The Step Sister vs. Cinderella

Chapter 34

            A particularly large drop of rain hit Paige right in the middle of the part on her head, jerking her out of the half trance she was in. Her eyes felt heavy but still she pushed herself back slightly, enough that she could see the face of the person she was snuggled against. She was relieved, and a bit embarrassed, to see it was Axton. “What happened?” she asked, feeling like she’d somehow gained a hundred pounds as she dozed.

            He squeezed the hand he already held, worried eyes looking down at her. “You told me you were drugged. You said you had seen pixies. Are you still seeing them?”

            She winced. “No. I’m not seeing pixies. How the hell did I get drugged? We were both watching my drink obsessively. It didn’t leave my hand until I was done with it. And I got it from the canteen so no one could be sure I’d get the drugged one.”

            Axton reached out and carefully picked up the soaked sticker from beside him. “I believe this was the cause. It was the only unusual thing I could find on your person so I removed it. Since you are recovering, I can only assume that it is responsible for your actions.”

            Paige took it from him carefully, looking it over. The front was a plain white sticker with a twelve written on it. The underside was familiar to her. She’d seen them as a child, when her mother had quit smoking for the final time. “It’s a nicotine patch. I bet you, whoever did this put the drug in so it’d go in with the nicotine. Damn. It’s smart.”

            “I do not care if it is smart. No, that would be an untruth. I am more concerned that the individual responsible for this is smart. It puts you at further risk. Who was it that gave you this?” he replied, his voice just barely above a growl as he nodded at the patch she still held.

            “It…I-I don’t remember. I was in the bathroom and then there was someone else there. She said something and then she gave me this. There was something about a raffle and then…I think I remember hearing someone laughing?” Her voice got quieter, until it was a whisper, her eyes falling to her lap.

            He frowned. “I do not understand. If it were a man…but from what you have said, this person is female. Why would they wish you in such a state?”

            She snorted and met his eyes. “The gym entrance closest to the girl’s bathroom is also the door the cop is on. One mention of pixies in front of him and I’d have gotten arrested. Whoever’s doing this obviously had a grudge against me. And access to drugs because whatever they gave me this time was different from the bush party. I remembered everything after that and was only feeling really good about everything. This time though…I was really hallucinating. Thanks for coming for me. If you hadn’t…well I’d probably have gotten arrested or would have done something incredibly stupid.”

            “As long as it is within my power to do so, I will do my utmost to keep you from harm,” he said, his eyes holding hers as he spoke. Then he looked away. “Is it not possible that your enemy is…your…that man?”

            Paige’s forehead wrinkled for a moment then she shook her head, smiling slightly. “No, it wasn’t Wyatt. It’s not his style. Especially not after our public reconciliation. Well, not exactly reconciliation, but a truce at the very least. He’d look stupid if the next thing he did was try and…” A sudden thought made her pause. “You might be on to something. I have an idea of who might have done this but I’m going to have to go talk to Wyatt.”

            Axton’s arms tightened around her as his eyebrows snapped together. She sighed and reached up to pat his cheek. “I know. I don’t like him much either but there’s not much of a choice. We need his help. Heck, if who I think is behind this is, he’ll owe us the help.”

            He sighed. “Then there is no choice,” he said, reluctantly releasing his hold on her. Before she could move, he jumped off the picnic table and held out both hands to her.

            Paige smiled and grabbed one of them as she scooted off the edge of the table. Only when she stood did she realize how wet she was. Her hair was slick to her skull, her clothes heavy in some places and dry where she’d been pressed against Axton. She blushed slightly and said “How long have we been out here?”

            “I am not certain. At least a few dozen minutes. Less than an hour I feel.”

            She winced. “Let’s hope the girls aren’t worried. Or worse, that Mr. Hayes finds out I’ve been gone that long. He’s good friends with Vally and Darren and while he probably wouldn’t rat on me, his girlfriend Mia would. She really likes my sister. I didn’t see her here but that doesn’t mean anything.”

            Axton flushed. “I had not thought…your reputation! To be alone with a man for as long as we have-”

            Paige cut him off with a finger to the lips, her own twitching into a smile. “As I’ve told you before, things here are different. No one will care. If the girls know you’re with me, then they won’t have worried. Now, c’mon. Before something else happens. With my luck, one of us will get hit by lightning.”

            He froze until she took his hand and pulled him along behind her. He shook himself free before they reached the doors, dropping her hand only so he could run ahead and hold one of them open for her. She chuckled, waiting just inside until he joined her, noticing that his hair was also dripping water. “Alright,” she said, shaking her head and grabbing his hand again. “As always, let me do the talking.”