Power

Chapter 10

We take a taxi home, arriving at half-past midnight. It had already been arranged for a nurse to stay with my dad while I'm at school the next day. Even though he will spend a majority of his time sleeping, I feel better knowing he will have someone there just in case he needs them.

I am finally changing out of the outfit I have worn for nearly two days when a receipt fell from one of my jacket pockets, fluttering to the floor. Picking it up, I realize it is the number of the guy from Bernie's cafe, though the day he gave it to me now seemed a lot longer than a few days ago. I quickly sent him a text, trying not to overthink it. "Hey, this is Talli, the girl from the cafe. Are we still on for Friday?" After I wash my face and brush my teeth, I get in bed, ready for some well deserved sleep when my phone buzzes. My screen lights up with a text from John, who for some reason is awake at one in the morning on a Thursday.

"Of course! Happy u finally txted, been thinking about u ;). pick u up around 7, grab a bite to eat b4 we head over???" I wince at his texting style, not exactly what I had imagined from such a well read guy. Still, I am determined to have a good time and do a normal teenager thing.

"Sure, see you then!" I reply, along with my address. Friday will be a good night, if I make it until then.

When Eli picks me up for school that morning, he doesn't say a word, instead staring intently at the road in front of him. I fiddle with my thumbs, thinking of how I can somehow ease the tension. After all, I will for sure be seeing a lot more of him now that I am a Serpent. "Thanks for the ride," I finally say.

"No problem, you're on my way," he says, not trying to continue the conversation. Lunch is similar to the car ride both Thursday and Friday. I stay quiet, oblivious to the conversations surrounding me, only speaking when Collin makes an effort to include me. I keep waiting for Charger to show up, but he never does. To be honest, I am mostly worried about how he will react when he sees I'm with them, and the fact he has not been at school just leaves me even more on the edge. No one in his group seems to pay any mind to my newfound loyalty, aside from Max, who I spot once giving me a confused glance. I wonder what he thinks, especially after he caught his friend and I nearly kissing. I wonder if any of them told Charger. Mostly, I wonder if Charger cares.

On Friday, I am only focused on going to the party and leaving everything that has happened behind me, even if it is just for a few hours. I arranged for the nurse to stay overnight, and chose what I consider a decent outfit ahead of time, not too conservative nor too sexy. I want to be hot but not a whore, a fine line when it comes to women's party clothes.

After Eli drops me off that afternoon, I begin the extensive process of straightening, then curling my hair. I am meticulous with my makeup, trying to bring life to my tired face. By the time seven o'clock rolls around, I am plenty pleased with my look. I don't dress up very often, but when I do I go all out.

John knocks on my door seven minutes past the hour, and I wait a moment before opening it, not wanting it to be obvious I had been waiting in the doorway for his arrival. He is wearing a dark black shirt with a few buttons undone, along with jeans, a nice watch, and stylish shoes. Out of his work uniform, John looks even hotter. I silently congratulate myself on the catch. He gives me a quick once over, trying not to be too obvious, and seems to be pleased with what he sees.

"You look amazing," He grins. "You're gonna be the talk of the party, how I somehow got someone like you to come with me." We laugh, and I am flattered as he leads me to the car, opening my door for me. The courtesy reminds me of Charger, thoughts I quickly push away. Tonight is about John and I, not him.

"You look pretty good too," I say, realizing I didn't comment on his appearance. "Black suits you."

"Thanks, but no one's going to be looking at me tonight." His compliments make me blush, and I feel free for the first time in a long time while. We engage in meaningless chit-chat as we head over to the neighboring college town, which I have read good things about on TripAdviser but never actually visited. We pull up to a small but artsy bistro, with outdoor seating littered with candles. "What do you say we brave the harsh outdoors to enjoy this beautiful night under the stars?" He asks, taking my hand in his. I agree, and soon we are being poured some white wine by a waiter with one of the best, most pointed mustaches I have ever seen. Once he leaves us with the menus, I look at the glass, unsure of how to proceed. I have never drunk alcohol before, aside from a few sips at family parties. "Don't worry, I won't tell," John grins, noticing my hesitation as he takes a sip from his own glass. "They import it from this small vineyard in France, it's some great stuff. Just try a little."