Little Spark

49 - Hot Chocolate

I don't realize how exhausting the day has been until I plop down at a Common Grounds table next to the window. As it turns out, the frenetic energy zipping through the halls was caused by the sudden reemergence of Celia Diavel. Based on what I gathered from snatches of excited chatter throughout the day, Celia was the Cocoa Falls Golden Girl until she went off to some über-prestigious boarding school three years ago.

Apollo brings over two steaming ceramic mugs and slides into the seat across from me.

"Wow, Bliss," he says. "You look a little green."

"Pol, what do you know about Celia? She introduced herself, but—I don't know. All the hoopla kind of threw me since I know nothing about the girl—" I clamp my mouth shut before adding, "who has access to Reign when I don't."

Apollo shrugs. "There's not a whole lot to know. She's your age. Grew up here. Went to boarding school right before eighth grade. She's a great girl."

"Yeah I could tell everybody loves her, Divas of Darkness included. Is she... one of them?"

"Oh, no way," he says. "She just makes people feel good. Forgive the expression, but I'm pretty sure she pees rainbows. Her energy is hard to resist, even for them."

"Candis didn't seem too thrilled to see her."

Apollo grins. "You should talk to her about that."

I look out the window and clear my throat. "Any idea why she's back all of a sudden?"

"Well, I'd assume because of Reign's accident." My head whips to face him. I have no idea what my horrified expression looks like, but it makes him laugh. "Reign and Celia have been next-door neighbors since birth, Bliss. They grew up together. They were practically attached at the hip until she went off to boarding school."

"Oh." I look down into my cup as that stupid dream of him kissing her at the accident scene—I finally figured out that's where they are—fills my head.

"I don't think you need to worry though."

"Huh?"

"About Reign and Celia. They've been best friends forever, but I'm pretty sure it's never gone beyond that. I don't think she's his type." He winks at me.

I stare at him with my lips parted. He nonchalantly sips his hot chocolate and stares right back.

"I don't get it, Pol."

He sits his cup back on its saucer. "You don't get what?"

"Why didn't you ever tell me to stay away from him like everybody else did?"

"That would've been a bit hypocritical, don't you think?"

"Hypocritical?"

He leans in and interlaces his fingers on top of the table. "Bliss, I'm in love with a girl who has a boyfriend she's totally gaga about. I'm certainly not qualified to tell someone else who they shouldn't have feelings for."

Well that's certainly one way to render me speechless.

"Look, I'm only seventeen," he continues, "but based on my experience, there are certain things you can't make yourself not feel. Yeah, we can snap our fingers to turn lights on and off, but this is different. Besides, from the day I met you, it was obvious that you're pretty smart. Of course I've heard all the rumors about him, but I figured if your heart was in it, there had to be a pretty solid reason. And hey, based on our little corndog secret, I'd say you've proven yourself a pretty good judge of character."

I smile, the burden eased just a bit. "Thanks, Pol."

"Just know that if he hurts you, I'll break both of his legs."