Supernatural Boarding School #3 - A Brush of Death ✅

Chapter 31 - Demona

Demona's point of view

Waking up without being able to open your eyes, speak or move is a strange sensation. I tried to sit up, but all that happened was me feeling winded without even lifting a finger. At least the pain was still gone.

"Hey Dylan," a female voice said, "I didn't know you were in here. Are you... crying?"

"No!" That one word was enough for me to know that the girl had been right. Dylan sounded all chocked-up. "I'm just... it's my allergies."

"Sure." I think the girl sat down on the floor, since I heard a soft thud and a grunt that sounded lower than her voice had sounded before. "How long have you been sitting here?"

"A few..." Dylan paused. "...hours? Jesus, I didn't realize it was morning already. What are you doing here anyway?"

"I've been known to visit Demona," she replied, sounded offended. "Besides, I'm spending the day with Simon and his parents, so I told them I would meet them here."

"Parents? Wow, you guys are getting serious, huh?"

Who was this girl? As they chatted on about her meeting Simon's parents for a first time and how much Simon had changed over the years, I started feeling like I had heard her voice before. My bondmate and best friend was dating someone new, someone he was serious about, and I didn't even know who it was! This was ridiculous. I needed to wake the hell up.

"So, let's cut the crap," the girl said, her voice harder now. I had definitely heard that tone of voice before. "Why are you sitting here crying like a little a baby? That's not like you."

"Carl... he..." A sharp intake of breath. "He cheated on me."

What? The memory of Eros saying that he had cheated on me resurfaces. Was no one loyal anymore? There was the pain again... No, I realized, it wasn't the pain that had made me faint over and over, it was the broken heart kind of pain. Goddamn Eros and Carl. If only I could whack them and comfort Dylan instead of this strangely familiar girl sitting on the floor next to my bed.

"I am going to beat his ass so hard he won't be able to sit down for weeks!" the girl exclaimed. "That goddamn bastard. Someone should put the fear of God in him. Or a hot poker. Whatever makes him come to his senses first."

Oh. My. God.

I could recognize that voice anywhere, shouting threats like she had been born cursing her ass off. Sheila Royce. Holy. Shit. How the fuck had that happened? Sheila Royce was dating Simon Summers? The girl who had been plotting against me for months, years even, was dating my Simon?

"Wait..." Sheila let out a startled laugh. "Didn't Carl dump your ass? How can he cheat on you when you're not even together anymore?"

They were broken up? And Sheila was in the look on all of this? What had happened to the world these past... weeks? Months? Years? How long had I been asleep?

"Okay, so technically it wasn't cheating. It was a rebound fuck. Or a revenge fuck. Or both." Dylan sighed. "All I know it that his name is Dylan and he works in a gay bar a few towns over."

"Dylan Daily?" Sheila whistled a cat-call. "He works in The Adonis. Carl slept with him? Wow, good on him." She pauses. "I mean, that's horrible. You're way hotter, obviously."

"His name is Dylan Daily?" his voice was strained, He was definitely holding back tears. "And he's hot? How do you even know him?"

"In case you hadn't notice, I used to party a lot. There aren't that many places around here that are worth a visit. The Adonis was Hope's favorite place."

"Hope is gay?" Dylan laughed, although he didn't sound happy. "She slept with both me and Eros. And three hundred other guys, I'm sure."

"Just like you slept with dozens of girls while you knew perfectly well you were in love with your best friend and not even the tiniest bit straight," Sheila countered. "Instead of sitting here like a schmuck, how about you get some sleep and we meet up tonight at your motel. I'll take you dancing at The Adonis, get you drunk and I'll point out Dylan motherfucking Daily to you. Get some closure. Get in your own revenge fuck if you feel like it."

Dylan was quiet for a long time. Please, say no, I prayed. This didn't sound like a plan that would end well. Going out, sure, go for it, but not to the place this guy worked. That was a fight waiting to happen. Obviously, something bad had happened between Dylan and Carl. I refused to believe it was irreparable. They loved each other. No matter how much I'd missed, that surely couldn't have changed yet. The fact that Carl had chosen a guy named Dylan to sleep with after the break-up showed that he definitely wasn't over Dylan. What they needed was to take some time apart and then talk thinks out. This didn't have to be the end for them.

"Sure," Dylan said finally, making me want to kick and scream. "Let's go out. It's been a long time since I had some fun. And if Carl is going out living like he's single, why shouldn't I?" Bitterness dripped off his every word.

"It's a date!"

"Get off of me!" Dylan complained, laughing.

"Hey!" Simon. I'd know his voice anywhere. His voice was light and happy. "I'm five minutes late and my girlfriend is already hugging my friend and taking him on a date?"

Dylan left to get some sleep while Simon sat down next to Sheila. Kissing noises made me nauseous for a while, almost make me long for my coma back, but soon they settled for hugging – at least, I think they were probably hugging or holding hands as they talked, as their voice sounded so close together. They talked about Dylan for a while and Simon warmed Sheila to keep an eye on Dylan, who was obviously hurting, but he didn't invite himself along. Apparently, he trusted Sheila. Huh.

"We have to go soon," he told her. "My parents are waiting for us in the car. I wanted to say hi to Demona first."

Well, well... Saying hi to me sounded an awful lot like kissing his girlfriend. Again. Sure, I was glad that Simon was happy, but did it really have to be with Sheila? I had forgiven her for the bad she'd done, and we had been on okay terms, but she hadn't been a friend. Not even close.

"You look beautiful, by the way."

"Thanks," Sheila said softly. "This dress is not too slutty, right? I brought a change of clothes just in case. I don't want you parents to think that I am some cheap hussy."

That was surely a change. Sheila had been a proud hussy for all I knew.

"Don't say things like that about yourself." Simon's voice was both stern and loving. "You are amazing and beautiful and smart. In no way do you look cheap. Ever."

"You haven't seen my newest set of lingerie yet, so you might want to eat those words later."

"Oh, I'm sure I'll wanna eat something later, but it won't be my words..."

Holy. Fucking. Shit. Did Simon Summers just utter that sentence? Really? If I didn't know any better, I'd swear it was Eros talking.

"I'm gonna keep you to that promise," Sheila teased. "I love you."

"I love you too."

That was sweet, even I had to admit that. Even though they were testing my gaga reflex. Guess what? It still worked.

"Did Demona just make a sound?" Sheila asked, her voice closer now. "It sounded like..."

"She's been mumbling from time to time, but no real words yet. Now, let's go. My parents are waiting." Before her left, he bent over me and pressed his lips to my forehead. "Wake up soon, Dem," he whispered. "We all miss you. Especially me."

I miss you too, I wanted to say, but my lips wouldn't move. I miss you too, Simon.