Cursed

* * *

Things just kind of sucked after that.

Hayden’s and my drives to school were tense, and they usually ended with us arguing by the time we pulled into the school parking lot. I spent my mornings stewing over how adamantly he refused to believe his family had anything to do with what’d happened. They were all saints and angels in his book.

Even though I knew I needed to stop pushing it with him, I couldn’t. I needed him—needed someone—

to believe me. It wasn’t like I’d imagined these things. It all seemed obvious to me, but they were his family. On a daily basis, I basically accused the people he trusted and loved most of murder.

I didn’t even know why we bothered eating lunch together, because we argued then, too, but by Wednesday, Phoebe and Gabe joined us. It was almost like they’d sensed their presence had been needed.

Either that, or Hayden had asked them to.

Phoebe struggled with lunch. Even I could see that. So I did try to cut back on my frustration when she was around. I don’t know why I bothered. It didn’t make her any nicer to me and it sure as hell didn’t help things with Hayden. Our lunches usually ended with Hayden whisking off a pale, shaken Phoebe.

We tried practicing Monday night in the cabin, but that had ended in a spectacular disaster. Somehow a ceramic pot had crashed to the floor. We didn’t attempt anything Tuesday or Wednesday night.

As if things weren’t bad enough, I found spoiled chunks of hamburger meat in my locker Thursday morning. I started crying right then and there in the hallway, like a babbling idiot. Hayden had already disappeared, and I had to knock the globs of meat off my books and salvage what I could. My copy of Catcher in the Rye was ruined and my math book smelled like decayed butt. I had to tell someone, because it needed to be cleaned up.

I spent first half of the morning in the girls’ bathroom by the gym. No one ever used it except the smokers. It smelled, but not as bad as my locker did. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d cried that hard, and it wasn’t till the beginning of third before I got up enough courage to find a janitor.

I found Mr. Theo instead.

“Ember, why weren’t you—are you okay?”

“Yes. No.” I wiped under my eyes with the sleeves of my hoodie. “I need to find a janitor.”

His brows furrowed and his glasses slipped, and I thought of Adam, and then I started crying again.

After that, I ended up in the principal’s office. It was like a snowball rolling down a hill. Things just spiraled out of control from that point.

Principal Hawkes seemed like a nice lady, and Mr. Theo had been right. She didn’t tolerate bullying of any kind, and when he told her about the other things in my locker, she called the guardian listed on my paperwork.

Jonathan Cromwell.

A couple of kids lingered in the admin offices, trying to find out why I was in the office. I ignored them, because I had bigger problems. Mr. Theo left during that time, and I really wanted him to stay through this, considering how he’d started it by telling the principal.

Cromwell showed up less than twenty minutes later. I’d stopped crying by then. I’d also stopped talking and started mentally berating myself.

He wore a business suit, his dark hair neatly in place and a tight smile on his face. He didn’t look at me. I had no idea what they’d told him. “Principal Hawkes, how have you been?”

They exchanged pleasantries while I squirmed in my seat. I was very close to hyperventilating when the principal finally closed the office door and laid it all out on the table in a clipped, purely professional way: the rabbit, the dolls, the toy car, and everything in-between. I stared at her desk while they talked.

Near her computer was a tiny coin, much like the one I had in my pocket. It couldn’t be the same one, because I doubted Mr. Theo handed out lucky coins like candy.

I forgot about the coin the moment she stopped talking.

Only then did Cromwell look at me. I couldn’t help it; I shrank back in my seat. “How long has this been going on?”

I didn’t answer.

“Apparently since the first day she started,” Principal Hawkes answered. “Mayor Cromwell, I want to ensure you that PHS doesn’t tolerate this kind of behavior. Nor have we ever, in the history of my career, had anything like this.”

I felt his stare on me while he talked. “This is the first I’ve heard of this. I am… extremely disappointed that Ember didn’t confide in me. Principal Hawkes, what are you doing to ensure this will stop?”

“She states that no one has been bothering her, so that gives us very little to go on. Although, I am not entirely inclined to believe her since this is the first time any of this has been brought to our attention.”

I looked up then. That wasn’t true. I’d told Mr. Theo and he’d told her. She had to have figured out that he knew, but then the next thing she said sealed my fate. I was a goner. No doubt about it.

“I don’t mean this as any offense to you, Mayor Cromwell. As you know, I voted for you and you still have my vote,” she continued. “But I am inclined to believe that this issue started even before she stepped foot in this school.”

Cromwell stiffened beside me. “I’m not sure I’m following you.”

She cleared her throat and nervously worked at the button on her suit. “How have her interactions been with the other…. children living in your home? Are there any problems you may be aware of? It could be that—” She stopped talking. She stopped moving. Actually, I think she stopped breathing.

Holy crap.

Then I noticed that Cromwell was standing. “Nothing has happened in my house.”

“Nothing,” Principal Hawkes murmured.

“None of my children are involved in this,” he continued, his voice surprisingly soothing. I found myself leaning toward him, listening. “In fact, you will forget we ever had this conversation.”

Principal Hawkes nodded.

“Ember left her lunch in her locker. It spoiled. She panicked.” I snapped out of it. “What?”

Cromwell ignored me, solely focused on her. “Nothing has happened. Ember is just sick. She will go home today. If anyone else brings this up, you will tell them it’s being handled. And you will contact me if anyone comes to you about this.”

“Yes. Of course. Yes.” Principal Hawkes blinked. Then she looked at me, a fond, almost patronizing smile on her face. “Miss McWilliams, I do hope you feel better. And please remember to not leave your lunch in your locker anymore.”

My jaw hit the floor.

Cromwell wrapped things up after that, and then we were walking out of the school and getting in his Porsche. My heart raced and palms sweated. I was screwed. And I needed to get out of here.

“I want—want to stay in school today. I have a test this afternoon,” I told him.

He spared me a glance. “You can make up the test.”

“But—”

“Who else knew about this, Ember?”

“No one,” I stuttered, eyeing the door handle. I could make a run for it. I could also touch him.

“Do not lie to me. Who else knew about this?” he demanded.

“I’m not lying.” My fingers clawed along the door. “No one else knew. I have to take a test—” Cromwell pulled out of the parking lot before I could even open the door. “Why didn’t you come to me about this?”

“I…” I couldn’t think of a lie fast enough. Telling him that I thought he or one of his freaks was behind it wouldn’t make anything better. So the next words that came out of my mouth even amazed me. “Why do you collect kids? What do you want from us?”

“I don’t want anything from you. And I’ve already answered why I bring the gifted into my household.

I will not explain it again for your amusement.”

“It’s not for my amusement! You want these kids for some bizarre reason.” Another moment in my life where I knew I needed to shut up, but couldn’t. “Just like you wanted Olivia—because they’re all gifted.

Why do you want their gifts?”