Page 22 of Hexed
“What’d you call me?”
He chuckles. “Short Stack. You know…because you’re so short.”
I look at him like he’s got one too many screws loose because I’m the tallest girl in my grade, always have been.
Like every school cafeteria, the room is loud. The yells and chatter scratch across my eardrums like nails on a chalkboard, and the fluorescent lights burn my retinas. I glance around, looking for the bright red hair I helped Aria dye three days ago.
A fresh start for a fresh place, she said. A celebration of her becoming more of a woman. We’re sixth graders now, after all. I wanted to dye mine too, because the chocolate brown just reminds me of my past, but Aria wouldn’t help me, and I was too scared to do it myself. She said I was too young, like she isn’t the exact same age.
My eyes immediately go to the center of the room because I know in my mind that’s where Aria will be. That’s where she always is: front and center and ready to shine.
Sure enough, that’s where I find her, sitting on the top of a table, her legs dangling off the edge, about fifteen people surrounding her like minions waiting on their queen. She’s laughing at something, her head thrown back and her mouth wide-open, that dyed hair swaying back and forth like soft waves on a shoreline, and I couldn’t have pictured a more cliché scene than the one playing out in front of me right now.
But I guess clichés exist for a reason.
Relief swarms through me when I see her, though. I’ve lived with Uncle T and Aria for the past few months, and she’s the only person who’s been there for me. Sure, she’s a little rough around the edges and gets her digs in when she can, but she’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to a friend. To a sister.
“There’s my cousin.” I point to Aria.
Fisher looks in her direction, and his body stiffens.
“What?”
“Aria Kingston is your cousin?”
I lift a brow, feeling defensive. “Yeah, what about it?”
He grins down at me and pinches my cheek between his thumb and forefinger. “Not a thing, jelly bean. It was nice to meet you, Venesa, cousin of Aria. Don’t be a stranger.”
My brows draw in. “You’re not gonna come sit with me?”
He hesitates, looking over at Aria’s table and then me. “Not really my scene.”
“Okay. See you later, I guess.”
He turns around and leaves, and I stare after him for a second before spinning back to focus on Aria.
She’s seen me. In fact, she’s staring right at me with an odd expression on her face. I grin and wave, but she doesn’t react.
Okay, then.
I stiffen my back and make my way through all the people. Crowds make me nervous. I’ve never been a popular person, and the more people there are, the more stares and whispers follow. It’s hard not to feel like every single person is silently judging me, even though I know they aren’t.
Everyone grows quiet when I stop in front of Aria, and she looks at me, leaning back on her hands so her chest is sticking out. She lifts her chin, peering down the bridge of her nose like I’m an ant that needs to be squashed.
“Hey.” I look around, trying to find a place to sit.
Her brow lifts as she stares, and suddenly I’m feeling super awkward.
“I’ve been looking for you all day. Thought you were avoiding me.” I tuck my dark hair behind my ears.
“Can I help you?” she sneers.
My body freezes up, and I glance around, not missing the way her minions are all stifling laughter behind their hands or looking at me like I’m the punch line of some secret joke.
My anxiety creeps back in like slime coating my insides, clogging up my confidence. My thumb picks at the cuticle of my ring finger, and I force a laugh. “Aria, come on.”
“Come on, what?” she asks, adopting a bored expression.
