Wicked

Chapter Thirty-One

I walked down the halls, Addie in tow next to me, feeling the bleeding hearts around us. The school had become a shrine for Rachel Radley. I didn't mind, in fact, I thought it was a great way to help the students grieve. When I went to the funeral I had expected some sort of clarity, but that wasn't the case.

"Hey, Erik," Addie said, as we sat down at our usual table. I looked across the cafeteria and said Daniel talking to his friend. I hadn't looped either of them in on what happened yesterday. I wanted to wait until both of them were here.

"What's up?" Erik asked both of us, raising a blonde eyebrow. He wore a dark red graphic tee with his black leather jacket over the top, look as brooding as ever.

I wet my lips. "I have to tell you guys about yesterday," and I launched into the story. I told them how ridiculous Ivelyn and Kate were being. They were ignoring my proof, only focussing on all the things that pointed at Daniel being involved. That wasn't fair.

After I was done, I watched their reactions. Unfortunately, they were giving me the same look Ivelyn and Kate had given me, right before they told me I hadn't described Daniel at the funeral. I clenched a fist, trying to calm myself down.

"But, isn't that just the most ridiculous thing you have heard? Like, Daniel could never--

I stopped mid-sentence due to their facial expressions: shameful. Did they really think Daniel could do something like this? I was baffled. Did no one know him how I knew him?

"It's not that we think he could do that, because honestly, I can't imagine him killing someone. However, they do make a good point and maybe he is involved somehow, but not directly killing them." Erik tried to explain. My first reaction was to be defensive, yet somehow I completely understood what he was saying. I didn't agree with it, but I understood where he was coming from.

Instinctually, I looked over my shoulder at Daniel. He caught me looking and waved at me, causing me to smile. He couldn't kill someone.

"You're wrong, you're all wrong, but don't worry I'll prove it to you guys." That's what I needed to do: prove to them that he wasn't the monster they were saying. The good news was that I knew exactly how I would do that. I would tempt Daniel in the most obvious way that if he was a Draug he wouldn't be able to control himself. We weren't a one-hundred percent sure the killer was a Draug, but whatever it was it needed blood.

I was going to clear Daniel's name.

Erik and Addie shared a disapproving look. I figured they wouldn't like this idea, but they didn't know Daniel like I did. They didn't understand how much he meant to me. There was something about him that felt like home.

"Um, what do you mean by that?" Addie's word was saturated with worry. Her brow furrowed in distrust of my plan. She obviously didn't like it. I could tell she was anxious, especially as her eyes darted from me to Erik and her hands slightly shook.

"I mean I'm going to show you all he's innocent. I'm going to prove he isn't a Draug or anything else that drinks blood. I'm going to accidentally cut myself in front of him and when he doesn't freak out, we'll know he isn't the killer." I'll admit, it was a little extreme, but that was how confident I was in Daniel. Erik looked nauseous. It was the only plan I could think of that would clear Daniel's name. I couldn't have my Coven and best friends think the guy I was dating was evil. I couldn't.

"I really don't think you should do that, remember The Curse rumor. I know I told you I wouldn't worry about it until you have a reason to worry, but it's sounding like you might have a reason to worry." Erik urged, nearly leaning over the top of the table.

I was shaking my head before he finished. "The Curse isn't real and Daniel is human. I know he is." Quickly, I shut that thought down. There was no way that Curse was real. I held the amulet in between my index finger and thumb, waiting to feel the pulse. It had become a habit of mine that helped me calm down.