The Glass Harmonica (Custos Trilogy, Book 1)

Chapter Eleven-Lexie

Finally, April walks into the classroom five minutes until the start of class.  She takes her usual desk straight across from mine to the left.  She faintly smiles and says, “Morning.”

            Before she can say any more, I agitation fills my voice, "Where the hell were you last night?"

            "What are you talking about, Lex?"  She innocently looks at me.  "Was there some plans we made that I was unaware of?"

            "No, don't you remember the horrifying text you sent me last night asking to meet you?"  I try to control the volume of my voice.  "You weren’t there.  I thought you were in bloody trouble."

            "What are you talking about, Lex?"  She casually laughs which annoys me.  "Don't you remember I lost my cell Friday.  I haven’t found it since then which reminds me…thanks for leaving me out to dry.  I felt like a bloody third wheel to Riley and Patty. "

            "You mean, you didn't send the text last night?" I completely ignore her remark about Friday as my stomach drops.  She never found her phone.  Susan said that she was reunited with it.  I briefly glance at Susan sitting a few desks over.  Her brows are furrowed as skepticism is deeply imbedded on her face as if hearing every detail of my conversation.

            "Did something happen last night?"  April’s face is serious as she speaks.  “You’re kind of scaring me, Lex.”

            I look away trying to forget everything that happened the previous night despite the pending dread accumulating in the pit of my stomach.  I reply in monotone, "Nothing.  It must have been a practical joke from someone."

April curiously looks at me as I turn away cutting off our conversation.  Before she can question any further, Professor Maddox walks in to begin our literature lecture.

The rest of the morning classes seem to go on as a foreboding fear eats away the back of my mind.  I just can’t shake what happened last night with those demons.  Every time I thought of them a pronounced shiver would overtake my body.  Finally, the lunch bell rings as I exit my economics lecture and enter the hall.  I quickly walk hoping to avoid everyone including those annoying mystics, April, and Robert.  I just need to be alone right now.

I look straight ahead and an unfamiliar set of hazel eyes is looking at me.  A girl with flowing shoulder-length brown hair in uniform passes by me with a look filled with interest.  My head unconsciously follows her as she continues down the corridor.  At the sight of this stranger, it feels as if all life is sucked out of me and I’m now completely hollow.  If looks can kill, I would have died just then and there.  Who the hell is she?

Completely absorbed with thoughts of this strange girl, I do not watch where I am walking.  The next moment I go from looking at the mysterious girl to walking into what seems like a concrete wall.   In front of me stands a massive and familiar boy.  His smooth dark eyes connect with mine as a triumphant grin widens on his full lips.

“Lexie,” His voice is sincere and strong.  “You should really watch where you are going.  You never know what you will bump into.”

I suspiciously look at this boy up and down.  Where have I seen him before?

“Don’t you remember me?”  He sounds affected as his smoldering eyes turn to puppy dogs.  “It’s Lionel from Friday night with my sister, Susan, and the other two.”

Disgust instantly fills my stale mouth as my eyes narrow.  “You’re one of them?  Like I’ve told the other whatever-the-hell-you-ares, I do not want to be a part of your world.”