Regina (22 page)

“So? What would that mean?”

“It would mean the person would have no
choice where they lived or who they lived with. The spell prohibits
them from leaving.” Just as those words came out of Bill’s mouth,
his hands stopped moving on the keyboard, and he turned around. Our
wide our eyes met, I knew exactly what he was thinking. “Oh shit,
Regina!”

“No Bill, that would make no sense! I know
what you’re thinking but why would my parents want to ‘bind’ me to
that town?”

“You’re not thinking about it right, Regina!
They weren’t trying to bind you to Lee. They were trying to bind
you to something called ‘Law’ or ‘The Law’. What the hell is the
Law?”

I shrugged. “The police?”

“No. It couldn’t be something like that.”
Bill turned back around and began typing again. “Regina, I’m going
to call some friends of mine and get some more information on this
Law. I’ll let you once I know something. I’m positive if I find the
Law…….”

“No worries Bill. I don’t care anymore. I’m
so happy I’m leaving this place, I don’t think I’ll ever
return.”

“I know. The next time we meet will be in New
York.” Bill laughed. “Now remember our safe plan?”

“Yes, Bill!” I laughed. Bill said I was to
call him before my flight left Austin International airport and
again after I arrived landed safely in New York. He said if he
didn’t get both calls, he would go to the police. He even offered
to hire someone to travel with me to ensure I arrived home. It was
a sweet offer, but I declined it. Bill did promise to visit me in
two weeks to make sure everything with my parents was back to
normal. It made me feel so much better to have Bill in my life. I
don’t know what would’ve happened to me if I hadn’t found him.

“See you in New York, Bill!” I kissed him on
his cheek and gave him another massive hug. We parted with
reluctance.

I deeply regret not accepting Bill’s offer to
stay with him until it was time for me to leave for the
airport.

Chapter
Twenty-eight

Before I went back to the City, I wanted to
drive on the back roads one last time. It would be like I would be
leaving all those terrible dreams and visions behind on those
roads. It will be my last time. Mom and dad said we would come back
to visit, but I knew it would never happen. Once they got back into
their lives in the city, they would forget all about this place and
the people forced to live in it.

I needed gas. Argh! Again?! If I remembered
correctly, there was a convenience store right before I hit the
county road. It was owned by the widow, Shirley Riggs. Mom said she
worked there with Shirley while she was in high school. Shirley was
an attractive lady in her early fifties. The single men mostly went
to her store to flirt with her in hopes she would give them her
attention, but her heart would always belong to her deceased
husband. Always.

I parked in the front of the store, and
walked inside. Shirley was sitting to the right of the store,
behind a chair and table, counting the day’s totals. Her red hair
shined brightly in the light. It was perfectly straight and soft at
the top but flared with curls at the bottom. Proud of her hair, she
was. She smiled that perfect white smile at me as I walked in,
those double dimples always made me smile. I didn’t recognize the
lady behind the register. Her hazel eyes looked at me briefly as I
came inside. On my way to the coolers in the back, I heard a
familiar voice. I grabbed bottled water from the cooler and titled
my head to the left, trying to listen closer. I knew that voice! I
started walking the aisles, trying to find him.

“Ha-V!” I shouted. It was Javier Juanson. He
was once my best friend at the Will Lawson Academy. As a joke
everyone spelled his name Ha-V instead of the traditional Javier. I
loved him so much as a friend, but he moved away two years ago.
What was he doing in this town? I felt so much warmth rush over me
that I was almost in tears when I saw him. At first, he didn’t seem
to hear me.

“Ha-V? What are you doing here?” I asked
louder, with a giggle in my voice.

Ha-V looked at me for a moment. His eyes
looked confused, as if he didn’t know who I was. His gaze seemed to
be looking me right in the eyes, but a little above. My forehead??
I scrunched my eyebrows together and put my hand automatically to
my head. Did I have something on me?

This was definitely Ha-V. This was my friend
that I cared for as a best friend and brother for many years. I
couldn’t mistake him for another. His looks were not the same but
it was definitely Ha-V. His brown hair was straight, long and
parted in the middle. The clothes he wore was perfect, a blue and
white striped shirt fit his frame magnificently with his black
jeans. Wow, Ha-V sure changed a lot in two years. Maybe I did to
because he still didn’t seem to recognize me.

