Daemons in the Mist

Chapter 27 - Playing with Fire

Playing with Fire

Monday, February 13th

PATRICK

                       

“So what are we doing for your birthday? I know we normally do something on your birthday, but since you have a girlfriend now, we really can’t do that anymore,” Connor said as we walked casually through the Japantown Mall. Connor knew full well Nualla wasn’t my “girlfriend,” but I had told him if he ever let anyone know otherwise I would kick his ass.

“Nothing,” I answered, looking away from him at a nearby window display as we passed by it. “I don’t want to do anything; I can’t let Nualla find out I wasn’t eighteen.”

Connor stopped dead, causing a few people to nearly run into him. “Wait, you haven’t told her yet?”

“I don’t know how to tell her, Connor. It’s not like I can just walk up to her and say, ‘Hi Nualla, I know you thought we were married and all, but since I was a minor at the time I’m pretty sure we’re not.’”

“Dude, you’re playing against loaded dice,” Connor said uneasily.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” I groaned, leaning up against a nearby wall.

“How could you not think of something to say? You’re like the smartest person I know.”

“Connor, smart and intelligent are two vastly different things.”

“Apparently so,” Connor said with a smirk.

We walked into the extremely crowded candy shop near the bakery and began to carefully pick our way around. I grabbed an armful of things I thought Nualla might like; a cute little stuffed gray cat, a box of chocolate with coffee centers, even some candied violets. It was the day before Valentine’s Day and in typical guy fashion, I had waited till the last minute to get her something. I had been so wrapped up in the whole married-not-married thing I had lost track of the days.

“Dude, no amount of presents is gonna stop that girl from being pissed when she finds out,” Connor pointed out with a snort.

“Yeah I know, but it can’t hurt either, can it?” I asked with a shrug. “And besides, I haven’t really ever given her anything; well, aside from the ring—I think,” I admitted with a grimace.

“Wait, how can you not know—” Connor asked, looking at me dubiously. “Oh come on, you weren’t seriously that drunk were you?”

“Connor, that’s not the only thing I can’t remember. Actually, the truth is I really can’t remember most of it.”

Connor looked at me confused. “Then how do you—”

“There were—pictures,” I said with the straightest face I could.

“Really? Am I ever going to get to see said pictures?” Connor asked, arching his eyebrows.

“Not a chance in hell, Connor,” I replied as I stepped up to the counter.

After I was done, I stepped out of the crowded candy shop to wait for Connor who was buying something. Wait, what? “Connor, who are you buying a present for?” I asked, looking at the box of chocolate in his hands.

“Sara,” he answered with a huge grin.

I just looked at him a little shocked. “Seriously?” I knew he had gone with her to the dance, but they hadn’t given any indication that they were an “item.”

“Hey, if you weren’t always pining after Galathea you would know that,” Connor said, rolling his eyes.

“Hey it’s not ‘pining’ if I’m married to her now,” I said indignantly.

But you’re not really; not legally, anyways.

Connor laughed and turned around, but when he saw my face his smile dropped. “I’m fucked, aren’t I?” I said to my shoes.

“Yeah, probably,” Connor sighed. “But I won’t be the one who outs you.”

“Thanks, Connor,” I said. I finally looked up, but I didn’t smile.

We went back to walking through the mall. As we walked past the kimono shop I was reminded of The Embassy—and Travis. I wondered if what I was doing counted as “hurting her” in his eyes. I sighed in anguish. “And then there’s Travis.”

Connor stopped walking and turned. “Who’s Travis?”

“Someone waiting in the wings to take Nualla away when I fuck up,” I answered, kicking a discarded food wrapper on the ground. “He works—with Nualla’s dad and she’s known him like forever. He’s twenty-something, smart as hell, and cooler than I will ever be.” I looked out at the passersby as I leaned back to sit on a nearby railing. “And he kissed her like right in front of me,” I said, not meeting Connor’s eyes.

Connor just stared at me for a moment before saying, “Dude, you are so screwed.”

“Thanks Connor; you are so reassuring,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“So, since you will most likely not have a girlfriend by Friday, do you want to do something for your birthday then?” he asked before bounding a safe distance away.

I looked up with a slight smile before running after him. “If you live that long, Connor.”

I knew my plan wasn’t very well thought out, but denial is a very powerful illusion.