CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
My research has given me a list of things I need to break the curse, but it's not until I get home that afternoon that I realise one fundamental item has been left off the list: an empty house. One devoid of Katherine or any other meddling council members.
I'm reminded of this as soon as I step through the door and see her home, seated at the dining table. She's an unavoidable, near-constant presence in the house. The only time she's not around is when I'm at school.
"You stayed back rather late," she says, putting down her book without so much as a hello. The table is a mess of paper and old books, and the air is rich with the smell of musty paper. I can't read any of the titles from here – not without being overt about it – but I can easily guess what she'd doing. I was doing the same thing not that much earlier today. "I was expecting to pick you up, but you never called. How did you get home?"
I register my mistake in a heartbeat. She almost always picks me up. I should have texted her to let her know I had other plans – even if such plans would have been an excuse for what I was really up to.
"I got the bus with friends."
"Friends?"
"Well, yeah. Sorta."
"I called you," she says. "Multiples times."
My phone is in my pocket. I dig it out to find a multitude of missed calls and messages. At least I don't have to lie about this. "I have to keep it on silent for school. I'm sorry, I forgot to check it."
She regards me warily, an expression that quickly melts into weariness. A moment later, Scott emerges from down the hall. "Were these the books you wanted?" he asks loudly. He stops short when he sees me, his respectable face faltering. Then he smiles and continues to the dining table, bypassing me with an armful of old, tattered books. I have no idea where he got them. There is no antique library in this house.
My own expression, I'm sure, is faltering too. He was at the athenaeum. He was on the phone. To Katherine, apparently, because now he's here. And I can't help but feel like I've been caught red-handed.
"What are you doing?" I ask the room, using the most nonchalant voice I can muster.
"Melissa, Scott is just here to do some work with me. It's nothing you need worry yourself with. And besides, with exams coming up, I'm sure you have a lot of homework to do, do you not?" The way she asks, with her eyes searing into mine, tells me this is not a question. This is a command.
"Yeah, heaps." It's not a lie.
She smiles. Scott just stares at me. He's sat down, hands clasped and resting on the table. They clearly have a lot to do themselves, judging by the mess. And they clearly don't want to do any of it while I'm around.
Messaged sent and received. "I'll be in my room," I say, and retreat somewhat angrily down the hall.
Two can play at this game.
-:-:-:-:-
The next day after Katherine drops me off at school, I call Harrison.
"Let me guess," he answers, "you need another favour."
"Am I that obvious?"
"Melissa," he laughs, "you only ever reach out to me when you need something. It's more than obvious."
"Now you're making me into the villain."
"Villainy is subjective. Just because I believe you're evil, doesn't mean you are."
YOU ARE READING
Cold Tomorrow
Paranormal[The sequel to Cold Fire] All her life, Melissa has been defined by something she's had no control over: a rare, undiagnosed disease. But even with all the scientific explanations offered to her by the undeniably clueless doctors, she's been living...
