Malediction

37 - With a bang

Victoria Ann Graceline was now the prime face, the prime reason I tossed and turned and woke countless times throughout the night. I couldn't get her image out of my mind, I continued to unintentionally and uncontrollably create scenarios of how our first meeting would happen over and over. I couldn't escape the idea, no matter how hard I tried to wipe the slate clean.

It appeared to us, after numerous efforts that this woman would be our only hope in understanding Evalia. Their mother, father and brother had successfully flown below the radar, clean and clear of all exhausted research avenues from our hours of searches.

When Monday morning arrived, the alarm beside my bed rang inside my brain, awakening  me with a groan.
Today I would return to school after the disastrous school fundraiser, rumours and trouble imminent. I feared for what I would hear, for what I would endure in backlash, but I feared more so for what Danny would endure at the hands of my bitter and vengeful ex.

After showering, dressing and dragging my lifeless body to the kitchen, I was greeted by Luke who sat at the counter.

"Rough night?" He asked, mouth full of cereal, milk dribbling out

"Just a bit" I rolled my eyes, opening the pantry to stuff snacks inside my backpack

"We still need to talk you know?" He began "Why did you lie to me?"

I was not in the mood for explaining. I had far too much to do, far too much to worry about. Facing him, facing the truth, it was hard. Luke was my little brother, and normally I told him everything within our comfortable relationship, but this, this was complicated.

"I didn't want you to worry" I tried anyway, reading a handwritten post it note pasted to the fridge door

'Working late, be good and be home before we are! Mum x'

"Why didn't you listen to me when I told you not to get a crush on him?" He scrapped the remnants of his empty cereal bowl into the bin

"I did listen to you, I just didn't mean for it to happen, you still don't need to worry, we're working on ending the curse, we have a plan, so just keep your fingers crossed for us" I sighed, unbothered to feed myself before exiting the house

I had made it halfway down the street when Luke came running along behind me. He was struggling, I could hear his horse feet clip clopping down roughly on the asphalt.
He was wearing his 'too big' shoes again.

"What plan?" He called through breaths

"There are some things you just don't need to know"

"Some things like why your hand is in that thing? What did you tell mum and dad about it?" He shot back, pointing to my temporary cast, still in tact

"I told you, and them, it's been a bit sore lately so Danny's Mum put it in this for me to help, it isn't that big of a deal Luke" I downplayed the injury to him as much as I did to our parents

"I don't believe you, all you do is lie and keep secrets now" He accused, angry

I stopped walking, pausing a few houses down from Skyler's "Have you ever had a secret, had to lie to keep someone safe, or to keep their feelings from being hurt of have them worry, have you ever had to do that Luke?"

He stood staring at me, slowly shrugging "I told Mum that I liked her hair short when she cut it, but I didn't"

I suppressed a laugh, his innocence pure and honest "Exactly, sometimes we have to lie, sometimes we have to keep secrets, like surprise birthday parties and Christmas presents"