Blue Sacrifice (Blue Davison) (9 page)

When I said nothing, Lacey pushed on.

“You know what’s even more unfair? You dying when
you’re sixteen. It makes no sense either. All of these years, each Davison
woman had three daughters who then had three daughters. There was a system
which allowed everyone to have a life before they had to die, but then Rory
screwed everyone over. Next Penny screwed over your mom and you. Now it’s all
on you at sixteen. No, it’s bullshit and I’m not letting that bitch Penny convince
you to take her place.”

Smiling, I stared out of the window. “I did promise
Tyson I would go to the opera with him. Should I keep that promise?”

“Do it. What is one more week or two or a month or
a year?”

“You know the answer to that.”

“Whatever. I’m not talking about this anymore. You
are going to live. If someone has to die, it’ll be Penny. Nuff said. Discussion
over.”

Nodding, I felt better now with Lacey in her
feisty mood. I also felt better about resenting Penny for sending me to die
when she could choose to be the sacrifice instead. While I loved my aunt, I did
hate her a little all of these years.

The Lily Ridge mall was between Lily Falls and Wicker Ridge. While Lily Falls was picturesque and transitory, Wicker Ridge was
bustling with new businesses and housing communities. Where the Lily Falls population varied from the very wealthy to the very poor, Wicker Ridge was
solidly middle class. No trailer parks, yet no mansions either.

When I was a kid, Mom and I visited new
communities in Wicker Ridge and walked through the model homes. Now thinking
back, I suspected my mom wanted to do what Aunt Rory did. Move away from the
pull of Lily Falls and hope the darkness didn’t find us. Her job was in Lily Falls, but if we lived outside town, we might have a sliver of normalcy.

Walking through those model homes, I fantasized about
living in them with my mom. We could have more in those cookie cutter communities
than we could afford in Lily Falls. The schools were new and the population moving
to Wicker Ridge stuck around. The whole vibe of the place was different and I
had liked that vibe a lot.

Passing Wicker Ridge on the highway as we headed
to the mall, I remembered how hopeful my mother looked during those weekend outings.
We were so close to embracing our humanity, instead of simply existing as sacrifices
waiting to happen.

Arriving at the mall, I saw how Amira Zandi had
parked her white Rolls-Royce Phantom next to Alyssa’s black Mercedes Maybach.
Lacey chose a spot close by for Tyson’s silver Bentley Mulsanne. Shutting the
door, I wondered if was safe to have all of these expensive cars out there on
display. Yet the mall wasn’t really inside Lily Falls, so the recent spike in
crime shouldn’t affect the Zandi cha-ching exhibit in the parking lot.

“Mama,” Lacey said as we entered the mall and
found Amira and Alyssa wandering around a jewelry store. “Buying something?”

“Just choosing what your father will give me for
my birthday. Don’t want any mistakes.”

While the three dark haired beauties laughed, I
tried to feel like part of the family. Yet I wasn’t like them and Amira knew
it.

“Visiting your aunt must be difficult,” Amira
said, hugging me to my surprise.

“Yes, but she’s doing well.”

“Good,” Amira said, but her dark eyes hinted at
something else. “It’s too bad they won’t release her.”

Glancing at Lacey, I saw her lift an eyebrow.
Mother and daughter figured if a sacrifice needed to be made, why not volunteer
Penny? I didn’t blame them, but it wasn’t my call.

“They say she’s a threat to herself,” I explained.

Amira nodded knowingly. “Of course they do.”

When I glanced at Lacey to alleviate the awkward
moment, she came to my rescue.

“Blue has huge monkey feet so I’m buying her shoes
to go with the dress she’ll wear to the opera.”

“With Tyson,” Amira said with a smile.

“Yes, he was nice enough to invite me.”

Amira and Alyssa shared smiles while Lacey grabbed
me by the arm and started walking. The Zandis were an affectionate bunch so it
was common to see them walking arm and arm, even hand in hand, with each other
in public places. No one braved to mock them, not with the amount of money and
power the Zandis wielded. The Affleck sisters were the same way, living above
the simple locals, oblivious to criticism. Except from the Zandi family who
didn’t care for the reclusive clan.

“Scurrying around the mall like a mouse with an
itch,” Amira said from the shoe store.

Lacey and I turned to look at the mall pathway
where one of the Affleck sisters darted through the crowds, careful not to
touch anyone.

“Which one is that?” Alyssa asked while admiring
her reflection.

“Vesta, I believe,” Amira said. “She’s the pretty
one, they say.”

“Who are they that say that?” Lacey asked.

“The powers that be,” her mother answered with a
grin. “They say the Affleck girls were quite the sight back in the day, but
they all look like a redheaded Miss Havisham to me.”

Still watching Vesta dodge the commoners, I found
myself slightly fascinated by her. The Afflecks were the only redheads in Lily Falls besides the Davisons. While I would never reach the age of testy Vesta, I didn’t
envy her. Nothing reeked of a lonely life more than the Affleck sisters. Hiding
away in their big house by the river, they loved no one more than themselves. I
might be dead in a week, but I would bet I had more fun in my sixteen years
than they had in sixty.

Feeling all superior, I returned to Earth when I
saw the price tag on the shoes Lacey wanted for me.

“The dress is red?” I asked Lacey who shoved my
giant monkey/elf feet into the strappy shoe.

“You’ll see, my Sasquatch friend.”

“My feet aren’t that big. Yours are just tiny.”

“Yes, like Cinderella’s feet. You’re her evil step
sisters. Tisk, tisk for treating Cindy so poorly when she did so much for you.”

Rolling my eyes, I admired the sparkly red shoes
and was glad to have a rich friend to splurge on me occasionally.

