Glamoured

Chapter Eight

There was a small part of Ash that really did want to let go of the whole situation and enjoy what was left of her senior year. But even if she could bring herself to forget about Graydon and leave him to suffer Willow's wrath for the foreseeable future, even if she could somehow bury him to the back of her mind and focus on having fun (maybe even with mortals), there was no way in hell Willow was going to let her off that easy.

Ash turned away from Graydon and started walking with no particular destination in mind. The salty air clung to her hair and skin, and she felt damp from the humidity. Ash turned away from the ocean and started on the short walk back home. Families with small children ambled by with bags of groceries and strollers, seemingly oblivious to everything that was wrong with the world. She felt a hopelessness she hadn't felt since last year, and a sense of terror was beginning to trickle in along with it. There was electricity pulsing in the air, almost as if another thunderstorm was on the way. She kept walking down the busy street, but her pace slowed and she looked over her shoulder instinctively.

Turning the corner towards her street, she stopped short beside a fragrant lilac tree. Something glistened on the sidewalk, just far enough away that Ash couldn't quite make out its outline. She inched forward slowly, the sound of her sneakers hitting the pavement pounding in her ears. As she got closer, she could see the glistening shape was a tall woman with blonde hair cascading to her waist.

Willow.

What was she doing here? Did she know she was with Graydon? Of course she was keeping tabs on him. How could she have been so stupid?

Willow smiled and waved as she walked towards Ash, her skin glowing with a tan despite the gloom that had descended over them for the past few days. She was wearing a white maxi dress, and carrying what looked like a new designer bag. A glowing crystal hung around her neck.

"Ash! Just the person I wanted to see," Willow smiled, pulling Ash in for a gentle hug. If Ash didn't know Willow, she would have thought she looked genuinely happy and well.

"What are you doing here?" Ash asked, trying not to look guilty or dazed.

"I was just out shopping with my parents and now I'm heading to pick up some of those delicious croissants at the bakery. Why don't you come with? I have something I want to talk to you about."

Ash's stomach did a tiny flip, but she agreed to join Willow and the two of them turned back towards downtown.

"Don't you just love the rain? It always puts me in such a great mood," Willow smiled, her big blue eyes twinkling. "Anyway, it's Graydon's birthday next week and I can't figure out what to get him. I thought you'd be the perfect person to ask."

"Me?" Ash said stupidly, trying to keep up with Willow's long-limbed pace as she strode along the damp sidewalk.

"Yeah. You guys are friends, aren't you?" Willow blinked, looking at Ash with a confused expression.

Ash knew Willow was playing with her again, but she couldn't figure out the exact thought process behind her game this time. Was she just bored and looking for a little entertainment on a rainy day? Ash was sure Willow revelled in her fear and anxiety, perhaps even fed off it.

"Of course. But you would know his tastes better than I would," Ash winced as the words came out of her mouth, remembering the brief kiss she had shared with Graydon and the way his hands had cradled her face. Willow's eyes twinkled brighter as the corners of her mouth turned upwards.

"Well to be honest, I was thinking of planning something. A trip, actually," Willow smiled as her hair blew back in the humid breeze. The twinkle in her eye shifted to a dreamy sheen, the vivid blue colour of her irises reminding Ash of the ocean.

"Really? Where to? I think Graydon would love a getaway for just the two of you. Sounds romantic."

"Well actually, I was thinking it would be fun if we all went. Like, as a group."

Ash stayed quiet, waiting for Willow to burst out laughing and reveal the punch line, but it never came.

"You, me, Graydon, Shea, Monroe, Saph and even Liam if he can get away from the books. We could stay at my parents' beach house. It would be so fun!" Willow looked like a kid begging for a piece of candy.

"That would be fun," Ash smiled, exhaling as Willow's expression lightened. "But... What about exams? And I really don't know if my parents would go for that, you know how strict they can be."

"Oh, okay. You don't want to come, I get it."

"Willow, that's not what I meant," Ash said as they rounded another corner towards the main street. Willow stopped beside another massive lilac bush, its flowers heavy and thick with fragrance.

"Then what did you mean?" She flipped her hair, looking Ash in the eye with those otherworldly blue jewels. "If you don't want to come, I'm sure I can find someone else. In fact, I don't think you understand just how easily I can find someone else to replace you."

"Oh really?" Ash snapped back, shocking herself awake with the sharp sound of her own voice. "You know what, Willow? I'm starting not to believe a word you say. So many threats yet so little follow-through." She couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her mouth, but she couldn't stop them from flowing.

Willow looked back at her as if Ash had spat in her face, squinting her eyes in confusion and disbelief. Heavy silence hung in the air between them for a tense moment.

"Fine. Is that what you want? Proof that I can make good on my promises?"

Ash stared back at her, the hot anger reaching a boiling point in her veins. She couldn't afford to play with Willow's power. While it was true that Willow was bluffing most of the time, Ash knew in her core she had the capacity to do all the things she was threatening to do and more.

"I'm sure I can make arrangements for the trip," she said quietly, hating herself for caving to Willow's demands already. But what choice did she have?

"Excellent!" Willow's sunshiney expression was back and she clapped her hands together in excitement. "I'll book everything, don't you worry. This will be so much fun."

"Great!" Ash grinned, the exchange she had just shared with Willow already fading from her memory as they walked together to the bakery for croissants and lattes.