Immortal City

glitziness that everyone is obsessed with. Like you see the world differently than everybody else?”

“I guess so,” Maddy said, feeling, for a moment, totally understood. That was exactly it. She had never felt like she fit in. Having it said out loud — and accepted — was liberating.

Ethan gave her a playful punch on the arm. “So we gotta stick together.”

“Okay,” Maddy replied, brightening, and smiled at him. Gwen might never speak to her again, but at least she had another friend in the world.

“I hope you haven’t forgotten my party tonight. We’re going to have food, drinks, a great playlist; I promise you’ll have a good time. And no Angels. So I’ll see you there?”

She had done it again. It was so easy to give him the wrong idea. Or — was it the wrong idea? How did she feel about him? Maddy gazed into his sincere, questioning eyes.

Then she looked away.

“Ethan, you’ve been really cool to me. I’ve just been through so much lately, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me right now. I think I need to spend some time alone, get caught up on school, just put this disaster of a week behind me.” She paused as his expression fell. “You understand, right?”

“Sure,” he said, smiling to disguise his disappointment. “Well, if you change your mind, you know where I’ll be.” He rose and gave her a nod. “The famous Maddy Montgomery. See you around.”

Maddy listened to the echo of his departing steps.

After classes ended, she walked alone toward the front entrance of the school — where she spotted more paparazzi waiting impatiently for her outside. They had been joined by television crews, who were attempting to interview some of the students. Maddy couldn’t believe it. It was like a nightmare from which she couldn’t wake up.

Ducking quickly out the side door of the gym, Maddy cut through the baseball field. She decided as she walked home she would go in through the back door of the house, just in case. Then she could change into her uniform and use the rear entrance of the diner, as usual. With any luck, everyone would forget all about her in a few days time.

Reaching the house, she slipped around to the back as planned and let herself in without a hitch.

She tiptoed into the kitchen — and froze.

Kevin was sitting at the table, waiting for her.

“You’re not at the diner,” Maddy stated, her breath catching in her throat.

“I need to talk to you, Maddy.”

Maddy’s heart thundered in her chest. She leaned on the kitchen counter for support.

“Okay?”

Kevin let out a long sigh. “I left you a message,” he said gruffly. “Where have you been? I’ve been worried. I was. .” Kevin trailed off, drawing a deep breath to attempt to calm himself. “The phone company called and they wanted to confirm you added a new phone to your account?

And now they’re charging me for data? And unlimited calling? And all kinds of other stuff you know we can’t afford?”

Maddy stood there, silent. Her mind racing.

“What have I told you, Maddy?” he said. “Homework and emergencies. Is that not clear? And what’s this about a new phone?”

She looked at his expectant gray eyes.

“Maddy, do you want to tell me what’s going on?”

How could she? How could she begin to explain any of it? Should she just tell him she had been going out with the same Angel who trashed his diner?

“I got the phone from a. . boy. It was a gift. I’ll call the phone company and cancel it right now.”

“Is that why you’ve been acting so strange this week?”

he pressed. “Breaking dishes. . and so tired?”

Maddy let out an embarrassed breath. She didn’t know what to say. A realization seemed to wash over his face.

“I’m guessing you weren’t studying with Gwen last night, were you?”

“No,” Maddy breathed.

“You lied to me?” Kevin looked genuinely shocked at this. He looked down at the table. “You were sneaking around behind my back, lying to me.” When he looked up, Maddy was surprised to see the genuine hurt in his eyes.

“I didn’t raise you this way, Maddy.”

It was enough to raise a lump in her throat. Hot tears threatened to overspill her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Kevin,” she whispered. “It won’t happen again.”

Kevin nodded but didn’t seem entirely convinced.

“And who was this boy, anyway?” he asked, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. “Some boy from school?”

“Not exactly,” she said. “But nothing happened. And it’s over now. I promise.”

Kevin’s expression softened a bit, his shoulders relaxing. “All right.”

Maddy looked out the window, out to the Angel City sign looming on the hill. She imagined it was mocking her.

Mocking them both.

“You want to take the rest of the night off? I already called someone to fill in for you.”

“Sure,” Maddy said weakly. “Thanks.”

Kevin looked a little embarrassed himself now. Maddy knew these “father-daughter” things weren’t easy for him.

“Just do me a favor. I know you’re older now, but it’s. . dangerous out there. Especially for. . you. I mean, young girls like you. Please. Don’t walk home by yourself at night for a while, okay?”

“Okay,” she said, feeling slightly puzzled. She went over, kissed him on the cheek, and stepped silently upstairs.

Disappointing Kevin was something she rarely did, and she had forgotten how truly terrible it felt. Their modest life wasn’t much, but it was everything he had to give her.

He had always provided for her, and she wasn’t even his daughter. How disrespectful had she been? Very, she decided.

She sat on her bed and pulled out the BlackBerry Miracle. Somehow she had to figure out how to cancel the thing.

Then it chimed.

It was a new-blog alert.

Apparently the phones at the party had all been pre-programmed with bookmarked web pages, and, of course, the Angel blogs were among them. Maddy read the screen.

It was about Jacks.

“Amid the media firestorm that broke this morning around the Angel killings and last night’s Angels Weekly Commissioning party, Jackson Godspeed released a press statement today playing down rumors ACPD has him on a list of potential targets. Jacks also emphatically denied there was anything romantic between him and the girl he brought to the party the previous night, describing her as a ‘contest winner.’” The blogger continued by declaring, “Whatever that contest is, we’d love to play!”

The tears finally came. She had made a fool of herself and betrayed or disappointed everyone she cared about.

Gwen first. And now Kevin. And someone else too, a name she was startled to realize was on the list. Ethan. Maddy threw the phone on the floor. From that moment, she decided, she was going to start fresh. A new beginning. A clean slate. She was going to be the fun, social, loyal Maddy she knew she could be. She looked out the window. There was that sign again. Like a ghost. She got up and quickly drew the shade. Then she went digging for her old phone, sat at her desk, and, taking a deep breath, made a call.

Ethan picked up, sounding distracted. “Hello?”