“It’s Regina.” I paused. “We went to Will
Lawson together? Freshman year?”

Just as quickly as the look of confusion
came, it was gone. “Regina.” He said silkily, full of confidence.
“Yes, we did go there together, of course. How are you?

I don’t remember my response. This guy wasn’t
the Ha-V I use to love like a brother. Gone were his lively voice,
his bright eyes, and crazy hands. Ha-V always had a habit of using
his hands when he talked, it added to his charm. His voice was
always up and full of fun. My friend had certainly changed. He was
replaced with a dark, well reserved man. Even his eyes seemed
darker.

“Well, you have to excuse my eyes. I had
surgery to correct them.” He said.

I blushed. Getting caught staring is
embarrassing!

“So, what brings you to Lee? The fine
cuisine, country shopping and early closing hours are hard to
resist. Compared to New York.” I said with a giggle.

Ha-V giggled and reached out to hug me. It
felt so good to be with a friend who I cared about. Feeling Ha-V’s
arms around me made me miss home.

I felt more compelled to leave Lee in Ha-V’s
presence. The warm hug he gave me was like my old life wrapping
itself around me again. All I had to do was get through the dance
tonight and one more week of school, and I would be home.

“I came to see a friend. This is Parker and
Jenn.” He nodded to his friends.

“Well, this is a cool coincidence! Are you
girls from here? I haven’t seen you at school?” I asked.

“No, we’re from Tomball.” Jenn said she too
was staring at some spot over my eyes.

I looked closely at the one called Jenn. I
couldn’t tell if I had seen her before, but something about her was
familiar. Her pale face was skinny and her bones stuck out of her
shoulders. Misery filled her face and she looked at me hungrily. I
felt a little uneasy and shifted my focus back to Ha-V.

“I miss everyone from home and it is awesome
to see you here! I’m leaving next Saturday for the City but I’ll be
back.” I lied and laughed. “Actually, I won’t be back. I’m going
back to New York.”

Ha-V smiled at me reassuringly and put his
hand on my shoulder. I laughed and it felt good. I looked up into
Ha-V’s eyes again and remembered the good times with my dear
friends. I could of Ha-V, the real Ha-V. I couldn’t put my finger
on what was different about him but Ha-V was still the same person,
kind of.

“Why don’t you come with us? We’re heading
out to the old country club.” He asked. His eyes were filled with
sympathy.

The old country club? Where was that? Though
it didn’t really matter, I’d give anything to get out with
friends.

“Sure. I’d love to. Thanks Havs.”

As we drove away in Ha-V’s car, I began to
feel so much better. I was getting away with friends, I was going
to laugh and not think about the video and its aftermath. His nice
little Toyota had no problem getting us out of town quickly. Ha-V
rocked the Foo Fighters as we drove at high speed towards the road.
I’ve been down these roads for four months now and I didn’t
remember a country club.

I was in the backseat with Parker. She didn’t
talk much. The black haired, voluptuous girl seemed shy. She stared
outside the car window the entire trip. I tried to make
conversation between the group but no one seemed interested.

“Where is this club at?” I shouted. The
windows were open and it was hard to hear anyone thru the
music.

“You’ll see!” He answered.

I sat back. This really wasn’t fun. Maybe
Ha-V saw the disappointment in my face or felt my isolation, he
rolled up the windows and turned down the music to have a
conversation with me.

“How is the gang back at old Lawson?” He
asked. It was a short conversation, Ha-V has only been gone less
than two years, and not much had changed at school.

Ha-V said something but I missed it when I
saw we turned off the main road. I never saw this road before. We
were on Highway 290 but we turned off a different road to get on
the back roads. Everything was different but I had a strange
sensation I had been here before on this road. I began looking out
the window harder, trying to find a landmark that would jog my
memory. It was fully dark now and hard to see, so I squinted
harder.

“Regina? Did you hear me?” Ha-V asked.

“Sorry, I didn’t. I…I have the strangest
feeling I’ve been down this road before but I don’t remember
driving it.”

