Tell Me What You Hate About Me

11: Ends and Means

Even though we had five people involved in our fellowship of the talisman, there really only needed to be three: Dr. Reed, Jack, and me. Sierra and Dominic somehow snuck their way in to try to get something for themselves, but with the new information that it wasn't a coin, there wasn't any room for them on the team anymore.

Dominic and Sierra weren't trustworthy. It was pretty much that simple. And unless I got to talk to Jack without either one of them present, there was no way for us to move forward and try to figure out what the hell we were going to do with the latest development.

What was a better time to tell someone that we were maybe involved in some paranormal demon crap than over a nice dinner? Nothing.

When Jack stopped by our dorm on his way back from his jam session with Harvey and the rest of the untalented members of his band, it was the perfect time to make a smaller squad where all the information and action would be.

"Are you hungry?" I asked before he could even set his guitar down.

He nodded. "Do you even have to ask?"

I smiled. "I guess I should have known. If you want, you can take me out to dinner."

His eyes widened. "Seriously?"

It was the perfect plan to get him alone so I could tell him about the new situation we were in. Of course, I was serious.

I nodded. "It'll be fun."

Before Jack could answer, Sierra jumped into the conversation. "So does that mean that you're really not interested in Dominic?"

How many times did I have to tell her that I most definitely was not? He looked like an ocean breeze would knock him over, and yet he still had the ego of someone who could beat Jack up.

"Yes, that's exactly what it means," I said.

This wasn't a date, though. It was a well-thought-out business meeting where I formed a smaller committee by cutting out the people I didn't like or trust from the larger committee. Wasn't it obvious?

Sierra nodded, then went back to her studying. Even after Dominic was pretty clear that he didn't exactly care for her (which meant nothing other than he was an ass), she was still stuck on the idea like she was before she found out that he was majoring in international business. I figured that would have been a clue to let those feelings go.

"I'll be back in an hour. Is that enough time for you to get ready?" Jack asked.

I nodded. It most certainly wouldn't be enough time to get ready for a real date, but fortunately, we were just having a business meeting.

Jack smiled. "I'll see you then."

I gave him a smile as he headed out, and I let myself take a deep breath before taking a seat on my bed.

Sierra suspected nothing. Perfect.

The talisman was mine, and the only people who had any business being involved were Dr. Reed and Jack, who helped me find it. Leaving the other two behind wasn't anything personal.

***

"You ready, Lindsay?" Jack asked as he knocked on the other side of the door.

With the dress I was supposed to wear to Trailfest on, my hair curled and tied away from my face, and a little more mascara than usual, I was absolutely not ready. While I was trying to convince Sierra that the date was real, I failed to make sure that Jack knew it wasn't.

He liked me, and he had no idea that I knew. This would be fun.

It was this exact same lack of planning that got Sierra and Dominic involved in the first place, and as much as I wanted to fake sick, we made the plan an hour ago, and I had already exhausted that excuse.