Chapter eleven
Nalini
Itypically wasn’t early to the YWG. The combination of yoga, showering, and attempting to shove lunch in my mouth made me lucky if I got there ten minutes early. I’d never been strict about the start time, and most families were more likely to be late than early.
Except today, Kameron was there. In the room. Waiting for me.
We hadn’t talked since he’d asked me about the Dice anyone raised here wouldn’t have said a word. “Well, what I can tell you is I dated your Uncle a long time ago. And when we broke up, we hurt each other a lot.”
“That’s why he wrote the Nalini song?” Cassidy asked, and I really hated having this conversation right in front of Kameron.
Though, to his credit, he was pretending not to pay attention.
As much as I hated Jack, there were lines I refused to cross, which included ruining his relationship with his family.
Even if it meant downplaying everything for the ten-year-old in front of me.
“Yeah,” I nodded, “A lot of people listened to the song and decided I was a bad person. Most people in Briar Hill have forgotten about it, but sometimes, people think I’m a BBEG, like in Dice & Dragons, and all I do is hurt people.”
“So, you don’t want to hurt my Dad?” Cassidy asked, and I could sense her disbelief. Fair, considering she’d watched me throw coffee in his face the first time we met.
“No, I think the coffee throw was enough,” I chuckled. “Plus, even though he hurt me too, I’ve mostly forgiven him.”
“Wait, really?” Kameron interrupted.
“Dad, this is a private conversation,” Cassidy sassed him, and I snorted as I held in my laughter.
“Anyway, sometimes people think they’re looking out for your Dad by deciding I’m the bad guy,” I continued.
The conversation was surprisingly healing, despite its awkward start.
Laying out how I was treated and how the fans saw me like it wasn’t a big deal made me realize that maybe it wasn’t anymore.
What I’d been holding on to, what I’d let hold me back, all of it seemed to melt away the longer I talked to Cassidy.
Some of my RaineFall-related worries were still warranted, but making a conscious choice not to act on them, to forgive Kameron even if I didn’t fully trust him. This was my way of proving them wrong.
A small step in taking back my life. A small step towards becoming who I actually wanted to be.
“Uncle Jack never apologized, did he?” Cassidy asked, and I noticed Kameron deflating at his daughter’s perceptiveness. It seemed like he’d been trying to protect her from Jack’s less savory qualities too.
“He didn’t,” I said, shaking my head no, “but I’m over it.” Maybe lying to a child wasn’t the best way to get my point across, because I most certainly wasn’t over it. But it was clear she actually liked Jack, or didn’t know him well enough to realize liking him wasn’t in her best interest.
However, I took this opportunity to get everyone started for the day. The last thing I wanted was the ghost of Jack summoned to Briar Hill — I'd just gotten used to Kameron being here.
Jack appearing would be the kind of omen my life was about to be upended, and he’d come out on top. Every. Single. Time.