CHAPTER 24

Amelia never ever thought she would think it, but school sucked. She could think of a million different places she would rather be and it was deeply disturbing that each place involved Mitchell.

He wasn't paying attention to her and it felt as if it was a deliberate effort to stay as far out of her mind as he could get. It hurt. It really hurt, and she found herself trying to see what he was doing. Amelia let her mind drift. Shutting out the droning professor, ignoring the students’ muted whispers and extending her mind.

She reached a wall of blinding, shimmering light, and then she found him. Mitchell was sitting on her bed, holding a photo, and he was crying. Soft tears slid down his cheeks, and little droplets wetted the surface of the photo. His thumb glided over the tiny puddles, pushing them off the glossy page.

She focused on the photo. Who had made him so sad? A rush of anger pierced in and she just knew that she would kill the person who had hurt him.

It was her.

Mitchell was holding a picture of her. His soft murmurs drifted to her ears, "I love you, Amelia. I'm so sorry, love. I'm sorry." He set the photo down and rubbed at his face.

A hand touched her forearm. "You okay?" Erin whispered.

Instantly, Amelia was back in the classroom just in time to hear the professor announce a pop quiz. It took a moment and a few deep breaths and then she put on her best cheery smile and nodded.

Erin wasn't convinced. "You're crying."

Amelia hadn't noticed, but as soon as Erin said it, she could feel her prickling, puffy eyes and her damp cheeks. She kept the smile, wiped at her eyes and said, "Allergies."

Erin didn't believe her for a minute, but luckily the TA handed them the test and that kept her from pushing the subject.

Amelia finished the test in twenty-three minutes. It was a breeze, solely on ring theory. Thanks to Mitchell, she was sure she had aced it. She mouthed a silent washroom to Erin, who still had a few questions to answer, shouldered her backpack and went to hand in her completed test and paper.

She snuck into the washroom just outside the lecture hall. A few girls, locals she recognized but whose names escaped her, stopped talking as soon as she walked in. Amelia had a feeling that she had been the topic of their gossip. It was pretty obvious from the way they clamped up and scurried out of the washroom.

Great. What had she done now? Last week they would have chatted with her. They would have wanted to know what she had done on the weekend, how she had liked the party.

Amelia dumped her bag and slammed the stall door hard, causing it to bang back and nearly smack her in the face. She had just flushed when the washroom door banged open and a familiar voice called her name.

Fiona. Her voice had a ring to it that signaled authority and status. Amelia held her breath and listened. The last thing she needed was to have another face off with the Barbie Squad. She just wasn’t in the mood, not today, not ever. "Did you know the little tramp was all over Eric, too? It wasn't just that trash Tyler."

There was a collective gasp. "Eric, really?” That was Jessica, Amelia was sure of it. “Mitchell’s going to kill them. Does he know?”

"Sure he does,” Fiona said, followed by a cruel laugh. “It's not like she's hiding it. He deserves better. Too bad Kandi and Adam didn't finish her off at the party. He'd be better off without her."

Go out there. Stand up for yourself, Amelia’s nagging conscience urged. She knew Fiona was a witch but she had never thought her to be that bad. Did she really just say it was too bad that she hadn’t died? Amelia found herself holding her breath as they continued. She crouched onto the toilet seat and made herself into a small ball, hoping they wouldn’t notice she was there.

"So it's true,” Amber gasped. “They came back to town?"

"They did and it's a good thing, too,” Fiona said. Her voice sounded forced, as if her lips weren’t moving, Amelia could almost picture her painting on a devil-red lipstick. “Someone needs to get rid of her. Mitchell’s a mess. He put out another notice to all the vampires. We’re supposed to watch out for her. He's making us her babysitter. And can you believe that he threw me out last night?"

"He what?" Jessica and Amber said in unison. Why would she have gone to him anyways? Amelia didn’t know, but a sick feeling was creeping in.

"He threw me out. With Amelia here he won't give me the time of day. He’s acting like the last hundred and twenty years didn't happen."

"What are you going to do, Fiona?” Amber asked. “What if he makes you leave? You're young and, no offence, but you haven't added much value except for warming his bed."

"I'll figure something out. Amelia won't last. There will be an accident. I guarantee it. Then he'll come running back to me."

No. No. No. No. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. Fiona and Mitchell? Not possible. Dammit! Why do I even care? Maybe she knew Amelia was there. Maybe Fiona was just talking to get a reaction from her. But if that was true, then why, why would she admit that she was planning on an accident? What kind of accident? Was she really planning on getting rid of her, just to get Mitchell? What was so great about him anyways?

