“I'll have to have a talk with him about this though. I'm not looking forward to it, but he's kind of making it happen, isn't he? Forcing a confrontation? It's a shame. I mean, he's wrong, trying to keep me from having any friends at all, on purpose, and he has to know on some level that it won't work, that it's just going to rip him and I apart. Further apart. We've never been that close.”
She'd never argued with her parents at all. Not about anything. Really she wasn't sure how to go about it. Did you just go up and start yelling at people? Or was it more of a slow build up, beginning with a rational conversation and never compromising? Keeley hadn't a clue really. It had always seemed too stupid to bother with.
What she knew though was that without Darla, she was dead. Her dad's imaginary sex hang ups couldn't be allowed to kill her. It wouldn't have even been a problem, but she couldn't just explain herself, could she? Not without ending up locked up in an insane asylum. Admitting she was a demon would simply not go over well. Not with anyone.
Sherry took a deep breath, it shuddered a little on the way out.
“I... I'd rather avoid a fight. I understand how you feel, but this is just a part of him, he can't control it...”
And Keeley couldn't argue him out of it. That was the real message she realized. Probably true. People did like their little personal foibles, didn't they? Just telling him to take his opinion about who her friends could be and stuffing it up his... well that wasn't productive at all. She'd have to find some other way. With half a thought a dozen different ideas popped into her head from the memories Tarsus had left her. Most of them were a little harsh, even feeling as disgruntled about the whole thing as she was. Enslaving his mind was over the top, considering this was an almost normal situation that any teen girl might find herself in.
“Fine. I'll figure something out. But this can't end well. Not the way it's going right now. It's being set up so there's no good way out for me mom. What does he want from me? I do everything I'm told, keep my grades up to ridiculous levels and finally make popular friends that don't even drink or do drugs and he flips out like I came home with Attila the Hun announcing our pending nuptials.” Hand on the door handle book bag in her left hand she shook her head.
“I mean look at that, I know who Attila the Hun was and how to use the word nuptial in a sentence, does that sound like a “bad girl” to you? I think not.” She let a smile touch her voice. After all, it was her problem. Not her mom's. Making her feel bad over it wouldn't help anything either.
“I love you honey... This... will work out.”
It would.
If nothing else, in a few years, she'd just leave home. For now...
Well, she walked directly over to the others in the parking lot and grabbed a shopping bag full of food, a large paper one, from Darla, a little angrily, but with a raised eyebrow at the contents. It was all high class “gourmet” food. Was she supposed to put on airs because she had to eat in public? Well, that worked for her, even if she didn't get the reason why yet.
“My dad ungrounded me, but I can't be any of your friends any more. That's presumably to keep me from sleeping with all of you. I imagine, after the fight we have about it later, I'm going to be grounded again, so be forewarned.” She ate a half loaf of French bread quickly. No one asked about it, obviously thinking she was “eating her rage” or something like that. Darla smirked and shook her head a little.
“Perfect. Even the sneaking around is... brilliant. We couldn't ask for a better plan.” The look she gave Keeley was pleased, but Hally looked at them both baffled.
“But... but... Keeley's my tutor, how am I supposed to get through math?” She actually seemed scared. Fearing the loss of her cheerleading position. It was pretty much what the girl had, that and her friends, so it was legitimate enough.
She hugged the girl with her right arm gently.
“I'm still tutoring you Hally. Besides, you don't need a tutor, not really, just confidence, you're totally getting an “A” on this next test. That and some practice and you'll be fine. We'll meet at the library later?”
Everyone took to the new regime easily enough, even Balthias who stood watching them all closely. Darla raised an eyebrow just a little but didn't comment on him being there. After all it was the plan. What he made of it all she didn't know, but it also didn't matter, did it? He was a servant, for now, and as long as she didn't let him know how young she really was, well, it would all be fine. What he made of her having parents... Well that he kept to himself.
Gary was troubled still, but then his boyfriend had been killed. That and the fact that he'd been chased around by the devil in the woods... He would have written it off to stress, because of Rob, or maybe a mental breakdown, but Hally kept talking about what they'd seen. It kept it all fresh and alive for the others. Thinking about the girl, Keeley fingered the thumb drive in her pocket. The actual confession had already gone through, but there was a lot more to really clearing a person accused of murder than just finding the guilty party. Real life wasn't like TV. She'd get that done though. Gary was the bigger worry at the moment.
