(Twenty Four)
A calming effect comes over me as I step into the boiling hot water of the shower. It feels incredible to stand with my head tipped back and just let myself be clean. I turn the water up to the hottest it can go and close my eyes.
I feel like there's something we're missing. So far everything has gone too smoothly, too well, too primetime TV show, for it to be true. Yesterday felt like an episode of CSI--we had contacts, we knew where everything was, we had names. I don't like that every link in the investigation fit so perfectly to one another. It's like they wanted to be found. Maybe, I tell myself, it's because of the whole Underworld system. Maybe they don't expect people to inquire so they don't bother making excuses. But that doesn't seem right either because the murder was so staged and purposeful.
Whoever is behind all of this--whoever paid Simon--must have some master plan. They must've chosen the Luna pack for a reason and they must've chosen the Hand to Hand stadium for a reason. I try to fit this together with Zane's political theory but I just don't know enough yet. I have pieces but I don't know what I'm trying to puzzle together.
Maybe I should've gone with Gray. I don't want anything bad to happen to him especially after he saved me. Everyone seems to be saving me nowadays--Gray, Zane, Ryker. I owe way too many people. And now I owe Gray even more because I didn't even walk with him and try to calm him down. It's not like I didn't care. As the beads of water roll down over me, I have to admit to myself that it's the sudden revelation of his devout faithfulness that shocked me. I guess I just felt suddenly disconnected from him like I didn't know him at all. Not that I knew him before.
Gray seems to have as many secrets as Ryker. But with Gray, if I learn about his religion and his family maybe I can connect with him. Honestly, I'm starting to like Gray. Just a little.
For the rest of the shower, I try to piece together the investigation but every time I think of Simon I think of his dead body and Gray sobbing over it. Eventually I recite movie scenes out loud to stop myself from thinking.
When I get out of the shower I notice a soft ringing sound. I frown, listening closer. Is that the doorbell? Pulling my clothes on, I head downstairs and peer at the glass door. A figure stands outside impatiently, tapping their foot and knocking on the door.
Joan?
"Um, hi," I greet as I open the door. Joan stands before me in a tight pink dress that she really shouldn't be wearing. "Ah...what are you doing here Joan?"
"We're going out, remember?" she giggles, way too excited for herself. I frown, scratching my soaking head. My hair is dripping right onto the polished floor.
"Wasn't that next Saturday?"
"I couldn't wait any longer," Joan admits, grinning from ear to ear. "You're free so let's go!"
"This is kind of random," I gulp, looking over my shoulder. Zane isn't even home. Couldn't Joan have texted me or something first? Like normal people? Then again, normal is a foreign concept to me now.
"Are you going to let me in or just make me stand here?" I step back wearily and let Joan into the foyer, hoping there's nothing weird going on in the house right now. Suddenly, I remember Charlie and I take a step back, eyeing Joan up. Charlie has never met Joan but I'd never seen him with my mum either.
"So Joan, where's my date?" I ask, testing her. She spins around and giggles, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Jeremy is going to meet us there babe, I'm so excited for you to meet him you don't even understand." Okay, that puts a little bit of faith into me. It definitely sounds like Joan. I think of the perfect way to test her and I smirk.
"Let me show you around, yeah?" I offer, walking into the formal living room. Joan makes a face when she sees the graphic art that's hung around the place but she seems impressed by the majority of the decor. "So what sort of music is Jeremy into? I kind of want to impress him," I say, trying to sound casual.
"He's got the best taste, seriously. Like he knows all the new stuff, he gets into Maroon 5 and Nicki Minaj and all that shit--but we'll forgive him for that--but he's really into jazz which is, like, the most awesome thing ever. Oh and he's got this secret obsession with George Michael which is kind of what we bonded over." I smile to myself, knowing it's Joan. There's no mistaking her music taste. Unless Charlie did some actual research this time I think I'm in the company of friends. I let her drone on about music as I show her the downstairs house.
We come to the kitchen-living room and Joan stops talking about Jeremy and his music and turns to me. She looks so excited she could explode. "So...where's Zane?"
"Joan, he's not here. You kind of just sprung up on me to be honest. I was planning on watching a few DVDs, maybe getting some pizza."
