Blue Sacrifice (Blue Davison) (17 page)

“You,” he groaned, loving my teasing words and
hating how we couldn’t act on them. “Come a little closer.”

Laughing, I ignored Lacey’s annoyance as I
snuggled with Flynn whose fingers went exploring for my happy face.

“I love you,” he whispered in my ear. “Please don’t
do anything during your evening out that’ll make me blue.”

“Har har.”

Smiling, Flynn kissed me and just kept kissing me
until Lacey gave up and walked away. Then maybe remembering how I was her
friend since forever and Flynn was the interloper, she returned and sat right
next to me.

“I’m cold. Pay attention to me,” she demanded.

Turning to her and smiling, I leaned back against
Flynn. “When we’re making me presentable tonight, can I brush your hair?”

Lacey was irritated and I believed she remained
irritated for the rest of lunch. Yet any annoyance left her face once she heard
my offer. Smiling blissfully, she took my hand.

“I will permit this,” she said, beaming with joy.

“Thank you, child.”

Despite her hidden irritation, Lacey was a beacon
of light and happiness throughout lunch, the ride home from school, even while
doing our homework. By the time we headed upstairs to prepare for my big night
at the opera, Lacey was like a kid on Christmas.

Turning on a song by The Sundays, Lacey threw a
pillow on the floor, plopped down on it, then waited for me to sit in the chair
directly behind her.

“Have I mentioned how much I love having my hair
brushed?” Lacey whispered on the verge of absolute glee.

“I don’t think so. I had to use my psychic skills
to figure it out. Good thing I did because you deserve this.”

“Oh, I do.”

For the next thirty minutes, we chilled listening
to music while I lovingly brushed her hair. When it was time for me to get
dressed, Lacey leaned her head back into my lap and smiled at me.

“You are magic.”

Her compliment put the biggest smile on my face
and it remained frozen there until I saw the amazing outfit she’d picked out
for me, complete with the new shoes. No longer smiling, I slid on the cashmere babydoll
dress then walked to the mirror.

Checking my reflection, I snorted, causing Lacey to
throw a shoe at me which I ducked easily. For a tomboy, the girl couldn’t throw
for shit. She walked to the mirror and sighed.

“You look almost as good as I do in this dress.”

“I don’t wear blue for the same reason you don’t
wear lace.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, but you look beautiful and I
want you to look beautiful for Tyson.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s in love with you and eventually
Flynn will lose interest and I want you to be my sister. Now shut up and try on
the shoes I bought you.”

“If Tyson loves me, it’s like a sister,” I lied.

Lacey brought me the shoes. “You don’t really
believe Flynn will stick around, do you? He’s a player and you’re a conquest.
It’s not personal. You just can’t keep a man like him interested forever or
even for very much longer. No one could,” Lacey said then added with a wink,
“Not even me.”

“Flynn said he loves me.”

“Oh, Lord. And you believed him, I’m sure.”

“No, but he seemed sincere. Why would he say it,
if he didn’t believe it?”

“You’re a challenge. A guy like Flynn has lived
his whole life doing stuff more interesting than living in this hellhole. He
probably thought he would die of boredom here then he finds a challenge. He
thinks he’ll screw you into wanting to live using his magical wand. Then when
his dad wants to leave, Flynn will promise to call you and visit, but stuff
will come up and suddenly he’ll lose your number. Did you think there was another
ending to your hookup with Flynn?”

“No, I guess not. I did hope it had a greater
meaning because then I’d get to have a great romance.”

“Have one with Tyson.”

“He doesn’t…”

“Shut up,” Lacey growled. “Idiot bitch.”

Balking, I glared at her. “What the hell is your
problem?”

“It’s this town. It’s making me cranky and besides
you’re an idiot bitch.”

“How do you figure that?”

“Tyson is so stupid in love with you and yet you
think because he doesn’t kiss your feet, he’s not interested. I wish you
weren’t so stupid. Why couldn’t you have moved away and a better friend stayed
behind so I wouldn’t have to put up with your crap?”