"Justin said he's not hunting either,” Amber said. “He said that Mitchell is considering banning it because she doesn't like it. And he's drinking the bagged crap.” He is? Amelia thought. She hadn’t really thought about it and had tried not to because the whole blood thing turned her stomach. “She's not even giving it up for him but she'll slut around with Eric. I bet she's even letting him bite her."

Amelia heard the door open again. "Yo, Millie. Hurry up," Erin's voice carried, bouncing off the walls.

"Wrong room, freak," Fiona snapped. "Get out."

Fiona sounded vicious, and Amelia knew she had to get out there. She sucked in a breath, hopped down off the seat and opened the stall.

Amelia had never wished she had a camera as much as she did at that very moment. All three girls froze horrified, wearing the same expression as if they had just seen a ghost. Amelia laughed, a cold, humorless laugh, but on the inside, her nerves were shot and she was petrified. She pushed her shoulders back, held her chin high and walked over to the sink to wash her hands. She risked a quick glance at Jessica and was relieved to see the sad look in her eyes. Fiona and Amber were mean girls but Jess was sweet and Amelia really did like her. "Watch it, Fiona," Amelia said coldly. "Accidents do happen and like your friends said, you have no value to us."

Amelia knew right away that she had gone too far. Fiona’s eyes flashed and her fangs slid down, terrifying. "Look who's got all high and mighty,” she hissed. “News flash Amelia, Mitchell rules this town. Not you. You are nothing."

Erin cleared her throat. The look on her face clearly said she was struggling to stay strong. Her mark was still showing and Amelia now knew how important it was for her to stay hidden, so when she spoke, drawing the attention to herself, Amelia’s whole body went cold, and she visibly shuttered. "Hey, Fiona, you’re getting pretty careless. Bet you’re wondering how you missed her heart thumping away.” Fiona’s horrifying eyes focused back on Amelia and she could see the exact moment that Fiona realized what Erin was saying. “Isn’t it funny how the bite changes everything? So if you didn’t notice her that must mean you want to hurt her. Mitchell probably heard everything you just said, too. Better run home and pack your bags. You are so done here."

Without warning, Fiona charged at Amelia, fangs bared, and for a quick second she thought she was going to die, but just as quickly, tiny Jessica charged, pinning Fiona against the wall. Erin and Amber screamed. Fiona flailed, kicking and struggling and Amelia stood still, frozen. “Fiona,” Jessica snapped, her voice low and deadly. “Stop struggling. I have three hundred years on you. You don’t stand a chance.” Fiona thrashed about for another second and then she went limp, fangs folding back into her gums, and eyes returning back to a golden hue, which was of little comfort. Jessica kept a firm grip around her neck and glanced over her shoulder at Amelia. “She will be dealt with, Amelia. You have my word.”

Amelia nodded, unable to do anything else and watched as Jessica escorted Fiona out of the washroom, Amber running along behind them.

Once the door was shut and Erin pulled in a few shaky breaths, she asked, “You okay?”

"Just fine."

"Good, ‘cause I have something for you that you probably won’t like.” Erin handed her a black rose. "Adam stopped me just as I was coming in. He said you need to go to Madame Crystal for the answers to your questions. He said that there’s a way out and Madame Crystal was the only one who could help you. And he said she could tell you what happened to your parents."

Amelia took the rose, twirling it around and around, head spinning with questions. Holding it was just as bone-chilling as the look in Fiona’s eyes. "Who's Madame Crystal?" she asked in a small voice.

“She a quack. Calls herself a psychic.”

Amelia gave the rose one long, hard look and then tossed it in the trash. She sunk down to the floor, resting her head between her knees. “I'm not going to a psychic.”

Erin crouched down in front of her and waited until Amelia finally looked up. “I think you should, Millie. She might be able to help. Fiona’s after you. You keep getting these black roses and with Mitchell…” she paused to think. “I just think it couldn’t hurt. Maybe she can help.” She shrugged. “Besides, this could be your only chance. We’ve got no chaperones and with what just happened the sooner the better. So get your skinny little butt off the ground and let’s go.”

****

Why in the world had she agreed to this? Amelia wondered as she followed Erin up the steps towards the flashing neon signboard that read, “Witch and Psychic.” Vampires, fine she could deal with it, but witches and psychics? This was crossing the line.