Eye of the Storm (The Charmed) (6 page)

“Do you think the girls can?”

“I don’t know. I don’t even remember why we were driving. I’m exhausted today and I’ve lost two weeks. Do you think someone messed with us?”

Jaden ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe. I don’t know. All I know is every time I try and think about anything to do with Chase my mind slips away off him to whatever is sitting in front of me. Today it was a peanut-butter sandwich. I stared at that thing for ten minutes before I realized what I was doing.

Brendan had stopped. Jaden turned around to look at him. “What?”

“Same thing happened to me. I was trying to figure out where the hell I had been and when I tried to put my mind on it, I ended up standing in the shower looking at coconut body wash until the water got cold.”

A gust of wind blew past them. Jaden looked up at the sky, a storm was blowing in. He looked at Brendan for a minute longer and realized with a start that he looked nothing like his parents. Brendan’s parents had sharp lines. Each had a long nose, sharp angular cheekbones and thin lips that drew together when they were mad. They both were stick thin, lanky and tall and both at one time had jet-black hair. Brendan was big in size, not just huge shoulders but thick. He had blonde hair and a round face with softer features. Jaden tucked the information away, it wasn’t for now.

Brendan hadn’t noticed Jaden staring at him, he had been preoccupied with a movement in the water. “Alligator.” He pointed at the long log-like thing floating in the water. He turned back to Jaden. “Storm’s coming in fast, let’s go get the girls.” They walked back quickly to Brendan’s house and kept going past, crossing the street to a two story house on the right side.

Jaden had knots in his stomach, he always did when he was anywhere near Kayla. They rang the doorbell and a moment later she opened the door. She was dressed in white yoga pants, white cropped top, her hair was in a ponytail and she was breathing heavy. Brendan looked past her to the television. “Television yoga?”

She crossed her arms and glared at Brendan. “Yeah, so?”

He put his hands up in defense. “Nothing, just making an observation.”

Jaden diffused the situation, “Kayla, could you come over? Brendan and I were working through some things,” Jaden looked quickly to Brendan’s house, “And things aren’t adding up.”

Kayla turned her attention to Jaden and looked directly into his eyes. “Yeah, sure, let me get my purse.” She turned and walked back into the house. She came out a minute later changed into shorts and a t-shirt locking the door behind her.

They drove quietly to Harley’s house which was around the corner. When Jaden pulled up they all looked out the windows cautiously. Harley’s house was a small two story that looked haunted in its run-down state. The garden was so overgrown in front you had to step on plants to reach the front door. The house had a few shutters hanging precariously from one nail and the color the house used to be might have been tan. It was hard to tell through the green mossy color creeping up from below.

Brendan looked at Jaden. “I got this.”

“Brendan.”

“What?” He looked at Jaden defensively.

“The house looks a lot rougher than last year.”

“It’s hard to help when the old man won’t let you.” He slammed the door and walked precariously up the front walk to the door. A few minutes later Harley answered, listened to Brendan, shouted something over her shoulder and followed Brendan to the truck, they both started to run when the rain drops began.

The group sat in silence until they reached Jaden’s house. The sky overhead was dark and the rain came in swift and violent. They all ran into the house trying to dodge lightning. After they settled in, Jaden brought the note out for everyone to see.

Harley read it twice and looked up, “What’s Occlumency?”

Jaden shook his head, “I don’t know. I figure I must have known once but it’s just… not there. It’s not just the past two weeks either, I can’t remember pieces of the last year. I know we graduated high school and then nothing. Can any of you remember why Chase is gone?”

“I know he’s with Lyla. I know I hate that name but I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I’m supposed to marry Chase and didn’t? I just don’t know.” Kayla smoothed out her hair.

Jaden looked away and then down at the ground. It was an old story and he was a bit tired of hearing about it.

Harley stood up, “Two weeks! It’s like we’ve been erased, but by who?”

Brendan looked up. “I don’t know, anyone else?”

They all muttered a resounding no.

Jaden stood up. “We’re getting nowhere. All of us are starting college soon and I can’t even remember which one.”

“I’m going to William and Mary.” Harley looked down at her hands, avoiding Brendan’s shocked gaze. A boom of thunder shook the one story house.

