Viv said, "Of course, dear." She gave him a sly smile, and I wondered what was going on with those two.
Cindy and I finished putting everything on the table. Once we were all seated, Viv uncorked a bottle of wine, and poured a glass for her and my dad.
While we ate, I couldn't help thinking about school. The guys tried to talk to me at lunch, and after school, but I wasn't giving them the opportunity.
Cindy sat with me at lunch in a different section of the cafeteria. When she asked why we weren't sitting with the guys, I told her it was so I could concentrate on learning how to text. Another reason was I didn't want to see Cindy and Gabe together. At the moment, Cindy was my only friend and I didn't want to be mad at her too.
She'd obviously given the guys my cell number though because I recognized their numbers. They called and texted throughout the day, but I ignored them, deleting their messages and texts without reading or listening.
You're acting like a baby, my inner voice scolded.
I knew that was true, but I didn't want anymore of the drama. I couldn't be what they wanted. Me. Klutzy Snow White. I wasn't super smart, nor was I incredibly pretty, like Cindy. I was average.
You are so much more than that, a male voice whispered in my mind. It sounded like Christopher, but I shook the thought away. He'd left. Without giving me a reason.
I wanted things to go back to the way they were. Sure people laughed at my clumsiness, made up jokes about me, but I didn't mind. I knew where I fit in.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Viv asked, interrupting my thoughts. Her eyes appeared sad, as though I hurt her feelings by not eating.
I glanced at the salad on my plate. Picking up my fork, I stabbed a cucumber, and shoved it in my mouth. "Thanks for dinner," I said once I swallowed.
"Yes, thanks," Cindy added. "The cacciatore is delicious."
My dad grabbed Viv's hand and squeezed. "You've outdone yourself dear." He kissed her cheek. Then cleared his throat. "Snow, we have some news."
I was in the process on putting another cucumber in my mouth, and stopped. "You do?" Anxiety twisted in my stomach.
He cleared his throat again. "Your mother and I have to leave for Tahiti tonight, right after dinner. There's an emergency, and I've got to go help out."
I dropped my fork. "But you just got here. I-I haven't even had a chance to spend time with you?" I glared at Viv. "And she is not my mother." Grabbing my plate, I pushed back my chair, and placed the plate in the sink.
"Snow," my dad said, shocked.
Why didn't he ever ask me to go with him? I could homeschool, or he could get me a tutor. "Can I come with you?" I asked, working to control my trembling bottom lip.
Cindy gasped. "Don't leave me." Tears made her eyes shiny. I hadn't thought about how my going would affect her, but I had a feeling she'd be fine.
"What about school?" Viv asked.
My dad stood and came over. He placed a hand on either of my shoulders, and I dove into him, hugging him tight. "Dad, I need you. Please take me." I knew I sounded like a child, but I couldn't help myself. He was my dad, and all the family I had. I didn't want him to leave me again. He returned my hug briefly before pushing me back.
I saw the worry in his eyes, and the way his forehead scrunched together. "Snow, I can't. You have your school here, your life. I won't take you from the only place you've ever known." His words sounded sincere, but I felt him bristle. He didn't want me around. I listened to the rapid beating of his heart, smelled the fear overpowering his aftershave. Didn't he love me anymore? A part of me wanted to shout that my life could be wherever he was, if he would just love me, treat me like his daughter. But I stepped back. My shoulders slumped and I thought I might fall over. Small, warm hands wrapped around my shoulders.
"I'll take good care of her." Cindy's words were filled to brimming with protection, and something else.
Magic, my inner voice whispered.
No way, I thought as the fountain of tears I kept fighting poured out.
I heard Vivianne heave an annoyed sigh. "I guess dinner is over."
Had I not been so heartbroken I might've flashed my fangs, and shown Viv that dinner, at least for me, had just begun. Instead, I pulled away from Cindy, and ran upstairs. Gatsby, and Cindy followed.
Chapter 9
Cindy closed the door, and whispered, "Man, your stepmother can be kind of a bitch."
"I know, right." I sat on my bed, and pulled my pillow into my arms. A part of me always believed Viv liked Cindy more than me, and I thought Cindy liked Viv. Her relationship with her mom and dad was good, but they were older, and Cindy was their youngest, so her parents didn't do much by way of relating.
A naughty gleam lit Cindy's face. "I could cast a spell; cover her face in boils. What do you think?" She sat down next to me, pushing a strand of hair away from my wet cheek.
I laughed. "Might be fun," I said noncommittally.
She went over and picked up her backpack. After she'd sat again, she unzipped her backpack, and removed a small book. As soon as I saw it, the air in the room changed. It hummed as though alive. The book possessed some serious energy.
It appeared to be bound by a leather chord. Most of the jacket was covered in a rusty red material. Cindy held it out, and nodded for me to take it.
"What is this?" I asked, feeling hesitant. Creepy, or weird didn't fully describe the book. Bizarre was close. In the center of the cover was an eye. It looked real, like a lizards. A scaly face, in combination of violets and reds, surrounded the eye. "Can the eye... see me?"
Cindy laughed. "Probably. The book is known as the Eye of Abernathy, the first, and most powerful dragon ever to have lived on Earth.
"A dragon?" I rubbed my thumbs over the edges of the cover, staying clear of the eye. Soft, sleek, and smooth, like a lizard's skin. "What's inside?"
Cindy gave me one of her famous looks. "No duh," this one said. Out loud, she added, " Abernathy's spells. This is the oldest, most powerful book on the planet."
I snorted. "Really? Why do you have it?" Immediately after the words left my mouth I regretted them.
Hurt, she said, "Harsh."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it the way it came out." I scooted closer and hit her knee with mine. I didn't know how to ask her where the book came from or when she got it. Something told me the book was related to the pendant. I was still ignoring that part of my new life, and didn't want to tell Cindy any of it, so I waited.