Demon kissed: demon kissed

Chapter 4

I dragged my feet to school. Kids talked, lockers slammed, and the bell rang. The sounds of my normal day droned on like white noise. Continuing to my locker, I grabbed my books.

Although my mark was covered with a thick coating of make-up, I felt exposed. Not knowing what was happening made me twitchy. I grabbed my books and walked to class as the bell rang. My hand pushed the door open, and the teacher shot me a dirty look. I walked quietly to my seat.

Mr. Tanner was a squat man with stern features. Getting excited made his face turn red and his jowls shake. Sweat stains made his once white shirt dingy, and his Dockers clung on for dear life, under his enormous gut. "Tardy. That makes two," he waved a sausage sized finger at me. "One more and you'll be spending the afternoon in detention." Marking his book, he grunted.

If this happened a year ago, I would have been horrified. But now? I didn't care. The sniggers would stop in a second, and they'd all forget I was here. Except for Jenna Marie. She was in every freaking class with me. I think it was some divine joke—putting the pink princess next to the Goth girl. Well, I wasn't really Goth. I just wore solid black a lot. The dark color suited me.

Slouching in class, I watched the clock tick slowly, counting the minutes until the bell. I made the motions as I went through the day, trying not to talk to anyone. I was moderately successful.

Jenna Marie didn't care that I didn't want to talk. She talked enough for two people.

"Pink would be a great color on you, Ivy," her voice was perky. Perky irritated me. Sitting ramrod straight in her seat, she sat across the aisle from my desk.

Starring straight ahead I mumbled, "I like black. Thanks." Talking about my monochromatic wardrobe was a daily ritual for her. This was what I got for getting to class on time. I'd rather sit in detention. My eyes drifted up to the clock, watching the second hand tick one tock at a time. I prayed for the bell to ring.

"But you have such pretty hair. Those beautiful, hazelnut curls would just pop with pink! And you wear black every day." She frowned at me. "I haven't seen you wear another color in over a year. It's time to think pink!" Looking at her, my eyebrows rose in incredulity into my hairline. The bell rang, and snipped off rude words that had formed on my tongue.

When class ended, I sprang from my chair to avoid more pink talk. Shouldering my way out the door, and into the hallway, I paused when Collin came running up behind me.

"Hey Ive!" he called.

"Hey," I answered, looking up at him.

We fell in step and navigated the crowds of kids, open lockers, and the nerds that were always running somewhere. "What's going on?"

Shrugging, he said, "Same old stuff. I just wanted to tell you to wait up for me after school." Arching an eyebrow, a smile spread across his face. Bouncing on his toes, with his hands behind his back, he said, "I have something for you."

"Sure," pausing I added, "You didn't. Did you?" I cocked my hip as my head automatically slanted. I sighed. "Remember? No birthday presents? Geeze Collin."

Celebrating didn't feel right, not this year. My birthday was forever connected to the worst day of my life. And after last night, I just couldn't.

Her voice filled my ears before I saw her face, "Awh, the little virgin said she doesn't want your present Collin. I'll take it." Nicole Scambotti wrapped herself around Collin. He smiled at her. They dated on and off for the past few years. He seemed to like her as much as any of his other groupies. She was part of his flavor of the month club. At the moment it was ginormous boobs on a blonde bombshell frame, with a snarky mouth.