Chapter 15
I’m not doing this,” Gabriel announced, already backing towards the door. “This is worse than what you described. Much worse.”
Miles had to agree. Even the deepest depths of his nightmares couldn’t come close to this reality.
The homecoming committee had spread across the entire gym, massive banners laid flat to decorate—there were actual glitter pens, God help them—and shapes being cut out of cardboard.
A group was wrangling what looked like giant balls of white fluff, another untangling the biggest knot of string lights in existence.
On the opposite side of the gym, bolts of tulle, stacks of paint cans, and bags of sequins leaned against the wall.
“Why…” Gabriel trailed off, then tried again. “Why is it so… shiny?”
Between the glitter pens, silver sequins, metallic paint, bedazzled fabric, and shimmery streamers, they were trapped in the world’s most nauseating disco ball. The gym looked like it had been possessed by an unholy sparkle demon.
When he’d heard the homecoming theme was Under the Stars, Miles had pictured something elegant. Understated. Less… blinding.
“Should we make a run for it before it’s too late?”
But they’d already been spotted. A tall girl with deep brown skin and platinum-blonde braids strode over, clipboard in hand. Her school sweatshirt was smeared and spotted with fresh green paint.
“Are you here to help out?” she asked, pen poised over the clipboard.
“Yes.”
“No.”
Her eyebrows flew up and Miles hurried to explain. “I am, Mr. Keller should’ve signed me up. But he’s just here to give me a ride home.”
He gave his name and she checked a list. “Cool, thanks for volunteering. Feel free to jump in anywhere, it’s all hands on deck.
” Her gaze shifted to Gabriel. “You sure you don’t wanna help out?
We need people on the clouds”—she pointed at the group wrestling white fluff—“if painting’s not your thing. ”
Gabriel visibly shuddered. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”
The girl frowned.
“He’s got a project he has to work on,” Miles hurried to say. “Big chunk of his grade, you know?”
“Uh huh.” She clearly wasn’t buying it but got distracted by waving across the gym. “I’m Alexis, by the way. Come find me if you need anything.”
The bleachers were fully retracted to make more space, so they went to the far end where it wasn’t as busy. Gabriel settled on the scuffed gym floor with a long-suffering sigh.
“We only have to be here for a few minutes. Fifteen, max,” Miles reminded him.
They’d agreed that was the best way to do it: Miles would show up long enough to be seen helping out, so Mr. Keller didn’t tell his mom he was a no-show, then he and Gabriel could slip away to spend the rest of the time reading the grimoire.
It felt wrong bringing it to school, carrying it around in his bag like radioactive waste that put everyone in his vicinity at risk. If there was any other way, he’d take it in a heartbeat.
“I’m sure the time will fly by,” Gabriel said dryly.
“Fifteen minutes won’t kill you. Why don’t you help me decorate these ugly banners?”
Gabriel slipped a battered paperback from his bag. “Your optimism truly knows no bounds. Or perhaps delusion is finally setting in.”
“You could’ve just said no.” Miles laughed. “Fine, read your depressing book. I’m going to go find something to paint.”
He left him to his reading and went looking for a spot to jump in. There were a few familiar faces, but no one he knew well enough to join. The thought of butting in where he wasn’t needed or wanted made the back of his neck burn.
“Miles!” Emily waved him over to where she was sitting cross-legged, cutting big stars out of cardboard.
She was dressed head to toe in red like the other sophomores, with a scarlet skirt, a sweater embroidered with roses, hair pulled back in a big shiny scrunchie, and red laces on her sneakers.
“I didn’t know you were helping out the homecoming committee. ”
“Not by choice.” Miles joined her, unreasonably relieved. “It’s an extra credit thing for English. But Gabriel and I are slipping out to read the grimoire in a few minutes.”
“Is he up for that, after last night?”
“He says he is.” Miles took the stack of carboard, sharpie, and cut-out star to trace that Emily offered him. “I think he needs a win after… everything. But it turns out the botched summoning spell might not be our fault.”
He leaned in and lowered his voice, explaining about Rosalie’s visit.
Emily frowned. “Is it possible Jocelyn’s still alive?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t think we’ll know until we find her.
” One of the gym doors was cracked open to vent out the hot glue and paint fumes, and Miles could see the downpour of rain beating against the pavement.
“I hate to say it, but after last night, she’s going to have to wait.
We agreed we’re not using the grimoire again. ”
“What if you need a spell from it to undo the curse?”
There was no good answer to that. Miles didn’t know anything about breaking curses like this, if you used dark magic to get rid of dark magic, or if the solution was simpler. Please, let it be simpler.
“How are you feeling after last night?” he asked, changing the subject.
Her expression darkened. “Fine.”
Yeah, because that was convincing.
“Is everything okay? I know things got pretty scary, and the grimoire—”
“It’s not that,” she interrupted. “It’s just… my mom is being extra herself. It’s silly, I have way bigger things to worry about, but she still manages to get under my skin.”
Miles felt like a jerk, so focused on his problems that he’d forgotten Emily had her own. “Is she still trying to marry you off?”
“Yep.” Emily stabbed a piece of cardboard with her scissors. “She’s decided I need to focus more on my gifts and building a reputation among the families to make me more… desirable or whatever. She wants me to give up soccer.”
“What did you say?”
“That I’d think about it. It’s normally not worth fighting with her, but this is different.
She wants me to make this psychic stuff my entire life.
I’m two seconds away from calling my grandparents and begging them to get her to go back to Colombia.