“That’s ok.” He laughed. “I was asking if you
were still seeing that guy, Daryl.”

“Oh no!” I laughed too. “He and I stopped
seeing each other about four months after you left. I started
seeing Jeff Hamrel after that. We were together for less than a
year.” I stopped. My feelings about the breakup and not speaking to
each other left me feeling terribly guilty.

“Were?” Our eyes met in the rearview mirror.
“Did you break up?”

“Yes. I broke up with him for a guy here. I
don’t think you would know him. His name is Steven Rank.” I
said.

The girls perked up a little when I said
Steven’s name. Did they know him?

“I don’t know him.” Ha-V said. “Must be a
pretty awesome guy if you broke up with Jeff for him.”

“That’s the funny thing Ha-V, Steven isn’t an
awesome guy. I thought he was at first, but I can’t tell you why I
began liking him in the first place. I almost felt compelled to.” I
blurted.

The little confessional we were having
worked, I didn’t remember the way we came and had no idea where we
were. At this point, I almost didn’t care. I finally admitted to
myself and everyone in this car that I didn’t know why I was with
Steven, and what compelled me to break up with Jeff for him.

“Hormones.” Ha-V called from the front
seat.

This time everyone laughed. The good feelings
came back and I relaxed in the seat. I looked over at Parker and
Jenn. They were laughing and looking at each other as if they got
the true joke and I didn’t. Before I could think about it further,
Ha-V began slowing down.

He turned right down a private driveway and
after a mile, we drove up to the back of an enormous house. The
black roof was above the tree line and towered over the wide
backyard. Light tan and white stones covered the outside walls.
White decorative lights were strung from the trees to the house. I
could see a couple of people sitting on the patio furniture in the
backyard as we drove up. This place sure didn’t look old.

“You sure this isn’t the ‘new’ country club?”
I joked.

He stopped the car, and I wondered what was
going on when a man stepped up to Ha-V’s window.

Where did he come from?

Ha-V rolled down his window and told the guy
we were here for the party. My nerves untwined when he said this. A
party! I was starting to get excited now. I could have one last
blast before I leave. My mind raced with the guest list. Who was
coming? Katie hadn’t spoken to me in days, I wondered if she would
be here. Then again, tonight was the dance, so I didn’t think she
would be here. I was very happy to miss that stupid dance.

In my excitement, I never noticed the guard
eyeing me with amazement.

Ha-V rolled up the window and backed up.
Seems we had to park in the woods behind the house. I knew this
method, it kept the cars from view in case a neighbor wanted to get
nosy. Ha-V parked us deep in the forest. As we left the car behind,
we put the location in our cell phone maps. Ha-V gave me the keys
when we got out. At this point I had two sets of keys, Ha-V’s and
mine. My truck was in the parking lot of the convenience store.

“Don’t want you to get left behind.” He said,
his face hidden in the darkness.

We were walking to the house/club when a
voice called from the woods. We stopped. Sure enough we soon heard
a call of help from the forest.

“That’s Jeremy.” Jenn said. “I think he’s
lost. Wait here, I’ll go get him.”

Jenn took off into the woods and the three of
us waited for a few minutes. We made small talk when I noticed the
light coming from the other side of the trees. Was it the
party?

“Hey! I think I see light! Maybe we’re not
too far away.” I said and walked to the tree line. Nobody seemed to
be paying attention to what I was doing.

Thru the bushes and branches I saw three
people go into the backdoor and into the club. I looked behind me
and saw the rest of the group talking. Jenn was about to come thru
the trees with the guy. Ha-V and Parker were watching the opposite
direction. I took the opportunity to step thru the trees and up to
the house.

It was romantic with the soft lights and warm
colors on the stones. The grass was wet and smelled fresh as if it
had been cut today. Rose bushes lined the right side of the house.
Feeling as if I just stepped into a movie, I closed my eyes and
inhaled the country air. I stopped when I heard the sucking
noise.

On the patio, there were two people entwined
on the couch. The patio furniture was light blue cushions on white
wicker. A man and a woman were there. Not wanting to disturb them,
I looked away and almost backed back into the tree line again.
However, I was close to the club and could see into one of the
windows.