“They’re beautiful.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Be nice, Lacey,” Alyssa said, still admiring her
reflection. “You’re lucky to have a friend who stayed in Lily Falls. All my friends have left. Every year, a new friend. While I like telling my life story
to a new person every year, it’s lonely not feeling close to anyone like you’re
close to Blue.”

“Do you have a point?”

“My point is you should embrace your time with
Blue while you have it.”

Just wanting to shoe shop, Lacey glared at her
sister for mentioning the whole impending death situation. Alyssa ignored her
sister and stared at me. When I smiled at her, she didn’t return it.

“You’re beautiful, just like your mother,” Alyssa
said.

“Thank you,” I replied awkwardly.

“Do you remember the time I was getting ready for
the school dance and couldn’t find my necklace?” When I nodded, Alyssa
continued while wearing a melancholy expression. “You looked for an hour and
found it. Even though dinner was getting cold and Gretchen never feeds you, you
kept looking for me. You have such a good heart.”

Amira said something in Persian to Alyssa who
nodded and wiped her eyes. Focusing her gaze on me, Amira smiled.

“You are family, Blue. Last names and heritage
mean nothing to us. I hope you will remember this.”

Even nodding at her kind words, I felt strange.
Mostly I wanted to embrace the love of these three women and the idea of belonging
to their family. While I cared for Gretchen, I wasn’t even sure I loved her.
She was distant the last few years and I barely spoke to her.

Amira though treated me like a child in need. While
it felt good to be loved, I couldn’t stop thinking of Assad who killed and died
because Penny failed. The thought of another Zandi dying because I chose to
live weighed heavily on me, no matter what Lacey and her family said. While
Alyssa calmed herself, Lacey had wandered away and now returned with a sigh.

“I can’t buy the shoes today,” Lacey said.
“Something’s wrong with the strap and they don’t have anymore in your gigantor
size. They’re ordering new ones for me which will be ready for you to break in
during your date with Tyson.”

“It’s not a date.”

The three women glanced at each other and
collectively rolled their eyes. Just to feel included, I rolled my eyes too and
they laughed.

“There is only one restaurant worth visiting at
the mall,” Amira said as she linked my arm with hers. “The Cheesecake Factory
is so pretty inside and I do love cheesecake. I know you do too, Blue.”

“Would it be alright if I got a hamburger too?”

“A big messy one would be fun to watch you eat.”

Warmed by the sense of belonging I craved, I just
pushed all of the Davison destiny crap aside and let myself pretend as I once did
before the voices started hounding me. I had once dreamed of marrying Tyson and
being a part of this family who had loved me when they shouldn’t have. For the
next few hours as we ate and laughed, I wasn’t a Davison. I was a Zandi and the
world bowed to me.

After lunch, we walked to a trendy store so Alyssa
could buy a new pink shirt. As we waited while she tried on a dozen different
ones, I suspected she would pick all twelve.

Waiting for her sister, Lacey searched the racks
for something in power blue and grew more irritated when nothing caught her
fancy. Nearby Amira texted her husband then laughed at his reply.

When my phone vibrated in my pocket, I nearly
ignored it. No one really called me except for Lacey who was too unhappy about
her limited clothing choices to prank me. Occasionally guys would text me with winking
emoticons to make clear just how serious they were about hooking up.

Instead it was Flynn.

“Hello?” I asked, confused about why he would
call.

“You have the little screen on your phone that
tells you who’s calling, don’t you, Blue?”

“Yeah.”

“Well then why do you sound confused about who is
calling?”

“Guys don’t call me. What do you want?”

When Flynn said nothing, I laughed. “What do you
want, sexy beast?”

“Now we’re talking. How are you today?”

“Well and you?”

“Oh, very well. I’m preparing to cook a lovely
girl a fine meal consisting of her favorite food.”

“Yummy. I hope she enjoys it.”

“Where are you?” he asked and I heard him opening
a door.

“At the mall with Lacey.”

“You are coming tonight, aren’t you? I’d hate to
have to hunt you down.”

“I’ll be there around five like I said.”

“Yes, like you said.”

“What?”

“You’re a difficult girl to hold onto. Squirrely
might be the proper word.”

“I have no idea what that means.”

“Of course you don’t,” he said, sighing. “What
time should I pick you up?”

Frowning, I hadn’t remembered the part where he
was picking me up. Also it seemed like five seconds earlier Flynn hadn’t
remembered either.

“I’ll just ride my bike to your house instead of
making you drive over to get me.”

The resulting long silence made clear Flynn’s
displeasure at this scenario.

“Or you could just call me,” he eventually said, “and
I can drive over and pick you up.”

“Or I could ride over to your house when I’m ready.
That way if you piss me off tonight or tomorrow, I’ll have an easy form of escape.”

Exhaling harshly, Flynn said nothing. Also
irritated, I forced myself to picture Flynn’s deep green eyes watching me, his
soft hair under my fingertips, and his warm body against mine. When I imagined
the very best outcome of our time together, his insistence at controlling
things didn’t bother me so much.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing you in
various states of undress,” I told him.

Without missing a beat, he sighed. “I don’t blame
you for being excited. The view will astound you.”

Laughing, I hoped he was mellowing out. “I’m
coming to your house tonight and we’re going to have lots of fun. Oh, and sex
too,” I said then added, “And there will be no detours on my way to your
place.”

Flynn exhaled softer this time and I could feel
his tension easing.

“I miss you.”

“Really?”

“Yes, Blue. A man tends to miss his girlfriend
when he hasn’t seen her in, oh, eighteen hours.”

“I’m not sure that’s true.”

“That I miss you or that you’re my girlfriend?”

Startled at the idea of being someone’s
girlfriend, I didn’t answer right away.

“That all men miss their girlfriends after such a
short period of time.”

“Uh-huh. Well I’m not all men.”