Rae of Hope (The Chronicles of Kerrigan) (16 page)

“Were you teasing Beth?” Devon whispered.

“Crap! You scared me.” She slapped him lightly on the shoulder. “No sneaking up on people tonight. It’s against the rules.”

“Rules? I didn’t know there were rules. Any more I should know about?” He laughed.

Rae rolled her eyes at him. “For the record, I didn’t bug Beth. She asked me if my parents had money. I told her my parents had passed.” She shrugged. “I guess she felt embarrassed for mentioning it.”

Devon’s dimple appeared. “After seeing you walk in tonight, I guess Beth’s got some issues with me tutoring you.” He grinned. After pausing a moment, he pointed to her head and quietly added, “I like it. It’s different than your usual ponytail.”

Rae touched her hair, twirling a lock around her fingers.

Devon coughed. “Well, I should probably get back over to Beth, or I won’t hear the end of it.” He sighed, his eyes traveling back and forth from Beth to Rae. His gaze lingered on her.

“Are you banned from talking to other girls tonight, or is it just girls from Guilder?” She tried putting on her most innocent face.
Seems I’m not the only one with rules.

“Originally, it was just the Guilder girls, and then you walked into the Oratory looking all beautiful. When Beth found out you’re the girl I tutor, I was mainly banned from talking to you.” Devon grinned mischievously. “Personally, it’s worth the risk. However, I’d better head over before she has a coronary.”

Rae didn’t want him to walk away but didn’t know what to say to make him stay. She clenched her hands, feeling her nails dig into her palms.
Beautiful…he thinks I’m beautiful…
Rae was full of competing emotions.

Devon took a few steps toward Beth. A slower country song started playing and he paused. “Ahh, screw it.” He turned around, his dimple appearing on his cheek.

“Pardon?” Rae raised her eyebrows at him, wondering what he meant.

He reached for her hand and pulled her to the dance floor. “If she can’t understand I’m only trying to help a friend fit in, then she can brew.”

Like a witch.
Rae’s heart stuttered faster than her feet as she stumbled to keep up with him. She suddenly felt lightheaded, his warm, rough-skinned hand against hers her the only anchor she knew. She wondered if he worked out. It felt like even the tendons in his hand were super strong. If Beth stood scowling at her, Rae had no idea. She couldn’t focus on anything past Devon’s back, then his face when he turned around. He released her hand and slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her tight.

His body felt firm and muscular as she tentatively brought her hands around his neck. They fit together in all the right places. Perfect. Not too tall and her forearms rested comfortably along his chest and shoulders. She felt his upper body shake and brought her eyes up to meet his. She was shaking deep inside, as well.

Then she saw the crinkle by his eyes and realized he was laughing. Not mocking, but a guy’s way of giggling. “Wha -- ”

“The song.”

She cocked an ear and tried to make out what the band was playing. When the chorus started, she recognized it and smiled, whispering the words to the song. “…Things will change…People will see…The walls…la la na de da…will fall.”

“Don’t know the words? Just seems to be your song. Things changing, you knocking down some walls, you against the world.”

“Hey, you’re the one who taught me about my past. This is your fault.” She squeezed his neck lightly, loving the feel of his soft hair against her fingers.

He pulled her tight against his hips, trapping her arms against his lean chest. His eyes grew wide, but he didn’t release her. Neither said another word and too soon, the song finished.

Devon’s hands slid across her back as the last chord rang out. She took a small step back, only to bump into someone very warm and tall.

“Hey,” Andy said. “I planned to ask you to dance. You didn’t have to jump right into my arms.” He winked at Devon as he spun Rae around in a circle. “Your girlfriend seems pretty pissed.”

It seemed like it took a conscious effort for Devon to pull his eyes away from Rae’s. “Who…What? Oh shoot, Beth. I gotta go.” He slipped away before Rae had a chance to say anything.

“So,” Andy said as an upbeat slow song came from the band on the stage. “You’ve had your American cheeseburger, what about the British werewolf?”

Rae stared at him blankly. Her thoughts were still on Devon, wondering what he was doing behind her.

“The movie. You know,
American Werewolf in London
. It’s from, like, eons ago. Probably the seventies.” Andy’s large, sweaty, hot hands pressed against her mid back as he stepped on her toe. She couldn’t help but compare his clumsy presence to Devon’s effortless performance.

“Oh yeah. I watched that with my uncle years ago.” Rae began concentrating on keeping her tender toes from turning into mashed potatoes. She didn’t get Andy’s joke or what he hinted at.

“My bad. I’m a bit into all the werewolf movies at the moment.” Andy swung her around and Rae banged into a couple dancing beside them, earning a pair of dirty looks.

Thankfully, the song ended in time to save her toes and eardrums from Andy. He was really nice, but she just wasn’t interested.
I thought he’d never stop talking!

The rest of the evening sped by. As Molly and Rae waited for Maria and Haley to come outside, they watched the Roe Hampton girls step into their bus. Unable to turn away, Rae watched Devon walk a now happy Beth to her bus, then kiss her in front of everyone. The taste of jealousy lingered in Rae’s mouth and no amount of swallowing helped.

