Page 18 of A Drop of Anguish
“I’ll walk her.”
Coach and I both blink up at Auren. Her face is solemn, her eyes dim.
“It’s the least I can do.”
“Auren…” Coach says slowly. “I don’t suspect you of ill intentions, but you do realize helping her will not absolve you of any wrongdoing.”
She nods.
“It was an accident,” I say quickly. “There was no wrongdoing.”
“Candice,” Coach says then shakes her head. “That is really more of a decision for the headmaster. Do you feel comfortable walking with Auren? Or do you want me to select someone else?”
“Auren is fine.”
I’m not afraid of Auren, though maybe I should be given what just happened. She has more than enough power to do terrible things to me, but her gloomy frown suggests not only does she feel guilt for her outburst, but she also has something she wants to say. I’d like to hear it.
“All right, Auren, ensure Candice makes it to the infirmary safely and then head directly to see Ms. Bhatt. Do you understand?”
Auren agrees, and they both help me to my feet. I don’t feel particularlygreat—my limbs are stiff, and I have a dull headache—but I’m not in any intense pain.
I cross my arms and walk beside the fae princess who hates me into the main building of the school.
Only once we’re relatively alone in the narrow halls of the south wing do I ask, “Why are you afraid of dying?”
She doesn’t answer right away. The sound of our shoes pattering on the marble tile is loud as hell in our awkward silence.
“Because if Jarron finds out what I did, even if you’re not together anymore, he’ll still murder me for it.”
I let that thought settle in my mind. It doesn’t exactly endear me to her, but it does distract me. Will Jarron come back soon? And if so, what will our relationship be like?
“You’re right,” she continues. “You could have had me killed back then. We all saw it. How obsessed he was with you. I swear heneveroncelooked at me the way he looked at you.”
My stomach squeezes. I don’t want to remember how good that felt. “Is that why you hate me?”
“No,” she whispers. “Maybe. But I’m smart enough to realize that’s unfair.”
She stops in the middle of the hall. I bite the inside of my lip and wait for her to say whatever it is that’s been bothering her.
“I’m sorry. I haven’t been the person I want to be lately. I guess, that’s what I want to say. I don’t know.” She rubs the back of her neck.
“Yeah, I get that.” I feel the same sometimes. I wish I were different. I wish I related to people better. I wish I communicated better. But I close up everything and let anger well until it strangles me. “Just seems so typical, you know? Girl hates girl out of jealousy.”
Auren sighs. “Yeah. It’s stupid, I know. But romance isn’t the only reason I was jealous of you.Am, am jealous of you.”
I ignore that last bit. She has no reason to be jealous of me now. I’m hated and alone and weak. I don’t have anything she wants, except maybe wonderful friends like Lola and Janet.
“Yes, I’ve had a crush on Jarron for a while. He’s hot and powerful, what’s not to like? But there’s more to it for me.”
“Okay. What else?” I ask.
“Did you hear about the fae portals being closed for good? No one really knows how or why or if they’ll ever open again.”
My lips part. I had heard a little bit about that.
“Which means my brother and I may never return home. We may never see our family again. We’re alone here on this magicless planet. A princess without a kingdom. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?”
I pin my lips together. Better than not being a princess at all, I think. But I understand her point. She had something important torn from her grasp, and now she’s left seeking something to fill the hole left behind.
