The Eight - Part Three: Not So Down To Earth

... Sucks.

‘Oh yes’, Hest nods and sighs, ‘with miss Perfect.’
‘But you never used to go on holidays with her’, I say.
‘True. But suddenly my parents realized that I have an amazing cousin and that I should hang out more with her instead of with “that group of freaks”. She’s a role model that I should be following.’
I nod and say, ‘Oh sure thing.’
‘So I guess you’re in need of plans to make her look like the evil one.’ Christopher smiles.
‘Evil one? Oh no, no, no! I just need plans to make myself look not as bad as she’s going to say I am.’
We all laugh, even Belladonna, and the floor disappears under me for a couple of seconds. It’s the first time I’ve laughed today. I haven’t been in a very good mood, I don’t really know why.
I land softly and as Hest if there is any way she won’t go.
‘I highly doubt that’, she answers, ‘my parents really want me to get along with my lovely cousin.’
‘You can always murder her while she sleeps.’ Will grins, his teeth only a bit lighter than his skin.
‘To look good,’ Belladonna says, ‘act exactly as she does. Wear cute skirts and no sneakers – or just discreet clothes if you can’t handle that style.’
‘I’m a bit overweighed for skirts.’ she notices our annoyed faces, ‘What? It’s true. But yes, I’m going to do that. From now on, I’m Saint Hest.’
We all bow stupidly and hear the church bells mark the five hours. The end of the meeting.
‘And it’s starting right now. But this will be more of a rehearsal. The big stage will be later.’
‘Good luck, dear.’
‘Yeah, good luck!’
‘I’ll walk home with you, Will’, I hear Christopher say.
‘Cassie? Will you be riding the 418?’ Belladonna asks and I nod. ‘Cool, me too.’, she says.

We are here waiting for the bus for about fifteen minute. Belladonna hadn’t said a word yet, she just looked at the floor, holding the pendent of the necklace her ex-girlfriend had given her. I wanted to ask her how she felt, if she was getting over it, if she had met someone new… But she really hadn’t given me an opportunity for it, she looks too far away from me.
The bus finally arrives and we get in. Belladonna leaves in the first stop, the only words shared between us being a bye, see you tomorrow.
The bus stops for the second time at another high school and a boy I’ve never seen before sits next to me, even though there are more free seats and I look like a freak with my Barbie-blonde dyed dreadlocks and shiny blue eye contacts.
But that’s not the weirdest thing. The weirdest thing is that he starts talking. He says, ‘Damn this fucking bus, always late. I’m Devin, by the way.’
What a clever way to present yourself.
‘Uh, I’m Cassie.’
‘So you go to Elmanor High School, over there?’
‘Oh no. Fitzmark High School.’
‘Ah, cool. For two years I begged my parents to let me go to that school, but they never allowed me.’
‘Why did you want to go?’
‘It just seemed cool. I had no friends, I wanted to start over new.’
‘Oh… I see… Sorry, this is my stop…’, I say and get up.
‘It’s mine too. Let’s go.’
We leave the bus together. I can’t stop wondering how came we had never met before.
He looks at me.
‘So, where do you live?’
I point at the block of apartments on the other side of the street. ‘Right there.’
‘Oh. I live in Mang Street.’
Mang Street. Where all the rich people live. Huge houses and cars. What did he say about not having friends? The must fall at his feet.
‘Maybe you know who my sister is, Melanie Laurence’, he says.
Oh yes. That rich bitch that slept with every fucking guy over eighteen and spread not so nice rumours about her brother. Now I understand the no friends thingy.
But damn, he is cute.
I nod and he asks me if I want to come over.
An inside voice is screaming NO NO NO as I nod and follow him through the streets to a huge modern house.
My parents don’t care about how late I arrive home. They have no control over me.
Devin’s room is all in black and green. He has such amazing and expensive things, it’s incredible.
It was something I had never had access to.
And I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t one of the reasons why I liked him.
And he didn’t make fun of me for levitating every time I giggled.