“What happened to University of Florida?” Brendan wouldn’t let her off the hook.

“I changed my mind.”

“You have this stupid opinion that we’re broken up–we’re not. As soon as you realize this we can get on with our life. You’re going to UF with me!” Brendan projected his voice a little too forcefully.

“No I’m not and we
are
broken up!”

“Harley, stop it.” Brendan lowered his voice.

“No.”

Brendan clenched his teeth. “Yes.”

Harley lowered her eyes until the glare was sufficient. “What makes you think I have any intention of being with someone who can’t even defend me in front of their parents?”

“I told you Harley, I’ve tried!”

“You obviously didn’t try hard enough. I can’t be with someone who is ashamed to defend me.”

Brendan opened his mouth to say something but she put her hand up to silence him. “I was just invited to the masquerade, the one your parents put on every year?”

Brendan stopped. “When?”

“Just this morning, someone I met at the end of the year. He’s not ashamed to be seen with me at the dance.”

“Harley, stop it! I’ve never been ashamed! I was trying to protect you. That dance is for old people who want to show off!” The room had darkened from the storm outside. Jaden leaned over and turned on a lamp.

“You might have thought you were protecting me, but when I look back on all the years I wasted with you, we were never seen anywhere together; just school and my house or here. Actions speak louder than words, Brendan. Never at one of your parents parties. Never at the big Christmas blowout. Not even the simple New Year’s party. You’ve never been seen with me in public, around your family’s friends, no one.” She spit the last of the words out, hate radiating out from her body. She turned and walked out of the house straight into the storm. Jaden alarmed started going after her.

Brendan stopped him, “She’s already halfway down the street, she’ll be fine. Sorry guys.” He opened up the front door and went the opposite direction as Harley to walk home.

“Well, that didn’t go very well.” Jaden said

“Nope. Guess I’ll head out too.”

Jaden looked up at the clock on the mantle above the fireplace and noticed it was late afternoon. “Wanna stay for dinner? I make killer spaghetti.”

“Sorry, this place reminds me too much of Chase.”

“Tell you what. I’m hungry and you need to eat too. Why don’t we go to Black and Brew? It’s a coffee place, at the park. They have amazing food…”

Kayla smiled. “Okay.”

“Great. Let me change my shirt. I’ll be right back.” Jaden was freaking out. This was his chance to show Kayla what life could be like out from Chase’s shadow. He loved Chase like a brother but sometimes it was hard to get girls to notice him as someone other than Chase’s friend.

“Ready?” Jaden entered the room.

“Yep.” Kayla stood up and followed Jaden to the door. She peeked out at the sky. “Wow, that was a quick storm, there’s already blue sky up there.”

“Gotta love Florida.” Jaden smiled.

When they arrived at Black and Brew they ordered two cappuccinos and a meal that contained truffle oil.

They sat at tables outside. It was the first week in July, the downtown was buzzing with energy and kids. Twenty-something’s walked to the local bars, Harry’s Seafood Bar and Grill was packed. Little kids ran through the park while tweens collected at every corner in packs divided into emos and preps. It was twilight and the air had a sparkle to it, partly from being doused by rain an hour before.

“I love it here.” Kayla sighed.

“Really? I thought you always seemed restless.”

Kayla looked over at Jaden, noticing him for the first time. “No. Not about Lakeland. I was always restless about summer.”

“Your family isn’t leaving this summer on one of those huge trips?”

“They left already.”

“Without you?” Jaden was appalled.

Kayla gave a shy smile. “Not everybody’s life is peachy, Jaden.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that I never left on vacation with them.” She sighed showing signs of exhaustion.

“But you were always gone when they were gone. Did you stay at a relative’s house?”

“No, just drop it, okay?”

An eerie feeling was beginning to creep up Jaden’s neck. “Kayla, what is it? Where did you go?”

“I’ve never traveled with them Jaden, okay? They went on those trips alone. They placed a spell on the house. I couldn’t get out I couldn’t even open a window. I had to ration the food in the fridge and pantry.” She blurted it out in a fast cadence.

Jaden sat up. “Kayla.” Jaden was trying to temper his anger down but it was hard. “They were gone for two months every summer! You mean to tell me that every summer, when we all thought you were gone, you were really held prisoner in your house?”