If he wasn't troubled it would have been scary. His dad had reconsidered everything and told him that he loved Gary and was proud of him, even if he was a “rump bandit”.
“His actual words. Sensitivity isn't exactly his strong suit, but he's trying. I think that my kicking his behind helped, as odd as that seems. It lets him see that I'm not weak, gay or not.” Gary didn't trust it yet, but then, why should he?
If someone acts like a jerk for years, then one day changes, it could be hard to see it as real. Maybe it wasn't? Keeley didn't know if it would last either, but if she had to, Balthias could be sent in to change his mind again. Or, maybe she'd just go and do it herself? One way or the other.
Now all they had to do was find the person or people that had killed Rob and keep Keeley's dad from realizing she was totally disobeying him, probably daily, and everything would be just peachy. Her thoughts were a little dark on the topic, but as she said the words she forced herself to be a little more enthusiastic. Just a bit. It wouldn't do to be all happy suddenly. Her smile was a bit dismal really, but she held it as she spoke about what they needed to do.
“That and get the homecoming dance together.” Darla reminded them.
“That didn't go away. Now more than ever we need to keep people's spirit up. Rob, well, honestly he wouldn't have cared if we have the dance or not, but I know he wouldn't want everyone walking around all gloomy either. Not past a respectful three day mourning period.”
No one was enthused about the prospect of homecoming now at all, but it made sense. That and a win at the game would be huge.
Eve shrugged.
“That... might be too much to ask, don't you think? Our team kind of sucks. Even playing for Rob... I don't know. They'll try hard, is that enough?” She shook her head answering her own question. Failure wasn't going to be enough at all. It would be better for them to not mention it than to try to win and mess up.
Keeley nodded though.
“Yeah, it really is.” This got added gently, since she was thinking at the same time.
The team captain was some kind of pig murdering ancient mercenary with super-powers. It was only one player, but it was a start. They needed to find out what he was up to as well. As long as he hadn't been behind the attacks and the killing of Rob, maybe something could be worked out? Darla got that, it seemed, and nodded a bit. Either that or the other demon girl was just agreeing because that was what you did to support the people around you. Keeley would have to check. If that wouldn't work they could poison the other team a little or something. They'd get their win though.
The bell rang and everyone else went on ahead, Darla hanging back a little to chat with Keeley, pretending to be concerned about her.
“Things are working out nicely, don't you think?” The blond said, her steps peppy for a moment, a grin on her face, head turned toward her friend to keep the world from seeing.
“What, you mean this mess I call my life? I still don't really get how it's perfect, even though you keep saying that. Is this some kind of demon teasing? My life in ruins and you going on about how wonderful it is?”
“Seriously? It being messed up is exactly what we need. No one in all the world, looking at your life will think you're a greater demon right now. Keep this up and you may even survive for a while.” The demon grinned and patted her on the shoulder, her face dropping into a sad look as she faced the school again.
They walked in together, both trudging a bit, the grief they felt, the worry, not totally faked. At least not by Keeley. What Darla really felt wasn't as clear. Still, no one watched them as they walked. Not at first.
“Just remember Keeley. I'm your new best friend. I won't let anything happen to you. Not if I can help it.”
Keeley snorted gently as people, mainly boys, turned to look at them.
“Thanks, I have a feeling I'm going to need the help.”
Even then, she knew, it probably wouldn't work. Taking a few seconds she remembered to feel confident and alert, making sure she paid attention to everything as well as she could. That was the only real thing she could do at the moment. Keep herself sharp and ready for anything.
Then she kept walking.
Keep going. That was all she could really do at the moment.
That and hope no one noticed her. Then, really, Keeley was good at that. No one noticed her most of the time, not really.
It was like a power of hers.
Darla took her hand and they went in to the building. People noticed though. Now, when she didn't want them to, they all saw her. Keeley sighed.
“Wonderful.”
Now all she had to do was manage to survive. That shouldn't be hard to do.
Not at all.
The idea nearly made her laugh, but instead she kept walking and let herself feel grief again, matching everyone else around her as they walked to class, as if that could possibly be important now.
But then, really, what was?
She didn't know, but Keeley had an odd feeling she was about to find out soon.
Very soon.