poms or water bottles that may have inadvertently been left behind.

"I'm making a stand tonight," I tumble out nonchalantly as I dip down to pick up a half-empty Dasani from the lawn that is impeccably greener at this point in the year as opposed to just a month ago. They actually had to come in and replace certain sections. Hopefully, they'll learn from that mistake and alter the way that they are caring for this poor field.

Poe looks at me, still catching her breath from the laps we rounded out practice with. "Do you want help?"

I shake my head. "We know that he knows I'm a witch, but we have no idea if he knows anything about you. I'd like to keep it that way. The last thing that we need is a hunter coming after both of us. I have a magical little doodad that keeps me safe. You do not."

She nods, sucking air between her teeth. She doesn't like the idea of me going alone, but she can't disagree with my logic. "Fine. But, I want you to call me when you're done. If I don't hear from you in a timely manner, I'm coming for your ass."

A smirk kisses the side of my mouth. I appreciate her protective nature. She always was the den mother of our group of troubled teens. "Count on it."

***

Darkness shrouds the parking lot of the school by the time the football players begin to filter out to their respective cars. Some of them look worse for wear as their heads hang exhaustedly between their shoulders.

One trick Poe taught me is how to cloak myself. Given how fucking cool the spell is I thought that it would take more than a few mumbled words in Latin, but I was wrong. Oakley knows where I lay my head at night. It's time that I saw that side of him leaving him just as many places to hide as he left me.

He opens the door of his Porsche before Ronnie calls out to him, drawing his attention toward her. She distracts him with inane questions about a kissing booth she's setting up to raise money for the cheer squad, asking him to agree to participate. Surprisingly he does with little discussion. The discussion allowed me time to quietly struggle through the door and over the center console.

I'm tucked safely in the passenger seat of his car by the time he exits the parking lot and he is none the wiser. I keep my breathing even and try to ignore the fact that I'm sitting next to someone that is trying to kill me. Keeping my focus is something that is quickly becoming second nature, which is important because magic requires an insane amount of focus to achieve the desired effect.

We roll up to a beautiful modern home that is tucked into a wooded area I've rarely traveled. The driveway ascends on a slight incline to a large garage that currently sits open, holding several noteworthy cars. I almost want to just stay invisible so I can go play with them, but now isn't the time to get distracted.

I take in the clean lines of the home, noting the lighting that is scattered throughout the yard, leaving it more well-lit than the rest of the houses that dot the area. The gigantic windows sit open, allowing me a good view of the interior, where I can see another man that must be Oakley's big brother, moving about, obviously comfortable in the space.

After Oakley closes his door and begins walking toward the house, I step out of my door, letting it fall closed so softly that it doesn't even disturb the air around it. Oakley still hears it, stopping in his tracks and turning to assess the area slowly, looking for some sign of where the sound originated.

"Hello?" He calls into the darkness that surrounds the property, not knowing that I'm close enough to spit on him should I so choose. I manage to stop myself. Barely. Instead, with a few whispered words and a wave of my hand, I unveil myself, allowing him to see me standing beside his Porsche in his driveway.

"Sunday," he breathes out in such a way that it almost sounded like relief. I narrow my eyes at him. my lips pursed in anger.

"You tried to stab me, bro," I spit, letting a malicious smile glide across my face as I hold a stance that radiates pure confidence. "That was wicked rude first date etiquette."

He drops his gym bag to the concrete walkway and starts moving toward me. I put my hand up indicating for him to stop. "Okay, that's close enough."

"My brother is inside. Between the two of us, I could have you bleeding out in my driveway faster than you could say abracadabra."

I take a deep breath. "That was a good one. Been practicing it long?"

He shrugs his shoulders, trying and failing to look relaxed and unbothered by the situation he's found himself in. "Since last weekend."

"Huh. Speaking of last weekend, it seems that I owe you one."

His brows furrow as I let the pause steal the air, before raising my hand and sending a winding snake of fire around the outside of his home. The front door flies open, revealing his brother who is bit back by the flames, forced to close the front door or risk being burned. I widen my eyes at Oakely in a show of faux surprise. "And then... there was one."

"Sunday, I swear to fucking God, if something happens to my brother."

I scoff. "You'll what, kill me? You were already trying to do that. I have to admit though, you really had me going there. I thought you cared. I even kinda liked you. But, the only thing you had going for you was the element of surprise and you lost it. You should just pack up and leave if you know what's good for you. We keep to our own here. We're not your concern."

His breaths come in short pants as he watches the flames licking into the air surrounding his home. His hands run through his freshly showered hair in an anxious motion before turning back to me. "Listen to me, Sunday, you have too much power for your own good. You're going to end up hurting someone - or hurting yourself."

A dark chuckle rips from my throat as I enjoy the sight of the orange flames licking up into the dark night. The heat from them can be felt even here, but the lake of fire won't touch his precious home. That's not what this visit is about. It's a show of strength. "So, trying to kill me was for my own good then? You know Oakley, I trusted you. And you betrayed me in a completely fucking unforgivable way."

"Sunday, listen to me. The power you have is too big. You're not going to be able to control it. Eventually, it will control you. It's dangerous. You don't fucking seem to get it!" His posture is aggressive but he dares not take another step in my direction, instead using every bit of self-control he possesses to hold his position.

I raise my eyebrows as I start advancing toward him slowly, one step at a time. In his defense, he holds his ground, refusing to back up even a step. The confidence still does something for me deep down. I still want him. I can see in his eyes that he's just as thirsty for me. This is some star-crossed shit if I've ever heard it. Unfortunately, there's only one way the story can end if we go down that route, and Shakespear already wrote it. I'm not one for subpar remakes.

My steps come to a stop in front of him, close enough that he could touch me if only he were to extend his arm. "No, YOU don't fucking get it," I raise my hand and with a flick of my wrist blow all the windows out of his house as though an invisible bomb exploded inside, watching as the fragments of glass slip past Oakley, littering him with light cuts and leaving me completely unharmed. One on the side of his neck begins to bleed and I have to stop myself from leaning out and running my tongue up the side of the thick corded column."Does it look like my powers are out of control to you? Or would you like another demonstration?"

Anger pulses through him as he stands straighter, lowering his brows in pure menace, giving me a look that promises retribution, so the words he says next surprise me. "Fine. White flag, for now until I can get more information from my superiors."

I take a few steps backward away from him before turning on my heel to mosey down the forest road which is littered with the beginnings of fall. With the click of my fingers and a few whispered words, I both stopped the fire and cloaked myself all at once, leaving the way we came without a backward glance. Knowing that he's going to go into his home and find every glass and mirror also shattered puts an extra pep in my step.

I drop a pin in my location and text Poe to pick me up. She's going to fucking eat this story up with a spoon.