“I’m ignoring you, Lacey,” I said, hiding how she
had hurt my feelings.

“Whatever. Flynn is full of crap and you should
ignore everything he says.”

“He thinks I should live. Should I ignore that?”

Lacey stopped throwing clothes off of her bed and
stared at me. Tears moistening her eyes, she sighed.

“Why do you have to die? Aunt Penny or that bitch
Rory should die. It’s not fair. You’re not even seventeen. You haven’t done anything
yet. We never got to travel like I planned and I never got to be the maid of
honor at your wedding.”

Feeling my eyes dampen too, I joined her on the
bed. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“I don’t know. For you being left behind, I
guess.”

“I’ve invested a lot of time into this
relationship and I had big plans for us, but now you have to die and it’s
bullshit. Someone else should die in your place. I say we drag Rory back to
town and shove her off of the bridge. She’s the reason you grew up with the nutjob
Gretchen instead of your mom who was really funny and would hug you.”

“I wish things were different,” I mumbled.

Lacey fixed the strap on the dress. “You look
beautiful in this dress and Tyson loves you so much. If he doesn’t get much
more time with you, he should at least see you looking so much like an angel.”

Smiling at her words, I ran my hands down the soft
material of my dress. “Thank you for the beautiful clothes. I don’t really dislike
wearing blue, but I figure people will think I’m stupid to wear it. You know, because
it’s your color.”

“True, but I grant you the right to share blue
with me.”

Hugging Lacey, I felt strange. “Is Tyson really in
love with me?”

“Yes. My mom nags him to date other girls, but he
just goes through the motions. He’s waiting for you, but now you and he won’t
get a chance. I still think we should make Rory die instead.”

“The sacrifice has to accept their death or it
doesn’t count.”

“How do you know though? If we killed her, maybe
her blood alone would do it.”

“I’m not killing Rory.”

“Wuss. I’ll do it then. I’ll kill Penny too, if
necessary. I want you to have more time. I thought I was ready for you to go,
but then you didn’t die and then you still didn’t die and I got my hopes up.
Now I want you to live forever. I want you to get old with me and hold my hand
when I’m ninety and getting my crotch waxed.”

Laughing, I tugged at her hair. “You’re a good
friend.”

“I know. I really do.”

Laughing again, I stood and tried on the shoes.
The girl looking back at me from the reflection wasn’t Blue Davison, but a
lucky girl going out with a beautiful guy for a rather romantic evening. Turning
to Lacey, I frowned.

“I’m with Flynn. I can’t really do anything with
Tyson.”

“Go ahead and cheat on Flynn. I’m sure he’s
cheating on you.”

Rolling my eyes, I turned back to the mirror.
“Flynn might not really love me, but he’s been sweet and given me hope.”

“But you love Tyson.”

“Tyson has always been the one I wanted, but I
couldn’t have him. Now I have Flynn and I’m confused.”

Joining me at the mirror, Lacey placed her hands
on my shoulders and sighed.

“Flynn isn’t from Lily Falls. He’s temporary like
everyone else, but you and Tyson belong here. You are meant to be together. I
still remember when he came home from your birthday dinner and he sat in the
dark sulking. I asked if you puked on the date or something, but he wouldn’t
talk to me. He realized he loved you and he knew you would die. It broke his
heart, but maybe now you don’t have to die and his heart can get what it
wants.”

“Maybe.”

“Be gentle with Tyson tonight. He might be an old
man, but he’s afraid to lose you. We all are.”

Pulling her into another hug, I thought about all of
the signs piling up against my death and wondered if this time was different?

“I’ll take good care of Tyson,” I said, releasing
her from my bear hug.

“Good and have sex with him too. I’m not sure he’s
ever had sex, so you could be his first. How fun would that be?”

Snorting, I shook my head. “Tyson’s had sex.”