She looked up and held his gaze. “Yep.”

“Why didn’t you tell us sooner? We could have helped.” Angry tears were forming in the back of Jaden’s eyes.

“You know how we’re pretty much under our parents control until we’re eighteen?”

“Yes.”

“I turned eighteen a few weeks ago. I don’t remember my birthday at all. And when I got back, my parents left that night. None of the spells took. I waved goodbye from the window and walked out the door after they left.”

“Kayla, they’ve been leaving ever since I could remember.” Jaden put a hand on his head. “How old were you when they started leaving you alone?”

“Six”

Jaden’s eyebrows raised, his mouth hung open.

“It was that or go back to the way it was before, and I couldn’t, I just couldn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

Kayla stopped talking and looked out at the park. “How did we get on this subject anyway?”

Jaden stayed quiet, he was afraid if he spoke she would shatter into a million pieces.

“My aunt and uncle used to stay with me.”

“Until you were five?” Jaden spoke low and quiet.

“Yeah.” Kayla’s answer came out in a whisper.

“Why did you stay alone after five, Kayla?” Jaden needed to know this.

“My uncle he used to sneak into my room at night when my aunt was asleep. He was a bad man and nobody believed me.” Kayla put a hand to her face. “He got what he deserved, the bastard.” Kayla turned her head toward Jaden, her face a mask of stone. Tears shone in her green eyes but she refused to let them fall. “They never found the spell to reverse it.”

Jaden paled. “Never found the spell to reverse what?”

Kayla looked out at the park. “I turned him into a badger. The miserable SOB is the family pet now. Of course, Aunt Meg never forgave me.”

They settled into silence again.

Jaden took a drink of his coffee. The anger he felt for what Kayla had been through was mounting.

“Jaden, I’ve never told anyone that story. I don’t know why I told you. Please don’t tell anyone. My parents sent me to a mental hospital that summer and every week I see what mom calls my ‘therapist’. But what he really is, is a Bender.”

“I’m sorry, a what?”

“It’s just like it sounds. A Bender is someone who bends someone’s will. They’ve been trying to get the spell code to break the hold on my uncle. They’ll never get it.” Kayla looked back at the park and took a drink of her cappuccino. “They think I don’t know who he is. I could tell he was one from a mile away.”

“Do you still go?”

“Not while they’re gone.”

Jaden thought for a moment. “So when you found out Chase was married, it was like your chance to get the hell out of there had been taken from you. In your mind, you’re trapped now.”

Kayla nodded. She set her coffee down and looked up into his eyes.

“I could never quite get it right, ya know? I wanted to have that dream of leaving so bad that I forgot to put it into action. Before I could blink, the dream was gone.”

Jaden reached out and clasped Kayla’s hand, she squeezed his hand back and looked at his face. He had kind eyes. They were different from Chase’s wild, reckless ones. She felt comforted but was cautious. Everyone had let her down including Chase. Why would Jaden be any different?

The talk switched to the past two weeks. “So I call a meeting to find out what happened to our last two weeks and Harley and Brendan get into a fight and we go out to dinner.”

Kayla laughed, it was a welcome sound. Their food arrived steaming on white china plates. Kayla dived into the warm rich flavor of the steak and truffled Portobello. “God, I love the food here. Who thinks of roasting mushrooms in truffle oil, anyway? And at a coffee shop?”

“Me too. Actually, I just love coming here. You can’t get a better date than dinner at Black and Brew and a walk around the lake.” Jaden nodded toward the promenade to the right of the town square that went around Lake Mirror.

“I wouldn’t know.”

Jaden set his fork down. “You dated that guy, what’s his name, Mike Thomas? Didn’t you guys ever come here?”

Kayla groaned. “Don’t remind me. The worst two months of my life.”

“What do you mean? I thought he seemed nice.” Jaden didn’t really. He knew him from football and would place him in the dick category.

“Let’s just say that a walk around the lake would have been tame. Most nights it was wings at Hooters and then me fending his hands off my ass.”

Jaden almost spit his food up. Jaden heard about it and knew Kayla wouldn’t break up with him so he hit him with a spell that made him change his perception of her. It was a nasty thing to do but he just couldn’t bear the thought of this asshole with her.