Chapter 13

Mail

October
drifted, like the leaves, into November. Her magical dance with Devon and the subsequent disappointment of seeing him kiss Beth didn’t fade so much as it became lower on her list of important things. Midterm exams kept everyone busy. Rae excelled in all her classes, pleased to send a good midterm report back home.

The week of her birthday she received a thick letter in the mail from her uncle. She dashed up the marble stairs, hoping Molly wouldn’t be in their room. Instinct told her she needed to be alone when she read it.

Rae opened the door and stopped dead in her tracks. Molly sat at her desk working on her laptop. Rae glanced around the room for an escape. She spotted her wool sweater on the back of her chair. She ran in, grabbed the sweater and turned back for the door.

“Hey, you just got in. Where’re you going now?” Molly didn’t bother to look up from her computer.

“Hi.” Rae quickly hid the letter under her sweater. Not that it mattered, Molly paid her no attention. “I’m just going to head out for a walk before dinner. For once, it’s not raining.”

“Cool. I’m still trying to fix my computer.” She hit the top of her desk with a vengeance. “I buggered it up the other day when I tried to use my tatù in the room. Stupid electricity!”

“Good luck.” Rae pulled the door shut behind her.

She trotted down the stairs and outside into the brisk air. She thought about the past week as she headed down the concrete steps. Dean Carter had come to talk to her over the weekend to remind her again he expected her to sleep in the Infirmary the night of her birthday. He said the school felt it would be in her best interest if she was there when she woke up with her
tatù
-- a better way to help explain her ink and learn to control it. She couldn’t be sure if the dean felt it was for her benefit or for the school’s. She didn’t argue, only because it hadn’t really been a choice or a question and it didn’t really matter in the end. So, whether she liked it or not, Rae would be spending the night of the fourteenth of November at the stupid Infirmary.

She’d kept silent about the mix-up on her birth certificate.
It’s the one thing I can do on my own. I’ve every right to experience this the way I want, like everyone else.

Striding past the buildings, she decided to take the path that led through the forest. She’d been on it a number of times in the past month, on walks with Andy, Riley and Nicholas. She felt like a broken record, always maintaining she just wanted to be friends with each of them. Each said they understood but continued to vie for her attention. Even reminding them of the unwritten code didn’t seem to deter them. It soon got tiring trying not to hurt anyone’s feelings.

As she headed toward the forest, she contemplated telling Devon the truth about her birthday. After all, it would be nice to have one person she could completely confide in. Checking her watch, she stumbled, realizing her birthday fell on Friday -- the thirteenth. No way would she tell Devon. Plus if he got caught knowing, Dean Carter would probably have his head on a platter and she didn’t want to leave him in that situation.

Rae entered into the quiet forest, continuing on the path until she came to the first park bench and plopped down. The cool wind turned into a light breeze inside the forest. The temperature actually felt a few degrees warmer. Relieved no one was around, she pulled out Uncle Argyle’s letter.

Inside the large envelope were two cards. One a faded pink with creased corners and rather thick, and the other had Uncle Argyle’s quirky handwriting with a note for her to open first. She tore the backing, pulling the card out. A single sheet of paper lay inside, again in the quirky writing.

Dear Rae,

I thought to write or phone you many times. I simply did not have the courage to answer your questions. I’m sorry for that. I promised your mother a long time ago I wouldn't tell you about your ink until the right time. It never seemed to be the right time. When Guilder offered me the chance to have them explain, I believed that was in your best interest. The school knows how to tell you, and the students are whom you’d need to be around. I’m sure you’ve learned about your mother and me. Please do not think ill of me. I never once felt jealous of your mom, and I tried to help her as much as I could. Your mother was very special, and it broke me when she fell in love with your father. I was frustrated with her and kept telling her she’d be making the biggest mistake of her life. I should have done more but, as always, I lacked the courage. When you were born, you became her lesson of love. You were worth everything she had sacrificed and endured.

I hope you’re able to remember her and recall how much she loved you. Your father had other plans and grew furious when she refused to give him another child -- the son he so desired. She knew something was going to come to pass. She sent me a letter to ask me to take care of you should anything happen. She also sent an envelope I should give you on your sixteenth birthday. I’ve enclosed it with this letter.

Your aunt and I wish you a wonderful birthday. Aunt Linda knows nothing about the ink-stamp, as I have never told her.

I fear for you and what your ink might be. You are a smart girl and I see so much of your mother in you. However, I repeat the words I told you before you left:

You can’t undo the past. The sins of the father are the sins of the son. I wish you all the best as you figure out your talents and find out who you are.

Sincerely,

Your uncle Argyle

Rae sat staring at the letter for a long time. It took all her courage to turn to the decade-old envelope beside her. Inside were the last words her mother had wanted to tell her, the last piece of advice she would ever give Rae. Tears welled up in her eyes for the mother she’d lost. It felt like she was losing her mom all over again. However, this time she knew what she’d be missing and how much it hurt.