Silver Bound Girl

Chapter 17

            Willow paused on the sidewalk, looking up at the red brick house that lay up the stairs from her. Trimmed in bright white, with a wide porch that boasted a swinging bench and tiny table and chair set, it looked inviting, even in the rain.

Tightening her hold on her umbrella, Willow took a deep breath, doing her best to forget Tracy’s words. But they kept echoing in her head. Yesterday, once they’d gotten home from Lake Park, her cousin had drawn her aside, face set. Her voice had been as quiet as always, but there was worry audible behind it. “Your friend is watching you,” she’s said.

Willow had blinked. “What?”

“Rune. He watches you when he thinks you’re not watching. He watched me and Paul too, when he saw us. He doesn’t suspect, does he?”

She’d shaken her head. “No. No, I’ve been careful about not letting him see anything that could even hint at the curse.”

“You need to be careful. I don’t think he’ll be easy to trick.”

Willow had been left gaping as Tracy hurried away. If it had been Ed who’d said anything, she’d have put it down to his usual paranoia and incessant interfering. But Tracy…she was quiet, a rarity among the family, and doubly so for a female Byron. She wouldn’t have wanted to rock the boat unless she was very sure of herself. Which meant…

She shook her head, focusing on the house in front of her. She’d just do her best to act normal and not bring up her family. It might have been easier to do what Ed was telling her and stay away from him, but Willow refused to give up the only proper friend she’d had since elementary school.

Squaring her shoulders, Willow climbed the stairs and knocked on the door, closing her umbrella and shaking it out over the edge of the porch as she waited. It was only a few seconds before the door opened, revealing a smiling Rune.

“Come in, come in!” he said, opening the door wide and stepping to the side so she could enter. “I hope you didn’t get too wet.”

Willow had to smile back. “Nah, it’s letting up. It’s supposed to stop by this evening,” she said, stepping into the narrow hall.

Rune closed the door behind her, and Willow pulled off her boots, noticing the rectangular depression that the door opened up onto. A pair of sneakers and a pair of high heels were lined up against the edge, the toes pointed towards the door. Forehead crinkling at them, Willow matched her boots up to the sneakers to be polite.

“TV’s over here,” Rune said once she straightened.

She followed his gaze to the right, where a couch and a chair faced the TV mounted against the wall. Just below it lay an entertainment centre which had been taken over by video games, the DVD player and PlayStation boxed in by the thin plastic cases. Willow chuckled. “Gamer much?”

Rune shrugged. “Guy’s got to have a hobby. But today, I’m going to introduce you to something even better. Today, we’re going to watch Firefly. If you’re not a Brown Coat by the end of it, I’ll buy you lunch for a week.”

Willow laughed. “Now I’m tempted not to like it just for the free food.”

He tsked, tsked, his lips twitching. “Shameless, shamless woman. You’re trying to take advantage of me.”

She grinned as she took the armchair, watching as Rune dropped down onto the couch. “I only do it when you make it this easy.”

“If only the other students knew how evil you really are.”

“It’s more fun if no one knows. I’m the shadow-evil. You only feel me, never see me.”

Rune leaned forward, staring at her without blinking. “I can see you.”

Willow chuckled, ignoring the cold twinge she felt in the pit of her stomach. “So, what’s this Firefly about?”

“It’s basically a Western in space. It’s awesome! And-”

The click of the door opening cut him off, the pair of them turning to look. “Tadaima,” a high female voice called. The only thing visible of the figure was the top of her black head as she bent over to take off her shoes.

Willow heard Rune wince, then reply “Okairini. I thought you were having lunch with Phoebe then going shopping.”

“I was, but she’s sick. Wh-” The woman stopped mid-word as she looked up and noticed Willow.

She flushed slightly and waved more than a little awkwardly. “Hello. I’m Willow.”

The woman, who given her age, Willow assumed was Rune’s mom, stared at her for a moment then her eyes shifted to Rune. There was something about the glint in her gaze that reminded Willow very strongly of her friend, but she had no idea what Rune’s mom meant when she said “Koibito desuka?”

Rune went red. “Iie! Tomodachi.”

His mother’s gaze went back to Willow before she smiled. “It’s nice to meet you. My name is Mai Kawaguchi. But you must call me Mai. It’s rare that Sora brings anyone over. You must be special.”

Willow felt her cheeks heat up. “Sora?”

Rune shrugged. “It’s my middle name. Mom pretty much only calls me Sora.”

“How did you two meet?” Mai said, dropping her purse beside the door and walking over.

“We, uh, sit next to each other in Biology,” Willow replied, uncomfortable with the steady gaze of Rune’s mom on her. It was a piercing look, much like her son’s, with only the brown of her eyes as a difference between them.

“Please don’t interrogate her,” Rune said, voice muffled by the hand he had over his face.

“I’m not. I only want to get to know your friend. I worry, especially since you had to change schools. But Willow seems like a nice girl,” she said, flashing Willow a smile.

“Thanks,” she replied, glancing at Rune.

He was giving his mom a look. She caught the gaze, raised her eyebrows then smiled. “Well, I guess I’ll get out of your way. Anata no kanojo wa kawii desu, Sora,” she said before walking towards the stairs, chuckling.

Rune glared after his mother, his cheeks flaring red again. “Tomodachi!” he called after her, before turning towards Willow. “Sorry about that. She likes to tease.”

Willow smiled. “It’s fine. My family can be pretty intense too,” she said. Then she tried not to wince as she remembered that she was trying not to mention them. “So, we going to watch this show or not?”