Page 90 of Crush
Ember
Jaxon promised he’d meet me behind Winthorpe’s rec center at midnight. I wasn’t scared; it’s a spot I’d had to navigate to in the dark before—but I was more vulnerable.
This time, I didn’t have Aiko’s reassuring aid hovering nearby in the bushes.
She’d avoided me at school all day. After five pathetic attempts to talk to her, mostly begging her between classes to talk to me and figure out how to get past this, I was forced to stop, especially when other people started to notice. They didn’t have to speak. Their pointing fingers and mocking smiles said enough: Ember Beckett lost the only friend she had. Let’s all be quiet so we can hear her thud once she hits rock bottom.
It didn’t matter if Aurora wasn’t openly humiliating me anymore, nor did Thorne’s warnings to the entire school to back off me make any difference. Thorne wasn’t here, and Aurora observed my fall from grace with feckless desire, knowing she didn’t have to do anything but watch.
Forget them. Aiko’s reaction concerns me the most. Why is she so furious? She’s always been open to talking and understanding of my quirks. My theory about Savannah can’t be that wrong … can it?
Did I go too far this time by keeping my continued hookups with Thorne a secret? Did I owe our friendship explicit descriptions of what we did together?
No. And I’ll stand by that. But I do owe her an explanation about Savannah’s necklace, and if Aiko won’t come to me willingly, I’ll have to force her to listen to me.
Not today, though. I’ll need time to figure out an excuse for the pendant other than I was weirdly drawn to it the way I’m constantly drawn to Savannah’s former life. Forgive me?
By the end of the day, I’m inexcusably relieved by having a Society challenge come between my inevitable confrontation with Aiko.
Unlike his prince, Jaxon is right on time, waiting for me at the rec center’s back exit. I meet him with a nervous smile, Malcolm’s warnings swirling in my head. Continue to do what the Societies ask. We can’t raise suspicions.
Pretty sure my quivering smile is fucking suspicious.
Jaxon is too hopped up to notice. He shifts from foot to foot, his eyes wider than normal. He constantly blinks, like he can’t keep the dryness at bay. “There you are. You ready? Where’s your cloak?”
“Right here.” I shrug off my backpack and let it thump to the floor, where I bend and pull out the folded white cloak. I rise with it in my arms. “Are you … okay?”
“Dandy. Put it on.”
I do, turning so my back is to him as I peel off my coat. I feel weirdly vulnerable under his hypervigilant stare, and I’d rather collect my bearings without being under his scope.
Once the cloak is clasped at my neck, I turn to face him.
“Let’s get this over with.” He gestures with his chin. “This way.”
I grab my backpack and fall into step beside him, stealing as many glances as I can at his profile while we wander into the forest. I can’t glean much from his profile, other than that his jaw is tighter than a pit bull’s with nothing to latch onto.
“Any tips or tricks for this challenge?” It’s an obvious attempt of playfulness, the hitch in my breath giving me away.
“Not this time,” he mutters, taking a sharp right turn.
I stumble to keep up with him, unused to navigating fallen branches and random ditches like he apparently is.
“Have you spoken to Thorne?” I ask.
Jaxon whirls so fast, I barrel into his chest. He shoves me back, shouting, “What is it with you two? You realize you’re each other’s kryptonite, right? I can’t be the only one who sees the stupidity in this pairing. And he may be stubborn to the point of enduring torture, but you’re not. Stop it with him, Ember.”
I throw my hands up. “What the hell? Where is this coming from?”
“It’s been a long time brewing. Trust me on that.”
“He and I aren’t anything serious. We’ve never been.”
“Oh, fuck me!” Jaxon shouts to the treetops, throwing up his hands. “Why am I the one who has to deal with love-drunk assholes?”
“Love?” I bark out. My shoulders shake with silent laughter. “I am far from in love with Thorne Briar, Jaxon.”
“Save it.” Jaxon lets his head fall forward, his chin dipping in exhaustion. “I don’t really care what excuses you’ve cocked up. All I care about is my friend. I don’t know how much Thorne has told you, but we’re connected, he and I. Soul-to-soul. We’ve been there for each other and sacrificed more than our fair share for each other’s dumb deeds. But this has gone too far. Thorne’s hurting himself by choosing to be with you. I’m afraid it’s to the point that will get him killed.”