“How do you know?”

“How could he not?”

“My mom raised him to only stick his pen in the
ink he wants to keep. I might have said it wrong, but basically he can’t just
bang chicks like Flynn does. He has to care about them and he hasn’t cared for
anyone other than you,” Lacey said, brushing out my hair. “So if he’s not a virgin,
he’s less experienced than jaded bitches like you and me. Be gentle and don’t
teach him anything too naughty. The old man has a weak heart.”

Laughing, I had to admit the dress was beautiful
and hugged my curves in the most impressive ways. Lacey caught me checking
myself out and sighed.

“Did I not tell you this dress would rock?”

“Yes, you did.”

“I’m always right. About everything,” she said
wistfully. “It’s my gift.”

Smiling at how she clearly believed her words, I
checked my appearance once more.

“The old man is waiting,” Lacey said, sounding
melancholy as if wishing to come along.

Giving her a kiss on the cheek, I decided Tyson
had waited long enough so I headed downstairs to see him.

Wearing a crisp white shirt and black pants, Tyson
stood at the large windows overlooking the river. A million thoughts ran
through my head as I watched him. Mostly memories of both my time with Tyson
and the last week with Flynn. If I was choosing based on how many nights I
spent dreaming about him, I’d choose Tyson. Yet Flynn was a sign. Despite what
Lacey said about Flynn’s fleeting interest, his presence on the bridge that day
meant something.

Turning to look at me, Tyson let his gaze caress me
from my new shoes up to my dress until it reached my face. Smiling, he seemed a
little sad.

“Bluebell,” he murmured, walking towards me. “You
look lovely.”

“It’s Lacey’s dress,” I said quickly, conflicted
because I had wanted Tyson’s attention since forever and obsessively so since
my birthday. Yet now I felt guilty for having it.

“Don’t,” he said, shushing me with his index
finger against my lips. “Don’t explain anything this evening. Just relax and
enjoy yourself. No matter whose dress it is, you are the one who inspires the
world in it. May I get your coat?”

I followed him to the door where he helped me into
the fur coat Alyssa insisted I borrow. Tyson was such a gentleman like his
mother taught him and I smiled when he opened the door for me.

“I understand you have this wonderful boyfriend,”
he said, offering his arm which I took, “but it might be slippery in the garage
and I wouldn’t want you to fall.”

“Thank you.”

“Is he wonderful?” Tyson asked, opening the car door
for me.

Without answering, I stared into Tyson’s eyes,
wanting him to understand how I wasn’t rejecting him.

Smiling tenderly, he quickly reassured me how he
wasn’t angry. “I want you to be happy,” he said, kissing my cheek. “I hope you
will be tonight and every day afterwards.”

With his sexy full lips so close, I wondered what
I would do if not for Flynn and the sacrifice? Would I grab hold of Tyson and
never let go? Hell yes, I would. But Flynn was mine for now and I was a
sacrifice. So I didn’t lift my lips to Tyson’s and get a taste. Instead I
smiled and slid into the car. Soon Tyson joined me and we were off to Riser
Cliffs, the best restaurant in the county.

Once we arrived, the hostess hurried us to our
table with a view of the river. After taking our drink orders, she left us to look
over the menus. Knowing what Tyson would say if I complained about the prices,
only because he said the same thing on my birthday, I covered the side of the
menu with the heart stopping amounts. Even admiring the rest of the menu, I
wasn’t sure what to order.

“Have you ever tried foie gras?” Tyson asked,
watching me over his menu.

“No, I don’t even know what it is.”

“It’s delicious. Knowing more might ruin your enjoyment
though.”

“It’s not an animal testicle, is it? Lacey tricked
me into eating Rocky Mountain oysters which she thought was hilarious,” I said,
sharing Tyson’s smile. “Though truth be told, I did like them.”

“Let me order for you, Bluebell. I promise you
won’t be disappointed and you’ll experience new foods.”