The disappointment on her face kind of makes me feel bad. Her obsession with Zane must run deep, it's hardly her fault that she can never be with him. She doesn't know that I'm kind of already sort-of with him.
"Oh...well, I really think we should still go out. I haven't really seen you in so long Immy."
"I know," I agree, "it's just sort of a bad time." Joan opens her mouth to say something but it drops down, hanging there. She's anything but subtle. I glance over my shoulder and see Ryker opening the cupboard, searching for a meal. He's such a creepy person, always showing up when you least need him. I'm still not over him walking in on me and Zane, completely ruining the moment.
"Fuck, did anyone go shopping for food or am I the only person that eats around here?" Ryker whines to no one in particular.
Joan looks at me with round, wide eyes. She seems to be trying to communicate something to me but I can't tell what it is. Instead of whispering it to me, she says to Ryker, "we were just going to go out to dinner if you wanted to come."
Ryker turns on Joan like a lion. His ice eyes narrow as he takes her in and his eyebrows arch. The corner of his mouth flicks up ever so slightly. "I'm sorry, who are you?"
"I'm Joan," says Joan. "Immy's best friend."
"That's cute," Ryker mutters and I don't think Joan hears it. "Immy didn't say she was bringing a friend over." His look is full of meaning. I match his glare.
"Yeah, well, I lost the application form," I quip, turning my back from him. "I'll go get changed Joan do you want to wait in your car or...?"
"I can wait here." Silently I try to tell her to get the hell out of this house before she gets killed or worse but she's very persistent when it comes to boys. "Don't rush, the reservation isn't for an hour."
"What sort of food?" Ryker asks, staring Joan down as he drinks from a metal water bottle. Any bets it's not water in there.
"Oh it's this German place in the city everyone says it's great."
"Klingt lustig," Ryker declares, a grin on his face.
"Ah, what?" Joan asks, her expression embarrassed as if she's supposed to know whatever he just said.
"I said it sounds fun. I'm half German."
"Oh?" I snort, secretly interested. Germany was always one of my favorite places; my dad used to take me when he had work conferences over there. "And what's the other half?"
"Danish," he remarks. I have to admit, that's pretty cool. I'm Australian and that's about it.
"Oh then you have to come," Joan exclaims. "You can order all the food for us."
Ryker gives me a triumphant look. "Only if Immy says it's okay."
Ah crap. He's put me in a position where I can't say no without invoking the wrath of Joan. "If you want," I sigh, "but you can't complain or anything."
"Me? Complain?" He smirks and wanders off, announcing that he'll be dressed in ten. We both watch him walk off, no doubt completely opposite thoughts running through our heads.
"You're literally living in an Abercrombie and Fitch ad," Joan whispers excitedly. "He's incredible!"
"His personality ruins it," I say but not with much heart. I can't really bitch too much about the guy who saved my life. "Come with me, I'll show you my room," I insist, not wanting Joan to stay downstairs out in the open. The last thing I want is her inviting another one of my housemates to dinner. Ryker is more then enough.
I get changed into a navy blue dress with a chiffon back and, under the advising of Joan, a pair of high heeled ankle boots. As I roll my hair up into a braided bun, Joan bounces on my bed.
"I was really excited to see Zane but now that I've seen Ryker...I don't know! Hey, are you going to...?"
"Am I going to what?"
"If you're not going to book him I will."
She wants me to book him? This is ridiculous. "Oh Christ Joan, you don't want to get with Ryker, you honestly don't. He's an idiot."
"He doesn't seem dumb to me. He speaks German."
Oh, all the things I could say to that. "Stick with Zane, seriously."
"I book Ryker," Joan declares, folding her arms over her chest. "Too bad, I said it, don't give me that look. It'd just be a one time thing."
A one time thing? You've never had a thing even one time! "Don't say I didn't warn you," I mutter particularly harshly. This gets to me even more then her wanting Zane which is strange. I don't care about who Ryker does or does not sleep with but the fact that he's human makes him a hundred percent more accessible to Joan and something about that...bothers me. I absolutely refuse to dwell on that.
"Jeremy already has the table we should go," Joan says, grinning. She's like a kid in a candy store right now. "This is going to be so much fun."
Oh, I think sarcastically, is it ever.