Tell Me What You Hate About Me

32: Falling on Deaf Ears

"She's so full of shit," Dominic muttered as we left the classroom for the evening. There wasn't much any of us could do besides waiting for the sky to clear itself up, and although I was theoretically the person who caused it, I didn't control it.

"You think?" I asked. "It all made sense to me, even if I didn't like some of the points she was making."

"Think about it, Lindsay. The talisman wanted you to find it, so why would it have any sort of connection to me?" Dominic asked.

"Maybe you guys get married in the future. Wouldn't that be funny?" Sierra said.

I looked over at her. It made some sense, but there was no way that was ever going to happen. He was only somewhat nice to me when no one else was around.

"I would rather die right now than deal with Lindsay the rest of my life," Dominic said.

I shushed him. "Don't let the talisman hear you say stuff like that. It'll make it happen. Trust me on that."

Like it would be a picnic to spend my life with him. I shook my head. He really thought too highly of himself for someone who only got to stick around because a piece of gold wanted him to.

Even if he was really rude about it, Dominic did have a point. There really wasn't a reason for me to get involved if the talisman was Dominic's, and if it could convince him to stalk me for a couple of months, it could definitely convince him to buy a metal detector and dig it up. None of that had anything to do with me, and he had made it very clear that he would have been much happier if I weren't around.

If Dr. Reed was wrong, then what was the right answer? I certainly couldn't come up with an explanation why the sky went dark after Sierra and Jack left us to go get pizza.

I hesitated. Maybe that was the problem.

"Lindsay, don't listen to him. I really think the talisman is playing a long-term game here. And I was the first person to say it was more than just a coin, so I think you should listen to me," Sierra said.

That was also true. She kept insisting that it was a demon coin, even when I told her to shut up about her stupid paranormal conspiracies.

If I didn't know any better, I would have said that it was merely a coincidence that my brain felt like how the sky looked outside—dark, swirled, confusing—but it had to be the talisman screwing with me. When did life get this way? It was only a couple of months prior that my top concern was that my parents wouldn't send me money for school after a summer of arguing about my grades.

I looked over at Jack. "Remember when you were mad at me because I wouldn't go to class and bought a metal detector? Those were some good, simple times."

He smiled. "Good, simple, annoying times."

Before any of us could reminisce about the ancient history known as two months ago any more, Dominic changed the subject. "Well, it's been real, but I really should head back to my dorm."

"But our hangout was only just starting," Sierra said.

"And it was very real while it lasted. But I really don't want to be here anymore."

I watched him as he turned around and headed in the other direction. "What does that even mean? Are we not cool enough for you?"

"It has nothing to do with the fact that you're not cool," he said and didn't turn around.

Well, screw you too.

"Is this about the pizza?" Sierra asked. "Because I definitely wouldn't put it past him to be a little bitch about this."