Page 7 of Jorax
I huff out a frustrated breath as I toss my beaded bag onto the counter in irritation.
“Everything okay?” Jorax asks, tipping his head and focusing his yellow eyes on me as though I’m the only person on the planet and he’s dying to hear my every thought.
“Icaron just canceled. Something ‘came up.’” I make air quotes with my fingers.
Jorax shakes his head. “That’s unfortunate.” Is that a glint of satisfaction in his hooded eyes?
I glance down at my dress. “I was so looking forward to tonight, too. The reviews were good and the play sounded… interesting.”
Jorax fidgets with his notes. “Well, I know it’s not a fancy restaurant or an invitation-only premiere of a play… but the haunted house is supposed to be exceptional this year. Maybe I could take you there? If you want company…”
Warmth spreads through me at his bashful offer. “I’d love that!” Going to the haunted house with Jorax sounds much more fun anyway. I kind of oversold the play as interesting when what I wanted to say was “boring and pretentious.”
I quickly change into my original jeans and sweater and soon we’re strolling across the ancient house’s front lawn as shouts and creepy music float from the purportedly terrifying haunted mansion. My earlier disappointment at being dumped at the last minute has vanished.
Jorax pays our admission, laughing off my concern that I can buy my own ticket.
“We always split the cost on our little jaunts. Tonight is my treat.” He ushers me inside with a courtly gesture at odds with his hulking frame.
We traverse room after room of elaborate scenes populated by both actors and holograms. Ghosts sail through walls, zombies lurch from the shadows mumbling, “brains, brains,” and mad scientists conduct deranged experiments in nightmare facsimiles of medical laboratories. The atmospheric design keeps me gripping Jorax’s sturdy arm.
In one hallway, the lights cut out completely. I yelp as something brushes my ankle. Jorax’s gravelly laugh vibrates through me when I cling to his side. When the lights flicker back on, I realize this is the first time I’ve seen a genuine smile stretch across his face. It thrills me to know he’s having as much fun as I am instead of treating this as a mercy date for the poor, pitiful human whom Icaron stood up.
“They’ve outdone themselves,” he remarks as we stroll out the exit into the autumn air.
I playfully swat his shoulder. “Did you know that last part was coming? You didn’t even flinch. Still, it was such fun.”
We meander across the lawn toward his hover discussing our favorite exhibits, when two small children round a row of hedges. At the sight of Jorax’s imposing figure, they skid to a halt, mouths agape. One begins whimpering behind his hands.
Jorax deflates before my eyes, his smile crumbling. He ducks his head and gives the youngsters a wide berth. My heart cracks for him. No matter how often it happens, the prejudice around his appearance must sting.
As we crunch on the parking lot gravel, Jorax forces a shrug. “Not everyone can be a pretty poster boy like Icaron.” But his flippant tone rings hollow.
I grip his forearm. “It’s their loss for judging on appearances. You’ve shown me beauty comes in many forms, my friend.”
Jorax looks at me with such surprise and naked gratitude that I make a silent pledge to remind him of that truth more often.
Chapter Nine
Jorax
For a moment, I wondered if Syrryn meant her words to be hurtful. She said I have beauty. An obvious lie. Was she intentionally demeaning me?
But I’ve known her for a few weeks, and she’s been unfailingly kind. Certainly she wouldn’t say such a spiteful thing intentionally, would she? And she’s slipped her arm through mine as we walk over the uneven ground in the parking lot. A female who hated me wouldn’t do that, right?
We meander toward my hover, discussing our favorite rooms in the haunted house. Leaving my worries behind, I can’t keep the smile from my face. I’m still floating from the realization that she actually wanted to spend time with me tonight even though I was her second choice after Icaron. She could have just gone home and watched vids alone in her living room. Instead, she immediately agreed to come with me to the haunted house.
“That ghostly Banshee Ella in the attic was creepy. Her wail gave me chills!” Syrryn gives an exaggerated shiver.
I chuckle, letting all my worries fade away. “Agreed. The effects were very realistic this year. I almost wondered if she was a real specter they’d captured.”
As we reach my vehicle, an alert pops up on my wrist display. I scan the details. “Oh, looks like there’s a meteor shower tonight. Expected to be quite a show.” I hesitate, struck by an idea. “Theviewing is really nice from Arixxia Falls. I could take you there if you’d like to see it. It’s not far.”
I hold my breath. She’ll probably make an excuse to go home. Why would someone as lovely and vibrant as her want to spend more time than necessary with a wretched beast like me?
But Syrryn’s face lights up, banishing my doubts. “I’d love to go. I used to watch meteor showers whenever they were visible to the naked eye back on Earth.”
Tamping down a flurry of surprise and nerves, I open the hover door for her. Of course, a scientist like Syrryn would enjoy watching cosmic phenomena. And I suppose nearly anything is preferable to returning alone to an empty, barely furnished house—even looking at the heavens with me.