Fake an emergency, fabricate some big lie, I don’t even care, my morals are out the window.
I just need her gone before she sucks every bit of joy from my life. ”
“What if you say no?”
“I don’t think she’s planning on giving me a choice.”
Miles could relate to everything she was saying—except for that.
At the end of the day, no matter how mad he was at his mom, he didn’t believe either of his parents would force him to continue the family business if he told them he didn’t want to.
The problem was telling them. The inevitable disappointment, the confusion, the implication that the life they’d built wasn’t enough for him.
Finding the strength to put his own dreams over helping people and knowing everyone would think he was selfish for it.
“Fight her on it. At some point, you’ll have to tell her you’re not going to be forced into a relationship. This can be your boundary-setting test run.”
“Would you?” Emily challenged with a sideways glance. Not unkindly, just knowingly.
A week ago, Miles would’ve said that was fair. “I did. When my mom found out about Gabriel. I mean, she didn’t listen to me, but I felt better knowing I’d tried for once.” He traced a sloppy star. “Charlee thinks Gabriel’s bad attitude rubbed off on me.”
“I didn’t realize how close you two were.”
“Me and Charlee?”
“Gabriel.” She wasn’t looking at him, popping open a tube of gold paint. “You really care about each other.”
There was nothing explicit about the comment, but it was clear from what she wasn’t saying, exactly what was being said.
The noise of the gym was suddenly thunderous in his ears. “We aren’t—I mean, I’m not—”
“We aren’t talking about it,” Emily stated firmly. “Not until you want to. Or never, that’s cool too. I only brought it up so you know I’m here if you ever do want to. That’s all.” She laughed a little sheepishly. “Sorry, that sounded way less lame in my head.”
“No, it’s… nice. Thank you.” Miles reached inside and poked at where his embarrassment burned the hottest, surprised to find it was already fading away. Emily knowing seemed… right.
“I feel a little bad dragging you into this mess,” he told her, “but I’m glad you’re here.
Not just because you’re the smartest person I know, but I think it’s good for Gabriel.
He could use more exposure to someone like you.
” Miles only had so much warmth to give to combat a lifetime spent in the cold.
“And you too. Don’t make it sound like you’re not making a difference,” she admonished. “I’ve seen how he loosens up around you. Softens a little.”
Miles flushed. “I want him to know what it’s like to have people around him who care. Who want him here, you know?”
“I get it. Just don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
“He doesn’t make me feel like I have to. He makes me want to.”
Gabriel had seen Miles defeated, frustrated, hurt, and he still cared about him. He accepted all parts of Miles with no conditions or expectations, no judgment.
Emily gave him a wide, lovely grin. “I’m going to win him over. Not even Gabriel Hawthorne can resist my charm.”
Maybe she hadn’t seen it, but after last night, she’d already won him over.
It wasn’t her style to be bothered by anyone else’s opinion, but Miles still hoped she got a chance to see the rare moments when Gabriel’s mask came off. That there was more to him than his cold front.
“We should probably get going.” Miles handed her supplies back, climbing to his feet and feeling the lingering ache in his muscles from last night. “Lots of evil spells to comb through.”
Gabriel spotted him coming, snapping his book closed.
“Please tell me it’s time to go. If I have to listen to another minute of inane arguing over yellow or gold as a base color”—he gestured to a wooden monstrosity being painted, two shooting stars crossing over each other to form an arch tall enough to walk under—“I’m going to lose the will to live. ”
He was starting to sound as dramatic as Edmund.
“Yeah, c’mon, let’s get outta here.”
Gabriel packed his bag, then hesitated. “I had a thought… we should go to the football game.”
Miles wasn’t even moving and he nearly tripped over his own feet. “What?”
“The football game this Friday. We should go together.”
He could’ve suggested joining the talent show and Miles would’ve been less shocked. “I know I joked about embracing the school spirit, but you’re starting to worry me.”
Gabriel rolled his eyes. “I’m aware that it’s a ridiculous event, but I’m being serious. Emily mentioned they have popcorn. And”—he shifted, staring at Miles’s shoulder as the tips of his ears went scarlet—“I thought perhaps it could be our first date.”
First date. Miles’s gut gave a distracting swoop.
“Unless people who are already dating don’t go on dates,” Gabriel continued, eyebrows furrowed. “Do the dates come first, to lead to the decision to date? What is the protocol?”
“I have no idea and honestly, I don’t care. Nothing about our relationship has been conventional. Why start now?” Miles wanted to take Gabriel’s hand, but they were surrounded by people. “I’d really like to go with you. And get you some popcorn.”
“Then it’s decided,” Gabriel confirmed briskly, like he didn’t want to give Miles the opportunity to take it back. He headed towards the gym exit, Miles chasing after him. “I’m surprised you didn’t laugh at me.”
Miles got the door for him, the handle clanging. “Why would I laugh at you?”
“It’s foolish, wanting to spend an evening watching teenagers throw balls at each other when we have significantly more important things to spend our time doing.”
Gabriel thought he’d be laughed at, but he’d still been brave enough to ask. “Speak for yourself. Spending time with you is important to me, no matter what we’re doing.”
He hadn’t been to a football game, so he wasn’t sure what to expect, but any time with Gabriel was well worth braving icy bleachers and screaming crowds.
Gabriel met his gaze, eyes curious. “Even such frivolous, asinine, normal teenage experiences?”
Miles smiled at him, wide enough to make his cheeks protest. “Especially those.”