Page 41 of Crystal Iris
He continues, “We found the prisms together. I was sixteen, Luke was seventeen. We fought about some stupid shit, who was better with a bow. The fight took a turn, as it often did with us, and we ended up all bloodied. I said something about him being a coward, that he’d never stand up to Dad. An hour later, I was challenging him to open the safe. We knew the combination—we’d watched Dad open it for years. I thought we’d find money, maybe spend it on beer or something. But instead, we found the two prisms. Mine was a necklace, and his was a bracelet. I don’t even know what happened. As soon as we put them on, their lights turned on. His emitted a green glow, and mine a dark blue. As you probably know, there was no taking them off after that.”
“What did your dad say?”
“He went crazy, yelling at us to take them off, saying we didn’t know what we’d done. But it was too late—he knew it, too.”
“And how did your brother...?”
“The prism drove him mad. He started hearing voices, couldn’t shut them out. He kept saying he couldn’t take it anymore. He died months later. Suicide.”
“I’m so sorry, Hoyt. It’s not your fault. You didn’t know.”
“Luke was the responsible one. He never wanted to step out of line. I was always pushing him. Dad made sure I knew it was my fault.”
“Hoyt.” I move a little closer, but he jumps back.
“Oh my God, I forgot. I’m sorry.”
“I hate this thing,” he says, staring out the window. “Every time I try to take it off, though, I feel... wrong. But I hate it.”
He looks outside again. “It’s getting crazy out there.”
“We should go before it gets worse,” I say, standing up.
“Can I call you?” he asks.
“Let’s keep it to text. Aaron can be…”
“Jealous?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
Hoyt puts me in the first cab, and I watch him close the door.We needed more time; there’s so much I still need to ask him. I want to know if his prism can make him travel like mine. I want to know more about his brother—what did his dad know about the prisms? Why did he keep them in a safe?
Somehow, I have to push all of this to the back of my mind. Aaron is waiting for me when I open the door.
“Where have you been?” He helps me take off my wet clothes.
“The museum.”
“I was worried.”
“Sorry, you know I get distracted there.”
“I ordered soup and a sandwich for you, but it’s cold by now.”
“Thank you. I’m hungry.”
All I want to do is tell Aaron I’m sorry. The nicer he is to me, the worse I feel. I’m in a deep hole now. I have to dig my way out, and I know exactly what will happen once I do. Whatever I’m feeling for Hoyt, even if I barely know him, I’ve never felt with Aaron. I wish I did. And when it’s time to tell him, I know I’m going to lose my best friend too.
I eat in front of the TV while Aaron watches the news.
I spend the evening checking my phone, hoping Hoyt has texted me. He hasn’t. How can I be so drawn to a guy I barely know? Especially one who’s known for dating someone new every week? I need to get my focus back. I’m going back to work in the morning.
Twelve
“One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself.” – Leonardo da Vinci
